Stark's Joint Operation
"You want to research super weapons, just like it's recorded in the diary?"
Hearing Nick Fury's decision, Tony Stark was slightly stunned at first, then truly fell into deep thought.
When it came to creating super weapons to protect the World, the Playboy wasn't as conservative as Captain America.
After all, his future self had already done so, hadn't he?
It was just that he accidentally messed up and almost wiped out all of humanity.
And at this moment.
Knowing that Asgard's Destroyer could easily destroy a small town, and knowing that the Chitauri would invade New York in the future, forcing the human government to even use nuclear bombs, the Playboy increasingly realized the necessity of such weapons.
His Destroyer armor was a living example!
So, Tony Stark actually approved of researching super weapons to protect the World.
Seeing the Playboy's reaction, Nick Fury couldn't help but nod to himself.
It seemed his decision to come to Tony Stark was correct.
This man indeed had foresight that surpassed ordinary people and the limitations of the general public.
However, when Tony Stark looked up again, he refused Nick Fury.
"I agree with your suggestion to develop super weapons. Humanity indeed lacks the means to deal with interstellar threats."
"But I won't research the Tesseract for you."
"I don't want the Insight Project to become a reality."
The Playboy shook his head resolutely.
Super weapons were important, but even more important was the purity of the power controlling those super weapons!
Once a super weapon was controlled by a certain intelligence agency, its nature would be completely different.
It would become a tool for those in high positions to contend for power, not a weapon to protect the World!
This was also why Tony Stark firmly refused to hand over his armor to the government; the Playboy understood human nature too well.
Not to mention.
S.H.I.E.L.D. itself was so deeply infiltrated by HYDRA that even the grand weapon created by the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. was snatched by HYDRA.
Under such circumstances, how could Tony Stark dare to cooperate with S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Wouldn't that just be working for HYDRA for free?
"The Insight Project is indeed embarrassing, but Stark, you can't judge me by something that hasn't happened yet."
"In fact, that was the experience of someone with the same name as me in another parallel Universe; strictly speaking, it has nothing to do with me."
"You wouldn't think that a Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. like me, after reading the diary, wouldn't be able to resolve potential hidden dangers, would you?"
Nick Fury swore to Tony Stark.
If he really wanted to use the Tesseract to research secret weapons, he would definitely exclude all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s forces!
He would use his private power for everything, without a doubt.
Just like he was currently plundering Ivan Vanko's technology.
"I still refuse."
"There's only one possibility for you to make me research the Tesseract: you give the Tesseract to me and let me research it independently."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. cannot intervene."
Tony Stark seriously made this demand to Nick Fury.
Wouldn't that be equivalent to handing over the Tesseract for free?
What a joke!
Nick Fury naturally couldn't accept such an arrangement.
"It's regrettable, it seems we can't reach an agreement on this matter for now."
Nick Fury shook his head and temporarily decided to abandon this idea.
Since Tony Stark was a dead end, then Nick Fury could only settle for the next best thing and continue to search for other qualified scientists.
"Yes, it seems so."
The Playboy nodded, and after a moment of contemplation, he thought of something else, "But I think we might be able to agree on something else."
"You're starting to consider joining the Avengers?"
Nick Fury couldn't help but glance at Tony Stark with his single eye. Had the Playboy changed his mind?
"We'll talk about that later."
"Just because another me joined that alliance doesn't mean I will too."
"What I want to talk about is something else: the Winter Soldier."
The Winter Soldier!
Nick Fury's heart immediately stirred, and his gaze also sharpened.
The diary clearly stated that this person was HYDRA's super soldier.
One day in the future, he would even assassinate him because of the Insight Project!
Although he ultimately couldn't kill him, Nick Fury couldn't ignore such a thing.
From another perspective.
As the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury also wouldn't allow HYDRA to control a super soldier assassin.
So, yes.
After obtaining the relevant intelligence, Nick Fury naturally conducted a secret investigation into the Winter Soldier.
Unfortunately.
The other party's secrecy was deeper than Nick Fury had imagined.
Nick Fury had only managed to uncover some superficial information so far, and nothing more.
More specific intelligence, however, had not been found.
There was no way around it; the Winter Soldier spent most of his time frozen, leaving very few traces.
And to avoid alerting him, Nick Fury didn't dare to use S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources to investigate the Winter Soldier, only relying on his private forces for a secret investigation.
The efficiency was even lower.
"You must have investigated this person; he almost killed you."
"And he also killed my parents, so he is our common enemy, and we both want to find him."
"In this regard, I think we can cooperate deeply."
Tony Stark continued to speak solemnly to Nick Fury.
For Nick Fury, this was naturally not a problem.
The Playboy's suggestion was actually quite in line with Nick Fury's wishes.
"So, regarding this Winter Soldier, what have you found out?"
Nick Fury's single eye shone, staring at Tony Stark.
"Jarvis!"
The Playboy instructed Jarvis.
The thoughtful A.I. immediately projected the relevant information in front of Nick Fury.
Nick Fury's spirits lifted, and he stopped wasting words, beginning to carefully examine the specific intelligence.
Some of it was indeed something even he had never found out, and it was very useful to him.
It had to be said, Tony Stark was truly something.
"What about you?"
"Is there anything I don't know?"
Tony Stark's voice sounded in his ear, and he couldn't help but ask from the side.
"You're underestimating me too much, Stark?"
