"Agent Romanoff says you've developed artificial intelligence…"
"F*** off!" Solomon snapped. He hadn't even begun planning his confrontation with J.A.R.V.I.S., and now Nick Fury had ambushed him in his dorm at Eton College. Fury lounged in the room as though he owned the place, his attitude grating on Solomon's nerves. Tossing his book aside and loosening his black tie, Solomon scowled at the unwelcome visitor. The sight of Fury always made his skin crawl, like ants scurrying across his back. Whatever brought Fury here, it wasn't good news.
"Get to the point," Solomon growled.
"You know what I told the Senate, Congress, and the World Security Council about you?" Fury said, pointing to himself. "I told them you came from some obscure corner of the world. I kept your identity under wraps, but that won't last. My superior, Alexander Pierce, knows I'm connected to you, and those senators are already clamoring for hearings on the Avengers. They also want you to share your magic."
"And do you know why I sought out that Skrull in the first place? If you did, you wouldn't be wasting my time with this garbage." Solomon didn't hide his disdain. He had no patience for the political games of bureaucrats, whose power was built on votes and donations. Turning to leave, he hesitated, realizing Fury's words carried an undercurrent of manipulation. Fury wasn't just delivering a warning—he was dangling a favor, subtly suggesting that Solomon owed him for keeping his identity a secret. But Solomon wasn't one to bow to threats, veiled or otherwise.
"Maybe I'll start with that senator I punched. How many heads would it take to silence the White House?" Solomon retorted, shifting the power dynamic.
"Relax, kid." Fury didn't flinch. His gambit had been more of a habit than a serious play. He shrugged off Solomon's hostility, moving straight to the real reason for his visit. "Steve Rogers wants to meet with you. Actually, it's someone else who does: Peggy Carter. You've heard her story, haven't you? Founder of SHIELD? You might want to hurry—her lucid moments are rare these days."
"F*** off!" Solomon snapped again, waving Fury away. This felt like another pointless errand.
"Wait." Fury raised a hand, smirking as if he'd anticipated Solomon's reaction. "Be patient, kid. I'm not done."
"Better make it quick," Solomon said, glaring. "I've just discovered that 16th-century English court cuisine is surprisingly decent. My biases have robbed me of years of good food."
"Steve does want to meet you," Fury admitted, "mainly because you vanished after Coulson's funeral. No one's told him where you've been. As for Peggy Carter, did you know her caretaker once considered adopting you? If your adoption records hadn't mysteriously disappeared, you might have grown up knowing her. Strange coincidence, huh? But none of that is why I'm here."
Fury leaned in, his tone turning serious. "Remember the Ghost Rider Steve dealt with? We've tracked his location. It's time for you to fulfill your duty. Kamar-Taj is supposed to keep extra-dimensional beings off Earth."
"You're beating around the bush, Fury," Solomon said with a roll of his eyes. "Handling the Ghost Rider falls under Kamar-Taj's jurisdiction, not yours. And you're lucky your work is too important for me to eliminate you outright. You've caused enough trouble to warrant it."
"Really?" Fury raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Like how you agreed to resurrect Coulson? Am I going to save the world in the future, too?"
"God, I hate spies." Solomon flipped him off. "I don't know as much as the Ancient One, but I do know your time will come. Accept your death gracefully, Fury. You can't avoid it."
"Fine." Fury smirked, shifting topics. "Now, back to my question. Have you developed artificial intelligence? Yes or no?"
"Yes," Solomon sighed, eager to be rid of him.
"Master, why did you tolerate that mortal questioning you?" Dinah stepped out from the Mirror Dimension as Fury left. She held a long katana, her expression unreadable but her voice tinged with confusion. "If you find him so bothersome, I could eliminate him for you."
"Not an option, my dear assistant," Solomon replied, shaking his head. "Fury is far too critical to replace right now. His work is essential, even if his methods drive me insane."
Fury hadn't come just to chat. Despite his circuitous way of speaking, he had conveyed crucial information. His meeting with Solomon was a contingency plan—a fail-safe for SHIELD's internal purge. Fury's investigation into hidden factions within SHIELD had stalled without his decoy in place, but he had uncovered startling intel.
To ensure his plans could proceed even if he failed, Fury handed Solomon a sealed file. "Open this only when you receive the signal," Fury had instructed, "and when you do, clear out SHIELD's Triskelion headquarters completely. Leave no trace—not even a cockroach."
The file contained the locations of several classified SHIELD bases. Naturally, Solomon ignored Fury's instructions and opened it immediately, prompting a furious outburst. Solomon's nonchalant response was simple: Asgard's Bifrost Bridge was nearing completion. Once operational, no SHIELD base would stand a chance against its might, rendering secrecy irrelevant.
"Master, if Fury's work is so important, why not seize his authority yourself?" Dinah asked. "You'd no longer have to answer to mortals, and their governments couldn't oppose your power. I doubt the Ancient One would object."
"And what then? Am I supposed to hire bureaucrats too?" Solomon sighed. Dinah's moral framework, or lack thereof, was a persistent concern. Unlike mindless constructs, Dinah had her own thoughts and actions, which Solomon couldn't fully control. His only option was to teach her about humanity.
"Let ordinary people play their games. We just need to guide their growth and ensure they don't destroy themselves. Humanity will refine its systems over time. As long as they survive, we won't interfere," Solomon said, pulling out his phone and dialing a number.
"I need to discuss something with the Divine Commerce."
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