Warning

Facing an uninvited guest who had suddenly appeared in his office, clad in a sci-fi suit of armor, Nick Fury's composure was truly admirable. He looked at the cold, towering steel figure before him and asked in a calm tone, "You realize this isn't some amusement park you can just waltz into, right? How did you get in?"

"Relax, Director Fury. Your building has no security breaches—at least not from a technical standpoint," Michael said from beneath the armor, conjuring a translucent Magic Circle in his hand. "The reason I got in is that I have some special tricks."

"Care to share?"

Michael flipped his palm, and the Magic Circle shattered with a crack, dissipating into sparks that faded away.

"Not today," he said. "Instead, I've brought other information—something critical to S.H.I.E.L.D., perhaps even foundational."

Fury's face remained expressionless. "I'm listening."

"You're a smart man, Director Fury. I'm sure that in your long tenure as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., you couldn't have missed a single clue," Michael said, standing before the desk. "Have you ever noticed that in the deepest depths of this organization, which you should know inside and out, there's a shadow even you can't reach? Have you ever found that sometimes, even you can't fully control this behemoth called S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Fury crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "What's your point?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. might not be the organization you think you know. At its core, in its darkest part, hides an evil secret—and when that secret surfaces, the whole world will change."

Michael paused for a moment.

"Of course, I don't expect you to take my word for it just like that."

Fury shrugged. "If you took off that mask first and stopped talking in that weird voice, it might help me believe you."

Michael extended his right hand. The armored glove covering it split open, and a USB drive emerged from within, dropping onto the desk.

"You're skeptical—that's wise and necessary," Michael said. "So I won't say much now, because it'd be pointless. But you can take a look at what's on this. I copied it from that S.H.I.E.L.D. facility I attacked earlier—and I assume you already know I was the one who hit it. This data was encrypted with complex methods, but luckily, I'm quite familiar with that encryption. So don't hesitate—I've already decoded it for you."

"You took information from my facility, and you think I need your help decoding it?" Fury asked.

"Once you've seen what's inside, you'll understand," Michael said calmly. "Also, to be precise, that facility wasn't really yours—it only appeared to belong to S.H.I.E.L.D. Of course, the sheer volume of information might be a bit hard to digest, so feel free to verify it. And when you're convinced that every word I've said is true, I think you'll be more interested in continuing our conversation."

"So you're saying," Fury said, glancing at the USB drive left on the desk, "you'll leave a hotline, and I can call you after I check the contents?"

"No, Director Fury. When that time comes, I'll come see you again," Michael said flatly, stepping back into the shadows. "Now, according to the Tri-Wing Building's emergency protocols, I estimate the reinforcements you're waiting for will enter this room in about five seconds. So let's save any other words for next time."

The glow in the V-shaped Visor died out again, and the Black Armor quickly vanished into the shadows. The office lights returned to normal two seconds later, and the door was shoved open from the outside five seconds after that. Deputy Director Maria Hill burst in with her gun raised, followed by several elite agents.

But the room was empty except for Director Fury.

"Sir?" Hill furrowed her slender brows. "I don't understand. Where's the intruder?"

Fury said nothing. His gaze drifted, almost deliberately, to the USB drive left on the desk, and his ever-calm expression gradually darkened.

***

Osborn Corporation, Laboratory.

Norman Osborn sat shirtless and upright in a chair connected to metal instruments behind him. His wrists were secured to the armrests by black devices linked to the chair, and countless complex wires covered his shoulders and chest.

The lab was completely sealed off. Staff in protective suits bustled around the intricate equipment near him. A group of researchers in white coats stood behind a thick pane of glass, facing multiple monitors, each screen precisely displaying their Boss's current physiological data.

Once preparations were complete, all staff withdrew from the isolation room. On the other side of the glass, a doctor wearing dark green circular lenses announced through a speaker, "All preparations are complete, Mr. Osborn! We can begin whenever you're ready."

Dr. Otto Octavius, Osborn Corporation's top technical expert, was also the lead on this experiment.

"Have you double-checked everything?" Norman asked.

"Yes, all the data," Dr. Octavius said. "We've reviewed every step—there won't be any mistakes."

"Good." Norman Osborn paused, took a final deep breath, and said, "Then let's begin."

The communication cut off, the lab was sealed, and visible green gas flooded in from multiple vents simultaneously. All instruments kicked into high gear, electricity snaking like serpents through the chair into Norman's body. The devices restraining his arms activated at the same time, injecting specially formulated agents into his veins, which quickly spread through his limbs and torso via his circulatory system.

Intense agony struck like a tidal wave—thousands of sharp needles pricking every nerve fiber, as if his internal organs were being scorched. Norman Osborn let out a scream that didn't sound like his own, his consciousness blurring and fading in a fraction of a second. In a daze, he thought he heard someone shouting his name. He felt his body burn, then turn ice-cold, then go completely numb. A buzzing noise filled his ears, like a swarm of bees circling endlessly.

Finally, just before his last shred of awareness plunged into blankness, he heard a wild laugh.

(Thanks to book friend AndyMay for the 200 starting point coin tip, and book friend Xu Eryan for the 500 starting point coin tip!)