Nick Fury couldn't help but roll his eyes.
If you can find some things, can't I, Nick Fury?
Yes, you, Tony, possess technology far beyond this era.
Even Nick Fury, as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., couldn't help but praise Jarvis's brilliance.
But Nick Fury also had his own advantages!
Advantages that Jarvis could never hope to match!
After all, to put it plainly, Jarvis could only excel on the internet.
He could dig out things hidden deep within the network that even S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't discover.
But what about traces outside the internet?
Jarvis couldn't reach those.
However, on the contrary, in this regard, he, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury, was an expert among experts.
The vast resources and experience accumulated by a chief Agent throughout his entire professional career were not to be underestimated.
"I do have some things that I believe you'll be very interested in."
"Of course, I also believe they will be of great help to you."
"Later, I'll have Natasha bring you the specific information."
After a brief contemplation, Nick Fury made a natural decision, "Just right, isn't Natasha your assistant? Then let her stay here and be responsible for the investigation of the Winter Soldier with you."
"From now on, she will act as the liaison between you and me."
Tony Stark couldn't help but look at Nick Fury with a strange gaze: "I was going to fire her, you wouldn't have planned all this, would you?"
The Playboy wasn't lying.
He had kept Black Widow by his side before simply to use her to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D. in reverse.
But now that he and Nick Fury had already laid everything out, Tony Stark naturally wouldn't continue to keep a spy by his side.
Tony Stark had already decided that as soon as Nick Fury left, he would immediately fire Black Widow.
Although Black Widow was indeed exquisite and her figure was truly hot, the Playboy still found her quite pleasing to the eye.
But the thought that such a beautiful woman was a spy made Tony Stark feel uncomfortable all over.
But who would have thought, plans change quickly.
Well, he really had to keep Black Widow by his side for now.
Just like that.
The two sides very happily reached an agreement on the matter of jointly investigating the Winter Soldier.
"Stark, if you change your mind, you can tell me anytime."
After discussing the serious matters, Nick Fury didn't waste any more time at Tony Stark's place.
After greeting the Playboy, he left the Playboy's mansion.
"Officer, where are we going next?"
Back in her car, Agent Hill smoothly started the car and asked Nick Fury for his opinion.
"Let's go see Captain America."
After a brief thought, Nick Fury gave Agent Hill this answer.
Vroom, vroom, vroom!
Agent Hill didn't ask anything she shouldn't have, cleanly started the car, and took Nick Fury to the Base where Captain America was housed.
After showing his presence at Captain America's location and indirectly probing Captain America's attitude, Nick Fury left.
There was nothing he could do.
Although Nick Fury wished he could immediately have Captain America join the Avengers, Captain America's condition wasn't too good.
Nick Fury understood the principle of haste makes waste.
It seemed he would just have to visit Captain America more often in the future.
And after leaving Captain America, Nick Fury once again appeared before Zhou Cheng.
"Mr. Satan, I'm here this time to see if there's any possibility of you changing your mind."
Facing Zhou Cheng, Nick Fury was more direct, quickly stating his purpose after a brief greeting.
Zhou Cheng spread his hands helplessly: "If that's the case, I'm sorry to disappoint you, I haven't changed my mind."
"And I don't think I will change my mind in the future."
"So, if it's still about the Avengers, it's better not to waste time in the future."
Zhou Cheng's refusal was quite resolute.
Nick Fury wasn't too surprised by this and didn't push too hard.
"Understood."
Nick Fury nodded, then his single eye stared directly at Zhou Cheng, "Then, Mr. Satan, what if S.H.I.E.L.D. hires you to handle some... more special and difficult matters?"
Although Nick Fury spoke more subtly, he believed that as the Master of the diary, Satan would definitely understand what he meant.
"If that's the case, then it depends on two important factors."
Zhou Cheng seriously held up two fingers, "First, whether your price is right, and second, whether I'm in a good mood."
As a mercenary, it's natural to consider the price, but you also have to consider your mood? Isn't that a bit too willful?
Nick Fury couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
"Mr. Satan, I have a premonition that this won't be our last meeting."
After dropping such a pretentious remark to Zhou Cheng, Nick Fury left once again.
"Officer, the New Mexico matter has been arranged."
It had to be said that Coulson was quite reliable in his work; shortly after returning to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Nick Fury received Coulson's report.
And almost at the same time.
Pierce, in his top-floor office at the Triskelion, also received the same report.
"Nick arranged for Agents to lie in wait in New Mexico?"
"Because a mjolnir will fall from the sky there?"
Alexander Pierce, upon receiving the news, was still very, very curious about this intelligence.
He didn't know where Nick Fury had obtained the intelligence, but for him to attach such high importance to it, it seemed that the mjolnir falling from the sky must be a good thing!
As a former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and now the leader of HYDRA, Pierce had naturally come into contact with many supernatural items.
He was very interested in this mjolnir that would fall from the sky in the future.
If possible, Pierce naturally intended to acquire this item for HYDRA.
However, this matter was currently only just surfacing, so there was no need to rush.
Pierce only needed to temporarily keep HYDRA's undercover Agents in New Mexico to monitor the relevant developments.
No extra actions were necessary, to avoid Nick Fury, that suspicious fellow, from noticing anything.
No, Nick Fury must have already noticed something!
Pierce's expression began to grow serious.
After the other party captured Ivan Vanko, the subsequent series of operations completely isolated HYDRA!