Chapter 9

Hearing that this so-called 'Director Fury' was going to meet her on the Intrepid himself didn't really get a reaction from Bismarck. Despite Agent Romanoff being surprised about it, and Steve also showing great interest in the personal meeting, she really did not see what the commotion was. Obviously, she knew SHIELD was interested in her, with a display like hers during the battle there wouldn't be a party on Earth not interested in her abilities.

Watching a vehicle convoy stop on the road leading to Intrepid, Bismarck saw a contingent of Agents in suits escorting an African American man. On closer inspection using her optics, it was 'Director Joseph', the same man she met some days ago in Steve's boxing club. Her hunch was correct after all, and she finally knew what his actual name was.

Moving to the bridge onto Intrepid's deck, Steve and Natasha (along with Intrepid) all went to wait for Fury to get on board. Intrepid was clueless at what was happening right now, but she appreciated her presence. The meeting may end up productive, or in bloodshed depending on how hard he pushed. Bismarck's top-no, only priority was to prevent any Kansen technology from falling into the wrong hands. This world has never seen the Sirens, and humanity did not need that technology whatsoever. And if she needed to scuttle herself to prevent that?

Then the ocean floor will have the hull of another Bismarck-class battleship.

He finally reached Intrepid's deck, where most visitors first entered. Bismarck spoke first before he was even off the ramp.

"Greetings, Director Joseph, or should I say, Director Fury?"

Negotiations weren't her favourite part of being head of Ironblood, but she couldn't deny that it gave her experience in dealing with these matters. Grimacing, the Director crossed both arms behind his back, as his escorts took up positions behind him, ready to engage if the meeting went sour.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Confidentiality is how SHIELD operates. But I'm sure you knew about that already."

It wasn't too big of a slight for Bismarck, aliases were how intelligence organizations often operated. She just had to set the tone of the meeting before it even began.

"I do not like to waste time. Am I correct to assume a flight deck is not appropriate for holding talks?"

He chuckled for a second, before looking over to where Intrepid's tower was. "You're right, we have a secure room prepared on Intrepid if you will follow me?"

Sitting in the former officer's meeting room of the Intrepid, were Fury, Bismarck and of course, Intrepid herself. Despite Steve's protests, she wanted to conduct the meeting 'alone', meaning that he couldn't be by her side. He meant well, but whatever Fury had to say was probably meant for her ears only. Besides, she wasn't someone who needed to be coddled.

"Well, you've been busy yesterday haven't you, Miss Schulz?"

Bismarck did not react, instead letting him continue on.

"An estimated two thousand rounds of ammunition of all types shot into the skies of Manhattan, along with several fifteen-inch shells shot into multiple 'Leviathan'...creatures. You're giving cleanup crews a damn hard time with all the bits and pieces of them by the way."

Opening a paper file he brought with him, he continued reading what Bismarck assumed to be an after-action report. "And if the Air Force was correct, two German Second World War floatplanes were also seen flying around Manhattan after the portal was closed. I suppose the fact that they were also planes that Bismarck historically carried was just a coincidence?"

Bismarck still didn't react, her face remaining impassive as she opened her mouth to speak. "I did…what I had to."

Fury sighed, before looking at her straight in the eye, with his remaining one obviously. "That you did…that you did…By the way, thanks for scaring Pierce off with that display in Stark Tower. It could have ended messily. So, now here we are, I think you know what I'm going to ask of you, Miss Schulz."

She had a really good guess, but Bismarck wanted to hear it from Fury himself before saying anything. "I assume you've heard of the Avengers by now?"

That was actually something she didn't know, so she shook her head lightly. "It's the group your…uncle is a part of. You've met most of them already, Agent Romanoff and Thor are both members of that group. And now, you're also in it."

Bismarck narrowed her eyes at him dangerously, she never agreed to anything like that in the first place. "I never-"

Wordlessly, Fury cut her off by tapping on a tablet, before turning it around for her to see. "This is a recording from two hours ago, we warned Stark to not jump the gun, but we don't really control him too well."

Looking at the tablet, it appeared to be a Stark Industries press conference, with a spokesperson that Bismarck didn't recognize apparently being asked questions in a very busy press room.

