Talos's expression changed, and he tried to step forward.
Fury raised a hand to stop him.
He looked at Skye with great interest, a hint of appreciation in his eyes.
"Agent Skye."
"Your suspicions are well-founded. It shows Coulson taught you well. You learned to question authority."
"But you're too young."
Fury walked up to Skye, stopping less than half a meter away.
"The world doesn't run on 'trust.' It runs on 'leverage.'"
"I have leverage over the Skrulls, so I dare to use them."
"As for the Secret Warriors Program..."
Fury's eyes dimmed for a moment, but soon returned to their coldness.
"The Secret Warriors Program. Yes, I signed off on it."
"But I didn't sell them out."
"I was protecting them!"
"I gathered them together to provide them shelter, teach them to control their powers, and let them do their part to protect this world!"
"Just like Vought..."
"But later... Pierce used my authorization, without my knowledge, to transfer that batch of names. That was my failure. I admit it."
"But I never treated them as commodities!"
"I'm standing here now, turned into this miserable state, to settle that score."
Skye looked at Fury.
She could sense that this man's anger was genuine.
But she still could not let it go.
"That's your business," Skye said coldly. "Even if what you said is true, it doesn't change the fact that you screwed everything up."
"And the way you treat everything as a chess piece is disgusting."
"If that's how S.H.I.E.L.D. operates..."
Skye removed the S.H.I.E.L.D. badge from her chest.
"...then I quit."
She tossed the badge to the ground, where it rang out crisply. Then she turned to leave.
"Stop."
Fury's voice sounded behind her.
"What? Are you going to kill me to silence me?" Skye stopped, reaching