[ Daisy's House, Washington D.C. ]
Of course Nick Fury knew that Daisy's biological father had been in S.H.I.E.L..D. prison all along, but he kept that knowledge tucked away like an ace up his sleeve. For now, he played the part of a curious listener, nodding as Daisy shared her carefully edited version of recent events.
She made sure to mention that Storm and T'Challa were currently in New York and likely paying a visit to Professor Charles Xavier. If Fury wanted confirmation, all he had to do was ask the old man himself.
Surprisingly, Daisy wasn't the only one hesitant to cross paths with Charles Xavier. Fury—iron-willed and notoriously private—had no desire to face a telepath who could unravel secrets faster than Daisy could disarm a room. His mind was protected by sheer grit and an arsenal of anti-psychic tech, but banking on Xavier's moral restraint didn't align with Nick Fury's usual contingency-packed paranoia.
"Agent Johnson," he said abruptly, dropping the casual air, "do you think Wakanda is hostile toward the outside world? Do they resent Western dominance?"
Daisy didn't sugarcoat. "There's no consensus inside Wakanda about opening up. Some believe they could conquer the world with their advanced tech. But in reality? That's not going to happen. Their weapons are locked up tighter than SHIELD's vaults, and the average citizen is still using spears and scimitars. A few grumpy elders and a big ego aren't enough to take over the world."
She leaned back slightly and added, "And invading them would be a nightmare. Their defenses are next-level. Even with a full-scale modern assault, we'd be racking up body bags before we cracked a single wall."
One had to admit, the Wakandans were excessively cautious. Their defense systems weren't just powerful—they were impenetrable. No force could hope to launch a successful attack without deploying a large-scale army equipped with heavy weaponry.
Fury didn't respond, but the glint in his eye said he was calculating something. Daisy knew better than to assume what—or how much—he believed.
He'd want to hear from T'Challa himself, but that meant facing Xavier. The man had no escape now. And if he had to go, Daisy had to go too—she was too tangled up in the Wakandan threads to sit this one out. Plus, the old king had personally asked her to help smooth things over.
"Meet me at my office in thirty minutes," Fury ordered, already moving toward the door. He had prep work to do—mental safeguards to activate, special equipment to wear, probably even a meditation playlist.
As he reached the exit, Daisy called out, "Hey, what about your 'African gift' in the garage?"
Fury waved her off. "You keep the rhino. Feed it, walk it, love it. Bill me at the end of the month."
He paused, remembering the Juggernaut. "I'll send a team for the big guy."
Sure enough, four agents arrived soon after. With the kind of coordination that said 'we've done this before but wish we hadn't,' they managed to transport the slumbering Juggernaut, grunting under the sheer effort.
As for the rhino—well, that problem remained squarely in Daisy's lap.
She turned to the massive beast. "What am I supposed to do with you? Roast you? Rhino stew?"
The creature gave a low huff and shook its head violently, as if it understood every word.
Simba Jr., at least, could be brought indoors. The rhino was too heavy, too awkward, and frankly too grassy for New York living.
Daisy sighed. "Stay put. I'm stepping out for... oranges or something. Don't eat the neighbors."
The rhino, ever obedient, lay down in the garage with the slow, deliberate grace of a mountain deciding to nap. But she still got a mental nudge from it—hunger.
"I'm hungry too," Daisy muttered, clicking her tongue. "But you don't hear me threatening to eat you."
Back inside, she led Simba Jr. into the apartment. At least one of her exotic pets had manageable dietary needs. She planned to ask her housemaid to take care of both animals while she prepared for her next rendezvous.
"Maki, I'm back," she called, tossing her bags in the living room.
Time was short, and she intended to give a few orders before leaving. But as she opened the door to the maid's room, she froze.
There was Maki—legs spread out on the bed in an undeniably intimate position. Her fingers were busy moving in and out, but her eyes were locked on the wall. Daisy's gaze followed instinctively.
The wall was plastered with photos of her.
Front. Side. Clothed. Bare. Over thirty of them.
She blinked.
Maki sprang up, face burning red, and bowed like nothing had happened. Daisy stood there for a beat, caught between walking out or setting the whole place on fire.
Deciding on neither, she whistled, and Simba Jr. wandered in behind her.
"This is Simba Jr.," she said flatly. "A pet from Africa. Feed him. Also, there's a rhino in the garage—look up at internet what it eats. That's all."
She left the room with the speed of a teleporting ninja, trying not to think about the gallery of thirst behind her.
Daisy changed into her senior agent combat uniform—something neutral but effective. She left behind her sword, shield, and armor, hiding her vibranium wrist guards under the sleeves. Wearing a SHIELD uniform might put Charles Xavier on guard.
After prepping, she gave the maid a parting nod and teleported straight to SHIELD headquarters to meet Nick Fury.
...
[ S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ, Washington DC ]
"Your windbreaker looks different from the old ones," she said, eyeing the strange frequency signals coming from his new gear.
"Let's go," Fury muttered. No explanations. Classic. Daisy dropped the subject without pressing further.
Daisy could now teleport directly from Washington to New York—long-distance jumps were finally within her grasp, with any minor miscalculations easily corrected by her abilities. But she still hesitated. Xavier's school was no ordinary estate. Who knew how many anti-teleportation barriers were hidden beneath that idyllic lawn?
Professor Charles' brain development had likely reached the upper limit of human potential. He'd earned multiple doctoral degrees half a century ago—an academic heavyweight, wealthy, and with ample free time.
Much like Daisy's teleportation—where science fell short, her powers provided a shortcut—Charles had done the same. With the support of countless mutants, he had harnessed black technologies far beyond conventional reach, making his presence impossible for any major force to ignore.
Before making the jump, she called Storm. "I'm bringing someone with me. Hope that's cool."
Storm laughed softly. "As long as it's not another rhino, you're welcome."
Nick Fury raised a brow. "Your powers evolved again? Can you teleport us straight there now?"
"Kind of," Daisy muttered, calculating coordinates in her head.
She activated her teleportation portal and motioned for him to follow. The world twisted, strings vibrated, and in a blink, they stepped into Westchester, New York.
"Could you make these jumps less traumatic?" Fury groaned, clutching his lower back.
This was how strings vibrate. Under the interaction force, the farther the distance, the greater the swing, and the higher the demands on the body.
Daisy shrugged. "Complain to physics, not me."
To Be Continued...
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[POWER STONES AND REVIEWS PLS]