Parting Ways

The pent-up resentment finally erupted; Henry was practically ready to point his finger at the other person and hurl insults.

"Have you ever thought about why I got involved in this? If it weren't for you Skrulls inexplicably infiltrating Bobbie's organization to frame me, I'd probably be heading home from Stark Studios right now."

"What grudge do I have against the Kree? No, you're the ones causing me trouble. After all this mess you've made, I don't even know if I'll be able to get back to a normal life."

"What impact will your previous framing of me have? And what changes will the exposure of my Kryptonian identity, which I myself didn't know about, bring to my life?"

"Have you considered any of this for me? Of course not. A crazy Kryptonian, without an organization, without any backing, is like a pebble on the roadside; you can just pick him up and throw him into the river."

Suppressing the urge to smash the other man's head in, Henry stepped back. His face darkened, and he said, "Since you've decided to cooperate, then this is none of my business. I hereby solemnly declare that I have no interest in interfering with your actions."

"I didn't even know what Skrulls, Kree, or Kryptonian were at first. None of that concerns me. So please stop bothering me. Goodbye."

After speaking, Henry turned to leave. However, his path was blocked by the Skrulls disguised as humans.

Seeing that the group had formed a semicircle, blocking all their way, Henry turned around with displeasure and asked, "So, this means I'm not allowed to leave? Mr. Nick Fury, do you agree to this?"

The Old Black who was singled out looked troubled. He truly hadn't expected things to turn out this way; at least initially, there was no option to cooperate with the Skrulls. He also didn't know whether he should let Henry, whose Kryptonian identity had been exposed, leave like this.

General Ross is a man who plays favorites.

He adopted a humble and pleading attitude towards Carol Danvers, whom he was trying to win over; he was practically begging for her favor.

But as an exiled Kryptonian, and a defeated foe of the Skrull fleet thousands of years ago, his pride as an advanced civilization unconsciously surfaced.

"Alright then, Kryptonian, I apologize for my previous mistake. Here's a suggestion: you help us fight the Kree."

I will use my disguised identity to rescind the previously issued orders. That should be enough, right?

Hearing this, Henry laughed in anger.

Mystique from the X-Men- Men started by appealing to his personal feelings, then used threats to escalate the situation and get him to help. He chose to compromise because he knew that if she was deliberately trying to cause trouble, he would be in the same predicament he is today.

But the Skrulls have already done it, and they've tried to frame me time and time again. Now they're using the cleanup as leverage to force me to cooperate!

Can these two things be compared? A gun's threat is only negotiable before the trigger is pulled. Once the trigger is pulled, the positions are clear; at that point, what difference is there between compromise and surrender?

"What If...? apologies were enough, the world wouldn't need laws and police. What If...? threats were enough, I deserve to be threatened a second and a third time. I've said it before, this isn't my war, don't drag an innocent person like me into this."

After finishing speaking, Henry whistled. Kitty, who was lying on the ground, immediately got up, and the two of them, man and tiger, prepared to leave.

However, the Skrulls minions disguised as humans stood shoulder to shoulder, blocking Henry's path.

Just as Henry was pondering how to break through, Nick Fury behind him said, "Henry, you don't have a car. How are you going to get out of here? It's a long way from the station or airport."

After thinking for a moment, Henry replied, "As long as I walk on the street with Kitty, the police will come to pick me up sooner or later. So there's no need to worry about that."

"And if you're really short-handed, you shouldn't waste your manpower on me. So are they sure they want to stand here blocking the way?"

With his slightly taller advantage, Henry stared intently at the Skrulls before him, seriously considering the consequences of revealing the power to blow a head off with a single punch.

Or are you suggesting releasing Tiger to attack people?

In the end, it was Nick Fury, the Old Black, who stepped in to smooth things over. "Talos, tell your men to get out of the way. Let my friend leave."

You came to ask us for help, not to order us around, remember?

"No, you have no idea what crazy Kryptonian are capable of. Do you want me to give you some examples of what they've done? They're a bunch of deranged beasts," General Ross insisted.

Even Carol Danvers couldn't stand it anymore and said sternly, "Don't project your prejudice against the whole tribe onto one person."

"While Henry was with us, he controlled his behavior and that of his pet very well. He was the one who kept causing trouble, on the contrary."

It's all because of you.

"I can agree to help you, but why are you forcing someone who doesn't want to help? Do you want something to happen during the battle? Don't let any sympathy I've just felt vanish."

The words of key figures carry considerable weight. The Skrulls general chose to back down, waving his hand to signal his men to make way. He muttered, "I hope you won't regret your choice today."

For Nick Fury and Carol Danvers, Henry's departure wasn't a matter of friend or foe. The war before them wasn't about the survival of Earth; it was simply a matter of whether or not they were willing to help the Skrulls.

In this situation, who has the right to force a stranger to help?

Nick Fury hadn't forgotten what happened to the last Black California legislator who did the same. Henry Brown was a classic example of someone who wouldn't yield to force, and he had no ties to anyone.

Oh, actually, that's no longer the case. His Kryptonian identity and Charlize Theron's presence will likely influence his behavior in some ways; only time will tell.

But Nick Fury knew he couldn't afford to offend the other party too much. He said loudly, "Henry, don't worry about the trouble you're in."

"Once I've dealt with things here, I'll go and solve the problems caused by these alien guests. What If...? 'that' Director Kohler in my department is still alive."

As he spoke, Nick Fury glared at General Ross. His willingness to help Lieutenant Carol Danvers, including the Skrulls, did not mean he completely trusted these green-skinned shapeshifters.

He also called Barbara over, whispered a few words in her ear, and then gestured for the trainee agent to leave.

Although Barbara Morse looked regretful, feeling it was a pity she hadn't been able to keep up with the battle against the aliens, she also understood the priorities and didn't act recklessly.

"Henry, I'll go with you." Barbara caught up with the man and the tiger.