DC: Becoming Doomsday in Marvel Universe

"I should make something clear. Right now, we can't fully trust you, so we've made some necessary preparations." Nick Fury was a seasoned veteran. Since Rook had already spotted the hidden agents, Fury saw no point in pretending. He came clean.

Rook smiled and pressed further. "You mean like how you were observing me nearby the whole time, made Coulson take me on that pointless detour, and set up all those traps along the way?"

"So you noticed all that?" Fury raised his brows but didn't seem embarrassed. Instead, he laughed. "Looks like you've got some experience in this line of work too."

That was a probe. Fury was testing him, trying to figure out whether Rook was some kind of agent himself, perhaps even an alien operative sent here with a purpose.

"Didn't you already question those three soldiers? You must've heard what I told them. I said my homeworld was destroyed — that's why I drifted here to Earth." Rook spoke openly, repeating the cover story he'd given Tony and the soldiers.

Fury nodded. The soldiers had indeed reported that.

But that wasn't enough.

"So how do I know you didn't come here with some hidden agenda? You should understand that Earth's technology hasn't advanced enough to explore deep space. You could name any planet you want, and we wouldn't even know where to start looking. How am I supposed to believe your story?" Fury's tone turned sharp, seizing the opportunity to press his doubts.

Rook just grinned and spread his arms. His confidence was almost cocky. "The fact that I'm sitting here talking to you peacefully shows my sincerity. If you don't believe me, go ahead. Tell everyone you've got out there to come at me all at once. See if they can even scratch me."

Fury felt a headache coming on. He'd seen his fair share of hot-headed types, but this one? This was on another level. From the looks of him, Rook couldn't have been more than twenty or twenty-two.

No one knew the truth. Rook had been sleeping at the heart of the sun for a hundred thousand years. The combined age of everyone in that room didn't even come close to a fraction of his.

Maybe only Odin, the All-Father of Asgard, could rival him in years. Maybe.

"Alright, let's all sit down and talk this through." Coulson stepped in to ease the tension.

Rook liked Coulson well enough. On the surface, Coulson came across as mild-mannered, almost simple. But as one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents, he was anything but. He could be as calculating as Tony found exasperating.

Still, Rook didn't mind giving him some face. He pulled over a chair and sat down, relaxed as could be.

This safehouse looked like any normal home, but it was packed with hidden weapons. Only insiders would know where to look. The room was spacious enough that even with five people inside — Fury, Coulson, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Rook — it didn't feel crowded.

Fury sat across from him. Coulson stood behind him, arms crossed. Hawkeye casually positioned himself near the window. Natasha moved silently to one side of the door.

It was a formation, plain and simple. If Rook made a break for it, whether for the door or window, he'd be cut off. And if he tried to harm Fury, Coulson would shield him.

Outside, who knew how many sniper scopes had him lined up in their crosshairs.

Rook pretended not to notice. He crossed one leg over the other and looked at Fury, calm and unshaken. That composure wasn't an act. He truly had no fear.

Fury nodded inwardly. That kind of poise was what made a great agent. Only someone with that level of control could find solutions in the worst of crises.

"I'm here under orders to make contact with you. I need more detailed information about you. If you genuinely intend to live on Earth, I hope you'll cooperate." Fury's tone turned official, all business now, his personal feelings set aside.

Rook understood. Even with Tony's endorsement, there was no way he'd be allowed to live freely without scrutiny. He'd long noticed that someone had been watching him from the shadows.

And he'd always known he couldn't count on those three soldiers to stay silent. Their duty was to their country. The more loyal they were, the more compelled they'd feel to report everything about him.

In fact, Rook thought it was better this way. He'd rather deal with S.H.I.E.L.D. than with the FBI or CIA.

He knew they wouldn't leave him alone unless he gave them something.

"Fine. I'll share a little." Rook's answer was so casual, it made the others in the room twitch. A little? And he just admitted it like that?

What they wanted was everything.

Fury didn't react outwardly. He just gave Natasha a look.

She nodded, stepped to a table, and pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen from the drawer. So this place was also set up for interrogations when needed.

Rook watched her move. He couldn't help but notice her figure. He wasn't blind, after all.

Fury cleared his throat and shot him a look of amusement. Rook didn't even try to hide it. Natasha didn't seem to care either.

Hawkeye glanced at Fury, who gave a subtle hand signal. A moment later, Rook felt it. All those sniper scopes trained on him were gone.

But then Rook noticed something strange. His gaze sharpened as he looked toward one particular spot. "Huh?" he muttered, getting to his feet. He stared into the distance.

Fury and the others watched him, puzzled.

"There's something odd about that one," Rook said, pointing. "That guy has a Hydra tattoo. Go check if you don't believe me."

Everyone's faces changed instantly.

Hydra. The greatest enemy S.H.I.E.L.D. had ever known.

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