After dinner, Carl brought Zhao Helen back to his place.
She rested for a bit before falling asleep in Carl's home.
After all, she had just been on a plane for over ten hours. Her body and mind were both exhausted.
Now that she was full, hydrated, and in a comfortable environment, it was only natural she wanted to rest.
It didn't take long for her to fall into a deep sleep.
Still, having been Carl's partner for over ten years, Zhao Helen was extremely concerned about him.
Before sleeping, she examined Carl's condition.
Yes,
It was a proper medical examination.
Carl's mention of palladium poisoning earlier truly worried her.
Zhao Helen held a PhD in medicine, and naturally understood how dangerous palladium poisoning could be,
A high mortality rate. Lethal.
However, after a thorough check, she found no traces of palladium in Carl's system.
Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Carl didn't interrupt her examination. This wasn't something to rush. Better to let her rest first. There would be time later tonight for other things they both enjoyed.
Watching Zhao Helen's sleeping face, Carl smiled gently.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
Then,
Carl's figure vanished instantly.
,
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
After his conversation with Coulson, Director Nick Fury gathered all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to issue his latest orders.
『Nick Fury』: We are now officially declaring Superman an enemy of S.H.I.E.L.D.
『Nick Fury』: If you encounter him, stay alert. If attacked, defend yourselves.
『Nick Fury』: But do not, under any circumstances, initiate conflict.
This announcement confused many agents.
『Random Agent』: Declare him an enemy… but don't provoke him?
『Random Agent』: We can only fight back if he attacks first?
『Random Agent』: What kind of order is that?
They felt it was meaningless.
After all, if they were attacked before, they would naturally retaliate. They weren't going to take a beating for nothing. That would be stupid.
Now, with Superman officially labeled as an enemy… a lot of pressure descended on the organization.
Most of them had read the comics, watched the movies, and seen civilian footage of Superman.
They knew how powerful he was.
To have someone like that as an enemy… the stress was real.
Even Nick Fury himself was annoyed by the whole situation. But he had no choice.
Superman had killed a senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
As Director, he had to take a stance.
Still,
He also understood that S.H.I.E.L.D. currently had no way to defeat such an overwhelmingly powerful opponent.
So, this contradictory order was the best he could issue:
Acknowledge Superman as an enemy.
But don't mess with him.
『Nick Fury』: God, this is idiotic...
Even he couldn't help but feel ridiculous about it.
As Nick sat in his office, agitatedly sifting through documents,
A sudden voice interrupted him.
『Unknown Voice』: Director Fury.
Nick Fury's expression changed instantly. He reached for the emergency signal on his person.
As S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Director, his office wasn't a place just anyone could access.
Any agent needed prior approval to enter.
But today, no one had made any appointment.
Whoever this was,
They were an uninvited guest.
And Nick Fury, ever the cautious one, wasn't about to take chances.
He immediately tried to trigger the emergency alert. If successful, every S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in HQ would be notified.
『Unknown Voice』: I suggest you don't press that button.
But Fury wasn't about to listen to a stranger's warning.
He pressed it.
Only to find,
The device was gone.
『Nick Fury』: What the hell?!
It had been in his pocket just a moment ago. He had even touched it earlier.
Now it was… gone?
He rifled through his clothes, searching frantically.
Then,
"Clack!"
Something small landed on his desk.
『Unknown Voice』: Looking for this?
Nick Fury instinctively looked up.
There it was.
The black alert device, just the size of a finger, resting innocently on the desk.
Exactly the one that should've been in his pocket.
『Nick Fury』: He took it… and I didn't even notice…
That meant this person could kill him at any moment without warning.
Feeling tense, Nick Fury reached toward another pocket,
The one holding the pager used to contact Carol.
He had meant to use that device only in case of planetary emergency.
But now?
If he died here, no one else would even know what that device was for.
Yet when his hand reached into the pocket,
It was empty.
『Nick Fury』: No… not that too!
Then,
"Clack!"
Another object landed on the desk.
His emergency contact pager.
『Nick Fury』: …!!!
Now he was panicking.
His pocket had been emptied without his knowledge.
And one of those items was possibly the most important thing he owned.
What was this person's goal?
To kill him?
Or something else?
Still, decades of training allowed Nick to suppress the fear on his face.
He slowly looked up,
And his eyes widened in disbelief.
On the nearby couch sat a young man.
Handsome. Black hair. Black eyes.
『Nick Fury』: …Carl Smith?!
『Carl』: Surprised to see me?
Yes.
It was Carl.
He was the one who had taken Nick's things.
And he had come here for a reason.
He didn't want anyone else interfering.
After all,
If anyone did try to intervene, it would only lead to their death.
End of chapter...
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