Chapter 94: You Two Are Being Mushy Again
Arthur stood on top of Stark Tower, the wind blowing hard.
Wanda held the scepter, her fingers gently pressing against the gems that had turned white, dark red Chaos Magic winding around the staff like threads.
"How is it?" Arthur asked, his voice scattered by the wind.
"Very quiet." Wanda closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly. "Much cleaner than when Loki was holding it, like a child who has woken up but doesn't want to move yet."
"Then it's best not to wake it up."
Tony's voice cut in through the earpiece.
"I'm telling you, can you two come down for a moment? My data is piling up like a mountain, and Fury has already called three times."
Arthur and Wanda exchanged glances.
"What's his attitude?" Arthur asked.
"His attitude is good, almost too good, it feels a bit fake," Tony said. "He said he wants to assess the battle damage, record the personnel who participated in the battle, and confirm the safety of the Tesseract. But you know what he really wants."
"The scepter."
"Right. The scepter."
Wanda opened her eyes, glanced at the scepter in her hand, and then handed it to Arthur.
"What do you think?"
Arthur took the scepter and weighed it in his hand.
"Just because he wants it, we have to give it to him?" He said. "He's not our boss."
Wanda smiled. "That's what I think too."
Arthur shouldered the scepter and turned to look at the sky above. After the Portal disappeared, the sky was as blue as if it had been washed, so clean it didn't look like it had just been through a battle.
"Let's go, let's go down and meet our 'allies'."
---
Inside Stark Tower, temporary command room.
Tony leaned against the console, holding a cup of coffee, dark circles under his eyes. Standing next to him was a man in a black leather jacket, hunched over, arms crossed over his chest, like a cat ready to strike at any moment.
Clint Barton, Hawkeye.
When Arthur and Wanda pushed the door open and entered, Tony nodded at them.
"Let me introduce you, Clint Barton, from S.H.I.E.L.D.," Tony said. "He's the vanguard sent by Fury."
Clint nodded, but didn't reach out his hand.
"Who has the scepter?"
"In my hand." Arthur shook the scepter. "What, is S.H.I.E.L.D. here to collect rent already?"
Clint didn't take the bait and glanced at Wanda.
"Fury wants to talk to you," he said. "Right here in this building, in thirty minutes."
"Talk about what?"
"Talk about what you want to do with the scepter."
Arthur smiled and rested the scepter on the table.
"Sure, let him come."
Clint nodded and turned to leave.
Tony waited until he was far away before saying, "What do you plan to do?"
Arthur didn't rush to answer, looking at Wanda first.
Wanda stood by the window, her fingers tapping lightly on the glass, her gaze falling on the streets below that had already calmed down.
"We have half an hour," she said. "Enough to do a lot of things."
---
Ten minutes later.
Arthur and Wanda stood in an abandoned hangar on the second basement level of Stark Tower.
With the scepter as the center, Wanda used Chaos Magicto construct an isolation barrier, blue energy flowing between her fingers, as clean as Water.
"This barrier can shield against all S.H.I.E.L.D. detection equipment, including Tony's Jarvis," Wanda said. "But it won't last long, two hours at most."
"That's enough," Arthur said.
He grasped the scepter and closed his eyes.
This was a process he and Wanda had practiced many times in the safe house—deeply analyzing the core energy within the scepter to confirm whether the purified Mind Stone still posed any potential threats.
Golden Kryptonian Energy surged from his palm, climbing up the scepter and intertwining with Wanda's Chaos Magic.
The gem lit up.
It wasn't the blinding blue of before, but a gentle white-gold, like a sleeping sun.
Arthur sensed something and frowned.
"What's wrong?" Wanda asked.
"Something's not right," Arthur said. "The energy state inside the gem... it's different from before."
"How is it different?"
"Before, when Loki was holding it, it was like a switch that could control others and himself," Arthur said. "But now it's like a reservoir full of Water, but the Water is sleeping."
Wanda closed her eyes and touched the gem with Chaos Magic.
She felt a state she had never experienced before.
"It's on'standby'," Wanda said. "It's not outputting anything to the outside world, it's completely sealed."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Good thing," Wanda opened her eyes. "At least Loki can't use it anymore."
Arthur nodded, but wasn't entirely reassured.
"What about Fury?"
"Stall him for now," Wanda said. "He wants the scepter, but we need to make sure it's truly safe first."
Arthur smiled. "Then we'll stall."
---
Half an hour later.
Stark Tower, top floor reception room.
Nick Fury was wearing a long black leather coat, standing by the window, talking to a bald man in a suit.
The bald man saw Arthur and Wanda enter and nodded at them.
"I am Doctor Erik Selvig from the S.H.I.E.L.D. Council," he said. "I need to confirm the safety of the scepter."
Arthur said, "The scepter is very safe."
"Safe for whom?"
"For all of humanity."
Selvig was silent for a few seconds, then looked at Fury.
Fury turned around, his single eye staring at Arthur for a long time.
"Kid," he said, "you're fucking with me."
Arthur smiled.
"Director Fury, what are you worried about?"
"I'm worried about that scepter in your hand," Fury said. "It came from the Chitauri flagship and is the key Loki used to open the Portal. I don't intend to let something like that stay in private hands."
"Then who do you intend to leave it with?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D."
Arthur looked at Wanda, and Wanda nodded at him.
Arthur said, "No."
The air in the reception room suddenly cooled by a few degrees.
Fury's expression didn't change, but his tone was noticeably harder.
"Arthur, I'm not negotiating with you."
"I know you're not negotiating with me," Arthur said, "but the scepter is in my hands right now, and if I say no, it means no."
Fury turned to look at Tony.
Tony raised his hands. "Don't look at me, I'm not a judge."
Fury turned his head back, looked at Arthur, was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Then what do you want?"
"Simple," Arthur said. "The scepter will be kept by Wanda and me. If S.H.I.E.L.D. wants to assess the state of the scepter, we will cooperate. But the final right of disposal remains with Wanda and me."
Fury stared at him.
"Are you sure?"
"Sure."
Fury didn't speak, turned away and looked out the window again.
After a long time, he said, "Two weeks."
"What?"
"Two weeks, you keep the scepter," Fury said. "After two weeks, I want to see a complete assessment report on the state of the scepter. Otherwise, I will trigger the emergency clause of the 'Avengers Initiative'."
Arthur knew what that meant—forced containment.
"Deal."
Fury nodded and left with Selvig.
---
After Fury left, Tony looked at Arthur and sighed.
"You almost fell out with him just now."
"Didn't fall out, we were still negotiating at the table."
"You're crazier than me," Tony said. "You know Fury, he means what he says."
"I know," Arthur said, "but the scepter really can't be given to him."
"Why?"
Arthur looked at Wanda.
Wanda said, "The energy state inside the scepter is unstable, and forced transfer or storage could lead to an energy loss of control. S.H.I.E.L.D. does not have the capability to handle this level."
Tony thought for a moment. "Are you sure?"
"Sure."
Tony was silent for a while, then said, "Then I'll trust you this once."
---
Arthur and Wanda returned to the safe house; it was already eight o'clock in the evening.
Pietro had already returned, his hair still wet, sitting on the sofa eating instant noodles.
"How did it go?" he asked.
"The scepter is kept," Arthur said, "but Fury is watching."
Pietro frowned. "Then won't he cause trouble?"
"Let him cause trouble," Arthur said. "It's not like we aren't prepared."
