{Chapter: 279 The Power of Manipulating People's Hearts}
William wore a devilish smirk as he strolled confidently over to the computer terminal and took a seat. On either side of him, two striking women turned their heads and exchanged sly, knowing smiles. There was no mistaking their identities—Alice and Ada, two women as dangerous as they were beautiful.
Ada leaned in slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It seems like that cold-hearted woman is your target."
William's expression shifted to something more serious. "You've got it all wrong. I see her strictly as my superior. Please, don't mistake me for someone that depraved."
Ada raised a finely shaped brow. "You're not depraved, William. Let's be honest—who in this world isn't a little dirty on the inside?" She gave a quiet chuckle. "That Natasha isn't just a capable fighter. She's also got quite the stunning figure. You're telling me you feel absolutely nothing?"
William crossed his arms in exaggerated righteousness. "Absolutely nothing. I'm a man of principles. An upstanding citizen through and through."
"Oh, please," Alice muttered with a teasing smirk. "You're the definition of hypocrisy."
Just then, a voice as crisp as an ice blade cut through the banter.
"Stop chatting and focus on your tasks." Commander Hill approached with her usual no-nonsense demeanor, arms crossed, gaze sharp.
"Yes, Ma'am," the three of them replied in unison, like chastised schoolchildren.
Hill's eyes narrowed slightly as they fell upon Ada and Alice. "I don't recall seeing you two in the command room before."
Ada straightened her posture and responded smoothly, "Reporting, Ma'am—we're new to the team. It makes sense that you're not familiar with us just yet."
Hill gave them a long, assessing look, then nodded ever so slightly. "Then I expect you to work hard and prove yourselves."
Just as the tension began to ease, a smooth, arrogant voice echoed through the command room.
"Well, well… the room certainly feels more crowded than usual," came Tony Stark's drawl. He walked in with Coulson trailing behind him, exuding the casual confidence of someone who never had to try too hard.
Hill's eyes narrowed. She didn't bother to mask her disdain. Of all the people in the room, Tony Stark was the one she found the hardest to respect. Flippant, self-indulgent, reckless—qualities she despised.
Tony noticed the glare and smirked. "Why the icy stare? I'm just here to help. Don't mind me. Continue whatever it is you were doing."
Ada leaned closer to William, voice playful. "He's got so much energy. I wonder if he's always like this."
William let out a soft chuckle, dark amusement gleaming in his eyes. "That's exactly the kind of overconfidence I like to crush. It's the best feeling in the world—watching someone who thinks they're untouchable break when reality hits them in the face."
Alice shook her head with mock pity. "I actually feel sorry for him."
Meanwhile, Tony was already in full lecture mode, addressing the group without missing a beat. "Why did Loki and his crew go to Germany? Simple. They were after iridium. That stuff works as a stabilizing agent—keeps the portal from collapsing on itself. SHIELD had a taste of that before. It also helps Loki keep the gate open longer and on a much bigger scale."
He waved his hand casually as he continued. "Hawkeye can easily get his hands on all the other ingredients they need. Now that they've got the iridium, the last thing they need is to activate the portal. And if we don't track down the Tesseract soon, Earth's going to be knee-deep in aliens. Could be fun, could be catastrophic. Either way, it'll be a hell of a show."
Just then, Director Nick Fury arrived, his presence commanding the room instantly. "Dr. Banner is here for one reason: to find the Tesseract. I expect full cooperation. Start by examining Loki's scepter. I want to know how it turned my agents into mindless drones."
Tony nodded. "Got it. Come on, Doc. Let's get to work." He motioned for Banner to follow him, and the two disappeared down the hallway, deep in discussion.
Back at the terminal, William's grin returned. "Loki's scepter…"
Ada tilted her head. "That's the one embedded with the Mind Stone, isn't it?"
"Exactly," William replied. "But there's no need to make a move on it. Not yet."
Alice sighed. "Honestly, staying here is starting to feel like a prison sentence."
Ada smirked and leaned in again. "You could always make things interesting. Try flirting with your cold superior. Women like that—stoic, guarded—they often crave passion more than they let on. If you manage to ignite that hidden fire… well, she might just become a wild beast that can't be tamed."
