The faint light of dawn awakened the bustling city...
Sean, who had fought fiercely through the night, climbed out from among the entangled jade-like bodies. He glanced at the enchanting beauty still deep in slumber. Her fair skin was exposed, and a satisfied smile lingered on her lips.
It was clear that last night had been a delightful experience, both physically and mentally.
As it turned out, for someone like him, victory in bed was never about numbers. Even if there were twice as many, it would still be a one-sided domination.
At times like this, the young man couldn't help but reminisce about Jean who was in Asgard. The Phoenix was the only one who could truly match him in this battle.
The dim morning light pierced through the thick clouds. Sean emerged from the bathroom, the moisture on his body evaporating as he draped himself in a white robe and settled into the living room.
Judging by the intensity of last night's 'battle', the two ladies sprawled across the bedroom's large bed would need at least another two hours of rest before waking. That gave him plenty of time to warm some milk, toast bread, and prepare two simple sandwiches.
Playing the role of the perfect lover was something he had long since mastered.
Opening his laptop, he browsed through the information compiled by Skynet...
The exposure of Asgard's existence had indeed caused quite a stir in this world. Now that humanity officially knew they were not the only lifeforms in the universe, that the vast galaxy harbored other civilizations, some possibly benevolent, others perhaps holding shotguns... everything had changed.
For now, nations worldwide were calling upon experts to establish a new field: cosmic sociology.
Its primary purpose was to analyze extraterrestrial civilizations and lifeforms. Jane Foster, employed at Umbrella Corporation, had already been invited by the White House to join this effort. Her "Foster Theory" was even being considered for a Nobel Prize.
Sean wasn't surprised by these developments. In fact, he planned to stoke the flames further and accelerate this unprecedented transformation.
During the 15th-century Age of Exploration, adventurers had rushed headlong into the perilous unknown, lured by tales of gold and treasure on distant continents. Now, humanity's thirst for resources and land could be quenched by the boundless starry skies.
The era of interstellar colonization would inevitably descend upon this planet like a roaring storm. Breaking free from Earth's gravity was only the first step...
"Looks like Nick Fury is getting restless." A faint smile tugged at Sean's lips.
The opportunity to kick S.H.I.E.L.D. out of the game had arrived. The emergence of Asgard and the Chitauri army had left the one-eyed director uneasy.
Fury had to prepare mentally for a high-level war. The Avengers alone were far from enough. S.H.I.E.L.D. needed to take control of the planet and be ready to crush any potential threats before they could take root.
Only then could Nick Fury consolidate his forces and turn outward, resisting the invasions and plundering of extraterrestrial civilizations. If he couldn't even control Earth, how could he hope to face a high-level intergalactic war?
"Project Insight..." Sean smirked.
This must be the true origin of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s highest-level classified files... Project Insight.
By collecting and analyzing big data, one could predict whether an individual might pose a threat to the established order based on their history and records. The airborne Helicarriers would act like mighty swords of Damocles, "cleansing" or intervening against these potential dangers.
To elaborate, the plan involved analyzing a person's past behavior; family background, personality traits, criminal history, online comments, every phone call, every text message... compiling vast amounts of data to create predictive models about their future actions.
Of course, such an aggressive approach trampled on individual free will and modern legal principles. If exposed, it would trigger massive upheaval. It might even be dubbed a global-scale 'PRISM Program'.
That was why Nick Fury had kept it hidden, not even sharing it with his most trusted aide, Phil Coulson. Had Captain America not pressed the issue, none of the Avengers would have known about it.
It was only because of Asgard's existence and the fear it instilled in the World Security Council that they had approved Fury's bold move. They hoped quantum-level precision analysis could prevent future crises.
From a macro perspective, it might have been a sound idea. Unfortunately, HYDRA had twisted it into a tool for eliminating dissent. If not for Captain America's heroics, the planet would have fallen into the hands of Nazi remnants.
A sword of Damocles hanging over humanity was, in itself, the greatest danger. And Nick Fury wasn't quite qualified to be the one wielding it...
"Would it be too brutal to kick both S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA out of the game at once?" Sean stroked his chin.
He believed this was the perfect moment. There was no need to expend his own strength. He could simply let the two giants tear each other apart, then step in to reap the rewards.
"Who to start with? Let's go with Nick Fury." The young man muttered to himself as he studied the bald director's profile.
Once S.H.I.E.L.D. lost its leader, HYDRA would seize the opportunity, unleashing even greater chaos.
Next, he pulled up Steve Rogers' file. The war hero, frozen for seventy years, maintained a disciplined routine. He woke before five in the morning and jogged along the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial under the rising New York sun, maintaining a steady pace of thirteen miles in half an hour as part of his daily training.
When not on S.H.I.E.L.D. missions, Steve would return to his old house in Brooklyn and try to live a normal life. He tried catching up on the internet, but still struggled to adapt to the modern world. Though often teased as a relic, he genuinely wanted to bridge the gap and integrate into this era.
Occasionally, he visited the hospital to see Peggy who was now frail and bedridden. The formidable woman who had once led S.H.I.E.L.D.'s predecessor alongside Howard Stark was a shadow of her former self...
Sean continued tracking the Avengers' recent movements. With Asgard still recovering, Earth was enjoying an unusual calm. Though unseen undercurrents churned in the darkness, the surface remained tranquil.
Tony was still expanding his Iron Legion and refining the Ultron program. Bruce Banner stayed obediently at S.H.I.E.L.D... He had nowhere else to go. Thor was busy rebuilding Asgard, while Clint Barton, after the Mind Stone's influence faded, was forced into an extended period of psychological therapy.
At this thought, Sean remembered his alluring neighbor next door. The last time he ran into Tony, the man had casually warned him to be wary of the not-so-innocent Miss Scarlett.
"Time to end this game." Closing his laptop, Sean leaned back in his chair, his eyes half-lidded in contemplation.
The infamous cosmic tyrant wouldn't give up so easily. Thanos would return one day with his Black Order in tow. It was time for Sean to pick up the pace.
Asgard. The Dark Elves. The Aether… The path ahead grew clearer in his mind.
A blue force field shimmered into existence as a metallic gauntlet embedded with two Infinity Stones materialized.
It was a shame he hadn't seized the real Infinity Gauntlet when he had the chance. This replica could only handle the output of three Stones at most. A minor regret.
"The road ahead is long." With a sigh, he rose and headed back to the bedroom.
Life was about cherishing the moment and indulging in pleasure while one could.
Before long, startled gasps filled the air as the sleeping beauties awoke, followed by waves of languid moans, like ripples of springtime desire...