The Xenomorph before them, rapidly growing and evolving in size, was the one S.H.I.E.L.D. had successfully stolen during Adam's absence from New York while he led his main force to New Mexico.
These scientists had long been aware of the Xenomorph intelligence. Now they were in a state of fervor, eager to see these creatures brought under their control.
"This Xenomorph is unusually intelligent. After chestbursting from a prisoner, we locked it in an Adamantium cage and subjected it to electric shocks and freezing. It immediately became obedient and very quiet," Hill said, quickly flipping through a file in her hands.
Fury stared ahead. "From another angle, its sudden compliance only raises more suspicion. It proves the creature isn't that smart... it's just pretending to be."
At that moment, the Xenomorph finished its transformation, reaching two and a half meters in height.
Fury took one look and his earlier excitement cooled slightly. "Too small."
"The queen needs time to grow. According to Blade's intelligence, the first time he met Adam, the queen with him was only two or three meters tall. But during the New Mexico incident, that Xenomorph had already reached four and a half meters," Hill reported.
"Still, something feels off. All of Adam's other Xenomorphs grow rapidly within hours of chestbursting, then stop developing after an abnormal acceleration phase."
"Perhaps that's what makes the queen special. Preliminary analysis suggests the Xenomorphs have a hive-like social structure, with the queen leading a tribe. We've already achieved basic control over this newborn queen through pheromones. Soon we'll command an entire Xenomorph colony," Hill explained while reviewing her report.
Adam frequently deployed Xenomorphs to raid vampire populations, causing his name to spread with fearsome reputation throughout the vampire world and the entire underworld.
After so many operations, organizations with any real intelligence network had gradually pieced together some surface-level behaviors of the Xenomorphs through constant observation.
Now Fury believed he was beginning to penetrate the core of the Xenomorphs and would soon achieve full control over the species.
"Look! The queen is creating biological tubes! It may be about to lay eggs!" one scientist shouted excitedly.
The team immediately began using pheromone agents refined from Xenomorph secretions to communicate with it.
They were extremely busy. At minimum, they had confirmed that the facehuggers produced by the queen could also be controlled.
"It's time," Fury's single eye flashed with cold sharpness. "Send a senior agent to contact Adam and invite him to join S.H.I.E.L.D.! His greatest asset has already been taken by us. In our eyes, he has no more secrets."
An unsheathed sword was the most intimidating. Fury understood this principle well. Once he personally stripped away Adam's secrets and seized his greatest weapon... the Xenomorphs... he no longer needed to hold back.
What about Mjolnir? Hadn't it only been lifted because of Thor? Besides, in Fury's view, the Asgardians weren't true gods... just a more advanced and powerful race.
That cast doubt on the hammer's true value. Moreover, once they had Adam, they could replicate whatever he had done... and do it better!
"What team should we invite him to join? The Avengers? Howling Commandos? Hammer? Air Cavalry?" Hill listed several names.
"The Howling Commandos."
"Excellent idea. With Blade there, we can keep an eye on him."
Fury gave Hill an expressionless glance. "That's not why. I simply don't see him as human. Someone who stuffs Xenomorph larvae into his own chest and swaps them at will can't be considered a normal person. He fits better with ghosts, mummies, and zombies."
As for the Avengers? Absolutely not. That was Fury's number one team, reserved for people he could truly trust.
"But he lifted Mjolnir. Thor originally left him but went back on his own. We can't determine Thor and Adam's positions within Asgard."
"I don't recognize him as the God of Thunder. Not long ago, he was just a human. The strongest power he possesses, we now have as well!"
Fury turned and left the laboratory.
…
"It seems you've made crucial progress on your end. Otherwise you wouldn't have sent someone to invite me," Adam said seriously, looking at the beautiful woman before him.
Natasha brushed back her wine-red hair, her lips curving slightly as she spoke to Adam. Her peripheral vision, however, had already drifted toward Thor. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is a global organization open to anyone with ability and ideals..."
"We can drop the corporate speak. It's exhausting. Also, when you talk to me, you can look me in the eyes instead of staring at Thor. He won't be going with you."
