Midtown Manhattan, the top floor of Vought Tower.
In high heels, Simona silently pushed open the heavy rosewood doors, holding a tablet loaded with organized materials.
The moment she entered the office, she instinctively softened her steps.
Behind the desk, Lucian was not reviewing documents as usual. Instead, he stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows with his hands behind his back. His tall, straight figure was silhouetted against the daylight outside as he gazed up at the clear blue sky overhead, his eyes distant, his thoughts unknown.
Simona discreetly stopped three meters away without disturbing him.
A full minute passed before Lucian slowly withdrew his gaze and turned around.
"What is it?"
Simona immediately stepped forward and bowed her head slightly to report. "Boss, everything is ready at Times Square. The media outlets and the public trial jury are all in place. Today is Nick Fury's public trial. Do you... need to attend in person?"
Lucian walked over to the desk and sat down, his expression unruffled. "No. Just proceed according to the established procedure."
He picked up the coffee on the desk, which had already cooled slightly, and added casually, "Aside from wanting to see whether he'll grit his teeth and press that pager to call Carol Danvers when he truly faces death, Nick Fury no longer has any value worth my attention."
If he pressed it, that would provide a natural opportunity to draw Captain Marvel back to Earth and test the mettle of that Binary powerhouse. If he refused to press it even in death, he could simply accept the ending humanity had arranged for him.
"Oh, right." Lucian set down his cup and changed the subject. "How are the two sisters we brought back settling in?"
Simona's expression grew serious. "Things are relatively stable for now. They've