Chapter 129: Black Widow's Hesitation
"If everything you said is true, then I will agree to all the conditions you mentioned earlier."
Hearing George's confident tone, which didn't sound like he was lying, Nick Fury carefully recalled many details from over the years.
It was truly shocking to think about. Sometimes, when you're not looking in a certain direction, you really can't see the flaws. But if you're searching for them with the answer in mind, the flaws become glaringly obvious.
Although he hadn't verified it yet, Nick Fury was already 70% convinced of George's words.
However, he wasn't sure how deeply Hydra had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. or how many agents he could still trust.
"Of course, I trust the Director's integrity, but I hope this can be resolved quickly. After all, if I were to tell Hydra about this, I'm sure they'd be willing to meet all my conditions as well."
George replied with a smile.
"One week. I'll get everything done in one week. I hope, for the sake of global security, Mr. George, that you can forget everything discussed today."
Nick Fury's expression changed again.
At this point, he no longer hoped for George and his team to join S.H.I.E.L.D. He just wanted them to stay quietly at the school.
And he hoped George wouldn't reveal today's conversation to Hydra. If Hydra found out they'd been exposed, the first person they'd target would be him, and he'd be in a very difficult position.
Unless he could kill George and everyone at the school right now to keep the secret.
But that was impossible. Not only could George fly away, but there was also the immortal Wolverine and the terrifyingly rejuvenated Professor X.
If he couldn't kill them all in one strike, and George sided with Hydra, his only hope would be to call Captain Marvel back for a chance at victory.
Honestly, he now regretted sending Black Widow to investigate George. Not only did they gain nothing, but they also got a harsh blow.
But then again, if it weren't for this, he might not have discovered Hydra's infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a long time. He could've been betrayed by a trusted agent and killed one day.
"Of course. Compared to Hydra, who loves to destroy the world, I'm more inclined toward S.H.I.E.L.D.
Do a good job. When you've truly dealt with Hydra, I might consider joining you with my students.
The reason I refused to join you before was also due to my concerns about the many Hydra agents within S.H.I.E.L.D. I hope you understand."
George stood up, patted Nick Fury on the shoulder, and looked completely sincere.
But in his heart, he was thinking:
"Gotcha. Now go deal with your own mess."
Given Hydra's level of infiltration into S.H.I.E.L.D., once Nick Fury started investigating, Hydra would definitely notice. After all, the former Director, whom Nick Fury trusted the most, was also a Hydra agent.
So, for the next few years, S.H.I.E.L.D. would likely be busy fighting Hydra and wouldn't have time to bother him.
And in a few years, George believed his strength would be such that he wouldn't need to care about S.H.I.E.L.D. or Hydra anymore.
"Mr. George, I have urgent matters to attend to, so I won't stay any longer.
The conditions you proposed will be handled by Natasha. She'll take full responsibility and ensure everything is completed within a week."
At this moment, Nick Fury's mind was entirely focused on investigating Hydra. He had no intention of staying any longer.
After exchanging a few words with George, he left with Hawkeye, leaving Black Widow behind.
"Take care. I won't see you out!"
George waved his hand. After Nick Fury and Hawkeye left, he turned to Black Widow:
"Miss Natasha, I'll leave the rest to you."
"I'll do my best. Let me have your number. I'll contact you when everything's done."
At this moment, Natasha's eyes seemed distant. After hearing George's words, she took a deep breath and replied.
George's eyes flickered:
"Actually, I know some things about you. You joined S.H.I.E.L.D. because you wanted to leave your past behind and atone for the sins you committed as a spy in the Red Room.
But as you can see, S.H.I.E.L.D. has long been infiltrated by Hydra. The missions you've been carrying out might not be atonement but rather deepening your sins.
Your Director is too self-centered and extreme. The existence of an organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't necessarily good for the world."
"What are you trying to say?"
Black Widow's body trembled slightly as she stared into George's eyes.
To be honest, George's words had struck a chord with her. She had indeed begun to feel uncertain about S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury.
George spread his hands:
"It's simple. What I mean is that our school is still short on teachers. If you don't mind, maybe you could try a different way of life.
Teach students here, live a peaceful life, instead of being a spy and carrying out dangerous missions all over the world."
Black Widow was a versatile spy. Besides her superhuman combat skills, she was fluent in all the world's languages, proficient in all forms of transportation, and a top-tier hacker.
If she joined the school as a teacher, the students could learn many useful skills and not be easily fooled by spies or agents in the future.
Plus, the school really needed more teachers. Wolverine could only teach history and combat, and it was too much for Professor X to handle all the other subjects alone.
And the number of students might grow in the future.
The key was, George wasn't afraid of Black Widow pretending to agree and then spying on the school. He and Professor X were professionals in that regard.
Hearing George's offer, Black Widow was clearly surprised. She hadn't expected George to invite her to be a teacher at the school, especially after he'd spanked her yesterday—the bruises hadn't even fully faded yet.
But to be honest, the idea of living a different kind of life did appeal to her.
She had thought she was atoning for her sins, only to realize she might have been committing more. Teaching students might bring her some peace of mind.
"I'll need to think about it. Even if I agree, it'll have to wait until I help the Director deal with Hydra."
After a full five minutes of silence, Black Widow finally replied.
George wasn't surprised. He just smiled:
"No problem. The school's doors are always open to you. And we don't have as many rules as S.H.I.E.L.D. All you need to do is teach the students well. Everything else is very flexible."
He knew Black Widow wouldn't agree easily, but her response showed she was already tempted. It was only a matter of time before she accepted.
And he had other candidates in mind for teachers, like the Captain currently frozen in ice. With his tracking spells, intercepting the Captain before Nick Fury could find him would be a piece of cake.
Black Widow was just one of the candidates. If she didn't agree, it wasn't a big deal.
(End of Chapter)