I'm Grant Ward

Chapter 81: The Director's Fury

Phil Coulson sat in his makeshift office inside the damaged plane, now safely landed at a S.H.I.E.L.D. base. The place was bustling with engineers, technicians, and agents working to assess and repair the damage. The situation was under control, but Coulson knew that a difficult conversation awaited him. He had already received the alert that Director Fury wanted to speak with him. And it would not be an easy conversation.

Coulson picked up his tablet and accepted the video call. Director Nick Fury's image appeared on the screen, and it was clear that Fury was not at all pleased. Fury's expression was a mix of exasperation and annoyance. His fingers tapped the table impatiently.

"Coulson," Fury began, straight to the point, wasting no time on formalities. "Tell me that what I'm reading in the report is not true."

Coulson straightened his posture, keeping his tone calm, but with a slight concern.

— "Well, Director, it depends on what you're reading," he replied with a hint of humor, trying to lighten the mood.

Fury, however, was in no mood for jokes. He frowned, his eyes narrowing through the screen.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Coulson. You destroyed a brand new plane! The shuttle, a gift from Fury, remember?" — Fury's tone rose, his displeasure evident. — "Do you know how much money S.H.I.E.L.D. spent on building that plane?"

Coulson sighed, knowing there was no way to sugarcoat the gravity of the situation. He straightened his coat and replied in a conciliatory tone.

"I know, Director. And let me start by saying that the mission was a success. The artifact was recovered and the team is safe. The operation had some setbacks, but in the end we managed to turn the situation around."

Fury interrupted, his voice now filled with frustration.

— "Setbacks? What you had was an explosion that nearly destroyed the shuttle, Coulson! And who's going to pay for that? Me! S.H.I.E.L.D.'s budget isn't infinite. Refurbishing a plane like that will cost millions!"

Coulson leaned forward slightly, aware that he would need to present his side of the story convincingly.

— "Director, with all due respect, we did what was necessary to ensure the safety of the team and the artifact. If we hadn't taken the actions we did, the outcome could have been much worse. The artifact was emitting gamma radiation and Tesseract energy. We couldn't just leave it in the wrong hands."

Fury didn't look impressed. He rubbed his forehead with his fingers, visibly tired.

— "I understand, Coulson, I understand the gravity of the situation. But that doesn't change the fact that an extremely expensive asset was significantly damaged. Refurbishing the plane won't be cheap, and I need to justify every penny of it to the Council. They're already not very happy with the latest events. You know how they are."

Coulson knew Fury was right. The S.H.I.E.L.D. Council always demanded results and efficiency, and the last few months had been difficult for the organization. However, he also knew that his job was to protect the team and ensure the success of the missions, even if it meant making difficult decisions.

— "Director, I take full responsibility for what happened. I know the shuttle was a valuable asset, and we damaged it. But I believe that, given the circumstances, our decisions were the most prudent possible. The situation with Camila Reyes and her men escalated quickly, and we had to act quickly. My team did what it took to neutralize the threat."

Fury remained silent for a few seconds, his eyes fixed on Coulson through the screen. He knew the agent was right in a way, but still, the cost was enormous. He couldn't deny, however, that Coulson and his team always delivered results.

— "You and your damned ability to argue," Fury grumbled, clearly irritated, but starting to relax. — "You know I can't cut your team because of this. You always come out of these situations unscathed somehow. But then again, Coulson, this is a global operation. I have to deal with people at all levels and justify these decisions."

Coulson relaxed a little more in his chair, realizing that Fury was giving in, albeit reluctantly.

— "Believe me, Director, the shuttle will be back in operation as soon as possible. We're already working with the technical team to make sure everything is fixed. And besides, the artifact we recovered could be one of the most important discoveries in recent years. It'll attract a lot of scientific attention and maybe even... some additional funding."

— "Do you really think that's going to convince me?" — Fury asked, raising an eyebrow, still skeptical.

Coulson gave a slight smile.

"Director, when have I failed to bring good news at the end?"

— "Coulson, you're lucky I respect the work you and your team do. But next time you're going to blow up something expensive, at least give me a heads up so I can prepare for the financial damage."

Coulson nodded, satisfied that the situation was relatively under control.

— "Understood, Director. And I promise I'll be more careful with the assets next time."

Fury sighed again and shook his head, as if he didn't completely believe Coulson.

— "You always say that, Coulson. Just remember: the Council is watching. And if they start getting impatient, I don't know how long I'll be able to keep your team untouched."

— "I appreciate your trust, Director. I'll make sure they keep delivering results."

Fury looked at Coulson once more, his expression still serious, but with a slight tone of acceptance.

— "I hope so, Coulson. I really hope so. Now, go fix that plane before I send you flying in a Cold War junkyard." Coulson smiled, knowing that this was as close to a "clean-up" as he would get from Fury.

— "We'll get this sorted. Thank you, Director."

Fury nodded in farewell, and the screen went black, ending the call.

Coulson let out a sigh of relief and ran a hand through his hair, reflecting on the conversation. Fury was furious, but deep down, he knew there was still confidence in his work. The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. knew that Coulson's team always handled the toughest situations and delivered results, even if sometimes the cost was high.

Rising from his chair, Coulson took one last look at the outside of the plane. The lights of the base glowed in the distance, and he could see his team still hard at work, making sure the artifact was safe and everyone was ready for the next mission.

He knew he would need to have a talk with all of them about what came next. The mission had been a success, but the future held even greater challenges. With Artifact 084 emitting unknown energy and the Council watching their movements closely, the pressure was on them.

But as always, Phil Coulson was ready for whatever came his way. Standing out of the office, he began to plan his next move.

Support me if you like this stories 

p@treon.com/SHADOWGHOST07 

Just replace the @ with an a 

Exclusive stories