417Hey guys! New chapter! (IMPORTANT A/N AT THE BOTTOM)
There's someone else in the room.
If he were a little more rested and focused, Connors might've noticed the dark figure sitting at the desk sooner. He may have even noticed that the room's defense systems were already deactivated, despite having turned them on before he left. But he came in, hands empty of a coffee - much to his chagrin - rubbing at his face and not bothering to suppress the yawn pushing deep from the back of his throat.
His brain was consumed with thoughts of sleep and how he might be able to catch up on a few hours of shut-eye before getting called in to do more work. He's found Nick Fury's office chair to be surprisingly comfy, having fallen asleep in it several times already, and he didn't feel like descending to the sublevels of the Academy where they roomed the staff and agents who slept on the premises. Besides, this way he could get straight to work as soon as he woke.
As much as the thought made him want to cry, there was always something that needed to be done in this blasted organization.
He was just coming up to the desk, shoulders slumped and eyes already blurry, when someone cleared their throat and he jolted up, jumping back a few steps as his eyes searched for the source.
He found it sitting in Nick Fury's chair.
It took him second more to realize there was someone else leaning against the wall too.
Connors blinked several times and his jaw dropped. He wondered if he'd fallen asleep out in the hall and was in the midst of an incredible dream.
"F-Fury?" he asked, taking a step closer to get a better look at the shadows. He hadn't bothered gesturing for the lights to turn on, but now he pushed the button on the corner of the desk and the ceiling fixtures burst to life.
His retina's burned from the sudden brightness, but there was no mistaking it now.
"Fury!" he sprung forward, the action sharp like there were coils in his heels, and he was already rounding the desk before he realized he didn't know what he planned on doing and paused.
Should he give Fury a hug? Punch him in the throat for being gone so long? Both were dangerous options.
"Dr. Connors," Fury replied, fingers intertwined on his stomach and back leaned into the chair with cool ease. Connors felt like screaming in rage and crying for joy. He went with straightening his spine and shoulders, and clearing his throat.
"S-sir," his voice cracked despite this, "it's really good to have you back."
"Good to be back," Fury sat up in the chair now and gestured loosely to the side. The second of Connor's sudden guests stepped forward.
"Madam Web," he greeted, holding out his hand.
"Dr. Connors," she returned, shaking the offered hand.
Connors could still remember when Fury had taken Madam Web from SHIELD the day Hydra attacked. It was hard to forget the Triscarrier shifting and morphing like technological putty in the hands of a child, right before his very eyes. He'd been in a frenzy trying to make it to the escape pods with the rest of the staff, outrunning and avoiding the Hydra agents swarming the halls - who shot anyone who tried to run and beat down those who surrendered.
He'd been cornered when Nova and Fury appeared. They took care of the Hydra agents quickly and enlisted Connors in their escape. Hydra was there for Madam Web, and they would do anything to get her. So, she needed to vanish.
SHIELD enlisted Madam Web years ago, but given the sheer tantamount of her powers, she was kept a secret from only a select few people. Connors and Fury had been two of them. She'd been kept in a hidden section of the Triscarrier that not even the majority of the SHIELD staff knew about. It was big enough for 1 person to live comfortably but small enough to go unnoticed within the bulk of the air-ship.
Nova had to be sworn to secrecy, of course. Not that he would've had the opportunity to tell anyone about Madam Web anyway, given that they needed him to get off the Tricarrier in one piece. And Nova hadn't disappointed.
But the boy had come back, eventually, to retrieve help when Fury and Madam Web were cornered. He hadn't said a word about Madam Web, and neither had Spider-Man and Triton after Connors took them to the side and made sure Fury had them swear to keep it a secret too.
And now he was back and Connors had never felt so relieved in his life.
But there was something in the Director's eye that had him pausing, mid-relief. It was the kind of stare he's seen before, right before getting bad news.
"What is it?" He asked, looking between the two.
"These are very precarious times," Fury started, matter-of-factly, as he leaned forward with his hands on his chin. "I've read up on the report about the battle with Peter Parker this evening."
"So you do know the situation?"
"Yes. I've been following the events of Spider-Man's disappearance ever since the Avengers got involved."
That takes Connors back. "So you - you've known this whole time?" He sputtered, and a flush of anger crept up his neck, "Then where were you? Why didn't you come back?"
"Like I said," Fury said slowly, "precarious times. I already had a mission and I figured, with the Avenger's help, you would have all the help you needed in tracking him down. Apparently, that was a miscalculation on my part."
Connors winced, looking down at his feet. Shame sidled up to his anger. "S-sir,"
Fury held up a hand, "It's okay, Connors. We both underestimated Hydra and their tenacity. Besides, it was a lot to put on you. You've never run SHIELD before, much less conducted a man-hunt for one of our own. I can't fault you for circumstances you weren't prepared for."
