Over the past week, Fox had successfully negotiated the transfer of Midland Circle from the Rand Corporation. The unfinished building had been a financial liability for years, poor location, stalled construction, and now association with the recently eliminated Hand organization. The Rand Corporation's leadership had been eager to unload the property.
The final transaction barely qualified as a sale, five hundred thousand dollars for a Manhattan property that should have commanded twenty tis that price. But the Rand executives understood the implicit ssage: the Fraternity had destroyed the Hand completely, and they could do the sa to any other organization that proved troubleso.
Fox stood outside the building with her tablet, reviewing financial reports. "Chief, Stark Industries stock has dropped 56.5% since Tony's announcent."
Smith's eyebrows rose. The decline had exceeded half the company's market value, which ant the tiline was accelerating. Tony would reveal himself as Iron Man soon, probably within days. The press conference would send the stock soaring again, and those who'd bought during the valley would make fortunes.
"Prepare for repurchase. Wait for my signal, but be ready to move imdiately when I give the word."
Fox closed her files and turned as a red-haired woman erged from the building's entrance. The newcor wore a professional pencil skirt and blouse, standard office attire, but moved with unconscious grace that suggested extensive physical training.
"The building's been cleared completely," the woman reported, her voice carrying a slight Eastern European accent that most Aricans wouldn't detect. "No workers, no squatters, no holess population. I've mapped optimal demolition points. We just need to install charges and the structure will co down cleanly."
Fox nodded approvingly. "Excellent work. Coordinate with the demolition contractor and arrange debris removal once the building's down."
Smith's attention fixed on the red-haired woman with predatory interest. Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow herself. SHIELD had deployed one of their best undercover operatives, which ant Fury considered the Fraternity a high-priority target for intelligence gathering.
Interesting. I'm getting the Tony Stark treatnt ahead of schedule.
Smith's enhanced mory catalogued everything he knew about Natasha. Forr Black Widow program graduate from the Soviet Red Room. Rescued, allegedly, by Clint Barton during a SHIELD operation. She believed Hawkeye had helped destroy the Red Room, which was why she'd defected and joined SHIELD.
But Smith knew sothing SHIELD probably didn't share with their assets: the Red Room still existed. SHIELD had dismantled one facility while leaving the program's core infrastructure intact. Possibly for intelligence purposes, possibly because completely eliminating a foreign spy program created diplomatic complications.
Either way, Natasha Romanoff had been lied to by her adopted organization.
What happens if she learns the truth? That the Red Room still operates? That SHIELD has been concealing its continued existence?
The possibilities were delicious. Expose SHIELD's deception, provide evidence of the Red Room's survival, then help Natasha actually destroy the program and rescue her "sister" Yelena Belova from their conditioning. That kind of betrayal, discovering the organization she'd trusted had manipulated her with false promises, could turn the Black Widow into a very motivated asset.
SHIELD wanted to plant an operative in the Fraternity? Fine. Smith would turn that operative against them and insert his own intelligence source into SHIELD's infrastructure. He'd been looking for opportunities to undermine Nick Fury's operations, and this presented a perfect opening.
He wasn't ready for direct confrontation, not until he could match Captain Marvel's power output. Carol Danvers represented Fury's ultimate trump card, a planetary-level combatant who could probably survive in space. Fighting her prematurely would be suicide.
But indirect action? Subversion and intelligence gathering? Those were well within his capabilities.
Smith turned to Fox with an expression of polite curiosity. "I don't believe I've t this mber of your team before."
Fox gestured to the red-haired woman. "Chief, this is Natalie Rushman, my new executive secretary. She's been invaluable, exceptional financial acun, already streamlined several operational inefficiencies."
"She's fluent in French, Italian, and Latin. Previous experience includes modeling and so martial arts training, kickboxing, I believe."
Smith allowed impressed surprise to color his expression. "Quite the Renaissance woman."
Fox nodded, her own expression showing satisfaction with the hiring decision. "You keep expanding my responsibilities, and I needed capable support. Even with Wesley and John Wick helping coordinate operations, I require at least two quality assistants to manage everything effectively."
Smith raised his hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. If you find other candidates with similar qualifications, hire them. I'll approve the budget."
