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The Hidden Skrull

The Mark VII armor swiftly repositioned, and Iron Man locked eyes on Caesar, treating him as a serious threat. Without a moment's pause, Phil Coulson raised his gun, aiming it directly at Caesar. At the same time, the aerospace carrier's alarms blared as the highest level of danger alert was triggered, causing a harsh, continuous siren to echo through the ship.

Even though Coulson had once followed Caesar, his loyalty as an agent was not blind. He had served under Nick Fury for over a decade, not just as a subordinate but also as a trusted companion who had faced countless dangers together.

Dr. Banner, Black Widow, Captain America, and a team of soldiers rushed to the scene as the deafening siren filled the air.

"Phil Coulson, what's going on? Where's the Director?" Black Widow demanded as she hurried into the conference room. Her sharp gaze scanned the room before resting on a visibly tense Coulson.

Since the room was used for high-level discussions, it had no surveillance equipment—too many secrets couldn't be recorded. Coulson, still pointing his gun at Caesar with one hand, shakily gestured to a pile of ashes on the floor with his other.

"The Director… he was killed by him!" Coulson stammered, his voice shaking.

Black Widow, along with every agent present, immediately turned their weapons on Caesar. Captain America raised his shield defensively. Dr. Banner took a tentative step forward but stopped. Though unsure, the Hulk didn't want to fight Caesar. He hadn't known Nick Fury well, and his instincts warned him against a confrontation.

Caesar's lips curled into a smile. "Why not just attack already?" he asked, almost playfully.

None of them—whether it was the apprehensive Coulson, the determined Black Widow, or the ever-righteous Captain America—made a move. Perhaps it was because they were on a floating aircraft carrier, tens of thousands of meters above the ground. Or maybe, deep down, it was because they feared him. They all knew that an attack could very well mean their death.

Tony Stark's voice broke through the tension, low and strained. "Why?" His face was pale, and his hands trembled slightly.

Caesar's eyes met Tony's, calm and unyielding. "I told you—because he deceived God. Isn't that reason enough?" he replied, casting a glance around the room at the agents who still had their weapons trained on him. "Well, looks like none of you are believers."

He shrugged with an air of indifference, then turned his attention back to Tony, his tone suddenly serious. "Tony, you know I've always believed in your potential. That's why I'm willing to give you an explanation. Want to hear it?"

Tony didn't hesitate. "Of course," he replied, his voice tight with anticipation. He needed something rational—some kind of reasoning behind what had just happened. This was the modern world, and no one—save for fanatics—would accept the idea of a god who kills on a whim. Unless Caesar planned to wipe out everyone who stood against him, he would need more than just divine rhetoric.

"Good," Caesar said with a nod. "I'll give you my reason, but after that, I expect an answer from you." He spoke softly to Tony before raising his voice to address everyone present.

"Nick Fury has committed a crime against this planet—against humanity!"

"That's impossible!" Captain America shouted, his voice shaking with anger. He clutched his shield even tighter, his knuckles white. His face was pale, the tension evident. "Do you think we're fools?!"

Caesar scanned the room, his eyes resting on each person still holding their weapons. His expression shifted to a smile as he spoke, "He cheated me, angered me, and offended me. When I get angry, I decide whether to flood the world or burn the earth to ashes."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "So, tell me, did Director Nick commit a crime against the Earth or humanity?"

Everyone in the room, except Captain America, paled at Caesar's words. Captain, though fearless, wasn't foolish—he knew there was a chance Caesar was telling the truth and didn't dare to risk it.

A heavy silence hung in the air until Caesar broke it with a chuckle. "Relax, I'm just messing with you. But you need to understand who you're dealing with."

Suddenly, the guns in everyone's hands began to heat up, forcing Black Widow and the other agents to drop them. The tension in the room was palpable.

Caesar turned to Phil Coulson. "Phil, you know what I'm talking about. The Skrulls—you haven't forgotten them, have you?"

Everyone's eyes turned to Coulson. A grim realization was setting in—had Nick Fury been hiding something bigger than they thought? Tony Stark, his face serious, activated his suit. "I want answers. Everything about Nick Fury and the Skrulls."

The room plunged into another tense silence. Phil, conflicted, hesitated. He knew Nick Fury had dealings with the Skrulls, but it wasn't about harming the planet or humanity—at least not intentionally. There were many things even Nick didn't know about their deeper plans.

Caesar leaned back in his chair, unbothered. "Seems like Agent Coulson doesn't know much either. Fine, I'll tell you."

Before Caesar could reveal more, an alarm blared. This time, it wasn't a normal security alert—it was the helicarrier's radar, detecting several incoming nuclear missiles.

The Skrulls, who had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. through HYDRA, had launched the ultimate attack. They couldn't afford to let Caesar expose their operations. The missiles were intended to destroy the helicarrier and prevent further discoveries.

Chaos erupted. Even though the helicarrier had the capability to destroy the missiles in flight, the electromagnetic pulse from the explosion would cripple its systems, sending it crashing into the ground. Panic spread among the agents, including Black Widow and Phil Coulson.

But Tony Stark and Bruce Banner remained calm. Tony knew Caesar wouldn't let those bombs detonate—he had promised to protect Earth. Bruce, meanwhile, was indifferent for a simpler reason: the Hulk didn't fear nuclear bombs.

Caesar glanced at Tony and gave a subtle nod, acknowledging Stark's quick deduction. Then, with a snap of his fingers, the missiles vanished in a flash of blue light, wiped from existence.

As the threat faded, it became clear just how deep the Skrulls' manipulations went. Their influence was far more extensive than anyone had realized, particularly in the heart of S.H.I.E.L.D. and beyond.

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