Invisible String

Challenges

A fresh polished smell lingers in the lobby, lemon blossom and citrus. The lobby acts as a holding chamber, the purgatory between the different levels and offices stretched across this expansive thirty story tower. Time is stagnant here, a dated church with its ancient architecture preserved as If it's still in the time it was originally constructed. Between the people coming and going, it would be difficult to imagine what occurs behind the maze of passages and walls.

Jules sprints through the automatic doors, she gathers her hair hastily into a ponytail. She approaches the lady behind the desk who she debates on a daily basis how old she is. The old receptionist is merely a vessel of sagging skin and bones. Jules expected her to dissipate into a pile of sand at any given second. "Hi there, I'm here to discuss my finances with Mr. Fury."

"When is your appointment scheduled for Miss?"

"Err" I feign uncertainty, "Umm I'm not sure exactly and oh no! I've forgotten my watch."  The lady nods and gives her a conspiratorial grin. "I'll buzz in and let him know you're on your way up. Jules smiles briefly and makes her way up to the elevator; she presses level 10. She taps her converse on the floor and is subjected to the monotonous elevator music. Ding! "Level ten" rings out a female automated voice. Jules walks down to the end of the corridor looking upwards to the camera positioned above the door. A hand pad pops out on the right side of the door. She places her hand in the middle, the machine glows then beeps slinking back into the wall, like a puppet on a string. Jules turns the handle walking through, emerging into a completely different atmosphere. A sign reads S.H.I.E.L.D. ("Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage and Law-Enforcement Division")

Jules can feel the buzzing of the agents swarming around her.

"Jules! Jules! Wait up!" She glances to her right and rolls her eyes, great, Jack. She would've pretended not to notice him, but he was already falling into step next to her.

"So, where's this briefing?"

"Fury wants all the Echo team in conference room B12 at 7:30 which really means seven, so we're on track." Jules nods.

"How's your morning going?"

"Well Jack, I was literally in the middle of a hook up and everything, we were really getting into it when you rudely interrupted with your incessant spamming."

Jack turns bright red "Umm...I – I um... I didn't mean to- "Jules laughs. With one hand on conference room b12 she looks to a squirming Jack placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm joking Jack. I'm. Joking." Jack smiles feebly as Jules pushes the door open, she pursues her lips trying to contain her laughter.
Nick Fury is sitting at the head of a long rectangular table where the full set of the Echo team has assembled. Jules takes a seat next to Claudia; a former independent spy operative like her. Claudia is all sharp cheekbones and edges with a head of red curls. You didn't want to mess with Claudia and Jules liked that she was a person with strong boundaries and a sense of what she wants.

"Ok team." Nick furies voices booms. "You're probably all wondering why I've requested both halves of the Echo team to be here, some of you might already know." An interactive screen lights up with a man popping up on the screen. A collective number of gasps and whispers break out among the table. "Many of you probably already know him, agent Hoffman. He disappeared three days ago and didn't report back to his posting." More whispers. Jules interests spike: someone got their hands on Hoffman? French agent. Stellar sniper. A hunger erupted inside her anticipating a challenge, there's nothing that Jules liked more than a good challenge. "Hoffman was on a mission in the U.S and French officials have reached out to us to and asked if we can locate him and retrieve him, safely and quietly."

"So, what plan of action would you suggest sir," Jules pipes in.

Nick Fury crosses his arms. "Agent Ward, eager as ever, I was just about to explain."  He presses a button on a controller and a building plan spreads out across the screen. "So far we've located Hoffman in a desolate factory by the docks."

"Whoever managed to snatch him is definitely skilled, we don't want to underestimate them. So a tip, watch your six."

"All entryways and exits will be heavily guarded so that leaves..." Fury moves onto the next slide with two systems positioned side by side. "The sewer system and the vent system people. Study the layout of the factory, the sewer and vent systems, your lives depend on it, one slip up they're know you're there, Hoffman's dead and the missions a bust." Fury turns to Jules "Agent Ward I want you and your team to postpone all work and prepare for this mission, we advance at sundown." Fury turns to Daniel the other team leader "Agent Black, I want you and your team to do the same. "Do Y'all understand?"

"Yes sir!" The agents around the table answer in unison. Fury claps his hands together. "Ok then, lets get to work."