Everyone has something they stand by.
That was why the Avengers rushed over the moment they heard what was happening.
But when they faced Carol Danvers, they felt a level of helplessness far worse than when they had gone up against Victor von Doom on his hoverboard.
Back then, Victor's mobility had been unmatched, and his resistance to energy attacks made him nearly untouchable.
Carol, however, didn't rely on tricks.
She kept it simple.
When Tony Stark charged at her, Carol didn't retreat. Instead, she accelerated straight toward him.
Boom!
Before Tony's punch could land, Carol's fist had already connected.
The sheer force sent him flying.
And before the others could close in, she was already on him again. A few more strikes, and his Iron Man suit was completely wrecked.
Steve Rogers burned with anger. He raised his shield to block her attack, but in the next instant, Carol simply grabbed it.
The so-called invincible shield?
Even the strongest weapon needed someone strong enough to wield it.
In front of Carol, Steve was slow, almost painfully so. Taking the shield from him was effortless.
The moment he lost it, his expression changed.
But the outcome was already decided.
Even the Hulk was no exception. Carol grabbed the shield and slammed him into the ground again and again.
As for the others
Seeing this, everyone stopped attacking.
Carol tossed the shield aside.
"Does anyone still have questions?"
Her voice was calm, yet it carried clearly across the entire room.
No one answered.
Fear had stripped them of even the right to respond.
The council members turned pale.
No one dared to object.
Nolan walked forward, still holding Nick Fury, and stopped in front of one of them.
"I'm a man who prefers peace."
At those words, many silently cursed. Not a single one believed him.
"But Nick Fury mobilized the strongest forces Earth has to attack me. That clearly wasn't a personal decision."
He paused, making sure everyone was listening.
"I don't intend to dig deeper into that. But everyone has the right to protect their own safety."
"So I need a promise from all of you."
His gaze swept across the room before he continued.
"No one is to threaten Lockheed Technologies in any way. In return, Lockheed Technologies will remain a commercial enterprise."
"And if anyone has doubts, the Titan system will serve as the means of enforcement."
"That's impossible!"
Someone shouted the moment he finished speaking.
The phrase "in any way" was far too broad.
And the mention of the Titan system was nothing less than a naked threat.
The man stepped forward without hesitation.
"Nolan Locke, you will hand over control of the Titans immediately. In exchange, we will allow Lockheed Technologies to continue operating in its current structure. Beyond that, we make no promises."
The meaning was clear.
Give up control, and the company would survive in name only. Over time, its personnel would be replaced, its autonomy stripped away.
It was a hardline response.
Nolan looked at the man with a strange expression.
He had expected resistance.
But not this level of defiance.
"So," Nolan said calmly, "you're very confident in rejecting my proposal."
"Since it's unlikely that everyone here has a death wish, that confidence must come from something else."
"In that case, let me see what gives you the courage to think you can swallow Lockheed Technologies."
Tony Stark's face darkened.
Idiots.
They actually thought Nolan Locke was someone they could push around.
The Avengers had come not only to stop Nolan, but to show their stance. They knew better than anyone how dangerous it would be if Nolan and Carol acted together.
If they held firm and the council showed even a little willingness to compromise, this situation could have been resolved.
At the very least, it could have prevented things from spiraling further.
But now these people were provoking him.
They had completely lost their minds.
The man who had just spoken showed no fear at all.
He looked around at the others.
At this moment, his stance would influence how the world viewed his country.
And after today, his performance might even elevate his nation's prestige.
So he stepped forward.
"Confidence?"
"Our confidence lies beneath our feet!"
"Nolan Locke, this is Earth, not a place for you to run wild!"
"I don't care how powerful you are. No one bows to brute force. If you insist on doing this, then we'll all die together!"
He roared, voice filled with conviction.
"There are three nuclear warheads around us already in pre-launch status."
"And across this planet, there are thousands more."
"In the face of humanity, you lose!"
"Nuclear weapons?"
Nolan blinked, then burst out laughing.
He had expected something else.
Perhaps some hidden superhuman, or a weapon beyond conventional understanding.
After all, this was the Marvel universe. Who knew what unknown forces might exist?
But nuclear weapons?
That genuinely amused him.
Yes, they were the most powerful weapons humanity possessed.
But when had he ever feared them?
After a moment, he smiled.
"Why don't you try detonating one? Maybe your 'ultimate weapon' can actually kill me or Carol."
Carol Danvers remained calm.
She knew nuclear weapons well.
She had even been caught in a close-range nuclear explosion before.
And yet
It couldn't kill her.
As for Nolan, she was even more certain.
He didn't fear them in the slightest.
Seeing their composed expressions, the man's confidence began to falter.
