A Warning from S.H.I.E.L.D.

John Garrett directed the young man. "One coincidence might just be a coincidence, but twelve in a row, especially among the same group of people, can't be. Do you have any information about Henry Brown's whereabouts?"

"Henry Brown? Why ask about this Stark?"

"Because he's the only alien in the United States who has a grudge against these Russia."

"Okay. He mostly stays in Los Angeles on the West Coast. To find out his exact whereabouts, we'd have to check the records."

"Go investigate. Such vague statements don't help in making the right judgment. Also, don't place too much faith in accidents. Everything in this world can be controlled or avoided. Attributing a mistake to an accident only shows your own incompetence."

"Okay, John."

Just as Kaminsky was about to leave, John Garrett added, "Also, arrange a plane; I need to go back to the United States. And bring me the accidental investigation report on the dead Russia; I want to see it myself."

Nodding, with business at hand, the young man quickly left.

John Garrett stood with his hands behind his back, gazing out the window at the heavy snowfall, pondering where things had gone wrong and how they had spiraled out of control.

At the same time, Henry, who seemed to be having a lot of fun, was sitting in the Stark Studios CEO's office, with his legs bent on the chair, spinning around.

Only half of the tasks remain to be completed, twelve in total. If we exclude the last one hidden within the Oscorp, only eleven remain, protected by the Snake Shield.

Although the surviving Russia showed signs of unease, the Snake Shield members remained unresponsive. Since it wasn't their people who were going to die, most people simply attributed their deaths to "bad luck."

It was so simple that Henry almost thought the matter could be resolved quietly.

The remaining eleven people were not placed at the back of the queue because of good luck. It was because most of them brought their families with them, including the elderly and children, and came to the United States together.

Even when causing large-scale disasters, Henry tries his best to avoid involving innocent people. So, those who are not the target may be frightened, at most suffer minor injuries, but no one actually loses their life.

Faced with these eleven families, Henry had no intention of abandoning his principles. He would only exclude those with whom he had grudges and would not involve other family members.

Therefore, the difficulty in arranging "unexpected events" is far greater than that of the people mentioned earlier.

Letting them live longer means I'll have more time to gather information. Opportunities for solitude, while seemingly few, aren't nonexistent.

Just as Henry was planning to teach these people a lesson, an unexpected visitor showed up at Stark Studios.

Phil Coulson, who was taking the elevator upstairs, pretended to stand at the door and knocked on the open door.

"Please come in, Mr. Coulson."

"It's been a long time, Mr. Brown. I was afraid that after our unpleasant parting last time, you wouldn't want to see me anymore." This easygoing and friendly man used a familiar tone to build rapport.

Henry adjusted his glasses and said, "As long as you don't accuse me of being Superman, my open door always welcomes everyone. At the very least, I'm willing to hear your purpose before deciding whether to continue the conversation or kick you out."

"Accusations? Ha, are they that serious? I thought being seen as Superman was a compliment and a form of recognition."

"What If...? we wish to continue this discussion, then I regret to inform you that I must see you out."

Phil Coulson stepped back and said, "What If...? I have offended you, I apologize. That was not my intention."

Pointing to the sofa in the small meeting area, he gestured for the guest to sit down. "Let's sit here and talk." Henry then called out, "Julianne, bring coffee for me and my guest."

"Okay, boss," the chubby black secretary replied, and went to prepare.

Phil Coulson, sitting upright in the sofa chair, dropped his previous smile and said seriously, "Mr. Brown, I regret to inform you that I am here today to issue a warning."

"Some things, don't go too far. If you cross the line too many times, it will inevitably leave traces. And then it will be difficult to clean up the mess."

"Oh, from what standpoint are you speaking, and on whose behalf are you saying these things?"

Just as he was about to answer, Phil Coulson suddenly fell silent. At that moment Julianne, the portly secretary, brought in two cups of coffee on a tray and placed them on the table. The young agent politely thanked him.

After the man left, Phil Coulson continued, "Many people have already noticed what happened in Toronto. Mr. Brown doesn't think we need to demand rigorous evidence like in Court, does he?"

"When too many coincidences are concentrated on a particular group of people, it's easy for others to speculate unnecessarily. Within our authority, even if we understand your perspective, we can choose to turn a blind eye."

"But if word gets up to higher-ups, and they start investigating, we'll have to offer some possibilities, even if the evidence isn't conclusive."

These words can be taken as a threat or as a gesture of goodwill, depending on how you perceive them.

Henry, however, did not seem to understand the underlying message. Instead, he continued to feign ignorance, saying, "Mr. Coulson's words are difficult to comprehend. What did I do in Toronto?"

"But I've been staying in Los Angeles and haven't been to that Canada city. Have you mixed someone up with me or made a mistake?"

Seemingly anticipating Henry's feigned ignorance, Phil Coulson appeared to want to say something. But in the end, he remained silent.

The man before him wasn't easily persuaded—a consensus reached by the department's psychological experts. Yet, the department still sent him, which made Phil Coulson uneasy.

Perhaps my purpose in coming here wasn't to persuade him to stop. Even if I really wanted to do so, What If...? those "accidents" were indeed caused by this man in front of me.

The purpose of this trip was simply to convey a message, which was also a warning.

What If...? the other party is frightened and stops, wouldn't that prove that he really did what he did? Being deterred by a warning also means that this man can be controlled. That's good.

If the other party remains unmoved and continues as before, then the authorities will take action regarding the frequent "accidents."

The person in front of him is unrelated to those accidents, which is the most advantageous situation for him. The bureau can also uncover another hidden danger.

The fact that the person in front of us is connected to those unexpected events means he will have leverage over us. That's fine too. If he still expects to continue living this comfortable life, that leverage will allow us to control him effectively.

Thinking of this, Phil Coulson felt a chill run down his spine.

He didn't know if Henry Brown could understand these things. Even someone like him, who was in the thick of it and mentally prepared, would still be overwhelmed by the stench of this intelligence world, which was shrouded in layers of deception.

Henry certainly couldn't be confused. Whoever sent this nice guy to tell him these things, the other party's attitude of forcing him to continue until a flaw was revealed was quite clear.

Since someone has issued a challenge, there's no Reason not to accept it.