S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson, the Kree corpse, Director Fury...
Fragments of memory connected to the "Tahiti Project" surged all at once, crashing over Ray like a wave. For a moment, he had no idea how to respond.
"I was… already part of S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Ray murmured in disbelief.
Now that Raina's identity had been confirmed, he'd already begun to formulate theories about her purpose. But this was the last thing he'd expected.
The memories that had just surfaced made it clear: he'd been secretly recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D., invited personally by none other than the legendary Director Fury.
And that invitation hadn't been just for show.
Officially, he was listed as a visiting lecturer at the "S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy," but in reality, he'd been placed within the Tahiti Project, working behind the scenes to assist Coulson in its development.
Very few within S.H.I.E.L.D. even knew the truth of this.
What's more, these memories resolved a long-standing mystery: how the body's original owner—once a respected psychologist—had gone insane.
Typically, schizophrenia has deep developmental roots. Many sufferers, like David, develop symptoms in early childhood.
But the body's previous owner hadn't experienced such a past. His mental break had to be the result of a massive shock.
Yet in all the memories Ray had previously absorbed, none stood out as severe enough to trigger such a collapse.
Not until now—when Raina had uttered the words "Tahiti Project"—had the pieces fallen into place.
It was that very project that had driven him mad.
Tasked with handling the psychological and hypnotic dimensions of Tahiti, he had expertly supported the mental well-being of the team... but ultimately, he couldn't carry the burden himself.
The doctor couldn't cure himself. Despite all his training in psychology, it hadn't saved him.
"So that's how it is…"
Having processed these newly recovered memories, Ray finally understood the full picture. It now made perfect sense why Raina had come to him.
If it had been the original personality, he might still be questioning her background. But Ray had no such doubts—he understood her better than she did herself.
All this time, Raina believed she was working for a mysterious figure known only by the codename "The Clairvoyant."
What she didn't know was that the Clairvoyant was, in fact, John Garrett—Level 8 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and a deeply embedded Hydra operative.
She had been little more than a pawn for Hydra all along.
And the Tahiti Project had always been one of Hydra's most coveted but elusive targets.
Despite placing moles throughout S.H.I.E.L.D.—including even Alexander Pierce, the former director whom Fury begrudgingly deferred to—Hydra had never managed to infiltrate Tahiti.
Even among the higher ranks, nearly a third of agents were double agents.
And yet, not a single Hydra member had participated in the project. They had no chance to coordinate from within. All they could do was try to dig into it from the outside.
Their obsession stemmed from a single question: how had Coulson been brought back from the dead?
They believed Fury's Tahiti Project might have discovered a resurrection technique—something that could change everything for Hydra's ambitions.
But Fury had seen it coming.
Once the project was mothballed, he used his authority to purge every trace of its contents from the database.
Trying to uncover any Tahiti data online was pure fantasy.
The only real chance was to locate individuals who had been involved in the project from beginning to end—those who'd seen the whole picture.
So it was no surprise Raina had found her way to Ray.
According to the original owner's memories, he knew the project inside and out.
He hadn't just handled a piece of it—he had full access to its most confidential components.
Whereas others involved in isolated segments knew only their narrow scope, Ray held the keys to the heart of Tahiti.
By his estimation, he wasn't Hydra's first target. But clearly, none of their prior attempts had worked—otherwise, Raina wouldn't be here in person.
Now that he understood the full story, Ray looked at Raina with a touch of pity.
Raina caught the change in his expression immediately. She frowned slightly.
"Raymond, what is that look supposed to mean?"
It was obvious she found his pity unsettling.
Ray didn't answer directly. Instead, he changed tack.
"Since you're aware of the Tahiti Project, Miss Raina, you must also understand how far-reaching its implications are. Do you honestly think I'd betray all that for your meagre offer?"
"If I went through with your little deal… I doubt I'd live long enough to enjoy the payment," he added, shaking his head with a wry smile.
"You think we'd cause trouble for you afterwards? I can assure you—"
"You can assure me?" Ray cut her off with a dry laugh. "With what, exactly? I'd bet anything you don't even know who you're working for."
"I—"
His scorn cut deep. For someone as composed as Raina, it still stung. But as she opened her mouth to object, the words froze.
Because she realised—he was right.
She didn't know who wanted the Tahiti intel.
Sure, she believed she was working for the Clairvoyant. The orders had come through intermediaries—directing her to extract information from Ray…
But who was the Clairvoyant?
Or rather, what was the Clairvoyant? A person? An organisation?
She had no idea.
All she knew was that the Clairvoyant had extraordinary power. Whoever they were, they had consistently helped her outmanoeuvre S.H.I.E.L.D. agents time and again.
And yet… their identity, their motives—complete blanks.
In other words, she had been a pawn all along. She didn't know a thing.
"Could it be… he knows?"
Raina turned toward Ray, her eyes filled with sudden, awestruck disbelief.