Yes.
Nick Fury.
After all, he faked his death, it wasn't a real death.
Initially, Nick Fury wanted to fake his death to evade Hydra's attacks, avoid their surveillance, and then secretly contact Captain America to stage a 'return of the king' scene.
Even though Hydra grew during his term.
Even though the person who recommended and strongly supported his appointment as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Alexander Pierce, was proven to be the leader of Hydra.
In the end, he faked his death to escape, and then seized the opportunity to join forces with the Captain to end Hydra.
In a word.
It's not credit, but it counts as hard work.
The most important point.
To cover up a problem, the best way is to create an even bigger problem.
So—
Nick Fury had it all planned out; the return of the king alone wasn't safe enough, there had to be an even bigger problem to ensure the Security Council wouldn't trouble him upon his return.
As for that bigger problem, he already had a plan.
Nothing could trouble the Security Council more than the complete exposure of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Hydra crisis this time.
But this matter couldn't be done by him.
As for who would do it, Nick Fury had someone in mind.
Natasha.
Natasha, an agent originating from the Red House and now a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, was the perfect person for this task.
The result...
Before he could even contact Captain America, terrible news came from afar.
Hydra was finished.
Damn!
Nick Fury was completely stuck now.
But after coming to his senses, he contacted Maria Hill immediately.
Once again.
He faked his death, he wasn't really dead.
Hill didn't seem surprised or concerned about Nick Fury's call, she just reported it to the Security Council.
After several days of closed-door meetings, the first thing the Security Council did was to announce her promotion as the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
As for Nick Fury.
The Security Council didn't even discuss him.
But again, sometimes not discussing something is also a kind of attitude.
Just as Victoria Hand was about to speak, the phone on Hill's desk rang.
Hill walked over and answered the call.
"This is Hill."
"Commander... no, Director, someone from the Pentagon is here to pick someone up."
"Understood, let them come up."
"Alright."
Hill then hung up the phone, looked at Victoria Hand, and smiled slightly.
"See, they're here."
"Hmm."
Commander Hand also realized and nodded, "Looks like the rumors are true. When Nick Fury's permissions were first frozen and then thawed, the military was involved in helping. Apparently, Nick Fury has a good relationship with the military."
Hill spoke calmly.
"It has nothing to do with us."
"Indeed, it's good that he's gone."
Commander Hand shook her head, "I've been auditing accounts these days. During Alexander Pierce's term, the accounts were relatively clear, but during Nick Fury's term..."
At this point, Commander Hand stopped talking.
Hill chuckled: "We're the S.H.I.E.L.D. of the Security Council, so since the Security Council has already made a decision, we just follow it. The former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, has already died tragically at the hands of Hydra."
As for the Nick Fury still in the former director's office?
Let's put it this way.
He may still be called Nick Fury, and even have one eye, but he is no longer S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Nick Fury, just the Federation's Nick Fury.
The current Nick Fury has no association with S.H.I.E.L.D.
After a while.
A military vehicle drove into S.H.I.E.L.D. Three Feathers Headquarters, and after stopping for less than ten minutes, it started again and drove out of S.H.I.E.L.D. Three Feathers.
Hill and Commander Hand stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the conference room on the top floor, watching the military vehicle depart.
Hand looked away: "I heard that Nick Fury tried multiple times to implement a control plan on Hawk, all vetoed by you."
Hill also looked away, glanced at Hand, and knowing what Hand wanted to say, she smiled and said, "Tell Sharon, Nick Fury is no longer one of us at S.H.I.E.L.D."
Hand smiled slightly and took out her phone.
"I'll call Sharon now."
"...What?"
"Nick Fury was picked up by people from the Pentagon?"
Still at his home on Palm Street, with arm in a cast, wearing a sling, in shorts, and as relaxed as he could be, Hawk raised an eyebrow at Sharon's words: "Does Nick Fury have a good relationship with the Pentagon?"
Gwen, who was beside them, seemed a bit curious: "Who is this Nick Fury?"
God testifies.
She really didn't know who Nick Fury was. Initially, she didn't care, but after Sharon came running for help, she learned about Commander Hand and Commander Hill.
As for Nick Fury...
She seemed to have heard of him once.
But then...
"Isn't Nick Fury supposed to be dead?"
"Faked death."
