To Be An Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D (Marvel)(MCU)

"It feels too sad here," James said. "My mother loved flowers. Could we clean up the grounds and plant some? Nothing expensive. Just something that feels alive. We'll visit every year."

"Don't worry, child," the priest said, crossing himself. "You're right. This place should be full of life. It would ease the souls of the departed if we do so."

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Back in New York, Carlos kept Alice's Flower Shop (Central Park South) running smoothly. The storefront operated quietly as always, a warm and fragrant corner near the park. It was more than just a florist, it was his cover, and he managed it with strategic planning. Hydra hadn't made another move, and Alice Roy's death passed without a ripple—like she'd never existed.

Meanwhile, James and Philip flew out to California. Silicon Valley had just welcomed a guest who'd soon grow into someone influential.

"Philip, is the land here expensive?" James asked during the flight.

"Not too bad. Are you thinking of buying land and building from scratch?"

"Yeah I am. We'll need a strong home base in the U.S. and international partnerships later. Our game company's going to be big, so it deserves a proper HQ. I probably can't afford to construct a building yet, but I can buy a plot. Land values are only gonna go up."

In his past life, Riot Games had been acquired by Tencent. Despite the massive player base, James had never understood how a game company like that could constantly report losses. Is it because it's a room full of techies who don't know how to manage finances?

"By the way, how's the market for messaging apps right now?" he asked.

"There aren't that many. Why?"

"Just an idea. I'll explain when we're on the ground."

Silicon Valley sprawled across the northern half of California's Bay Area. Even in this alternate world, its role as the heart of the tech universe remained unchanged. This was James's first time here. The energy felt right.

Through Tony Stark's connections, they toured a few tech firms, particularly ones specializing in servers. The server rooms were massive, walls of blinking lights and humming hardware. Industrial-grade machines lined in tight formation. Expensive and powerful.

Back at the hotel, James locked himself in and started scanning the current instant messaging market. Plenty of apps were out there, but none had established dominance. Most only handled basic friend-to-friend chats.

"Another goldmine..." James rubbed his chin. "And I gave Stark thirty percent. Better use him well for every dollar he gets."

He knew from experience: monopolizing a new tech space was all about timing and execution. What mattered now were the patents—both utility and design.

"Philip, take this flash drive and file a patent application on what's in it," James said, handing it over. The data was Cortana's work, disguised as his own.

Philip didn't ask questions. He was already picturing future commissions. Big ones. His instincts told him James wasn't just building a simple company—he was setting up a new business empire. He had to stay in this man's circle.

James didn't take long to call Stark.

"Hey, Stark. I'm starting to regret that thirty percent."

"What happened?" Stark asked seemingly intrigued on what it might be.

"I got to Silicon Valley and ideas started forming. I've managed to come up with a bunch of new systems. I sent Philip to file the patents for it. It feels like I gave away a fortune."

"You made a deal. No take-backs," Stark replied. "But if you're talking about patents, then yeah, I want in. Once the Expo's done, I'll take a look."

"This company's going to be worth hundreds of billions. And I just handed you a third. I feel like I could cry from how much is gonna leave me."

James really did feel that sting. He'd kept Cortana in limited use on purpose, worried she'd dig too deep and find all the world's secrets, or all the heroes he wasn't ready to face would see her as a threat. But now, with those limitations slightly lifted, she was helping him see the world for what it really was: a goldmine wrapped in silicon and steel.

"Alright, enough melodrama," Stark said. "What's the point?"

"You're the company's technical consultant now. I want you to help optimize our servers, and we'll need more funding soon. The patents will soon be ready for you to see. At your Expo, I need a full-blown product launch. A global reach."

"Not a problem. I'll tell my secretary to set up stage time. It's my Expo, but we'll give you a bit of a spotlight, since 30% of it is mine anyway." Stark just have a cheeky smile, trying to make a little teasing on where it hurts

"Looking forward to it." James hung up, smiling with a bit of pain, knowing that Stark really did sting him with that tease.

Stark was locked in now.

And James is officially a genius in their eyes. Cortana was him, and he was Cortana.

From that point on, things accelerated.

He had the headhunter firm re-route their shortlisted CEO candidates to Silicon Valley, and he started scouting for locations. The company headquarters would be built here. And so would the servers. But there was something else, a dream he'd carried from his past world.

An Esports stadium. A sanctuary for gamers. A true Esports without greed and corruption ruining the game.

A nobody was about to build a digital empire. James didn't care if he was seen as a loser to care so much about gaming. He was making something legendary.

Philip came back sooner than expected. In just two weeks, he dropped a thick file of completed patent paperwork on James's desk.

"All done, Mr. James. I moved as fast as I could."

James nodded, flipping through the stack. "You did well. From now on, you're heading our legal department. This company's going global. I need you prepared."

Philip's eyes lit up. He was ambitious, and James knew it. But ambition, if well-managed, was a great asset. Philip was sharp. He'd do well with real power.

"You can count on me. What's next?"

"We need a large plot. Big enough for our headquarters, a Gaming arena, and a central square. I want this place to become the world's gaming holy land. You got it?"

"Not a problem. Most of the land out here is owned by the state. They're offering it cheap to attract investment. Taxes are low too, especially for tech. If our project brings in tourism, it checks every box. I've already looked into it."

"You're already thinking like a player. Good. I've got high expectations." James grinned.

The land was indeed cheap. The area wasn't densely packed yet—lots of room to expand. The Silicon Valley mindset had already begun attracting companies, but this was still 2007. Civilian tech hadn't caught up to what the military had been hoarding.

James had an edge.

The world might have been strange, full of superheroes and wild tech, but it was still a world he could dominate entertainment.