"Very direct. However, a guest from Asgard deserves better treatment. One wrong move could cause an international diplomatic incident…"
Natasha stepped closer to Adam. The special perfume she wore released a subtle, alluring scent designed to stir hormones. Before she could finish, Thor spoke in a deep voice, "I have no interest in your organization. Also, the smell coming off you is terrible. It makes me want to sneeze."
Natasha's face stiffened. Her charm had been completely ignored by Thor.
It wasn't that she wasn't beautiful or seductive enough. Thor was simply too preoccupied staring at the Xenomorphs around them... especially the new ones born from parasitizing the biochemical monsters Mr. Blue had created. He kept touching them, familiarizing himself as quickly as possible, and thinking about how he would command this army against the Frost Giants once they returned to Asgard.
The new, bulkier Xenomorphs resembling the Abomination naturally drew Natasha's attention. The cunning woman glanced at them briefly before looking away, but she had already memorized every detail.
Adam smiled. "It looks like your beauty can't sway a god with over a thousand years of experience. My instincts tell me you understand men very well, but don't forget... if I really wanted something, there are clearly better candidates."
Natasha's smile gradually faded. Her muscles tensed, ready for action, as she stared at the approaching Raven.
With every few steps, Raven shifted into a different beautiful form... all stunning and curvaceous. Finally, she took on Natasha's exact appearance.
"Fury sent me to invite you to join the Howling Commandos. Blade is already on the team. You would make excellent partners. If you accept, you'll start at Level Nine agent status. Globally, Level Nine is an extremely high starting point."
Natasha's expression remained stiff. "We will also provide you with a professional scientific team to assist your biological engineering projects. All kinds of rare knowledge and resources will be made available to you."
"What do I have to give in return?"
"Obey S.H.I.E.L.D.'s commands. Release your control over Thor. Your Xenomorphs will also count as part of your power when you join S.H.I.E.L.D. As for Mjolnir..."
"Listen to this woman's nonsense, Thor. These people actually think I'm controlling you. And she won't even address me properly as Lord Thunder God."
Just as Thor was about to explode, Adam spoke. His words made Thor's eyes widen in helpless frustration.
Adam turned to Natasha. "I won't join a group of thieves. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You took something very important from me. Let me remind you: no matter how hard you try, in my eyes you've only created laughable imitations. You will never be able to match me."
Natasha finally frowned. "You've really made up your mind? You could very well be officially designated a super-criminal. Uncontrolled group power will never be allowed freedom. That is absolutely unacceptable."
"Like the Brotherhood, the Hand, the Hellfire Club, K'un-Lun, the Ten Rings, the Inhumans, Atlantis? Do I need to name a few more?"
Adam counted on his fingers, then continued, "I've reached a new agreement with the prince beside me. If you disagree... well, that would be a serious provocation against me, the new God of Thunder of Asgard. You'd better consider the consequences. Since you made no progress in the New Mexico conflict, you now want to concern yourselves with Thor and me, the new God of Thunder, after the fighting? Do you even know the status of the God of Thunder in Asgard?"
"What agreement? An agreement with the Asgardian prince?" Natasha's mind raced, latching onto the most information-heavy detail while hiding her inner doubts.
She wanted to ask for clarification, but Adam clearly wasn't going to waste more words on her. She turned to leave. There was no point continuing. As she walked away, she glanced back at Raven and said to Adam, "I really didn't expect you to be interested in a sixty-year-old woman who's had a lot of work done."
"I'll see her out."
As soon as Natasha left, Raven spoke and followed without hesitation. She clearly intended to do something unfriendly.
Adam figured that with the enhancement from her Xenomorph larva and her elite combat skills, Raven could easily handle a genetically modified Natasha.
He had no interest in whether the Black Widow lived or died.
Adam focused on fulfilling his promises.
"Dr. Stern, you need to accelerate the cultivation process. A few hundred won't be nearly enough," Adam sent the order to Mr. Blue underground.
Mr. Blue rubbed his oversized head. He still wasn't used to mental messages coming directly from the larva in his chest and drilling into his brain. It made him... who relied so heavily on his intellect... feel deeply insecure.
But whenever he thought about the beautiful Xenomorphs residing in his chest and how he could secretly study them when Adam wasn't paying attention, Mr. Blue's mood improved again. Even manufacturing the biochemical monsters became more efficient.
