Disclaimer: I don't own anything
In a deserted alley, Vers examined the Skrull stone using a device on her sleeve which showed images of Lawson, then the word PEGASUS, images of the woman from her dreams, and a bar called Pancho's. Unfortunately, the stone short-circuited rendering it useless.
Everyone knew the images were in some way important. However, the image of the Pegasus struck a chord with the original Avengers.
PROJECT PEGASUS!
The very project involved studying and later weaponizing the Tesseract. The very project that drew Loki to earth and launched the Chitauri Invasion in New York (or as many people referred to it, the Incident). The very project that led to so much death and destruction. And the very project that led to the Avengers forming in the first place.
It had been terminated thanks to Thor bringing the Tesseract to Asgard.
But it had been in the works for many years, since at least WW2. Which begged the question: how did it factor into this? How was it related to Vers and Lawson?
Then again, it was entirely possible it had nothing to do with what was going on. Still, they couldn't discard the possibility.
Natasha shot a sideways glance at Fury. If something did happen, she wouldn't put it past Nick to keep it a secret.
At an internet café, Vers looked up PEGASUS and Pancho's Bar using Alta Vista Search. Due to utilizing more advanced technology on Hala, Vers typed slowly and awkwardly and clicked the mouse in a similar manner.
"Ah, Alta Vista," Tony smiled. "Back when the internet was just getting started."
"And when it was much simpler," Fury grunted. "These days its all TikTok, Youtube, and social media. Not to mention anyone can put anything on it, even stuff that's not true."
"Really?" Steve questioned.
The internet wasn't that complicated. It helped him catch up on a lot of stuff he missed out while on ice. That said, he had handled technology similar to what Vers was doing since he wasn't used to it.
"Yes," was Fury's only answer before returning to the screen.
She had no luck with the first search but more with the second. Locating Pancho's Bar, the computer disconnected.
"That's not an issue at most internet cafes nowadays," Peter pointed out. "I mean it does still happen, just not as often."
"Thank God!" Scott exclaimed.
Frustrated Vers began unfolding a map which turned out to be much bigger than she anticipated. Standing outside the café Vers held the large map out and studied it (which was incredibly hard).
"I see she's searching the old-fashioned way," Rhodey mused. "Nice."
"I used to do that all the time," Steve revealed. "Very useful skill to have."
A biker came by and commented on her outfit, but Vers ignored him. When the biker asked her to lighten up and smile for him Vers continued reading the map, unfazed or flattered by his attempts at flirting. Realizing he was getting nowhere with her, the biker called her a freak and stormed inside the café.
"Prick," Monica muttered under her breath.
Seeing her chance, Vers stole several civilian clothes outside and then the man's bike and drove off, all the while nearly crashing into a car and causing an accident.
"Okay, I know the guy was rude but that's just stealing," Sam stated.
"She also could have caused an accident with the way she was driving," Vision added. "If she continues to act recklessly, she will eventually be pulled over by a police officer for questioning. And unlike the owner, I doubt she has a license."
Fury's eyes widened. He hadn't considered that back then. He wondered how Carol managed to actually avoid it. Perhaps she quickly improved, or it was just dumb luck.
"To be fair, she's racing against the clock to get ahead of a dangerous enemy," Clint reasoned. "Besides, it's not like she can fly there."
Fury and Monica remained silent. Better to leave some surprises for later.
"For an advanced species, she seems to be handling that motorcycle well," Wanda mused.
At the SHIELD base Fury was nursing ice over his eye while observing an alien autopsy alongside his boss Keller.
"Isn't that your predecessor?" Natasha asked. "Director Keller?"
Fury nodded.
"Did he know Pearse and some of the others?" Steve asked.
"He did," Fury admitted. "Keller wasn't Hydra if that's what you're thinking. I checked."
The doctor explained that all life on earth was carbon-based, but the figure on the table didn't match any element on the periodic table. Fury surmised it as he wasn't from "around here", which the doctor confirmed before asking about his eye. Fury said it couldn't believe what it was seeing.
"Really?" Peter asked.
"Really kid," Fury confirmed. "I'd seen a lot of messed up things to that point. But those things would have been considered realistic. Aliens, on the other hand, they were something else. Because nothing could have prepared me for them, or anyone for that matter. I know they're normal now but back then they weren't so." He shot a glance at Thor. "Thor, I know you and your folks defended Earth before but that was a millennia ago. By this point, you were just myths."
