Chapter 128: Black Widow's Hesitation

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"If everything you said is true, then I'll agree to all the conditions you just mentioned."

Hearing George's tone, so firm and convincing that it didn't seem like a lie, Nick Fury reflected carefully on many details from the past years.

It was truly startling.

Sometimes, when you're not looking for something, you won't notice it at all. But once you start searching with answers in mind, flaws become glaringly obvious.

Although he hadn't gone back to verify the claims yet, at this moment, Nick Fury was 70% convinced of George's words.

However, he still couldn't determine the extent to which Hydra had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., nor how many agents were still trustworthy.

"I trust your integrity, Director, but I also hope you act swiftly. After all, if I were to inform Hydra of this, I'm sure they'd agree to all my conditions without hesitation," George replied with a wide smile.

"One week. I'll handle everything within a week," Nick Fury said, his expression darkening. "I also hope, for the safety of the world, that Mr. George can forget everything that happened today."

Nick Fury's demeanor shifted dramatically.

At this point, he didn't even hope George and his group would join S.H.I.E.L.D.; he just wanted them to stay at the school and not reveal today's conversation to Hydra. If Hydra discovered they'd been exposed, the first person they'd target would be him. Fury knew he'd be in a passive and dangerous position.

Unless he killed George and everyone at the school right now to keep the secret.

But that was impossible. Even ignoring George's ability to fly away, there was the indestructible Wolverine and the terrifyingly rejuvenated Professor X to contend with.

If he couldn't deliver a decisive blow, and George's group sided with Hydra, his only chance would be to summon Captain Marvel for help.

To be honest, Fury already regretted sending Black Widow to investigate George. Not only had it yielded nothing useful, but it had also caused him significant trouble.

Still, on second thought, if not for this incident, who knows how much longer it would have taken for him to learn about Hydra's infiltration? He might have ended up betrayed by an agent he trusted, meeting a tragic end.

"Of course. Compared to Hydra, who seems to enjoy wreaking havoc, I still prefer S.H.I.E.L.D."

George stood up, patted Fury on the shoulder, and smiled sincerely. "Do a good job. Once you've dealt with Hydra, I might consider leading my students to join you.

"In fact, the reason I refused to join you in the first place was my concern about the Hydra agents hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D. I hope you can understand that."

Internally, however, George thought:

"Serves you right for stirring up trouble. Now you've got your hands full." 

Given Hydra's level of infiltration into S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury's investigation would undoubtedly alert them. After all, even Fury's most trusted predecessor had turned out to be a Hydra operative.

In the years to come, S.H.I.E.L.D. would likely be locked in a power struggle with Hydra, leaving them no time to bother with him.

And in a few years, George believed his strength would grow to the point where neither S.H.I.E.L.D. nor Hydra would be a concern.

"Mr. George, I have urgent matters to attend to, so I won't stay any longer. Natasha will handle all your conditions. She'll oversee everything and ensure it's resolved within a week," Fury said, his mind already focused on investigating Hydra.

After exchanging brief farewells with George, Fury left with Hawkeye, leaving Natasha behind.

"Take care!" George waved casually as they departed. Once Fury and Hawkeye were gone, he turned to Black Widow.

"Miss Natasha, I'll leave the rest to you."

"I'll do my best. Leave me your number, and I'll contact you once everything's settled," Natasha replied, her eyes momentarily wavering. She took a deep breath before responding to George.

George's Invitation

Seeing Natasha's reaction, George's eyes glinted with mischief.

"Actually, I know a bit about you," he began. "You joined S.H.I.E.L.D. to leave your past behind and atone for the crimes you committed as a spy in the Red Room.

"But as you've seen, S.H.I.E.L.D. has long been infiltrated by Hydra. The missions you've been doing might not be absolving your sins—they could be adding to them.

"Your Director is too self-centered and extreme in his methods. Organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D. aren't necessarily a force for good in the world."

"What are you trying to say?" Natasha's body trembled slightly as she fixed her gaze on George.

To be honest, his words struck a nerve. She'd already been having doubts about S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury after today's revelations.

George shrugged.

"It's simple," he said. "What I mean is that our school happens to be short on teachers. If you're open to the idea, maybe it's time to try a different way of life.

"You could teach at our school, live a more peaceful life, instead of constantly playing the role of a spy, running dangerous missions all over the world."

Natasha was a masterful spy—not only highly skilled in combat beyond ordinary humans, but also fluent in numerous languages, proficient with every kind of vehicle, and a top-tier hacker.

If she joined the school as a teacher, the students could learn countless useful skills and wouldn't easily fall prey to other spies or agents in the future.

The school also genuinely needed more teachers. Wolverine could only handle history and combat lessons, while Professor X was burdened with teaching everything else, which was unsustainable as the student body grew.

And even if Natasha pretended to agree and acted as a spy within the school, George wasn't worried. Both he and Professor X were experts in that arena.

Natasha was clearly taken aback by his offer. She hadn't expected George to invite her to be a teacher, especially after he'd spanked her in their last encounter—an incident her body still hadn't fully recovered from.

But truthfully, the idea of a different lifestyle tempted her.

She'd thought she was atoning for her sins, only to realize she might have committed even more. Teaching students, in contrast, might actually bring her peace of mind.

"I'll have to think about it," Natasha said after a full five minutes of silence. "Even if I agree, it'll have to wait until I help the Director deal with Hydra first."

George wasn't surprised. He simply smiled.

"Take your time. The school's doors are always open for you. Unlike S.H.I.E.L.D., we don't have so many rules—just focus on teaching the students, and everything else is up to you."

He could tell Natasha was already interested. Her response made it clear she was tempted, and it was only a matter of time before she agreed.

Besides, Natasha wasn't his only potential recruit. There were others he had in mind—like the Captain currently frozen in the ice. Thanks to his tracking spell, he could easily intercept the Captain before Nick Fury got to him.

Natasha was just one option. If she didn't accept, it wouldn't matter much.

(End of Chapter)