IMPORTANT NOTE:
This is my P_A_T_R_E_O_N link please support me. Thank you guys
patrèon.com/Tony_stark_3000
remove the è and put a normal e.
If Patrèon is not your cup of tea, then buy me a coffee 😉.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sorry for the delay over the last few days, guys.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jack noticed the moisture in Hill's eyes and paused for a moment.
"Were you crying?"
Hill immediately turned her head away.
"No."
Her answer came quickly, almost too quickly.
"You saw it wrong."
She took a slow breath and forced her expression back into its usual cold, composed state.
"Since the day I was born, I've never been the type to cry."
Jack studied her for a few seconds before shrugging.
"Really?"
He leaned back slightly.
"Then maybe I misjudged it."
A grin appeared on his face.
"Still, making the famous Maria Hill lose her composure would be quite an achievement."
"I said I wasn't crying."
Hill's voice sharpened.
The frustration she had been suppressing for hours was becoming increasingly difficult to control.
Ever since being captured, she had been forced to watch events unfold one after another while remaining powerless to stop them.
For someone like her, that feeling was unbearable.
Jack looked completely unconcerned.
"One thing I can tell you clearly," he said casually, "is that Earth is my territory."
The room became quiet.
Everyone looked at him.
Jack crossed his arms.
"I don't care who is invading. I don't care if it's Loki, the Chitauri, or some other alien army."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"But I won't allow anyone to run wild on my planet."
Hill blinked.
For a brief moment, she thought she had heard him wrong.
"What?"
White Queen walked over with a smile.
"What he means," she explained, "is that even if nobody asked him for help, he would still interfere."
She shook her head helplessly.
"Not because he's a hero."
"Definitely not because he's a hero."
Jack nodded proudly.
"Correct."
White Queen rolled her eyes.
"He just doesn't like other people causing trouble in what he considers his playground."
Jack clapped his hands.
"Exactly."
"See?"
"She understands me."
White Queen pointed at him.
"Don't sound proud about that."
Hill stared at Jack.
"So even if S.H.I.E.L.D. had never acted against you…"
"You still would have fought the Chitauri?"
Jack shrugged.
"Obviously."
Hill suddenly felt speechless.
All the effort.
All the arguments.
All the conflict.
A large part of it suddenly felt pointless.
Jack wasn't protecting Earth because someone convinced him to.
He wasn't doing it because it was morally right.
He wasn't even doing it because he cared about humanity.
He was doing it because he felt like it.
That somehow made the situation even more infuriating.
"Jack," Hill said through gritted teeth, "you are the most frustrating person I've ever met."
White Queen immediately burst out laughing.
"Hill, that's probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said to him."
Hill glared at her.
"You're all insane."
"Hey."
White Queen pointed at herself.
"Don't drag me into that category."
"You work with him."
"I survive around him."
"That's different."
Hill looked unconvinced.
White Queen immediately placed a hand over her chest dramatically.
"Do you know how difficult my life is?"
Alice turned away to hide a smile.
Ada looked equally amused.
White Queen continued her performance.
"I have to deal with that scoundrel every day."
She pointed at Jack.
"Every. Single. Day."
"I deserve sympathy."
"You deserve an award."
Alice added.
"Or therapy," Ada said.
White Queen nodded seriously.
"Preferably both."
Even Hill nearly smiled.
Nearly.
Jack looked at the group with complete disbelief.
"You're all ganging up on me."
"Correct."
Three voices answered simultaneously.
Jack sighed.
"Cruel world."
Hill shook her head.
Despite everything, the tension in the room eased slightly.
Only slightly.
The larger problems still remained.
Natasha had been unusually quiet during the exchange.
Ada noticed.
"You know," she said, turning toward Natasha, "I've always wondered about something."
Natasha looked up.
"What?"
"You hate Jack more than most people do."
Natasha didn't even hesitate.
"Of course I do."
"But why?"
Ada leaned back against the wall.
"You normally treat enemies as objectives."
"Targets."
"Missions."
"You don't usually let things become personal."
Natasha's eyes narrowed.
"Maybe he's an exception."
"That's exactly my point."
Ada smiled.
"He clearly is."
The room became quiet again.
Alice looked curious.
"I've wondered the same thing."
White Queen suddenly grinned.
"Oh."
"I know."
Natasha immediately looked over.
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do."
"No."
"Yes."
Natasha stood up.
White Queen's smile widened.
"See?"
"That's exactly the reaction I expected."
"White Queen."
Natasha's voice became dangerous.
"Don't."
White Queen folded her arms.
"Now I definitely want to."
Alice sighed.
"This is going to end badly."
Ada nodded.
"Probably."
Natasha took a step forward.
White Queen remained completely relaxed.
The difference between the two was almost absurd.
One was among the most dangerous spies on Earth.
The other looked like a harmless young girl.
Yet nobody in the room underestimated White Queen anymore.
Not after everything they had seen.
"Sit down," White Queen said.
"No."
"Then calm down."
"No."
"That's unfortunate."
Natasha moved another step closer.
White Queen smiled.
"You know, the more defensive you get, the more curious everyone becomes."
"Then let them stay curious."
"Not happening."
The atmosphere became tense.
Jack watched with obvious interest.
"This is getting entertaining."
"Be quiet," Natasha snapped.
Jack immediately raised both hands.
"Fine."
"I'll watch silently."
"No, you won't."
"Fair point."
White Queen suddenly tilted her head.
"Natasha."
"What?"
"You know I'm not actually going to reveal anything."
Natasha paused.
White Queen smiled.
"I just enjoy annoying people."
Alice nodded.
"That's true."
"She really does."
"It's a terrible habit."
White Queen looked offended.
"It is not."
"It absolutely is."
The argument continued for several minutes.
Eventually even Natasha realized she wasn't going to get a serious answer.
She sat back down.
White Queen immediately looked pleased with herself.
"See?"
"Progress."
Natasha rolled her eyes.
"Don't push your luck."
Hill watched the interaction quietly.
Something about it felt strange.
Just a few hours ago they had all been enemies.
Technically they still were.
Yet the atmosphere sometimes felt less like a prison and more like a group of people trapped together by circumstances far beyond their control.
It was bizarre.
And somehow even more exhausting.
Jack suddenly stretched lazily.
"You know what's funny?"
Nobody answered.
That never stopped him.
"The world is probably panicking right now."
He pointed upward.
"Loki is preparing an invasion."
"The Avengers are scattered."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is trying to recover."
"And yet here we are arguing."
White Queen nodded.
"That's because arguing is fun."
"It really is."
Ada agreed.
Alice sighed.
"You people are impossible."
Jack grinned.
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I accepted it as one anyway."
Hill closed her eyes briefly.
For the first time in years, she genuinely understood why so many people wanted to punch Jack in the face.
Natasha clearly understood the feeling as well.
The two women exchanged a glance.
Neither said anything.
They didn't need to.
The meaning was obvious.
Meanwhile, Jack looked completely satisfied.
As if the world's greatest crisis was merely another interesting day.
Outside the windows, the night stretched endlessly across the city skyline.
The lights of civilization glittered beneath the darkness.
For a brief moment, everything appeared peaceful.
But everyone in the room knew the truth.
That peace wouldn't last.
Loki was still moving.
The Chitauri were coming.
The battle for Earth was approaching.
And when it arrived, every person in this room would be forced to choose a side.
Even Jack.
Especially Jack.
The thought lingered in the air as silence slowly settled over the room once more.