Nick Fury turned around and looked at Blake, somewhat exasperated, and said, "I never watch any TV shows, I don't have time. I do this so I can think better, you know? Every day my mind is filled with how to make this planet of billions of people a little safer. Damn it! Can you bring me less trouble in the future, for God's sake?"
"Relax, my friend," Blake spread his hands in confusion. "Where is all this trouble coming from? Ever since we met, I've taken down drug lords, wiped out some terrorists, not to mention Obadiah and Ivan Vanko. And this time, I've completely eliminated the Red Room."
"Which of these things I've done hasn't made the world a better, safer place? And without needing to consider too much about political factors, international disputes, or even requiring your command. You've benefited a lot from this, haven't you, Nick?"
"You're twisting the facts, Blake, and you know what I mean! I assembled the Avengers to step up when the world needs them, not to randomly strike at criminals and terrorists. Sure, it's more flexible and convenient, but it stirs unease in the international community and among the public!"
Nick Fury stood tall, speaking righteously, though the truth was, his position was quite difficult. After all, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s independence was only nominal.
"The international community and the public? You mean the politicians hiding behind S.H.I.E.L.D. and the World Security Council? Those politicians who only demand we take action against terrorists who don't threaten their own interests?"
Blake showed clear disdain. Not to mention that Alexander Pierce, a Hydra agent, was the chairman of the World Security Council. Even if he wasn't, Blake wouldn't trust those hypocritical Western politicians.
"I don't want to argue with you about this anymore. The Red Room can't be in the hands of any individual—neither you nor Tony. It's too dangerous. There has to be oversight. Power needs supervision, or it could go from protecting people to harming them. Do you understand?"
Nick Fury softened his tone, speaking earnestly to Blake.
Seeing Fury like this, Blake also put away his disdain and sat up straight, responding seriously.
"I absolutely agree with you, Nick! But the ones who should be supervising us are the people—those walking on the streets who need protection, the ones who can't protect themselves when war and killing come. Not the World Security Council!"
"Maybe the World Security Council isn't perfect or ideal, but it was formed by many nations together. We have structure and procedure, like a lawnmower—it might not be as precise as a scythe in handling every detail, but it's stable and efficient, isn't it?"
Nick Fury used a vivid analogy.
"But we still need a scythe, don't we, Nick? You're not wrong, but this world needs more than just a lawnmower. It also needs a scythe to take care of the corners the mower can't reach or isn't convenient to clean up, right?"
"And also, the ones controlling the mower seem to have missed more than just a few corners, haven't they? They just want to have every weapon under their control. What do they want to supervise? Everyone in the world? Like placing a gun over everyone's head? You know what I mean, don't you?"
Nick Fury certainly understood what Blake was getting at.
The Insight Program—proposed by Alexander Pierce and approved by the World Security Council—was still top secret, currently in the preparatory phase. Even the newly developed helicarrier was just a byproduct of this program.
But how did Blake know about it when even Coulson had no clearance?
When Blake said this, Nick Fury's gaze towards him immediately filled with suspicion.
"Don't look at me like that, Nick. I haven't planted anyone around you. You know my past, don't you? The Red Room hasn't either. You can ask Natasha—she wouldn't lie to you. I know far more than you think, about this world, this universe, and certain things from the past and future."
"Asgard and that mysterious Kamar-Taj?" Nick Fury asked calmly.
"You can think of it that way, my friend. I assure you, as long as politics are not involved, if you need us, the Avengers Initiative is still valid," Blake said, standing up seriously.
"Hope you remember what you just said!" Nick Fury knew there was no point in trying to convince him further and stood up, ready to leave.
"Blake, one last thing. You've gained all the resources and intelligence from the Red Room. To many, that's not just a threat—it's a tempting prize. Without S.H.I.E.L.D., you'll need to be ready for the prying eyes and dirty hands reaching out for it!"
"And I must emphasize one more thing. The order of this world is built on the current stable governments of various nations. No matter how many flaws there are, it's the foundation that supports the lives of billions. People might cheer for their heroes in moments of crisis, but in the end, they trust the government to maintain long-term stability."
"You and Tony are not Steve Rogers. Unless you have the same strong foundation of public trust as him, you'd better consider my advice!"
As Nick Fury turned to leave, he bumped into Captain America, who was just walking in.
"Blake, I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation, but Yelena gave me this disposable towel—why is it sticky?"
Nick Fury looked like he'd seen a ghost, stumbling two steps backward and collapsing back into his chair.
"Oh my God! What did I just see? Blake, don't tell me this is Captain Steve Rogers! Damn it! Am I having hallucinations in my one good eye?"
Sitting in the chair, Nick Fury slumped his shoulders and spread his hands, a bewildered look on his face.
Captain America was equally surprised, "You know me? I am Steve Rogers. Blake, is he your friend?"
Blake hadn't planned for Nick Fury and Captain America to meet so soon. Lately, Steve had been spending every day catching up on the decades of lost history, and even when he left his room, he stuck to a few specific areas.
Blake had even arranged this meeting room far from Steve's usual spots, but somehow, he had ended up here.
Fate or coincidence, who knew?
"Alright then! Let me introduce you. Captain, this is Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.! And you might want to put that down—that's not a disposable towel. It's called a face mask, Captain!"
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