Ion Heart

Chapter 1: A Visit

'SHIELD is what?' I gasp at Fury's words but instantly cover my mouth, praying that no one heard. I listen for movement. Luckily, no one comes. They're probably fast asleep after the party. Fury continues. 

'SHIELD may be compromised. I have little proof but there has been recent... incidents. I believe there may be a mole operating within.' He looks serious, stern. I'd almost say scared. Almost. 

I cross my arms, eyeing him up. He must be truly desperate to come to me for help. 'And you want me to what? Spy on your fellow colleagues?'

'Not exactly. I need you to rule out some potential possibilities. You're going to hack into all of SHIELD's files and, one by one, find out everything you can about the people working within. I want you to check their background, what they're up to, who they speak to, who they're in contact with. They change where they go for lunch, I want to know. They make a new friend, I want to know. Understand?'

I nod slowly, trying to take in everything, but I'm still unsure. 'How exactly would I do this? I don't exactly have the equipment to go hacking into a major secret organisation. They would track me in seconds.'

'You've hacked into SHIELD before.'

'Technically that was my dad.'

'It was your design.'

'Look,' I sigh, 'even if I wanted to, my laptop does not have the capacity to track that many people. And it would take months to search through everyone. I wouldn't know where to start!' I want to help, I really do, but this is big. And dangerous. 

'Katy, I believe you can do this. I need you to do this. You're the only person I can trust.'

I scoff. Fury doesn't trust anyone. 

'Ok well not trust, but count on.'

'What about my dad? He could easily hack into SHIELD.'

Fury just looks at me. It's enough to tell me that working with my high maintenance father is not an option. 

'What about the Avengers?'

'Too high profile. Whoever it is would see them coming.'

'Then why me?'

'Because... you're as good as it gets.'

'Gee, thanks.' Now I'm offended. 

'Ok fine. It's because you can easily be wiped from the system and apart from a few people in SHIELD, no one knows you exist.  You would become invisible. A shadow. You would be able to track down anything and anyone and no one would be able to trace you because you don't exist.' 

I sigh. He has a point  Why pick anyone when you have someone who's invisible? 

'Look,' Fury sighs, 'I didn't want to drag you into this. If anything happened to you I'd have the Avengers to answer to, not to mention your father who would kill me.'

'Then why ask me?'

'Because... Coulson believed in you.'

Coulson. The one signed me up for SHIELD. The one who told me to form the Avengers. He always believed in me. I pause, thinking a moment. This will be dangerous. I'd be risking my identity. I could be risking my life. And not just my life. My mum's life. My dad's life. But, if I did this, if I found the mole, I could save everyone at SHIELD. I could save their identity being leaked and I could save their lives. And, if Fury needs me, it must be important. 

'Ok, I'll do it. I'll do it for him.'

'Thank you Stark.' He sounds sincere and, for a second, a flash of kindness appears on his face.