Chapter 36

Fury looked impressed. "You're not completely clueless, then. Still, I wonder how you're getting your intel."

"Charles already told you," I said, flaring my eyes again.

The tone of his voice told me that he would try to capture me if it came down to it.

Fury was up-and-up in most universes, but Charles Telepathy was ridiculously powerful. You never know. Still, I preferred putting some cards on the table before the situation devolved further. 

"I know there are exactly 50 other agents here tonight. I know Natasha and Clint are on top of the Transport truck behind me, and I know how you really lost that eye. Does the name Goose ring a bell?" 

Fury's single eye grew wide as a saucer. 

"Motherfucker. That information is classified. How did you…"

"You know how," I said, taking a bold step closer to Fury. Several soldiers twitched in the background, and Fury raised a hand to stop them. "I have seen many things, Director Fury. An Old enemy is returning. You and the Earth are in more danger than you realize."

"Let me guess, Demons?" Fury scoffed, and I grinned.

"Something like that."

"Everybody clear out," Fury ordered. "Give Dante and me some space. We need to talk.

—

Despite what Fury said, I still saw that most of his men hung back with the use of my Devil's Eye. 

It was shocking that I could see this far without a perception stat, but I guessed that every part of me was enhanced between all of my physical stats.

"You said the earth was in danger," Fury began. "Tell me more about this enemy. They a demon like you?" 

"I'm not a demon."

"Xavier sure as hell thinks so."

"Charles Xavier is a groomer masquerading as an activist. And he's far more dangerous than you think."

"Any man who commands the respect of the President and most world leaders has to be," Fury said. "And despite what you might think of him, he doesn't lie." 

That got a good chuckle out of me. 

"That might be true most of the time," I said. "But even the Professor has secrets he doesn't want seeing the light of day."

"I take it you 'saw' one of those secrets?"

"Oh, I did more than that," I smiled. "I lived it, and he's pitting you against me to keep my mouth shut."

"If he's sold you out, why keep his secret? I could do something about it if I knew the specifics of what you claim he's done."

"No, thank you, I'll hang on to my blackmail," I said. "It will come out eventually, but only when the time is right." 

"Back to the end of the world. What can you tell me about this threat?" Fury asked. 

For a moment, I considered how to approach the conversation before I spoke. 

"Our universe is far more complicated than you understand or realize, Director Fury. There's life beyond Earth, and a great deal of the civilizations out there want what we have and have the army to take it. You've seen it once in the 80s with the Kree. You met Carol Danvers and the Flerken, and you probably know that the Cube you've had in your vault since the 70s is Alien tech." 

The comment about Karol Danvers and the Flerken was a gamble, but given how he'd reacted when I hinted at it initially, I had a feeling I was right on the money.

Fury's face didn't give away much, but I could tell he was surprised.

"The Cube is the Key to Earth's salvation, but it will also destroy us if you let it," I warned in a calm voice. 

"But that problem is years away. The biggest threat to the survival of SHIELD and the world you're so desperate to protect is QUELLITRAX." 

Finally, Fury reacted. 

"You had me up until the Cube. What the hell is a QUELLITRAX?"

"If my Devil's eye is to be believed, he's a being that's come from somewhere out of our Universe, and he wants to consume the earth," I said. "He'll be here in 8 hours, give or take."

Fury blinked. "You can't be serious." 

"I'm afraid I am. Deathly so. We need to get to an isolated area. The last time it was here, I was able to stop it, so it perceived me as a threat to its safety. Once it takes me out, it believes it will have an easier time consuming this planet."

"There's never been a successful invasion of Earth ever," Fury started, "and our satellites haven't spotted any approaching Spacecraft. I can't help but think you're full of shit, Dante." 

"Who said anything about a Spaceship?" I laughed. "He came by portal the last time."

"Portal?" Fury scoffed.

"I know how crazy it sounds, but you'll have your answer in 8 hours. Then, you can rule me off as a false clairvoyant, but what if I am right?"

"Your ass is mine if this is a waste of my time," Fury jabbed his finger at me, then sighed, bringing his hand up to his earpiece and activating it. 

"Hawkeye, Widow. I need you to lead an operation with our friends here. According to him, New York is about to be attacked. Initiate the Defender Protocol and get Coulson on standby to make the calls."

"What's the Defender's Protocol?" I asked, genuinely surprised. I didn't think SHIELD had such a comprehensive response strategy to extraterrestrial life this early. It made me wonder what other secret protocols they had. 

"Our 'Fuck You' option for times like these," Fury said. "If we're lucky, we won't have to use it, but if you're right…" 

"I am," I said. "And when the QUELLITRAX fragment is dead, you and I need to have a more serious conversation. There's something you'll have to hear, and it takes higher priority than the Alien invasion."

Fury shook his head. "I can see why Charles didn't like you very much. We just met, and you're already a huge pain in my ass."

—

Scott

"Are you kidding me?" I threw my hands up. "What do you mean we can't go after him?"

"He's in a meeting with the Director of SHIELD, one of the most powerful secret organizations in the world," Beast explained. "By the end of their talks, he'll either have a badge that supersedes almost any authority on the planet, or he'll be locked away for life." 

"Here's to hoping it turns out to be the latter," I huffed, pacing. Logan and Ororo stood silently in contemplation. Jean was not even in the room. 

I wanted her to be here for this conversation. She was an X-men. She'd seen everything that'd happened. She knew how dangerous Dante was. Instead, she glued herself to the Professor's bedside--not that I could fault her for it. He needed the attention after everything he's endured.

Still, I couldn't help but fear that Dante was forcing her silence somehow. 

I balled my fist. I could never forgive myself if that asshole hurt her in any way.

"He should've never been in the X-mansion to begin with," I said. "We should've just turned him over to the police when we had the chance."

"The police couldn't hold him," Logan grunted. "He'd have ended up on the cutting table being poked and played with."

"At least he'll be out of our lives, and Jean and the Professor would be safe."

"Scott!" Ororo snapped. "You are still a child, so you don't quite understand what you're saying. Being experimented on is one of the greatest injustices our kind have ever faced. To wish it on somebody, even if they're our enemy…is unfeeling."

I was used to Ororo yelling at me, but this was beyond that. She was genuinely upset, and I was unsure if I could fix it or if I wanted to.

"He just makes me so angry," I growled. Thankfully, Beast came to my rescue. 

 "You should go and see her," he offered. "Jean and the Professor will need you when they wake up."