Omniscience in Marvel

Lucas strode forward with a casual grace, his posture upright and unbothered by the heavy security atmosphere. Fury followed, his gaze constantly scanning their surroundings.

They walked through a narrow corridor that led them to a sleek set of double doors made entirely of frosted glass. Beyond those doors was an elevator with a control panel that had no floor numbers, only a single slot for a security swipe.

Fury fished his badge from his inner pocket, swiping it across the panel.

Just before the panel could light up, Lucas placed a hand on Fury's wrist, stopping him mid-motion.

Fury turned to Lucas, his eyes narrowing slightly in confusion.

Lucas's smiled subtly but there was a glint of mischief behind it. "No need for that," he said, his voice calm. "You're welcome to join us in the director's office."

Fury didn't immediately respond.

He knew better than to question Lucas outright, but he couldn't help the nagging feeling of being one step behind.

Lucas then put his hand into his jacket and retrieved his own sleek, matte black card and swiped it instead.

The panel blinked to life, but instead of the elevator moving up immediately, the doors emitted a low hum as a hidden scanner activated. A moment later, an artificial voice echoed through the chamber.

"Access granted. Welcome, Consultant. Hawthorne, your presence is acknowledged."

Lucas smiled and put the card back into his chest pocket. "You're an interesting human Nick, I would like to see your future personally but duty calls."

Fury observed that Lucas truly had a saddened expression for a second before being replaced by his usual calm. "...I see."

"A fitting response." Lucas said just as the elevator made a ding sound. "Now be sure to lock up your common sense for the remainder of what you'll hear from now on."

Before Fury could respond to his statement, the elevator doors opened up, allowing Lucas to walk out and into the office room with a smile plastered on his face. "Peggy dearest, you'll never guess what the winds brought in."

"An annoyance?" Peggy asked back with a mischievous smile only for Lucas to grab his chest with an exaggerated gasp of hurt.

"Oh, Peggy, how you wound me so. After all the fond memories we share."

Peggy scoffed. "Fond memories? More like a tedious series of annoyances. You're lucky I tolerate you as much as I do."

Fury watched the exchange, unsure whether to find it amusing or unsettling.

There was clearly a deeper history between Lucas and Peggy—one built on years of familiarity and perhaps a few power struggles.

Lucas's smirk deepened, his hand dropping from his chest as he strode confidently to the desk. "In that case, my dearest Peggy, I'm sure you'll be thrilled to hear I've brought Nicholas along for the ride. I thought it was time he joined in on the fun."

Peggy's gaze flicked over to Fury, and her smile wavered just slightly, as if weighing the implications of Lucas's words. "You're dragging Fury into this now?"

"Dragging?" Lucas echoed, raising an eyebrow. "I'd prefer to say... inviting. He's earned the right to be in the know."

Peggy sighed, leaning back against her desk with her arms still crossed. "I hope you know what you're doing, Lucas. The last time you decided to 'invite' someone into your world, it didn't exactly go smoothly."

Lucas chuckled softly. "Ah, yes. But that was a different time and a different person."

"Different person, same recklessness," Peggy muttered under her breath before turning her full attention to Fury. "So, Nick, how much do you already know?"

Fury glanced between Lucas and Peggy, his usual confident demeanor unwavering. "Enough to know I'm standing in a room full of mysteries."

Lucas grinned at that response. "You see? That composure despite his young age." Lucas looked at Fury with a gratified smile. "Well, then. Let's unravel a few of them, shall we?"

Before anyone could speak further, Lucas moved swiftly, seemingly disappearing from view as he moved to the far end of the room where a certain individual was erasing her presence like her life depended on it. "Hello there Hala, fancy seeing you here."

"Oh-ya?" Hala, who had been caught exclaimed in a surprised voice. "Is that you my Lord? To think I didn't notice you come in."

"Oh-ho? You didn't? So much for being an Archangel, right? Seems like you've been slacking on your training in my absence." Lucas replied in a similar manner to Hala.

