— Some Time Ago, Washington, D.C. —
At an intersection in Washington, D.C., Nick Fury sat in his sleek black Chevrolet SUV, waiting for the traffic light to change.
A police car rolled up beside him, and the officers inside kept glancing his way, their gazes lingering as if trying to confirm something.
"Want to see my lease?" Fury snapped, glaring at the two officers.
As if in response, the police car let out a short, irritated chirp from its siren before speeding off.
"Damn lunatics," Fury muttered, stepping on the gas as the light turned green.
But just as he entered the intersection—
'BANG—!'
A police car came out of nowhere, ramming full-speed into the side of his vehicle.
Before Fury could react, more police cars emerged from all directions, boxing him in completely.
"Oh, shit! Motherf—!"
Dazed from the impact, Fury shook his head, trying to clear the ringing in his ears.
Luckily, his heavily modified Chevrolet was built like a tank, and while the car had taken a beating, he himself was unharmed.
As he regained focus, Fury scanned his surroundings.
The so-called "cops" surrounding him all wore sunglasses and had muscular, combat-ready builds—far too disciplined to be typical Washington police officers.
Their entire demeanor screamed "fake."
After all, big-city cops in America: they had good food, plenty of rest, minimal fieldwork, and even less training.
If you did find a fit one, they were either a rookie, on thyroid medication, or a hardcore gym addict.
It didn't take much for Fury to put two and two together.
This was an assassination attempt.
"Warning: Attack detected. There are no active law enforcement patrols within three blocks of this location." His vehicle's onboard AI chimed in, confirming his suspicions.
The real question was: Who the hell wants me dead?
Why now?
What's their objective?
Do we have a traitor in S.H.I.E.L.D.?
A flood of calculations ran through Fury's mind, and he arrived at a chillingly simple conclusion: S.H.I.E.L.D. has been compromised.
Before he could dwell on it further, the fake cops drew automatic rifles, aiming them directly at his SUV from all sides.
"Oh, shit..."
'RA-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!'
A hailstorm of bullets rained down on the vehicle, sparking against its armored plating.
Fortunately, Fury's custom SUV wasn't just for show—it boasted top-tier bulletproof capabilities. The standard 5.56mm rifle rounds bounced harmlessly off.
But the assassins had come prepared.
From an approaching SWAT transport vehicle, they retrieved portable resonance charges—high-tech adhesive pads designed to generate vibrations strong enough to shatter even bulletproof glass.
Developed by Rhodes Island Industries as a cutting-edge alternative to the old-fashioned battering ram, these devices were lethal in the wrong hands.
And they weren't done yet.
Four high-energy laser drones took off into the air, their crimson beams poised to slice through his vehicle like a hot knife through butter.
Fury stared in horror, feeling a migraine coming on.
"Kagura Hitomi! Look at the mess your damn Rhodes Island Industries has made! If I die here, I swear I'll haunt!"
"Hostile forces detected. Environmental scan complete. Recommended action: Activate 'Eggshell' security defense system."
The onboard AI's voice cut through his cursing, offering a lifeline.
"YES! YES! OBVIOUSLY! I'm about to die, or did you not notice?! Activate whatever you've got!"
Fury glanced anxiously at the approaching drones and assassins with their resonance charges. "And wait—why the hell is it called Eggshell?!"
"Command confirmed. Overwriting vehicle systems."
Suddenly, the holographic displays inside the car flickered and died. The entire system went dark.
"WTF???" Fury yelled, wide-eyed. "Your 'defense system' is just turning everything off?!"
Outside, the laser drones completed their encirclement.
'HISS—!'
Brilliant beams of high-energy light ignited, beginning to carve into the armored vehicle. Sparks flew, illuminating the night with an eerie glow.
"Well... shit. Guess I'm not getting out of this one," Fury muttered, pulling a custom-built pager from his pocket. "Remember me…"
"System override complete. Network connection restored. 'Argos' surveillance satellite realigning."
Before he could press the pager's button, the car's systems abruptly came back online.
But the AI's voice had changed.
A distinctly familiar female voice now filled the cabin.
"WTF...?"
"Hello, Director Fury. I am Cortana, an AI assistant under Rhodes Island Industries."
Fury groaned. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."
"Under the 'Eggshell' security defense protocol, I have assumed full control of your vehicle."
"Please fasten your seatbelt and refrain from sticking your head or hands outside the window to avoid unnecessary injury."
"WHO THE HELL WOULD STICK THEIR HEAD OUT RIGHT NOW?! Just use your Rhodes Island tech and get me out of here!"
"Rhodes Island Industries' equipment is developed for safety, defense, and rescue purposes. If our technology is causing you distress, we sincerely apologize and you can sent any complain to the our customer service agents, we appreciate your understanding."
Fury clenched his teeth. "If I survive this, I am SO gonna—"
"Locking onto surrounding Rhodes Island assets. Initiating emergency override."
Of course, given that Kagura Hitomi had designed Fury's SUV herself, she had anticipated a scenario where her own company's tech would be used against him.
After all, something similar had happened in the original MCU.
A circular dish-like device rose from the SUV's roof.
A faint humming sound filled the air as blue energy rings began pulsing outward, growing larger with each wave.
'BWOOOOM—!'
A sudden electromagnetic pulse burst from the vehicle, its specialized frequency disrupting all lower-authority Rhodes Island tech within range.
The drones? Shut down mid-air, sparking and crashing to the ground.
The resonance charges? Completely disabled.
Seeing the tide turn, Fury finally let out a smirk.
"Alright, I take it back—."
"Cortana, get me the hell out of here."
"Activating 'Eggshell' protocol."
"And seriously—why the hell is it called Eggshell?!"
———————————————————————
Daily Uploads!
Unlock bonus chapters by reaching specific milestones with [Power Stone] votes!
Please support me at p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL to access more than 50 advanced chapters. Q-Q