Chapter 45: Arc 2: Chapter 1: Time of Waiting

September 17th, 1992, Library in the Strategic Scientific Reserve auxiliary Academy.

Merlin quietly sits by the table next to the window, in front of him was a book he was reading.

Although reading books in the library with sunglasses on may seem strange, but considering his condition, this much was excusable.

Today was not a special day, the way he lives the day is no different than how he lived for the past 6 months.

Wake up in the morning, have breakfast, then begin overloaded stamina training.

After lunch, have combat training under the instructions of multiple instructors.

Evening's training was easy, 1 hour of shooting practice and 30 minutes of weapon disassembly and maintenance training; 1 hour of tracking and anti-tracking training, and the elective wilderness survival course.

It was 9-pm right now, a rare free time in a day; as in 2 more hours, the entire academy will be lights out as scheduled.

2 hours time was surely enough for him to finish the book he was reading.

Merlin puts his left hand on the table and turns the pages with his right hand, his body naturally leaning against the chair. One could tell he was reading his book very earnestly.

Compared to how he was 6 months ago, Merlin had a more calm temperament than his past liberalism self.

This was change brought by accumulation of knowledge; in these past 6 months, Merlin had not only been going through the Super-Soldier training Miss Carter had made for him, but he had also been learning on how to become an excellent field agent. So far, his progression was satisfying.

22 minutes later, Merlin finishes reading the book, stretches himself, and stands up.

He puts this latest Playboy Magazine back onto the shelf, randomly picks a book <The Art of Disguising> and returns to his seat.

"Relaxing time is over."

Merlin moves his fingers and whispers:

"Let's get learning."

As he flips the first page, his eyes behind the sunglasses change, and he activates both his second sight and dark senses.

Under the enhancement brought by his sharper senses, his mind becomes more active, which allows him to collect information and learn more efficiently.

Unfortunately, before Merlin could enjoy the joys of learning, the watch on his left wrist vibrates.

This made Merlin frown, he stands up, walks to the front of the library, picks up the phone and dials a number. Moments later, Fury's deep voice resounds:

"Merlin, how's life in the Academy?"

"I want to say I like it here."

Merlin leans against the wall and sighs, he says:

"But truthfully, this place is terrible."

"I'm training with wannabe agents every day, but they haven't even experienced actual combat before. To not let myself contract their positive and naive thoughts, I had to do some night reading in the library. I'm hoping this call can get me outta this situation...my dear Fury, can you grant me such a feeble wish?"

"Sort of."

Fury says ambiguously:

"I've received a mission to go look for someone in Europe. Your sharp senses could be of big help, but I'm not sure if you're up to the task."

"I heard, they sent you my report card?"

Merlin suddenly asks an unrelated question, Fury on the other side of the phone looks at the stacks of report cards on his desk and says:

"Indeed, they're all here with me. But to be real, in our line of work, grades don't mean much."

"Oh?"

Merlin shorts:

"If 9 S-grades and 2 A+grades can't tell the problem, then let's talk about what happened 6 months ago."

"Hold it!"

Fury leisurely says:

"There was a lot of luck involved when you defeated the Winter Soldier, and it's clear that you kept some secrets about that battle. At least from what I know, you weren't the only person that day in the factory...Merlin, you're still not getting me."

"What I do get is determined by what you want me to get."

Merlin calmly retorts:

"What temperament do you think I'm still lacking of?"

"You're still lacking a lot, but those can be accumulated with time."

Fury aggressively says:

"My biggest concern is whether or not you're ready, whether or not you've made up your mind."

"You were brave and fearless when you battled the Winter Soldier, because if you weren't brave you would die, you had no choice. But the situation now is, all it takes is one order and your hands will be stained with blood."

"Every bullet you shoot may hit someone. Every decision you make may cause you lifetime regret. And most importantly, you know better than I do who you are on the inside."

Fury's tone becomes serious, he asks:

"Now, are you really sure, that you're ready?"

"I'm sure."

Merlin's tone becomes slightly indifferent and says:

"Just hope I don't need to do countless boring ways to prove that I am; whatever your decision is, I'll be waiting patiently...until you think I can."

"Very well, come by tomorrow afternoon to do your entry proceedings, we'll be leaving at midnight the day after tomorrow."

Fury says straightforwardly:

"A new teammate will be accompanying us, you'll meet him then."

"Okay."

Merlin nods and prepares to hang up; he felt relaxed and couldn't wait to get out of Agent Academy.

And at this moment, Fury mentions something important:

"Your new identity will be sent to your dorm tomorrow morning, a letter has been delivered to May Reilly through the Social Security Administration; if it all goes smoothly, you can go meet with her tomorrow at Queens, but you best keep your new identity in mind and get a hold of your feelings so you don't spill the beans."

"..."

Merlin was speechless at Fury's words. A few seconds later, he sincerely says:

"Thanks for your help, Fury."

"Don't thank me yet, there's still one more issue."

Fury's tone becomes impatient and says:

"That kid you brought back, Erik Stevens. During your time in training, he's been rotated among 3 different foster families, but never once has he stayed for a month with them. They even called my wife, that kid's quite unwilling to communicate with us, and he's asking for you to be his guardian since he only trusts you."

"I've sent him to St Agnes Orphanage, they have a school there, and it's close to your new house. What I mean is, after meeting with your cousin, remember to bring that kid back with you."

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Merlin listened to Fury's words and responds:

"Two questions; First, you can't even handle a kid? Second, when did I have a house?"

"Two answers."

Fury says:

"First, I have my own stuff to deal with and my time is precious, so solve your own problems."

