Gathering

On the Helicarrier, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s temporary combat base.

He-El and Nick Fury stood side by side in the center of the command room. Around them, agents expertly operated the consoles, monitoring every situation and preparing to provide support.

Hill looked haggard, her thin lips tightly pressed together. Though she had regained consciousness, her past experiences still resurfaced in her mind from time to time. She did her utmost not to dwell on them, pouring all her energy into preparing for this operation.

Nick Fury swept his gaze across the many agents in the command room. None of them looked well. Each of them bore some responsibility for the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Triskelion Building, and there had been friends, family, even lovers of theirs there.

The fact that they could still muster the spirit to work was already no small thing.

When his gaze reached Hill, Nick Fury paused briefly. He lowered his eyes, then turned to look at He-El beside him.

Seeing He-El's calm, composed face, unchanging even if Mount Tai were to collapse before him, Nick Fury shook his head. "Have your mercenaries dealt with the Mind Suggestion?"

"It's been dealt with. Although Loki's Mind Suggestion was aimed at me, I haven't had much contact with the soldiers lately. We were fortunate—there was no major unrest, and all the soldiers were restored to consciousness." He-El's gaze flickered slightly as he received Vivian's live projection from New Century City. He said calmly, "They're boarding my Helicarrier now and will arrive here shortly to join us. Don't worry, Nick. Loki can't win against me."

Loki's virus-like Mind Suggestion had spread with extraordinary speed. In barely over a month, it had infected the entire world.

Anyone who saw an image of He-El, watched news or footage about him, or even heard about him