Goodbye, Egghead

Just as Captain America was growing deeply worried about Banner's health, Nick Fury's fate had finally reached its final hour.

Onboard the Skrull ship, Talos stood alone, escorting Nick Fury and Hill—both tightly bound in Skrull Tech Shackles—as they flew toward Heisenberg's house.

The ship was extremely fast. In just a short moment, Nick could already see New York City drawing closer through the porthole.

That city should have been lit up by endless lights, but not today.

Nick felt the city was eerily dark, as if even the lights themselves had been swallowed by an infinite blackness.

And that darkness was about to swallow him and Hill next.

No!

Nick suddenly lifted his head. He would not go to the Realm of Death today, nor would he fall to someone else's betrayal.

No one could betray him, Nick Fury!

He strained to look at Talos. The face that had once been so expressive and kind now bore only endless coldness.

Inside the Skrull ship, a pale purple glare slanted across Talos's face, making his expression look especially harsh.

"Talos," Nick said.

"You've passed the point of no return."

"So have you, old friend!" Talos replied, then maneuvered the ship to a hover, finally stopping above the airport on Heisenberg's rooftop.

Though it was a small ship, it was still far larger than an ordinary helicopter. Heisenberg's little airport couldn't accommodate them.

So Talos opened the hatch and controlled the ship to connect a cable to the airport.

He grabbed Hill and Nick Fury, one in each hand.

Then he pressed his back against the cable, and instantly, he was firmly attached.

The cable began to move, and Talos arrived gracefully on Heisenberg's rooftop. From a distance, he could see Heisenberg sleeping.

Seeing Heisenberg's completely unguarded attitude, Talos felt a twinge of envy. If he had power like Heisenberg's, how could he have been hunted by the Kree Empire for so many years?

But he quickly straightened his mindset, put on what he felt was the most suitable smile, and walked slowly toward Heisenberg.

"Hm?" Heisenberg squinted. Even though he had just woken from a nap, he felt no drowsiness.

Or rather, even if he never slept a day in his life, he would only feel mental fatigue.

As for his body, it was always full of energy, with no need for sleep to replenish it.

Uh...

Sleeping with a woman was a different matter.

Back to the point, Heisenberg sat up and waved at Talos.

"Welcome, Skrull. Especially since you've brought me the gift I asked for."

As he spoke, Heisenberg stepped down from his lounge chair and came over to Nick Fury and Hill.

Nick looked at Heisenberg with an exceptionally calm gaze. Even though he knew he was being imprisoned at Heisenberg's request, he controlled his emotions well.

For a spy like him, self-control had become second nature.

Nick was good at putting on the right expression for the right occasion.

Too bad...

Heisenberg didn't even look at him.

"Hello there, Hill. How did you enjoy your vacation on the Skrull ship?" he greeted her.

Hearing Heisenberg's words, Hill instinctively glanced at Nick Fury. Though there was no resentment in that glance, everyone present knew that Hill almost hated Nick Fury to death!

If Nick Fury hadn't made that decision on his own, how could she have been dragged off to the aliens?

If she had been at S.H.I.E.L.D., even if Hydra had launched a full-scale rebellion, Hill would have found a way to mitigate the losses.

And if those two aliens hadn't been on the verge of death, Talos wouldn't have used them to trade with Heisenberg.

Ah...

Hill shook her head regretfully and replied, "Terrible. Just from spending a little time on that ship, I've nearly lost everything I've fought my whole life for."

After saying that, she looked at Nick again. This time, Nick silently turned his head away, unwilling to meet her eyes.

Seeing the exchange of resentment and bitterness between Hill and Fury, Heisenberg chuckled and waved at Talos.

"What do I call you?"

"I am Talos. It's an honor to meet you."

"Mm. Just call me BOSS."

Heisenberg patted Talos on the shoulder and said to him with a smile.

"Don't be nervous. There shouldn't be anything needing you for a while. Just rest as usual. Want me to see you off?"

"Me...?!!"

Hearing that Heisenberg was sending him away, Talos was utterly shocked.

Why wasn't this Kryptonian playing by the rules?

Shouldn't he be properly discussing our Skrull surrender right now?

And now he's just letting me go?

Do you see me as a subordinate, or a delivery boy?

Still, despite the shock, Talos quickly returned to his ship and left Earth without a trace.

Heisenberg watched the invisible ship ascend, then turned to look at Hill and Fury, who were both visibly uneasy.

He walked over to Hill, grabbed the Skrull restraints binding her upper body, and gave them a light tug.

It looked like he hadn't used any force at all, but the high-tech restraints instantly shattered.

At the same time, Heisenberg said to Hill.

"You can go. I'll chat with Fury for a bit."

"Huh? I can leave now? You...?"

