California, a clifftop mansion in Malibu.
In the basement, Nick Fury clutched the greasy hamburger wrapper bearing HYDRA's roster and staggered out into the thick darkness of night alongside Black Widow, who was drenched in cold sweat.
"Director... where do we go now?" Natasha's voice held a rasp she could barely conceal.
Fury stopped, resolve flashing in his single eye.
"Lock down all surveillance records in Malibu. Classify this as top secret." Fury gritted his teeth, his chest heaving:
"Also... activate my personal network immediately. Bypass every committee and tactical unit, and launch a top-level internal investigation into Alexander Pierce... tonight!"
Meanwhile, inside the Malibu mansion.
Tony Stark sank into his swivel leather chair, leisurely swirling the remaining liquor in his glass.
After confronting his ultimate fate of snapping his fingers and earning the entire group's respect, New York's richest man put aside the frivolity in his eyes and solemnly sent a thank-you gift in the chat group.
[Ding! Group member "New York's Richest and Smartest" has gifted group owner "He Is Simply God" an exclusively customized item-[Miniature Arc Reactor (Fully Loaded)]!]
Chiba Prefecture, the top floor of Sobu High School's special building.
Soft morning light streamed through the bulletproof floor-to-ceiling windows onto the pure white marble floor.
Lin Xiao sank into a spacious custom leather sofa, while Ai Hayasaka stood beside him, her gaze lowered meekly as she poured him a steaming cup of black tea.
In an armchair diagonally across the coffee table, Ai Haibara wore a slightly oversized white lab coat and held a cup of unsweetened black coffee, a hefty German journal of cutting-edge research spread across her knees.
As the club's nominal "external researcher," she had long since grown accustomed to passing the time in this quiet corner, free from annoying detectives.