Wanda sat next to him, took out the scepter, and placed it on the table.
The three of them were silent for a while.
"Wanda," Arthur said, "are you really sure this thing is safe?"
"Sure," Wanda said. "I sealed it with Chaos Magic. Unless someone uses stronger magic than mine to force the seal open, it won't have any problems."
Arthur looked at her for a long time.
"Alright then."
He reached out and held her hand.
"Then that's it."
Wanda smiled.
Pietro rolled his eyes from the side. "Great, you two are being mushy again."
"Shut up and eat your noodles." Arthur said.
Pietro shook his head with a smile and picked up his instant noodles to continue eating.
Outside the window, New York at night was lighting up, like the city was breathing.
"By the way, what did Thor say?" Arthur asked.
Wanda closed her eyes and sensed it.
"He returned to Asgard. He said he would send people to inquire about the Chitauri intelligence left behind by Loki, and if there is any news about the main fleet, he will notify us immediately."
Arthur nodded.
"Then let's stay steady for now and wait for news."
He glanced at the scepter on the table.
Chapter 95: I'm Not in a Rush
The lights in the safe house's underground isolation zone were all off.
Only the gem at the top of the scepter was glowing.
The light was different from before; it wasn't that cold, icy blue, but a warm, gentle white-gold, like moonlight captured inside a glass sphere, shining quietly.
Wanda's fingers hovered above the gem, not touching it.
Chaos Magic spilled from her fingertips, dark red energy wrapping around the gem like threads, circle by circle, very slowly, as if testing it.
"How is it?" Arthur asked.
"It isn't resisting."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"A good thing," Wanda said. "But I can't figure out what it's thinking."
Arthur stood leaning against the wall, one hand pressed against the surface, golden magical lines spreading from his palm to weave a thin layer of a sealing barrier across the four walls of the isolation zone.
He had learned this from the Ancient One; it was called a Dimensional Isolation Barrier.
The name sounded intimidating, but it was really just sealing off the space to prevent the energy inside from leaking out and being detected.
"If you can't figure it out, don't rush," he said. "Take your time."
Wanda didn't reply; she pressed her fingers forward, and the Chaos Magic sank directly into the gem.
In that instant, the air in the entire isolation zone seemed to freeze.
Arthur felt his heartbeat almost skip a beat.
"Wanda?"
"Don't move."
Wanda's voice was steady, but her wrist was trembling.
The white-gold gem flashed, and then the light of the entire gem began to change—not brightening, but deepening, as if something were surging up from the depths of the gem.
Arthur's hand was already clenched into a fist.
"Wife."
"I said don't move."
Wanda took a deep breath, raised her other hand, and pressed both palms onto the scepter.
Chaos Magic poured in like a sluice gate opening.
The gem flared brightly, and white-gold light exploded, illuminating the entire isolation zone.
Arthur saw a flash of white light pass through Wanda's eyes.
"I saw it," Wanda said.
"Saw what?"
"The Chitauri."
Her voice was a bit airy, like she was sleep-talking.
"And Loki."
Arthur didn't speak, waiting for her to continue.
Wanda closed her eyes, her fingers trembling slightly.
"There's a protocol left behind by Loki in the scepter—a protocol to control the Chitauri mothership. It needs my heart to verify its existence, but I can already convert it."
"The protocol is still there?"
"Yes, but it's dead. The Mind Stone deleted the protocol."
Arthur let out a breath of relief.
"What state is it in now?"
Wanda didn't rush to answer; the Chaos Magic continued to circulate within the gem, like water washing over a stone.
After several seconds, she spoke.
"It's a clean gem now. It doesn't recognize a master, doesn't obey, and doesn't actively do anything."
"Then what can it do?"
"Wait to be used."
Wanda opened her eyes, looking at the white-gold gem at the top of the scepter, the corners of her mouth curling slightly.
"And it knows what I look like now."
Arthur rolled his eyes.
"This thing recognizes faces?"
"It doesn't recognize faces, it recognizes energy," Wandasaid. "My Chaos Magic has resonated with it; it will be much more convenient to use in the future."
Arthur walked over, stood beside Wanda, and looked down at the scepter.
The white-gold gem was shining quietly, like a star that was sleeping.
"Can you use it now?"
"Yes, but there's no need."
"Why?"
"Because it's sleeping," Wanda said. "If I force it to wake up, I might wake up something else."
Arthur looked at her.
"What thing?"
Wanda was silent for two seconds.
"I don't know."
Arthur took a deep breath and didn't press further.
"Fine, let it sleep."
His phone suddenly vibrated.
Arthur took it out and saw it was an encrypted call from Tony.
He answered it.
"There's a new situation," Tony said, his tone a bit tense.
"What situation?"
"Fury is here. He wants the scepter."
"I know he wants it."
"He doesn't just want it, he is demanding it," Tony said. "He says the scepter belongs to S.H.I.E.L.D., that it's post-war confiscated material, and it must be handed over for a security assessment."
Arthur laughed.
"And he gets to decide?"
"He doesn't get to decide, but there's a situation with the Tesseract."
"What situation?"
Tony was silent for two seconds.
"The Tesseract is releasing energy fluctuations that perfectly coincide with the time the scepter was purified. Fury believes these two events are related."
Arthur glanced at Wanda.
Wanda frowned, her fingers tapping gently on the scepter.
"Are they related?" Arthur asked.
"It's possible," Wanda said. "The energy wave released when the gem was purified might have been detected by the Tesseract."
"The consequence?"
"The consequence is that Fury now has a reason to suspect a dangerous link between the scepter and the Tesseract, and he is demanding intervention."
Arthur cursed.
On the other end of the line, Tony sighed.
"I can't hold Fury off for too long. He demands a clear disposal plan within three days, otherwise, he will trigger the emergency containment clause of the AvengersInitiative."
"Emergency containment clause?"
"Forced containment."
Arthur was silent for a few seconds.
"Then give him a plan."
"What plan?"
"The scepter remains in our custody, but I will regularly report the purification progress to you."
Tony was silent for a moment.
"Will he agree to that?"
"He has to agree whether he wants to or not," Arthursaid. "The scepter is in my hands now, and he can't exactly come and take it."
Tony laughed softly on the other end.
"Fine, I'll block for you. But don't drag it out too long; Furyplays dirty."
"Understood."
Arthur hung up, put his phone back in his pocket, and turned to look at Wanda.
"What are your thoughts on the scepter?"
Wanda placed the scepter on the table, her fingers gently pressing on the gem.
"I don't intend to give it to him."
"Then we'll keep it."
"But, I have a better idea."
"What idea?"
Wanda looked at him, her expression calm.
"Shrink it."
"Shrink it?"
"Yes," Wanda said. "I can use Chaos Magic to seal the scepter into a spatial bag, leaving only an energy interface so it can be used at any time, but its presence won't be detected by anyone."
Arthur paused, then laughed.
"When did you learn that?"
"Just now," Wanda said. "While purifying it, I happened to learn something new."
Arthur looked at her for several seconds, then said, "That's impressive."
Wanda smiled slightly.
"Then let's do that."
She reached out and grasped the scepter, dark red light glowing in her palm.
In that instant, the entire scepter began to shrink—not turning into a mass of energy, but like pushing a stick into an invisible bag, slowly getting smaller and smaller, until it finally shrank into a thumb-sized point of light, hovering in Wanda's palm.
