13261/There's always something, amirite

There's always something, amirite
Date of Scene:	03 November 2022
Location:	Roof Landing: Triskelion
Synopsis:	Fury gets to meet with two of his star agents to suss out the most important problems that lie before them. There's no good news to be had.
Cast of Characters:	Nick Fury, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton

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Nick Fury has posed:
Unseasonably warm. Or, rather, seasonably warm and finally dry in the Northeast. Indian Summer is actually a thing, and with the leaves now falling from the trees, the warm air will be passing just as surely. The sun is fading past the horizon, giving the sky its reds and oranges, with the city lights coming up and fuller into view.

Moving targets are harder to hit. (Learn that one, Agent Barton!) Nick Fury knows all about that, and he's not one to remain in one place for very long. The Director's office is not really lived in; it's a place for him to close the door and bawl someone out if need be. The walls and doors are noise rated to his exact specifications, or so it's rumored.

Stepping off one of the many helicopters SHIELD has in its stable, the man in black is walking with purpose towards the hanger doors, the leather coat flapping in the breeze made by his actions. His single eye is wary, sharp, always watching out and always looking for both friend and foe.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff has come over at the arrival of of the Director of SHIELD at his office. She enters on in, moving to automatically sweep the office upon her arrival. Checking corners for signs of weapons, cameras, or anything out of place. For any changes of rhints since the last time she was present. Because there's always the sign for something tha tmight be a potential threat, somethign standing out, latest scheme..

Or even if none of them, it's training that has been drilled into her for more than sixty years. From the Red Room. From the KGB. From the field. From SHIELD. Always looking around. For any threats. Anything that stands out. Cover. Angles. Observation. To whom she is and what she has been made into.

She would enter in, after her few seconds of observation cross her hands over behind her back. "Sir." Waiting to be acknowledged over and told to be at ease or given other instructions.

Clint Barton has posed:
Clint just happens to be here.

Either very lucky or very unlucky, he was at the field station when buzz that the director was present started circulating amongst the rank and file. SHIELD agents are a chatty bunch, but Clint is unassuming enough that few of them even realize who he is beneath that (rather majestic) beard he's grown out over the last few months.

He stands around sipping coffee in his what counts for field uniform listening to the SHIELD gossips go on and on about Fury being here and that means they're probably about to get some high profile mission that will take them to Hades to fight Cerberus and free the caged spirit of Holdr from Helheim. Which is clearly not coming from the smart people section, since that's two different mythologies entirely.

With a snort, he pushes off his post and heads towards the Directors office, little disposable cup full of Folgers coffee in hand when he reaches the door. "Knock knock." Rather than actually knocking, since he's using his hand to thumb over his shoulder, "Someone in the bullpin said we're going to Helheim. We need to work on the quality of the rumor mill. It's getting shoddy, sir."

Nick Fury has posed:
'Captain on deck' announcements on carriers apparently have nothing on the entire campus of the Triskelion when Director Fury arrives. The scuffle to attempt to look busy is legendary; not to mention the flurry of overdue reports suddenly finding their ways into the proper inboxes.

Nick arrives to his office, and with a nod to Natasha, there's a relaxed, practiced order of "At ease, Agent Romanoff", followed quickly with his second acknowledgment, "Agent Barton. I thought we had a memo going out that we don't participate in 'no shave November'. Or are you looking to be first in line to Helheim." Notice it's a statement rather than a question.

Of course he's heard the rumors.

Moving around to his chair, the Director swings it around and sits down, though not before moving the tail of his jacket out of the way. (A sure sign he won't be here for long.) "Now," and he fixes the pair with his one good eye, but it's more than enough, "There's been news, I hear. And rumors that I'm not all that happy with." Sounds like someone is going to get a 'new' job.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
There would be a mentally irritated sensation from Natasha directed at Clint. It doesn'ts how up on her face or expression unless one was rather gifted in reading her face (which no doubt both of the others present could do). She would glance over at Clint. "I'm sure that whatever issues there are in the rumor mill you'll handle them, Agent Barton." She was not involved in any of the particular operations or Avengers excurions in pursuit of that. It was chaotic and dangerous enough as it was without her being in so far over her head.

Far be it for her to directly say that Clint was better suited for those sorts of things iwth his flexibility. But it was true.

As Fury would go on she would keep her arms over behind her back and wait. "Thor is missing. Not even the Asgardians know where he is. Or if they do they have not shared it." That was the last update she had been given from the Avengers.

