Chapter 95: Conditions

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Nick Fury asked, "Lin, what do you want to talk about?"

"It's not just about what I want, but what we want. First, we need to have a conversation among ourselves," Link replied. "I believe everyone will agree to join, but what happens after we join is a massive issue."

Nick Fury nodded slightly. "Alright then, I'll leave you to it for now. When you're done, call me."

He left the room, which was the New York division of S.H.I.E.L.D., as most of the team was already stationed there.

Once Fury had left, Link turned to the group. "So, what do you all think?"

"Why don't you go first, Lin?" Steve Rogers suggested. "We all know your strategic mind. If it weren't for you, we might have been too late, and the Chitauri army would have invaded Earth."

"Agreed!" Tony Stark chimed in. "I'm good, but I admit you're ahead of me on this one."

The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

Link thought for a moment before speaking. "Alright then, first things first—if we join the Avengers, we need to separate ourselves from S.H.I.E.L.D."

"I don't think the Avengers should be under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s control. We need to be an independent organization with decision-making power. We can't allow ourselves to become someone else's tool."

"I fully support that!" Stark immediately agreed. "Honestly, even though Fury revealed some secrets, I'm sure there are still many more he's hiding."

Link smiled. "Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D. has been around for a long time. There's no way they have only a few secrets. That said, the Kree attack he mentioned does pose a genuine threat to Earth's security."

"And Thanos is no different. Even advanced civilizations are wary of him. His thirst for blood is terrifying."

"Think about Earth. With a population of seven billion, if he wipes out half, that's 3.5 billion people. I can't even begin to imagine such a horrific number."

Everyone's expressions grew grim.

Link continued, "But we need a liaison with S.H.I.E.L.D. I think Captain America is the most suitable candidate."

"He's someone everyone trusts, and he'd serve as the bridge between us and them. How does that sound?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Link turned to Thor. "We still know very little about the universe, and we need Asgard's help."

"In the past, you were able to protect Earth, but now that seems to have changed. Is there some internal issue in Asgard?"

Thor looked slightly taken aback, then with a downcast expression, he replied, "My father, King Odin, has entered the Odin Sleep. He's grown old, and with Loki's actions and the destruction of the Bifrost, the Asgardian army can't reach Earth."

Tony Stark, curious, asked, "You don't have spaceships?"

"No. The Bifrost allows us to go anywhere. It drops us right in front of our enemies. That's how Asgard has fought its wars in the past," Thor explained.

Stark rolled his eyes. Link said, "Thor, we need to form an alliance between the Avengers and Asgard."

"Right now, we need more than just protection. We need information about the universe—star maps, technologies, everything."

"If possible, I'd like Tony and Bruce to go to Asgard to study."

"I know Earth's current level of civilization isn't ready for interstellar contact, but the Avengers can handle it. With the intelligence of those two, they'd be able to absorb and apply a lot of knowledge."

Thor hesitated for a moment. "I can't make that decision."

"Then, when you return, take me with you," Link suggested. "I'd like to speak with Odin directly and negotiate with him."

"After all, surely Asgard has its enemies too, doesn't it?"

"It seems to me that Asgard has been at peace for too long, relying on King Odin to intimidate other civilizations."

"And, Thor, you're not yet on your father's level."

Thor had to admit the truth of this. "Alright. I'll take you with me. We'll see what my father has to say."

Link nodded. As long as he could meet Odin, things would progress. He didn't want to flaunt his strength on Earth, but in front of the All-Father, it might be necessary.

After all, without strength, why would Odin even bother negotiating?

"I'll fund the construction of the Avengers headquarters with Tony. We'll handle the finances, so we won't need government support. That way, we can maintain our independence," Link continued. "Of course, everyone will receive a salary."

"For those who need to be stationed at headquarters full-time—Steve, Natasha, Clint—you'll be crucial."

"Thor won't always be on Earth, so we need reliable communication systems. We can't rely on the Bifrost too much; that was a lesson learned."

"Bruce can work with either Stark Industries or Oscorp. You'll fit right in wherever you choose."

"We'll discuss more as things come up, but our main concern is the structure and rules of how we operate."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and with a unified plan, Link called Nick Fury back in.

Fury had anticipated much of this. After all, Link had warned him about the nuke while aboard the helicarrier. Soon after, the World Security Council had indeed issued the order, but Fury had already partially locked down the armory.

The damaged jets and those already dispatched for support meant there were no planes left to carry the nukes.

Fury had been sweating profusely at the thought of what could have happened. If they had launched the missile, the fallout would have been catastrophic—especially with Thor still on Earth.

Asgard's Bifrost might have been down, but it would soon be repaired. When that happened, would Asgard send an army to Earth for retribution?

If things had gone that way, Fury would have had to call in Captain Marvel, but the damage would have already been immense. He shuddered at the thought of Asgard's wrath. Thor's strength alone was terrifying, and Odin was far more powerful. Without Odin's intervention, Thor wouldn't have been able to regain his powers.

S.H.I.E.L.D. had analysts dedicated to studying these matters. Their estimates might not be perfect, but they tended to err on the side of caution.

"I agree with your conditions and ideas," Fury said. "I'll handle the negotiations with the World Security Council. In the meantime, you can begin preparations."

Link hadn't expected things to go so smoothly, but he was certain Fury was withholding some information. Still, it didn't concern them. No matter the reason, Link had no intention of following orders from the World Security Council.

Additionally, with Link in the picture, Vision wouldn't be created, nor would the Ultron incident occur. Without that threat, Tony Stark would never have agreed to such risky endeavors.

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