Arthur looked at that point of light and was silent for two seconds.
"Is this called 'magic on the go'?"
"Yes."
"But I want to see what else I can carry."
Wanda smiled and pressed the point of light into Arthur's palm.
The moment that point of light fell into his palm, Arthurfelt a warm force spread through his skin and then disappear.
It was like a drop of water falling into the sea, leaving no trace.
"Where did it go?"
"On you," Wanda said. "When you want to use it, it will appear."
Arthur looked at his palm; he couldn't see anything.
"This thing can be summoned on demand?"
"Yes. You are now the safe for the scepter."
Arthur thought about it and felt it was pretty good.
"Fine, then I'll keep it."
Wanda looked at him, quiet for a few seconds.
"Aren't you afraid I'll bind it to you forever?"
"What's there to be afraid of? Haven't you already bound it?"
Wanda laughed, looking quite happy.
The lights in the isolation zone turned back on, and the sealing barrier on the ground slowly dissipated.
Arthur glanced at the clock in the corner; it was almost eleven.
"Any news from Thor?"
Wanda closed her eyes and sensed it.
"He just sent a message through his divine power. He said he suggests we keep custody of the scepter, and he will strive to keep Asgard neutral."
"Neutral?"
"Yes. He said Asgard does not intend to intervene in the issue of the scepter's disposal on Earth."
Arthur nodded.
"That's good."
"He said one thing that I'm not quite sure what it means."
"What thing?"
Wanda opened her eyes.
"He said: 'Let the scepter stay where it belongs.'"
Arthur didn't speak; he thought about it and felt the words made sense.
"Then it can stay with me."
He put his hand in his pocket and squeezed that point of light that felt like it didn't exist.
It was very light.
But it felt very stable.
That night, Arthur and Wanda sat on the couch in the safe house with the TV on, playing a news replay of the Battle of New York.
On screen, Chitauri aircraft were falling from the sky, and on top of Stark Tower, a man and a woman were standing there—the man waved his hand, and the woman lifted her hand.
Their faces couldn't be seen, but everyone knew who they were.
Arthur watched the TV and took a sip of cola.
"What do you guess Fury is doing right now?"
Wanda leaned on his shoulder, eyes closed.
"Thinking about how to get the scepter back."
"Then he'll have to think for a long time."
Wanda laughed but didn't speak.
Outside the window, New York quieted down in the night, and the lights turned on one by one, like the city was breathing normally.
Arthur looked down at his palm.
He couldn't see anything, but he knew the object was inside.
The scepter was now a tiny point of light, staying quietly on him, like a heart that had been tucked away.
It couldn't be touched, but it was always there.
"Oh, right," Wanda said suddenly. "There is one more thing in the scepter."
"What thing?"
"The coordinates of the Chitauri mothership," Wanda said. "When I purified it, I saw the location of the mothership's wreckage."
Arthur sat up a bit straighter.
"Where is it?"
"Outside Saturn's orbit."
Arthur was silent for a few seconds.
"Then we have to go take a look."
Wanda opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Now?"
"No, wait two days," Arthur said. "Wait until things settle down with Fury."
Wanda closed her eyes again.
"Fine, I'll listen to you."
Arthur leaned back on the couch and continued drinking his cola.
On the TV, the news replay of the Battle of New York had switched to another channel, which was playing a commercial for laundry detergent.
He felt that point of light against his skin, cool, like a quiet button.
What can this thing do?
Just wait and see.
Anyway, there's no rush.
The one in a rush isn't him.
Chapter 96: Done? Done.
The lights in the safe house isolation zone were off.
The TV was still playing that laundry detergent commercial; the sound had been cut off by Wanda using Chaos Magic, leaving only the screen flickering.
Arthur sat on the sofa with his palms resting flat on his knees.
That speck of light had completely vanished.
It was not the kind of disappearance where it was "invisible," but the kind where it had "merged" in—like salt sprinkled into Water; you know it is still there, but you cannot touch or grasp it.
"Done?" Arthur asked.
"Done," Wanda said.
She sat beside him, fingers gently pressing against her own palm, as the dark red Chaos Magic slowly receded like the tide.
Arthur looked down at his hand.
Nothing could be seen.
But he could feel it—something deep in his palm, cold and quiet, like a stone submerged at the bottom of the Water.
"Is it a part of me now?" Arthur asked.
Wanda thought for a moment and said, "Not quite. It is like you have an extra pocket on you, a pocket stitched into your flesh."
"Then what if I shake it out while I am fighting?"
Wanda looked at him, was silent for two seconds, and said, "Then I will beat you to death and pick it back up."
Arthur laughed.
Wanda laughed too.
She leaned back on the sofa, letting out a long breath, as if she had run ten kilometers.
"Tired?" Arthur asked.
"A little," Wanda said, "but it is not physical fatigue, it is mental fatigue."
"Why?"
"Because it does not want to be sealed." Wanda pointed at Arthur's palm, "That stone, it does not want to sleep. It wants to stay awake."
Arthur frowned, "Then is it awake now?"
"It is awake," Wanda said, "but it cannot move."
Arthur thought about it and felt this state was quite subtle.
Awake but unable to move; isn't that just like a vegetable?
"Then can it still feel what is happening outside?" Arthurasked.
"Yes," Wanda said, "but it cannot send information out anymore."
Arthur nodded and did not ask further.
As long as it cannot make phone calls, it is fine.
He was about to say something when his phone suddenly vibrated.
Tony.
Arthur answered.
"Done?" Tony asked.
"Done."
"Where is the scepter?"
"In my hand."
There was silence on Tony's end for two seconds.
"I do not believe you."
Arthur smiled, raised his hand, and said to the phone, "Look."
"Look at what? I am on the other end of the phone, do you think you are facing a camera?"
Arthur lowered his hand and said, "Anyway, it is with me, believe it or not."
"Fine, fine, I believe you," Tony said, "I just finished dealing with Fury. He said he wants the scepter, tomorrow is the deadline."
Arthur looked at Wanda.
Wanda nodded.
"Then give him a deadline," Arthur said.
"What deadline?"
"Tell him the scepter is in the purification stage and needs another week of observation. After a week, I will give him a complete assessment report."
Tony was silent for a moment.
"Will he agree?"
"That depends on whether you know how to talk," Arthur said, "You speak more pleasingly than I do."
Tony laughed.
"You are a damn genius."
"Not bad."
"Alright, I will go talk to Fury," Tony said, "But I will say this upfront, I can only stall for a week."
"That is enough."
"Are you sure?"
"Sure," Arthur said, "In a week, the scepter will still be in my hands."
Tony paused on the other end, then said, "Fine, that is all I need to hear."
Hanging up, Arthur threw his phone onto the coffee table.
Wanda looked at him and asked, "How is it on Tony's side?"
"He said Fury is pushing hard."
"How did you handle it?"
"I said I would give him the assessment report for the scepter in a week."
Wanda nodded and did not speak.
Arthur stood up, walked to the window, and looked at New York outside.
It was almost midnight; the streetlights were still on, cars were still running, and people were still strolling.
As if nothing had happened.
"Do you think," Arthur suddenly said, "these people know they almost died?"
Wanda also stood up and walked to his side.
"They know," she said, "but they cannot remember."
"Why can't they remember?"
"Because people do not want to remember scary things," Wanda said, "Tomorrow they will think it was just a nightmare."