"No apologies necessary Fury," Thor assured. "We Asgardians live much longer than mortals. And from my first friends on Earth, I've learned that you only believe something when evidence is provided."
He stopped after that. Jane, Erik, and Darcy had taught him much and helped him to become a better person. However, he avoided thinking about them as much as possible. After his and Jane's split was painful, and still was. At the very least, he hoped she had moved on.
Keller inquired about the Skrull's abilities and Fury's conversation with Vers. Fury reasoned that finding her could give them some answers and how to deal with the Skrulls, bringing up a lead on her location. Keller agreed on the condition that Fury go alone as they didn't know who they could trust right now.
"That is a very dangerous tactic," Thor warned. "I understand why, but the Skrulls and Vers are much stronger than a normal human. Dealing with them would not be easy."
"It wasn't," Fury agreed. "I didn't think I was in any danger from her though. And at the time, I didn't have any other leads to follow."
Exchanging an odd glance, Fury picked up the sheet covering the Skrull's lower section and peeked. Whatever they saw, it was enough to end all conversation and make Fury leave.
"Um, do we even want to know?" Monica asked nervously.
"Probably not," Fury murmured.
"Are Skrull genitals similar or different to human ones?" Vision innocently asked.
That set off a chorus of groans and outbursts.
"Viz you, you don't just ask about something like that," Wanda said alarmed.
"Why not?" he continues. "It seems like a logical question. They are a different species with different biology, physiology, and reproduction methods. It could be similar to the human version, and even incorporate some of the same methods."
"Okay enough," Wanda stopped him desperate to move away from this conversation. "None of us want to talk about alien sex or private parts! Let's get back to the movie!"
Everyone hastily agreed with her. Vision on the other hand was still confused as to what the problem was. Reproduction was a natural part of life for humans and animals. Why was it a big deal if it was an alien? They all had what was referred to as "the Talk", had they not? What was the big deal if it was about extra-terrestrial beings instead?
Humans were so confusing.
Keller commented on the ugliness of the Skrulls, to which the doctor snidely remarked they weren't Brad Pitt, which in fairness was true.
"Or me," Tony added vainly.
Privately revealing himself as Talos, he knelt by his fallen ally and wished him onto the Skrull version of the afterlife while promising that he would fulfil their goal. As he left, he made sure to order the doctor to keep everyone out.
"Shit!" Sam, Scott, Tony, Rhodey, and Clint all shouted in unison.
"How did he know to go after Keller?" Natasha asked before widening her eyes. "Wait, what happened to the real Keller?"
That ushered in a wave of silence from everyone. As usual, Fury was the first to break it.
"Relax. He's not dead," he informed them, much to their relief. "As for how they found out, I don't know. He was at Blockbuster with us, so maybe that's when it happened."
"I wish I could say I was surprised but this is exactly the sort of strategy the Skrulls would employ. Look for the highest ranked members with authority and replace them which in turn puts them in a position of power while everyone is none the wiser," Thor explained. "They tried before."
That explanation was chilling. They could replace any person they wanted, act like them, alongside their friends and family. All the while they don't know what they're missing.
Even though Fury and Monica were friends with Talos and his family, what the Skrulls could do overall was terrifying. Talos and Soren had even specifically warned them that there were Skrulls with fewer morals who would do this without hesitation. They even provided them with tech to counter it should a situation ever arise.
On the road, Vers rose the motorcycle with ease only stopping when she finally arrived at Pancho's Bar.
"That went surprisingly well," Sam commented. "Maybe because there was no traffic."
Upon entering the bar, she was hit with several illusions of events she'd vaguely seen from the machine. Her playing Street Fighter on an arcade machine, her and the pilot from her dream sharing a drink, and then the two of them singing karaoke together happily. The illusions made Vers feel conflicted, not just because of how real they felt, but partly because she wanted them to be real.
Monica gazed sadly at her aunt. Not having memories of her past, while knowing something definitely happened, couldn't have been easy. It made reconciling the one she knew as a child, and the one she met as Vers much easier to reconcile.
Steve continued to sympathise with Vers. He wondered if Bucky had experienced anything similar after he broke away from Hydra.
"Woah, Street Fighter classic edition," Peter exclaimed. "You don't see too many of them in arcades nowadays."
