Chapter 210: Prisoners of War. 2014 CE

Fury stood in front of the parliament, with the media and the watchers behind him. He doesn't look nervous at all, but the politicians in front of him are. Flashes of light could be seen from behind Fury, hungry journalists and writers watched his back like vultures.

"Director Fury, please explain why you have compromised national security by practically burning our intelligence agency to the ground?"

"HYDRA was selling you propaganda and lies, not intelligence," said Fury.

"You are the director of SHIELD, Mr. Fury! Do you have no shame at all for what your incompetence did to our nation?!"

"What I have done has been permitted by the United Nati–"

"This has nothing to do with the United Nations, director! This is about US national security!" said a man. "What you have done, colliding with foreign powers, is basically an act of treachery!"

"Then what do you want me to do?" said Fury sternly. "Give those nazis a slap in the wrist? Is that what you're insinuating? To let those fascists go?"

"That is not what I meant, I mean why do you have to seek aid in foreign powers instead of finishing this domestically?"

"Look at the list!" Fury shouted. "See how many HYDRA members are in the ranks of the government! If I did, those nazis would've been alerted, and their plan would've succeeded!"

"Alright, then tell me why you have sent those criminals to the Zimerans! Those terrorist should belong in our prison!"

"This is more than putting people into prison!" Fury countered. "The Zimerans and I have worked together so we can root out this rotten organization for good. The Zimerans have better technology to extract that information, so I simply do what I thought was necessary."

"Are you saying that you are not confident in our technology, Director?"

"It's the truth." Fury spat. "Even a blind man can tell. Cooperation is key towards the end of this debacle, yet you just sit here like the Zimerans haven't been a concern for the US for decades! If you don't want them to become a threat, then cooperate! It is that simple!"

"Director, please refrain for speaking state secret–"

"State secret?" Fury scoffed. "Are you joking?"

The parliament could only sigh at the statement. "Onto the next problem then."

"Go on." Fury hummed.

"The disbandment of SHIELD. So you are just going to disband our intelligence agency and transfer the personnel to an international agency?"

"Nothing will change," said Fury. "Even before this, SHIELD has been a counter terrorism agency that operates on a global status."

"Under the US name." a man pointed out.

"Correct. But now, we have offered the United Nations to create an international agency to deal with counter terrorism and extra-terrestrial threat. All I ask is that you give permission on the transfer of personnel to that organization."

"And why should we do that?"

"Because it concerns the safety of the people of earth." Fury pointed out. "Do you want a second Battle of New York to happen? Do you want another alien attack that happened in London? No, of course not. We need a response team—"

"The Avengers are—"

"It is not enough." Fury cut them off. "Do you want the fate of the entire world in the hands of a couple of men and women? In these past years, we know how dangerous the threat is, we need a proper organization to handle it."

"And this… Sentient Worlds Observation and Response Department… Who will be in command of it?"

"The World security council, along with the UN will oversee it, and me as the director. King Grodd himself agreed to his scheme. He will supply the tech of the department."

The eyes of the parliament sharpened as they heard that phrase. "Zimeran tech?"

"Yes."

"Explain to us more of this international agency, director." asked another man.

"All the countries in the security council will be involved. Providing human and non-human resources. In this day and age, the borders of nations are thinning, we need to protect earth from otherworldly threats, be it from space, or from inside earth itself."

The parliament went quiet for a second, before speaking. "We will discuss this in the next meeting, Director. For now, you may go."

The flashes of light turned more frequent as Fury walked out of the session, ignoring all the questions thrown at him. He looked calm, not showing any signs of emotions at all. All he had to do was direct the heat to him, while the organization built itself.

His job is done, for now.

—

[New York]

Meanwhile, Pluto and Thena were watching all of these events unfold from the TV, while the sound of arguing teenagers could be heard in the background.

"Wow." said Pluto absentmindedly. "Sometimes I think I've gone too far on this…"

"On what?" asked Thena.

"The rings…. The apostles…" said Pluto, sipping some tea. "But what's done is done… the one thing I need right now though… is some PEACE AND QUIET!"

The sounds of arguing teenagers from behind suddenly calmed down, making Pluto sigh in content.

"Let them be…" Thena chuckled. "They're discovering new things."

"Hm, well, maybe I need to get the two of them some workshop or something… they're disturbing the peace and quiet of this house."

"The robotic competition is in a month, so it's natural for them to be stressed out like that."

Pluto sighed. "We'll see how it goes. If he wins, I'll give him some place to tinker with his 'partner'."

Thena just laughed. "Sure, whatever you say."

---

A/N: any cyberpunk fanfic, anyone?