Arthur looked at her and smiled.
"When did you become so insightful?"
"Just now," Wanda said, "When I was sealing the scepter, I thought about it."
Arthur did not speak, reaching out to wrap his arm around her shoulders.
The two stood there for a while.
Then Arthur's phone vibrated again.
He took it out and saw it was an encrypted communication.
Thor.
Arthur answered.
"Asgard sends its greetings to Earth." Thor's voice was very loud, like he was shouting from a mountaintop.
"Stop shouting, I can hear you," Arthur said, "How is the situation on your end?"
"Loki has been escorted, and Father is interrogating him personally," Thor said, "I am taking this opportunity to send you a message."
"Speak."
"Regarding the disposal of the scepter, I have already consulted with Father," Thor said, "Asgard will not intervene. You handle your own internal Earth matters."
Arthur was stunned for a moment.
"So reasonable?"
"Father said that Earth has proven it has the ability to protect itself," Thor smiled, "He said that the scepter in the hands of Earthlings would be no worse than being in an Asgard warehouse."
Arthur looked at Wanda.
Wanda nodded.
"Then thank your father for me," Arthur said.
"No need to thank me," Thor said, "But I must remind you of one thing."
"What thing?"
"The energy inside that scepter is related to the Tesseract," Thor said, "If you decide to keep it long-term, you must be prepared."
"What preparation?"
"Preparation to face that 'Master of the Stones'."
Arthur was silent for two seconds.
He naturally knew who Thor was talking about—Thanos.
"I know what I am doing," Arthur said.
Thor was quiet on the other end, then said, "That is good."
Hanging up, Arthur put his phone back in his pocket.
Wanda looked at him and asked, "What did Thor say?"
"He said Asgard will not get involved in the scepter matter anymore," Arthur said.
"That is good."
"But he said one thing."
"What thing?"
"He said the energy inside the scepter is related to the Tesseract, and there might be trouble."
Wanda looked at him and did not speak.
Arthur also looked at her.
"What?" Arthur asked.
"Nothing," Wanda said, "I am just wondering how big the trouble could be."
Arthur laughed.
"Are you afraid of trouble?"
"No," Wanda said, "But I want to know what the trouble looks like."
Arthur thought for a moment and said, "It looks like this."
He held out his hand, palm up.
That speck of light appeared again.
In the dark room, it glowed, a white-gold light, like a little star lying in his palm.
Arthur stared at the speck of light for a while, then said, "It is called an Infinity Stone."
Wanda did not speak, waiting for him to continue.
"The most primitive power in the Universe," Arthur said, "Six of them. Collect them all, and you can grant any wish."
"Any wish?"
"Any wish."
Wanda was silent for a moment, then said, "Then why didn't Loki use it to grant a wish?"
"Because he did not get all of them," Arthur said, "He only got one, and he didn't know how to use it."
Wanda looked at the speck of light and asked, "Then you, do you know how to use it?"
Arthur looked at her, was silent for two seconds, then shook his head.
"No."
"Then what is it useful for?"
"As a hot potato."
Wanda laughed, quite happily.
"Then, let it be hot," she said, "Anyway, your skin is thick."
Arthur pressed the speck of light back into his palm.
The light went out.
The room was dark again.
He leaned against the window, watching the traffic outside.
"Do you think, if the people on Fury's side knew we handled the scepter this way, they would want to kill us?"
"Yes," Wanda said, "But they cannot beat you."
Arthur laughed.
"That is enough."
He looked at his palm again.
Nothing could be seen.
But, he knew that speck of light was still there.
Like a light bulb.
With the light off.
Waiting for someone to press the switch someday.
But the switch was in his hand.
Whether to press it or not, he decided.
"Wife."
"Hmm?"
"Do you think this stone will run out on its own one day?"
Wanda thought for a moment and said, "No."
"Why?"
"Because I locked it up."
"Where did you lock it?"
Wanda pointed at Arthur's palm.
"Locked in your heart."
Arthur was stunned for two seconds.
Then he laughed.
"That pickup line is a bit cheesy."
Wanda looked at him and laughed too.
"As long as it works."
The New York outside the window was bright in the night.
Quiet as if nothing had happened.
But Arthur knew, some things had already changed.
Chapter 97: I Didn't Touch It Again
Chapter 81: scepter Finale
The lights were all off in the safe house's underground isolation zone.
Only the white-gold gem on the scepter remained lit.
Arthur looked at the gem, feeling like it was a sleeping heartbeat, gentle, pulsing on and off.
Wanda stood opposite him, her hands hovering ten centimeters above the gem, dark red Chaos Magic weaving around the gem like someone knitting a sweater.
"How much longer?" Arthur asked.
"Almost there," Wanda said. "The final layer of the seal."
Arthur didn't speak again. He stood against the wall, pressing his palm against its surface. Golden magical threads crawled out from his palm, forming a sealed barrier across the four walls.
It took him half an hour to set this up last time, but this time it was finished in under ten minutes.
After the Battle of New York, his magical control had clearly increased by a significant margin.
Learning by doing really is the hard truth.
Wanda's fingers suddenly trembled.
Arthur straightened up immediately: "What's wrong?"
"Don't move," Wanda said. "The gem is trying to resist."
"It can resist?"
"Of course it can," Wanda said. "It's an Infinity Stone; did you think it was a child's marble?"
Arthur shut his mouth.
Wanda took a deep breath and pressed both hands down simultaneously.
The Chaos Magic exploded instantly, dark red light pouring into the gem like a waterfall.
The white-gold gem flared brightly for a moment, then suddenly went dark.
It went dark like a light being switched off.
The entire isolation zone plunged into total darkness.
Arthur was stunned for a moment: "Did it work?"
"It worked."
Wanda's voice sounded a bit breathless.
Arthur reached out and touched the wall; the golden magical threads lit up again, casting a bit of light into the isolation zone.
He saw that Wanda's face was a bit pale, but her eyes were very bright, like someone who had just finished a hundred-meter sprint.
"What's its status now?"
Wanda picked up the scepter from the table and handed it to him.
"See for yourself."
Arthur took the scepter and looked down at the gem.
The white-gold light had completely vanished, replaced by a luster like a pearl—heavy, warm, like a stone that had been polished for a long time.
He touched the gem with his finger.
It was cold.
Not the cold that carried energy like before, but the cold of an ordinary stone.
"That's it?" Arthur asked. "It's just an ordinary stone now?"
"From an energy perspective, it is indeed sealed," Wandasaid. "But its core is still an Infinity Stone; I just forced its energy into a deep dormant state."
"Can it be woken up?"
"Yes," Wanda said. "But it would require a sufficiently strong external stimulus."
Arthur thought for a moment: "Like what?"
"Like my Chaos Magic hitting it with full force."
"Can anyone else wake it up?"
Wanda was silent for two seconds.
"Theoretically, no," she said. "My sealing spell has deeply fused with the Mind Stone's energy; currently, only I can undo it."
Arthur looked at her for several seconds.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"That's good enough."
Arthur placed the scepter on the table and held out his hand: "Come on, give it to me."
Wanda was stunned: "Give you what?"
"The scepter."
Wanda looked at him without speaking.
Arthur said: "Didn't you say it's safer if it's sealed on me? Like that spatial bag from before, just stuff it in."
Wanda didn't move.
"What's wrong?"
"Are you sure?" Wanda asked. "If you keep this thing on you, you'll have to carry it with you all the time."