"What!? Far from it, my Lord. Your last assignment to me was to ensure the continued existence of Lady Carter over there. I was just making sure no harm came to her."

"Last I remember…that assignment ended when she cleared the game…conversely, doesn't this show your lack of skills? Two unidentified individuals walked into her office and you didn't even react…"

"That's…" Hala's eyes grew frantic as she tried to come up with another excuse, however Lucas' piercing and amused gaze made her feel as though she was merely dancing on the top of his palm. "I apologize to my Lord."

"Hmm." Lucas nodded immediately as though he wasn't bothered. "It's good to see you're enjoying yourself, but your previous actions were unnecessary. How many years has it been since you saw me physically?"

"A couple hundred years." Hala replied shyly.

"And you didn't think I'd feel sad that my favorite angel in heaven is hiding from me?" Lucas asked.

While Hala's head was bowed down, he stretched out his hand and rubbed her head. "Also, I'm not that much of a sore loser." As he said that, he gripped her head and squeezed it while still maintaining his smile. "Take note of that."

"Understood, my Lord." Hala replied through the pain while she thought. 'And you say you're not a sore loser.'

"You know your thoughts aren't exactly hidden from me, right?" Lucas asked as he released her head. "Seems you really have much to learn."

"My Lord!" Hala cried out and raised her head to Lucas, her gaze meeting his only to turn away with a fright as he saw the smile plastered on his face.

She knew there was no way out for her now. She could only brace herself and hope that she comes out of whatever Lucas has planned for her.

"By the way, I won." Lucas said and turned away before walking back to Peggy and Fury who were looking at them with varying expressions. "Now then, where were we?"

…

Hank Pym's lab at S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ was a haven of controlled chaos.

The sterile white floors were littered with open toolkits, half-assembled gadgets, and beakers filled with exotic, glowing substances.

The soft hum of machinery filled the room as Hank leaned over a microscope with an intense look of focus.

For hours, he had been buried in research. His latest project consumed him, the development of a new shrinking technology, something more refined than his initial Pym Particles.

The idea of limitless possibilities drove him, but today, there was an added weight in the back of his mind.

Janet had stayed home with Hope, their daughter just over a year old now. Though he loved his work, thoughts of his family always hovered near the surface of his mind.

His hands moved mechanically, adjusting dials and making fine measurements on the circuit board in front of him. The steady pace of his work was interrupted when the shrill sound of a pager cut through the silent hum of the lab.

Hank paused for an instant before frowning as he reached into his lab coat pocket and pulled out the small device. A message flashed on the screen, stark and direct:

[Director's Office. Immediate summons.]

He sighed, his brow furrowing. The director didn't call unless it was important, but Hank had been in the middle of a breakthrough.

For a moment, he considered ignoring it, letting it go to voicemail, but then, this was S.H.I.E.L.D.

After a quick glance at the prototype he'd been working on, Hank flipped the power switch to 'standby' and pushed himself away from the lab bench.

As he stood, he grabbed a notepad, jotting down a few final observations to ensure he wouldn't forget where he left off. With a practiced efficiency, he stuffed the notepad into his coat pocket and made for the door.

The corridor outside the lab was quieter than usual. Many agents were out on assignment, leaving the headquarters with an air of stillness.

Hank walked through the sterile halls with familiarity, his mind drifting back to Hope and Janet for a fleeting moment.

A smile crept onto his lips as he imagined Hope laughing, her eyes wide with curiosity as Janet played with her.

He often found himself missing them more than he liked to admit.

The cold efficiency of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s walls snapped him back to reality. The path to the director's office felt longer than usual, his thoughts running over what could be waiting for him.

As Hank reached the heavy door to the director's office, he took a deep breath. He straightened his jacket and swiped his badge at the security panel, hearing the soft click of the lock disengaging.

With a push, the door swung open, and Hank stepped inside.

The room was well lit, the polished wood desk at the far end commanding attention. Hank's eyes swept the room quickly, cataloging each face in a practiced manner.