"Those were some of the first video games made, right?" Steve asked.
Peter nodded. "There were others like Pac-Man, Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pokemon, and Final Fantasy. Though most of them have been modernized now with new releases coming out. I hear there are supposed to be some movies coming out, both animated and live-action. Really looking forward to them."
Steve blinked. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to check some of them out later (and perhaps play them).
Looking around, Vers discovered a photo of a jet with the PEGASUS symbol and an ID attached to it.
The Avengers became alert at the photo. The symbol was similar to the ones seen in the files.
She questioned the owner on where the photo was taken and PEGASUS only to be interrupted by Fury who claimed it was classified, much like the profile he started on her.
"How did you get there so quickly?" Peter exclaimed. "And know where to meet her? Even Vers didn't know."
"I have my methods," was Fury's only answer.
Fury commented on her outfit, who (seeing his dishevelled appearance) sarcastically asked if his day was rough.
"That's an understatement," Wanda deadpanned.
"Agreed," T'Challa followed.
Fury brushed it off by listing everything that happened like it was nothing, a typical agent's day, only it wasn't.
"Back then it wasn't," Fury explained. "Nowadays, it is."
He didn't say it, but there were times when he missed how simple those days had been. Days when they didn't have to worry about superpowers or alien invasions. Not that he regretted it or anything because he didn't. Still, there were moments.
Vers was surprised to learn he'd seen a Skrull. At that point Fury's demeanour dropped as he admitted while had never believed in aliens, it was impossible to deny what he saw.
No one commented. Spy or not, Fury's reaction was perfectly normal.
Vers began to question him, making Fury realize she thought he was a Skrull which she admitted under the guise that she could not be too careful. Considering what his job involved, Fury understood.
"A wise decision," Thor agreed.
Given their own covert operations, Clint and Natasha felt the same.
He informed Vers he was in fact a red-blooded human, though she said she'd need more than that. Fury asked if it was a cheek swab or urine sample to which Vers denied since the DNA would match.
"That would make identifying them very hard," Tony realized. "Hey, Point Break, you stopped them once, didn't you? Is there any tech that could separate Skrull DNA from sequenced DNA?"
"I'm afraid not," Thor admitted. "Or rather, none that I know of. As I told you, my mother and Loki identified them using magic."
Vers informed him that Skrulls could only acquire recent memories of their host bodies, not deeper and longer ones. Fury smirked cheekily as he stated she wanted to get personal.
"Wow, were you really like this?" Tony asked.
"Like what Stark?" Fury raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know happy," Tony said.
"Friendly," Clint said.
"Approachable," Steve said.
"Sense of humour," Thor said.
"Honest," Sam added.
"And a cat lover," Natasha added. "As opposed to you know, someone whose…"
"Cynical," Clint said.
"Cold and tactical," Thor said.
"Secretive," Steve said.
"Intimidating," Sam said.
"Extremely paranoid," Natasha said.
"And bald," Tony added.
Here one insult after another did nothing to Fury…except the last one.
"Okay, what do you have against me being bald Stark?" he demanded.
"Yeah, I think it makes him look more intimidating," Monica supported.
"It kinda does," Peter agreed.
Goose meowed in support.
"Thank you!" Fury exclaimed. "See! Some people get it."
"We're just saying the Nick Fury on that screen, is very different to the one we've all gotten to know," Steve clarified.
Fury sighed and gave them all a forlorn look. "I was young back then, and as shocking as this sounds, a hell of a lot more innocent." That earned him some surprised looks. "Time changes people. Experience changes people. As you all know."
There was a heavy silence between them. He wasn't wrong.
Sitting down Vers began to interview him.
She asked where he was born. Fury answered Huntsville Alabama though he couldn't remember that part.
"No one would," Scott said. "It'd be weird if you did."
She asked the name of his first pet. Fury answered Mr Snoofers, much to Vers' surprise. He asked if he's passed but Vers denied it.
Several people chuckled. Definitely not the Nick Fury they knew. Before anyone could make a remark about the name Peter beat them to it.
"That sounds adorable," Peter beamed. "Was he a cat like Goose?"
Fury blinked. There was something off about the kid. A type of innocence, warmth, and light emanating from him. He couldn't put his finger on it.
Whatever it was, it made him give an honest answer.
"Yes, he was," he said.
