Chapter 19
“Director Fury…” Maria Hill called out, banging on his cabin door. “Director, open this door right now!”
“Go away, Hill…” a voice weakly responded through the door.
“Sir, you’ve barely come out of your room the last few days. People are starting to ask questions.” Hill said. “And I’m starting to run out of answers.”
“Maria… what part of ‘Contagious’ do you not understand?” Fury said.
“Xaiver is not a MD… I know you’re faking… Fuck it, I’m coming in.” She said, forcing the door open.
Fury was sat at his counterpart’s desk, wearing a bath robe, and watching TV.
“Where is he?”
“Where’s who?” Fury asked.
“My Director…”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about… and neither do you.” Fury said as the door slammed shut on its own.
“What’s going on?” She demanded.
“How should I know. He told me to hang out here and pretend to be sick until he got back to me.”
“So you’ve spent all day watching TV and drinking beer?”
“Hey, a man needs a vacation once and a while.”
“This is serious.” She hissed. “We’ve gotten word a lot more robots are on their way.”
“Why told you that?”
“Simmons, our… my Simmons. She started taunting the camera, like she knew I was in the room. They’re going to try for the panel again.”
“Well…” Fury said as he stood and picked up a gun. “I guess the vacation’s over.”
“You’re working for Stark?” Rogers asked, standing over the still pinned Evolt.
“I work for myself and myself alone…” The alien said “I only do what helps me.”
“So, helping you was nearly killing us all?” Danvers asked.
“Helping me was helping you. Your friend there now no longer needs to worry about his transformations.”
“What are you talking about?” Banner asked, holding his head.
“Just close your eyes and focus.”
Banner did so. Within moments, his body expanded into the green monster the SHIELD agents had called “The Hulk”. He looked over himself, closed his eyes again, and was just as quickly back to his old self.
“How did you do that?”
“I can manipulate things, to put it simply. Little of my handywork, plus the energy of Agent Riley’s finisher move, fixed you much better than those two ever could.” He said, looking at Fitz and Simmons “No offense.”
Danvers made her hand start to glow and held it to Evolt’s head.
“Alright, creep, I want everything you have on that son of a bitch and I want it now.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t remember…”
She held her hand closer to him.
“Okay… Okay…” He said. “Riley and the twins already got the jist of it. Long story short. He’s collecting the jump devices they hunt to build a bigger one.”
Danvers looked up at Scott, still playing with his new toy.
“You. The one who called me ‘aunt” He called, motioning him to come closer.
“Well, honorary aunt. Truth be told, I only have a few pictures of you holding me as a baby. They didn’t get to see you when you came back in 95, but they told me all about it.”
“We don’t need your life story.” Rogers said “We just need to figure out what’s going on.”
“I don’t pretend I’m an expert at this.” Scott began “I… half of my behavior is to cover over my insecurities.”
“Less about you, more about Stark.”
“…fine…” Scott said “One of my usual tasks is locating and shutting down these machines that another, alternate Howard Stark designed. Interdimensional travel devices. We just call them ‘Stark Devices.
“Until a few minutes ago, my working theory is the Stark who calls himself ‘Iron King’ got his hands on one. Now I’m not so sure.”