Finally, on a Friday afternoon, Howard signed the last document, cleared out his personal items from the office, and then closed the office door.
When he walked out of the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters building, the setting sun was dipping in the west, dyeing the sky over Washington a brilliant orange-red.
Howard stood on the steps and took a deep breath; the air smelled of car exhaust, the aroma of fried food from a nearby fast-food restaurant, and the complex scent unique to a city, mixed with countless traces of life.
Having shed the heavy burden, Howard felt as if he had become a bit younger.
His shoulders were no longer so tense, his brow was no longer so furrowed, and even his steps were much lighter.
Now, he was just a retired Old man, an Old man who could finally enjoy life.
With nothing left to worry about, Howard prepared to take Maria out for a walk and travel around, to properly enjoy his later years.
He had conceived this plan for a long time; when he was young, he and Maria had been to many places: ancient cities in Europe, temples in Asia, and the savannas of Africa.
But those trips were always rushed, always accompanied by work calls and emergency meetings; they had seen many sights, but rarely had they truly and relaxedly enjoyed those moments.
Now, the opportunity had come.
They could go to the places they had always wanted to visit but never had the time for, could stay in places they liked for months instead of days, and could live at their own pace instead of being driven by a schedule.
Tony and Mavuika were very supportive of this.
"Should have done this long ago," Tony said, although his tone was still that teasing "the Old man finally got a clue," there was concern in his eyes.
"You and Mom have worked hard all your lives; it's time to enjoy it. Besides, money isn't an issue; go wherever you want, stay as long as you want."
Mavuika was more direct; before Howard and Maria set off, he again shoved a Fire Crystalize into Howard's hand.
This Crystalize was different from the last one.
"I made some slight improvements," Mavuika explained, placing the Crystalize in Howard's palm.
"It doesn't just notify me; it can also generate a divine power barrier to help you resist some DMG. Although it doesn't have an infinite limit, it's enough to withstand most conventional attacks, at least until I can arrive."
He looked at Howard with a serious expression: "Although you have stepped down from your position, there's no guarantee those people won't make a move on you again. HYDRA doesn't know how much you know, and the Skrulls might still have accomplices... it's always good to be careful."
Howard gripped the Crystalize, feeling its warm touch and the powerful energy contained within it.
He nodded: "Thanks, Mavuika, I will be careful."
The night before they left, Howard and Maria made a final decision: they gave this Villa to Mavuika.
"The Skrulls have been handed over to Fury, and we are going to travel the World, so this Villa will be completely empty," Howard said to Mavuika, handing the property documents to him.
"Instead of letting it sit empty and gather dust, it's better to hand it over to you."
Mavuika was a bit surprised; he looked at the documents, then at Howard and Maria, a trace of warm emotion flashing in his amber eyes.
"Thanks," Mavuika finally said, accepting the gift: "I will take good care of it."
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