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V.G.D. Headquarters Building.
The office that originally belonged to Homelander was now temporarily occupied by Jessica.
Although she didn't enjoy sitting in that chair, some matters had to be resolved here.
"Here." Jessica pushed a map across the desk, sliding it in front of Skye.
"What is this?" Skye picked up the map, looking puzzled.
"Those mysterious symbols you provided earlier..." Jessica poured herself a glass of whiskey and continued, "That Raccoon deciphered them. He said they're Kree map coordinates."
"The decrypted content indicates this is a Kree ruin left on Earth, located underground in Puerto Rico."
Before Skye could process the information, Jessica opened a drawer, took out an exquisite black box, and slid it across the desk to Skye.
"Open it and see."
Skye opened the box cautiously.
Inside lay a brand-new electronic watch.
"This is?"
"The latest Vought Special Ops Watch," Jessica explained. "It has the highest level of support clearance built-in."
"Even though Homelander isn't on Earth right now... Vought won't sit idly by when it comes to you."
Jessica's gaze softened slightly.
"If you're in danger, Vought's support will arrive immediately."
"No matter where you are on Earth."
Skye held the watch; the cool metal sensation against her palm made her eyes sting with warmth.
"Why?" Skye bit her lip. "Why be so good to me? I'm just a..."
"Don't misunderstand." Jessica set down her glass and looked out at the empty sky. "I'm not helping you; I'm just helping Anthony fulfill his promise."
"That bastard has always been a good judge of character... though I don't understand why he cares so much about you."
Jessica sighed.
"Take the stuff and go. Do what you need to do."
"Don't let him down."
...Not long after Skye and Coulson's S.H.I.E.L.D. team had departed.
There was another knock on the office door.
Nick Fury walked in.
He had chosen to stay behind.
"Miss Jones." Fury walked over and sat in front of the desk.
"A rare visitor." Jessica leaned back in her chair, watching him with composure. "The former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. actually let his subordinates leave first and stayed behind alone. Let me guess... you want to scam some funding from Vought to repair your secret Base?"
"I want to talk about the Skrulls." Fury ignored Jessica's mockery and cut straight to the point.
"Oh?" Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Those green-skinned chameleons? Skynet already told me. I heard they're throwing a big party in Chernobyl and want to turn Earth into a radioactive playground?"
"That's Gravik, the leader of the Radicals," Fury said heavily. "Not all Skrulls want war."
"And?" Jessica leaned forward. "What are you trying to say? Want me to issue them green cards? Or allocate a plot of land in New York to build a 'Little Skrull Town'?"
"I want to solve this problem." Fury looked directly into Jessica's eyes. "I know them. I've dealt with them for decades. I know their culture, their weaknesses."
"You need someone who knows the ropes to handle this mess."
"I... want to join Vought."
Jessica was silent for a moment before suddenly laughing out loud.
"Ha..."
"Let me get this logic straight. Nick Fury, the former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., now a wanted criminal. You want to come to Vought... to work?"
"But didn't you cause all of this in the first place?" The smile vanished from Jessica's face, her gaze turning sharp. "Now that things have spiraled out of control, you run to Vought asking us for a solution?"
"Sorry, Director Fury. While Vought is a commercial company, we don't harbor traitors to humanity."
The words 'Traitor to humanity' hit Fury like a heavy hammer to the face.
Even as calm as he was, the veins on his forehead couldn't help but bulge at this moment.
"I am not a traitor!" Fury growled, slamming his hands heavily on the desk. "Everything I did was for Earth! For humanity!"
"Back then, we had no Avengers, no Homelander! Facing alien threats, we were like a pack of monkeys with sticks! I had to utilize every resource available!"
"Maybe my methods weren't honorable, maybe I made mistakes. But I have never betrayed humanity!"
He panted heavily, his chest heaving violently.
"I am standing here now, enduring your mockery, not to find a job to retire in."
"But because... I want to make amends for all of this."
Silence fell over the office.
Jessica stared into Fury's eyes for a long time.
Just as Fury was about to give up, Jessica spoke.
"Go report to Skynet."
"Skynet is handling the screening and purging of the Skrulls with full authority. You'd better pray you still have some use."
"But remember, Fury." Jessica's voice rang out coldly as Fury stood up to leave.
"If I find out you're playing your spy games at Vought..."
"I will personally throw you into the Sun. Believe me, I have that power now."
Fury's footsteps paused.
He didn't look back, simply pulling the door open silently.
As he was about to cross the threshold, he stopped.
"I have one more question." Fury kept his back to Jessica. "Brock Rumlow... the current Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., he's one of yours, right?"
Jessica didn't speak, only offering a meaningful smile.
Silence itself was the answer.
Fury shook his head self-deprecatingly.
"I knew it..."
"The great enemy in my eyes is indeed not worth mentioning in his."
He pushed the door and left, his silhouette looking somewhat desolate.
But what he didn't tell Jessica was that what truly drove him to join Vought wasn't the Skrulls' betrayal or being wanted by S.H.I.E.L.D.
It was that day, the moment he piloted the Hellfire fighter jet as it plummeted toward the ground.
He had finally pressed that old pager.
The pager he had cherished for decades, regarded as his final trump card.
The signal was sent.
But until now, the sky remained empty.
Carol hadn't come.
Homelander was right.
Earth, in the end, can only rely on Earthlings themselves... Metropolis.
This city, once hailed as the City of Tomorrow, was now shrouded in the shadow of death.
The LexCorp Tower had been transformed into the nerve center of Superman's regime.
Clark Kent, once the Son of Tomorrow, now General Apocalypse, listened expressionlessly to the reports below.
"So..." he asked in a low voice.
"You're saying our 'Fire Pit' transformation projects around the globe are being sabotaged?"
"Yes... General."
A Commander stepped forward to report.
"Not just the Fire Pits. Our three main concentration camps in North America, as well as the Parademon hatcheries in Europe, have all suffered devastating blows in the past few hours."