Chapter 362: Coulson's Altered Memories (5000+)
Chapter 362: Coulson's Altered Memories (5000+)
"Jerry, how do we catch up with it?"
Watching the owl in Jerry's hand pick up the parchment letter and vanish into the night, Coulson suddenly realized they had no means of transportation to chase after the owl.
Jerry turned around with a mischievous smile:
"Gentlemen, would you like to experience the thrill of riding a dragon?"
"Riding a dragon?"
Everyone immediately recalled the video of the Battle of New York, where Witch rode a fierce-looking Fire Dragon, and a sense of foreboding crept into their hearts.
A moment later, in the sky above downtown Los Angeles, Coulson stood on the back of Fire Dragon Norbert, feeling the strong wind in his face, and exclaimed to Jerry, who was flying beside him:
"I never thought I'd get to be a dragon rider one day. It's scary, but I have to admit, it's pretty cool!"
Behind him, Fitz clung tightly to the dragon's back and muttered:
"This is absolutely insane. I hope it doesn't get upset and throw us off."
Then, Fitz called out loudly to his left, his face filled with concern:
"Jemma, hold on tight!"
"I know, Fitz!"
On the smaller Peruvian Viper Dragon Nora, Jemma clung to the dragon's neck, excitedly responding.
Since there were many people, Jerry had released both Norbert and Nora. Norbert, being larger, carried Coulson, Fitz, Grant, and Mack, while Nora, being smaller, carried Skye, Jemma, and May.
Jerry himself flew beside them using a flying spell and cast a Disguise Charm to make everyone invisible.
After flying for about half an hour, the owl suddenly started to descend, landing in a wooden house in the eastern desert of Los Angeles.
In the center of the wooden house, a military helicopter and seven or eight black cars were parked, with a dozen armed thugs guarding the perimeter.
"Huh, what's an owl doing here with a letter?"
Rana, who had just stepped out with Ace, preparing to board the helicopter to head to downtown Los Angeles, saw the owl land in front of her and looked surprised.
She reached out, took the parchment letter from the owl's beak, and her pupils instantly constricted.
The letter bore a single name—Ace.
"Be on high alert!"
Rana immediately warned the guards around her.
However, as soon as she spoke, the dozen armed guards were suddenly bound by shadows under their feet.
Fortunately, four of them were Centipede Warriors infected with the centipede virus. They exerted their superhuman strength and violently tore the shadows off their bodies.
But before she could celebrate, a strong gust of wind blew, forcing her to close her eyes temporarily. Then she heard two loud dragon roars.
Dragon roars?
When Rana opened her eyes again, she found herself surrounded by Coulson's team. The four powerful Centipede Warriors were now torn into pieces by two massive Fire Dragons.
What surprised her even more was what happened next. A young man appeared to float in the air, and with a wave of his hand, he put the two fierce Fire Dragons into a box.
"Ms. Rana, I am Agent Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. You are under arrest!"
Meanwhile, at the Triskelion in Washington, in the office of the Security Council Chairman.
"Sir, Nick Fury has been secretly making some moves lately. I'm worried he might have caught on to something."
Level 7 Agent Sitwell adjusted his glasses, his expression showing some unease.
Pierce stood up and walked to the window, sighing:
"Perhaps our attack on Witch's family has raised his suspicions. This afternoon, he came to me and told me that there is a traitor among the high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. He wants me to convene the Security Council to vote on postponing the Insight Project!"
"Is the plan still going forward?"
Sitwell asked, concerned.
Pierce turned around, his eyes sharp, and his tone resolute:
"Of course it is. We have prepared for so many years for this plan. We can't give up just because of a minor setback. Since Nick Fury wants to stop us, we'll eliminate him!
He's just a puppet I put in place. Does he really think he can turn the tide?"
The reason he chose Nick Fury, a non-Hydra member, as the next director was because he believed that under Nick Fury's leadership, S.H.I.E.L.D. would grow at the fastest possible rate.
And that's exactly what happened. Under Nick Fury's management, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s overall strength and scale have expanded more than tenfold since his retirement.
Meanwhile, Hydra has been secretly feeding off S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources, growing even stronger.
Now that the Insight Project is almost complete, Nick Fury's role has become dispensable. Plus, he has already discovered Hydra's existence. It's time to eliminate him and bring Hydra out of the shadows.
"I'll take care of Nick Fury. You continue with the Insight Project. I want the three weapon-laden helicarriers to be ready to launch on schedule!"
"Yes, sir!"
Sitwell, having received confirmation, quickly left the office.
Pierce took out a specially designed phone, dialed a few numbers, and ordered:
"Initiate the Endgame Plan. Send the Winter Soldier to execute it. Hail Hydra!"
