After closing the door, Holm placed two large bags of chocolates on the table and curled up on the sofa.
Venom couldn't wait to stick its head out as soon as Holm entered. Once the chocolate was on the table, it dove directly into one of the bags, settling into the pile and happily chewing away.
Watching Venom enjoy itself, Holm opened another bag, broke off a piece, and placed it in his mouth, savoring it slowly.
The rich aroma of chocolate filled his senses, relaxing the tension that had gripped him all day. He had just finished discussing the mission and filing a report with Daisy, and now, with the taste of chocolate, all his fatigue seemed to melt away.
The conversation with Daisy had brought him some surprising revelations. Holm had only intended to brief her on the situation to make her take a specific course of action. However, she went a step further—calling Nick Fury directly to involve him and requesting that Fury coordinate with Phil Coulson, who was overseeing the entire matter.
Holm found himself speechless. He'd assumed Daisy's strongest connection was with Coulson. To his surprise, Coulson's influence wasn't high enough—Daisy had direct access to Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Holm couldn't help but speculate about the nature of their relationship. If not for their vastly different skin tones and racial backgrounds, he might have suspected Daisy was Fury's illegitimate daughter.
The curiosity gnawed at him for a moment before he shook his head and sighed. It wasn't something he could afford to dwell on. Gossip and speculation aside, he knew better than to ask Daisy for answers.
As a seasoned agent, Holm could tell Daisy had deliberately withheld certain details, even while sharing some of the situation with him. Prying further would not only be unprofessional but could jeopardize the trust they'd built.
His curiosity remained, but Holm was disciplined enough to suppress it. After all, it wasn't vital for him to know.
Even Grant Ward had advised against taking unnecessary risks. Holm understood the stakes—Daisy was likely being watched by more people than they realized. He resolved to tread carefully.
Thinking of Grant Ward brought Holm's focus back to the mission. Ward's combat prowess and overall performance had earned Coulson's approval and appreciation. Holm knew this meant Ward was now squarely in the sights of both Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D.
Holm smirked to himself. With this, his long-standing plan was finally ready to begin. Grant Ward was in his crosshairs.
Holm retrieved a small USB drive from a hidden compartment beneath his bed. This flash drive contained a backup of critical data—a safeguard he'd prepared well in advance.
Its contents mirrored the metal device he had given to Grant Ward during the Nathan Landis operation. Holm had anticipated that Ward would eventually turn on him, so he'd taken every precaution.
His preparations went beyond the USB drive. Holm had meticulously crafted his interactions with Ward—from the videos shown during mission debriefs to the seemingly careless handling of the metal device and the subtle cues he gave when answering Ward's questions. Every detail was calculated to lower Ward's suspicions.
Holm knew he couldn't eliminate Ward's intention to kill him, but he could at least prolong the inevitable by appearing harmless and useful.
Now, with his abilities demonstrated and both Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. taking notice of him, the time had come to make his move against Ward.
As Holm rolled the USB drive between his fingers, he popped another piece of chocolate into his mouth, savoring its taste while strategizing his next steps.
Outside, the sun was setting. The fiery red light bathed the horizon, casting a warm glow across the clouds.
A full day had passed since the Lizard Man incident. Though it had concluded in the early hours of the previous day, New York City buzzed with its usual energy.
Thanks to the coordinated efforts of various agencies, the incident's impact was minimized, and public attention was deftly diverted with an endless stream of unrelated news.
The official narrative was that an experimental gas leak in a laboratory had caused the chaos. The swift response of authorities had supposedly resolved the situation.
This explanation was widely accepted because those transformed into lizardmen retained no memories of their time in that state. Their last recollection was of the strange green smoke.
For the deceased, authorities provided plausible explanations and issued compensation to their families.
Those privy to the truth were bound by strict confidentiality agreements, ensuring no details of the incident leaked.
Within a day, the matter was effectively buried. A few stubborn individuals tried spreading the truth, but their claims were dismissed as urban legends—amusing but ultimately ignored.
Meanwhile, Grant Ward was tasked with tracking down those who leaked details about the incident. For the past two days, he'd been working diligently to contain the situation.
However, something about today felt off. Since morning, Ward had sensed faint, lingering gazes on him.
The first time it happened, he dismissed it as paranoia. But when it occurred again, he knew he was being watched.
Ward didn't understand why he'd become a target, but his training kicked in. Without betraying any signs of unease, he continued his work as if nothing were amiss.
At the same time, he discreetly monitored his surroundings, trying to identify who was watching him.
As he carried out his assignments, Ward's mind raced. Had he made a mistake recently? Was there a crack in his facade? Why had someone decided to monitor him now?
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Please vote with power stones and give me your love.
Try the other fic as well, it is based on fairytail. I uploaded it just now.
{Eros in Fairytail}