Early morning in Central Park. A few early joggers slowed down, puzzled by a strange group gathering near the river. It didn't take long for them to recognize the figures. They were the Avengers—faces that had dominated the news for days.
Iron Man, Thor, Bruce Banner, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Professor Selvig stood together. After a few quick words, a brilliant rainbow bridge flashed, and Thor vanished.
Stark then took Banner and quietly left New York by car. Few knew they'd return soon.
Steve Rogers rode off alone on his motorcycle toward Queens. The alien war was over, and he had a few days before heading back to Washington. But if duty called, he'd be ready.
The rest scattered quickly. They wouldn't be seen again unless another major threat emerged. The Avengers were not disbanded—but on standby.
Standing deep in the park, Daniel and Maria Hill watched them go. They had just wrapped up a full day of high-level negotiations the day before.
Hill sighed and said, "So... that's the end of it."
Daniel shook his head and said, "No. This is just the beginning. We both know the world's changed."
Daniel felt it more than anyone. As a mage, he could sense the shift. Even after the peace talks with Asgard, Fury hadn't shown his face. That was never a good sign.
Hill looked at him with curiosity. "And what about you? What's changed for you?"
Daniel turned toward the distant Stark Tower. He stared beyond it, high into the sky, as if the space gate still hovered there, open to the stars.
"I've seen a bigger world," he said softly.
As a mage—no, as a legendary mage—Daniel had begun sensing the pull of something far beyond Earth. His path wasn't tied to this planet anymore. The stars were calling.
Ever since the Chitauri invasion, the magic energy around Earth had shifted. It had become more active, though not by much. The change was strongest in Manhattan. Even Washington felt little difference. Anywhere farther? Barely any.
The truth was clear: the space gate's appearance had stirred Earth's magic. Maybe the dying Chitauri had something to do with it. Maybe opening the gate messed with the dimensional flow. No one could say for sure.
But Daniel knew one thing—opening the gate again could change everything.
Hill's voice snapped him back to reality. "What are you thinking about?"
He smirked and asked, "Shouldn't you be busy? The Avengers just left. I'm guessing S.H.I.E.L.D. has a pile of work waiting for you."
"I've got time," she replied, a bit too casually. "Besides, I'm more curious about you."
That look on her face—it wasn't just curiosity. It was the kind of look that usually meant trouble.
"You want to know why I'm not playing nice with Pierce," Daniel said flatly.
He saw the flicker of surprise in her eyes.
It was a fair question. Until recently, Daniel had played the part of a loyal team player. But now he was getting involved in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal power games. That made people nervous.
Pierce had reason to want Daniel out of the way. But he couldn't act—not yet.
There were too many things in motion: the scepter, the helicarriers, Daniel's growing influence. Plus, Daniel wasn't alone. He had the White House behind him. That made backdoor tactics useless.
And even if Pierce tried, exposing Daniel could just as easily blow back on him.
Hill asked cautiously, "You're doing this because Pierce made a mistake, right?"
Daniel didn't hesitate. "Yeah. He tried to take the scepter from me."
His voice was sharp now. "Hill, I've always wanted that scepter. If S.H.I.E.L.D. ever fails to protect it... I will take it."
He didn't mention that the scepter held one of the Infinity Stones. Few knew that. But even without that knowledge, everyone understood the power it held.
Controlling minds, opening portals—these weren't trivial abilities. The scepter wasn't just an alien relic. It was a game-changer. And for a sorcerer like Daniel, it could unlock everything.
In truth, if he didn't already suspect Thanos had tampered with it, he might've gone to even greater lengths to claim it.
So yes, his conflict with Pierce made sense. It wasn't about politics. It was personal. The scepter was too valuable to let go.
Hill had been wondering if Daniel could become an ally. Like the Avengers, each of whom had close ties with Fury, Hill wanted allies of her own—people she could trust.
Daniel checked a lot of boxes. He was powerful, came from the White House, and had proven reliable in battle. He respected her. He listened. He gave sound advice. That was enough—for now. She wasn't looking for a friend, just someone she could count on.
Still, one question remained: How far was Daniel willing to go? Was he just reacting to the scepter incident—or did he have deeper plans to shake up S.H.I.E.L.D. from the inside?
At least for now, his answer seemed honest enough. It was all about the scepter. No personal grudges. No secret vendettas.
Hill also dismissed any idea that Daniel had been brainwashed by the scepter or replaced by Loki. He was too visible, too powerful, and too... himself.
Then Hill leaned in with a new question. "There's something else I've been wondering. You're a magician—and you're studying biology. But I've never seen you run a single experiment. Why is that?"
Daniel chuckled. "Because I'm just a freshman. I'm not even allowed to run independent experiments yet."
But seeing how serious she looked, he added more thoughtfully, "Honestly? I don't have a lab. A proper one, I mean. Setting up a private, high-level lab isn't cheap. And with the kinds of experiments I'd be doing, even a small mistake could blow the place up."
Hill nodded. That made sense.
Then Daniel flipped the script. "Can I ask you something now?"
Hill raised a brow. "If I can answer, I will."
"It's simple," he said with a sly smile. "Who's your father?"
The look on Hill's face changed instantly.
Official records showed she didn't have a great relationship with him. But if she made it this far in S.H.I.E.L.D., someone had to be backing her. If not her father, then someone else. Daniel didn't need names—just confirmation that such a person existed.
He'd asked her plenty of questions. It was only fair to throw one back.
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