Animo - Avengers {Completed}

Chapter Five: Chris Garfield

          Three days later, I still had no idea what those last words outside the infirmary meant. What was he trying to do? And there really wasn’t any reason for him to apologize, either. It was all on me. So what was his deal?

          “Mo.”

          I looked up to see Fury standing over me, hands clasped behind his back. His face, as usual, was blank of emotion. I was typically good at reading people by what their eyes revealed, except they usually had two eyes instead of one. Fury was somebody I just couldn’t figure out. Him, and, as I recently discovered, Barton.

          “Fury,” I replied in a bored manner, imitating him as per our normal routine.

          No further words were needed. As he walked off, I turned away from the window I’d been staring out of and followed him to the conference room.

          The team was assembled around the table, either standing or lounging in a chair. Natasha was inspecting the nails on one of her hands; Stark’s feet were propped up on the shiny tabletop; Rogers’s back was erect in his seat; Thor and Banner were chatting as they leaned up against the wall nearest the door. I didn’t bother asking where Barton was, as he lumbered into the room just behind me.

          I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. “Shouldn’t you be on bed rest?”

          “Got out early for good behavior.” Then he ignored me and switched his attention to Fury. “What’s the problem?” Everything about his words screamed I don’t really care. What happened to him?

          “We’ve received intelligence from an unnamed source, claiming to know of a man involved with the alien attack,” Fury droned.

          That was a surprise. There was a human who was actually willing to work with those weird creatures? People these days, I thought to myself, shaking my head.

          Rogers spoke up. “What would you like us to do, sir?”

          Fury, hands still behind his back, began patrolling the outer circle of the room. “The man goes by the name Chris Garfield, who supposedly has a lot of money. It would also appear as though he’s hosting a party this weekend. And everyone is invited.”

          We all stared expectantly at him, waiting for more.

          “Agent Romanoff.” Natasha sat up straighter. “We need you to keep the guards busy. We don’t want any trouble arising before the mission is complete. As for the rest of you, go find something nice to wear.” Fury turned on his heel and began to leave the room, but he stopped. “Also, make sure you can dance by Saturday night.” Then he was gone.

          My eyebrows came together in confusion. “That’s it? No other instructions?”

          “Looks like we’re on our own this time,” Rogers answered.