"I cannot comment on all the um, supposed members, but so far we can confirm that Mister Stark and Captain America are both part of this heroic team. The Battleship that was on the Hudson, who has chosen to call herself Bismarck, is also on this team. Currently, we know that she has moored herself next to Brooklyn-"

Fury leaned back, turning off the tablet as he did so. "As you can see, as far as the public is concerned, you're on the team as well."

Bismarck scoffed at his words. Herself? A hero? A so-called 'Avenger'? Someone like her being a hero was comical, and she had zero desire to join the group or parade herself around in public.

"Again, Director Fury, I never agreed to this. Whatever Tony Stark says, is not my concern. I find the notion that I am a 'hero', humorous at best, and a joke made in poor taste at worst."

Intrepid looked worried at Bismarck, her face was now showing a slight scowl as she spat the last words of her sentence out. Fury sighed, the meeting was not going well so far, and it was plainly clear to both participants.

"For someone who ain't a hero, you sure reacted quickly and decisively to the Chitauri showing up."

She didn't miss a beat in responding. "It was duty, nothing more."

"Nothing less either, Miss Schulz. You give yourself much less credit than you realize." Turning his tablet on again, Fury opened up a collection of articles for Bismarck to see, most in English, but some in German as well.

'Bismarck, Returned From The Depths?'

'The World War Two Super Battleship That Fought In The Hudson'

'Video Of The 'Bismarck' In Action, As Recorded By A German Tourist'

Though one article headline, in particular, caught her attention, 'Who is Bismarck? Nazi Warship Come Back To Life?'

"Read that one too, huh? People have easily made the connection, I mean, a lot of people very quickly did. Your form isn't exactly inconspicuous. Speaking of, there was also that stunt you pulled this morning next to Brooklyn. Imagine my surprise when I saw bright blue cubes shoot out from your body, and form into the battleship currently moored on the East River. Now, you also know this, but it looks suspiciously like a certain cube that caused this entire thing-"

"That 'Tesseract' and I have nothing-" Bismarck cut herself off before she gave him any more information, realizing her mistake. For the leader of the Ironblood to give in to her emotions…it appeared she was rustier than she thought.

Fury looked at her in contemplation, and it was Bismarck's turn to sigh loudly now. She revealed something that she did not mean to, and keeping up the lie was not going to work anymore. "There is only one true Bismarck in this world. And it is currently wrecked in the Atlantic Ocean. I am an anomaly, nothing more."

There was a Bismarck of the Kriegsmarine, and there was a Bismarck of the Ironblood. She knew very well who she was, the former was almost identical to her, but was ultimately a completely different 'Person'. Experiences make a person who they are as much as their circumstances at birth. It was odd, seeing herself in a history book, she saw much of it with a vague sense of Deja Vu, but it was also similar to reading the life of an entirely different person.

Fury decided to drop the topic of that particular tidbit for now, lest it sours the meeting completely. "Fine, but the world now knows there is a 'Bismarck'. And some interested parties, not entirely friendly, will be attempting to find you. SHIELD can help with that. If you want to go back to your simple life as a baker in Hamburg? Sure, why not? That's not my place to decide, but how long is it going to last?"

As long as it needs to.

"As long as I deem it to be. I believe this is where the meeting ends, Director Fury. For both our sakes, I hope we do not cross paths again."

Bismarck quickly stood up, standing to attention on instinct. Before she could reach the door handle heading out of the Officer's room, however, Fury had one last question for her.

"Before you leave, humour me. What is your 'duty' that made you reveal yourself?"

Bismarck's hand rested on the doorknob, as she remembered the reason why Kansen were made in the first place. It was a simple one, and she never forgot it even after all this time.

"To protect humanity."

Protecting humanity was the reason why all Kansen were built, in the tumultuous world she was from, that was their most important goal. No matter what happened between the various nations, ending the Siren threat was their raison d'être. And Bismarck would never know if her world ever managed to accomplish that task.

With a practiced motion, she threw her cape behind her and walked out of the room. A confused Intrepid following behind closely. As she left the room, Fury put a hand on his earpiece.

"All Agents stand down, let her go."

Bismarck picked up his words due to her enhanced hearing.

They couldn't even stop me if they tried.

AN:

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