Three-Way Scheming

Alexander Pierce smiled with complete sincerity, as though he were genuinely congratulating He-El on having his wish come true. He walked in through the door.

"You received the president's message too, didn't you? This has caused us quite a headache."

With a helpless wry smile at the corner of his mouth, Nick Fury pushed the poured black tea across the coffee table toward the spot Alexander Pierce was about to take.

Alexander Pierce came to the sofa, turned, and sat down on the black couch. Leaning back against it, he casually crossed his legs and patted his thigh with his right hand. Smiling helplessly, he said, "There was nothing we could do. The national representatives on the World Security Council had quite a few objections to Project Insight, and the president happened to notice that the Helicarrier had been suffering frequent accidents and was not yet mature enough."

His right hand, which had been resting on his thigh, reached smoothly toward the coffee table. He hooked a white porcelain teacup with his fingers, brought it to his lips, and drank nearly half a cup of black tea.

"The president gave me quite a surprise. But Pierce, I paid three times the construction cost. You could have built three more of them outright."

He-El answered with a smile. He had already guessed why Alexander Pierce had come.

He merely wanted to take a roundabout approach and continue carrying out Project Insight.

"That is also why we do not object to Project Insight being delayed." As soon as Alexander Pierce said this, all three men burst into laughter. Smiling broadly, they raised their respective teacups and clinked them together in mutual understanding.

After taking a sip of tea, Alexander Pierce did not let the atmosphere cool. He set down his cup, rested