The briefing room aboard the Bus was tense.
The air smelled faintly of burnt circuitry and gun oil—a reminder of their encounter with Hydra only hours earlier.
Coulson stood at the center, hands clasped behind his back, as the holographic projection of Director Nick Fury flickered into view. The one-eyed man's expression was, as always, unreadable.
"Coulson," Fury said in that low, commanding tone, "you were supposed to investigate a communications failure. Not blow up half a facility."
"Technically, Hydra blew it up," Coulson replied. "We just made sure they didn't leave with the toys."
Fury's eye shifted toward the others—May, Fitz, Simmons, Skye… and finally, Su Zhan.
"And you must be the new face I've been hearing about," Fury said slowly. "Su Zhan, right?"
Su Zhan gave a polite nod. "Pleasure's mine, Director."
"Let's skip the pleasantries." Fury's tone hardened. "I've seen the field report. You fought off an entire Hydra squad with fire coming out of your hands. Care to explain that before I decide whether you're a threat or an asset?"
Su Zhan smiled faintly. "Guess that depends which one you're looking for."
The silence that followed was almost tangible. Even May's grip on her holstered gun tightened slightly.
Fury's single eye narrowed, studying him with that uncanny mix of suspicion and calculation. Finally, he said, "You've got guts, I'll give you that. Just make sure they don't end up all over my floor."
"I'll do my best," Su Zhan said, unfazed.
Fury turned back to Coulson. "Keep an eye on him. If he sneezes fire again, I want to know about it."
The hologram flickered out.
The Briefing Ends
Skye let out a low whistle. "Wow. So that was the Nick Fury. The guy who runs everything. He looks… taller on the news."
"Everyone does," May said flatly, walking off.
Coulson sighed. "We're lucky he didn't pull us off active duty. Hydra's infiltration's worse than I thought. If they've got their hands on Variant Omega, we're running out of time."
"Then we find them," Su Zhan said simply.
Coulson looked at him. "You've got ideas?"
"Always," he said with a smirk. "Hydra likes to move their data through black channels—encrypted relay nodes hidden inside old S.H.I.E.L.D. satellites. If we can track those signals, we'll find their main lab."
Skye blinked. "Wait, how do you even know that?"
Su Zhan smiled faintly. "Let's just say Hydra and I have… crossed paths before."
Coulson's eyes narrowed. "That sounds like a story I'd like to hear."
"One day," Su Zhan said lightly, "when we're not about to crash into another supervillain base."
Later — S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ (Washington, D.C.)
The Bus landed on a private airstrip outside D.C.
Su Zhan followed Coulson through a maze of security scanners and biometric gates until they arrived at a dimly lit operations room.
Nick Fury was waiting for them in person this time, flanked by Maria Hill.
"Close the door," Fury said.
Coulson did as told. Fury's expression was unreadable as always, but there was a sharper edge to his voice. "We've got a problem. Hydra's infiltration goes deeper than anyone expected. They've compromised multiple projects—Project Insight, Centipede, maybe even our R&D division."
Coulson frowned. "What do you need from us?"
"I need someone off the grid. Someone Hydra doesn't know we're using."
His eye turned to Su Zhan.
Su Zhan raised an eyebrow. "You want me."
"I want results," Fury said. "You're not in our system, you don't exist on paper. That makes you useful."
Coulson shifted uneasily. "Director, are you sure that's wise? We barely know who he is."
"That's exactly why Hydra won't either," Fury replied. "Sometimes, Coulson, you've got to fight shadows with shadows."
He turned back to Su Zhan. "I want you to go dark. No comms, no S.H.I.E.L.D. support. Find where Hydra's producing their serum and shut it down. Quietly."
Su Zhan crossed his arms. "And what do I get out of it?"
Fury's lips curved into the faintest smirk. "You get to keep breathing. And if you bring me what I want… I'll give you access to something S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't hand out easily."
"What's that?"
"Information," Fury said. "About you."
Su Zhan froze, his grin fading slightly. "What do you mean, about me?"
Fury's one eye gleamed. "You think we don't run scans, kid? You're not exactly human anymore. Whatever's inside you—it's rewriting your DNA faster than our systems can read. So maybe, just maybe, if you do your job… we'll tell you what you've become."
Su Zhan stared at him for a long second, then smiled faintly. "Deal."
Later That Night — The D.C. Safehouse
The room was dark except for the faint glow from the computer screens. Skye sat cross-legged on the couch, hacking into a Hydra relay node while Su Zhan packed gear into a duffel bag.
"So you're seriously going on a solo mission for Fury?" she asked.
He nodded. "Looks that way."
"Without backup? Without me?" She pouted. "You know that's basically a death wish."
He smirked. "You care?"
"Don't flatter yourself," she said quickly, then hesitated. "Okay, maybe a little."
He zipped up the bag and turned toward her. "I'll be fine. You just focus on staying alive until I get back."
"That's supposed to be my line."
He stopped at the door, glancing back at her. "Skye."
She looked up. "Yeah?"
He smiled, soft but genuine. "If Fury calls, tell him I don't take orders. I take opportunities."
Before she could reply, he was gone—just a blur fading into the night.
System Log
[Main Quest: Fury's Secret]
Objective: Infiltrate Hydra's primary base.
Sub-Objective: Discover Fury's hidden agenda.
Reward: Unlock "Unknown File — Project Origin."
Progress: 0%
The system's voice faded into silence.
Somewhere deep inside S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Nick Fury watched Su Zhan's departure on a monitor, his face unreadable.
Maria Hill spoke softly. "You think he'll survive?"
Fury didn't look away from the screen. "He's not like the others. He's something new. The question is… whose side he's really on."