"Long live Hydra!"
A fervent reply echoed from the other end of the phone.
On the Bus.
Jemma struggled to pick up a piece of chicken with chopsticks, finally managing to place it in her bowl after much effort:
"I really can't imagine how you can be so dexterous with two sticks to pick up food!"
As a biochemist, her hands were usually very nimble, but today she faced a setback with a pair of chopsticks.
Seated beside her, May effortlessly picked up a bean and placed it in her mouth, then replied expressionlessly:
"You're just not used to it. Once you get used to using chopsticks, you'll find they are the most flexible and convenient utensils in the world."
"Actually, I think this way is pretty good too!"
Skye picked up a single chopstick and stabbed it into a piece of braised pork on the plate, eating it like a skewer.
Jerry watched Skye's method of using chopsticks and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile:
"If you can't use chopsticks, you can always choose your usual utensils, like a knife and fork, just like Fitz!"
"Since we're eating Chinese food, using chopsticks is more appropriate. Using a knife and fork just doesn't feel right."
Skye clearly had her own thoughts.
Jemma also chimed in:
"Imagine being in a restaurant eating steak, everyone using knives and forks, and one person using chopsticks. Wouldn't that seem out of place?"
Fitz, the only one using a knife and fork beside Jerry, silently put down his utensils and picked up chopsticks again.
Jerry shrugged:
"Whatever makes you happy."
After successfully capturing Rana and the Clairvoyant organization's soldiers, Jerry opened a portal and brought everyone back to the Bus.
Back on the Bus, Mack took his son back to their room, while Coulson and Grant began interrogating Rana and the other Clairvoyant members.
Jemma, feeling hungry, suggested using the Bus's microwave to heat up some burgers from the fridge. Jerry, who had no interest in burgers, used kitchen magic to prepare a table full of Chinese dishes, leading to the current scene.
As everyone was chatting and eating, Coulson and Grant returned to the main lounge after the interrogation.
"Oh, what a feast! May, did you make this? I didn't remember you knowing how to cook!"
"I think you're mocking me. Maybe after dinner, we can go to the lower training room to work off some calories!"
May continued picking at her food without looking up.
The last time she had such authentic Chinese food was years ago when her father made it for her.
"Let's skip that. I don't want to end up with a black eye."
Coulson sat down beside May, picking up the bowl and chopsticks she had prepared for him.
As a communications agent, he was no match for May, the super martial artist with the "Iron Fist" title. If he went down to train, he would be thoroughly beaten.
"Jerry did it. Honestly, I think you've never seen anything like it!"
Skye recalled how Jerry waved his wand, and the kitchen, which Jemma rarely visited, transformed as various kitchen tools worked magic to create dish after dish. Her eyes filled with admiration.
Before she joined S.H.I.E.L.D., if she had this magic, she wouldn't have had to eat bread in the van every day.
"Are we getting off-topic? Coulson, how did the interrogation go?"
Jerry noticed the conversation veering towards food and quickly steered it back on track.
Seeing everyone turn their attention to him, Coulson skillfully picked up a piece of chicken with his chopsticks and shook his head:
"None of them, including Rana, have ever seen the Clairvoyant. They only take orders over the phone. Every time they follow the Clairvoyant's commands, their missions succeed, leading them to believe the Clairvoyant has the ability to predict the future."
"Coulson, how can you use chopsticks so skillfully?"
Skye watched in amazement as Coulson handled the chopsticks with ease.
"Oh, I learned from May. We've been partners for over a decade, and we've shared many Chinese meals together."
Coulson replied casually.
He and May had known each other for a long time, joining S.H.I.E.L.D. around the same time. He was a communications agent, while she was an operations specialist.
Because of this, they were often assigned to work together, becoming old partners.
Later, May, haunted by the guilt of killing a mentally unstable meta-human girl while saving someone, became an administrative officer and got divorced.
Coulson, after being declared dead during the alien invasion in New York, also ended his relationship with a female musician he had liked. He realized that being an agent wasn't suitable for a relationship with a civilian, as he could die at any moment, causing unnecessary pain to his loved ones.
Thus, after a series of twists and turns, they became partners again.
"You see, I told you it was a waste of time. Did you find out why they were after you?"
Jerry asked again.
When Coulson was about to interrogate them, Jerry had suggested using the owl to locate the Clairvoyant and capture him directly.
However, Coulson insisted on questioning them first, and if they couldn't get the Clairvoyant's true identity, he would step in.
Hearing Jerry's question, Coulson paused, a complex look appearing on his face:
"I found out. According to their claims, the Clairvoyant's foresight can't see what happens after my death. He wants to know how I was resurrected.
