As Captain America worried about Banner's health, Nick Fury's fate reached its final moment.
On the Skrull spaceship, Talos stood alone, escorting Nick Fury and Hill, both bound tightly with Skrull technology shackles, toward Heisenberg's mansion.
The ship flew swiftly, and in no time, Nick saw New York City drawing closer through the viewport.
The city should have been adorned with endless lights, but today it was not.
Nick felt the city was eerily dark, as if even the lights had been swallowed by endless darkness.
And that darkness was about to consume him and Hill next.
No!
Nick abruptly raised his head. He wouldn't go to the realm of the dead today, nor would he fail due to betrayal.
No one could betray Nick Fury!
He struggled to look at Talos, whose face, usually expressive and kind, now wore an infinite coldness.
The Skrull ship's dim purple glow slanted across Talos's face, making his expression look particularly harsh.
"Talos," Nick said.
"You have no way back."
"Neither do you, old friend!"
Talos replied, then maneuvered the ship to a hover, eventually stopping above Heisenberg's rooftop helipad.
Though small, the ship was far larger than a typical helicopter, and Heisenberg's helipad couldn't accommodate it.
So Talos opened the hatch, extending a cable to the helipad.
He grabbed Hill and Nick Fury, one in each hand, and pressed his back against the cable, instantly adhering to it.
The cable began to move, and Talos gracefully arrived on Heisenberg's rooftop. From a distance, he saw Heisenberg sleeping.
Seeing Heisenberg's completely unguarded attitude, Talos felt a twinge of envy. If he had Heisenberg's power, how could he have been hunted by the Kree Empire for so many years?
But he quickly adjusted his mindset, put on his most appropriate smile, and slowly walked toward Heisenberg.
"Hmm?"
Heisenberg narrowed his eyes. Even just waking from a nap, he felt no drowsiness.
Or rather, even if he never slept for the rest of his life, he'd only feel mentally tired.
As for his body, it was always brimming with energy, needing no sleep to recharge.
Er…
Sleeping with women was a different matter.
Getting back to the point, Heisenberg sat up and waved at Talos.
"Welcome, Skrull, especially since you brought me the gifts I asked for."
As he spoke, Heisenberg got off the lounge chair and approached Nick Fury and Hill.
Nick looked at Heisenberg with unusual calmness. Even knowing he was being imprisoned at Heisenberg's request, he controlled his emotions well.
For an agent like him, controlling himself had become second nature.
Nick was skilled at displaying the necessary expressions in the right situations.
Unfortunately…
Heisenberg didn't even look at him.
"Hello, Hill. How was your vacation on the Skrull ship?" he asked Hill.
Hearing Heisenberg's words, Hill instinctively glanced at Nick Fury. Though her glance showed no dissatisfaction, everyone present knew Hill was close to hating Nick Fury!
If not for Nick Fury's private decision, how could she have been taken to the aliens?
If she were at SHIELD, even with HYDRA's massive defection, Hill could have mitigated the losses.
And if not for the two aliens facing death, Talos wouldn't have used them to bargain with Heisenberg.
Sigh…
Hill shook her head in regret and replied,
"Terrible. Just being on that ship for a while almost cost me everything I've fought for my entire life."
She looked at Nick again, and this time Nick silently turned away, unwilling to meet her gaze.
Seeing the resentment and unwillingness between Hill and Fury, Heisenberg chuckled and waved at Talos.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Talos. It's an honor to meet you."
"Hmm, just call me Boss."
Heisenberg patted Talos's shoulder and smiled.
"Don't worry, there won't be much for you to do for a while. You can rest as usual. Need me to send you off?"
"Me…?!"
Hearing Heisenberg's offer to send him away, Talos was stunned.
How was this Kryptonian not following the script?
Shouldn't we be discussing the Skrulls' surrender right now?
Sending me off in a blink?
Are you treating me as an underling or a deliveryman?
Though shocked, Talos quickly returned to his ship and silently left Earth.
Heisenberg watched the invisible ship ascend, then turned to the slightly nervous Hill and Fury.
He approached Hill, grabbed the Skrull shackles binding her upper body, and pulled lightly.
It seemed effortless, but the tech-filled shackles instantly broke.
Heisenberg said to Hill,
"You can go. I'll chat with Fury."
"Huh? I can leave now? You…?"