"What kind?" Peter pressed. "Bobtail? Wirehair? Curl?"
Fury and Tony were a little taken back on the kid's knowledge of cats. Still, his enthusiasm caused Fury to flash a genuine smile.
"Black and white Shorthair actually," he clarified. "Good for keeping rodents away. Loved being petted and doted on. Honestly, it made me believe cats were man's true best friend than dogs."
"I feel the same," Peter agreed. "They're good companions to have. I'd have one myself, but my aunt and I live in an apartment."
"Then get one when you're living alone," Fury suggested. "They'll be nothing to stop you. One warning, pets are a lot of responsibility."
Goose had been a major responsibility after she'd been left in his custody, but he followed a guide left by Mar-Vell (yes, she left one in the event something happened to her) and it allowed him to care for Goose without any incident.
"I don't care," Peter declared. "I'll do it."
"Good luck then kid," Fury wished. 'Seriously though, who are you?'
She asked him about his first job. Fury said he was a soldier out of high school before later becoming a spy. Vers asked where. Fury answered because it was the Cold War it was everywhere: Belfast, Bucharest, Belgrave, Budapest, etc.
Natasha shuddered at the name Budapest. While her conflict with Antonia and her father had been resolved it was still a horrific experience.
She asked about his current position. Fury answered that he'd been working a desk job for several years now trying to figure out where their future enemies would be coming from. However, he admitted that he never imagined any of them being from outer space.
"I doubt anyone would," T'Challa supported. "Movies are one thing, but real life is another."
She asked for a detail so bizarre that a Skrull could never copy it. Fury gave a moment's thought before sighing in annoyance. He admitted that he couldn't eat toast if it was cut diagonally.
There was a very brief tense silence between the heroes. Then they burst out laughing, causing Fury to groan.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Fury complained. "You all have your weird habits, and I have mine."
Thankfully (sort of) everyone was content to just laugh and not press him for an explanation.
Vers sat there smiling at him, causing him to realize she didn't need that. Vers agreed although she admitted to finding it amusing.
"S-S-S-So d-d-id-d w-e-e-e-e-e," Scott spluttered.
Fury asked for proof that she was not a Skrull. In response, Vers fired off energy from her hand and destroyed a nearby jukebox. Fury asked how this was proof. Vers said it was a Photon Blast and that a Skrull couldn't copy it. With no other way to confirm it, Fury reluctantly accepted her answer.
"And you just believed her?" Steve asked in disbelief.
"Didn't have much of a choice," Fury responded gruffly.
Now knowing Fury's history and skillset she deduced he had the Terran form of high-level security clearance. From this, she enquired as to where PEGASUS was.
The scene shifted to Fury driving Vers to PEGASUS. Fury gave a brief synopsis of the Skrulls (the bad guys) and the Kree (the heroes).
"That's debatable," Thor muttered.
The Kree were multiple things, but heroes, well, he wouldn't go that far. Maybe to their own people, but their long controversial history prevented other races from seeing them as that (save naïve ones who knew nothing of them).
But Vers lived with them as an amnesiac for years so he couldn't fault her for viewing them that way.
Fury asked why the Skrulls wanted Lawson, leading to Vers explaining about the Lightspeed engine. Fury admitted that wasn't the craziest thing he'd heard that day only for Vers to remind him it was still the morning.
"Ugh," Fury groaned. "I really had no idea."
"I bet," Monica murmured sombrely as she recalled the day her aunt came home.
"No one ever does," Steve muttered thinking how he jumped from one century to another, leaving so many he knew behind.
"The unexpected is a rather fortunate and unfortunate part of reality," T'Challa added.
Fury asked Vers about what she wanted from all this. While it was evident, she wanted to defeat the Skrulls, Fury could tell from his own experiences that she was a rogue soldier and that all of this was personal to her. Vers gave no answer but simply looked on in contemplation. While there was more to it than that, she knew Fury wasn't far off the mark.
In all fairness to him, Fury had no idea about the identity crisis Carol was undergoing at the time. It's not like he could have addressed it without knowing.
Steve could relate to a degree. While the war for him had overall been a war, his feud with Hydra and Red Skull was quite personal. Their resurgence only made it worse, especially what they did to his best friend.
Natasha could also relate. Her fight against the Red Room and Dreykov was mostly personal, though it did contain a sense of justice and atonement for all the lives that had been taken, and all the lives of those young girls they had destroyed.
