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"I forget you're more of a tea drinker Laurel, my bad." Tony says as he hands me a strong cup of coffee.
I take it gratefully, needing all the caffeine I can get right now to try and focus on the dozens of papers sprawled out in front of me on the big metal desk.
Bruce is beside me, tapping away into a computer and Steve sits opposite me, rifling through his own intel.
"It's okay Tony, don't worry." I said gratefully as I took a sip.
Already, sitting at the desk in my old office feels a million miles away and my heart feels full working back in intelligence again, if only for a few days.
I still had to pinch myself. I was actually here at the compound again, invited back by the one and only Tony Stark and working with some greats.
I must admit though, I didn't enjoy knowing that Bucky was out there with Sam in the field, with the potential of being hurt by supersoldiers, suddenly matched to his own. I reminded myself that he dealt with Thanos and far worse and lived to tell the tale.
"Laurel, I'm so grateful you're here. It's good to have a fresh pair of eyes." Steve said as he sipped his own drink, flicking over a page in the file.
I smile at him kindly.
"Well, it beats my other job." I sigh, turning my eyes back to the page.
"Well you've only been here two days and so far you've given us some great leads to think about." Bruce interjected, not taking his eyes off the screen in front of him.
"Tony—" I start as I turn to him.
He's standing up and tapping through his phone. He looks up.
"If we're dealing with potential supersoldiers, shouldn't more people be out in the field with the boys?" I ask anxiously.
The thought of people using that type of strength for radical reasons makes me feel sick. I'd already first hand seen the damage regular soldiers and criminals could do without powers. Tony, puts his phone away, taking a seat and sighing.
"At the moment we're trying to lay low. We don't know a great deal about this Karli girl. We know her motives and her goals but we don't know all the intricate details. We need to know how far this thing spreads. It's better if we save our resources for the big fight, if it comes to that." Tony rubs the space between his eyebrows.
I look at him sympathetically.
"I don't know how you guys still have the energy to do this after what you all went through. Don't you ever think about retiring?" I ask, half smiling. Steve shakes his head.
"Don't you?" He asks knowingly.
I shake my head too.
"You're like us, the fight's in your blood. We can't stand by."
