Talos also knew that this was already the best option available.
He decided to stop pushing: "Wouldn't this make you sacrifice too much...?"
"It won't!" Carol showed a confident smile. "This isn't a difficult thing for me."
She clenched her fist. "After all these years, have you forgotten how I fight?"
"Of course not," Talos laughed as well.
Carol nodded, looking around. "Where's Nick? He's not with you—don't tell me he's at the Sword space station? Or that homeland security bureau or whatever it's called?"
"Well…" Talos hesitated slightly. "Nick has already been arrested by the United Nations."
"Arrested? What happened?" Carol frowned.
...
United Nations Headquarters.
At the Security Council meeting, the conference room was packed, with representatives from all countries in attendance.
Today, they were conducting a trial of Nick Fury.
Strictly speaking, this wasn't within the Security Council's responsibilities.
But both S.H.I.E.L.D. and S.W.O.R.D. were international organizations under the Security Council's jurisdiction.
And both had been led by Nick Fury.
Furthermore, both had encountered issues that threatened global security.
That's why this interrogation was being handled by the Security Council.
The hearing began.
Nick Fury sat at the center of the conference room.
His only company was the solid wooden chair beneath him.
Everyone else was seated in a circle several meters away from him.
Currently, the deputy director of the Avengers, Maria Hill, was handing out thick stacks of documentation to the representatives of various countries, one by one.
Hill had a close relationship with Fury—she was even one of his trusted aides.
But in truth, she had always been part of the Security Council.
Her appointment as deputy director of S.H.I.E.L.D. had been arranged by the Council.
And her current position as deputy director of the Avengers was the same.
"Honorable representatives, it's a privilege to be here today…"
Hill, dressed in a blazer and short skirt, stood at the podium and began listing Nick Fury's merits and demerits in a crisp tone.
When she mentioned that half the personnel within S.W.O.R.D. were actually Skrulls—Suddenly, the alloy doors of the conference room were violently flung open.
The doors slammed against the wall with a loud bang.
A blonde woman in a red and blue suit walked in.
Behind her, security guards shouted, "You can't go in! Representatives from all nations are in the middle of an important meeting!"
Two guards tried to stop her, raising their batons.
But with an arm not even half as thick as theirs, she gave them a gentle push—Thud!
The two were slammed against the wall, cried out in pain, and lost consciousness.
"Sorry, time's a bit tight, so I had to be rough. But they'll be fine."
She clapped her hands and stepped inside. "I have something to discuss with Nick Fury. I'll have to trouble you to postpone this meeting."
"What? Who are you?"
"Don't move! Security—get the rest of the security in here!"
Amidst the growing uproar, the woman walked up to Nick Fury.
"Am I dreaming Motherfucker! Carol? You're back already?"
Nick Fury was a little surprised, but his face lit up with joy at the reunion. "Looks like you've already seen Talos."
"That's right." Carol glanced at the surrounding representatives who had tried to block her earlier.
She reached out and lifted Nick Fury. "Let's talk somewhere else."
"Oh-ho, looks like you've made your own decision already?" Nick Fury exclaimed.
The two of them took off, flying out of the conference room at a moderate speed.
Before more security personnel could arrive, Carol had already taken Nick Fury and left the United Nations building.
They eventually arrived at a rundown apartment in the slums of Brooklyn.
"This is one of my hideouts. Haven't been here in a long time—it's a bit messy. Sit wherever."
The apartment was small, and the whole place could be seen from the doorway.
In the dozen or so square meters of space, there was a creaky bed, two chairs, and a round wooden table.
Nick Fury plopped down, and the chair groaned as if it could fall apart at any moment.
"You still stay in places like this?" Carol frowned, wiped the chair, and sat down as well.
"Having a place at all is already lucky. Honestly, after you pulled me out of that hearing, even this hideout might be gone soon."
Nick Fury rested his hands on his knees.
"Welcome back, Carol. It's been over ten years."
"It really has. When I left, I thought you'd use the pager to contact me again pretty soon."
Carol looked at her old friend, now bearing a hint of weariness.
She sighed slightly. "You've clearly been through a lot. You should've called me back sooner."
"Is that so? Just for a few trivial matters, it might not be worth it to call our Captain of the Galaxy back," Nick Fury smiled. "You've always been the nuclear button in my hand."
"But what I can do is more than just become a nuclear bomb," Carol smiled as well.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Nick said, "Talos should've already told you the reason I asked you to come back."
Carol nodded. "S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra, Superman… he told me everything."
"And the matter of the millions of Skrulls?" Nick asked.
"He mentioned that, too."
"You seem to have already decided to help them?"
"I can't let them keep wandering the universe like this, Nick."
"What are you planning to do?" Nick Fury leaned forward.
"It seems that Superman is currently the strongest being on Earth, and the nations of the world fear him?" Carol said meaningfully.
Nick Fury frowned. "Motherf—are you planning to fight him?"
Carol chuckled. "Not fight—just borrow him to show the nations a bit of strength. Besides, he's caused you quite a bit of trouble, hasn't he?"
"Don't you want me to help you get a little payback?" Carol shook her fist slightly. "As a friend, I'm more than willing to do something like this."
Nick Fury stared at Carol deeply. After a moment of silence, he shook his head.
"I did once hope that you could show Superman your strength, so he'd have something to worry about. But I never intended for you to make a move on him because of the Skrulls."
"What's the difference?"
"There's a very big difference," Nick emphasized. "Have you really thought this through? Are you sure you want to help the Skrulls stay?"
"I've thought it through!" Carol nodded firmly.
She tilted her head. "Don't worry. I know that once I leave, that Superman will be Earth's most reliable protector. I'll be careful with my approach—I won't go too hard on him. I've also got a plan for the Skrulls. Their problem will be resolved very soon."
Nick Fury nodded silently.
Captain Marvel's choice was different from what he had expected.
But clearly, he had no better option now.
"I used to really trust Talos," Nick Fury said as he stood up. "Because of our shared past—and because of you. But after learning he brought millions of Skrulls to Earth… My trust in him began to waver."
"My experience tells me we can't let them stay. I hope your decision is the right one. Now, take me back to United Nations Headquarters," Nick Fury said.
Carol frowned. "You're going back to face the hearing?"
"If I don't go back, then I really will become a fugitive."
Nick Fury grinned, revealing a neat row of white teeth. Combined with the eyepatch on his face, he looked like a badass villain of a children's comic book. He was just so happy after seeing his old friend.
"Besides, I can also help clean up the consequences of you abducting a high-profile detainee. You don't want to end up on the wanted list, do you?"
Carol thought for a moment. "Alright, I'll let them know who I am before I release you."
"Then I'll be looking forward to it," Nick Fury said without the slightest doubt in Captain Marvel's abilities.
After sending Fury back to United Nations Headquarters, Carol, following the intel Fury had given her, flew toward a luxury apartment building in Brooklyn.
Photon energy began to radiate around her, and her gaze turned sharp.
______
Read ahead of WN at Patreon.com/LiveLifeLove