Arriving at the PEGASUS base, Fury gave his full name, Nickolas Joseph Fury, and his occupation.
Vers was surprised at his name, though he admitted that everyone called him Fury, and then listed off what not to call him, even Nick. Just Fury.
"Maria calls you Nick," Natasha pointed out.
"And Mom," Monica added.
"Nat did it once when you were dead," Steve continued. "And I called you Nick before you died."
"Okay, why are you all saying he died?" Peter asked disturbed. "Did someone resurrect him with magic or some new science procedure?"
"It's a long story kid," Sam said. "If we're still around after this maybe we'll tell you."
"Nearly thirty years ago," Fury reminded. "And there are exceptions. Although Rogers, when you came to see me, I'd been shot a bunch of times, so I maybe didn't care at the time."
Peter, Scott, and Wanda gave him some very disturbed glances. What the hell happened on this team when they weren't here?
Amused, Vers asked about his mother. He answered Fury. She asked what he called her. He repeated Fury. Vers then asked about his kids to which replied, if he ever had any he would have them call him Fury.
"Really?" Monica asked.
"Really," Fury repeated.
"Do you even have kids?" Clint asked.
"No," Fury denied. "I do not."
After driving for some amount of time, the duo finally arrived at a military base through a tunnel.
PROJECT PEGASUS
JOINT NASA USAF FACILITY
The original Avenger's eyes narrowed. Was this where the Tesseract was being kept?
Upon arriving, Fury called Vers out on her appearance and provided her with a cap with the SHIELD logo on it.
Vers remarked that revealing their identity did not work well with the covert aspect of Fury's job. Fury retorted by reminding her of her own outfit when they met, causing Vers to look offended. He ordered her to get rid of the flannel so Vers through it in the car.
"Considering how subtle she's been about her mission, he's not wrong," Scott said sarcastically.
"It's actually a miracle the local law enforcement didn't find her," Sam admitted.
"Her behaviour is quite reasonable if you think about it. I believe the term you people would use is 'A Fish Out of Water'," Thor reasoned. "I was the same when I first arrived on Midgar, though I eventually grew out of it."
They stared down at the cog pit and the various jets being prepared.
T'Challa gazed at the scene with interest. He remembered seeing planes like that in American movies he watched as a child, but never in person. Shuri would love it.
Peter and Wanda felt something similar having only watched them onscreen as children.
Tony remembered working on jets like these when he was younger. Weapon design or not, they were fun to work on.
Sam smiled at the familiar sight of jets. He may have been Falcon now but flying in one of those things for the first time felt amazing.
Rhodey in particular was happy to see the aircraft. It brought back memories of his time in the US Airforce. Not that he didn't like being War Machine, but he still loved the feel of a good old jet (even if he couldn't fly one anymore).
They were then approached by soldiers to inquire as to why they were there. Fury explained they were SHIELD agents looking for Lawson. It aroused a look of concern from the head honcho.
"They know something," Wanda muttered.
"More like they're hiding something," T'Challa reasoned.
The soldiers brought them to a room to wait. Both of them appeared extremely bored at waiting. Fury asked if Vers had ever heard the term Welcome Wagon which she hadn't, and he said this wasn't it.
"Obviously," Tony deadpanned.
Fury tried to open the door; however, it didn't recognise him because his access was not high enough.
"Could the Director of SHIELD get through?" Scott asked.
"Back then, don't know. Later, yes. Nowadays, no," Fury listed off much to everyone's confusion. "Following the Hydra Incident, SHIELD was disavowed."
He left out the part where SHIELD was operating from the shadows under a resurrected ally. Things were complicated enough as they were without him adding to it.
Fury took out his pager and started messaging someone, who he claimed was his mother, though in actuality it was (who believed to be) his boss and informed him he was with Vers.
"Did you just send them your location?" Fury nodded. "Why would you?"
"Standard procedure," he said plainly. "When dealing with an unknown variable like her, calling in for backup was mandatory. Although we were cooperating, I didn't trust her. She could have been an enemy playing innocent for all I knew. As such, it was necessary to take precautions."
Natasha and Clint understood. In this job, this would have been a normal safety procedure.
Looking around the room Vers found where they needed to go, Records. Fury took out his wallet and using a classic agent trick he used tape to get the fingerprint of the soldier who examined it earlier and opens the door.
