After sending away the children and Logan, Garus finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the mess in the room, he couldn't help but compin to himself—kids were trouble, but mutant kids? Even more so.

  "Ding dong!"

  Garus had just sat down and barely caught his breath when the doorbell rang.

  Who could it be at this hour? He didn't know many people in this world.

  When Garus opened the door, he saw a short-haired woman dressed in bck standing outside. She smiled at him warmly.

  There was something familiar about her.

  "Aren't you going to invite me in?" she asked, trying to step past him. Garus blocked her way.

  "I don't believe we've met," he said, scrutinizing her.

  "Maria Hill, S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent," she replied, her tone turning serious.

  Realization dawned on Garus. So it was her. He'd been wondering when Fury would finally send someone to make contact, but he hadn't expected it to be Maria Hill, a Level 9 operative.

  After a moment's hesitation, Garus stepped aside.

  As they walked through the house, Hill's eyes wandered, especially when she noticed the gargoyles turned into statues. Her expression grew curious, and she seemed tempted to examine them closely.

  "What are these?" she asked.

  "Gargoyles," Garus replied casually. He made no attempt to hide them; she likely already knew they weren't just ordinary statues.

  "You've been watching me these past few days, haven't you?"

  "Yes," Hill admitted. "I'm intrigued by you. I've never encountered someone so mysterious."

  "Let's talk inside," Garus suggested.

  Inside the house, Hill gnced around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary—except for the firepce. Its runic carvings stood out, radiating an arcane presence. She suspected they were the handiwork of the man before her. Taking advantage of his distraction, she discreetly snapped a photo of it with her phone.

  "I only have pin water. Would you like some?" Garus offered.

  "No, thanks." Hill pretended to check the time on her phone. "You seem to know about S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

  "That's right. The st time I was at Stark Tower, after helping Tony with a little problem, I overheard your people talking to him. But I don't know much about your organization. So, what exactly do you do?" Garus lied smoothly. He'd found himself getting better at it.

  Hill expined, "We're a specialized agency that handles extraordinary incidents. Speaking of which, I have a video to show you."

  Hill pced her tablet on the table and opened a file.

  The video dispyed Garus transforming Kingpin into a Death Knight. His heart skipped a beat—so they'd caught that on camera. It seemed S.H.I.E.L.D. had agents embedded within Kingpin's organization. Not that it mattered; the organization's core secrets were well-protected.

  "You have spies in Wilson's company?" Garus asked.

  "Of course. For someone like him, surveilnce is necessary," Hill replied nonchantly.

  "Aren't you afraid I'll kill you to silence you? Or maybe turn you into one of my puppets?" Garus's voice turned icy.

  Hill didn't flinch. She met his gaze and said, "I've been observing you these past few days."

  Garus frowned. Though he'd anticipated it, her admission still annoyed him.

  "Do American government agencies have no respect for personal privacy?"

  "Sometimes, national security takes precedence over personal privacy," Hill replied.

  "Fine. Let's skip the speeches." Garus waved her off. "Why are you here?"

  "We want to invite you to join a team we're forming: the Avengers," Hill said.

  Garus was surprised. So Fury wanted him in the Avengers. When did he come up with that idea?

  "No," Garus replied without hesitation. "I'm not the type to follow orders or be tied down to an organization. I'm an independent operator. But if this world faces a genuine threat, I'll help."

  Hill studied him for a moment, then stood. "I hope you're not a spy from another country. And don't do anything to endanger this country."

  Garus rolled his eyes. "Have you ever seen a spy this conspicuous?"

  As she left, Garus warned, "Stop surveilling me. It's irritating. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what I might do."

  "Director, he turned down the invitation. What should we do now? Continue monitoring him?" Hill reported.

  "I didn't expect much," Fury said indifferently. "No need to keep watching him. If he becomes a threat, there are people who can handle him."

  Hill was curious. "Who?"

  "The Ancient One's order," Fury replied briefly.

  Hill thought back to the photos she'd taken at Garus's house. "Director, I captured some images at his pce. There might be something useful."

  Fury took her phone and examined the pictures. After a moment's thought, he made a call.

  "Ancient One, I have a picture I'd like you to analyze. If possible, I'd appreciate your assistance in New York."

  "I'm sorry, Director Fury," the Ancient One replied. "I'm currently preoccupied. My disciple, Kaecilius, has aligned himself with Dormammu, the Dark Lord. Send me the image, and I'll take a look."

  The new mutant academy was built quickly. Under Kingpin's financial influence, construction crews worked around the clock. In just over a month, it was completed.

  "Money really does make the world go round," Garus marveled.

  "Mission complete: Mutant Academy established. Reward: 8,000 exchange points," the system notified him.

  "Master, our tech company has been restructured, and the military division is nearly complete. General Ross will visit tomorrow to inspect our upgraded sonic weaponry. If he's satisfied, we'll secure significant government contracts."

  "Alright. I'll be there in the morning," Garus replied, satisfied with Wim's competence.

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