Chapter 10

(A few weeks ago when John Walker first used his abilities...)

In the control room of a subterranean S.H.I.E.L.D. base, the screens flickered with constant information. Agents were walking back and forth, checking data and monitoring global security. Among them, María Hill stood in front of a control panel, frowning as she observed an unusual reading.

"This isn't right... this energy shouldn't be here."

On the screen, a bright blue energy signature unfolded in waves. The data showed coordinates in New York, but what caught attention was not the location, but the similarity of the energy to something much more familiar.

"Ma'am, the energy firm matches 85% with the Tesseract."

"Impossible.The Tesseract is insured. This must be something else."

Hill quickly deduced the seriousness of the situation. Even if it wasn't the Tesseract, something of equal magnitude was active in the city, and that energy was dangerous. I couldn't ignore it.

"Send a team of agents to the location. I want to have eyes on the ground in less than ten minutes."

Before the agent could respond, a familiar voice echoed from the entrance of the room.

"Don't do it."

All the agents paused for a moment upon hearing Fury. The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. walked towards the control panel with a steady stride, not losing his sharp gaze. His presence always commanded respect, and his entrance was never casual.

"Director, this could be a greater threat than it seems. If that signature is so similar to the Tesseract, we can't take the risk."

"That's exactly why we are not going to send the agents. If the signature is similar, then we don't know what we're dealing with. We've had enough surprises with cosmic objects, don't you think?"

Fury leaned over the panel, examining the data more closely. I knew that the Infinity Stones were powerful, and anyone who had access to one represented a danger. But sending a team without concrete information could be a costly mistake.

"This is not just another operation. If someone has something that emits this amount of energy, I want to know who it is. And I'm not going to put my agents at risk without a plan."

Maria Hill frowned, but she knew Fury was right. Facing something of that magnitude without proper preparation would be reckless.

"So what do you suggest? We cannot ignore it."

Fury fell silent for a moment, weighing his options. The energy they had detected was too powerful, too dangerous to handle like any other mission. If it was truly an Infinity Gem, I couldn't leave it in the hands of an ordinary team.

"I'm going."

Maria Hill blinked in surprise. It was not common for Fury to take on a mission directly, but his expression left no room for discussion.

"Are you sure? We could send someone with more... discretion."

"Hill, if this is what I think it is, it's not the time to be discreet. Moreover, someone has to be the serious face of S.H.I.E.L.D. when things get tough. And I don't know anyone better for the job."

Fury turned towards the panel, watching the screen as he analyzed the incoming information. Suddenly, something in the data caught his attention. The origin of the energy company was located at a specific point: an 18-year-old young man named John Walker. The surprise on his face was minimal, but internal.

"John Walker? An 18-year-old boy? Is this a joke?"

Hill quickly reviewed the information, but the data was clear. John Walker was not a name known on any threat lists, nor were there any records of him in criminal databases. A teenager with energy similar to that of the Tesseract. Something didn't fit.

"I confirm it, director. The origin of the energy disturbance is linked to this boy. It doesn't seem to have any relevant background, but if it really is in possession of something like an Infinity Gem..."

"We're not going to rush things."

Fury frowned, deep in thought. An 18-year-old boy with such power. He could be a novice with no idea of what he had in his hands, or someone much more dangerous than he seemed. But a direct confrontation right now would only make the situation worse. They had already seen how things could escalate with other cosmic artifacts.

"The last thing we need is to scare a boy with this kind of power. We don't know how much control it has or what it is capable of doing if it feels cornered."

"So what do you suggest? We cannot ignore it."

"We will keep an eye on him. We won't make a move until we know more."

Hill watched him for a moment, surprised by his decision, but she knew that Fury rarely took the easy way out. Patience had always been her most effective weapon when it came to unknown threats. Intervening too soon could unleash a catastrophe.

"And how do you plan for us to keep an eye on him without him noticing?"

"We have our methods. Undercover agents, drones, remote surveillance. Let's keep a low profile, and if this guy shows signs of losing control, then we'll intervene. Until then, I want all the information we can gather about him. His family, his friends, his history. Everything."

