On the other side of the window, Malrick watched Captain America as Coulson debriefed him.
"I said it's better to lay everything out than dress up era-specific scenes," Malrick remarked. "Look how quickly he's accepting it—yet you can see he's one step from falling apart."
Tony observed Steve's pupil tremble and felt a tug of recognition—he'd seen that look in himself back in the Afghan cave: the grief of being separated from everything he loved. Seeing Steve wasn't a flawless legend anymore but a human weighed with regret—especially about Peggy Carter.
"Tony," Malrick said softly, "every kid knows that dance was a century of regret… but Peggy is gone, even has dementia now. His chance is gone."
He then mentioned the alternate-universe Steve who stayed past the Blip to live with Carter, only showing again in 2023 to hand over the Captain America mantle to Sam and Bucky. Tony's expression darkened.
"Carter remarried? A secret union with someone classified?" Malrick asked, his super-hearing confirming Tony's vague half-memory.
The idea sparked in Malrick's mind—no jealousy, just a touch of mischief. He turned to Tony: "Are you sure about recruiting him?"
Tony didn't hesitate: "Avengers need an active symbol. Rogers provides that."
Malrick replied, "Superman might fit—but he won't join. Because you only act when Earth's crisis is dire, you need Rogers in the day-to-day."
"And Bucky?" Malrick asked. "You going to hide the truth from Steve?"
Tony's eyes flickered. "No. I'll tell him, face-to-face, but gently."
Malrick chuckled and handed Tony a bottle of Zeus Spring Water as he headed for the door. "Here—decide when to use it."
Tony fingered the jade bottle, its cool touch sending a shiver of purpose through him. He believed Malrick meant it as compensation—yet also trickery with kindness.
With renewed resolve, Tony approached the room beyond the glass. He pushed the door open.
"Soldier Steve Rogers, you have an appointment, I believe?"
Meanwhile, on Earth: The Skrull Exodus
Nick Fury's warning to Talos had limited impact. While many Skrulls in shelters evacuated, the majority embedded themselves—some replaced high-ranking officials, others took normal jobs. They'd grown accustomed to life on Earth; giving it up meant leaving stability behind.
They believed their disguises were secure—even to genetic test—and scoffed at the Men in Black as incompetent clowns.
That confidence shattered when identification devices began deployment globally: black conical towers, three meters tall, emitting interference radiation across ten kilometers. Skrull disguises flickered—shifting between human and green-skinned forms.
The fallout was extraordinary:
In the White House, a cleaning staff member was revealed as a Skrull
Buckingham Palace found one among the Queen's attendants
New Delhi's governor exposed
Streets flooded with green-faced figures in broad daylight
Martial law was declared worldwide. The Men in Black mobilized. Avengers, led by the newly awakened Steve Rogers, joined the hunt.
For the first time, Skrulls felt fear. Status meant nothing once identities were exposed.
By nightfall, thousands of ships lifted off toward space. In just one day, millions of Skrulls evacuated Earth—leaving behind a planet forever altered.
--- Discover more novels at novel•fire.net