NOVEL NEXT Chapter 26: Captain's News?!
Here is the spell-checked version of **Chapter 26** with American names retained:
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### **Chapter 26: Captain's News?!**
Passport? Cash? I stared at the envelope Jim had pushed across the table, completely thrown by his actions. He was acting as if this was my escape plan. I had to give him credit—Jim was experienced, always thinking ahead. He knew how to handle situations like this, bringing cash and everything I'd need to run.
I gently pushed the envelope aside and leaned back in my chair, calm as ever.
"Jim, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but trust me, everything I'm doing has a reason. So what if I drew Tony Stark? Don't worry about it. Stark won't sue me—he'll thank me for giving him and Marvel all this free publicity. With me, Jason Walker, at the helm, this place isn't going down anytime soon."
The conviction in my voice surprised even me, but I believed every word. Jim, on the other hand, was left speechless, probably wondering if I'd lost my mind.
The room was dead silent for a moment until the door suddenly flew open. Laura, Jim's daughter and my assistant, came running in, her face flushed with panic.
"No, no, no! We're being sued by Stark Industries!" she yelled breathlessly.
I blinked, trying to process what she just said. Jim, on the other hand, was beyond speechless.
That fast? Stark Industries had already come down on us? My bravado from just moments earlier was now being tested.
Laura continued, "They've issued an official statement. They're going to pursue this through the courts, and it's already at the Supreme Court level. When Tony Stark gets back from his trip, the hearing's going to start."
The words hit hard, and for the first time, I felt the weight of it all. Stark Industries wasn't just any company. They had the power to crush us in an instant if they wanted to. I was walking a thin line, and it seemed like I had finally tripped.
The staff at Marvel were probably losing their minds right now, despairing over the lawsuit. And no doubt, the other publishing houses were celebrating, thinking they could sweep up the market in the aftermath.
Even our fans were probably heartbroken, thinking Marvel was about to fall apart. It didn't help that people who couldn't care less about comics were grabbing popcorn, watching the drama unfold with amusement.
Meanwhile, somewhere in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s office building, Director Nick Fury had gotten wind of all this too. Knowing him, he probably thought I had lost it. But there was something else weighing on his mind—the one thing he cared more about right now than Tony Stark suing me: Captain America.
He was flipping through the comics, trying to piece together whether there was any truth to my depiction of Steve Rogers. According to the comic, the captain was frozen somewhere in the Arctic, and an expedition would stumble upon him.
"Arctic Ocean? Is Jason Walker some kind of fraud, or is he really onto something?" Nick muttered to himself, staring at the panels as if he could extract the truth through sheer will.
His phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts. "This is Nick Fury."
"Director Fury," a voice on the other end responded, "we've just received a report from an expedition team in the Arctic. They claim their ship struck a man frozen in ice—someone dressed exactly like Captain Steve Rogers. He's holding a shield, sir. We've sent the coordinates to you."
Fury's expression didn't change, but his pulse quickened. "Are you sure?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes, sir. The description matches exactly," came the confirmation.
Nick glanced back at the comic in his hand. The location, the shield—it all matched. Everything I had drawn was lining up with reality. He felt a chill run down his spine.
"Walker... Is he really some kind of prophet?" Fury muttered under his breath. The idea made him uneasy. As the head of S.H.I.E.L.D., he was used to strange things, but this... this was a whole new level.
Taking a deep breath, Fury straightened up and spoke into his phone, "Lock onto that location and make sure nothing happens to that frozen man. I'm heading there myself."
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