CH: 46 - Quinn International - Marvel: The Infinite Crown

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*****

{Chapter: 46 - Quinn International}

Aircraft Lab – SHIELD Mobile Command Unit

The ambient hum of machinery filled the dimly lit lab, broken only by the soft clinking of metal tools and the occasional burst of static from the monitors. Fitz hunched over a metallic examination table, his brow furrowed in concentration as he carefully turned the small iron ball with the suspended ring using a precision probe. Around him, diagnostic tools scanned the object with varying frequencies—infrared, magnetic resonance, and low-level radiation, each yielding only minimal data.

"This thing defies most known physics," Fitz murmured to himself. "It has a shifting center of mass and an inconsistent gravitational pull, even under controlled conditions..."

Across the lab, Agent Phil Coulson and Agent Melinda May stood a short distance away, speaking in hushed tones. The tension between them was palpable, but it was not due to personal conflict—rather, it was the grim subject of their discussion.

"I don't want to believe it," May said, her voice low but firm. "I've worked with these agents for years. None of them would turn on SHIELD. Not for money, not for ideology."

"I want to believe that too," Coulson replied, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. "But someone out there knew exactly when and where our team would be. The timing was too perfect. The vehicle was waiting in ambush, the strike was clean, and they vanished without leaving any digital trail. That kind of precision doesn't come from guesswork. It comes from insider intel."

May looked away, her jaw tightening. "I'll look into it. Quietly. But I won't like what I find."

"I hope you don't find anything at all," Coulson said softly. "That would be the best-case scenario."

May nodded once, then turned and left the lab, her footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Returning his attention to the rest of the team, Coulson walked over to Daisy, who was scrolling through surveillance images on her tablet.

"Have we been able to analyze the tire tracks from the ambush site?" he asked.

"I sent the photos to the database for comparison," Daisy replied. "Should get results soon."

"There's no need," Aiden said coolly from the far end of the lab. He was leaning against the wall, arms folded, an air of calm certainty surrounding him.

"No need?" Daisy turned toward him, raising an eyebrow. "You think you already know who did it?"

Phil studied Aiden's expression. "I know you've demonstrated precognitive abilities before. But this was a past event, not a future one. Are you saying you can see the past too?"

Aiden's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "No. I can't see the past. Not in the traditional sense. But I don't need to. Because I know where the trail leads—and where the doctor will be next."

Everyone in the room fell silent. The implications of his words hit with weight.

"Then where is he?" Coulson asked, his voice steady, yet intense.

Aiden walked over to Fitz's table and pointed at the metallic object. "This isn't just some curiosity. It's a component—probably a control fragment—from a much larger sample of Gravitonium."

Fitz's eyes widened. "Gravitonium? That's theoretical… exotic matter that manipulates gravity fields. We've only seen traces in isolated experiments, and the rest was lost during the collapse of the Austrian research facility."

"Dr. Franklin Hall was one of the leading researchers on Gravitonium," Aiden continued. "He's been abducted—most likely by Ian Quinn."

At the mention of that name, both Fitz and Jemma looked up in unison.

"The Quinn International CEO?" Jemma asked. "He's known more for his political connections and tech investments."

"Exactly," Coulson said grimly. "And he's been attempting to secure Gravitonium research for years. If he has Dr. Hall, he intends to use him to weaponize it."

Fitz nodded in agreement, pointing at the iron ring. "This piece was likely part of a failed containment test. Gravitonium tends to destabilize unless stored in vacuum-sealed magnetic chambers."

Jemma added, "Unstable Gravitonium can warp gravitational fields on a local scale. The implications are... terrifying."

Daisy glanced at her screen. "Found something. Ian Quinn is currently in Malta. He's obtained Maltese citizenship, and his estate is hosting a reception in the next twenty-four hours. The place is fortified. Perimeter walls with electrified grid security. Private guards with military training. No backdoor entrance."

Coulson took a step back, exhaling slowly. "Malta. That complicates things. SHIELD doesn't have jurisdiction there."

"Not without triggering international backlash," Daisy said. "Sending in agents could be seen as a violation of sovereignty. We'd face diplomatic consequences—maybe even expulsion from the EU intelligence network."

"Unless someone goes alone," Aiden said pointedly.

