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**Kaya.**
So, that was the name of this room's original owner.
And a "special agent" at that!
After experiencing an emotional rollercoaster of terror, despair, and relief, Luke's mind was now frighteningly calm. Thoughts raced through his head as he analyzed his current predicament and plotted his next steps.
A special agent?
What kind of agent? CIA? FBI? Interpol? Or... S.H.I.E.L.D.?
From the other end of the line, faint breathing could be heard, gradually growing quieter. It seemed the woman on the other end was puzzled by Luke's prolonged silence.
"Kaya, are you still there?"
"I'm here," Luke replied.
Thanks to his background as a returnee, Luke's spoken English was fluent, and his tone carried no hint of unfamiliarity. After a pause, he added, "I think I might have a mild concussion."
"Are you hurt? How bad is it?" The woman's tone softened slightly.
Taking the opportunity, before she could delve further, Luke interjected. "Not too serious. A crashing helicopter caused some damage to my residence, but I'm mostly unharmed. If there's anything you need from me, just let me know."
Having just survived the shocking Snap crisis, Luke's voice naturally carried an undertone of exhaustion and helplessness—making his statement all the more believable.
As expected, the woman on the other end sighed heavily.
"To be honest, the losses we've suffered are catastrophic. The Avengers failed in Wakanda, and it seems this event is related to the alien invasion in New York. We still lack concrete intelligence, and the enemy's identity remains unclear…"
While the woman sounded conflicted, Luke's mind was working overtime to piece together her words. If she was referring to the Avengers in such a familiar way, she must be an ally or collaborator.
Moreover, considering her detailed knowledge of the Wakandan mission's failure, her identity was almost certain—**a member of S.H.I.E.L.D.**
Although S.H.I.E.L.D. had officially fallen alongside the destruction of its helicarriers during the Hydra uprising, anyone familiar with the Marvel universe knew it was merely operating in the shadows.
The woman continued:
"The casualty count hasn't been finalized, but... you must have braced yourself, Kaya. Your team…"
She paused briefly.
"…didn't make it. I'm sorry."
The word "sorry" hit like a sledgehammer. Luke instinctively tightened his grip on the phone.
So, the original Kaya's team had all vanished in the Snap. It was an outcome that would devastate Kaya, but for Luke, it was nothing short of a blessing in disguise.
With no teammates left to recognize discrepancies in his behavior, he could better slip into the role of Kaya.
"I couldn't reach your team, so I violated protocol to contact you directly. You were the only one who answered."
The woman's words were followed by a heavy silence.
Luke understood the danger of saying too much without sufficient information. Opting for caution, he refrained from responding, letting the weight of her words hang in the air.
After a brief pause, Luke shifted the topic. "What do you need me to do?"
The woman on the other end immediately adopted a more professional tone, shedding her earlier sentimentality.
"Fury and Hill are on the casualty list. I've sent the last-known coordinates of their signals to your phone. Your mission is to recover Fury's belongings."
**Fury's belongings?**
A spark flickered in Luke's eyes. In his mind, an image of a certain retro-looking pager surfaced.
The pager designed to contact Captain Marvel.
"I'll send further instructions later. Stay in touch."
"Understood."
Luke had no intention of refusing the mission. He couldn't afford to.
He needed an identity. After surviving the Snap, securing a legitimate identity was his first step toward survival.
As an ordinary man with no special powers or golden fingers, Luke knew the importance of a proper footing in this chaotic world. And adopting Kaya's identity as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent presented the perfect opportunity.
Hanging up, Luke received a text message with no sender information. It contained only an address, devoid of any additional details.
Outside, the chaos continued. The sounds of explosions and breaking glass punctuated the air, yet Luke's heart had become far calmer.
Rising slowly, he took a deep breath.
He knew his time was limited. His options were even more so. If he wanted to survive and secure his safety in this world, he had to take this step.
Pretending to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, particularly in a world like this, was no easy feat—especially for someone like Luke, who had never been exposed to real danger.
But, in a twisted sense, this was also his chance.
Five years. That's how long he had.
In the five years following the Snap, while the world remained chaotic, no other large-scale catastrophes occurred. This, at least, was a stroke of luck for Luke.
He could use this time to find ways to grow stronger and acquire some level of self-preservation.
From his pocket, he pulled out a small notebook.
This notebook, carried over from his previous life, contained his ideas as an amateur comedian performing at open-mic nights. To his surprise, it had accompanied him into this new world.
Opening the book, Luke contemplated briefly before jotting down several names:
**Tony Stark**
**Nebula**
**Steve Rogers**
**Natasha Romanoff**
**Thor**
**Clint Barton**
**Bruce Banner**
**Rocket Raccoon**
**Wong**
After some thought, he added one more name and circled it.
**Scott Lang.**
*(End of Chapter)*