Sharon shrugged and looked at Gwen: "He claims he escaped with a faked death, planning to work in the shadows to find a way to break Hydra's conspiracy."
Gwen listened to Sharon's tone and raised an eyebrow.
"But you don't believe it?"
"He was recommended and endorsed by Alexander Pierce to become the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Alright then."
Hearing this, Gwen nodded instinctively and looked at Sharon: "If it were me, I wouldn't believe it either."
Hawk, who was leaning on the sofa, listened to the female pair's question and answer, chuckled and said: "Nick Fury really isn't with Hydra."
Sharon and Gwen turned their heads to look at Hawk.
Hawk smiled and said: "You can say Nick Fury is dumb, or you can say he's gullible, but he's definitely not a Hydra agent."
Although he wasn't fond of Nick Fury and even thought he might end up killing him.
After all, considering Nick Fury's mindset, if he knew about him, he'd definitely try to control him somehow.
But...
This kind of thing never happened from start to finish.
Though Hawk didn't quite understand it, he wasn't someone who would pick a fight unnecessarily. Since Nick Fury hadn't caused him trouble, he wouldn't go looking for trouble with Nick Fury, nor would he smear Nick Fury's name without reason.
However, he understood why Sharon visited today and mentioned this topic.
Clearly.
His previous misconception was wrong. Nick Fury, that old fox, did have ideas about him, but they were suppressed by Maria Hill or the Security Council.
But now that Nick Fury has left S.H.I.E.L.D., the meaning behind Sharon's visit today is clear.
From now on, anything Nick Fury does is unrelated to S.H.I.E.L.D.
Nick Fury can no longer represent S.H.I.E.L.D.
Hawk pondered for a moment, chuckled, and didn't dwell on it. He turned to Sharon and said: "So the final decision from the Security Council is to downsize S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
Sharon shook her head: "The downsizing was proposed by Commander Hill."
Hawk raised an eyebrow.
The next second.
He also understood Maria Hill's intention: "A smart choice."
Cutting a slice to appease the Security Council.
And—
New boss, new rules.
Now that Maria Hill is in charge, using this Hydra turmoil as an opportunity to reorganize S.H.I.E.L.D., she can ensure it's lean, not abolished by the Security Council, and restructured with people she trusts.
Indeed.
Maria Hill is much more cunning and skillful than the corrupt, sneaky Nick Fury who built secret bases after coming to power.
Hawk thought to himself.
Next to him, Gwen looked concernedly at Sharon: "With the New York S.H.I.E.L.D. being dissolved, what about you..."
Sharon first glanced at Hawk, then smiled at Gwen: "Thanks to you, I got promoted to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agent stationed in New York."
Upon hearing this, Gwen's concern turned into congratulations: "Really, that's great, congratulations, congratulations."
Sharon also laughed happily.
She had actually prepared to find a new job, even getting resumes ready for the CIA and FBI.
Yet...
The promotion news caught her off guard, but somehow it seemed expected.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is the Security Council's only bridge to Hawk.
And she herself is S.H.I.E.L.D.'s only bridge to Hawk.
So!
Sharon looked pitifully at Hawk sitting on the sofa and said: "Hawk, I can assure you S.H.I.E.L.D. has no designs on you, so please, in the future, if there's anything, or if you're planning to go out, let me know in advance."
Hawk caught the side glance of his fiancée watching him with a smile, then looked at the pitiful Sharon with her hands clasped in front of her, and tugged at the corner of his mouth. He then moved his arm, still in a cast and sling: "In my current state, where do you think I can go?"
Sharon giggled in response.
Gwen, who had a very good impression of Sharon, and with whom she shared a comradeship, chimed in, addressing Hawk: "Sharon is our friend, and she just got promoted. We should help her out."
As Gwen spoke, she looked at Sharon: "Don't worry, Sharon, I'll be here. If anything comes up, contact me first. Besides, healing a bone injury takes a hundred days. It's only been ten days; Hawk will need at least three months to recover."
Hearing this, Hawk froze and looked at Gwen.
"Wait, three months?"
"School starts in a few days, and being injured doesn't affect your studies. Besides, didn't you want to get hurt?"
"Uh..."
Hawk listened to Gwen's words, blinked, and then recalled his emperor-level enjoyment over the past ten days. Turning to Sharon, he nodded with a serious expression.
"Yes, I'm injured and will need to rest for a semester."
"..."