"Do you believe in the wisdom of future generations?"
"Yes."
"…What does that even mean?"
"It means we act first and discuss the fallout later."
Hesitation was a luxury. Looking forward and backward, calculating every ripple before moving, that was how opportunities died. Worse, it was a taboo in their line of work. You couldn't justify standing still just because killing Dickon might trigger unrest among vampires in New York. Law enforcement didn't get to freeze because criminals might retaliate.
They were the ones with badges.
Since ancient times, thieves feared soldiers. There had never been a rule that soldiers were supposed to fear thieves.
As for consequences?
What did that have to do with the Sentinel Secret Service, whose jurisdiction was technically limited to mutants? Even if someone tried to make it their problem afterward—so what?
With that thought settled, Locke turned to Maria Hill and smiled faintly. "If soldiers come, we block them. If water comes, we dam it. Right?"
Hill gave a small nod, as if agreeing with him.
The corner of Locke's mouth lifted slightly. The senior commander of SHIELD seemed straightforward enough—
Then Hill's expression changed. The smile vanished. She glanced at Natasha and spoke evenly. "Did you see that? He's trying to get us to take the blame."
Natasha arched an eyebrow and looked at Locke.
The smile on his face stiffened. He looked back at Hill. "I didn't—"
"It's fine if you want us to carry it."
"…What?"
Locke blinked. In all his years, he had seen plenty of people scramble to claim credit. This was the first time he had watched someone rush forward to shoulder liability.
For a brief second, he wondered what kind of high-level maneuver Hill was playing.
Natasha looked confused. "Hill…"
"Don't." Hill cut her off gently, then turned back to Locke. Her tone was calm, but her eyes were sharp. "SHIELD can carry this."
Locke frowned but didn't speak.
A few seconds passed. Then he lifted his gaze and smiled again. "Price."
"Don't you need to ask your supervisor first?" Hill asked evenly.
"No." Locke shook his head. "If it's reasonable, I can make the call."
He said it without hesitation. Asking for approval meant he had final authority. He wouldn't claim that unless he meant it. His last name was Underwood, and he came from Underwood, South Carolina. That carried weight in certain circles.
Hill believed him. Plenty of people might not understand what that name represented, but she worked in Washington often enough. She knew.
"Good," she said. "Then I'll be direct."
"Go on."
Locke kept his tone simple. He wasn't worried about her making outrageous demands. He understood the entire structure of the situation. If SHIELD was willing to take responsibility for the operation and help expand the Sentinel Secret Service's authority in the process, even a steep price might be worth it. The Bureau would see the bigger picture.
Hill didn't posture. She laid it out plainly. "If something happens and SHIELD takes the blame, then after it's over, I get a share of everything gained."
"That's the first condition."
Locke raised an eyebrow. The wording was interesting. In the first half, SHIELD was the entity absorbing the liability. In the second, the beneficiary shifted to her personally.
He studied her for a moment, face unreadable. "How many conditions?"
"Three."
"Hill," he said lightly, "you're good at business."
She gave a faint smile. "If SHIELD is going to carry the risk, I'd rather sell it at the right price. Wouldn't you?"
Locke chuckled softly. "Fine. I agree to the first condition. Continue."
"The second," Hill said, "is that when you operate in the field, SHIELD may activate Sentinel Secret Service identification."
Locke frowned slightly and thought it through. "That one isn't entirely up to me. I'll report it. It shouldn't be a major issue."
It wasn't as if SHIELD had never used Sentinel credentials before. The difference was that in the past, if they were exposed, the Sentinel Secret Service would deny involvement. Now SHIELD wanted formal backing—an official endorsement.
Compared to expanding jurisdiction, that was a manageable concession.
Seeing his response, Hill relaxed slightly.
SHIELD was powerful. Funded by five global powers, equipped with resources most agencies could only dream of. But it was also structurally weak. It had funding and influence, yet no fully independent legal foundation within the territories of those same powers.
In simple terms, SHIELD could operate aggressively in unstable regions overseas. But inside the borders of the five funding nations—especially within the Federation—it still had to borrow legitimacy from someone else.
If they were going to take heat anyway, they might as well exchange it for something tangible: an identity that could move openly and lawfully.
"And the last condition?" Locke asked.
"In the future," Hill said calmly, "the Sentinel Secret Service will have no law enforcement authority over any mutant I capture or recruit—unless they commit crimes of their own accord."
Locke froze for a moment.
He stared at her in silence for several seconds. "You think under that condition, they would—"
"I'm talking about me," Hill interrupted gently. "Not SHIELD."
Locke blinked.
Hill smiled faintly. "Compared to expanding Sentinel jurisdiction, that request isn't excessive."
She was right.
The Sentinel Secret Service hadn't been created because someone simply hated mutants. Yes, individuals like Brown harbored personal grudges. But institutions weren't built on grudges. They were built on interests.
A federal-level agency rivaling the FBI meant jobs. Budgets. Influence. Political leverage.
If supporting mutants had once been politically advantageous, the Sentinel Secret Service would have been structured as a protection agency instead of an enforcement one. Even now, if the benefits shifted, its mission could shift just as easily.
Locke looked at Hill more carefully. "Deputy Director Hill planning a career change?"
"No."
"Then what are you setting up?"
She held his gaze. "You said it yourself. I'm deputy director. A senior commander. Not the director."
And that was the key.
If SHIELD took the blame, it would be the organization absorbing the impact. Any fallout from above would target the agency as a whole. Maria Hill, as deputy director, would not be the primary point of accountability.
No matter how much pressure came down, it would not land squarely on her.
The pieces clicked into place in Locke's mind.
He finally understood.
...
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