Nick Fury didn't think he had done anything wrong at the time.
If he hadn't stopped that S.H.I.E.L.D. fighter jet from taking off, and if he hadn't informed Tony Stark, then a nuclear bomb would have exploded over New York City.
If that nuclear bomb had exploded, what would New York City have become?
A ruined city?
Or a ghost town?
But…
The Security Council didn't care about any of that.
It was still the same old saying.
I gave an order, but you didn't obey it, and even led the defiance. Although the final outcome was good, it's also true that you violated the order.
So, in the Security Council's view, merely freezing Nick Fury's operational authority and not firing him was already an act of extraordinary grace.
But Nick Fury didn't see it that way.
He had been trying to unfreeze his operational authority.
Now he saw an opportunity.
Hulk was a member of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Avengers. Hawk brazenly killing Hulk was like slapping S.H.I.E.L.D. in the face, and slapping S.H.I.E.L.D. in the face was like kicking the Security Council in the butt.
Although the Security Council might not necessarily care about this matter right now.
But this was only because the matter hadn't escalated. If it did escalate, would the Security Council support Commander Maria Hill, who advocated for peaceful contact, or would it support him, who advocated for strict supervision?
The answer was obvious.
As for who would escalate this matter, after knowing that Hawk was most likely the You-Know-Who who caused a ruckus at Quantico Military Base, he already had an excellent candidate in mind.
Thaddeus Ross.
This was a ruthless man, and a ruthless man with extremely strong backing.
For an ordinary general, after New York City was ravaged by Hulk and Abomination, even if he didn't die, he would definitely be sidelined.
But what about General Ross?
It couldn't be said that he was completely unaffected; it could even be said that he was promoted.
Here's a joke.
Most local squids support the Democratic Party, while most Middle Eastern squids support the Republican Party.
And General Ross was an absolute hawk among the Republicans.
His stance was to solve problems through military means.
How does that saying go?
Gentlemen, I love war!
This statement could be said to be tailor-made for General Ross. Therefore, others might not dare to escalate things, but General Ross would.
Soon.
The call connected.
"Fury, I'm currently…"
"The perpetrator who attacked your military Base, interested in making a deal?"
"…"
General Ross, who was at home strictly guarding against his daughter sneaking out, listened to Nick Fury's words on the phone, first stunned, then his expression became serious.
"You found out who the perpetrator is?"
"Yes, interested?"
"…Terms."
General Ross didn't immediately agree to Nick Fury.
Nick Fury sat back down in his seat, his single eye glinting with a deceptively wise light: "My operational authority has been frozen."
General Ross laughed at that.
He, of course, knew about this matter, but wasn't surprised, because if it were one of his subordinates, Nick Fury, who didn't execute an order but instead resisted, would have been taken out and executed by firing squad long ago.
So…
"Sorry…"
"Latest news, he killed Hulk."
"…Wait."
General Ross, who was about to mock that the bargaining chip wasn't enough, heard this sentence and his expression immediately froze.
The smile on his face also disappeared.
"What?"
"You heard what I said, Hulk is dead, he killed Hulk."
"…"
Nick Fury listened to the breathing on the other end of the phone. Although General Ross hadn't spoken, he knew General Ross was hooked, so he said bluntly: "Help me unfreeze my operational authority, and I'll tell you the perpetrator's identity, and we'll act together. After a successful capture, he can be jointly supervised by both of us, just like Abomination. How about it?"
General Ross alone wasn't enough to restore his operational authority.
But General Ross's supporters behind him could, and for them, it might just be a matter of a single word.
And he wasn't at a disadvantage either.
Joint supervision. After a successful capture, General Ross could conduct research, and S.H.I.E.L.D. could also conduct research.
Nick Fury thought to himself.
General Ross also quickly turned over thoughts after hearing the conditions Nick Fury offered.
Absorbing Gamma rays.
Killing Hulk.
If the news was true, then it could only mean one thing.
The perpetrator who attacked the military Base at that time was even stronger than Hulk, and even had greater control over his own power, unlike Bruce Banner transforming into Hulk, without any reason whatsoever.
And if he were captured and subjected to research.
Then…
The more General Ross thought about it, the more excited he became, but the more excited he was, the more he suppressed this excitement.
"Name."
"No, no, no."
Nick Fury laughed heartily: "That's not how a deal works. Unfreeze my operational authority, and then we can act together."
General Ross snorted with a laugh.
"Does Maria Hill know this news?"
"She knows."
"Then why wouldn't I cooperate with Maria Hill?"
"Because you wouldn't."
Nick Fury wasn't worried at all about General Ross's idea: "You and Maria Hill are not on the same path, and neither am I with her."
