Conclave

Chapter One

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HETALIA OR MARVEL OR THE ABOVE ARTWORK

2008, S.H.I.E.L.D Headquarters

"-and I'm just trying to warn you! Why won't you listen to me? Hmm? Hm? Hey! Are you listening?!" 

Nick Fury ignored the yelling blonde as he stalked through the doorway, black coat fluttering dramatically behind him. The loud blonde dashed in behind him, eyebrows creased with annoyance. "Nicholas Joseph Fury!" He yelled, anger lacing his voice. "Will you stop and listen?!" 

The bald, eye-patched man spun around. "If you would actually provide real information I would!" Both men stared at each other, one trying to maintain a poker face while the other panting with rage and irritation.  "What do you mean real information?" The blonde growled. "You of all people should know," Fury replied. "This could be the greatest breakthrough for man! For America! I don't understand why you are so adverse to it!" 

"Everything has a reason, Nick," The blonde answered. He frowned. "You don't have to know everything. Not everything in the world is out for you." He sighed, "Even I am allowed to have secrets. And this? This is something you can't control, Nick. I keep trying to tell you that, but you won't listen. Just... throw it into the ocean or something!" 

"Are you suggesting I throw the Tesseract into the Pacific?" Fury asked incredulously. "Not necessarily the Pacific, but I'm chill with any deep scary ocean-" The blonde was cut off by Fury grabbing his collar. "Mr. Jones," The spy said calmly, but the blonde could see the fury (hah, pun completely intentional) flashing in his eyes. "I don't care whatever place you have in the government- nobody is going to tell me how to do my job, and least of all you! The Tesseract will remain under careful observation, and we will decide what to do with the final research. I am warning you now- stick your nose out of S.H.I.E.L.D's business or else." 

The blonde just stared back, face passive. "Say what you like. I am, sadly, unable to take action against you- but that does not mean I approve. Watch yourself, Nick. And I remind you again- do not meddle with the Tesseract. You don't know, or understand, just what it truly is." "Then tell me, Mr. Jones- or is it another National secret like you?" Fury hissed, before turning to leave. The blonde watched, knowing he'd get a bullet in his body if he tried to follow again. There was no convincing the spy. 

Scowling, he left, slipping out and into the busy streets of New York. Immediately his face loosened at the fresh air. Pulling out a phone, he dialed a number and waited. It took a few rings to be picked up.

"America? What is it now? Did you succeed in getting that spy organization of yours to return the Space Stone?"

"Sorry, Iggy, but I failed. Nick's too stubborn to even compromise," The blonde- America replied, voice weary. "And I couldn't risk revealing my- our identity so fast." "Nonsense- it is no fault of yours, Alfred, you don't have to apologize. We don't control our people- much less you, who keeps yelling about freedom and whatnot. I suppose I should be thankful you didn't reveal our identity." 

"Oi! I ain't so dumb to straight up tell him I'm a Nation! We'd be stuck in labs for ages!" America retorted, "And at least I tried! What're ya doing, drinking that lame tea again?" "My tea is not lame, you bloody Yankee!"

"NAHAHAHAHA, could've fooled me!" Laughed America, ignoring the expletives from a certain Brit. "I've got to go now- my limo's here. See you next Meeting, Iggy." He hung up and swiftly made his way towards the limousine parked near the sidewalk. "To the hotel," America ordered, sipping from the fresh latté one of the bodyguards had bought. "And step on it, won't ya?"

As the car zoomed away, none noticed the tiny camera positioned on the lamppost swerve slowly back. In front of a screen sat Fury, eyes narrowed. That bodyguard was part of the Secret Service. Just who was Alfred F. Jones? And what did he know about the Tesseract?