"So what? It's not heavy."
"It's not about the weight," Wanda said. "It's an Infinity Stone. Do you know what that implies?"
"It implies that it's awesome."
Wanda was amused by him: "Then how do you plan to handle it?"
Arthur said: "Keep it for a while, wait until the heat dies down, and then we'll see."
He looked at Wanda and smiled: "Besides, you understand it better than I do. I'd be at ease leaving it with you, but if it's with me, others will be less worried."
Wanda was silent for a few seconds, then reached out and grabbed the scepter.
Her palm lit up with dark red light.
The scepter began to shrink, as if it were being tightened by someone, slowly shrinking and shrinking, until it finally became a thumb-sized point of light, quietly floating in her palm.
Arthur looked at the point of light, feeling it was a bit like an item icon in a game.
Wanda grabbed his left hand and pressed the point of light into his palm.
Arthur felt a warm force seep into his skin, then vanish.
Nothing could be seen anymore.
"Where did it go?"
"Deep in your palm," Wanda said. "Like an invisible pocket."
"Can I take it out myself?"
"Yes," Wanda said. "As long as you think of it, it will appear."
Arthur closed his eyes and tried it.
He thought of the white-gold gem, its shape, its light, and the temperature of it landing in his palm.
Then he really felt it.
A chill surged from the center of his palm, as if someone had stuffed an ice cube into his hand.
He opened his eyes and saw the scepter reappear in his hand, the white-gold gem glowing quietly.
Arthur was stunned for a moment, then thought about it again, and the scepter disappeared once more.
"Holy crap, it actually works."
Wanda laughed: "Believe it now?"
"I believe, I believe."
Arthur retracted the scepter back into his body, clapped his hands, and couldn't feel anything anymore.
"So what now?" Wanda asked.
Arthur thought for a moment: "Notify Tony first."
He took out his phone, opened the encrypted communication, and dialed.
It was answered almost instantly.
"Speak," Tony's voice popped out from the phone.
"The scepter is handled," Arthur said.
"What do you mean by handled?"
"It's completely sealed, no one can get it."
There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds.
Tony asked: "Including me?"
"Including you," Arthur said. "But you can monitor it."
"Monitor?"
"I'll keep the scepter on me, and you set up a monitoring port on your end. As long as the scepter's energy state changes, you'll receive an alert."
Tony was silent for a few seconds: "What about Fury?"
"You help me block him," Arthur said. "Two weeks. You said you wanted me to assess the scepter's status, and now the assessment is complete."
"What's the assessment result?"
"Safe."
Tony was silent for another few seconds, then sighed: "You really know how to make arrangements, damn it."
"Of course," Arthur said. "It's my specialty."
There was the sound of typing from Tony's side. After a while, he said: "I've built a monitoring node in the Arkspace station. As long as your scepter appears on Earth, I can locate its signal."
"Then I have no problem."
"Fine, I'll help you block Fury," Tony said. "But don't make me block him for too long."
"Two weeks," Arthur said. "That's enough, right?"
"It has to be enough even if it isn't."
Tony hung up the phone.
Arthur put his phone back in his pocket and turned to look at Wanda.
"It's settled."
Wanda didn't speak, looking at him with a strange expression.
"What's wrong?"
"You seem very used to this kind of arrangement," Wandasaid. "Keeping things on yourself, making yourself a safe."
Arthur thought about it: "It does seem like that."
"Don't you feel tired?"
"Tired of what?" Arthur said. "It's more tiring leaving it with others. Keeping it on myself is peace of mind."
Wanda smiled and didn't say anything more.
At this moment, Arthur's phone vibrated.
It wasn't a call, but an encrypted message.
He opened it and saw it was from Thor.
The message was very short, just one sentence: "I am aware of the matter regarding the scepter. Asgard remains neutral. Good luck to you both."
After reading it, Arthur was stunned for a moment, then smiled.
"Thor has also made his stance known."
Wanda leaned over to take a look: "Neutral?"
"Yes," Arthur said. "He's not getting involved."
Wanda nodded: "That's good. One less variable."
Arthur put his phone back in his pocket, leaned against the wall, and looked at the ceiling.
The lights in the isolation zone had turned back on, and those golden magical threads were slowly dissipating.
The matter of the scepter ends here.
He suddenly felt a bit lighter.
"By the way," Wanda said. "Do you remember the two weeks Fury mentioned?"
"I remember."
"So what are we going to do next?"
Arthur thought for a moment.
"Rest for two days first," he said. "This period has been too exhausting."
Wanda nodded, then suddenly remembered something and said: "There is one more thing."
"What?"
"When the scepter was being sealed, I sensed that there was something else inside it."
Arthur frowned: "What thing?"
"I'm not sure," Wanda said. "But the moment the sealing was completed, I felt a very faint pulse, like some kind of communication protocol."
"A communication protocol?"
"Yes," Wanda said. "It wasn't the Chitauri's, nor was it Loki's."
Arthur looked at her: "Then what was it?"
Wanda shook her head.
"I don't know," she said. "But that thing is very deep, hidden at the very core of the Mind Stone."
Arthur was silent.
He now felt that this gem might not be that simple.
"We'll look into it later," he said. "No rush."
Wanda nodded and didn't speak again.
The lights in the safe house were still on, and outside was the quiet New York night.
Arthur reached his hand into his pocket, feeling the point of light against his skin, cool, like a quiet button.
The matter of the scepter had come to a temporary end.
But Arthur always felt that this matter wasn't over yet.
He took a look out the window.
The lights of New York were shining in the night, like a patient lying in bed; no matter what, life had to go on.
"Time to sleep," he said.
Wanda laughed: "Alright, I'll listen to you."
Arthur turned off the lights, and the safe house went dark.
But he could still feel the presence of that point of light.
The scepter was inside his body, quiet, not speaking.
Like a heart that had been tucked away.
"Good night," Arthur said in his heart.
The scepter didn't respond.
But it was still glowing.
Chapter 98: Sounds Pretty Intimidating
Chapter 82: The Alliance Reborn
When the lights in the safe house's underground isolation zone turned back on, Arthur sat on the floor, his back against the wall, and let out a long, heavy breath.
It was done.
The scepter was completely sealed; it was now just a quiet button inside his body.
Wanda also sat down, a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, but her eyes were bright.
"We won't have any weapons to use in a fight from now on," Arthur said.
Wanda rolled her eyes at him. "How many more weapons do you want?"
"The more, the better."
Wanda was about to retort, but suddenly paused and looked out the window.
"What's wrong?"
"Thor is approaching Earth," Wanda closed her eyes to sense for a few seconds. "He's very fast; he's already reached the atmosphere."
"So fast? Didn't he just leave to escort Loki?"
"His divine power fluctuation is very stable; he shouldn't be here to fight."
Arthur stood up and brushed off his backside. "Then what is he here for? To treat us to a meal?"
As soon as he finished speaking, his phone vibrated.
Tony.
Arthur answered. "Speak."
"Fury has taken care of things on his end," Tony spoke quickly, unable to suppress his smugness. "The UN Security Council has just passed the formalization process for the 'Avengers Initiative.' From now on, the Avengers is no longer a temporary organization; it's an official entity."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Congratulations, then. You became the Director?"
"Cut it out," Tony said. "Fury wants you and Wanda to participate in the construction of the Avengers as official members. Not as external personnel, but with board seats."
