Several people took the elevator to the underground, walking hurriedly and very fast. It was obvious that something bad had happened.
"Dr. Silver detected a burst of energy from the Rubik's Cube four hours ago." Phil Coulson said, following closely beside Nick Fury.
"The space agency has not authorized the doctor to conduct the test." Nick Fury's tone revealed a hint of displeasure.
"He wasn't testing it," Phil Coulson explained quickly. "He wasn't even in the room. It was triggered automatically."
"It just activated itself?" Maria Hill, who was walking behind, was a little bit unbelieving.
"What's the current energy level?" Nick Fury had no intention of answering Maria Hill's question and quickly asked Phil Coulson about the situation.
"Ascending." Phil Coulson originally wanted to answer Maria Hill's question, but Nick Fury kept barging questions, so he could only answer his boss first. "After the doctor confirmed that it couldn't be shut down, we ordered an evacuation."
"Egghead, what are you guys at S.H.I.E.L.D. secretly researching?" Tony Stark, who was watching the video, couldn't help but frown. "Why do I always have a bad feeling?"
"This shouldn't be a premonition anymore. What's going to happen is certain." Natasha Romanoff asked Nick Fury, "I've never been to this underground base. What exactly are they researching inside?"
"I said I don't know yet, do you believe me?" Nick Fury looked innocent.
"I really can't stand you guys. You spend all day researching this and that, spending every penny, but you can't come up with anything crap. You're just wasting taxpayers' money!" Tony Stark couldn't help but rant.
"Stark, you are a guy who spends all day in the basement developing armor. You have no right to criticize others, right?" Nick Fury retorted lightly.
"You're comparing me to those idiots?" Tony Stark laughed on the spot. He walked over to Nick Fury and said, "There's a fundamental difference between my research and yours. Do you know what it is? I'm a genius, and you're not! The armor I developed protects people! It brings world peace! And what about you? Not being able to develop anything is the best outcome. Often, you even cause harm! I remember that big guy who destroyed a street in New York. He was also born in a military laboratory, right? Fury, what are you planning to develop this time? A big gray guy?"
"Maybe he's just an arrogant, conceited big guy who never takes others seriously, who knows." Nick Fury shrugged.
While Tony Stark and Nick Fury were arguing, Phil Coulson turned around to evacuate people, while Maria Hill and Nick Fury walked up a long staircase.
"Sir, maybe evacuation is useless." Maria Hill said as she quickly walked down the stairs holding the iron handrail.
"Should we let them go back to sleep?" Nick Fury's response was full of dry humor.
"If we can't control the energy of the Cosmic Cube, I think it's useless for us to hide anywhere," said Maria Hill.
"I need you to ensure the safe transfer of the Phase II prototype," Nick Fury said.
"Sir, isn't it time to prioritize these things?" Maria Hill expressed her objection.
"Unless the world is ending, our lives must go on." Nick Fury turned around and stared at Maria Hill with his single eye. "Inventory the items immediately and load all the relevant equipment onto the trucks and transport them away."
"The Cosmic Cube?" Tony Stark grasped the key words from the conversation. "Egghead, is this what you've been secretly researching? What is this thing?"
"I don't know either." Nick Fury sighed softly.
"Don't play dumb!" Tony Stark was a little annoyed.
"Didn't you hear what your agent said? If we can't control the energy of this Cosmic Cube, it's useless to hide anywhere! This means that one day in the future, I might die without knowing anything, all because of your research! So this isn't just your business, it concerns all of us!"
"Stark, even though I have the Rubik's Cube in my hand, I really don't know what it is."
"Every time someone tries to study something they don't understand, big trouble happens," Tony Stark said. "Fury, if you really don't know what the Rubik's Cube is, then it's best not to touch it."
"Stark, do you want me to tell you something you don't know?" Nick Fury spread his hands. "Do you know who originally gave the Rubik's Cube to S.H.I.E.L.D.? It was your father, Howard Stark!"
"What? My father? Why didn't I know that?" Tony Stark was shocked when he heard that. He never thought that his deceased father was involved in this.
"There are many things you don't know." Nick Fury continued, "I am now the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., but do you know who founded S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"You're not saying..." Tony Stark's eyes widened.
"That's right! It's your father again! Howard Stark is one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D." Nick Fury looked at the expression on Tony Stark's face and couldn't help feeling secretly happy.
"What's going on, Doctor?" Tony Stark was shocked by the accepted news and was speechless for a moment. Nick Fury's voice sounded again. Of course, it was not Nick Fury in the answering space, but Nick Fury in the video.
"The Tesseract isn't very serious," said Dr. Silver.
"Is this the time to joke?" Nick Fury strode over to Silverig.
"No kidding, the Cosmic Cube is not only active, but also..." Dr. Sylvig pondered for a moment and thought of a word, "I do my own thing."
"You didn't try unplugging it?"
"It's an energy source in itself. We turned it off, and it turned itself back on." Dr. Silverg looked worried. "If we let it reach peak energy..."
"Isn't that what we're here for?" Nick Fury interjected. "To draw energy from the universe."
"We're not ready yet." Silver walked over to a computer and looked at Nick Fury helplessly. "My calculations will take some time. It's constantly emitting interference and radiation. It's harmless, just very low-level gamma rays."
"Which fake university did he buy this doctorate from?" Tony Stark was shocked when he heard this. "He actually said gamma rays are harmless? Didn't you tell him about the big green guy who almost demolished a street in New York?"