Connors nodded, but the shame didn't dissipate. Capable or not, he still felt as though he could have done more. Anything, really. All he's been doing was cooping himself up in the Academy, sitting on his thumbs, and waiting for news - any news, as long as it was something he hadn't heard already.
"It wasn't your fault, you know," Madam Web said, looking at him.
Connors smiled grimly, "Reading my mind too?"
"No. It was all over your face," her smile was small, but quickly fading. She straightened, crossing her arms. "But we're not done with this. Something bigger is coming. I can feel it."
"What do you see?"
"It's hazy. The future is very unclear. Probability shifting constantly. Fluctuating. Even I'm not sure what will happen next. But I have a feeling it won't be good."
"Then we need to be prepared," Connors said, looking between her and Fury, "I'll let everyone know that we need-"
"Hold on," Fury interrupted, "We can't let them know I'm back yet."
Connors felt himself sputter again. "W-why not?"
He looked at Madam Web who put her hands up, palms out, as if touching an invisible wall, and stood silent for a few seconds. The air around her fingers seemed to shimmer, just slightly.
"No, not yet," she said, "His presence would cause a lot of unrest."
"Unrest?" Connors parroted. "Everyone will be relieved to have Director Fury back, what are you-"
"Not everyone," she said, eyes pinning him behind those gleaming red lenses, "The Academy students. They've been going through a lot. Director Fury's return would cause a stir among them. They'll have questions, much like you. Why didn't he come back sooner? Where was he all this time? Why did he leave in the first place? It holds my position as an unknown entity at knifepoint and their anger, directed at Director Fury or not, could cause a bigger rift. We need to play this out carefully. Dr. Connors. The future, especially this one, is an extremely delicate thing."
Connors nodded, though he didn't like it.
Glumly, he asked, "Does that mean I have to keep running SHIELD?"
Fury smiled sharply at that, "No. You just need to pretend to. I'll take it from here."
Connors tried not to show just how relieved that made him, but he had a feeling they could see it clearly on his face.
"Alright then. I guess I'll-"
"As re-established Director of SHIELD, I am ordering you, Connors, to get some rest."
Connors thought about making a half-hearted objection and insisting on helping for a few more hours, but his eyes were already drooping. "Well...I suppose I can't disobey a direct order."
"No, you cannot."
Connors smiled and turned back to the door, feeling so much lighter than he had mere moments before. He was almost across the room when he paused, turning back to Nick Fury.
"Hey, how did you keep an eye on everything while you were gone? You were so far underground, it was impossible to get a message to you."
Fury leaned back in his chair, smiling small, but sharply. He picked up a report from the desk, looking so right in his seat it was like watching a gear click back into place. Connors could almost feel the Triskelion respond to his presence like someone had flicked the 'on switch' to a machine.
"I have eyes everywhere, Connors," he said, "Even when I'm not watching, I'm always watching."
Nick Fury is back! Go to sleep Connors.
IMPORTANT INFO - Alright, so I cross-post this story on AO3, fanfiction/net, and wattpad.
Wattpad has this big writing event called the Watty's and one of their categories is fanfiction. I wanted to submit "Reticent Monsters" into this contest. But there are conditions.
1) It has to be completed - I've been trying hard to get this story wrapped up, so I'm doubling down and working extra hard to get it finished by the time the Watty's roll around. (I've already got the next 5 chapters written).
2 -and this is the unfortunate one) The story can't be posted on any other site.
So, for my wattpad account, this is fine. BUt for ff/net and AO3, it is not. If I do get this story written out completely in time for the Watty's, I will be taking it down from ff/net and AO3 until the contest is over. (It saddens me deeply thinking about taking it down T.T). For those of you who would like to continue its progress and see the book through to the end, my Wattpad account is also "OfficialUSMWriter."
Now, that's all dependant on whether or not I even finish writing it out. I have 4 months until the Watty's begin, and we're basically 3/4's of the way finished with "Reticent Monsters." I think I'll be able to get it finished, but I'm going to have to go back and do some SERIOUS editing to the previous chapter and coupled with added the new chapters, there's still the likely chance that I won't make it the deadline.
But I'm going to try anyway! The Watty's are a seriously cool writing competition (that I've always wanted to participate in), so I'm going for it. So, if any of the readers on AO3 or ff/net try looking for it again, and you can't find it, that means I made the deadline. But you may still find the story on Wattpad if you wish to do so. :)
If I don't place in the Watty's, I'll promptly republish it to AO3 and ff/net again. (I'll lose all the absolutely amazing comments and kudos I've been given, but it's a sacrifice I make with a waterfall of tears T.T (I'm screenshotting them all though so I'll always have them)).
Anyway, that's basically my big announcement. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! And wish me luck! :D
Love you guys!
-OfficialUSMWriter
