Birds of a Feather | | Leo Fitz Book One

Chapter 1

It was hot, too hot even, for the amount of black the slim girl was wearing. A black leather jacket, over a black tank top, paired with black, tight fitted pants and black combat boots. It was expected for anyone to be sweating in such a heat wave, but the brunette held her composure just fine, occasionally glancing at a silver watch which hung on her wrist. It was five minutes past her directed meeting time. Not exactly a good start to things.

Pushing her aviator sunglasses up to rest atop her head, Agent Monroe once again glanced around the bus stop where she was waiting. Perhaps they were simply watching her, waiting her for to catch on to their presence. But it seemed unlikely. Seeing she had arrived two hours early to survey the entire land, she didn't think any figure had escaped her grasp. Yet, her grey eyes, grey like the colour of storm clouds ready to burst, moved slowly over the terrain of the New York streets, waiting for a sign, any sign.

And suddenly, there he was, the man from her file folders, rolling up in a shiny, red convertible, a 62 Chevy Corvette from the looks of things. He had on a dark grey suit and matching tie, and sported his own set of Aviators. "Nice to finally meet you Monroe," he said directly to her, not missing a beat, "How about you hop in and we'll take a ride?" His words were surprisingly kind, and his face equally so. Not exactly what Asia had expected from an Agent in charge of his own operations team.

Nevertheless, she slid effortlessly into the vehicle, glancing carefully around them to make sure no one was paying to much attention as they sped away from the grimy bus station where she had waited. "So, Monroe, it's a pleasure to finally have you aboard. A team member handpicked and trained by Strike Team Delta...well...let's just say we haven't had someone at your caliber of talent in a while." Phil Coulson said as they made their way out of New York City and into gentler surrounding country.

"Please, call me Asia," the brunette in the passenger seat said with a smile on her lips and a faint blush on her cheeks. It was true, she had been trained by Natasha Romanov and Clint Barton, to be their backup essentially. She was on her way to becoming the latest Avenger, if that was the path she chose. She might have known it, but that was the hand she was going to be dealt. That was, at least, until Director Fury had a private discussion with her, explaining Coulson's team, and how she could very well be an essential member, a pivotal turning point when it came to the success of their missions. And when he asked her if she was interested, she couldn't exactly say no. "And I'm honoured, really, to be a part of your team. You have quite a legacy, Phil."

"Hey, you're making quite a legacy of your own, for how long you have been with S.H.I.E.L.D, Asia," Phil replied, using her name as requested. "I think you'll be an asset. Did Fury brief you on who you'll be working with?"

Asia shook her head in response, "All he really told me was that you were in charge of a group of rather...elite, I believe was how he put it? Elite agents who were working unclassified missions, specifically one's involving 084's." She was rather excited to meet these alleged elite agents. There were several people she had in mind from Operations who she hadn't seen since graduation. Well, since traditional graduation. With her own training process, it felt as if she never truly graduated. With Nat and Clint, whom she adored dearly, she felt as if she was always being babysat. As if the two agents had made the mutual decision to adopt her and train her, but never let her go out alone. The 25 year old had been with S.H.I.E.L.D. from the age of 15, hand chosen by Natasha Romanov herself as the perfect student. And she had still yet to do a solo mission, after ten long years.

"They are really something special," Coulson replied, a gentle smile on his weathered face, "Each of them, really. But I'll let them introduce themselves. We do have one other new recruit...she wasn't exactly planned. But I think you'll get along. You've got a lot in common."