S.H.I.E.L.D. Doesn't Ask Politely
The inside of the SUV was quiet.
Too quiet.
John sat across from Phil Coulson, knees bouncing slightly as the city lights blurred past the tinted windows. Two agents sat in front. None of them spoke.
Finally, Coulson broke the silence.
"That thing knew your name," he said calmly. "And it wasn't guessing."
John stared at his hands. "…Yeah."
Coulson studied him carefully. "I'm not here to threaten you, John. But I am here to understand what kind of situation we're dealing with."
The system remained silent.
That alone worried him.
"I don't know what it is," John said truthfully. "I didn't create it."
"But it reacted to you," Coulson replied. "Specifically your influence."
John looked up sharply. "Influence?"
Coulson tapped his tablet. Charts appeared.
Streaming graphs.
Global engagement spikes.
Social heat maps.
"All of this," Coulson said, "happened before the seismic incidents. Before the creature. Before tonight."
John's stomach sank.
"So my music—"
"Is changing patterns," Coulson finished. "Culture. Emotion. Attention."
He leaned back slightly.
"In my experience, things that feed on change tend to notice people like you."
The system chimed softly, unheard by anyone else.
[Analysis Complete.]
[The Watcher Is Reacting to Global Emotional Synchronization.]
[Your Music Is a Catalyst.]
John clenched his jaw.
So it wasn't just giving him points.
It was reshaping the world.
The Watcher Listens
Miles away, in a place without coordinates—
The Watcher stood still.
Sound waves rippled through darkness.
John's song played.
Not through speakers.
Through patterns.
Crowds singing.
Emotions aligning.
Millions of minds focused on the same rhythm.
The Watcher processed it.
"This human produces resonance," it said quietly.
The data pulsed faster.
"This resonance increases unpredictability."
Its form shifted slightly — more refined, more stable.
"Further observation required."
A new directive formed.
Observe the source of emotional attachment.
Sabrina Notices the Change
The next day at school, Sabrina knew something was wrong immediately.
John wasn't humming.
Wasn't tapping rhythms on his desk.
Wasn't smiling.
He was quieter. Sharper. Distant.
"John," she whispered during lunch. "Did I do something?"
He blinked. "What? No—why would you think that?"
"You've been acting weird," she said softly. "Ever since the other night."
He hesitated.
He hated lying to her.
But telling the truth might put her in danger.
"It's just… a lot of pressure," he said carefully. "Things are moving fast."
She studied his face.
Then surprised him by placing her hand over his.
"You don't have to carry it alone," she said. "Whatever it is."
His chest tightened.
"I don't want you involved," he said quietly.
Sabrina frowned. "That's not your choice."
He laughed weakly. "You sound braver every day."
She smiled — then grew serious.
"Promise me something."
"…Okay."
"If you feel like you're in danger," she said, "you tell me. Don't disappear."
That word again.
Disappear.
He nodded slowly. "I promise."
But deep down…
He wasn't sure he could keep it.
The Interrogation Ends
Back at S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson stopped the SUV outside John's home.
"For now," he said, "you're not detained. But you are on our radar."
John swallowed. "And the thing?"
Coulson's expression hardened.
"We'll watch it," he said. "But John… if it moves again—"
"I'll know," John said.
Coulson paused.
"…Yeah," he admitted. "I think you will."
John stepped out of the vehicle.
As the SUV drove away, the system chimed again:
[Quest Updated: Balance Influence and Exposure.]
[Warning: Excessive Fame Will Accelerate The Watcher's Evolution.]
[Reward Pending: Choice-Based.]
John stared up at the night sky.
One mistake and S.H.I.E.L.D. would move against him.
One viral hit too big and the Watcher would adapt further.
One secret revealed and Sabrina could be caught in the middle.
Music had given him power.
But now…
Power was attracting predators.
John clenched his fists.
"If this world is going to react to me," he whispered, "then I need to stay ahead of it."
Far above the city, unseen—
Something watched.
And smiled.