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*****
Nick Fury didn't quite grasp the full intent behind Fini's words, and he harbored lingering doubts about the boy's behavior. He had always sensed Fini's palpable rejection of S.H.I.E.L.D.; Fini wasn't the type to be a busybody, so why the sudden heads-up?
"Even though you're always hovering on the edge of a death wish, at least your heart is in the right place."
Fini looked at Nick Fury with a flat, unimpressed gaze. This was likely the only quality of Fury's he could respect; otherwise, he struggled to find a single redeeming spark in the man.
"I don't want to see Earth in chaos, so I'm warning you to be ready," Fini continued, offering a casual explanation before throwing in a strategic retreat. "Though, if you want my advice, you're better off just giving that thing up. It would be better for everyone if things stayed quiet."
Fini skillfully led Nick Fury into a misconception, making him believe the "trouble" was simply Asgard coming to reclaim the Tesseract. In reality, Fini knew the true danger lay in Fury's obsession with researching it.
He also knew Fury well enough to know he would never abandon the Cube.
In the original timeline, Fury only let Thor take the Tesseract after Loki used it to forcibly open a portal, proving just how dangerous it was to keep on Earth. But right now, nothing had happened. There was no way Nick Fury would hand over such a prize just because Fini claimed "the neighbors are coming for their lawnmower."
"This is S.H.I.E.L.D. property," Fury replied, exactly as Fini anticipated.
"If you added the Hulk to your side, could you keep it?"
Hearing Fury's question, Fini felt a flicker of inward amusement, though he maintained a stoic expression and shook his head. "That depends on who shows up and how many of them there are."
Fearing he might scare Fury off too much, Fini added, "But considering the current state of their Bifrost, you should be fine."
"But why should I help you keep it? There's nothing in it for me or the planet."
Despite Fini's entire goal being to get close to the Space Stone, he played the part of the reluctant witness perfectly to avoid arousing Fury's suspicion.
Fury frowned deeply, remaining silent for a long time. Finally, he spoke again: "When do they plan on coming for it?"
"How should I know?" Fini replied with an air of indifference, intentionally keeping the concept vague. "You shouldn't be asking me; you should be asking the people from Asgard."
"Thank you for the warning. I'll make the necessary preparations."
Fury brooded for a moment, offered a stiff word of thanks, and then asked, "Do you need a ride back?"
"No need. I'll find a spot to open a portal myself in a bit."
Fini shook his head. Although Fury didn't officially ask for his help yet, Fini was confident it wouldn't be long before the Director came knocking.
---
After parting ways with Fini, Nick Fury took a helicopter to the joint NASA/S.H.I.E.L.D. facility where Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. was underway. The Tesseract research was being conducted here alongside various other high-priority projects.
Descending deep underground via elevator, Fury found the lead researcher—Erik Selvig, a man who shared a complicated history with Thor.
"How is the energy research on the Tesseract progressing?" Fury asked.
"Director, it's a monumental challenge," Erik Selvig replied, shaking his head. "The Cube possesses near-infinite energy. Siphoning it off is incredibly difficult, and a single mistake could result in unimaginable destructive force."
"So, you're saying there are no results?"
Fury frowned. He understood that if the Cube were easy to figure out, they wouldn't have left it in storage for decades, but he couldn't help a flash of irritation.
"Correct."
Selvig didn't seem bothered. Even without a breakthrough, he had compiled significant data. Besides, he had been feeling a bit forgetful lately; if he got fired, he could finally use the rest.
After dismissing Selvig, Fury found Clint Barton—Hawkeye—who had been assigned to keep an eye on things. "Has he shown any unusual behavior?"
Barton shook his head lazily. "Apart from daily data testing and experiments, everything is normal. No contact with anyone outside the facility."
"Good."
Fury trusted Barton. Recalling Fini's warning, he decided to give the archer a heads-up. "We'll be increasing security over the next few days. Keep your eyes peeled. If anything feels off, report it immediately."
"Are we expecting an attack?" Barton straightened up, his eyes sharpening.
"It's a possibility."
Fury didn't elaborate. After a final check to ensure the Cube was stable, he left the base.
---
Meanwhile, while waiting for Fury to bite the hook, Fini wasn't idle. He didn't want to put all his eggs in one basket. Besides the Space Stone, he was considering other methods to evolve his Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Tony Stark's new element Arc Reactor was one of them.
However, that was Tony's crown jewel—and it wasn't cheap. If the Blue-Eyes White Dragon could actually "digest" them, getting one or two might be fine, but feeding it a daily diet of Arc Reactors was probably out of the question. Moreover, Fini hadn't figured out a good way to ask Tony for one yet, so he had procrastinated.
But with the Space Stone plan in motion, he decided it was time to test the waters with Tony.
That evening, Fini arrived at Tony's villa. Pepper was there as well; since the two were officially dating and living together, her presence was expected.
"Good evening, Fini. Is Skye not with you?"
Pepper greeted him warmly. Since their first meeting, the two women had become close friends, staying in touch frequently. Pepper had even tried to recruit Skye to work at Stark Industries. Unfortunately, Skye had grown too accustomed to her independent lifestyle and, much like Fini, wasn't keen on a 9-to-5.
"She ate too much at home and doesn't want to move," Fini shrugged helplessly. While her vibration powers could help maintain her figure, they didn't do much for the feeling of being stuffed.
"I see." Pepper looked a bit envious—she clearly knew Skye's powers were a bit of a cheat code for fitness. "Tony is in the workshop. You can go down and find him yourself."
Fini nodded and made his way to Tony's workshop, entering the passcode and finding Tony absorbed in his work.
"Mark VII?" Fini asked, glancing at the 3D model on the screen.
"You're here." Tony wasn't surprised, as Fini had messaged ahead. He continued his work without looking up. "What do you think? Anti-tank missiles or heavy-duty ones?"
"Why not both?" Fini sat down in a nearby chair.
"Good point." Tony thought it over, made a few notes on his computer, and then turned to face Fini. "So, what brings you here?"
(End of Chapter)