『Coulson』: Why... why is everyone acting normal?
Coulson looked around in confusion. The people at the airport walked by as if nothing had happened—no panic, no curiosity, no cell phones raised to film. Everything seemed... ordinary.
『Coulson』: Last time with the Abomination incident, the crowd swarmed in to watch. Many even recorded the whole thing.
So why was today so different?
『Coulson』: Could it be that the crowd lost interest in this kind of thing?
That didn't make sense. After all, today involved Superman—Carl—and he had even used Heat Vision.
『Coulson』: No one even stopped to look? That's impossible.
Coulson observed the airport for a few more minutes. Still, no one reacted. It was as if nothing had happened at all.
『Coulson』: Strange. Very strange.
Eventually, after confirming no one was paying attention, Coulson turned and left with a puzzled expression. He needed to return to headquarters and report the situation to Director Nick Fury.
What Coulson didn't know was that the reason the bystanders showed no reaction—was because of Carl.
Before making his move, Carl had hypnotized every civilian in the area.
He had no intention of hurting the innocent. His target had been Hawkeye, an agent of SHIELD. The onlookers were irrelevant to the battle. More than that, Carl didn't want to draw unnecessary attention. It would only be annoying if people later asked him for autographs or selfies.
So he simply made sure there was nothing to worry about. Complete hypnosis. A clean job.
…
Later, Coulson drove to a secure location, switched vehicles, and flew directly back to SHIELD headquarters.
While on the plane, he initiated a secure transmission.
『Nick Fury』: Coulson?
『Coulson』: Director, I have a report about the Superman encounter.
『Nick Fury』: Go on.
『Coulson』: I think... this is something better said in person.
『Nick Fury』: Alright. Are you headed back to HQ?
『Coulson』: Yes, sir. Are you still there?
『Nick Fury』: I am. Come straight to my office when you arrive.
After ending the transmission, Nick Fury leaned back in his chair, curiosity growing.
『Nick Fury』: What is Coulson going to tell me that he couldn't say over comms?
Unlike Fury's anticipation, Coulson looked grim.
He rehearsed his words quietly to himself, considering the best way to explain everything.
…
Upon arriving, Coulson immediately made his way to Fury's office. As agreed, the director was already there waiting.
『Coulson』: Director.
『Nick Fury』: Mm.
Fury glanced up at him, then asked casually:
『Nick Fury』: Where's Clint?
Coulson had gone on this mission with Clint Barton—Hawkeye. It was just earlier today that Fury had assigned them both to the case.
『Nick Fury』: Don't tell me he's still tailing Superman?
『Coulson』: ...Clint is dead.
『Nick Fury』: …What?
Fury stared at him in disbelief.
『Nick Fury』: I just saw him this morning.
He had spoken with Clint hours ago when assigning the mission. And now Coulson was telling him the man was dead?
Yes, Fury had always known SHIELD missions were dangerous. Even elite agents like Natasha and Clint were not invincible. But still—
『Nick Fury』: ...That fast?
『Coulson』: It was Superman. He killed him.
Fury's face darkened. So it was true.
Superman—Carl—was a threat.
From the moment he overpowered Natasha and challenged SHIELD, Fury had already suspected it.
But then Superman killed Abomination. He stopped a major threat, and even exposed Obadiah Stane—a man with power but little morality.
He had shown restraint, avoided harming civilians, and hadn't attacked SHIELD agents until now.
Fury had thought perhaps he wasn't a villain after all.
That's why he'd sent Coulson and Hawkeye to contact him. To gauge Carl's stance.
Just as Coulson had suspected, Fury's goal had been to assess whether Superman was friend or foe.
If Carl turned out to be a hero, Fury would try to recruit him into the superhero initiative.
But if he proved dangerous—then SHIELD would respond accordingly.
『Nick Fury』: If it comes to it, I'll have to recall Carol.
Captain Marvel—Fury's ace in the hole.
But none of this had been shared with Coulson. Fury was, after all, the director of SHIELD. Some plans needed to remain confidential.
Still, Coulson had worked with him for decades—since the 1980s. He knew Fury well. Perhaps too well.
Now, with Carl killing a high-ranking agent, Fury had no choice but to act.
『Nick Fury』: Tell me exactly what happened.
『Coulson』: Understood.
Coulson took a breath and began to recount the events:
『Coulson』: Our intel tracked Superman to the airport. Clint and I approached, but he didn't want to talk. We tried to leave peacefully…
He detailed the encounter step by step, leading into the next phase of SHIELD's uneasy relationship with Carl.
End of chapter...
Hey everyone! 🌌
Loving the battles, twists, and wild multiverse encounters?
✨ Get early access to chapters before anyone else. Unlock secret events, surprise battles, hidden lore, and power-ups ahead of the curve.
It's like a VIP mission in the System, exclusive, epic, and just for the chosen few.
🔹 Dimension Walker – 15 chapters ahead
🔸 Reality Shifter – 35 chapters ahead
Your support helps me write faster, go deeper, and expand this universe even further.
📍 patreon.com/MrBehringer