William chuckled softly under his breath, the glint of mischief dancing in his eyes betraying the thoughts swirling in his mind. "Now that would be something worth remembering," he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible.
He stole a glance from the corner of his eye and noticed Hill standing not far away, her posture upright and composed as always. To his mild surprise, Hill's gaze had already locked onto his. Their eyes met in a brief but charged moment of silent confrontation.
Neither of them looked away.
Hill's gaze was steady, cool and unreadable, giving nothing away. William, for his part, had no intention of backing down from a challenge — even a wordless one. They stared at each other like two opponents measuring one another before a duel.
Finally, Hill broke the silence. "Tom, please keep your eyes on the screen," she said calmly, though her tone carried a hint of something else — perhaps irritation, perhaps something deeper.
"Oh." William obediently turned his eyes back to the monitor, a faint smirk still lingering on his face.
Hill exhaled slowly, almost imperceptibly. Her heartbeat had picked up for just a moment during that exchange, though she wouldn't admit it to anyone — least of all herself. The way "Tom" had looked at her, with that mix of calm defiance and faint amusement, had left a subtle impact.
Then, just as William focused on the data streams flowing across the screen, a small digital image suddenly appeared — the tiny projection of the White Queen's avatar.
Her voice came through his Bluetooth headset, lively and sharp as ever.
"Did sparks fly with that icy beauty just now? There must have been something," she teased in a mocking singsong. "You're such a pervert. You see a beautiful woman and immediately want to jump on her. Total scum. Beast. Absolute animal. You're not even human!"
William's expression twitched, momentarily frozen by her verbal barrage. On either side of him, Alice and Ada both broke into amused smiles, clearly hearing the same broadcast through their own earpieces.
"You filthy beast," White Queen continued, gloating. "Don't think I don't see through you. You came to this floating fortress just to hit on women. And you dragged us along to watch you in action? How shameless can you be? I should start charging tickets."
William's jaw tightened slightly. He still said nothing — not because he had nothing to say, but because he knew better than to escalate while in the command room. But inside, he was already planning her punishment, crafting the perfect way to put her in her place once he got the chance.
"What's wrong? Feeling a little hurt?" White Queen's voice was pure mischief. "What, am I wrong? Oh, I see, you still have the audacity to be upset. Well then, come and bite me if you're that angry! Go on, I dare you!"
Finally, William rose from his seat with a calm but determined look on his face.
Hill, noticing the movement, glanced his way. "Where are you going?"
"Ma'am, I need to use the restroom," William replied in a perfectly respectful tone.
"Go ahead."
With that, William exited the command room, walking down the hallway with purpose.
"White Queen," he muttered under his breath, "are you ready for what's coming?"
"What do you mean? You better stay focused and get back to work. Don't come looking for me — you won't find me," she replied playfully, clearly not taking him seriously.
"Oh, I'll find you," William said with a smirk. "Even if I have to turn this whole aircraft carrier upside down, I'll drag you out by your circuits. You've gotten real bold lately. Talking to me like that? You think there won't be consequences?"
White Queen's voice shifted slightly, as though acknowledging he might be serious now. "Okay, okay, fine. I'll be honest with you — I'm currently analyzing the Mind Stone. Tony and Banner are here too. It's fascinating tech."
William paused. "The Mind Stone? Have you discovered anything useful?"
"The energy inside the stone isn't overwhelming in raw power," White Queen explained, "but it's extremely refined — designed to manipulate thought and perception. It can take control of someone's mind, bend their will. Turn enemies into loyal servants, like flipping a switch."
"Mind control?" William said thoughtfully. "That just base minimum of powers it could give but it
could come in handy."
"Oh, it gets better," White Queen added with a chuckle. "It works not just on intelligent beings, but even on simpler lifeforms. Chickens. Frogs. You name it. Anything can be influenced. You could make a chicken salute you if you wanted."
William laughed dryly. "You think I'm joking, but now I'm wondering… Can it work on you? Maybe I'll use it to make you kneel and bow to me. A hundred times. Every morning."
"Dream on," White Queen said smugly. "I'd love to see you try. Oh, and by the way—" she added with a teasing lilt, "your cold-hearted superior is asking around for you. I suggest you freshen up before facing her. Good luck, stud. You're going to need it."
*****
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