María Hill nodded, though still with some hesitation. The danger of an Infinity Gem in the hands of an inexperienced boy was too great to ignore, but Fury was right: caution was key in this situation.

"And let no one in the council find out about this yet. Not until we have something concrete."

"Are you thinking that someone else might be behind this?"

"I don't know. But I prefer to be the one to discover it before they do."

Fury stepped away from the panel and began to walk towards the exit. Her mind was already devising the next steps. John Walker could be just a pawn in something much bigger, or a teenager playing with fire without realizing it. In any case, he would be watching, waiting for the right moment to intervene.

Shield continued to occasionally detect energy surges coming from John Walker; however, these were overlooked by order of Nick Fury himself. Until one day...

(Weeks later...)

The sun was beginning to set behind the hills that surrounded the coast of Malibu, tinting the sky with shades of orange and violet. The waves gently crashed against the rocks that guarded Tony Stark's mansion, a masterpiece of modern architecture that seemed to float above the ocean. From the road that wound its way toward the property, a black car without markings moved calmly, its engine almost imperceptible in the air.

Behind the wheel, Nick Fury kept his gaze fixed on the mansion, his thoughts swirling around what he had uncovered in the past few weeks. John Walker. An 18-year-old boy with no background or obvious connections to the kind of power that S.H.I.E.L.D. had detected. And yet, the energy signature that had emanated from him was unmistakable: the Gem of Time.

It had been a game of patience. Fury knew that rushing into something of this magnitude was a mistake. John Walker was not an openly declared enemy, nor even a threat up to that point, but any young person with such power in their hands was a potential danger, even to themselves. Fury had waited, observing, gathering information while allowing the boy to settle into the safety of Stark's mansion.

Now, after weeks of surveillance, Fury decided that the time had come to take action.

The black car stopped at the entrance of the mansion. Fury got out with his characteristic black coat fluttering slightly in the breeze. Her boots echoed on the stone path as she climbed the stairs to the front door. It wasn't the first time I visited Tony Stark, but this time, I wasn't coming for the genius, the philanthropist, and the former Avenger. I was coming for the boy.

The door opened before Fury could ring the bell, revealing Tony Stark in a rock band t-shirt and sunglasses, even though the sun had almost disappeared.

"How's it going, Fury? I didn't expect to see you so soon. Problems in paradise?"

Fury did not smile, but he leaned slightly towards Stark in a gesture of greeting.

"You know I never come without a reason, Stark. And this time, it's not because of you."

Tony raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

"Isn't it for me?" Really? And I thought I was the center of the universe."

"You know there's a new center of the universe here, right?"

Stark sighed and stepped aside, opening the door wider for Fury to enter. The mansion was as immaculate as ever, a blend of cutting-edge technology and an almost casual luxury that only Stark could achieve. As they walked through the spacious lobby, Stark grabbed a glass of whiskey from a nearby bar and swirled it with indifference.

"John, huh? I knew you would come for him sooner or later. The boy has something that catches the eye, even for someone like you."

Fury watched Stark, weighing his words. Tony knew enough not to be completely in the dark, but he clearly hadn't pressed John for answers. That was typical of him: curious, but clever enough to know when not to ask questions.

"Where is it?"

"Downstairs, in the workshop. I have been letting him do his things. He doesn't seem like the kind of teenager who would accidentally destroy the world, but, you know, I like challenges."

Fury did not respond to Stark's joke. I had learned a long time ago to ignore Tony's embellishments and focus on what mattered. He began to descend the stairs to the laboratory, allowing his thoughts to focus on the boy he was about to confront.

John Walker was leaning over a workbench, examining a small device that looked like a cross between a watch and a compass. When she heard Fury's footsteps approaching, he lifted his head.

John was not what Fury had expected. The boy had messy black hair, bright green eyes, and a relaxed posture. There were no traces of arrogance or nervousness. He seemed like an ordinary teenager, if it weren't for the inhuman power that resided in his hands.

"John Walker."

The boy looked at Fury without surprise. It was clear that he was expecting it, or at least he had been warned by Stark.

"Nick Fury. Tony told me that you would eventually come."

Fury crossed his arms, studying the young man closely.

"Tell me, kid, do you know about the Avengers initiative?"