Not only Iron Man, but even the expression on Nick Fury's face was quite something. Through the previous rounds of answering questions, they had already learned that Captain America would be a member of the Avengers in the future.
To put it bluntly, that meant he and S.H.I.E.L.D. were essentially on the same team—a family, even.
S.H.I.E.L.D. should be the one providing protection to the Avengers, right?
But the former employer of the Avengers in the future actually orders the arrest of Avengers members?
What the hell kind of crap is that?
"This is only a fragment of the future, just one piece of a larger puzzle. It doesn't represent the whole picture. Behind it, there are infinite possibilities."
Nick Fury spoke up.
With a serious expression, he addressed Iron Man and Captain America: "So any discussion right now is meaningless. Cap, let's just focus on answering the questions carefully."
"Once we get to the bottom of what's really going on, we can talk then."
Captain America nodded. What Nick Fury said made sense—judging something based on an incomplete snippet would be too rash.
"Let's look at option A first. S.H.I.E.L.D. wants to replicate the serum in Cap's body?" Iron Man was the first to speak. "Honestly, that doesn't sound far-fetched. Lots of organizations would want to do that."
"As far as I know, S.H.I.E.L.D. has always been researching super serum technology!"
Captain America frowned slightly and couldn't help but shoot Nick Fury a glance. Naturally, he was fundamentally opposed to that idea.
After all, who wants to be treated like a lab rat?
"If anyone harbors such evil intentions toward me, I'll resist them to the very end!" said Captain America, firmly.
"Stark, are you taking S.H.I.E.L.D. for fools?" Nick Fury shot Iron Man a glare. "If we really wanted to do something to Cap, why bother waking him up?"
"We could've drawn all the blood we wanted while he was in a coma—why wait until he became a super soldier?"
Captain America's expression eased slightly. What Nick Fury said did make sense. When he was unconscious, he was at their mercy.
That would've been the perfect time to study him.
Now that he was awake, it suggested they didn't plan to study him after all.
Or perhaps… they had already taken all the blood they needed. If they were going to study him, there was no need for a big commotion.
"Nick Fury, does that Alexander Pierce guy know you brought Cap back?" Iron Man asked pointedly.
"This mission wasn't classified as top secret. Pierce has clearance to access the mission files," Nick Fury responded casually, then looked intently at Iron Man. "Stark, what are you getting at? Are you suspecting Pierce?"
"I'm just stating a possibility," Iron Man said calmly and logically. "Let's assume you genuinely don't have any shady intentions toward Cap—but that's just you. You can't speak for others."
"You're right, I can't be sure of that. But I'm the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.—that's enough."
Nick Fury didn't deny it, but said with confidence, "As long as I'm around, no matter what others think, they'll have to swallow those thoughts!"
"Even Pierce? You said it yourself—he's your superior and a member of the World Security Council. Technically, his authority is above yours, right?"
Iron Man sharply caught onto this. "You might control the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D., but can you control Pierce?"
"Stark, he's my superior!"
Nick Fury said a little helplessly. Even he had to address Pierce as "sir."
"There you go then." Iron Man shrugged. "Cap is safe with you now, so Pierce wouldn't act. But once Cap's out and about, what's stopping him?"
"So if Pierce does have bad intentions toward Cap, wouldn't scenario A play out exactly?"
"Nick Fury, can you guarantee that Pierce, like you, doesn't have his eye on the serum?" Captain America asked seriously.
"Stark, Cap, that's just not possible," Nick Fury shook his head confidently. "You're suspicious because you don't understand how S.H.I.E.L.D. operates."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. answers to the World Security Council, yes—but we operate independently. The Council oversees S.H.I.E.L.D., but doesn't interfere with day-to-day operations."
"Let's not even consider why Pierce might want to arrest you. Even if he did, he couldn't give a direct order to do so."
"That would be overstepping his authority. He doesn't have direct command over any S.H.I.E.L.D. strike teams. To mobilize any S.H.I.E.L.D. resources, he has to go through me."
"Let me tell you how he would go about it if he really had his sights on Cap."
"First, he'd frame Captain America as a criminal through various means. Then, he'd manipulate me into deploying a team to capture him."
"That's the proper chain of command."
"So now, do you understand why Option A is impossible?"
"If that's the case, I've got nothing else to say," Iron Man said, throwing up his hands.
"Sounds logical—but there's a condition," Captain America said after a moment of silence, his tone serious as he faced Nick Fury. "Can Pierce really be trusted?"
"Cap, could you be more specific?" Nick Fury raised an eyebrow.
"I've seen too many powerful people like Pierce, who have their own secret military forces. They act with impunity, outside the law, doing whatever they please."
"If Pierce is that kind of person, he doesn't need S.H.I.E.L.D.—he could have me secretly captured at any time."
"Cap, you're overthinking it," Nick Fury chuckled and shook his head. "Pierce is like a mentor and a friend to me. He taught me a lot. I owe my current position as S.H.I.E.L.D. Director to him."
"Sounds like Pierce is your bro." Iron Man chimed in.
"...I know him better than anyone. I don't believe he's that kind of person." Nick Fury ignored Iron Man's sarcasm and kept addressing Captain America.
"And yet, he did have me arrested."
Captain America wasn't so easily convinced. He shrugged. "Didn't you say the quiz system foretells the future? In the future, he really does come after me."
"I think the quiz system has already given us the only reasonable explanation," Nick Fury muttered as he stared at the large screen.
(End of Chapter)