Chapter 24: S.H.I.E.L.D. Comes Knocking
A few days earlier — S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, the Triskelion
Agent Phil Coulson — still in possession of all his hair — walked briskly toward the Director's office, tablet in hand.
"Director. We've identified the individual behind the Paris nuclear incident. You'll want to see this footage."
Nick Fury took the tablet and watched.
The video showed the battle beneath the Eiffel Tower: Ethan Cross moving at inhuman speed, a conjured sword in his hand, beheading an assassin in a single stroke so powerful it cratered the pavement beneath them. The footage continued through the firefight, Caine's betrayal of the Marquis, and ended with the Marquis pressing the black box.
Fury set the tablet down. "Playground stuff. No threat to us. Find out where the Marquis sourced the warhead."
Fair enough. When you'd personally dealt with aliens, Captain America, and Captain Marvel, a street-level brawl between assassins barely registered.
He replayed the video once more, this time studying Ethan's speed and swordsmanship more carefully.
"Coulson — the Asian male in the footage. He looks familiar. Do we have an ID?"
"Yes, sir. Ethan Cross, Hell's Kitchen. Kingpin's godson. His team was responsible for the Stark rescue in Afghanistan. Agent Romanoff made contact with him during her Stark undercover assignment. You ordered a surveillance detail on him afterward — they pulled out when nothing came up."
Fury's eye narrowed as the memory clicked. He'd been buried in the Avengers Initiative and had simply lost track of Ethan during the gap.
"Cross is a mutant, if I recall. Didn't realize his combat skills were this advanced." He tapped the screen, pointing at two figures flanking Ethan. "He had two other mutants with him — siblings. These two don't match."
"Correct, sir. The two individuals in the footage are baseline humans — skilled, but not enhanced. The blind Asian man is Caine, a former High Table assassin. His daughter was kidnapped by the Marquis; Cross rescued her, and Caine pledged loyalty. The other is John Wick — the catalyst for the entire incident. Cross fought the duel to protect him. Both are legendary figures in the assassin world. The Maximoff siblings didn't accompany Cross to Paris. All of them currently reside in Cross's apartment building in Hell's Kitchen."
Fury leaned back, thinking. Then he waved dismissively.
"The assassins are irrelevant. 'Legendary' — please. They're sewer rats. Wouldn't last five minutes against a Level 7 agent. Too old to be useful, too old to be molded. Write them off.
"Cross and his mutants, though — that's interesting. Early twenties, significant powers, no parents. If we can bring them in, they'd be valuable assets. And our research division would love a look at their abilities."
He steepled his fingers.
"Coulson. Make contact. See if you can recruit them into S.H.I.E.L.D. Three mutants wasting away in a restaurant — what kind of life is that? Cross runs a business, fine, but he's got a pair of twenty-year-old twins waiting tables instead of developing their potential.
"The one in the red suit — Deadpool, the mercenary — skip him. Wrong temperament for fieldwork.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is where they belong. We can train them, help them grow, give them a real purpose. Protecting the world. Everything we do is for the greater good."
Fury said this without a trace of irony, apparently forgetting that S.H.I.E.L.D. had started more conflicts than most organizations on earth. As for whether "training" meant actual development or a research lab with restraints — well, that depended on your perspective.
"Oh — Romanoff's cover with Stark is blown. She's between assignments. Take her along. They've already met."
Coulson nodded, excused himself, and went to find Natasha.
· · ·
A few days later — Hell's Kitchen
"Thanks for coming in — see you next time!"
Ethan had just finished seeing off the last dinner customer and was wiping down the front entrance when Natasha Romanoff and Phil Coulson walked through the door.
Natasha wasn't in secretary mode this time. She wore a black tactical bodysuit that left very little to the imagination — the kind of outfit that turned heads on principle. Combined with her red curls and flawless features, she looked like she'd stepped off a movie poster.
Ethan noted the change in wardrobe with an appreciative nod. Credit where it's due — the Marvel universe's most popular lady spy does clean up nice.
Before he could say anything, Wade materialized from nowhere — roses in hand, already dropping to one knee.
"Ms. Rushman! Since the day we parted, I haven't been able to eat or sleep. You've haunted my every waking moment. This time, I refuse to let you slip away. Please — accept my love!"
John Wick, who'd been doing his security rounds by the lobby, drifted over to Ethan's side. "They're here for you," he murmured. "They smell like law enforcement. You learn to pick it up in my line of work."
Ethan gave a small nod.
John drew a finger across his throat. Want me to handle it?
Ethan shook his head.
Coulson had caught the exchange. He gently extracted Natasha from Wade's orbit and approached.
"Mr. Cross. I'm Agent Phil Coulson, FBI." He produced credentials. "I'd like to discuss something with you, if you have a moment."
Ethan looked at the FBI badge. Does the United States only have one federal agency? Every covert organization in the country uses FBI credentials. The actual FBI must be going bald from all the identity theft.
He kept his face neutral. "Agent Coulson. What can I do for you?"
Then he turned to Natasha with practiced innocence. "Ms. Rushman — what are you doing with an FBI agent? I thought you were Mr. Stark's secretary."
Coulson stepped in smoothly. "Ms. Rushman's real name is Natasha Romanoff. She's my colleague — also FBI. Her placement with Mr. Stark was part of an investigation into his disappearance."
Natasha produced her own credentials from — Ethan blinked — a location that made him briefly question the structural integrity of the bodysuit.
"Well then. Please, sit down, both of you. Let me put some tea on."
He turned toward the kitchen to grab the tea set.