"Captain, I called Tony, but he said he's also about to go crazy with work. Can't you really come back and help me test this ability? I just need an hour or two of your time..."
"You know, doctors need experience. If I can't analyze a patient's mindset and emotions, how can I know if my ability is useful or not? Can't you make a trip back?" Shiller said on the phone.
Lying on the ground, blood smeared around his mouth, Captain America gripped his phone tight, his voice low, "I'm not coming back. What I mean is, the work at the director's office is very urgent. I have to finish it immediately. This is all for our ideals..."
"Alright then, I'll hang up first."
"No, wait!" Captain America coughed twice, fell silent for a moment, listening to the other party call his name over the phone, he spoke up, "Doctor, Agent Carter... how is she?"
"Agent Carter? You mean Sharon Carter? She... she's doing fine, well, no problems at least, as far as I remember."
"Doctor, I hope you're telling the truth. We shouldn't hide things from each other, should we?"
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone before Captain America heard Shiller's voice, "You know, many missions aren't going well lately, the director is understandably anxious."
"Agent Carter is quite young, she values the approach more than the objective, aiming for justice, just like you. The both of you are really alike... but completely opposite to the director."
"Yesterday, a laboratory was involved in children's experiments. The director proposed some idea, and Agent Carter strongly opposed it. She confronted the director and made him very angry. He moved her to another place."
Cap felt as if his heart was being squeezed, he asked, "Where did she get transferred to?"
"I'm not sure, but she hasn't shown up to the office for two days. But don't worry, the director wouldn't harm her; we all know she has a crush on you." Shiller emphasized the word 'you', and Cap knew he was referring to the real Captain America.
"She can be used, so the director, at most, just moved her to a remote state or put her in a more secluded lab. It shouldn't be a big deal."
Feeling his hand trembling, Cap took a deep breath and said, "Okay, I understand, but I can't come back for now. Let's talk later. Goodbye."
He covered his chest and took two breaths, feeling his body healing rapidly. He pushed himself up from the ground, not minding the dirt on his uniform and shield, and turned to look at the sunset.
A bitter, aged expression appeared on his face, different from Spider Man's but more fitting for Captain America. Yet now, it was his true feelings, he murmured, "Great ideals for whom? Who is that ideal for, and who does it serve?"
Grabbing his shield, he stepped into the sunset. His destination wasn't his mission, but his resolution made his steps firm, like a seasoned soldier who had seen the truth.
"Hello? Tony? Steve said he can't come back. Could you..."
"I can't! Shiller! Stop calling!"
"...Hello? What? You want results now? Where should I go to get them for you? Lab 16 went off schedule again, didn't you know?"
"Hello? Lab 2 blew up again?? What the hell is Otto doing? What? The problem is with my equipment?? That's impossible! Connect me to Lab 2! I want to see how Otto can pin his failures on me!"
"Reed, I advise you not to argue with me. The man calling you is the world's greatest genius, Tony Stark; my conclusions cannot be wrong... What did you say? The formula is wrong? Alright, I'll check once more!"
"Tony, you..." Shiller tried to butt in, but all he got was an angry roar from Iron Man over the phone, "Stop calling!!! Can't you see I'm busy proving I am the smartest person in the world!"
Hanging up the phone, Iron Man deeply inhaled twice, his hand at his forehead, upon sitting down he felt a deep fatigue.
If there was one truly difficult thing in the world, it would be to prove you are the smartest human in it.
And if there's one near-impossible thing to do in this world, it's trying to prove you're the smartest human when you can't even prove you're the smartest Skrull.
The Skrull who's playing Iron Man, just like Iron Man, is a scientist—and top-notch in the Skrull Empire.
He originally thought his mission would go very smoothly. Compared to the advanced alien civilization, the Skrull Empire, how could mere humans who haven't even left their solar system pose a challenge?
Think about it, the Skrull Empire is researching superluminal engine acceleration, stabilizing dimensional space-jumping, enhancing output of limitless energy projects...
Compared to humans, who are into rocket shell making, rocket fuel researching, designing hauling robots for Mercury Base, and at most extracting energy from stars, and even that is in its most primitive form.