Chapter 23: Reunion
Nick Fury, despite often acting like he is the only one who can save the world and hiding many unknown secrets, has a significant strength: he makes decisive decisions and is willing to take responsibility.
After receiving reports from Hawkeye and Black Widow, it's unclear what methods Nick Fury used or what deals he made. However, soon enough, a Quinjet landed at the military base in Afghanistan. Along with the pilot came a permit allowing entry into Pakistan, but only for this SHIELD aircraft, and military personnel were not permitted to enter.
Black Widow and Hawkeye, of course, accompanied the mission. Initially, Rhodey tried to stop Tony Stark, but Tony was too determined. With some subtle persuasion from Black Widow and Hawkeye, Rhodey eventually had no choice but to join them.
Along the way, Hawkeye kicked the pilot out of the cockpit and flew the Quinjet like a helicopter, almost skimming the desert ground while scouting. They finally found traces of the bearded man's convoy and followed it to the place where Blake had been intercepted.
"What on earth happened here?"
Upon disembarking, the group was stunned into silence by the scene before them. The aftermath of the Hulk's battle was a disaster site, with severed limbs, disassembled jeeps, and spent shell casings scattered everywhere, indicating a brutal conflict had taken place.
"Tony, did your combat instructor do this? Are you sure he needs us to rescue him?" Rhodey asked in shock, surveying the scene.
"This doesn't look like Blake's doing. It looks more like King Kong passed through," Black Widow added, equally puzzled. SHIELD was well aware of the capabilities of super soldiers, with Captain America's enhanced body data preserved by Peggy Carter and Howard Stark, now kept in SHIELD's secret archives.
"Hey! I'm over here!"
While everyone was speculating about what had happened, Blake emerged from behind a sand dune, waving enthusiastically.
Seeing Blake, the group hurried toward the dune. Climbing it, they saw a nonchalant Blake and a naked man lying on the ground behind the dune.
"Did you find true love here?" Tony joked, relieved to see Blake unharmed.
However, Black Widow and Hawkeye's faces changed dramatically when they recognized Bruce Banner.
"Bruce Banner? Blake, what is he doing here? Did you knock him out? And I don't mean the man on the ground," Black Widow said urgently.
"No, I did meet him. We just became friends," Blake replied with a slight smile.
At this moment, Blake was in a very good mood, having completed his mission perfectly. If not for Black Widow and the others arriving, he would have already taken the green-glowing serum from his pocket. He had spent a great deal of effort to win over the Hulk, promising not only to take him to fight monsters but also to let Banner let him out for some time occasionally.
"You Smash Banner. Hulk come !" the Hulk had said.
"Get Hulk Smash! Or Hulk Smash You"
This was the last thing the Hulk, this "big kid," said to Blake.
Originally, they came here to rescue Tony, but unexpectedly, they also ended up with Banner. For someone like the Hulk, who is like a nuclear weapon, SHIELD naturally wouldn't dare let him fly back on a military plane. So, Tony had to return with Rhodey, while the others chose to fly back to the U.S. in the Quinjet.
Nick Fury was waiting at a secret base to meet Blake.
"Blake, let's talk over drinks when we get back!"
Tony had many questions for Blake but knew this wasn't the place to talk. Before leaving, he reminded Blake.
"Get a thorough check-up when you get back!"
Blake smiled and tapped the arc reactor on Tony's chest.
…
New York, one of the largest cities in the world, is also the famous city of destruction in American movies, a gathering place for superheroes and villains. How could this city not have a SHIELD branch?
But what no one knew was that, besides the visible branch, Nick Fury had a secret base here. This base, known to only a few within SHIELD, was located at the bottom of the Hudson River.
Following Hawkeye and Black Widow, they entered an abandoned subway tunnel from the subway line. After several twists and turns, they entered an abandoned sewer pipe, and after a few more turns, they entered the secret base through a hidden doorway.
This place was near the mouth of the Hudson River. In the base's hall, Blake saw a large floor-to-ceiling window showing the bottom of the Hudson River. He could see not only the water but also a few freshwater fish swimming by.
In front of the floor-to-ceiling window stood Nick Fury, the iconic bald director of Marvel, posing coolly with his back to them, showing his shiny head.
"Aren't you afraid someone will discover this base? You have a window open and underwater floodlights on outside?"
Blake ignored Fury's cool pose and instead asked about the window.
"First, from the outside, this looks like a concrete slab. You can ask your good friend Stark about the technical details. As for the lights, there are many reasons to explain them."
Nick Fury slowly turned around, his one eye fixed on Blake, and picked up a stack of documents from his desk, tossing them to Blake.
"The most important point is that we, not you, welcome you to SHIELD, Super Soldier Mr. Blake."
Blake caught the documents and opened them. They contained his information and his new SHIELD identity—Agent, Intern Agent?
"Am I reading this right? As far as I know, your agents range from Level 1 to Level 10, with the director being the only Level 10. I've never heard of an intern."
"This is a position newly created by Director Fury for you. The report shows that your allegiance is not in question, but your personality isn't quite suitable for intelligence work. We need to observe you for a while."
Black Widow explained as she approached Blake.
"What report?"
"A psychological and personality assessment report. By the way, I wrote it."
Black Widow cheerfully took the file from Blake's hands and formally introduced him.
"Nick Fury, Director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, my boss, and from now on, yours too."
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