[S.H.I.L.D. Headquarters 3rd POV]
Inside S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
The lobby floor carries a massive eagle insignia, the name etched beneath it: Strategic Hazard Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division.
Agents move with purpose wearing tactical gear, clipped conversations. A few lab coats pass through, keeping to themselves.
Inside a secured office.
A bald African American man stands behind a desk, calm and unreadable in a long black leather coat over a tactical suit.
Nick Fury.
Across from him stand two agents. Focused. Ready. The man grips a retractable bow.
"Laura. You're up," Fury says.
She frowns slightly. "We just got back."
"That was yesterday," Fury replies flatly, sliding a file across the desk. "This one's different."
The man leans in slightly. "Different how?"
Fury doesn't answer immediately. Just watches them.
"Target's name is Felix Cole Vale," he says finally. "Billionaire."
The man scoffs lightly. "And that's the problem?"
Fury's eyes narrow. "No one knows how."
That lands.
Laura flips the file open. "No records?"
"Nothing that makes sense," Fury says. "No origin trail. No business history. No noise. One day, he just exists. Rich."
"That's not possible," the man mutters.
Fury cuts in. "It happened."
Silence.
"What do you want?" Laura asks.
"Everything," Fury says. "I want to know how he made his first dollar. Who he talked to. What he's building. All of it."
The man crosses his arms. "You're Deputy Director. You don't need us for a background check."
Fury looks at him. "Clint… This motherfucker is classified."
Clint's expression tightens. "By who?"
Fury pauses. Then:
"Everyone."
Laura looks up. "That's not a thing."
"It is now," Fury says. "A.P.E.X. classification. Built around him."
Clint exhales. "You're serious."
"Last June, he was sitting on eight hundred million," Fury continues. "IRS flagged him. We tried to dig. Hit a wall. I went higher... same result."
"So what," Clint says quietly, "he's invisible?"
Fury's voice drops.
"No. He's protected."
Beat.
Laura closes the file. "And you want me to poke that?"
Fury meets her eyes. No hesitation.
"I want you to find out why."
"Why her? Why not me?" Clint asked.
Fury didn't even hesitate.
"He's hiring people for his business," he said. "he hired factory workers before and now office staff. I want Laura inside, on payroll, close to him. If she can get in as his assistant, even better."
Clint frowned. "And me?"
Fury gave him a look. "You've never worked an office job a day in your life. There's a good chance you don't make it past the door."
Clint exhaled, not arguing.
Fury turned his attention back to Laura.
"You're heading to Chicago," he said. "Interview's on Monday."
[Laura's POV]
"You can leave."
I walked out with Clint. As we stepped away, I started wondering what exactly I was supposed to look for in this target. Apparently, he's not even 18 yet.
"Be careful, Laura," Clint said.
It hasn't been long since we started seeing each other. He's a good guy.
"I will."
I got moving, drove to Chicago, and booked a room at a nearby motel for the weekend.
Felix Cole Vale. Seventeen years old, and already a millionaire. No record of how he made his money. The IRS didn't arrest him, which means they must have legitimate ledgers on him.
So how did he get rich? And what's his angle?
I stayed in the motel the entire weekend.
Monday came.
Felix was already inside, checking the time. The moment it hit 08:00, he opened the doors and let everyone in.
I thought he'd interview us individually. Instead, he just started hiring people.
This is easy, I thought.
He hired people without experience. People without degrees. Then he moved on and hired those with prior experience too.
But not me.
And not the other woman.
He wanted to interview us separately.
Everyone else got hired. Just the two of us were left.
As I walked behind him, I noticed something, this building felt… new. Too new. No computers. No printers. No paperwork. Not even cameras installed yet.
That's when it clicked.
Now I understand why he hired everyone without checking anything.
But then, where were those papers coming from? The only documents I saw were on his desk. Supposedly CVs… but the applications were submitted online.
So how the hell does he know my name?
Wait…
What is this?
A hologram.
He knew all along.
So this whole time, I've been talking to a projection.
Is he even here?
I need to report this to Fury immediately.
If he pulled me aside, that means he knew I was a spy from the start.
…Which means the other woman...
She's a spy too.
I drove straight to headquarters. I wasn't waiting to be told twice.
By nightfall, I arrived and decided to stay there. I got some rest and waited for morning.
The next day, I went straight to the Deputy Director's office. Clint was already there.
"Morning. That was quick," Clint said, catching me off guard. I didn't expect him to be there.
"Are you already done with your mission?" Nick Fury asked, looking at me.
"Sir… it didn't go as we expected," I said.
Fury's expression didn't change. "What do you mean?"
Clint glanced at me, waiting.
"He knew, sir," I said. "He expected me. He expected S.H.I.E.L.D."
The room went still.
And then...
Music started playing throughout the entire headquarters.
🎶You could never know what it's like🎶
🎶Your blood, like winter, freezes just like ice🎶
🎶And there's a cold, lonely light that shines from you🎶
🎶You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use🎶
🎶And did you think this fool could never win?🎶
🎶Well, look at me, I'm a-comin' back again🎶
🎶I got a taste of love in a simple way🎶
🎶And if you need to know while I'm still standin', you just fade away🎶
🎶Don't you know, I'm still standin' better than I ever did?🎶
🎶Lookin' like a true survivor, feelin' like a little kid🎶
🎶And I'm still standin' after all this time🎶
🎶Pickin' up the pieces of my life without you on my mind🎶
🎶I'm still standin' (Yeah, yeah, yeah)🎶
🎶I'm still standin' (Yeah, yeah, yeah)🎶
"I'M STILL STANDING."
The voice boomed through the speakers in the office.
"Nick Fury… we haven't met, but I'm pretty sure you know who I am," the voice continued.
And then it hit us...
Felix Cole Vale.