Fury watched as the agent transformed, in the blink of an eye, into a green-skinned alien in a cape.
Definitely not a Skrull.
Sure, the guy could shapeshift, but he didn't have that trademark Skrull chin-groove, and his features leaned way too human.
Fury couldn't help but flash back to that mission thirty years ago.
The one where he first realized superheroes were real. The one where he first made contact with extraterrestrial life.
Also… the first time he started wearing the eyepatch.
As that memory rolled through, he glanced over at the Flerken curled up, snoozing in its little nest.
But more importantly—
This green guy didn't even flinch when he saw the Flerken. Either he had zero clue what a Flerken was… or he knew exactly what it was and still didn't give a damn.
Whichever it was, this green alien was not a Skrull.
"Dante, where the hell did you dig up this new creditor?"
"But seriously, I gotta ask—between this alien guy, the big green glutton on the couch who cleared out half the cafeteria, and your own Green Lantern cosplay, do you have a thing for the color green? Like, is this your aesthetic now?"
Dante ignored Fury entirely and stood up, motioning for J'onn J'onzz—to sit down with him on the opposite couch.
Because Hulk's butt had turned the three-seater into a glorified bar stool.
It was cramped.
Hela followed too, her curiosity piqued. She'd never seen a creature like J'onzz before.
More importantly, she could feel the power radiating from him.
"J'onn J'onzz, seriously—thanks for handing HYDRA that fake Project Insight. You really got them to go all-in."
"I love this planet as much as I love Mars. Earth is my second home. I have no reason to sit back and watch as peace is shattered by those with bad intentions."
"From today forward, you're officially part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Star Team division." Dante shamelessly boasted, patting himself on the back while he was at it. "And you're right, J'onzz. You've got a heart of gold and the noblest character—just like me."
Fury, standing off to the side, rolled his eye.
You?
Dante?
Heart of gold? Noble character?
He might be a decent guy. Barely. But noble?
Get outta here.
Still, Fury didn't say anything. Dante was currently the Bureau's top contributor. And right now, he was bringing in a very powerful alien asset.
Fury had to admit—Coulson had a point.
He was still active, but he wasn't getting any younger. Probably time to think about who'd take over once he stepped down.
And Dante was the perfect candidate.
Top-tier ability. Reasonably stable personality. Flexible ethics when needed.
A future leadership team of Dante, Coulson, and Maria Hill? Probably the strongest the Bureau had ever seen.
That idea stuck in Fury's head and immediately started growing roots.
Because he had another plan brewing too…
A specialized department for extraterrestrial events. A task force to deal with off-world threats before they reached Earth.
A real shield for the planet.
He even had a name in mind:
S.H.I.E.L.D.
---
Dante called Ingrid and had her take J'onzz for identity processing and onboarding.
"Captain," she asked, "Is Mr. J'onn J'onzz… a Martian? Like, from that Mars?"
"Yeah. The same Mars that's been probed to death by half the countries on Earth. What, you think there's another Mars I don't know about?"
"Cough, cough—I was just surprised, that's all." Ingrid awkwardly waved it off, then eyed J'onzz. "But how are we supposed to register this look in a legal identity system…"
J'onn J'onzz didn't seem offended. Instead, he casually transformed into a tall, white human male in front of everyone.
"John Jones. Thirty-eight. Residence: Middleton City… I've used this identity for decades."
"…He can do that?" Ingrid blinked, stunned. But she quickly recovered and nodded. "Alright then, Captain. I'll handle the rest."
She turned around and walked out without even waiting for J'onzz.
"This kid's a bit on edge."
"Haha, well, she's an internal agent. Not much face time with aliens or supers."
Dante chuckled. J'onzz didn't mind—he phased right through the door to follow.
Fury, meanwhile, was still mentally stuck on the "walks through walls" part.
"…Is this guy you brought back an alien, or some kind of mage?"
"Does it matter? We've got someone in the Bureau who's both. You've met him."
At that very moment, Loki—being dragged by the collar by Thor—was en route to a Bureau branch still held by HYDRA.
He sneezed.
"Loki, are you catching a cold?"
"No. I know what this is. That bastard Dante's bad-mouthing me again. Magic users are very sensitive to this sort of thing!"
But hey, it's not like Dante could hear him from this far away, right?
Meanwhile, Dante—zero super hearing—was back in front of Fury with a serious expression.
"All right. We've handled the side stuff. Now it's time to tackle the most important matter."
Even Fury felt the shift in tone. Did something else happen?
"…The most important matter?"
"Exactly. The most important." Dante nodded solemnly, then extended his hand. "Old man. Drop some gold coins."
"…Motherf— You and the gold coins again. Do you think I'm a quest NPC or something?"
"No, no. You're clearly a one-eyed elite miniboss guarding a treasure vault. One who refuses to move."
"…Are you seriously calling me a miser now?"
"I neither confirm nor deny that. If the shoe fits."
(To be continued.)