Chapter 174
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Unfortunately, whatever Coulson saw before his death will remain a mystery until he is revived.
Soon after, a team of medics hurried over to examine Coulson's body.
Not long after, an announcement came through the communication devices worn by Agent Hill and others: "Agent Coulson is dead. The medical team is on the way..."
Tony Stark, Captain America, and the others, who had just stabilized the helicarrier's descent, fell silent upon hearing the grim news, the atmosphere growing heavy.
...
Around the conference table, Nick Fury pulled something out of his pocket.
"These were found in Agent Coulson's jacket."
"He never got the chance to get them signed."
As Fury spoke, he looked at Captain America, tossing the items onto the table.
They were a set of cards, with images of Captain America printed on them. It was evident that Coulson had been a fan, but he never got the opportunity to express it.
Captain America, holding the bloodstained cards, fell into a contemplative silence.
Nick Fury continued, updating the group on the current situation.
"Communications are down. We can't locate the Tesseract. Banner and Thor are missing. I'm at a loss here."
"And now, Coulson is dead. I've lost my most trusted lieutenant. Maybe I had it coming..." Fury said with a touch of self-deprecation.
He then added, "We originally intended to use the Tesseract to make weapons, but I didn't place all my bets on that. Instead, I invested in a riskier project."
Captain America furrowed his brow in confusion.
Fury looked at Tony Stark, explaining, "That was my vision. Stark should know."
"I called it the Avengers Initiative."
"The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people to see if they could become something more."
Pausing briefly, Fury sighed before continuing, "Originally, my goal was to include Stark and a few others, but there were two key individuals I aimed for, though unfortunately, they were out of reach."
"Who?" Captain America asked, having an inkling but wanting confirmation.
With Stark and Rogers watching, Fury revealed, "Those two were Messiah and that white-clad freak, the White Knight."
He continued, "But their powers are too terrifying. The world fears them, and they are too easily unhinged. If they lose control, the consequences would be catastrophic."
"The instability of mutants is well documented, supported by extensive research and countless incidents."
"Thus, rather than being part of the Avengers, they're more like unstable elements that need to be neutralized."
This was why Fury had sent Captain Marvel to eliminate Messiah when he first appeared, hoping to remove a potential threat. However, the chosen battleground wasn't ideal, and the confrontation ended inconclusively.
At this point, Fury paused, avoiding further discussion about the two dangerous Omega-level mutants.
However, even though Fury stopped, Stark and Rogers couldn't help but ponder the implications of including Messiah and the White Knight in the Avengers. The very thought of these two formidable beings joining their ranks was terrifying.
If these two had been involved in the helicarrier incident, it likely wouldn't have happened.
Yet, if the Omega mutants did join, they would have questioned Fury's true motives.
If Fury ever directed these two towards some horrific objective, the thought alone was chilling.
Unaware of their thoughts, Fury continued, "The main reason I formed the Avengers was so that when we needed them, they could unite and face threats beyond our control!"
"Coulson believed in this until the end. He believed in…"
Pausing, Fury solemnly added, "The existence of heroes!"
But just as Fury finished his impassioned speech, Stark stood up and left the room without a word, clearly not supportive of the Avengers Initiative.
Or perhaps Stark had already rejected Fury's proposal during a previous discussion, having no interest in joining what he mockingly referred to as the 'super boy band.'
As Stark's figure disappeared from the room, Fury awkwardly muttered, "Well, it's a bit of a cliché concept, I suppose."
While the three were engaged in conversation, Syd hovered silently above.
[Photon Energy +1]
[Photon Energy +1]
As the notifications chimed in his mind, Syd gazed into the distance from his aerial vantage point.
He noticed that Thor had already emerged from the glass cell, but he hesitated to pick up his hammer from the ground. The death of Coulson had shaken him, leaving him uncertain whether to continue fighting. If he did, would more people die?
While Thor wavered, Syd drifted a bit further, observing the Hulk, who lay unconscious and naked in the rubble. A worker handed him some pants, which he quickly put on.
As Syd absorbed energy points and watched these two, Black Widow and Hawkeye were in one of the helicarrier's medical rooms.
"Barton, you'll be alright," Natasha reassured him.
"How do you know?" Barton forced a smile.
He was sweating profusely, lying on the bed with a pained expression as he struggled to break free from the control of the scepter.
"I'm running out of time... I..." Barton gasped, "I need to get this out of my head..."
"You just need some time. You'll be back to normal soon," Natasha said, handing him a glass of water.
Barton sighed, "You don't understand. You've never had someone take control of your mind. That feeling... of pushing the real you out and filling it with something else..."
"Do you know what it's like to be unmade?"
Barton glanced at Natasha.
Natasha replied quietly, "You know I've been there."
Barton paused, recalling some past events, before quickly changing the subject.
"How did you wake me up? How did you chase him out?" he asked, referring to his mind-controlled self.
"I realigned your consciousness. Hit you really hard on the head," Natasha explained.
"Thanks," Barton said, appreciating the gesture.
Seeing that Barton was recovering, Natasha went over to undo his restraints, allowing him to move freely again.
(End of Chapter)