"Second, that house isn't for you to live in, it's for work. Remember that mission I gave you? When you come back from Europe, you'll start checking from New York's most chaotic Hell's Kitchen...as the first testing point of the irregularity watch program, I've found the partner you requested so much, any more questions?"

"No."

Merlin replies, which Fury continues:

"Then, see you tomorrow morning, agent Merlin."

"Yes, goodnight, officer Fury."

---

Fury hangs up the phone, in his office, his superior Alexander Pierce had overheard their entire conversation.

After the call ends, Pierce in his black suit plays with the cigar in his hand, he sits on the sofa, contemplates for a few minutes and says:

"Are you sure that this Merlin is suitable for joining us?"

Fury answers frankly to his superior's question:

"He's still young, his past experiences have shown that Merlin can handle pressure, and he has high malleability. Not to mention, even though Miss Carter had already retired, Merlin is the last person she recruited before her retirement..."

"I understand what you're saying."

Pierce squints his eyes, this once right-hand-man of Miss Carter says resignedly:

"As long as Officer carter's influence still stands, Merlin entering the SSR is basically nails on wood. But I keep thinking that this young man is somewhat jumpy, even showing a hint of overconfidence. He's different from me, you, and everyone in this organization. He lacks a...yeah, a sense of mission! Don't you think?"

"It's hard to say, Pierce."

Fury puts both hands on the table and tells his superior/friend Pierce:

"You've read Merlin's file, if I had experienced the events he's been through, I'd also yearn for true freedom."

"From my engagements with him, Merlin has been living his life oppressively, disguising himself to protect his secret every day...to us, disguise is a skill, but to him, disguise is his life."

"From this, he's very fit for being an agent. Most importantly, the knowledge he has about the irregularities and the power he has are essential to use, who are seeking transformation."

"He may bot be suitable, but he's important, he's very valuable."

Fury with a serious tone says:

"Valuable things should be used reasonably. You taught me this, Pierce."

"Mmm, you make a good point."

Pierce nods slowly and tells Fury:

"I'll keep him in mind, Fury. But he has to be led directly by you to put me at ease, you're someone with true faith, so I hope you can turn that promising young man into someone with faith...I wish that you never let down your guard!"

"As Merlin had said himself, if he fails to hold onto his will, he will truly fall into the darkness: even with the power he has right now, once he falls into the darkness, the destruction he causes will be more destructive than any regular criminal. It may even escalate into a disaster."

Pierce lights the cigar and warns Fury:

"I wish that the reason I drop by next time is not to hunt him down or execute him."

"I was also worried about that, so I put two leashes on him."

Fury looked at the two photos on the table in front of him, it was May Reilly and Erik Stevens. He gently continues:

"One represents Merlin's yearning for family, the other represents his gratitude. To fight the darkness within, one needs to hold onto the light inside; I believe that with these two people by Merlin's side, he can go even further and even steadier."

"You're right, Pierce, everybody needs faith; so if Merlin doesn't have one, we'll find him one!"

Pierce praised him; Fury was once his subordinate on the battlefields of the Vietnam War, he was an excellent and brave soldier, now he had become an excellent Advising Agent.

It's a pity he was about to leave this place he had worked in for over 20 years.

Last month, following the official retirement of the founder of the SSR, Miss Peggy Carter, the staff regiment she built had officially dissolved. Under Miss Carter's recommendation, Pierce will soon enter the recently founded World Security Council, as a reciprocation of his 20 so years of hard-work.

As for Nick Fury, he was going to stay in the organization to take over Pierce's work.

But in the foreseeable future, the SSR will be reformed into a new organization.

So Fury won't be instated into the high command immediately, since leaders in organizations are picked through political bouts.

"I've received news from some old friends, Fury."

Before he leaves, Pierce lowers his voice and tells Nick Fury:

"The Strategic Scientific Reserve will be split; the CIA and NSA will take some of our projects, but they'll also hand over some of their projects to us, the newly founded organization will he called Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate.

"Shit! What kind of a name is that!"

Fury cursed as soon as he hears the news.

But Pierce's bad news didn't end there, he reaches out, grabs Fury's shoulder and tells him:

"Worse news is, I've received word that the new director could be Kohler."

Fury's eyes went wide, and with an unbelievable tone he tells Pierce:

"The third-rate agent Kohler, who nearly turned the Cold War into a hot one, because he transmitted the wrong message a dozen of years ago? Have the Congressmen gone mad? How could they let Kohler manage such an important organization? Have they finally made up their mind to ruin the SSR?"

"I find it unbelievable as well."

Suspicion flashes through Pierce's squinted eyes, he tells Fury:

"I think that there may be other organizations at play here, the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, even the United States Secret Service, have been eyeing our resources for a long time now, this may be their attempt to devour us entirely with the end of the Cold War. But don't worry, Fury, I'm thinking of solutions, which needs time; don't pay Kohler too much attention, he's just a nobody those guys pushed out."

"Listen to me..."

Pierce pats on Fury's shoulder and teaches his subordinate:

"Don't get in conflict with Kohler for the time being, it's easy to deceive that incompetent man. Until I find a solution, you have to protect our most elite, most core power, protect those excellent agents, and look for more power, people with potential just like Merlin."

"To us, people! Talented ones! Are of utmost importance."

"As the situation gets harder, we have to work more closely together like we used to. Once the chance arrives..."

Pierce uses a fierce tone and says:

"Once we grab our chance, the things those bastards took from us..."

"I'll make them return them twofold!"

 

 

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