Arthur glanced at Wanda.
Wanda nodded, the corners of her mouth curling slightly.
"Board seats, sounds pretty intimidating. What are the benefits?"
The sound of clicking keyboards came from Tony's side.
"The benefit is that you can legally call Fury a colleague instead of a boss."
"That's not bad."
"Thor will be here soon; he said he wants to talk to you two in person," Tony said. "On the roof of the building, in ten minutes."
"Does he know where I live?"
"It's enough that he knows where Earth is."
Tony hung up the phone.
Arthur stuffed the phone back into his pocket and turned to look at Wanda. "Let's go, let's meet our neighbor from Asgard."
When the two teleported back to the living room, Pietrowas curled up on the sofa playing a game.
Seeing them appear, he didn't even look up. "Done?"
"Done," Arthur said. "We are going to meet Thor."
"The one with the mjolnir?"
"Yes."
Pietro put down the controller and looked up at the two. "I suggest you upgrade your equipment. That guy is huge."
"We aren't going to give him a physical exam."
"Fair enough."
Pietro picked up the controller again, but then added, "Oh right, Tony just sent an encrypted message saying he helped us secure an 'independent Avengers seat.' What does that mean?"
Arthur and Wanda exchanged glances.
"It means," Arthur said, "that from now on, we aren't anyone's underlings."
Pietro whistled. "That's pretty cool."
Arthur didn't say anything more; he walked to the living room window and reached out to pull back the curtains.
It was already dark outside, and the lights of New Yorkwere spread out like scattered gold. He turned to Wandaand said, "Let's go."
Wanda walked over and took his hand.
A second later, the two appeared on the roof of Stark Tower.
The wind was strong.
Thor was already there. He was wearing that silver-gray armor, his red cape flapping in the wind, holding that Mjolnir in his hand.
He grinned when he saw Arthur and Wanda.
"What a coincidence, you arrived just as I did."
Arthur shrugged. "We live nearby."
Thor laughed and took the initiative to extend his right hand.
Arthur grabbed his wrist, and the two bumped fists in the cold wind on the roof.
"Loki has been sent to the highest security prison in Asgard," Thor said, his tone carrying a trace of relief. "Odingave the order personally; he won't be getting out for the rest of his life."
"So he believed it?"
"He believed it," Thor said. "He even tried to escape using illusions, but he was caught red-handed by my father and had his seal tripled."
Wanda smiled. "That's good, saves us from having to collect his corpse later."
Thor looked at the couple, his eyes becoming more serious.
"I heard about the Battle of New York in Asgard," he said. "You're fierce, and Wanda is fierce too."
Arthur waved his hand. "It's alright."
"It's not just 'alright'," Thor said. "With Guardians like you, I can rest easy for Earth."
"Then if anything happens in the future, you can call us directly; no need to take the long way around."
Thor laughed loudly. "Good, I've made up my mind to be friends with you."
At this moment, the door to the roof was pushed open, and Tony walked out, holding a cup of coffee.
"Yo, chatting already? I thought you two were exchanging autographed photos."
Thor looked at Tony and nodded. "Stark."
"Thor," Tony said. "I heard you locked up that green-haired instigator?"
"Locked up."
"Well done."
Tony walked between the three, placed his coffee on the railing, took out his phone and pressed it a few times, and a holographic projection appeared in the center of the roof.
It was the meeting record of the UN Security Council.
"I just had an argument with those old men," Tony said. "In the end, they agreed to my proposal. From today on, the Avengers will have three board seats."
Arthur looked at the dense text on the holographic projection. "Who are they?"
Tony pointed to himself. "Technology side, which is me, responsible for weapons, equipment, and money."
He then pointed to Thor. "Asgard side, Thor, responsible for cross-dimensional threat warnings and high-end combat support."
Finally, he pointed to Arthur and Wanda. "magic side, you two, responsible for everything related to dimensions, magic, and gems. Independent board seats, with action authority and decision-making power equal to the other two."
Arthur looked at the seat designation and frowned. "Sounds like you're looking for a scapegoat."
Tony was amused by him. "A scapegoat wouldn't have these benefits; you have veto power."
"That's different."
"It is different," Tony said. "It means that from today on, you two aren't employees of S.H.I.E.L.D., nor are you my employees. You are partners to all of us."
Wanda asked. "Then what is the decision-making mechanism?"
"Major matters require a two-thirds vote to pass," Tonysaid. "For minor matters, each board member decides independently and reports afterward."
Arthur thought about it. "What if Thor wants to fight me?"
"Then you fight it out and vote afterward."
Thor laughed loudly. "I look forward to sparring with you."
Arthur laughed. "Don't look forward to it; I hit hard."
Tony put away the holographic projection and took a sip of his coffee.
"Also, there's one more thing; I've arranged a position for Pietro."
"What position?" Arthur asked.
"On the external personnel list for the Rapid Response Team," Tony said. "Joining as the Captain of the Domestic Violence Enforcement Team."
Arthur was stunned. "What kind of position is that?"
"Domestic Violence Enforcement Team," Tony said. "I made it up on the spot. It sounds intimidating, but it's actually responsible for rapid support and personnel evacuation."
"What about the salary?"
"There's a subsidy, not much."
Arthur thought about it and looked at Wanda.
Wanda nodded. "We can agree to it for now; Pietro is just idling anyway."
Arthur said. "Then I'll agree on his behalf."
Tony made a note on his phone. "It's arranged."
The wind on the roof grew stronger, and Thor's cape fluttered in the wind.
Arthur glanced at the distant lights and suddenly said, "Since we're considered an official organization now, I have a proposal."
Tony crossed his arms. "I've been waiting for you to say that."
"Establish a cross-dimensional threat intelligence sharing mechanism," Arthur said. "Not just internal to Earth, but incorporating the activities of the Kree Empire on the periphery of the Solar System into our monitoring scope."
Tony and Thor both fell silent for a few seconds.
Tony spoke first. "The Kree Empire? Are you sure? Those blue-skinned people are not to be trifled with."
"I know," Arthur said. "But we've already had contact with them. The energy signatures in the Kuiper Belt earlier, and the cloaked outposts outside sparks' orbit, have already exposed their intentions."
Wanda added. "They want to establish a forward bridgehead in the Solar System; we've only disrupted them for now, but it might not be this easy next time."
Thor frowned. "The Kree Empire is interested in Earth?"
"Interested, and quite a bit," Arthur said. "The traction source from the Centaurus direction is clearly a planned, proactive activity. If we wait until they assemble their main force to react, Earth might already be lost."
Thor looked at him and said in a deep voice, "Are you sure?"
"There isn't much concrete evidence, but the threat is real."
Tony looked at Thor and then said, "Intelligence sharing mechanism, I agree with this. But it needs server rooms and bandwidth."
"I'll provide the server room, you provide the bandwidth," Arthur said.
"Deal."
Thor also nodded. "After I return to Asgard, I can retrieve the Kree Empire activity data from the archives to assist in the assessment. Asgard has records of their energy signatures and fleet deployment habits."
"Then that's perfect," Arthur said. "The magic side of Earth, the ancient records of Asgard, plus Tony's technological scans; once the three sets of data are cross-referenced, any movement won't be able to escape our eyes."
Tony smiled and shook his head. "You're a mage; how are you more like a systems analyst than me?"
"I call this drawing analogies."