They suspect part of my memory was erased, and the strange machine in their base was designed to forcibly stimulate my brain and recover the deleted memories once I was captured!"
Coulson found the information he obtained during the interrogation quite absurd.
He felt that he was in a unique position, having had his memory altered by Jerry, a Witch, and now discovering that his most trusted superior in S.H.I.E.L.D. might have also tampered with his memory.
And when he woke up, Nick Fury told him that he had only been critically injured, hanging by a thread, and that after emergency treatment, he was barely saved and had been in a coma for a long time before regaining consciousness.
However, Rana told him that according to the information provided by the Clairvoyant, he had been completely dead at that time, but somehow came back to life.
So now, his feelings were truly complex.
"Uh, your memory was erased again? That's terrible!"
Hearing Coulson's response, Jerry instinctively replied.
When Coulson heard the word "again", he wanted to retort that the first time it was Jerry who erased his memory, but he changed his words to ask:
"Jerry, did the Director show you the video of the Cosmic Cube base being invaded? Did I really die in the video?"
"In the video, you were skewered by several metal rods, and by all accounts, you should have been beyond saving. So none of us ever doubted your death."
At the time, Coulson's heart had been pierced, and with modern medical technology, there was no way to save him.
Later, when he saw Coulson alive, he had marveled at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s advanced medical technology, which could save someone from such severe injuries.
But now, it seemed things weren't quite that simple.
"Once we deal with the Clairvoyant organization, I'll ask the Director about this personally. For now, I'll have to trouble you again!"
Coulson thought for a moment and said to Jerry.
Since they hadn't been able to get any information about the Clairvoyant's true identity from Rana and the others, Coulson had no choice but to rely on Jerry to complete the next task.
In fact, if it weren't for special circumstances, Coulson wouldn't want to rely too much on Jerry, as it wasn't good for their team.
If they became too dependent on Jerry, their ability to handle crises on their own would diminish.
And Jerry wasn't always available; he couldn't be called upon every time they faced a problem.
"Smart move!"
Jerry took another owl from the box, then wrote the name "Clairvoyant" on a piece of parchment and handed it to Fitz, who had just finished eating.
"Apply the tracking fluid to the letter, then release the owl and follow it!"
They didn't know the Clairvoyant's location, and if it was too far, the owl might take a long time to reach the destination.
So he had Fitz coat the parchment with the tracking fluid, allowing the team to rest on the Bus while the onboard instruments tracked the owl's position and followed it at a steady pace.
"Grant, aren't you going to eat something?"
When Fitz nervously took the owl and went to the lab to apply the tracking fluid as Jerry instructed, Coulson noticed that Grant wasn't sitting down to eat but was about to leave the hall. He called out to him, puzzled.
Grant turned and smiled:
"I just bought a new chess set a couple of days ago. I'll go get it, and we can play a game after dinner. I think it will take the owl some time to find the Clairvoyant."
"Good idea, but when it comes to chess, none of you can beat me!"
Coulson recalled that Grant had indeed bought a new chess set a couple of days ago, so he didn't think much of it. He turned to Skye and asked:
"Where are Mack and Ace?"
"They're in their room. You know, Mack feels guilty about withholding information."
Skye replied.
Coulson shook his head:
"It's not his fault. We at S.H.I.E.L.D. failed to protect his child, which led to this. As a father, he didn't do anything wrong. Besides, I'm fine. Go get them to come and eat. Ace must be hungry by now!"
Jerry, who had just taken out a biology book to read while sitting on the sofa, nodded inwardly at Coulson and Skye's conversation.
Among the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, the one Jerry liked the most was not Nick Fury, not Black Widow, not Hawkeye, or even Maria Hill, but Coulson.
Unlike other agents who would resolutely execute orders, no matter how good or bad, and who were very rational, even cold, Coulson was more compassionate.
Maybe as a subordinate, Coulson wasn't the best, but as a friend, he was more reliable.
For example, if sacrificing Jerry could save a large number of people, Nick Fury, despite any personal connection, would not hesitate to choose to sacrifice Jerry.
But if it were Coulson, he would do everything in his power, even risk his own life, to save those people without sacrificing Jerry.
In terms of results, Nick Fury's choice would be the best, but as Jerry himself, he definitely preferred Coulson's approach.
This was also why most of the Avengers had a good impression of Coulson but were less fond of Nick Fury.
Meanwhile, after returning to his room to get the new chess set, Grant didn't immediately leave for the hall. Instead, he took out a very peculiar communication device from a small box under his bed and quickly typed on it.
A moment later, the screen of the device lit up, and he sent a brief summary of today's events as text. Only after seeing the reply on the screen did he put the device back in the box and return to the hall with the chess set, acting as if nothing had happened.
(End of Chapter)
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