Yes.
Mockery.
If Nick Fury's suspicion that Locke knew the Peerless Assassin was at ninety-nine percent just moments ago, then now, it was no longer mere suspicion.
Fury was certain that Locke and the Peerless Assassin were accomplices.
Nothing else made sense.
This was too perfect—too perfect to be real. Not only did Locke have an answer for every single question posed, but they were delivered without hesitation, and they were utterly ironclad.
There was nothing inherently wrong with the answers.
But perfection... perfection was a mistake in itself.
However...
There was still one point Fury couldn't wrap his head around: if Locke and the Peerless Assassin were partners, why would the Assassin kidnap Locke right before the assault on the textile mill?
It didn't track.
Frankly, if the Peerless Assassin hadn't kidnapped Locke, S.H.I.E.L.D. never would have focused their attention on the boy. If the Assassin had staged the kidnapping to distance himself from Locke, it would only prove that the Assassin was a fool.
His self-righteous attempt at cleverness would have backfired spectacularly.
But was the Peerless Assassin a fool?
Clearly not. If he were a fool, no law enforcement agency would have failed to find a single useful lead to capture him in nearly three years.
Locke, however, didn't give Nick Fury time to process his thoughts. After finishing his piece, he spread his hands and looked at Fury. "Any more questions? If not, I'm leaving."
He had a date tonight.
"No!"
"..."
Locke, who had just stood up, tilted his head and looked at the man who had voiced the refusal. He smiled. "My apologies."
Fury said in a low voice, "Our agent hasn't been found—"
Locke laughed outright, cutting Fury off. The corners of his mouth curved upward. "Do you have any evidence whatsoever to link me to the disappearance of your agent?"
Saying this, Locke looked over at George. "Mr. Stacy, I think it's time to call my lawyer. It seems I've already been presumed guilty."
George laughed heartily. "Jurisdiction over the Star Tower belongs to the NYPD. A missing person case naturally falls under the NYPD's management, not the FBI's."
Locke nodded, shot a glance at the one-eyed Nick Fury, and said to George, "Then I'll be heading out, Mr. Stacy. You know how it is—it's almost afternoon."
George nodded. "I'll see you out."
Locke gave a hum of affirmation.
...
At the precinct entrance.
George walked Locke to his car. Then, as Locke opened the driver's side door, George spoke up: "Locke, do you truly have nothing to do with this disappearance?"
Locke paused, his eyes clear as he looked at George. "Sixteen years of living in Texas taught me one thing: never panic when trouble hits. I can only rely on myself; no one else is going to help me. As for your question—yes, I can swear on my life that I have absolutely nothing to do with this disappearance."
The first sentence explained to George why he had remained so calm since walking into the station. The second sentence answered George's question directly.
The answer George had wanted most was actually in that first sentence.
Locke had provided it.
As for George's specific question, Locke had answered that too—and from a certain perspective, he wasn't lying.
He truly had nothing to do with the *disappearance* of Megan Walsh.
That was a case handled by the Peerless Assassin. What did that have to do with Locke?
George watched Locke get into the car, staring into his eyes for a long moment before finally nodding. "Take good care of my daughter tonight."
Locke replied, "I will, sir. Gwen was my first friend when I came to New York. I will protect her."
That was the truth. Not just from a "certain perspective," but from every possible angle—it was the truth.
With that, Locke got in, started the engine, and drove away from the NYPD precinct.
After watching the R8 pull away, George returned to the conference room. He looked at Nick Fury and Phil Coulson, who were still there. "Are you two planning to stay at our precinct for lunch? My apologies, the department might not have the budget for that."
Fury looked up at George. "Captain Stacy, how much do you actually know about this Locke who is dating your daughter?"
George smiled. "Are you trying to tell me I don't know him, and that he has a thousand ties to that Peerless Assassin?"
Fury nodded. "I assume you've seen his file. He was in Texas, and the Peerless Assassin was in Texas. He came to New York, and the Peerless Assassin came to New York."
George nodded and sat back down. "Correct. Initially, I had the same suspicions. But in the end, I dismissed them."
"Because Locke was kidnapped by the Assassin?"
"No."
"Oh?"
George said, "The first time Locke came to my house, I asked him what kind of person he thought this so-called 'Evil Hunter' was. How do you think he answered?"
Fury said solemnly, "A superhero punishing evil?"
George shook his head. "A sinner!"
"What?"
"He said the Peerless Assassin is a criminal."
"..."
Fury blinked. This was an answer he had never expected.
But!
It only made Nick Fury more wary. He began to seriously suspect that Locke Broughton might possess an anti-social personality.
Thinking this, Fury smiled, stood up, and extended a hand to George. "In that case, we'll take our leave."
Now that the NYPD was involved, there was nothing they could do. At least, not without evidence. Trying to move against Locke now would be difficult.
He had miscalculated.
Fury felt a pang of regret. If he had been more cautious and waited until Locke left George's house to make the arrest, this mess wouldn't have happened.
...
Outside the precinct.
Nick Fury's single eye flickered. "Coulson."
Phil, who had been acting as a background character, looked at his boss.
Fury walked toward his vehicle. "Have the Texas S.H.I.E.L.D. office conduct a comprehensive investigation into Locke Broughton. From the orphanage to his schools—I want to know everything about him."
He didn't believe it. If the boy really was a well-disguised sociopath, he was bound to have left a trail somewhere.
"And also..."
Fury thought of the school surveillance. "Do whatever it takes to restore those recordings. At the same time, expand the search. Find Agent 83!"
He didn't believe his agent could just vanish into thin air.
'Every contact leaves a trace.'
That was Locard's Exchange Principle!!!
***
Read 30 Chapters early on P-atreon.com/Redestro666