"Those were reserves I worked so hard to build. They're gifts I'm giving you because I've joined you. You can't treat that number as something I can casually produce…" Mr. Blue tried to explain to Adam through the larva in his chest.
Adam clearly wasn't listening.
"One week. I want five hundred. Otherwise you have very little value to me. Prepare to be chestbursted. Your life will continue in Xenomorph form," Adam said mercilessly.
He could tolerate their ambition and any attempts at betrayal, but he absolutely would not tolerate incompetence.
If they weren't going to work like beasts of burden for him, what was the point of parasitizing them?
Adam himself began rapidly advancing the next phase of his plans. He sent Xenomorphs out in force, breaking them into teams of five to swiftly sweep through New York and surrounding areas, hunting every vampire.
He also targeted the human traitors who worshipped and served the vampires... the Daywalkers... as part of the hunt.
New York was the heart of the vampire kingdom. These creatures used their generational wealth to enjoy the city's pleasures.
Even after repeated purges by Blade and Adam over time, they still maintained a decent population, though it was rapidly declining.
Many vampires didn't fear Blade. No matter how strong he was, he was only one man. But they feared Adam. Adam's forces only grew stronger and more numerous with every battle... the perfect natural enemy for vampires.
Adam even sent dozens of Xenomorph teams roaming the streets during daylight hours, searching for vampires and occasionally drawing civilian attention.
The vampires cried out in despair. Some even used RPGs and other weapons to inflict damage on the Xenomorphs. But they soon discovered in horror that the scale of the Xenomorph forces attacking them was expanding rapidly!
Take out five today, and a dozen would come tomorrow!
The total number of Xenomorphs was growing at an explosive rate. Adam's actions finally provoked S.H.I.E.L.D. Even hunting vampires was using private armed force to disrupt the relatively stable public order, openly and directly challenging the public order that S.H.I.E.L.D. maintained.
A pale and still-injured Natasha submitted her report, causing Fury to completely lose patience.
"Adam is becoming more and more reckless. Those Xenomorphs are already in the triple digits. If this continues, won't he use an army of that size to hold all of New York hostage?"
"Right now it's vampires. Soon it will be super-criminals. Then ordinary humans. In the end, even stray cats and dogs on the street might have Xenomorph larvae inside them!"
Fury looked at the mountain of reports piling up like snow, his face ashen. He truly couldn't understand what Adam was preparing for. Why was he being so blatant, not even bothering to maintain appearances?
What truly chilled Fury was the Xenomorphs' reproductive mechanism.
Originally, Fury hadn't thought the queen's fertility was particularly strong. No matter how many a single queen produced, the total population should still be limited.
But after observing the queen held in the Adamantium cage, Fury naturally had a thought: What if Adam couldn't control too many Xenomorphs and a few broke free?
Parasitize birds and let them migrate far away. Parasitize fish and enter the oceans beyond human reach…
Then, under certain conditions, they would all evolve into queens…
Good grief... an entire planet of uncontrolled Xenomorphs?
The more he understood, the more Fury admired and valued the Xenomorphs. But he also became increasingly aware of the terrifying potential risks if they ever went out of control.
This had nothing to do with his assessment of Adam's "talent." It was purely about safety!
Right now they were still manageable... just a few hundred Xenomorphs. But if…
"To deal with Adam, we will have to pay a heavy price. Our agents and heroes will suffer massive casualties against Adam, who controls both Mjolnir and a Xenomorph army!"
Fury thought of the queen in his possession. Under their pheromone commands and unlimited nutritional support, it was laying eggs at a rapid pace. In just a few days, they had already accumulated a considerable number.
The scientists speculated that this Xenomorph queen had spontaneously evolved to expand the population, unlocking genes that dramatically increased egg production speed.
Adam's queen apparently lacked this trait.
Xenomorphs were a species that fused and evolved in different genetic directions. Such variation seemed logically plausible, though it was also possible Adam was deliberately suppressing his queen's egg-laying capacity.
A look of determination and fervor flashed in Fury's eye. "…We will act as well. Use Xenomorphs to defeat Xenomorphs. Adam will watch in despair as our cultivation and use of Xenomorphs far surpasses his own. In the end, he was merely a lucky man who happened to develop them. Only in our hands can the Xenomorphs become truly controllable, perfect biological weapons... a force that safeguards Earth's security!"
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