Harry received Darcy's distress text and imdiately dragged his friend, Sean, to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s temporary command post...
Coulson was usually an agreeable man, at least on the surface, and he was well aware of the deep connections behind the founder of Umbrella Corporation.
So even when presented with the flimsy excuse that the blond intruder was rely a Norwegian doctor and an enthusiast of Norse mythology, Coulson chose to release him, along with all the confiscated research materials and equipnt.
This wasn't out of fear or intimidation. Keeping the baffling intruder wouldn't yield any useful intel, and the astronomical anomaly data had already been backed up by S.H.I.E.L.D., rendering it of little further value.
As long as no direct conflict arose, Coulson saw no harm in doing Sean a favor.
As Director Fury often said, "A smart hunter knows when to let the prey lower its guard... only then can the right opportunity be seized."
"Vacationing in New xico?" The middle-aged agent probed casually.
His superior had always maintained a degree of suspicion toward this young man.
"Indeed. This is a place worth rembering for the Arican people. In 1680, the Native Aricans drove out the Spanish. Over a century later, this land beca part of the Union. Sixteen years after that, the Civil War erupted here. And in 1945, the U.S. detonated its first atomic bomb in this very state, ushering in the nuclear age."
Watching as Dr. Selvig and Jane led the blond man away, Sean spoke with an air of nostalgia, effortlessly summarizing centuries of history in a few lighthearted sentences.
Beside him, Harry stared in astonishnt, utterly impressed by his friend's ability to spin such convincing nonsense with a straight face.
Coulson was montarily speechless, "I didn't think young people these days cared much for history."
He had only asked offhandedly, never expecting such a sincere and detailed response. From Sean's earnest expression, it didn't even sound like a rehearsed excuse.
"History is worth rembering. There are many lessons to be learned from it. There's an old saying... Treat history as a mirror, and you can see the rise and fall of nations, even the shifting of dynasties." Sean smiled faintly.
The mild-mannered agent fell silent. Years of intelligence work had taught him that this young man's true nature was anything but the humble, gentle facade he presented.
Decisive yet understated, Sean was like a figure shrouded in mist... only by delving deeper could one hope to glimpse the truth.
After a brief exchange, Sean and Harry left S.H.I.E.L.D.'s temporary command post.
He had casually fabricated Thor's identity, and Coulson knew it... a simple database search would reveal that Dr. Donald Blake from Norway didn't exist...
.....
"Thank you for helping us recover the research... and Darcy's iPad." The young astrophysicist was overflowing with gratitude.
Covered in mud and looking thoroughly defeated, Thor finally grasped the situation.
Gone was his forr arrogance. After failing to lift Mjolnir and receiving Loki's devastating news, the Asgardian prince seed profoundly changed.
"All credit goes to Harry." Sean smoothly redirected the spotlight to the Osborn heir... after all, he wasn't the one trying to impress a girl.
The group returned to the private residence. Along the way, Sean expressed keen interest in Jane's research, and Thor, drawing from Asgardian knowledge, elaborated for everyone.
"Your ancestors called this knowledge mythology. Jane treats it as science. I co from a place where the two are one and the sa." Thor, slowly regaining his bearings, marked key points with a pen, "My father explained it like this: Your world is one of the Nine Realms within this galaxy, all connected by the branches of Yggdrasil... the World Tree..."
"...This is Midgard, what you call Earth. Here's Vanaheim, and Jotunheim. I hail from Asgard..."
Dr. Selvig listened with skepticism. As a renowned astronor and physicist, he struggled to accept that the heroes of myth and religious texts might be real.
anwhile, Harry and Darcy in the backseat were too engrossed in an iPad ga to care.
Only Sean listened with genuine focus. He was deeply intrigued by Asgard, which had long positioned itself as Earth's protector.
When human civilization was still in its infancy, the Asgardians had descended upon the planet and repelled the Frost Giants. Before that, it was their armies that had crushed the Dark Elves' attempt to plunge the Nine Realms into eternal night.
Through these two cataclysmic wars, Asgard had cented its dominance...
Odin and his firstborn, Hela, once led the armies of Asgard in conquering the Nine Realms, expanding their empire in an era of unrivaled glory. But after Hela and the Valkyries vanished, Asgard ceased its conquests, entering an age of peace and recovery.
This history was likely unknown even to Thor, the future king. Odin had buried the truth of Hela and the conquests deep within the annals of ti, leaving few aware of that bloody past.
As Thor finished his explanation, he gazed pensively out the window at the night sky, missing his family and friends back in Asgard. Perhaps his father had been right... a reckless, battle-hungry king could never bring his people true happiness...
...
anwhile, Sean and Jane delved deeper into the astronomical discovery that could shake the world.
The astrophysicist suddenly grew frustrated, "S.H.I.E.L.D., whoever they are, they'll use their power to ensure this research never sees the light of day."
An extraterrestrial civilization?
Proof of such a thing would send shockwaves through the world, like a boulder crashing into still waters. An organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. which was dedicated to maintaining global order, would never allow it.
And as an unknown in the field of astronomy, Jane lacked the credibility to make such a claim. Even if she published her findings, the academic world would dismiss it as sensationalist nonsense... a fairy tale unworthy of serious consideration. It would end up in the trash.
"No. Humanity deserves to know the truth." Sean's eyes burned with conviction, "Astronomy, the field you study, is the mother of all sciences. From the mont the first Homo sapiens looked up at the stars, the seeds of civilization were sown. To seek truth and uncover facts... that is the duty of every scientist."
Jane listened, deeply moved. Dr. Selvig, who had first guided her into astronomy, was himself an unorthodox scientist... a free spirit whose theories were often dismissed as wild fantasies by mainstream academia.
Unbound by conventional thinking, Jane felt a surge of determination at Sean's words, "You're right. I shouldn't let fear stop ."
A faint smile touched Sean's lips, "Miss Foster, would you consider joining Umbrella Corporation? I'd like to offer my full support for this groundbreaking research."
He added warmly, "It would be an honor to witness this revolution."
eting his earnest gaze, Jane found herself nodding almost instinctively, drawn in by the quiet intensity of the young man's smile...
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