General Ross fell silent.
After a while.
"I need to think about it."
"Please do, but it's best to be quick. We don't have much time left. Once Maria Hill makes contact…"
"Give me thirty minutes."
After saying that, General Ross hung up the phone, closed his eyes, and entered a state of rapid thought.
Nick Fury also smiled and hung up the phone after hearing the busy signal.
Ross would agree.
He wasn't worried at all.
However…
You can't put all your eggs in one basket.
Nick Fury's single eye once again gleamed with a deceptively wise and strange light, brainstorming rapidly, and then seemed to think of something, opening the computer in front of him and pulling up Gwen Stacy's data.
At a glance.
He looked at Gwen Stacy's photo displayed on the computer screen, and the light in his single eye became even more strange and… courting death.
At the same time.
Gwen, at this moment, was also helping Hawk back to their apartment in Queens Bridge Park.
Thump!
After placing the weakened Hawk on the sofa, Gwen couldn't help but arch her back, wincing and punching her lower back with her small fist.
Hawk, leaning back on the sofa, couldn't help but let out a laugh as he watched this scene.
Gwen, who was arching her back and relieving her soreness, paused when she heard the somewhat robust laugh from behind her.
Oh no.
Hawk's heart skipped a beat when he saw this.
Sure enough.
Gwen, with her back to Hawk, slowly turned around, her expression suspicious as she looked at Hawk, who appeared weak but whose cheeks were already slightly flushed.
Gwen's eyes at this moment also became a bit strange and dangerous: "Hawk?"
Hawk opened his mouth, coughed, and his voice became weak again: "Cough… cough cough, what's wrong?"
Gwen raised an eyebrow.
Her voice involuntarily rose a few pitches at this moment!
"Hawk!"
This was only because Hawk was just Hawk, without a surname. If Hawk had a surname, what she would have said at this moment would definitely have been his full name.
Gwen's pretty face was very serious.
"You're already fine, you're faking it now, aren't you!"
"I'm not, I didn't, don't talk nonsense."
Hawk subconsciously denied and shook his head, a triple denial.
But…
His voice, in refuting, was full of vigor.
Gwen smiled.
The kind of smile that didn't reach her eyes.
The next second.
Gwen turned and walked towards the door.
Without hesitation.
Shit!
He overdid it.
Hawk, leaning on the sofa, saw this and cursed inwardly. His figure instantly disappeared from the sofa, and in the blink of an eye, he had appeared at the doorway, blocking the apartment door behind him.
Gwen was startled at first, then looked at Hawk blocking her way.
"Move aside!"
"No."
Hawk, who might not have high emotional intelligence but at least had some, quickly shook his head.
Are you kidding me?
If he didn't move now, he could still coax her after a little time.
But if he moved now, the time it would take to coax her back would be immeasurable.
Gwen's pretty face was now covered in frost.
"Is it fun to lie to me, Hawk?"
"It's not fun, I'm sorry, I was wrong."
Hawk promptly admitted his mistake, then said: "But I really didn't lie to you. I was indeed very weak when we came back."
This was the truth.
It was the undeniable truth. At that time, Hawk, who had just come out of the lake, let alone Hulk, even another Chitauri soldier could probably have sent him into the rebirth through fire program.
Hawk said to Gwen: "But I slept in the car and recovered a bit. I originally wanted to tell you, but I saw how worried you were about me, and you even helped me upstairs. I was very happy, so…"
Gwen listened to Hawk's explanation, the frost on her face gradually dissipated, and she glanced at Hawk.
"So what?"
"I couldn't bear for you to let go of me."
Hawk explained seriously.
Gwen, listening to Hawk's explanation, the frost on her pretty face completely dissipated, and it turned slightly red. Then, as if she thought of something, she rolled her eyes at Hawk.
"Boring."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lied to you."
"Are you still weak now?"
"Not wea…"
"Hmm?"
"Weak? Weak!"
Hawk looked at Gwen's pretty face, came up with the correct answer, nodding to express his weakness, while his voice also became weak again.
Gwen, seeing this, wanted to laugh, but kept a straight face, looking at the weak Hawk in front of her, rolled her eyes again, and stepped forward to support Hawk, who seemed about to collapse at any second.
"If you're weak, then lie down properly. Come on, I'll help you to bed."
"Okay."
"Be careful, take off your shoes."
"Gwen."
"Hmm."
"Can you lie down with me for a bit?"
"What?"
"Just for a bit, you know, I'm very weak right now."
"Just for a bit?"
"Hmm."
"…Alright."
"Wait, what are you…"
"Ah!"
"…"
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