Of course, Steve had already decided in his heart that he couldn't leave the investigation of S.H.I.E.L.D. solely to Nick Fury. He planned to utilize his own connections to take a closer look at what S.H.I.E.L.D. truly was.
Thus, Steve, Bucky, and Tony Stark left the premises, leaving Fury without an opportunity to even bring up the Avengers. Even though Tony had mentioned the Avengers earlier, Steve showed no interest in picking up that thread.
After all, S.H.I.E.L.D. was possibly thoroughly corrupted, riddled with HYDRA agents. Was he, Steve, expected to work for them? It would be like working for HYDRA itself.
Moreover, Steve's return was solely for combating HYDRA; he had no intention of officially coming back into action. He was an old man in his hundreds, not a resource to be exploited.
"Trouble!" Fury muttered to himself, watching Steve and the others leave. In his mind, the trouble wasn't just the potential HYDRA agents within S.H.I.E.L.D. but also included Steve, Bucky, Robert, and even Clark.
Even, from Fury's previous theories, the uncontrolled Steve and Bucky, along with Tony Stark who seemed not entirely on his side, were all threats. And now, these threats were having a real impact on both S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury.
However, Fury couldn't immediately deal with Robert, Steve, and the others because the presence of HYDRA needed to be addressed first. It wasn't that Fury saw HYDRA as a massive threat, but their existence threatened his control over S.H.I.E.L.D. and the future formation of the Avengers.
Fury had always believed S.H.I.E.L.D. was under his control, with no secrets hidden from him. But he hadn't expected such a powerful force within HYDRA to be beyond his reach.
Fortunately, when Robert arrived, Fury had already cut off the signal from this place to the outside world, ensuring no information leaked. Even so, a thorough investigation of the agents present was necessary to guarantee no information breach.
"Get up, stop pretending!" Fury commanded, addressing the still unconscious Black Widow and Hawkeye.
Both agents slowly opened their eyes, clearly in pain from their confrontation with Robert. Even though Robert had held back, the gap in strength was simply too vast.
"Such a terrifying individual. Director, are you sure we should confront him?" Black Widow asked, a trace of fear in her eyes.
"Afraid?" Fury replied, "You escaped the Red Room without fear…"
"I'm not exactly afraid. At worst, it's just death. But I admit, all the Red Room combined would likely be no match for him…" Black Widow replied seriously. "Moreover, this 'Saiyan' doesn't seem to have any interest in beauty. We need to find out his other weaknesses."
Black Widow was confident in her allure, having used it effectively in many missions. But it was clear that her charms had no effect on Robert.
Unbeknownst to her, if her charms had actually worked, she might have had to face a demi-goddess and a human goddess telling her about boundaries…
"We'll find traces. These extraordinary beings can't stay hidden forever. As long as they live in human society, we'll find them. But right now, your task is to thoroughly investigate the agents outside," Fury instructed.
"Is there really HYDRA in the agency?" Black Widow asked, catching Fury's implication.
"What do you think? You brought me those reports. Do you think they're trustworthy? Why no information about HYDRA?" Fury asked, scrutinizing her.
"It does seem problematic," Black Widow quickly agreed, "And those reports came too conveniently, as if they were prepared and delivered right into my hands…"
"Then investigate. But not everyone can be involved. You two are my most trusted agents. Conduct the investigation quietly. We can't afford a huge mess; it would be disastrous for S.H.I.E.L.D.," Fury ordered.
"If key information leaks from S.H.I.E.L.D., it would be a seismic blow to the whole world. We can't let that happen, understood?"
"What about the three months?" Hawkeye asked hesitantly.
"Within three months, provide a list of suspects to shut Steve up. We can't achieve everything in one step," Fury said, his eyes flickering. "He's just trying to protect the Saiyan and continue fighting HYDRA. Let's give him the HYDRA leads we find..."
"Let them help resolve the HYDRA issues we discover in these three months. Why not use them?"
Meanwhile, Steve, Bucky, and Tony Stark were unaware of Fury's new plan. Being unpredictable was a fundamental skill for a top-level agent like him.
"Guys, why don't you come to my place for a rest? I have some things to discuss with you..." Tony invited Steve and Bucky. "And it looks like your injuries are pretty serious, especially Mr. Barnes' metal arm. Is it malfunctioning?"
"Sure. Can you help him with his metal arm?" Steve asked Tony. He didn't have a negative opinion of Tony, considering him a nephew through his relationship with Howard Stark. Despite hearing about Tony's unreliable reputation, Steve remembered Howard had been similar in his younger days.
This might just be a trait of the Stark family. Steve, a one-woman man, didn't hold any prejudice against those who lived more liberally. After all, Bucky had been somewhat similar, though not as exaggerated.
Plus, given Robert's favorable attitude toward Tony and unaware of any past issues between them, Steve assumed Tony was also Robert's friend and accepted the invitation.
"Of course, no problem. I might be a beginner in extraordinary events, but I'm a professional in technology!" Tony assured them, tapping his chest. "Even if his metal arm is irreparable, I can provide him with a newer and better one!"
"Thanks, that's much appreciated," Bucky said, looking at Steve and then at Tony with a complicated expression of gratitude.
Soon, they headed to Tony's place. The journey, covered in Iron Man suits, was a new and exciting experience for Steve and Bucky.
At Tony's house, after some work, Tony not only replaced Bucky's arm with a more advanced mechanical limb but also added a power system, enhancing its energy striking capabilities. For safety, he used a previous generation Arc Reactor. Bucky, grateful for the power boost, didn't raise any objections.
"By the way, there's something I need to tell you," Bucky began after getting used to his new arm, preempting Tony, who was about to inquire about Robert.
"What is it?" Tony, caught off guard, asked.
"It's about your parents. I was brainwashed and under HYDRA's control. On one mission, my targets were Howard and your mother..." Bucky revealed his past mission.
"What did you say?!" Tony's pupils dilated, his body trembling, as he grabbed Bucky, demanding answers.
"Tony, calm down, let Bucky finish..." Steve said, frowning, sensing something ominous but still trying to diffuse the situation.
"At that time, I was controlled. My actions weren't my own, but I remember. Especially Howard, I knew him..." Bucky continued, his gaze flickering.
"I killed Howard and your mother, but something was off. Howard's reaction was as if he knew I was coming. And just before I went into cryosleep, I heard someone say their bodies were missing..."
"You killed them! You bastard! I even made you a new metal arm... No wonder your glances at me were weird, you..." Tony lunged at Bucky again, and Steve, looking on with a conflicted expression, didn't immediately intervene.
"But I suspect they didn't die..." Bucky said earnestly after Tony's outburst, his face bruised. "Have you ever seen someone say goodbye before dying? Not the kind of goodbye that drags you to death, but a farewell between friends. And that was just one of the doubts..."
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