Leaving the conference room, Noah decided to stroll around the base and figure out what Nick Fury was actually up to. As he walked, he instructed Lissandra to begin hacking the base's systems and retrieving data. But suddenly, a voice called out to him from behind.
He turned and saw that it was Fury himself. The director of S.H.I.E.L.D., as usual, was dressed entirely in black—black pants, a black shirt, and his signature black leather trench coat, which gave him a stern and authoritative appearance.
"Hmm? Director Fury, is something the matter?" Noah asked, slowing his pace to wait for him.
Noah remained in his PROJECT: Yasuo battlesuit, not wanting to reveal his identity. Moreover, with Skrulls present on the base, he was wary of any potential DNA leaks.
"Noah, I have a few questions for you," Fury said, making sure no one else was nearby, and addressed him by name.
"What do you want to ask?" Noah continued to coordinate Lissandra's actions, keeping a close eye on Fury.
"Did you see anything in the future regarding Hydra? Is there anything else important you can tell us?" Fury asked as they stood side-by-side. Noah, in his suit, was considerably taller—about two meters—and Fury had to look up slightly to meet his gaze.
"I've already told you everything I saw. Nothing else significant will happen," Noah replied, unwilling to share information freely. Fury was once again attempting to "borrow" data, but he decided not to reveal all his cards and answered evasively.
"Although, if what I saw is to be believed, you will succeed in defeating Hydra within S.H.I.E.L.D. However, the price will be quite high."
"What? What price?" Fury was surprised to hear that Noah knew the outcome.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. will be dismantled," Noah said dryly and noticed Fury freeze in place. He stopped and turned to look at Fury, who appeared stunned.
The news shocked Fury. S.H.I.E.L.D., his creation, the organization he had poured his heart and soul into, would be dissolved? Learning about the moles within S.H.I.E.L.D. had already infuriated him, but the prospect of the agency's complete collapse was even more devastating.
"But that's the future you saw before sharing this information with us, right?" Fury asked, gathering his thoughts. In his mind, they had been operating in the dark, and Hydra struck unexpectedly. Although they managed to win, the cost was immense. But now, knowing about Hydra in advance, the outcome could be different.
"Correct. From the moment I told you about the future, it began to change," Noah confirmed.
Speaking of the future, he remembered another important detail. In the Marvel universe, there was a mysterious organization called the TVA (Time Variance Authority), which monitored all timelines across the multiverse and ensured that only one timeline existed—the "Sacred Timeline" established by Kang.
According to their rules, his appearance in this universe and the alteration of events should have made him a time variant. But why hadn't TVA agents come for him yet?
He couldn't understand this. Perhaps he should ask the system about it later—it might know more.
Returning to his conversation with Fury, he noticed that his interlocutor's expression had returned to normal after his answer.
"Well, that settles it. Now that we know about their plans, the future definitely won't unfold as it did before. This time, we have the initiative," Fury said confidently.
"Noah, I hope you'll continue to assist us in the future."
"Of course. By the way, when you get back, tell Coulson to check on those two I mentioned to him. They might be working for Hydra," Noah said, addressing Fury.
Fury nodded, understanding who Noah was referring to. Coulson had previously mentioned these two when telling Noah about his parents' deaths during a mission. Back then, Noah suspected that the survivors might be traitors, although he initially thought it was just an emotional response stemming from the tragedy. But now it seemed Noah might have been right—perhaps these agents were indeed connected to Hydra.
"I'll look into it and let you know," Fury assured him, nodded to Noah, and left. He still had matters to discuss with Talos.
"Alright. I'll take a walk for now," Noah said, continuing to walk forward.
"Just don't go where you're not supposed to. There are many restricted areas here," Fury warned.
"Haha, don't worry," Noah laughed. His helmet had already created a complete 3D map of the base.
Now, looking at the virtual map, he began his exploration of the base.
Meanwhile, Fury went to find Talos. During the meeting, he had noticed Talos acting strangely, and now he needed to understand what had happened.
Receiving information about his location through his communicator, Fury set off to find him. Along the way, many base personnel greeted him, and he responded with curt nods. After walking for a bit, he reached the break room and, opening the door, entered.
Only Talos was in the room, sitting on a chair with his eyes closed, as if meditating. The sound of the opening door made him open his eyes, and he saw Fury enter.
"What happened?" Fury asked, closing the door behind him and sitting down next to Talos.
"In the conference room, I had a suspicion that the Storm Swordsman might have uncovered my true identity," Talos sighed deeply and looked at him.
"What?!" Fury was shocked.
The secret about the Skrulls was highly classified. No one besides Carol Danvers knew about them. Moreover, the Skrulls' shapeshifting abilities were so perfect that, by current human technological standards, it was impossible to detect them.
"Although, with him, it's entirely possible," Fury mused. Human technology couldn't yet identify Skrulls, but Noah was a different story. He had access to technology far ahead of its time, as well as magic, which might allow him to recognize the Skrulls' transformations.
"Alright, I'll talk to him. If we explain your situation to him, he likely won't bother you."