Fury beamed with pride (the kind a small child would have when they did something right for the first time) while Vers was (genuinely) impressed. Fury just told her she should see what he could do with a paperclip.
"Just like the movies," T'Challa murmured.
"Oh man, that was so awesome," Peter exclaimed. "I'm guessing you meant to pick a lock. What other spy tricks can you do? Are they the kind you'd see in most spy franchises?"
"That and other stuff," Fury replied smoothly. "Not everything is in the movies or TV, but a lot of them are yes."
"So cool," Peter murmured.
The Avengers raised an eyebrow. This was one excited kid. Seriously though, who was he?
He seemed familiar, but they couldn't think of where they had met him (save Tony).
Making their way downstairs, the duo encountered an orange cat, whom Vers vaguely recognized. Fury immediately started doting on the cat and in the process learned its name, Goose.
Everyone raised an eyebrow. That cat was identical to the one in the room. There's no way they could be the same though. A cat couldn't live up to thirty years.
"Wow, Goose. She really looks like you," Peter whispered as he pets the flerken.
Goose, for her part, showed no reaction to her onscreen self. She was content to sit and be doted upon.
Vers interrupted him after finding the room, though Fury promised the cat he would return.
As he prepared to use the fingerprint, Vers blasted the handle off.
"A door with scorch marks and a blown-off handle is bound to attract someone's attention," Scott stated, his years as a thief kicking in. "I know she's a fish out of the water, but if she doesn't start trying to be subtle it's going to come back and bite her in the ass hard."
Fury and Monica rolled their eyes. While they did agree, subtlety had never been Carol's strong suit.
When he asked (sounding very offended mind you) why she didn't do that before, Vers' only response was that she didn't want to steal his thunder.
"Logical," Vision agreed. "Though it could have been a case of her simply wanting to see what you could do, testing your abilities so to speak, rather than insulting you. She was content to follow but rushed towards the end."
Fury raised an eyebrow. He hadn't thought of it like that before.
Upon entering, the lights flicked on one after another.
Making their way through, Vers finally came across Lawson's name and records.
"Finally," Rhodey muttered. "Time for some answers."
Scanning through them, Vers discovered Lawson's plan for the Lightspeed engine, but was confused as to why the project was terminated.
"Lack of budget or support," Sam suggested.
The idea in general sounded like something out of Star Wars, or in other words, crazy (at the time).
Fury held up a notebook with weird writing to say she was crazy. However, Vers recognized the writing as Kree glyphs, causing her to realize that Wendy Lawson was Kree not human.
"What?!" Thor exclaimed. "Kree!"
How was this possible? Heimdall would have noticed a Kree appearing Midgar. Like the Skrulls, Asgard kept an eye on the Kree in case they got up to anything.
"So the person Vers admires most…is a Kree?" Wanda said uncertainly.
"Apparently," Rhodey said softly. "But, if that's true, why didn't Yon-Rogg mention her?"
"Perhaps he was unaware of her existence," Thor suggested.
Even as the words left his mouth, something felt wrong…very wrong. Why would the Kree develop lightspeed technology on Midgar and not Hala? Surely, they must have had better resources.
When he considered what Midgar had, and Hala did not, only one thing came to mind. However, until he knew more about what was going on he couldn't make a decision.
He wasn't the only one. Everyone else (bar three) was confused by what they saw. Something was definitely off, of that, they were all certain. What though? Only time would tell.
Fury revealed Lawson was dead, much to Vers' shock.
"What?" Thor exclaimed. "Dead?!"
"But the Skrulls are looking for her," Scott argued. "So, she has to be alive, right?"
"Don't be so sure," Natasha warned. "Things are never that simple."
While it was possible Lawson could have been alive, the odds were slim. Natasha was wary of the other Kree. She hadn't trusted them from the start (blame spy life for that one) but with the way things were moving, it was getting worse. She wouldn't have been surprised if they were involved in her death.
He then went on to explain that Lawson and another pilot died in an unauthorised test flight. The reason the soldiers were acting the way they did earlier was that they were covering up a billion-dollar mistake.
"That…actually makes sense," Rhodey admitted. "If something that worth that much both in price and performance value was lost on the whim of one employee, it makes sense as to why they would try and hide it.
