Chapter 3: The First Piece on the Board
The dust cloud was visible from miles away, billowing like a malevolent god exhaling. Adam paid the taxi driver, whose eyes were wide with a mixture of fear and morbid curiosity, and stepped out onto the outskirts of Puente Antiguo. The small town was already in a state of growing panic. People were milling about, pointing, murmuring about "weather anomalies" and "some kind of robot."
Adam, with the advantage of foresight, knew exactly what kind of robot. The Destroyer. And its arrival meant Thor was about to have a very bad day, followed by a very good day, and a very public display of power. His goal wasn't to stop the Destroyer – that was Thor's arc – but to capitalize on the chaos.
He began subtly. He moved through the crowds, casually nudging people away from where the Destroyer was clearly heading. "Hey, folks, looks like that dust storm's getting pretty bad, maybe head towards the edge of town? Safer out there." He spoke with a practiced ease, his voice friendly, his movements deceptively calm. No one questioned the slightly disheveled guy who looked like he'd just stumbled out of a bad hangover.
Then he saw her. Darcy Lewis. She was exactly as he remembered: quick-witted, cynical, and utterly out of her depth, filming the bizarre event on her tablet. She was arguing with Jane Foster and Erik Selvig, trying to comprehend the insanity unfolding.
"Are you seeing this?! It's like a giant metal dude from space!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of awe and terror.
[Character Sighted: Darcy Lewis – Detected]
[Proximity: High (Within 10 yards)]
Adam casually strolled past, offering a fleeting, appreciative glance at her commentary. Darcy was smart, resourceful in her own way, and possessed an uncanny knack for cutting through scientific jargon with hilarious bluntness. Definitely a candidate. But not yet. He needed someone else first. Someone who understood duty, loyalty, and betrayal. Someone who could be his eyes and ears.
The Destroyer made its dramatic entrance, tearing through the main street, its energy blasts disintegrating everything in its path. Screams erupted. Chaos. People scattered. Adam, still maintaining his low profile, continued guiding people, pushing them towards cover, shouting directions.
Amidst the pandemonium, he spotted him. A SHIELD agent, uniform crisp, but his face etched with genuine alarm and a fierce determination. He wasn't focused on the Destroyer's power, but on the civilians trapped under a collapsing awning, trying desperately to pull them free. Not an Avenger, not a superhero, just a brave man trying to do his job in the face of insurmountable odds.
[Character Sighted: SHIELD Agent Jeremy – Detected]
[Proximity: High (Within 5 yards)]
Jeremy. His OC. Perfect. This was the guy. The blank slate, the loyal soldier who would be utterly disillusioned by SHIELD's corruption.
Adam moved quickly, helping Jeremy pull a woman free from the debris. Their hands brushed. "Needs more leverage!" Adam shouted over the din, feigning effort. He made sure to look directly into Jeremy's eyes for a solid second, cementing the "sight."
"Are you with...?" Jeremy started, looking confused, maybe even suspicious.
Adam cut him off, a grim look on his face. "Doesn't matter who I'm with. What matters is that thing is going to kill everyone here if we don't get them clear. Your command will be here eventually, but right now, you're on your own. You help these people, agent. It's what you were trained for, isn't it?"
It was a direct appeal, a subtle acknowledgment of Jeremy's duty and his disillusionment, phrased as encouragement. Jeremy's eyes, momentarily widened, hardened with resolve. He nodded, focusing back on the trapped civilians.
Adam gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, a fleeting physical contact to establish a connection. "Good man." Then, before Jeremy could ask more questions or SHIELD reinforcements arrived, Adam faded back into the chaos, melting away from the immediate danger zone. He wanted Jeremy to remember him as the guy who helped, not the guy who stuck around asking questions.
He found a secluded spot behind a collapsing diner, out of sight of the main action. He pulled up the Guild System interface.
[Character Sighted: SHIELD Agent Jeremy (OC) – Available for Recruitment]
[Send Guild Invitation to Jeremy? Y/N]
Adam didn't hesitate. He mentally selected 'Y'.
[Guild Invitation Sent to Jeremy.]
Now, for the waiting game. He hoped Jeremy's disillusionment with SHIELD was deep enough. He hoped his inherent bravery would lead him to accept an unknown offer of purpose. He hoped he wasn't about to get his first loyalty rating of 0% and a "betrayal" warning.
The Destroyer, its mission complete, disintegrated as Thor regained his power. The portal opened. The Avengers were being formed. But for Adam, a different, unseen foundation was being laid. He was building his own team. And he had a very strong feeling Jeremy was about to become Guild Member Zero.