The first face was a familiar one, Nicholas Fury, his sharp gaze always surveying the room like he expected trouble to leap from every corner.

They had crossed paths a few times, and Hank respected Fury's tenacity, though they rarely spoke outside of professional necessities.

Next, his gaze landed on the Director, Peggy Carter, who stood with her arms crossed and a no-nonsense expression.

Peggy had long been a force in S.H.I.E.L.D., her legacy cemented even in the SSR before she took the helm.

She always managed to balance diplomacy with a fierce sense of justice, and Hank had grown to respect her deeply over the years.

It was due to the Paperclip project that he was able to even become a part of this organization. An organization where he could feel his impact to the world.

But it was the two unfamiliar faces that drew his attention next. A tall man with striking features and an air of casual superiority stood near the window, his hands clasped behind his back.

His sharp suit was immaculate, but there was something off about him, he couldn't place a finger to it, but he was sure of it.

Standing next to him was a young woman of ethereal beauty, her stance poised but relaxed.

She seemed out of place in this room full of hardened agents and officials, yet there was an unspoken sense of authority about her as well.

Hank cleared his throat and approached the center of the room, nodding respectfully to Peggy. "Director Carter," he greeted formally, his voice steady, "Agent Fury." He gave a brief nod to Fury before glancing at the unfamiliar pair.

Peggy returned the nod, her steely gaze softening slightly as she straightened from her stance. "Dr. Pym, thank you for coming on such short notice."

"Of course," Hank replied, though his eyes flicked briefly toward the strangers. "What's the situation?"

Peggy gestured toward the man by the window, her expression unreadable. "This is S.H.I.E.L.D. 's special consultant, Agent Lucas Hawthorne," she introduced, her tone carrying a hint of something Hank couldn't quite place. Respect? Wariness? Perhaps both.

Lucas turned toward Hank with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. His posture relaxed yet exuding confidence. "A pleasure, Dr. Pym," he said smoothly, his voice carrying a certain weight that made Hank instinctively more alert. "I've heard many things about your work with the Pym Particles."

Hank raised an eyebrow, his scientific curiosity piqued despite the unfamiliarity of the situation. "Agent Hawthorne, is it? Can't say I've heard your name before. Are you new to the program?"

Lucas chuckled softly, the sound almost mocking. "Let's just say I've been around long enough to know when something remarkable is happening. And your work, Dr. Pym, certainly qualifies as remarkable."

Hank felt a subtle shift as Lucas said that, something about Lucas's demeanor made him feel like the man was playing a game he didn't know the rules to.

Still, Hank kept his expression neutral, nodding politely.

"And who's this?" he asked, glancing toward the young woman beside Lucas.

Before Peggy could respond, Lucas spoke again, his smile deepening. "This is Hala. She's… an observer, of sorts. You'll find she has a unique set of skills."

Hank frowned slightly, unsure of what that meant, but he decided not to press for details just yet.

Peggy cleared her throat, drawing the room's attention back to her. "We've gathered you here, Hank, because we may be dealing with a situation that requires your expertise."

Hank's frown deepened. "My expertise? With the Pym Particles?"

Peggy exchanged a glance with Lucas before continuing. "Not just that. You're one of the few people here who can think outside the box when it comes to uncharted scientific territory. And we're about to enter some... very uncharted territory."

Lucas stepped forward, his hands sliding casually into his pockets. "Let's just say there's something on the horizon that you'll want to be a part of, Dr. Pym. It's not every day that S.H.I.E.L.D. deals with forces beyond conventional science."

"Beyond conventional science?" Hank echoed, his skepticism evident. "What exactly are we talking about?"

Lucas smiled, that same unreadable, almost predatory smile. "Let's start with a concept you're familiar with—subatomic manipulation. But imagine, for a moment, if we were dealing with something much larger. Something… cosmic."

Hank's breath hitched slightly. He didn't know what was happening here, but one thing was clear. Hw had just stepped into something far more dangerous and far-reaching than he had anticipated.

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