"If you don't want to, you can stay. It's night, and there's a bed for you inside."
Heisenberg interrupted Hill's question, joking as he waved her off.
Seeing this, Hill's nervousness turned to worry.
She glanced anxiously at the expressionless Fury, then left decisively.
After Hill departed, Heisenberg removed Fury's shackles. They sat by the bar, and Heisenberg poured Fury a drink.
Fury drank it in one gulp, his face cold. Heisenberg refilled his glass.
Placing the bottle beside Fury, Heisenberg clinked glasses with him.
"To our HYDRA director, Nick Fury. Cheers!"
As the words fell, Fury's face visibly darkened.
He gripped the glass tightly, resisting the urge to throw the drink in Heisenberg's irritating face.
Taking a deep breath, he downed the second glass, then refilled it himself, saying,
"It's ridiculous, isn't it? My subordinates are all enemies…"
"Haha, there are far more ridiculous things. Drink up!"
Heisenberg refilled his own glass, and they clinked glasses again, drinking in one go.
This was Fury's third whiskey.
Setting down his glass, Fury hesitated, then finally steeled himself.
He asked softly,
"You don't want me back at SHIELD, so I'll die."
"Cheer up. Maybe I'll toss you into outer space, let you recruit followers in the universe to counterattack me!" Heisenberg joked.
"Hmph, better off dead."
"Fair enough. Anything you want to say? Now's your chance!"
Heisenberg bluntly told Fury.
Fury wasn't intimidated. He truly began to think.
After a moment, he helplessly shook his head.
"Until yesterday morning, I thought I was successful. But now, I have nothing to say… Do it."
"Giving up so easily? On fate? That's not like you!"
"Not on fate, but on you, Heisenberg."
Fury said seriously.
"I've always suspected the accident with the Purple Man was your doing. Maybe it was just a minor move, but you won. That minor move accurately took out my knight and king!"
Hearing Fury's words, Heisenberg smiled and shook his head.
"Nonsense. You trusted John Garrett and sent HYDRA agents to capture the Purple Man. You let the Skrulls impersonate you while you hid among them. What do you think?"
…
The words sank into Fury's ears, and he fell silent.
Heisenberg's mocking gaze left him unable to refute. Everything was indeed his own doing.
Trusting John Garrett, trusting the Skrulls…
He still didn't know his former superior, Alexander Pierce's, true identity.
Otherwise, he'd be even more heartbroken.
As Fury fell silent, Heisenberg asked him,
"Answer me one question, buddy. Why did you trust the Skrulls but not me, another alien?"
He tapped the table impatiently as he asked.
"To you, I'm no different from the Skrulls, both aliens, right?
But in the ten days I've been on Earth, you've sent over eighty spies, including fifty female agents, to my nightclub.
Making your poor agents strip dance—how could you bear it?
I'm not human, and I understand your wariness.
But the Skrulls? Why did you trust them so much, even giving them your identity? Just because I'm stronger and they're uglier?"
"No, you don't understand!"
Fury replied to Heisenberg's questioning.
"I don't trust the Skrulls. I trust my friend in the universe!"
"She must be powerful!" Heisenberg feigned ignorance.
"Absolutely!"
Fury nodded, explaining with relief.
"She's like the sun, with unimaginable power. Talos and I witnessed her greatness. I believe Talos wouldn't dare betray my friend!"
"I see."
Heisenberg nodded, acknowledging Fury.
"You and I have something in common: we both believe in power.
My power is my fists.
I'm lazy, and even with an extraordinary brain, I don't bother thinking or learning.
I don't need to think. I can do whatever I want with my fists.
As for you, your power is your mind. You trust your every judgment.
You thought you could provoke me, so you planted spies around me.
You believed in your friend's power, so you dared ally with Talos like brothers.
We both believe in ourselves. So, do you think I'll spare you because of your friend?"
As soon as the words were spoken, Heisenberg didn't wait for Fury's response. His eyes flashed red.
Nick Fury's brain was instantly vaporized. His eyes rolled back, and he slumped onto the bar, as if drunk.
"Too bad you won't see me fight your friend. I hope she gives me a surprise. I hope…"
Heisenberg got up and returned to his lounge chair, continuing to enjoy the omnipresent solar radiation.
As for Nick Fury, Billy and his men soon carried him away to be dumped into the sea.