Peggy's Visit

Time passed slowly

Nick was feeding information to Alexander Pierce and collecting merits. He didn't only sit in his secret base, but also did what he promised. He arranged new identities for Talos' wife and child, setting them up in a small town without many people, letting them live in peace.

Nick had also been arranging his team to complete missions, along with going out to complete missions by himself as well. He got countless pieces of information from Talos, pieces of top secret information from countries all over the world, blackmail on countless politicians, blueprints for plans, etc.

Everything that he got from Talos was used immediately. Nick went out to various countries, acting on the intel received from Talos to sabotage plans and plots, or blackmail politicians everywhere.

As he continued increasing his mission count, Alexander Pierce was more and more satisfied with him. Nick sent him an enormous amount of confidential information, showing his position as the greatest spy to ever live.

Just like this, 2 years passed in a flash.

In 1997, Nick got the news that Howard and Maria had passed away in a secret hospital. He sighed to himself and frowned, now his top scientist was gone… Nick flipped through Red Queen's databanks and looked at the hospital Howard and Maria were in.

He got up from his office and left, getting in a car, driving off.

A while later

Nick sat in his car, looking at the hospital. He saw Tony Stark sitting outside, holding his temples. Nick took out a pair of binoculars and observed him from afar, thinking to himself.

Recruit now or not…

The pros were that he gained a super genius. The cons were that Tony hadn't completed his character development journey yet. He was an arrogant, ruthless, and greedy boy who didn't see the bigger picture at all, only going through the motions in life.

Only after the debacle in Afghanistan would he break through this cocoon and mature.

What Nick wanted was the Tony that would take a nuke into space, not the guy who fucked every woman he saw.

Thinking of this, Nick narrowed his eyes.

It was 1997 at the moment, in two years would be the New Years Eve party where Tony left Aldritch Killian on the roof. Nick opened his notebook and started writing down in it. Not only would Aldritch Killian be there, but Maya Hansen and Ho Yinsen.

For the Plan, it was very simple.

Show interest in Yinsen, before blowing him off until the escape from Afghanistan. Nick would have to prepare some defensive equipment for him. Secondly, completely cannibalize AIM and integrate them into Nick's own personal research division.

As for Maya and Killian, after they finished their research on Extremis, they were of no value.

Nick looked at the plan and nodded to himself, he decided to place an eyeliner in Stark Industries. As for the candidate, isn't it obvious?

Nick suddenly got a call, "Fury." Phil's voice came through, "Boss… We have a situation. Sharon's aunt is at the Lighthouse." Nick's eye flashed and he nodded, "I'm on my way. Keep her entertained." as he quickly drove away.

Nick looked in his rearview habitually, as usual there weren't any tails… He glanced at the eyepatch on his face and frowned slightly. It wasn't that he didn't try to heal his eye… The Recovery Fluid couldn't regenerate limbs or organs, it was for wounds.

Potentially, Extremis could regenerate his eye, but at what cost? Nick wouldn't become a human bomb if he didn't have to.

Not to mention, using Extremis for kamikaze soldiers was so ridiculously primitive… He forgot about his eye and thought about his plan. After he acquired AIM, he could expand a bit… He couldn't introduce it into S.H.I.E.L.D just yet otherwise he would just be giving HYDRA a big gift.

Nick tapped on the steering wheel and forgot something important. He needed money. What was the biggest problem of S.H.I.E.L.D in the MCU? It was always money! Relatively speaking, they were a Government owned organization, but how could Nick be willing to be under the U.S government? He wasn't in his last life and he wouldn't be in this one.

However that step would have to be approached very delicately when he amassed more power. For now, he needed to start producing a stable income…

Nick said "Red Queen, show me the tech companies and their projections for the next 3 years." Red Queen replied, "Here you go, Boss!" Nick continued driving while glancing at the phone by the dashboard.

Apple, IBM, Microsoft, Google…

Nick turned back to the road and frowned slightly, Amazon was founded in 1994 and Facebook was founded in 2004. If you add all these companies together…

Nick turned to the Red Queen, "How much funds does Klaue have?" Red Queen was silent for a moment before replying, "125,893,872$" Nick frowned, it wasn't enough…

He turned to the Red Queen and said "I want you to start infiltrating all these tech companies. All of them. At the same time, start turning over their secret technological blueprints for future products and sell them anonymously to each other." Red Queen asked, "Should I keep a copy, Boss?"

Nick waved, "For what? This tech is outdated in your system." the Red Queen nodded and started working as Nick added, "Also leak the secret sales and crash the stocks before buying all the shares." Red Queen replied happily, "No problem!"

Nick nodded and continued driving, going to see Peggy.

A while later

Nick arrived at the lighthouse. He got out of the car and walked into the lighthouse, seeing Peggy chatting with Sharon. He walked over, saying "Ms. Carter." Peggy looked at Nick and smiled, "Fury, how are you?" Nick nodded and replied, "Very good, yourself?" Peggy smiled slightly, "So-so. Where's your office?"

Nick said simply, "Follow me." as he led Peggy to his office in another area of the lighthouse.

Peggy sat down as Nick sat behind the desk, Peggy looked at him and smiled slightly, "Agent Fury, why have you recruited my niece into your special taskforce?" Nick looked at Peggy flatly, intertwining his fingers as he rested his elbows on the desk. He saw Peggy holding a gun in her hand, looking at him with a smile.

He said simply, "Ms. Carter, I would appreciate it if you put away your weapon." Peggy looked at Nick and smiled, "I would appreciate an answer. Sharon has never disclosed details about her relationship with me. She doesn't want to be associated with me because of her dislike for limelight and special treatment. So here's the question, how did you find out and why did you recruit her. I can assure you that if your response isn't satisfactory, you will not walk away from this office alive."

Nick frowned and looked at Peggy carefully. Her hair was gray and she had wrinkles everywhere. If you didn't know better, you would think that she was just a kind old woman. Her speech was very polite and courteous, but the implication was nothing of the sort.

Nick, however, wasn't just any old person.

He looked at Peggy and said "Steve is alive." Peggy froze and Nick continued, "I have means to return you to your youth and extend your life. In exchange, you'll be working for me. You'll be the Vice Director of Steve Roger's Division."

Peggy stared at Nick with wide eyes, not understanding at all. In truth, she didn't listen to anything after 'Steve's Alive', she looked at Nick and frowned with a very cold tone, "What on Earth do you mean, Fury."

Nick looked at Peggy flatly, "You heard me. I will only invite you this one time, Peggy. Refuse and the invitation will not come again. Even if you beg me on your hands and knees, I will not help you."

He leaned forward and smiled professionally, "You have one chance. Choose wisely." before standing up and leaving the room, adding "Threaten me again and I will kill you." before the door closed.

Peggy sat in the chair with a dazed expression, her thoughts spiraling out of control.