Agent Staves; Avengers Assemble [BOOK 1/?]

XII - a phase and some advice

  •  

Fury continued to look at the objects in his hands, which Regina recognised to be trading cards, for another moment. He looked up at Steve, and held them up. "These were in Phil Clulsons jacket." He said, throwing them down on the table. "Guess he never did get you to sign them. Regina furrowed her eyebrows, looking at the blood with curiosity. She didn't think Phil kept them in his jacket - what with them being valuable and all. He'd be pissed if he knew they were covered in blood. "We're dead in the air up here." He sighed. "Our communications, the location of the cube, Banner, Thor..." He shook his head.

"Nothing?" Regina asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

Fury shrugged, spreading his arms as if surrendering. "I got nothing for you." He confirmed. "Lost my one good eye." He leaned his arms on the table, shaking his head. "Maybe I had that coming." It fell silent, and Regina crossed her arms on the table, chewing the inside of her lip.

"Nick." She said suddenly, looking up at him. "Tell me about Phase 2. Weapons?" She was, in all honesty, done with the bullshit. She was pissed enough that S.H.I.E.L.D would even think of weapons, let alone actually go through with it.

Fury stepped back from the table, clasping his hands behind his back as he thought. He didn't even think to chastise her for using his first name. "Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract." He said, walking around the edge of the table. "I never put all my chips on that number, though, because I was playing something even riskier." It was quiet, and none of them looked back at Fury. "There was an idea, Staves and Stark know this, called the Avengers initiative. The idea was to bring a group of remarkable people, to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died, still believing in that idea. In heroes."

Regina looked up when Tony stood, another round of silence coming over all of them. He looked at Regina for a second before leaving the room all together.

"Well," Fury started, hands behind his back once more. "It's an old-fashioned notion."

  •  

"What?" Regina damn near hissed, lips turning down in a frown. "That's ridiculous-"

"In light of recent events, we feel it would be safer for you." Maria defended. "You nearly died, and there's no place for a kid in a business like this. We can set you up with a family, with a school-"

"No! No, this is stupid. I don't want to live normally - I-" Regina groaned, hitting her head on the table before looking up again. It was just her, Maria, and Fury there. And they had chosen now, of all times, to break their less than good decision to her. "I can't just up and live normally. That sort of life went off the table for me a long time ago."

Maria shook her head, "It's not off the table." She assured her. "We will always be available for you, but-"

"So what, you're not even going to let me help finish all this shit?" Regina asked, making an attempt to gesture despite her hands staying in her pockets. "I want to kick that guys ass, and you're going to send me away?"

"You're injured." Fury said. "You wouldn't be sent to help even if we did find Loki." Regina slammed her hands down on the table, standing up with a frown. Maria copied her action of standing, and he and Maria stood against her wishes on the opposite side of the table. "Go to hell." She spat. "I'm sixteen, what does it even matter? I'll be an adult in two years, and we'll be right back where we started, only next time, if you send someone to kill me, you had better send someone who'll finish the job."

Fury looked at her quietly for a long moment, but ultimately did not choose to comment on her threat. "It was irresponsible enough for us to make you an agent at your age and mentality, and it is clearly not done you any favours. I am truly sorry for this. But we have no other choice for you."

Maria looked away, not quite looking down but still not meeting Reginas eyes. Fury, on the other hand, continued to look at her steadily. Regina glared back at him, slamming her hands down again before storming out of the bridge.

"Miss Staves, your heart rate is very high. Would you like to sit down a moment?"

"No."

"This is not the end, Miss Staves. You could do great things with lighter ground work, if you so wish." Teri assured her. Regina rolled her eyes as she sat down on her bed. "Ground work is for cops and civilians who fool themselves. I am not a fool."

"I cannot agree nor deny that claim." Regina scoffed out a laugh, falling back to look at the ceiling. She flinched at the familiar sight of light panels and sat back up immediately afterwards. "Perhaps it will do you good to get average life experiences, even if they are coming late. Is this not what you have discussed with Mr Stark and Miss Potts?"

Regina rolled her eyes, finding it a little ridiculous that she was being mom-talked by an AI, "That was theoretical. A joke about me basically being their kid. What Maria and Fury are taking, that's an entirely new identity. No Stark, no S.H.I.E.L.D. No Silver Orcus. Hell, I doubt they'll even let me go back to the Bronx, if they can help it."

"It would be dangerous for you to assume a full life there, since the locals already have their assumptions about you. Perhaps visits would still be managable."

Regina scoffed again, shaking her head. "You're not nearly as good at advice as I need you to be." She laughed, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Play me some music, T."

i don't give a damn 'bout my reputation, you're living in the past, it's a new generation

"Something a little less cheesy, thanks."