"I actually took your advice seriously, Rogers." Fury told him.
"Thank you." Rogers said to him.
In his office, Fury plugged in the drive Romanoff had brought and tried to access the Lemurian Star's satellite launch file but failed. Even decryption and director override didn't work. And the files were sealed on his authority, based on what he was told at the moment.
"Uh-oh. Now you have to stick your nose around to find out what's going on." Tony said.
"Yes. And I did." Fury told him.
"It appears you are already suspicious." Vision said.
Fury walked into the elevator to go to the World Security Council floor. On the floor, Secretary Alexander Pierce was meeting with the members. Council member Rockwell said Fury was mistaken if he thought he could get his costumed thugs and STRIKE commandos to mop up his mess every time and Council member Singh said the attack had taken place one mile from India's sovereign borders. He wanted to move for immediate hearings. Hawley said they didn't need hearings but action and Yen said it was their duty to oversee SHIELD so this breach raised serious questions.
"Of course it would." Natasha said, "After all, it was devised by a smart guy."
"Yup." Fury said.
Rockwell asked how a French pirate had managed to hijack a covert SHIELD vessel in broad daylight but Pierce corrected him that he was Algerian and that he could draw a map if it helped.
"Looking down on all of them. Why am I not surprised?" Clint said.
"While he is a son of a bitch, you got to admit, he is smart and has wit." Sam said.
"No kidding." Hill agreed.
Rockwell said the Council appreciated his wit but took matters like international piracy seriously. Pierce said he didn't care about one boat but the fleet and that if the Council fell into rancor every time someone pushed them on the playing field, they needed someone to oversee them.
"You do actually. But for different reasons." Steve said.
Before anyone could respond, his assistant walked up to him and told him something. He asked them to excuse him and walked out, shutting off the holograms. His assistant led him to Nicky Fury outside and he joked how he worked 40 floors away but it took a hijacking for him to visit. They shook hands and Fury joked that a nuclear war would do it too.
"Or maybe an extraterrestrial war." Bucky said.
"50-50." Fury said.
Fury said he needed a favor. He needed Pierce to call a vote and delay Project Insight. Pierce said that was a sub-committee hearing. Fury said it probably was nothing. Pierce asked what if it was something and Fury said in that case, they would both be glad the Helicarriers weren't in the air. Pierce agreed and they shook hands but he told him he wanted Iron Man to drop by his niece's birthday party and not just a flyby, he had to mingle. Fury simply thanked him.
"Or maybe he would try to take your life in return." Logan snorted.
"No kidding." Fury agreed.