Wanda listened quietly from the side and finally spoke. "Regarding that intelligence sharing mechanism, I have a proposal."
The three looked at her.
Wanda said. "I can build a magic sensing interface to couple with Tony's satellite data. This interface can not only identify known energy signatures but also detect weak psychic waves."
Tony frowned. "Psychic waves?"
"Yes," Wanda said. "Loki's scepter has already proven that mind control is one of the greatest threats to Earth. If there's a mechanism to sense this energy in advance, we can predict some infiltration operations."
Thor nodded. "In Asgard, psychic magic is also the highest level of forbidden arts."
Tony thought for a moment. "What are the conditions for this interface?"
"It requires me to build a permanent sensing magic circle at the hub node to interface with your data chain in real time."
Tony looked at her and paused. "Are you sure you can handle it?"
Wanda smiled. "I've already handled it several times; it was thanks to this that we locked onto Loki's coordinates in advance during the Battle of New York."
Tony was silent, then said, "Okay, I'll give you the permissions."
Arthur leaned against the railing, looking at the three people in front of him—Tony standing in front of the holographic projection, Thor holding the mjolnir, and Wanda standing by his side.
This scene made him feel a bit dazed.
When he read comics in his past life, the Avengers' founding meeting was held on the S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft carrier, Stark and Rogers were arguing incessantly, and Banner was hiding in the laboratory.
It's different now.
Anna Vasini doesn't need to hide, Thor doesn't need to swear, and Tony doesn't need to shoulder the Earth alone.
The wind stopped.
Thor put the Mjolnir in his hand on the ground and looked at Arthur. "I have been thinking about a question."
"What question?"
"Before the Battle of New York, you knew about the Chitauri invasion plan, right?"
Arthur didn't speak, looking at him.
Thor continued. "You had many opportunities to stop the war in advance, but you waited until the last moment to act."
"What do you want to ask?"
Thor held the hammer handle, looking into his eyes. "I want to ask—who exactly are you?"
Arthur met his gaze for five seconds, then smiled.
"I am Wanda's husband."
Thor looked at him, paused, and then laughed loudly, his voice carrying far into the night.
"Good answer."
He patted Arthur on the shoulder, the force making Arthur's shoulder sink.
"I accept this answer."
Tony took a sip of coffee on the side and whispered to Wanda. "Your husband is quite good at talking."
Wanda smiled. "He's usually not serious, but when he is, it's quite effective."
"Then I'll try to get him to be serious more often."
Thor gripped the mjolnir again and looked at Arthur and Wanda. "I will send back the Kree Empire activity records as soon as possible. Just be ready to receive them."
"Good," Arthur said.
Tony said on the side. "Then I'll be responsible for building the server room and debugging the interface. Wanda, when will you have time to come to the Ark Space Station to take a look?"
"Tomorrow," Wanda said.
"Okay, I'll have Jarvis open the permissions for you."
The wind on the roof picked up again.
Tony stood in front of the railing, looking at the distant lights, and said, "From today on, Earth is no longer fighting alone."
Thor said. "Many people in the Milky Way Galaxy are watching Earth, but Earth doesn't need to be afraid anymore."
Arthur looked at his gloating expression and reached out to pat his shoulder. "Alright, say less; that independent seat of yours hasn't been approved yet."
Tony almost choked on his coffee. "What do you mean not approved? I went to negotiate it personally!"
"Negotiating is one thing, approval is another."
Tony looked at his innocent face, stunned for a few seconds, then cursed. "Are you fucking messing with me?"
Arthur shrugged. "I'm a person who values rules the most."
Thor laughed on the side, his laughter carrying the lingering echoes of thunder.
Tony put down the cup and also smiled. "Fine, I accept it. But tomorrow you have to come to the Ark Space Station and use your superpowers to move bricks for me."
"Move bricks?"
"Yes, move bricks, the sixty-ton kind."
"Then you have to pay more."
"I will."
The wind on the roof grew stronger, but the four people stood there, and none of them moved.
Arthur glanced at the distant New York lights, then looked at the three people beside him.
The Avengers.
This time, it was their own choice.
Pietro stood up from the sofa, walked to the window, and glanced at the roof, muttering, "These people standing so high, aren't they afraid of being struck by lightning?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a peal of thunder rolled across the sky.
Pietro shrank his neck. "Holy shit, there really is thunder."
Chapter 99: Full Member Meeting
Pietro had just closed the window when Arthur's phone rang.
He took it out and saw it was an encrypted communication from Tony.
"Speak."
"Those old men finally came to their senses." Tony's voice carried a hint of smugness. "The UN Security Council just approved it. The Avengers are officially established. Tomorrow morning at ten, top floor of Stark Tower, the first full member meeting."
Arthur glanced at Wanda.
Wanda was sitting on the sofa, holding a cup of tea, her eyes fixed on the news replay on the TV.
"Full members?" Arthur asked. "Who does that include?"
"You, Wanda, Thor, and me," Tony said. "And Fury. He'll be attending in his capacity as a consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D.."
"Fury is coming too?"
"It would be strange if he didn't." Tony said. "He is extremely curious about you two."
Arthur thought for a moment. "Got it. See you tomorrow."
After hanging up, Wanda looked up at him. "What did he say?"
"The first meeting of the Avengers." Arthur sat back on the sofa. "We're going to Stark Tower tomorrow for a meeting to discuss how we'll be working from now on."
"Working?"
"It's just to discuss how the Avengers will operate."
Wanda nodded. "That's good. It's better than only thinking about having a meeting after a fight."
Arthur smiled. "Not bad. You understand the procedures now."
"I learned it from you," Wanda said. "You're the type of person who likes to set the rules before doing anything."
Pietro poked his head out from the kitchen. "You guys are going to a meeting? What about me?"
"You're staying behind to keep watch," Arthur said. "Monitor the surveillance systems. If anything happens, you'll be the first to know."
"Fine. I'm just the doorman."
"If you don't keep watch, who will? You're the fastest one in our family."
Pietro rolled his eyes but nodded anyway.
The next morning, Arthur and Wanda teleported to the roof of Stark Tower.
The wind was strong, but the sun was nice.
Tony was already waiting in the top-floor conference room, wearing a crisp suit, holding a cup of coffee, and looking very energetic.
"On time," Tony said. "I hate people who are late."
"We teleported. Being late isn't an option for us," Arthursaid.
Tony smiled and then looked at Wanda. "Wanda, you look good today."
Wanda nodded. "Thank you."
Tony turned and walked toward the conference table. Arthur followed, and Wanda followed behind.
The conference room wasn't large. It had a long table and a few chairs, with windows facing the New York skyline.
Thor hadn't arrived yet.
Arthur looked around. "Just the three of us?"
"And Fury," Tony said. "He'll be here shortly."
As soon as he finished speaking, the door to the conference room was pushed open.
Nick Fury walked in, wearing a black trench coat. His head was bald, and his single eye swept from Arthur to Wanda, then back from Wanda to Arthur, as if scanning something.
"Arthur," Fury spoke first, his voice low. "Wanda."
Arthur reached out his hand. "Director."
Fury shook his hand, applying a lot of pressure, as if testing something.
"I've always wanted to meet you," Fury said. "Since the Battle of New York, I've wanted to thank you in person."
"Thank me?"
"You saved a lot of people," Fury said. "My Agents, and the citizens of New York."
Arthur nodded. "It was my duty."
