"You're suggesting we use the Tahiti Project as bait to lure them out?" Fury shook his head. "I actually considered that before, but the feasibility is low… By now, they must know we've brought you back. They've probably already guessed that we've figured out what their target is."
"In that situation, anything I do related to the Tahiti Project, they'll be on guard. There's no way they'd fall for it that easily."
Raymond chuckled. "And what if they are on guard?"
"Hm?" Fury didn't quite follow.
"When I was young, I used to read historical Chinese novels my father collected. One strategist said something that stuck with me: there are two kinds of schemes. One is a covert plot—what we might call a 'dark scheme'—designed to catch someone off-guard. The other is an 'open scheme'—the kind where your opponent knows it's a trap, but has no choice but to walk into it."
Raymond smiled lightly. "A covert scheme relies on surprise. An open scheme leverages the opponent's desire—it's a visible trap, but one they must step into. As long as we hold something they desperately want, like the Tahiti Project, they'll come for it. Even knowing it's bait, they'll jump."
"Whether we catch them or not, Director, depends entirely on how well you set the trap."
Fury thought it over for a moment and quickly grasped the logic.
"Doctor, I can see now your recovery is quite real," he said with a raised brow, half-joking.
It was clear he'd taken Raymond's point to heart.
Even the sharpest minds can fall into mental ruts. Fury had become fixated on the idea that any trap involving the Tahiti Project would be too obvious. He'd never been one to underestimate his enemies.
But Raymond had made him realise something important: it's not about whether the enemy sees the trap. It's whether you can make one they can't afford to avoid.
Fury didn't have a concrete plan just yet—but with this new mindset, and his years of strategic cunning, he knew it wouldn't take long to come up with a viable one.
"If we manage to catch the person pulling the strings, I'll owe you a serious favour," Fury said with a broad grin.
May happened to walk over with a tray of coffee just then and interjected, "You already owe the Doctor more than one favour, Sir…"
Fury gave a sheepish smile, suddenly remembering that he'd made a similar promise when he'd first convinced Raymond to join the Tahiti Project.
He hadn't repaid the first favour yet—and now there was another.
Raymond, seeing his embarrassment, stepped in to defuse it. "You were just caught in a blind spot, Director. Even without my suggestion, I'm sure you would've reached the same conclusion eventually. No need for favours."
"In that case, I'll save my breath."
Fury straightened. "Until we identify the one behind all this, I'm afraid you'll need to remain at headquarters for the time being. At least there, they won't dare move against you openly, and we can ensure your safety."
"Stay at headquarters?" Raymond frowned slightly.
That wasn't quite what he had in mind.
Sure, he'd wanted to use S.H.I.E.L.D. to get discharged from the hospital, but staying locked down in their base? That wasn't much different.
Just swapping one cage for another.
Yes, the base was more comfortable than the hospital—but it still wasn't freedom.
Seated quietly all this time, Hill suddenly spoke up, having noticed Raymond's hesitation. "The Doctor's been cooped up in that hospital for quite a while. I imagine he doesn't want to go back to that idle lifestyle. Why not let him stay at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy?" Raymond and Fury looked at her simultaneously.
"The Doctor is already a visiting professor there. Very few people know what happened to him. His return wouldn't raise suspicion."
She continued, "Besides, keeping him locked up at HQ might seem strange to some and could cause unnecessary questions… The Academy, with its tight security, would be a safer and more appropriate choice. He can even resume teaching from time to time."
Fury nodded. "Good point. What do you think, Doctor?"
"Given the options, I prefer Agent Hill's suggestion," Raymond said after a moment of thought.
"Alright then. I'll notify the Academy and make arrangements," Fury concluded.
The arrangement wasn't ideal for Raymond—but it was certainly better than being stuck at S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ.
It would also give him the chance to test how to trigger more system rewards.
When he'd encountered Hill and May at the hospital, the system had evaluated them as an A-rank hero and a B-rank hero respectively—earning him 50 and 30 exploration points.
That had genuinely surprised him.
Until then, the system's assessments had seemed consistent. David had been rated an S-rank anti-hero; Shadow King an A-rank villain. Both aligned with their mutant classifications—David a Level 5, Shadow King a Level 4.
Even Raina's C-rank villain score had made sense. After her transformation via the Inhuman obelisk, she was no stronger than a standard mutant—not remotely comparable to Shadow King or David.
But Hill and May? Neither were superpowered. Yet Hill was ranked the same as the Shadow King, and May only one rank lower.
It had completely overturned Raymond's earlier assumptions about how the system worked.
And when he stepped off the plane and met Fury?
The system's evaluation had shattered everything.
SS-Rank Hero.