Clint Barton has posed:
"Well, sir." Clint sips his coffee, leaning lazily against the inside of the door into Director Fury's office. His right arm lays across his abdomen, the left dangles his disposible cup, "The objective of SHIELD is to acertain threats from organizations both domestic and external, which is to includ extraterrestrial and methological in origin. As you know, we were host to the Dwarves of Nidavellir. Who, through diplomatic channels, have accepted me as an honorary member of their peoples." His right hand comes up from his waist to dramatically present his beard.

"This is diplomatic in origin."

"Sir."

It doesn't hide his grin very well though.

A grin that fades rapidly when they get right ot business. Pointing a finger off his cup at Natasha, "Not that they have any reason to withold that information if they are aware." That's one Avenger, "Another four Avengers were caught in some magical nonsense by ..." He fishes out his phone and flips through a few memos, "Amora the Enchantress." The phone slips away into his back pocket.

"A group was deaged to pre-teens. Four were unable to cure it. That being Tony, Cecily (who I don't know), Pepper Potts, and Felicia Hardy." He sips his coffee, murmuring, "They're little assholes, sir."

Nick Fury has posed:
Nick's even gaze could make the most senior of Agents nervous, but these two? They were his prizes; two of his most trusted agents, and that's saying a lot for the man. When the shit hits the fan, he can count on one hand those who would be beside him, literally or figuratively. This pair?

Absolutely.

That even, one-eyed stare is leveled at Clint before he nods slowly, "Thank you for the reminder, Agent Barton. I expect that trade will be beginning soon, now that you've single-handedly opened up diplomatic channels?" The archer has worked with Nick long enough to know that the man is (probably) just yanking his chain. It's to be expected.

Now, the Director leans back in his seat, nodding in the slightly more serious information. "An asset like Thor is a big hit," Nick begins slowly. "There's rumors that he's dead." That steel-eyed gaze moves from one to the other, "Any evidence pointing in that direction?" Amora had announced that at the little dustup, after all. But, who knows if it's true or not. "Because if it is, we're gonna have a lot more problems with those others," and he moves his attention back to Clint. "May need those elves.. or dwarves. Whatever they are."

Now that second bit, and brows rise to hear about that next bit. His head cants, and is that a little bit more concern? Probably. "Stark? He's a pre-teen? Tell me that he..." No. The news won't be good there. "This could be just as much of a problem as Thor going missing."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha's own face is completely passive over that particular engagement. Oh yes. As one of those that was incapacitated over it and as soon as the treatment was available she had it undone she's got no particular judgement. Her irritation over at Clint bubbles through some but then is smoothed over as she keeps her hands set behind her back. "Hardy is a freelancer, Stark pursues his own particular priorities, Potts is not a member of any organization beyond an administrative level. The other one is a freelancer for whom has no particular affilitation with any group adn is of no priority."

She listens over as Fury goes on. "We can hope that the Asgardians in turn are pressed to be more active in their actions. Or that most of their adversaries that are primarily focused upon Thor will lose their particular taste for striking Earth until he returns for lack of any particular challenge." As far as she is concerned, that ultimately is the best outcome.

"But.. I have deeper concerns. WHile I'm not particularly fluent with the pantheon.. I've been told that Odin is incapacitated and that Loki is in charge. I can't confirm this.."

Clint Barton has posed:
Clint is well aware that Natasha is irritated, but he cannot for the life of him figure out why, so he does what Barton's do... ignores it. That and sip coffee. Not noicy about it, but very maticulous and purposeful. And always when Nat is looking at him. Even if he's not looking at her.

Guys got eyes like a raptor.

"I'll jingle up ol' King Dwarf himself. Get him in a conference call, see if we can't lay down a new trade agreement." He can play along, even if he is keenly aware Nick is yanking his chain.

There is some important bitniz though.

"I haven't seen anything that would indicate Thor is actually dead, but as he's the proclaimed protector of Midgard by the Asgardians, I have a pretty good feeling that there'd big a much bigger to-do about it if he were. It doesn't make him being disappeared easier to figure out, but I'd much rather he was taking an unschduled vacation, than sailing the whale road on a fire boat."

As for the kidlets?

He motions a point at Natasha off his coffee cup.

"Whatever their particulars are, Tony Stark is a teenager. With access to Tony Stark stuff. Vision been playing nurse maid to them, but if we don't figure out a solution for that post-haste, he's going to start building tiny little robot suits to fight everyone in his kindergarden class."

