"Nick," Pierce said gravely to Nick Fury, "we need to show some results. At the very least, we need a team that looks decent."
Nick Fury's brow furrowed.
He looked somewhat conflicted.
Previously, the United States military and politicians hadn't known about people with supernatural abilities.
Back then, Nick Fury could indeed have presented the Avengers Initiative he had been preparing, along with his list of potential recruits.
After all, the Avengers were only a small team. Under his plan, they would have numbered somewhere between six and ten.
The military wouldn't have paid too much attention to a team like that.
After all, what could a handful of people accomplish?
By the time the team demonstrated its combat capabilities, its members would probably have finished learning to work together.
It wouldn't have been so easy for other factions to interfere then.
Besides, the other agencies lacked the ability to manage a supernatural team.
Ultimately, the Avengers Initiative would still have been carried out under Nick Fury's control.
But now, things were completely different.
Nick Fury wasn't at all certain whether the United States' Supernatural Response Team really had only just been established.
If he actually presented his plan, would the military or police poach those recruits outright?
After all, almost everyone on Nick Fury's shortlist was American.
Take Tony Stark, one of his key candidates, for example.
If he wanted to, he could become a highly influential political figure at any time. He could even run for president without any trouble.
"I'll think of something." Nick Fury offered that dry reply and left Pierce's office without explaining further.
What a shame, Pierce thought. Even this hadn't drawn out any of Nick Fury's hidden cards.
Nick Fury walked back toward his office.
He considered how to resolve S.H.I.E.L.D.'s predicament.
In