Main Article: Nick Fury
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[AGENT SECURITY CLEARANCE INSUFFICIENT]
[ACCESS DENIED]
FROM NICK FURY[]
TO: All S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents
FROM: Nick Fury, Executive Director
SUBJECT: The Pulse
I’m dispensing with any sense of formality. Whatever it was that hit us, hit us HARD.
You already know about the power grids going down on a global scale, the cities paralyzed by gridlock as cars stop working, the rioting that always ensues whenever people aren’t sure when they’re going to get their next meal, and the psychopaths who seize opportunities like this to play their little games without getting caught. As far as we can tell, S.H.I.E.L.D. is the only major institution unaffected by this “Pulse” as our orbital probes detected its approach from deep space and we were able to protect our own systems in time.
We are all that stands between the world and total chaos, people.
Effective immediately:
All leave is cancelled until further notice and all agents should report to their respective station houses or helicarriers.
All in-training agents and new recruits have been promoted to active status and should report to their superiors for field assignment.
I am activating the Avengers Initiative to assemble as many known super powered friendlies as we can to help restore order. Agents will be expected to assist in the deployment and coordination of heroes and hero teams.
It is only through this alliance between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the super heroes that the damage caused by The Pulse can be minimized and those who seek to exploit it for their own selfish ends are brought to justice.
That is all. Carry on, people.
Make me proud.
SHIELD TRANSCRIPT[]
TRANSCRIPT: Phone call between Director Nick Fury (S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier) and Dr. Stephen Strange, MD (Greenwich Village, NYC)
NF: Doctor Strange.
SS: Director Fury. I have come here to be blunt. Yours is a well-earned skepticism, but like any closely held belief, it is not rational.
NF: Not believing in Norse gods makes me irrational. All right.
SS: It is not rational to reject evidence because it conflicts with your ideas.
NF: You tell me what’s happening, then. You were in the field. Did you fight Norse legends?
SS: I did.
NF: Right. Here’s my problem, Strange. I’ve seen aliens and mutants. Shapeshifters, people who could turn invisible. I’ve even seen you. But you’re saying I should believe in gods.
SS: No. I am saying this: If you believe I can do the things you have seen me do, why would you not believe someone else can?
NF: Maybe they can. That doesn’t make Thor the actual god of thunder.
SS: Names. Call Thor whatever you wish. And Loki, and Skurge…what you call them makes no difference to their true nature.
NF: So on top of the Pulse and Iso-8, not to mention Hydra and AIM and the Hand and Dr. Doom and Magneto, I have to put Asgardian gods on the S.H.I.E.L.D. enemies list. Tell you what. I’m still not going to believe it, but I’m going to respond like it’s true. You need resources to fight the Enchantress and Loki, you got them. But don’t tell me what to believe.
SS: I have no interest in your beliefs, Director Fury. But I do have one other topic to broach, and I fear it is related to things magical.
NF: Go ahead. It could hardly get worse.
SS: Loki’s failed enchantment has awakened latent magical qualities in objects all over New York. Emanations of magical energy are everywhere. The darker powers will take note, and will try to corrupt this energy for their own purposes.
NF: Which are…?
SS: Often they do not know themselves. Loki has perhaps done much more damage than he knows. No doubt this would please him.
NF: It doesn’t please me a bit. Now if you will excuse me, Doctor, you delivered your message. I’ve got a war to win.