Chapter 103: Insight Plan

Ding! 

"Congratulations to the host for completing Doctor Strange's mission—'Mysterious Realm'—and earning the skill: Astral Projection," announced the system.

Thor grinned, waving his hand to slow Strange's endless freefall. After about ten minutes, Strange finally plopped onto the floor with an audible thud.

Seeing him sprawled out, Thor felt a twinge of guilt. "Uh… maybe I overdid it?"

Gasping for breath, Strange glared up at him. "I was in freefall for ten whole minutes!"

"Only ten? Well, at least you held up better than Loki," Thor chuckled.

"That was terrifying," Strange muttered, still shaken. "I thought bungee jumping was bad enough. Got anything a little… gentler?"

"Of course!" Thor said, slapping his chest. Suddenly, a translucent, spectral version of Strange drifted out from his body.

Everyone in the room stared, wide-eyed.

"Oh! Is that… my body?" Strange asked, astonished.

The astral state didn't last long; within seconds, Strange's soul snapped back into his body. Only someone with Strange's willpower could have managed to return so quickly. Such resolve would serve him well in future battles—especially against an enemy like Dormammu.

Strange sat up, still disoriented. "I'm starting to question everything I've ever learned."

Thor placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "No need to doubt it all. In advanced civilizations, science and mysticism are often two sides of the same coin."

Nearby, Christine Palmer watched with suspicion. She wasn't ready to jump at Thor's offer to join his research center just yet. After all, they'd only met twice, and she had a sneaking suspicion Thor's interest was more than professional.

Thor, however, was unfazed. He wasn't overly concerned about the research center's growth; he'd only offered Christine a position as a gesture to support her medical career.

Meanwhile, Alexander Pierce stood before the World Security Council, presenting a new initiative. "Since the arrival of Iron Man, we've faced crisis after crisis—Abomination, rogue tech, aliens during the New York War. The Avengers do their best, but they're always reacting after the damage is done. What we need is prevention."

A female council member raised an eyebrow. "Even the Avengers can't stop every crisis. What are you proposing?"

"Project Insight," Pierce replied. "By monitoring the entire world, we can detect threats in their earliest stages. We'll have a bird's-eye view of the entire planet."

"Please, elaborate," the council prompted.

"With the my Algorithm, created by Dr. Zola, we can precisely identify individuals likely to cause harm. Instead of reacting, we eliminate them before disaster strikes."

The council members murmured among themselves. Pierce's plan sounded effective on paper, but they were concerned about public backlash—and the reliability of Zola's algorithm.

"We can't give you an answer immediately," one member said finally. "We'll need time to consider this."

Outside the meeting hall, Pierce's diplomatic smile faded. He picked up his phone, dialing a number from memory. If they want time to consider, I'll give them something to think about.

Alexander Pierce, former director of S.H.I.E.L.D., had personally promoted Nick Fury to take his place. Officially retired, he still remained deeply involved with S.H.I.E.L.D., a respected veteran by all appearances. Few knew his true allegiance to HYDRA.

Originally, Pierce hadn't been so urgent about Project Insight. But Thor's presence had changed things; Thor's immense strength posed a direct threat to his ambitions. And even worse, Thor had developed a strong rapport with Peggy Carter, who could challenge Pierce's influence within S.H.I.E.L.D. at any moment.

A few days later, a crisis unfolded that caught the Council's attention. Pirates had hijacked a covert S.H.I.E.L.D. vessel, taking even senior agent Sitwell hostage. Thankfully, Captain America and Black Widow intervened just in time, neutralizing the pirates and recovering the ship without casualties.

Still, the incident was a major embarrassment for S.H.I.E.L.D. and a slap in the face for the Security Council.

"This doesn't feel right," Natasha said to Thor as they discussed the incident. "Something about this whole operation went too smoothly."

Thor nodded knowingly. "It's suspicious, but for a hastily arranged plan, they did reasonably well."

This incident happened sooner than it was supposed to in the original timeline, so they probably weren't fully prepared.

"A setup?" Natasha's eyes widened. "You think Sitwell orchestrated this?"

"Sitwell's just a pawn," Thor replied. "This game runs deeper than him. Get ready; S.H.I.E.L.D. is about to face some serious revelations."

Natasha's eyes gleamed. "Is it finally time to expose HYDRA? So, what do you need me to do?"

Thor smirked. "I'm pretty sure you know your job better than I do. Just… no seduction tactics this time, okay?"

She shot him a withering look. "Seriously? Besides you, everyone who's thought of me as just a 'woman' has lived to regret it." She held up her wrist, displaying her bracelet. "It's cost a few of them dearly."

Later, Nick Fury was briefing Steve Rogers on Project Insight. "With these new Helicarriers, we'll use satellite data to track threats by reading their DNA before they even act. We'll be able to eliminate criminals before they commit their crimes."

Steve frowned. "That sounds… wrong. Isn't someone supposed to be innocent until proven guilty?"

The concept left Captain America unsettled. Was this really the future of justice?

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