"You can stay if you want. It's nighttime, after all, and there's a bed in the room big enough for you."

Heisenberg cut off Hill's questions, teasing her as he waved for her to leave.

Seeing this, Hill's unease instantly turned to worry.

She glanced anxiously at Fury's expressionless face, then left without hesitation.

Once Hill had gone downstairs, Heisenberg unfastened Fury's restraints. The two sat by the liquor cabinet, and Heisenberg poured Nick Fury a drink.

Fury downed it in one gulp with a cold face, and Heisenberg refilled his glass.

Setting the bottle beside Fury, Heisenberg raised his glass and clinked it with his.

"To our Hydra Director, Nick Fury. Cheers!"

As the words fell, Nick Fury's face visibly darkened.

He gripped his glass tightly, restraining himself from throwing the drink in Heisenberg's irritating face.

Taking a deep breath, he downed his second glass, then poured himself another as he spoke.

"Hilarious, isn't it? All my subordinates as Director are actually enemies..."

"Haha, there are far funnier things than that. Drink up!"

Heisenberg refilled his own glass, and they clinked again and drained them.

This was Nick Fury's third whiskey.

Setting down the glass, Nick hesitated, then finally made up his mind.

He asked quietly, "You don't want me going back to S.H.I.E.L.D., so I'm going to die."

"Look on the bright side. Maybe I'll toss you into outer space and let you recruit minions in the universe to come back and fight me!" Heisenberg said with a laugh.

"Heh, I'd rather die."

"Fair enough. So, anything you want to say? Let's chat while we can!"

Heisenberg said bluntly to Nick.

And Nick wasn't intimidated by the remark. He actually started thinking.

After a moment, he shook his head weakly.

"Until yesterday morning, I thought I was pretty successful. But now I've got nothing to say... Do it."

"Giving up just like that? To fate? That's not like you."

"Not to fate. To you, Heisenberg."

Nick said seriously.

"I've always suspected that the accident with the Purple Man had your scheming in it too. Maybe it was just a casual move on your part, but you won. That casual move took out my knight and my king!"

Hearing this from Nick Fury, Heisenberg shook his head with a smile.

"Come on. You were the one who trusted John Garrett and sent those Hydra members to capture the Purple Man. You were the one who had the Skrulls play you while you hid among them. What do you think?"

Those words sank into Nick's ears, and he fell silent immediately.

Heisenberg's gaze at him was full of mockery, but he couldn't argue. It was all his own doing.

His trust in John Garrett, his trust in the Skrulls...

He still didn't know the true identity of his old superior, Alexander Pierce.

Otherwise, he might have been even more heartbroken.

And just as Nick Fury fell into silence, Heisenberg spoke up to ask him.

"Answer me one question, pal. Why do you trust the Skrulls but not me, another alien?"

He asked while slapping the table in dissatisfaction.

"To you, there shouldn't be any difference between me and the Skrulls—we're both aliens, right?

Yet in the ten-plus days I've been on Earth, you've had over eighty spies around me, more than fifty of them female agents.

How could you bear to send your poor underlings to strip at the Nightclub?

I'm not an Earthling after all, so I understand your wariness of me.

But what about the Skrulls? Why do you trust them so much that you even handed over your own identity to them? Just because I'm stronger than them, and they're uglier than me?"

"No, you don't understand!"

Facing Heisenberg's interrogation, Nick said.

"I don't trust the Skrulls. I trust my friend out in the cosmos!"

"Then he must be strong!" Heisenberg asked, pretending not to know about Captain Marvel.

"That's right!"

Nick nodded, his face full of relief as he explained.

"She's a woman like the sun, possessing unimaginable great power. Talos and I witnessed that greatness together. I believe Talos wouldn't dare betray my friend."

"I see."

Heisenberg nodded, looking at Nick with approval.

"You and I have a bit in common—we both only believe in power.

But my power is these fists.

I'm a lazy guy. Even with an extraordinary brain, I can't be bothered to think or learn much.

And I don't need to think at all. I can do everything I want with my fists.

As for you, your power is your mind. You trust every judgment you make.

You thought you could provoke me, so you planted spies around me.

You believed your friend's power was trustworthy, so you dared to rely on him to form a brother-like alliance with Talos.

That's how we are—people who trust ourselves. So do you think I'll let you off the hook out of respect for your friend, like you imagine?"

With that, Heisenberg didn't wait for Nick's answer. His eyes flashed red.

Nick Fury's brain was instantly vaporized. His eyes rolled back, and he slumped over the table, as if drunk.

"Too bad you won't get to see me fight your friend. I hope your friend can bring me a little surprise. I hope..."

Heisenberg got up and left, returning to his lounge chair to continue basking in the omnipresent solar radiation.

As for Nick Fury, he was soon carried off by Billy and his men to be dumped into the sea.