A Hero's Multiverse 27 Chapter 26: Project Inside

Standing intimately cla.s.s with Ethen up in her face, Carolyn says. ''Well, this is awkward.''

Frowning, Steve sees Carol jump away from Ethen and asks. ''What are you doing?''

Ethen's words still fresh in her mind, Carol blushes while saying. ''Backing up the hard drive. It's a good habit to get into.''

Seeing Ethen's smirking face, Steve tells Carol. ''Rumlow needed your help. What the h.e.l.l are you doing here?''

As Steve comes over, Ethen looks at what Carol is backing up before stating. ''You're saving SHIELD Intel.''

Nodding happy neither having to continue her conversation or having Steve ask awkward questions, Carol tells them. ''Whatever I can get my hands on.''

''Our mission is to rescue hostages.'' Says Steve, getting mildly p.i.s.sed at Carol.

Shaking her head Carol say, as the backup finishes and she pulls the flash drive out. ''No. That's the mission of you two. And you've done it beautifully.''

Before Carol is able to leave Steve grabs her arm saying. ''You just jeopardized this whole operation.''

Smirking, Carol tells Rodgers. ''I think that's overstating things. Considering your own secondary mission.''

Suddenly Batroc rises and throws a grenade at the two as he runs off, Ethen catches the bomb and flyes out of the hole in the ceiling he made previously. Outside, he throws the granite into the water, where it instantly explodes, creating a small water fountain.

Flying back into the server room, Ethen hears Carol tell Steve. ''Okay. That one's on me.''

Seeing Ethen float back into the room, Steve tells Carol, leaving in anger. ''You're d.a.m.n right...'' Before the turns to Ethen thanking him. ''... Thanks, Ethen...''

Seeing the angry Steve leave, Ethen tells Carol while performing a courtly bow. ''My pleasure.''

At the same time, as Carol, Steve, Ethen and the STRIKE team are leaving the Lemurian Star and head back to New York, Tonja, and Tony

Are still researching what they are now calling the 'Resonance Effect'.

Up until now the theorized merge by them did not occur with their blood cells.

''My be there psychological component necessary?...'' States Tonja, checking the test results a second time. ''... Or are all the theories about time travel and multiple dimensions wrong?''

''I am thinking the same. I will be part of me being me and you being you is the fact of our different origin! Us being from different timelines makes us different, different enough that we are not identical any more...'' States Tony, making his own deductions. ''... Maybe I should talk to Dr. Selvig...''

While Tony and Tonja are consulting Selvidge, Ethen and the others arrive at the Triskelion the S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters located on Theodore Roosevelt Island, on the Potomac River between Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Shortly after Ethen and Steve walk into Fury's office, demanding answers.

Simultaneously Ethen and Steve ask Fury. ''You just can't stop yourself from lying, can you?''

Ignoring the two very p.i.s.sed of man, Nick Fury simply says. ''I didn't lie. Agent Danvers had a different mission than yours and Wayne I don't have to explain anything to you.''

Ignoring the fuming Ethen, Steve Rogers accuses Furry. ''Which you didn't feel obliged to share.''

Keeping his temper in check, Ethen asks. ''What was Rodgers secondary mission?''

Fury looking both one after the other into their eyes, telling them. ''I'm not obliged to do or tell anything... To either of you...''

''Those hostages could've died, Nick.'' Reminds Steve Fury, knowing fully what a chain of command means.

Smirking Fury tells Steve. ''I sent the greatest soldier in history to make sure that didn't happen.''

''Soldiers trust each other, that's what makes it an army. Not a bunch of guys running around and shooting guns.''

Staring at Steve Fury tells him. ''The last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye. Look, I didn't want you doing anything you weren't comfortable with. Agent Danvers is comfortable with everything.''

Dejected Rogers tells Furry. ''I can't lead a mission when the people I'm leading have missions of their owns.''

''It's called compartmentalization. n.o.body spills the secrets because n.o.body knows them all.'' Explains Fury to Ethen and Steve while walking to an elevator.

Ethen frowns stating. ''If you think that is how teamwork works! I definitely don't want to be part of a team like that! I am not a soldier!''

Nick Fury: You're wrong about me. I do share. I'm nice like that.

Fury steps into the elevator, Ethen, and Steve follow behind him, hearing him say. ''Insight bay.''

( S.H.I.E.L.D. AI) ''Captain Rogers and Intern Wayne do not have clearance for Project Insight.''

''Director override, Fury, Nicholas J.''

(S.H.I.E.L.D. AI) ''Confirmed.''

As the elevator starts moving down, Ethen asks again. ''What was Rodgers secondary mission?''

''Intelligence gathering!'' Confesses Fury to Ethen.

Irritated Ethen asks. ''About what or whom? Me?!''

Angry Furry tells him. ''What do you think? You come crashing down on us the moment the 'First Contact'. We know nothing about your true abilities and weaknesses!... If there is only a one percent chance that you can turn into an enemy, we have to prepare for it as it is an absolute certainty. So we need intel on you. You didn't even reveal to us before that you could fly!...'' Hesitating for a moment, Fury continues by stating. ''... I love people. But I don't trust them very much.''

As they continue to ride down the elevator Steve and Ethen notice the giant Helicarriers that come into view

Smirking Fury tells them. ''Yeah, I know. They're a little bit bigger than an old one...''

As Fury shows them around he continues. ''... This is Project Insight. Three next-generation Helicarriers synced to a network of targeting satellites...''

Thinking Ethen asks interrupting Fury. ''Let me guess launched from the Lemurian Star?!''

Nodding Fury continues. ''... Once we get them in the air they never need to come down. Continuous suborbital flight courtesy of our new repulsor engines.''

Seeing the familiar looking engines, Steve Rogers asks. ''Stark?''

Once again nodding Fury explains. ''... Well, he had a few suggestions once he got an up-close look at our old turbines. These new long-range precision guns can eliminate a thousand hostiles a minute. The satellites can read a terrorist's DNA before he steps outside his spider hole. We gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen!''

Getting a very bad promotion and experiencing something akin to a deja vu Ethen comments. ''I thought the punishment usually came after the crime. Doesn't everybody deserve at least a fair trial?''

''We can't afford to wait that long!''

Frowning Rogers asks. ''Who's 'we'?''

''After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surge in threat a.n.a.lysis. For once we're way ahead of the curve.''

Shocked Rogers comments. ''By holding a gun at everyone on Earth and calling it protection.''

''This is the beginning of the end. I have seen that before... Lex Luthor did the same thing. With him, it wasn't Helicarriers though. It was 'cleaning' commandos, secret facilities and that G.o.d damm satellite...'' Explains Ethen, remembering how life back in his timeline was where people where hunted down because of their DNA.

Agreeing with Ethen, Steve tells Fury. ''I agree with Ethen. This is a very bad idea!''

Smirking, determined to win the argument, Fury asks. ''You know, I read some SSR files. Greatest generation? You guys did some nasty stuff.''

Remembering the thinks they did in WWI, Steve confesses. ''Yeah, we compromised. Sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well. But we did it so the people could be free!... This isn't freedom, this is fear.''

''SHIELD takes the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be. It's getting d.a.m.n near past time for you to get with that program, Cap.''

p.i.s.sed off by Fury's comments, Steve turns around and walks off stating. ''Don't hold your breath.''

Seeing Steves retreating back, Ethen also wants to go, but Fury stops him. ''Ethen, I need to show you something...''