THIS IS WAR

TWO

"BOOTH, MEET JEMMA SIMMONS AND BOBBI MORSE. Ladies, this is Claudia Booth," Hill said as we stepped down from the jet into Zephyr One. It's interior was every inch as high-tech as it's exterior made it out to be. "Both Morse and Simmons are A-Force members. Simmons is a biochemist who's also experienced in fieldwork," Hill gestured toward the shorter of the two women, with short, russet-colored curls and a bright smile.

Jemma was quick to offer a polite, "Pleasure to meet you!" in a charming English accent.

"And," Hill continued, "Morse was one of SHIELD's best field agents."

"Was?" I asked, turning my attention to the tall, Amazonian-like blonde.

Bobbi cracked a shameless smile. "I was disavowed. It's kind of a long story."

"Which you can feel free to tell at another time," Hill said.

"So wait," I turned, pointing toward Morse and Simmons, "they are -- or were -- SHIELD agents. Given that giant logo on the wall, this is a SHIELD plane." I looked back to Hill, not in the least bothering to mask my incredulity. "But this A-Force thing ... is not a part of SHIELD?"

"Belonging to organizations and having connections are very different things," Hill returned. "The A-Force will be acting independently, and as I've said, way under the radar. This plane, though technically owned by SHIELD, is utilized and headed by Phil Coulson. He's letting us use it -- the Director currently believes it's being used to track anomalies that might lead to new Inhumans." She nodded toward the jet we had just left. "That quinjet? Property of the Avengers. Given my position at the Facility and in Stark Industries, as well as how distracted Stark has been by his most recent project, I don't have to explain my whereabouts to anyone."

"And she hasn't even mentioned some of her more fascinating connections," Bobbi said, giving Hill a wry smile.

That spiel alone had answered more questions than I had even thought to ask, as well as confirmed some of my assumptions. Maria Hill was clever, connected, and knew how to work any situation in her favor. Her closeness with Coulson suggested she had also once been a part of SHIELD. The way she took initiative so easily, as well as the fact that she had chosen to start this team were both indicators that she had been in a position of authority.

I still hadn't decided if I liked her, but I was objective enough to admire her abilities.

"Yet another story for a later time," Hill said, returning Bobbi's smile with droll one of her own. She checked her watch then and gave a short hum. "Speaking of Stark, I have some other business to attend to before our briefing."

"So what, I'm staying here?" I asked, giving Hill a look, both of my brows arched. "You've explained a grand sum of nada to me, and now you'd like to leave me on a jumbo jet full of strangers." I crossed my arms over my chest, shifting my weight. "All this cloak and dagger stuff may have served you well in SHIELD, Hill, but I'm not SHIELD."

Hill's features didn't so much as twitch. "I'm well aware of what you are and are not, Booth."

"You didn't explain the situation to her before you got here?" Bobbi asked, giving Hill a look that matched mine in disapproval.

Hill's eyes briefly closed then, and she gave a sigh before they opened. "Already ganging up on me." She gave a tight smile. "Wonderful. Miss Booth is aware that she has agreed to join the A-Force, a team that will consist of exceptional women."

"The women part is new to me," I muttered.

"Oh, yes," Jemma interrupted, her voice surprisingly light-hearted given the rising tension of the situation. "That's the genius of the plan. As Peggy Carter knew, ladies do not require the assistance of men to reach our goals." Her smile was fond, and her eyes turned distant, "That, and the fact that not much has really changed since Agent Carter's time." 

"How's that?" I asked with a furrowed brow, most of my attention on her now. I would've asked who Peggy Carter was, though Jemma's choice of words suggested she had at one point been an agent of SHIELD -- and that point was a while ago. 

Jemma granted me a slight smile. "Women are still underestimated and oftentimes overlooked. Even with the Avengers, as incredible as they are ..."

"Most of the attention falls on the men," Bobbi finished for her. She gave me a conspiratorial grin. "On the A-Force, we're going to be using that to our advantage. 

"See," she shifted her stance to better face me, one arm resting across her abdomen, the other gesturing, "we A-Force members are going to be coming from a lot of different backgrounds." She jerked her thumb toward herself, "I'm a seasoned espionage artist and field agent," then waved toward Jemma, "Simmons is the youngest cadet to graduate from SHIELD Academy, and prior to that she had two PhD's. She's also an advisor to SHIELD's Director, which gives her a whole lot of sway. We also have an astrophysicist, and one of SHIELD's most seasoned field agents, whom happens to be the only person I've ever met with more black belts than the Black Widow." Bobbi grinned. "And those are just some of the members -- and ones who aren't powered, at that." 

A pause settled over the four of us as I gave a more amiable nod. "All right," I said slowly, one side of my lips twitching up in a smile. I glanced back at Hill, letting one shoulder rise and fall in a shrug of fabricated apathy. "I guess I'll stay."

"Happy to hear it," Hill returned with an edge of sarcasm to the words. Without further discussion, she turned to head back toward the quinjet, calling over her shoulder, "I'll be in contact before you reach the rendezvous point. Try not to destroy Coulson's plane."

And just like that, the ramp was closing after her, and with a whir of machinery she was gone.

I turned my attention back to Bobbi and Jemma, looking between the two of them with new eyes. 

"Since you are left with us now," Jemma said quickly, her dazzling smile returning, "perhaps you'd be interested in meeting the other A-Force members who are on the Zephyr?" 

I shrugged again. "I'm not opposed to that." Especially not after hearing Bobbi's brief rundown on part of the team. 

Truth be told, the idea of the A-Force appealed to me. One thing I had learned from being on my own so long was that women were underestimated -- practically all the time. Given time, and experience, I had learned to use that to my advantage, and I enjoyed it. But I more so enjoyed utilizing my other skill set: intimidation. It took a certain finesse ... and when I got to tap into it, I probably enjoyed it more than I should. If morality is being taken into account, at least. 

So getting to work with women who had similar life experience, at least in terms of being underestimated, talked down to, and looked down upon? Dang straight you can count me in. 

"Excellent!" Jemma said, adjusting her tablet in her arms and tapping the screen a few times. "Then let's get a move on. I'll have them meet us in the lobby space. I'm sure May can take a break for a few minutes in order to meet you," she said, already turning and walking deeper into the jet.

I glanced to Bobbi who merely shrugged in a 'just go with it,' manner. We fell into step beside each other as we followed Jemma. "And May is ...?"

"The pilot," Bobbi supplied. "No worries, though. The Zephyr has autopilot."

"Of course it does," I muttered, shaking my head to myself.