He also showed her a pictured of the ruined jet and lightspeed engine. It had been destroyed.
"Isn't that the same as?" Peter began his voice sounding a little freaked out.
"It looks like it," T'Challa agreed, keeping his voice much calmer (inwardly befuddled).
Vers asked when the crash took place to which Fury said six years ago. This was the exact same time that Vers arrived on Hala.
The mood of the room instantly plummeted.
The Avengers stared at the screen with a mixture of shock and dawning realization.
Looking through the photos, Vers began to notice similarities between her dreams/memories.
"Okay, I think we can all agree that this is too much to be called a coincidence anymore," Sam declared.
He studied Vers expressions. What seemed like dreams and repressed memories were now beginning to resemble a form of PTSD.
"No kidding," Steve murmured softly.
They were all disturbed by what they were seeing. Just what happened to Vers? Or was that even her real name?
Unnerved, Vers asked who the pilot was, but Fury didn't know. he did mention a statement was given by the last person who saw them that day, Maria Rambeau, who was identical to the woman in Vers dreams.
Despite the atmosphere, Monica eyed the screen with curiosity. She had only seen a couple of photos of her days in the Air Force, most with aunty Carol, but there were one or two colleagues present. She'd been lucky enough to get a picture of her father as well since she couldn't get to know him now.
"Finally, a name," Tony whispered.
Fury's pager began to vibrate, signalling his colleague's arrival.
"Let me guess. This is where all hell breaks loose," Steve assumed.
It might have been Fury's teammates, but it was also Talos and the Skrulls.
"Not right here, but pretty soon," Fury clarified as memories of the skirmish resurfaced.
Fury asked if Vers was alright. She lied and said she was. However, internally she was freaking out because of what this was turning into more than what she bargained for.
Fury felt a little bit guilty. He should have noticed such an obvious lie because even if Carol said it, her facial expression and body movements told another story.
Monica stared sadly at her aunt. This scene alone added a different set of contexts where she brought her stuff and all the family photos she had. All the things that must have been going through her head at that time.
Once again, Steve sympathised with Vers. She truly was the same as Bucky.
Fury left to meet with his boss while Vers kept going through the files. Eventually, she stumbled on a photo of Lawson and Maria, much to her shock. However, nothing could prepare her for what she saw in the background. And an image of her as a pilot, wearing the exact same uniform from her dreams.
While they had already known Vers was from earth, this scene got rid of any remaining doubts as shown for a fact that Vers was human, or at least had been.
It did bring up several new questions.
Why did the Kree take her?
How did she get her powers?
Thor was the most confused. He knew exactly what the Kree thought of Mortals. Yet here was proof they had abducted one.
Flashes from her dreams resurfaced as she recalled the crash. She also remembered Lawson's words about how it was not about fighting wars but ending them.
That resonated with a lot of them, particularly those who had been involved with war before.
People could fight for as much as they wanted in a war, but it would just be more violence, blood, destruction, and death. It was better to end them altogether, otherwise, there would never be peace.
They had learned a lot these past few viewings. But with what they had learnt came more and more questions.
Lawson was a person who caught Thor's attention. The revelation of her being Kree was one thing, but her beliefs, they weren't anything like the Kree he knew. Perhaps she was different? It was too soon to say though.
"Fury," Natasha said softly. "I know we'll probably find out eventually but, Dr Lawson, is she dead?"
Fury sighed while Goose rested her head against Peter's stomach. "Yes, she is. It was in the crash, but I don't know much more than that. The things we've seen in this movie so far are from her perspective, and occasionally mine or Talos. A lot of it I have heard about but never saw. Watching it has provided more insight than I would've imagined."
There was a momentary silence as everyone considered his words. It was broken after a minute by the youngest.
"How much more is there then?" Peter asked curiously but uncomfortably.
Fury exhaled deeply. "A lot kid. A hell of a lot more!"
Hi there! Well, what did you think of that? Bet you weren't expecting another chapter so soon. The next one will be shorter as it concludes the PEGASUS section of the movie.
If you are wondering why Fury doesn't just reveal everything it's because he knows everything will be revealed soon. That, and there are things about it he doesn't know since he was not present for every event and cannot read minds.
Also, if you are wondering why Peter doesn't tell anyone he's Spider-Man, it's because he wants to keep his identity a secret. Also because it distracts from the movie.
Hope you enjoyed reading this!