Fury looked at Wanda again. "I heard from Stark that you have unique insights into handling the scepter."
Wanda didn't speak, just looked at Fury with calm eyes.
Tony coughed from the side. "Alright, let's sit down. Thorwill be here any second."
As soon as they sat down, a rumble of thunder suddenly came from outside the window.
Then a beam of light descended from the sky, crashing onto the roof of Stark Tower with a boom.
Arthur turned around, and Thor was already standing at the door of the conference room, his armor gleaming, his red cape fluttering in the wind, holding that Mjolnir in his hand.
"Apologies for being late," Thor said. "The signal for the Bifrost had a bit of a delay."
Tony looked at him. "Can't you just use the door?"
"The door is too slow," Thor walked in and sat down next to Arthur. "I haven't adapted to Earth's transportation system yet."
Arthur smiled. "Then stay a few more days. I'll take you on the subway."
Thor paused. "What is a subway?"
"That's something you should experience."
Fury coughed. "Enough small talk. Let's start the meeting."
Tony stood up and pressed a button on the table. A holographic projection rose from the center of the conference table.
On it was the UN resolution document, filled with dense text.
"Everyone, I called you all here today for one purpose," Tony said. "The Avengers are officially established. From today on, we are no longer a makeshift team, but a formal organization with organization, authority, and responsibility."
He paused and looked at everyone present.
"I propose that the Avengers operate on the principle of 'Earth Security Priority,' with each member retaining operational autonomy," Tony said. "For major events, a two-thirds majority vote is required to act. For minor matters, each Director can decide on their own, provided they report it afterward."
Arthur nodded. "Agreed."
Thor also nodded. "Asgard has no issues with that."
Fury sat in the corner, not speaking, just watching Arthur and Wanda.
Arthur felt that single eye constantly sizing him up, as if counting how many bones he had.
"There is one more thing," Arthur said. "We have completed the sealing of the scepter."
He reached into his pocket and held out his hand, palm facing up.
A white-gold point of light floated out from his palm, slowly growing larger, and finally turned into that scepter.
Tony and Fury both widened their eyes.
Thor was quite calm; after all, he had seen magic before.
"You put it inside your body?" Tony asked.
"Yes," Arthur said. "That way, no one can get it."
Fury spoke up. "Are you sure it's safe?"
"My wife sealed it," Arthur said. "I trust her."
Wanda smiled slightly at the side.
Fury didn't speak, looking at that white-gold gem, and was silent for several seconds.
"What about the data on the Mind Stone?" Fury asked. "The Avengers need to share it."
Arthur said, "The data can be shared, but the scepterwon't be handed over."
"Deal."
Tony pressed a few keys on the keyboard nearby. "I'll build an encrypted database. You upload the relevant data on the scepter, and Avengers members will have access to view it."
Arthur looked at Wanda, and Wanda nodded.
"That works," Arthur said. "But the condition is that this database is only open to the Directors."
Fury frowned. "What about S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D. can access it indirectly through Tony's port," Arthur said. "But they cannot directly connect to the database."
Fury was silent for a few seconds, then laughed.
"Good one," he said. "You're leaving yourself a backdoor."
"That's called security redundancy," Arthur said. "You're in this line of work; you should understand."
The atmosphere at the conference table relaxed a bit.
Tony was typing on the keyboard, and Thor took a sip of the beer Tony had poured for him.
"Um, I have a proposal," Arthur said. "Since the Avengers are official now, intelligence sharing needs to keep up."
After he finished speaking, he turned to look at Wanda.
Wanda stood up, holding a piece of paper in her hand.
On it were some dense symbols and coordinates.
"This is my assessment report on the Kree Empire's activities on the outskirts of the Solar System," Wandasaid. "According to my magic perception and data analysis over the past few months, the Kree Empire has already established an outpost in the Kuiper Belt, and a tractor beam source from the direction of Centaurus is being activated."
Fury's expression changed.
Tony also stopped typing.
Thor put down his beer glass. "The Kree Empire?"
"Yes," Wanda said. "They have been conducting reconnaissance around Earth, and although we interfered with their reconnaissance fleet last time, it doesn't mean they've given up."
The conference room was quiet for several seconds.
Tony spoke first. "Are you sure, Wanda?"
"I'm sure," Wanda said. "My Chaos Magic can resonate with those energy signatures. The traces don't lie."
Fury looked at Wanda, his single eye carrying a complex expression.
"It seems you, the magic consultant, are more useful than I imagined," Fury said.
Wanda ignored his tone and continued. "I propose establishing an Avengers intelligence sharing mechanism to keep the Kree Empire threat under long-term monitoring. Each Director should regularly submit the intelligence they have, aggregated into the encrypted database, to facilitate sharing and cross-analysis for everyone."
Arthur added from the side. "And each member retains operational autonomy. Intelligence sharing does not equal operational command; everyone still does their own thing."
Tony thought about it. "This plan is feasible. I'll build the server right now."
Thor gripped his mjolnir. "Asgard will also retrieve activity records of the Kree Empire to facilitate cross-referencing."
Fury nodded. "S.H.I.E.L.D. will also cooperate."
Arthur glanced at Wanda, his eyes full of satisfaction.
Wanda sat down and gently squeezed Arthur's hand.
"Now, let's vote," Tony said. "The Avengers 'Earth Security Priority' principle, each member retains operational autonomy, intelligence sharing mechanism activated. All in favor, raise your hand."
Tony raised his hand first.
Arthur and Wanda raised their hands at the same time.
Thor also raised his hand.
Fury didn't raise his hand but nodded. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is attending, not participating in the vote, but we support it."
"Good," Tony said. "Passed unanimously."
He pushed a board to the middle of the table. "Sign to confirm."
Arthur picked it up and looked at it; it was the Avengerscharter.
He picked up the pen and signed his name.
Wanda also signed.
Thor signed with an Asgard rune.
After signing, Tony threw the pen down. "Alright, from today on, the Avengers are officially in operation."
Arthur stood up and stretched. "So, can I call Tony a colleague from now on?"
Tony glared at him. "Don't even think about it."
Thor laughed from the side. "I quite like him. Tony, you got a bargain."
"A bargain?" Tony said. "He almost tore down my tower."
"That was the Chitauri," Arthur said. "Don't pass the buck."
Everyone in the conference room laughed.
Fury stood up and looked at Arthur. "Arthur, I have a personal question."
"Ask."
"Who exactly are you?"
Arthur looked at him and was silent for two seconds.
"I am Wanda's husband."
Fury looked at him, silent for a few seconds, then laughed.
"Good answer," Fury said. "Just for that answer, I accept it."
He turned and walked out, his black trench coat fluttering in the wind.
Tony looked at Arthur. "You're quite good at bluffing people."
"That's called rhetoric," Arthur said. "It's my specialty."
In the conference room, Thor held his wine glass, laughing like a child.
The New York sunshine shone in, illuminating the entire conference room.
Arthur looked at the Avengers charter on the table, the signatures on it still fresh.
He suddenly felt that the world seemed to have changed.
But it also seemed unchanged.
He looked at Wanda, and Wanda looked at him, the two of them smiling at each other.
"Let's go," Arthur said. "Home."
"Home."
The two held hands and walked out of the conference room.
Before the elevator doors closed, Tony's voice came from behind. "I'm treating everyone to dinner tonight, don't be late."
Arthur smiled. "Sure, add an extra dish."
Endish - no more updates for 3 months