**
"Boom!" The female agent pressed the alarm, and armed agents rushed in, only to be thrown out immediately. The set walls shattered as Steve Rogers, Captain America, burst through.
Link stood calmly at the door, watching as Captain America charged toward him. Without raising a hand, Link simply said, "Do you want to see Peggy Carter?"
Captain America halted. Link had never intended to fight; sometimes, a name was all it took to resolve a situation. Why resort to violence when words could suffice?
"Who are you?" Steve Rogers remained cautious.
"Strategic Scientific Reserve," Link replied. "That was our predecessor, founded by Colonel Chester Phillips, Peggy Carter, and Howard Stark."
"We're called S.H.I.E.L.D. now. We created this little theater because we were concerned you wouldn't be able to accept the reality."
"What reality?" Steve asked.
"Captain, you've been asleep for seventy years, frozen in ice," Link explained. "Of course, I could take you out and show you what New York looks like now."
"Do you remember Times Square?"
"Of course. My memories are still from the past... if what you're saying is true," Steve reluctantly agreed.
"Please," Link gestured for him to follow, dismissing the tense personnel around them with a wave.
Nick Fury hadn't shown up. He was letting Link handle the situation, trusting his expertise in psychology.
As they walked through the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, Steve Rogers looked around in surprise at the modern decor. His head turned from side to side, trying to comprehend the drastic changes. Finally, they reached the entrance. Link opened the door, and they stepped outside.
The noise of the bustling city hit them instantly. The towering skyscrapers and colorful electronic billboards told Steve everything had changed.
Link led him toward Times Square, only a few minutes' walk away.
Standing in the center of the vibrant square, Steve Rogers spun around, taking it all in. The full weight of his situation settled on him as he muttered, "I missed a date."
Link patted his shoulder, saying, "Take your time. Life always moves forward."
Link guessed that Steve wouldn't get a chance to time-travel anymore. With his presence, it was unlikely that Thanos would ever collect all six Infinity Stones. How Thanos would respond was an open question, but Link wasn't sure if he should prepare for a fight with the Mad Titan.
"Let's head back. Our director is waiting for you. You need a place to stay, and there's a lot you'll need to learn," Link said. "But don't worry—you have plenty of time now."
"Alright," Steve replied, still dazed. "By the way, I don't know your name."
"Call me Lin. I'm of Asian descent," Link introduced himself. "I'm a psychologist, a branch of medicine dealing with the human mind. I'm also a Level Six S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."
"Though I was specially recruited, you'll figure it all out in time."
As they chatted, they returned to the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Nick Fury was waiting for them. After a brief introduction, Fury said, "Welcome back, Captain."
"Thank you. I'll be relying on you all from now on," Steve responded.
"It's our duty. You've made a tremendous sacrifice, and this country owes you," Fury said. "Any thoughts on where you'd like to stay?"
"Queens?" Steve suggested, unsure of the current state of the world.
Link interrupted, "Don't go back to the places you used to live. You should stay in a luxury Manhattan apartment, complete with modern appliances."
"The fastest way to accept reality is to immerse yourself in it. That way, you can adapt quickly."
Maria Hill frowned and asked, "Isn't that approach too abrupt?"
"No. The Captain isn't a child who needs to be coddled," Link shook his head. In the original story, Steve had struggled to adjust because the process was too slow.
"Captain Rogers flew a bomber into the Arctic to stop the Red Skull. His mental resilience is far beyond that of the average person."
"Now it's just a matter of changing his lifestyle. There's no need to ease into it—just jump straight in."
"After all, the biggest changes are in everyday things like household appliances and computers. These aren't difficult to learn."
"It would also be good to put him through training with modern equipment. That way, he'll adapt more quickly, especially since he's a soldier."
Nick Fury nodded before turning to Steve, "Captain, what do you think?"
"I don't know anything right now, but I'm willing to give it a try. After all, I have to live in this world," Steve admitted, still feeling out of place.
"Good. We'll arrange a high-end apartment for you right away," Fury concluded.
...
The peaceful times wouldn't last long. Maybe a year or two, but Link kept up his relentless pace. He was reading over a hundred books a day. The library he'd renovated and expanded was now complete, and he'd begun stocking it with a vast collection of books.
The library was open to the public, free of charge. Children from Hell's Kitchen could come and read if they wanted, though Link didn't force them to.
Charity wasn't about spoon-feeding people. The neighborhood was safer now, but if the kids still didn't want to learn, they'd eventually leave, as Hell's Kitchen itself was slowly disappearing.
Places like retirement homes and low-rent housing would eventually vanish as the area became more expensive. The poor were already starting to move out, and Hell's Kitchen was turning into a place for the wealthy.
That was the way of Manhattan. Some workers would stay behind, especially those near the docks, as the environment there wasn't as desirable.
This transformation would take time, of course. Link had foreseen it and wasn't particularly concerned.
Now, he had his sights set on the Osborn Corporation. His changing status had made him realize how important power and influence were in America.
Being a Stark Industries shareholder wasn't enough. If he could become the chairman of Osborn Corp, then he'd have enough clout.
The only problem was that he didn't have the capital to acquire Osborn Corp. But if the company faced internal strife and its stock plummeted, that would be his best opportunity.
Check out my ko-fi for more advanced chapters at ko-fi.com/rookie99
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