Noah stared at the tablet in front of him, watching scenes from his recent missions replaying on the screen. During those missions, he had moved at lightning speed, and unbeknownst to him, some surveillance cameras had caught his actions.
He glanced at Coulson. It didn't surprise him that S.H.I.E.L.D. had managed to track him. Despite Hydra's infiltration, which had often made the agency a laughingstock, S.H.I.E.L.D. still had considerable resources and capabilities.
"What do you want to know, Coulson?" Noah asked directly.
"Noah, S.H.I.E.L.D. was established to deal with extraordinary phenomena. I want to know where you got these unusual abilities. Can you tell me how you acquired them?" Coulson inquired bluntly.
"I can tell you where my powers came from," Noah replied, having already prepared a cover story.
"Really? You're ready to share how you got your abilities?" Coulson was surprised. He thought it would be harder to extract this information, but if Noah was willing to talk, he'd have to carefully assess the credibility of his words.
Meanwhile, a red light blinked on the button of Coulson's jacket—a concealed listening device—on the other end of which was Nick Fury. Fury was especially intrigued by superhuman events.
"My powers appeared after a trip to China two years ago," Noah began, leaning back on the couch as if recalling the events.
"China?" Coulson remembered that the dossier did indeed note a trip to China two years ago.
"While traveling, I found myself in the Himalayas. There, a member of a mysterious organization approached me and claimed that I was chosen by fate. He bestowed upon me a mystical power," Noah continued, creating a swirling vortex in his hand as a demonstration.
Coulson squinted, shocked by what he was seeing. This clearly defied scientific explanation.
"He then took me to their temple and told me their organization is called Valoran. They worship a deity named Aurelion Sol, the Star Forger. They said Earth is facing a great catastrophe, and only I can save the world," Noah concluded, seamlessly blending his fabricated story with elements from League of Legends.
(Note: Valoran is the name of one of the continents in Runeterra.)
"A mysterious organization in the Himalayas? Worshipping a deity? Saving the world? Do you believe them? Do you think the world is truly in danger?" Coulson was skeptical. He couldn't understand why S.H.I.E.L.D. knew nothing about such an organization. If anyone had told him this, he would have dismissed it as cult-like nonsense.
"At first, I didn't believe them, but then they showed me their artifact—Rod of Ages, which can reveal the future," Noah said, using magic to create the illusion of a rod floating in the air.
"You saw the future?" Coulson asked, astonished. He still doubted the possibility of actual foresight.
"Yes, the Rod of Ages allowed me to see what's to come. I saw many things: Iron Man, a green giant, alien gods, and an alien invasion of New York," Noah said, locking eyes with Coulson.
"I also saw you and your boss—a one-eyed bald African-American man named Nick Fury, right?" Noah added.
"What?! You saw me? And my boss?" Coulson was stunned. Noah wasn't supposed to know about Nick Fury, yet he had accurately described his appearance and name. This made Coulson reconsider the truthfulness of Noah's words.
In a distant S.H.I.E.L.D. office, Nick Fury was equally taken aback. He hadn't expected this kid to know about him, let alone describe his appearance and name. Fury couldn't recall ever meeting this young man.
Nick Fury began to doubt whether there truly was a secret organization in the Himalayas, as Noah claimed. Before, when listening to the story of Noah's adventures, Fury had considered it a fabricated tale to mislead Coulson.
But now, he wasn't so sure. However, Noah's next words shook him to his core.
"Yes, I saw your boss, Nick Fury. In the future, he'll be able to summon a superhero with blonde hair wearing a red and blue suit with a star on her chest. How does he call her again? Oh yeah, I remember…"
"That's enough, kid. We'll temporarily believe that everything you're saying is true," Nick Fury's voice suddenly cut through from the button on Coulson's jacket, interrupting Noah just as he was about to reveal information about Fury's pager.
"This kid knows about Carol Danvers and even how I contact her. It seems like his words may actually be true," Fury thought. He had stopped Noah in time, preventing him from disclosing the secret weapon. Now he believed that Noah could indeed see the future. After all, only Fury himself knew about Carol, and the fact that Noah had described her left no room for doubt.
After Fury's intervention, there was a brief pause. Noah stroked his chin, glancing at the button on Coulson's chest, from which Fury's voice had come. He suspected that Fury had been eavesdropping but wasn't sure what device was being used.
Coulson, hearing his boss's voice, straightened up, realizing that he had heard something he wasn't supposed to know. Meanwhile, Nick Fury sat at his desk, hands under his chin, deep in thought.
After a while, Fury's voice came through the button again.
"Noah, would you like to join us at S.H.I.E.L.D.?" he asked, much to Coulson's surprise.
Nick Fury's offer to recruit Noah came after brief deliberation. Having reviewed Noah's file and the facts he had shared, Fury was impressed with the kid. After gaining powers, Noah had immediately become a hero fighting crime, demonstrating a strong sense of justice.
With extraordinary abilities, Noah was a perfect fit for the Avengers. Moreover, he knew a lot about the future, and if S.H.I.E.L.D. could tap into that knowledge, they could foresee and prevent impending threats.
So, Nick Fury made Noah an offer.
"I'm only 16. Isn't this illegal child labor?" Noah asked.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't follow those laws," Fury replied.
"I still need to go to school."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. can arrange for you to get a higher education without attending school, and you could earn up to a million dollars a year."
"Wow, that's quite an offer, but I'll pass."