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CHAPTER 51
🕑 Added 2025-06-27 14:35:07 +0000 UTCAidan had known about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s surveillance for a long time. A month after he had built his first wide-spectrum sensor array for his lab, he had started picking up ghost signals around his home—encrypted, military-grade data streams bouncing off a series of shell corporations owned by a company that doesn't officially exist. Their tradecraft was good, but everything leaves a digital echo. He had simply chosen to play dumb, sticking to his persona and occasionally revealing just enough to keep them intrigued.
"So," he said to Coulson, a wry smile on his lips as the car drove through the suburbs, "I guess it wouldn't make sense if I didn't join you now?"
"Protecting high-value domestic assets is part of our mandate, Mr. Parker. You are under no obligation," Coulson replied, his tone perfectly neutral. "You don't need to feel any pressure."
"Alright then," Aidan sighed dramatically. "Let's rephrase. What is the actual purpose of this field trip? Don't tell me it's just to inform me I've become a reserve member for your Superpower Alliance."
"That was originally the only task," Coulson admitted. "But now, given recent events, you need to come with me to Mexico for work and get familiar with the job."
"Let's forget about the reserve thing," Aidan thought for a moment, then shook his head in refusal. He still had too much going on; he didn't have time to play hero. "I'll consider it when I'm an adult. Of course," he added, "if there's anything you want help with, you can come to us." After all, they had protected his peaceful life. It was a debt. And besides, many exotic materials he needed for his research couldn't be bought with money alone; he would need their connections.
"I'll report that to the Director," Coulson said. "But I'm very optimistic about you. No matter where you are, I hope you stick to your beliefs."
"I will," Aidan replied. "And when your S.H.I.E.L.D. gets a little cleaner, I'll consider joining. Hopefully by then, I can be Director."
"When Fury retires, maybe it'll be your turn," Coulson responded with a strange, serious tone.
"You're a nice guy," Aidan said, changing the subject. "When I get the chance, I'll develop a shampoo that promotes hair growth for you."
A muscle in Coulson's jaw twitched. "Maybe if we avoid talking about hairlines, this could be a pleasant conversation…"
"I'm not joking," Aidan insisted. "Just stimulate the follicles, reactivate the matrix cells, and synthesize hair protein—new hair will grow, right?" With his extensive biological knowledge from the Resident Evil world, this was a trivial matter. "Not just know—I'm quite skilled. I'll give you something when we arrive." He was already thinking of the simplified bio-implant he had with him.
"You mean my hair really can grow back?" Coulson asked, a flicker of genuine hope in his eyes.
"No problem."
Elsewhere, in a secure S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, Director Nick Fury was having a far less successful recruitment meeting. He stood before a holographic projection of Tony Stark.
"We're putting together a team," Fury said, his voice a low grumble.
"And I'm sure they're lovely," Tony's voice shot back from the hologram. "But I don't play well with others."
"This is the Avengers Initiative. I'm offering you a position as a consultant."
Tony laughed. "A consultant? Nicky, I don't consult. I own the company. I lead. Or I don't play." He gave Fury a two-fingered salute, and the projection vanished.
Fury scowled at the empty air. The failure of the operation with Agent Darren—a HYDRA mole—had been a major setback that had alerted him to the depth of the rot within his own organization. Now Stark was refusing to cooperate. The world was getting stranger, and the heroes were proving difficult to manage.
By the time Coulson and Aidan arrived in Puente Antiguo, New Mexico, S.H.I.E.L.D. had transformed the desolate crater site into a massive, sprawling camp. By nightfall, a well-structured base was complete, its powerful floodlights turning the desert night into an artificial day, all centered on the strange hammer that lay half-buried in the dirt.
Coulson led Aidan into the town. "What did your Director say about the Adamantium?" Aidan asked as they walked.
"He agreed—but we can't give you a full suit," Coulson replied. "Just a shield. Adamantium is extremely rare. Captain America's shield is also made with it, though it's mixed with Vibranium."
"Alright," Aidan said, not arguing. "When can I get it?"
"Maybe tomorrow. I've called in some backup; an agent will bring it with them."
"So how's the thing I gave you? Useful?" Aidan asked once they arrived at their destination.
"Very useful," Coulson admitted. From under his suit jacket, shimmering blue, vein-like streaks could be seen extending down his arm. "Can this be mass-produced? I'd like to equip our team with it."
"No," Aidan said. "I only made two complete suits. Yours is a simplified version—it only enhances speed and strength." He explained that it was an implant containing neutralized T-Virus-infected cells from a tiger beetle, an insect capable of moving at 171 times its body length per second. It was a massive speed enhancement, but it couldn't provide the full-body coverage of his own suit.
"So, was this one originally meant for Mr. Stark?" Coulson asked curiously.
"No, that one is the one on my hand," Aidan replied, lifting his hand to show the tattoo-like pattern on the back.
"I think we're getting along quite well…" Coulson hinted, clearly wanting one of his own.
"You're a good guy," Aidan repeated with a grin. "I'll consider it."
Their destination was a small, prefabricated lab. "We're going to Dr. Selvig's lab," Coulson explained. "We need to requisition their data."
"So, we're raiding a building?" Aidan raised an eyebrow.
"It's about Earth's safety," Coulson said patiently. "We have no choice."
The lab was empty and locked. An agent picked the lock, and the team began systematically packing every piece of equipment, every notebook, every hard drive into sterile, black crates. Aidan stood in the middle of it all, reading a dusty book of mythology with interest. It was then that Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, and Dr. Selvig burst in.
"What's going on?" Jane demanded, her eyes wide with disbelief as she watched her life's work being carried away.
"Ms. Foster," Coulson said, stepping forward. "I'm Agent Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D."
"What's the point of saying that? You can't just do this!" she cried, rushing forward. Dr. Selvig tried to stop her, but she was furious. "Let them go? Erik, this is my life's work!" Coulson tried to offer her a check as compensation, but she laughed bitterly in his face, explaining that she had built most of the equipment herself. In the ensuing argument, an agent even snatched her personal notebook from her hands.
Once everything was loaded, Coulson called out, "Aidan, we're leaving!"
"Alright," Aidan replied. He walked out with the book. As he passed the distraught Jane Foster, he paused and handed it to her. "The myths in here," he said quietly, "they're real." Then he got into Coulson's car and left, leaving Jane staring at the book in her hand, stunned.
Later that evening, back at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, Aidan stood alone in the crater with the hammer. He gripped the leather-wrapped handle, his arm muscles tightening as his bio-suit enhancement flared. He pulled with over a ton of force. The hammer didn't budge.
He let go, a frown of intense concentration on his face. It's not about strength, he thought, his eyes tracing the faint, glowing runes on its side. 'Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.' It's a worthiness enchantment. A bio-ethic lock tied to the user's neural patterns. He saw it not as a failure, but as a new, fascinating puzzle. Just then, an agent called him for dinner. He gave the hammer one last, thoughtful look and walked away.
Comments
KingSpy25i .
Thank you for the chapter 🙏
