Chapter 96: Confirmation

Both sides reached a preliminary agreement, marking the day's discussions as a success. The next step was to decide on a location for their new headquarters. This wasn't particularly difficult since placing it within the city wasn't an option. They settled on a location in the outskirts, where there was plenty of available space. They pulled up a map and, after some deliberation, chose a site.

Stark had J.A.R.V.I.S. purchase the land immediately and began discussing the construction plans with Link.

Link suggested that the facility should prioritize security features such as a prison, radar, and anti-aircraft defenses. Then came essential functions like living quarters, training spaces, and means of transportation. Additionally, it was crucial to create nano-suits for the team members.

Link had always thought, even before his time-travel, that the resources in the Avengers movies weren't utilized to their fullest potential. They had access to nanotechnology, so even if they didn't mass-produce armor, they could at least have produced combat suits. More Black Widow costume changes would've been welcome too, he mused, though the films lacked that as well—much to his disappointment.

Of course, Link understood the plot constraints. If Tony Stark had created an army of Iron Man suits, Thanos wouldn't have had such an easy time snapping his fingers. The fragmented combat strategies, like Thor's mis-aimed strike and Captain Marvel's absence, were clearly designed to stretch out the storyline.

But Link wasn't going to allow such things to happen now. The Avengers were powerful, and his role was to provide support. He'd contribute with energy weapons if necessary, which already packed a punch.

…

Meanwhile, Nick Fury returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, where he still had to face the World Security Council. The Avengers' growing power was now recognized globally, sparking a wide range of debates. Some hailed them as heroes; others argued they were responsible for the alien invasion. There were even conspiracy theorists who believed the government was hiding something and that they had the right to know.

It was a chaotic time, and the news cycle was packed with stories about the Avengers, with Tony Stark naturally being the most famous of them all—he was Iron Man, after all, and a public figure. However, anyone hoping for an interview with Stark was out of luck. He was fully committed to building the Avengers' new headquarters. Link, on the other hand, simply transferred his share of the funds and waited for the design plans to be completed before giving his input.

"Link, what do you think about the prison's strength?" Stark called him once again.

Link replied, "Consult Bruce and Thor. If the two of them can't break out, then we're good."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Stark muttered.

Link added, "Anyway, focus on completing the full design first. We'll figure out the prison later. Right now, we need to think holistically, not get bogged down in details."

"Alright, alright. I've finished the general design; I'll send it over for you to take a look." Stark emailed him the plans, and Link headed to his workspace to review them.

The design closely resembled the headquarters from the movies, with internal functions slightly modified to fit their needs. Link went over it and found no major issues, eventually adding the Avengers logo to the plans. He then sent it back to Stark.

After reviewing the adjustments, Stark surprisingly agreed to the changes. He even liked the new logo and suggested it could be used on everyone's suits.

"Link, what do you think we should do about the Captain's suit?" Stark asked.

Link laughed, "Are you implying you don't like the Captain's flashy style?"

"No, I mean… it needs to fit modern aesthetics, you know?" Stark said, clearly avoiding a direct answer.

"Do whatever you like. I've already given you the nanotech. But remember, he's Captain America. Certain elements of his design are crucial, and they benefit us greatly," Link reminded him.

"Got it," Stark agreed with a nod.

…

Nick Fury's confrontation with the World Security Council didn't lead to much resolution. He was the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the Avengers' power was evident. Cooperation between the two sides was necessary. Any attempts to control the Avengers were futile—Fury made that very clear. After all, what leverage did they have?

Fury pushed back against the council, particularly regarding Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Link leaving S.H.I.E.L.D. to officially join the Avengers. He argued this was the best possible outcome.

Captain America would serve as the liaison between the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D., ensuring communication between the two. The Avengers would not engage in political matters—that was a firm boundary. Stark and Link, as heads of two major corporations, had more than enough resources to operate independently.

The Avengers' focus would be on safeguarding Earth, not meddling in politics. Additionally, they would form an alliance with Asgard to prepare for any future extraterrestrial threats.

Asgard wouldn't provide Earth with technology, as Earth's overall capabilities were still too primitive. However, Stark and Bruce were an exception, as they could likely handle what Asgard offered. Limited cooperation was possible, and Asgard might agree to share some knowledge with the two scientists, which would serve as a safeguard for Earth.

That was the best possible outcome. Any further demands might push Asgard away from joining the alliance altogether. And the World Security Council wasn't in a position to do much about it—Stark's and Link's corporate empires had enough lawyers to bog down any legal threats.

Fury had other cards to play as well. One was a Skrull spaceship orbiting the Earth, a secret known only to a select few. Years ago, the Skrulls had left Earth with Captain Marvel in search of a new home. That journey, however, hadn't gone as planned, forcing some of them to return. A small group had since been helping Fury on Earth, while others remained on the ship in orbit.

This was the genesis of S.W.O.R.D., an organization that worked in tandem with S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury had even been launching mysterious items—known as 084s—into space to be stored on the Skrull ship for safekeeping.

Fury could, in theory, build a spaceship with the help of the Skrulls. The alien tech from the Kree ship also provided ample research opportunities. But Fury had no intention of sharing these advancements with the World Security Council, keeping them as his ace in the hole.

Yet, despite all these resources, not everything was secure. There was still internal unrest among the Skrulls. And the Tesseract… Fury couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right with it. Though they had found pieces, and they couldn't form a whole cube, the fragments still raised questions. The energy output didn't match the level of destruction it should've caused.

The mystery would likely end up in the hands of King Odin himself. Fury hoped to speak with Thor before he returned to Asgard, asking him to inquire about the true nature of the Tesseract from his father. After all, the energy shockwave it emitted was suspiciously weak—barely enough to disrupt Link's hoverboard, while leaving him unharmed.

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