Tony Stark felt his head spin.
Nukes?
You're seriously threatening them with nukes?
They had been right next to a nuclear explosion inside Galactus's cosmic storm!
Idiots.
"Nolan Locke, you think acting calm will scare me?"
The man shouted, almost hysterical.
But not everyone present had lost their reason.
These were seasoned politicians. They could tell the difference between genuine calm and forced composure.
And what they saw in Nolan's eyes wasn't just calm.
It was faint amusement.
As if to say nuclear weapons are nothing.
Before anyone could respond, Nolan suddenly spoke.
"Found it."
"Found what?"
Someone asked, confused.
Nolan didn't answer.
A dozen seconds later, a Terminator rushed in, carrying something that looked like a missile.
Wait
Tony Stark's pupils shrank.
That's a nuclear warhead!
The Terminator, still bearing the council's insignia, placed the warhead at Nolan's feet before stepping back like a loyal guard.
Nolan patted the warhead lightly.
"Here's what you were counting on."
"So, do you want to try setting it off?"
Carol glanced at it, unconcerned. With her there, it posed no threat.
Nolan shrugged as he looked at the horrified faces around him.
"You threaten me with this, but you don't dare use it."
"So tell me, does your threat mean anything at all?"
Silence.
Then despair.
Many people closed their eyes.
They had lost.
Completely.
Finally, someone stepped forward, his voice strained.
"What exactly do you want?"
"Even if you destroy this place, it won't change the world."
Nolan understood that he was telling the truth.
The council might be the highest authority in name, but real power still rested with individual nations.
These representatives could influence decisions, but not control them.
That suited Nolan just fine.
He had never intended to rule the world.
He stood calmly before them. Everyone held their breath.
His next words could shape the future.
"I'm just a businessman," he said.
"What I want is simple."
He looked around, then spoke four words.
"Don't provoke me."
Some found it absurd.
For those four words, Nolan Locke had stormed the White House and the council, leaving countless dead in his wake.
At that moment, many turned to glare at the unconscious Nick Fury lying on the floor.
If not for him, none of this would have happened.
Nolan said nothing more. He took Carol's hand and turned to leave.
His goal had been achieved.
Whatever came next was no longer his concern.
As they departed, one man spoke bitterly.
"You all heard him. His demand is that we don't provoke him."
"Fine. We can do that. We can also refuse to buy anything from Lockheed Technologies."
"If there are no orders, their influence will fade quickly."
"All their products bear their mark. If we can't eliminate the backdoor issue, then every purchase just strengthens them."
No one responded.
After a long silence, someone finally spoke.
"What if others buy from them?"
That single question drained the color from his face.
They could refuse.
But they couldn't stop others.
Lockheed's weapons might carry risks, but their power was undeniable.
If one nation abstained while another armed itself heavily, the outcome of any conflict would be inevitable.
No one could afford that.
Even the possibility was enough.
"So," someone asked quietly, "would you dare not buy?"
It was the fatal dilemma.
Tony Stark gritted his teeth.
He had placed backdoors in his own systems too, but nothing like this. His were minor, barely noticeable.
What Nolan had done was on another level entirely.
A hidden system layered beneath everything else.
Even if Stark had twenty more years, he doubted he could replicate or remove it completely.
At best, he could isolate it with firewalls, just like everyone else.
But who could guarantee those defenses would hold forever?
"Looks like there's about to be a company that stands above the world," Tony muttered.
At least Nolan had no intention of starting a war. That alone was a relief.
As for Nick Fury
Tony glanced at him, then at the council members, whose expressions made their hatred obvious.
No need to guess his fate.
"Alright, everyone, time to go."
A new suit landed beside Tony. He winced as he put it on. That beating hadn't been painless.
As for what came next
Who knew.
It was no longer his problem.
Bruce Banner gave a wry smile.
He still didn't understand how things had escalated this far.
And then it hit him.
He worked for Lockheed Technologies.
Today, he had fought his own boss.
Would he get fired tomorrow?
He had just met a girl named Betty.
Being part of Lockheed had definitely helped his image.
After everyone else left, one council member spoke.
"Mr. Orlvis, please inform your country to appoint a new representative."
"You!"
Orlvis's face twisted with anger.
Before he could argue, another voice cut in.
"That's right. You've caused a disaster. You pushed for Nick Fury's attack on Nolan Locke and triggered this entire conflict."
"As for how your country deals with you, we won't interfere. But your position here must be replaced."
"You you all"
His voice faltered.
No one would protect him.
Not even his own country.
At best, he would lose everything and return to an ordinary life.
At worst
He might spend the rest of his life behind bars.
And there would be no shortage of reasons to put him there.