Chapter 17

Fury's face didn't change all that much, the only difference being his glare, which became much more vigilant the moment all that brain matter stained the walls.

"Didn't you say that harming humans is something that you wouldn't do?"

"I did … but having a rifle pointing at my neck is a rare situation, wouldn't you agree?"

"As if guns could do you any harm."

"... Who said that they couldn't? I have no need for bullets penetrating my ear canals, or eyes thank you very much, and it's not like I can see anything around me at all times and move faster than bullets so that I can avoid them … well maybe I can, but still, guns can threaten me … somewhat … You know what? I think we are getting derailed here, enough about me, now answer my question."

"... And why should I? What will you do if I don't?"

"Huh, what a good question, let me think for a second …Aha! I know, maybe I'll kill you?"

"Bitch please, if I die all of shield will hunt you down and neutralize you, even if you have all of your abilities, technology advances fast, especially faster when we have a specific goal in mind. And even then, there are millions of us and only one of you, do you honestly think that you can take on all of humanity? Because let me give you a spoiler, you can't."

"You didn't let me finish, what I meant to say is, I'll kill you, maybe torture you a bit for funsies, then I'll consume you and take your place. It'll be like you left to visit the avengers, congratulated them for their glorious victory, maybe had a rough night and came back the next day. Nobody will ever know, I'll make sure of it."

"Really? And what about Natasha? Will you kill her as well?"

"Well, yes, that would be the logical course of action, she is a witness after all … but it won't work, I can't be in two bodies at once, at least not yet, and nobody will believe either of you died without a good reason … oh well, there goes that plan."

At this, I let Natasha fall down and got up, walked closer to the body, and crunched down to examine it.

"But really, what kind of intimidation tactic is this? This is an almost perfect doll, if it had a heartbeat and some brain function it could have very well been a human, what do you even use it for?"

"...*sigh* So you found out huh? We mainly use it to replace bodies, when there's a need to ... so, you can even sense heartbeats?" replied Fury, his façade of anger being destroyed, returning back to his more calculative gaze and mannerisms.

"Maybe … yes. Look, I may or may not have overreacted, it's just that, how did you find out? It angers me to not know."

'I can't improve next time otherwise.'

Instead of replying to his question, Fury also got up from his chair and began pacing around the room.

"And you also don't shy away from death threats, why?"

'... He's ignoring me … that motherfucker.'

"What do you mean "why?", it's because they're efficient."

"Isn't torture more efficient?"

"Well, I said I'll torture you as well."

"And yet you still started with death."

"... Ok then, I'll lay out my reasoning. Fear is your best friend when interrogating someone, anyone should respond to it … except you apparently ... ahem, the more you threaten someone, the more fearful they become, and what is a threat greater than death? The greatest and oldest fear of Humankind is the fear of the unknown, and there is nothing that embodies it more than not knowing what happens after death, it's simple, rudimentary even … why are you even asking me this? Aren't you like one of the greatest spies ever? This should be basic to you."

"Hm, so whatever your species is, is more than capable of higher thinking. What else is there? Invisibility, intangibility, super strength, speed, and the list goes on and on. And, for whatever reason, you're awfully compliant."

'...huh.'

{What?}

'The number of times this bastard has completely ignored me … I, I think I am experiencing a new emotion.'

{I can feel it as well, that anger … is nothing but a hindrance right now, suppress it.}

'I don't want to.'

{Yeah? Well I don't give a shit about what you want or not, just do as I say.}

Immediately, I felt all emotion disappear, actually no, disappear is the wrong term for it, it's more like looked up somewhere, waiting to be released again someday, eventually.

But still, a spark, an ember of that anger remained, forever engraved in my consciousness, in my being.

A spark that was unfortunately, let out for a single second.

In the next moment, Nick's body was flung to the wall, pinning him with the help of my awfully sharp tail and his now destroyed coat.

"Compliant? I'll show you compliant Fury … do you really think that I'm scarred of you?" I asked with a harsh voice, slowly coming closer to him using my three other appendages, rising above the ground and grabbing him by his throat, my sharp claws digging a bit of blood.

"Of me? No ... but the rest of us? I think you are scared shitless of what we can do, especially the avengers, you have seen them in action, haven't you? And who says that there are not others like them? There are far more dangerous individuals than you think."

'Like what, the sorcerers? I thought those clips were fake.'

{Focus you cretin, we need to know the method he used to find out. If Wanda ever gets the slightest suspicion that you aren't what you say you are, and she somehow finds out that you consumed the kid, she will start interrogating us, and when she finds out that you killed Pietro, we are going to be monumentally fucked beyond reason or salvation.}

'Right, right … I was just a bit curious.'

"... and what Fury? If I kill you now, and every being on this planet suddenly becomes my enemy, then so be it. There is no such thing as too many for me, I'll get them all eventually. And what if they are stronger? What if their power is beyond my comprehension? Then I'll evolve Nick, I'll devour every single one of them one by one, until comprehension is a law I won't abide by, until I'll become incomprehensible myself. Now let me ask you this, do you really think that withholding some bit of tiny information is worth the extinction of humanity? Are you ready to bear that burden, even in death?"

"... I am not."

"Then answer me!" I screamed out loud, ready to kill and devour him if he tried derailing the conversation once again.

"How did I know that you ate that kid? Well … I know for a fact that my very own grandson was not a psychopathic shapeshifting motherfucking maniac."