Natalie Rushman extended her hand, her smile professional and warm. "Hello, sir. It's an honor to et you."
Smith shook her hand, noting the controlled strength in her grip, more than civilian normal, less than she was probably capable of. "I'm not your boss. Fox is your direct supervisor."
Fox smiled at the exchange, then consulted her tablet. "I should contact the demolition company and schedule the building's destruction. Let's clear the area, "
Smith waved dismissively. "No need. Since we've confird the building's empty, no workers, no transients, no one who might be injured, I'll handle it personally."
He gestured to the surrounding Fraternity security. "Have everyone pull back one hundred ters. Establish a periter and keep civilians clear."
Fox imdiately began issuing orders through her radio. Fraternity operatives moved efficiently, expanding the secure zone and redirecting foot traffic away from the demolition site.
Within minutes, only Smith, Fox, and Natalie remained at the inner periter, with security personnel visible at the hundred-ter boundary.
Smith turned to Fox with a slight smile. "Today you'll see what it truly ans to be called a god."
He brought his hands together at his waist, palms cupped. Ki began gathering visibly between them, blue-white energy coalescing into a sphere of raw power. The air around his hands shimred with heat distortion.
"Kahaha!"
Smith's voice carried across the empty lot as he thrust his hands forward. The energy sphere exploded into a massive beam, three feet in diater, blazing with otherworldly light. The blast struck the building's foundation with devastating force.
But Smith didn't let the beam simply punch through. He raised his hands gradually, angling the Kahaha upward. The energy wave carved through the building from bottom to top, obliterating concrete and steel with equal ease. The structure didn't collapse so much as disintegrate, transforming into dust and vapor as the beam consud it entirely.
The Kahaha continued upward after consuming the building, screaming into the sky until it vanished from sight, probably burning out sowhere in the upper atmosphere.
Where the seven-story unfinished building had stood monts before, only a clean foundation remained. Not rubble, not collapsed structure, just empty space and a smooth concrete pad marked with scorch patterns.
Fox stared in absolute shock, her composure shattered completely. "Oh my God. I an... I call you God, but I thought that was just... but you actually ARE..."
Her voice trailed off into incoherent wonder, eyes wide and shining with sothing approaching religious fervor.
Natasha's training allowed her to maintain better external composure, but Smith could see the micro-expressions of shock breaking through her professional mask. She'd witnessed superhuman abilities before, worked alongside enhanced individuals, reviewed footage of extraordinary phenona.
But nothing had prepared her for this level of destructive capability deployed with casual ease.
Her mind was clearly racing through tactical implications. What if Smith targeted the White House with that attack? The Pentagon? SHIELD headquarters? The beam would punch through any conventional fortification like it wasn't there.
She visibly shook herself, forcibly suppressing the horrifying scenarios playing out in her imagination. He's an ally. He punishes criminals. He's demonstrated consistent ethical behavior.
But now she understood why Nick Fury had prioritized direct contact and careful assessnt. Soone with this power couldn't be recruited through normal ans. Threats wouldn't work, he could level buildings with a gesture. Bribery was pointless, he led a wealthy criminal organization. Appeals to patriotism would fall flat, his loyalty was to the Fraternity's mission, not any nation.
The only approach was genuine partnership, treating him as an equal or superior rather than an asset to be managed.
Fox found her voice again, though it trembled slightly. "Chief... is this your full strength?"
"This is incredible. Cross and the others are going to be devastated they missed this demonstration."
Smith shrugged, downplaying the display. "Train consistently. Push your physical conditioning to its absolute limit."
Fox's eyes widened further as the implication registered. Could I eventually do sothing like this?
Smith turned and began walking back toward the vehicles. "The site's cleared. Bring in excavation equipnt and start searching for the dragon bone deposits. I want that material secured before anyone else realizes it's here."
Natalie waited until Smith was out of earshot before leaning closer to Fox, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Boss... is he actually a god? I an literally?"
Fox looked at her new secretary, noting the awe and hunger in Natalie's expression. A smile curved her lips. "With power like that, why wouldn't we call him God?"
She t Natalie's eyes directly, her voice carrying absolute conviction. "And yes. He is."
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