Fury started the meeting by explaining the situation — how dangerous the Tesseract was in the wrong hands, how Loki had already killed S.H.I.E.L.D agents, and how the cube could open doors to threats Earth wasn't prepared for.
"So I want your help to recover it," Fury said, clasping his hands together. "We can compensate you for your work."
He said it automatically, more out of habit than expectation. Even he knew someone like Luke wouldn't care about money.
Luke leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. For the first time since entering the room, the playful expression he carried was gone — his face hardened.
"Fury, let me tell you something," Luke began, voice steady and unamused. "You seem to think that just because I can fix the mess, it automatically means I'm obligated to clean up everything S.H.I.E.L.D screws up."
Fury didn't speak — he knew a storm was coming.
Luke continued, "Do you think I'm a pushover? That you can just call me in and ask me to play janitor for every disaster you and your suits create?"
Steve looked between them quietly, surprised at the bluntness. Natasha didn't even flinch — she'd seen Luke talk like this before, when Hydra pushed his buttons. Fury stayed still, only his jaw tightening slightly.
Luke pointed at the hologram of Loki holding the Tesseract.
"You all did this. You messed with something you didn't understand, ignored warnings, let the wrong people pressure you into playing with it, and now you're shocked it blew up in your faces."
He leaned back, still serious.
"I'm not someone you summon when you lose control of your own toys."
Natasha finally spoke, voice calm. "He's saying you can't treat him like an asset."
Luke nodded. "Exactly. If you want my help, you ask — you don't expect. I'm not part of S.H.I.E.L.D, I'm not a soldier under you, and I don't clean up after politicians with god complexes."
Fury exhaled slowly.
"So you're refusing?" Fury asked.
Luke shrugged. "Did I say that? No. I'm just telling you to stop assuming I'll always show up because you snapped your fingers."
He leaned forward again, voice firm but controlled.
"But for starters, you should take warnings seriously and stop dealing with things you can't understand," Luke said. "A year ago I warned you there was a probability you'd open a portal to something hostile. You ignored it… and look what happened."
Luke's irritation wasn't emotional — it was practical. He hated it when people played with forces beyond their comprehension and then acted surprised when everything blew up in their faces.
"But what did you all do?" Luke continued, gesturing toward the hologram of the stolen cube. "You let those World Council idiots pressure you. Actual idiots with nothing but garbage in their skulls, who think they can 'harness' the power of an Infinity Gem."
In his opinion, all the politicians in the Marvel universe were absolute idiots who never understood anything they were dealing with.
They put limits and rules on heroes, but when real criminals, mass murderers, or terrorists were caught, those same politicians suddenly turned soft — negotiating, imprisoning them, or pretending the problem would go away on its own.
But when it came to heroes?
They were always quick to point fingers.
Even if the heroes were the ones cleaning up the mess, saving lives, and stopping disasters, one small mistake was enough for politicians to drag them through hearings, blame them publicly, or try to control them.
Look at the Civil War incident.
A terrorist caused the explosion.
A villain was responsible for the deaths.
But did the World Council or the governments chase him?
Of course not.
They ignored the real threat completely and went after the Avengers instead — the very people who were trying to stop the chaos.
They treated the heroes like criminals, judged them for things they didn't cause, and tried to force them into signing away their freedom.
"They're out of their goddamn minds. Those people only care about power and the seat under their ass. They dress it up as 'helping humanity,' but they don't give a shit about anyone except themselves."
They didn't care about the public; they cared about image, influence, and staying in their comfortable positions. Pure selfishness. That kind of asshole existed everywhere, and this world was no different.
Look at the Chitauri invasion — the perfect example.
The World Council didn't blink before trying to launch a nuclear bomb straight into Manhattan. Not on a battlefield. Not on an isolated wasteland. But in the middle of a living, breathing city.
Millions of innocent people would've been wiped out instantly.
And for what?
So those cowards could pretend they "contained the threat" and act like they had everything under control.
They sat safely behind their desks, miles away from danger, while deciding to vaporize a city. That was their solution.
And that was exactly why letting people like them anywhere near something as dangerous as the Tesseract was a disaster waiting to happen.
"So what are you trying to say?" Fury asked. He didn't argue with a single point Luke made — he dealt with those bureaucratic idiots daily, so he knew exactly how useless and dangerous they were.
"I'll help you get the Tesseract. But after that, it disappears from this world forever. S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't get it. I get it."
Fury's one good eye narrowed.
"You do realize that by saying that, you're making yourself an enemy of the entire S.H.I.E.L.D, right?"
Luke gave a slow smile — the kind that wasn't friendly at all.
"Fury, I think you're misunderstanding something."
He stood up, placing one hand lightly on the table.
"I'm not asking. I'm telling you. From this point on, the Tesseract is mine."
A faint crackle of blue lightning flickered across his eyes, subtle but very visible. The air in the room shifted — a dry, electric pressure that made the temperature rise just enough to feel uncomfortable. Even Steve stiffened.
"And trust me, Fury…" Luke said, voice calm but carrying weight. "You don't want to make me your enemy. You really don't. Because the consequences won't be something S.H.I.E.L.D. can handle."
*****
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