The room was tense with the weight of what had just been said. Every agent in the aircraft lab understood the implications. Going in alone meant no backup, no extraction, and no protection from SHIELD's diplomatic immunity. If anything went wrong, they'd be disavowed. This wasn't just risky—it was near suicidal.

May's voice broke the silence, her tone firm and controlled. "The only way is for us to infiltrate alone. SHIELD might greenlight the operation unofficially, but it won't be sanctioned. If we're caught, we're disowned. That means no support, no cover story, no rescue op. It'll be like we never existed."

She walked to the digital layout of Quinn's estate, pointing at the perimeter defenses. "Once we get close, we'll trip the sensors. That will activate the power grid that surrounds his entire villa—twelve feet of steel laced with electric current strong enough to cook a person. And even if we manage to disable it somehow, there's also the internal laser grid and security drones patrolling the estate. By the time we breach those, they'll know we're coming. We'll have a few minutes at most before every armed government officer nearby swarms our position. Not to mention the personal guards there"

Phil nodded, rubbing his temple. The weight of command never left him, not even for a second. "It's a serious problem. We need a way in that doesn't immediately trigger an alarm. Or someone already on the inside."

His gaze turned to Aiden, standing quietly near the edge of the room, his hands folded behind his back. "Aiden. In the future you've seen… how do we make this work?"

Aiden didn't reply right away. Instead, he turned his head slightly, watching Daisy out of the corner of his eye. She was busy typing something on her phone, her expression tight with concentration. He could sense what she was trying to do—she was forging credentials under the banner of the Rising Tide, a hacker collective known for exposing corruption.

She was trying to get into the reception as a guest.

But she wasn't trained for covert infiltration. She didn't have the field experience. If anything went sideways, she'd be caught immediately.

He stepped forward, cutting through the tension like a blade. "It's not as complicated as it sounds," he said calmly. "Quinn has hired security, yes. But I've seen what's to come. Their bullets, their power grids, their defenses—they're nothing. They won't be able to stop me."

Phil narrowed his eyes. "You're saying you'll go in alone?"

Aiden nodded. "Yes. I'll enter first and draw their attention. While they focus on me, I'll disable the power grid manually. When it shuts down, you'll have a small window to infiltrate and extract Dr. Hall."

"And what about you?" Daisy asked, worry flickering in her eyes.

"I'll be fine," he said without hesitation. "But more importantly, you won't have to take the risk."

There was a moment of silence. Then Phil turned to Fitz and Jemma. "Gear up. We leave for Malta in one hour."

---

En Route to Malta

The hum of the Quinjet echoed as they soared over the Mediterranean Sea. Fitz was tinkering with a small gadget, his eyes sharp behind his glasses. Jemma was sitting across from him, carefully calibrating a sleek, high-tech watch.

"Aiden," she called, motioning him over. "This is for you."

She held out the watch and began strapping it to his wrist. It was compact, made of a dark alloy, and shimmered faintly under the cabin lights.

"See this red indicator here?" she pointed to a small glowing circle on the side. "Once it turns green, it means you've entered the interference radius of their internal security grid. At that point, you'll press the side button here. It will trigger a cascade override—just enough to force a restart of their power grid. During that brief blackout, we'll slip in."

Aiden glanced at the device, nodding once. "Got it."

"Please be careful," Jemma added, her voice softer now. "I know you're powerful, but even you can't predict every variable."

He offered her a faint smile. "Understood."

With the watch secured, Aiden leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, his thoughts drifting. He knew what was coming—not just the mission, but the consequences afterward.

Dr. Hall… That man wasn't innocent.

He might've been kidnapped, yes, but Aiden had seen further ahead. He had seen how Hall would ultimately be convinced—or corrupted—by Ian Quinn. During the rescue attempt, Hall would resist. In the chaos, Phil would be forced to strike him, sending him into the swirling vortex of the Gravitonium chamber.

Everyone would believe Hall had died.

But he wouldn't.

Instead, his body would merge with the unstable element. The Gravitonium would bond with his molecular structure, granting him powers no human was ever meant to wield. He would rise from the incident not as a victim, but as a threat.

Gravity manipulation.

The sheer scale of his ability would rival gods.

Aiden clenched his jaw. It reminded him of another—Erik Lehnsherr, the infamous Magneto. A man who could bend metal to his will. Where Magneto could command magnetic fields, Hall would control gravity itself. And in time, the two would become equals, perhaps even enemies.