Nick Fury has posed:
Nick nods slowly at the bits of information from both, and putting it all together, he's not liking the picture it's creating. "Right," he says after a couple of long seconds pass, "We're gonna have to confirm that." The whole 'Loki is in charge' thing. "Which of course means that serious measures are going to have to be taken." He certainly hasn't forgotten the occurrences of only a few years ago.

"If Loki is playing at being king, I'm gonna guess they have their own issues they have to iron out first." But he's not going to bank on a quietening of //that// particular frontline.

He nods at Clint, and is there just a hint of humor in that dark eye of his? Nah, just the lighting. "You do that, Agent Barton. Get 'em all down here; Sleepy, Sneezy, the whole batch. We might just need Doc."

Nick leans forward again, ready to rise to his feet. "'They're little assholes.'" he repeats, and he certainly doesn't sound as if he's going to dispute that assessment. Not in the least. "We need to talk to Rogers. Lock JARVIS down, do what you can there. Bad enough Stark has a tower to play with, but access to that AI is a whole 'nother matter. The others, we'll deal with in a case by case."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod over at Clint, "As far as I'm aware. The Asgardains don't seem to be aware of his location or status eitehr." She does, however, defer to Clint in it given his direct interaction over with the Asgardians on the matter. "Something for us to keep an optic on. Presuming they have their own issues, they're likely to be focused moreso internally. And hopefully moreso directly respond to any threats from within. And any adversaries of Thor will hopefully be quieter without him directly present for them to attempt to defeat as a show of strength." At least.. That would be the majority of them, she hopes.

"Loki will have his own issues with leadership, though I'm not directly aware of the internal politics of the Asgardian royalty, nor would I directly presume to speak to any of them. The AMazons are however a potential resource. We could make some discrete inquiries to the embassy then."

Clint Barton has posed:
"Except Amora." Who had attacked the people of New York knowing that Thor wasn't present and is the cause of all of their friends being teenagers at the moment. "And the guy who looked like Carl Urban with a shaved head." Clint motions to the sides of his head. "I don't know, seems like the adversaries of Thor are having absolutely no issue with poking the bear while the God of Hammers is on vacay."

That being said, Hawkeye nods to the director and finishes his coffee in one long gulp. The disposable cup is crumpled in his hand and tossed towards the less used trashcan of the usually empty directors office. It might not be a moving target, but he hits it perfect all the same.

"I've tried to get in touch with Rogers several times. Pretty sure he went to Mexico the day after the situation." Something something chasing ass, something something.

"Regardless, I'll try and convince Tony to let me have direct access to JARVIS, lock it down. Which wont do anything for the AI at the tower... they called it something else. HOMER or something. Not sure if they're the same, but I'll try and find out."

As for Loki. Clint sucks his teeth and shakes his head, "If the Trickster wanted to cause a whole mess of trouble, now would be his chance. Gotta hope Nat's right and he's got other stuff to occupy his time."

Nick Fury has posed:
Clint's observations are exactly what worries Nick. Worst case scenario and there it is, right there. "We're gonna look up everything we know about this Amora and her bald-headed friend."

Moving away from behind his desk, the Director looks like he's ready to move out again; time for some fact finding and information gathering. His agents aren't his sole source of information, but they're always needed for balance and other observations that his own work may have missed, or additional encounters that should be considered. After all, he always listens; doesn't always take the information, but he does listen.

"Right. I'm assuming you two are smart enough to know what now needs to be done." Does he even have to order? "Lock it down, find out more about Thor, and I'll set up a conference with Loki." Those words are most definitely weighted.

"You're dismissed."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would listen over to Clint, and then give a nod in consideration. "As soon as possible we'll get in touch." She goes to then make a very, very rare joke. "The man is only human, he may be as frustrated with this as the rest of us are, if not moreso as he's the one that has to handle directly juggling children." Even Captain America's patience can only go so far, perhaps.

"You're a better candidate for trying to engage with Stark than I am. Promise him if he's a good boy you'll bring him a lollipop or something sparkly to distract him for a few minutes. Hopefully his attention span is even worse now than it has been."

As Clint would comment on Loki, Natasha would give a look of agreement. Things with Asgardians were unfortunately above and beyond what they could nominally do over. They could just play what cards they had.. And what information resources.

As Fury would go to tell the two of them they were dismissed, she would give a formal military salute, "Yes, Sir. We'll report back as soon as we have any updates."

Clint Barton has posed:
Clint flips his hand up in a vague gesture of acceptance and nods to Fury, "I'll keep trying to reach Steve." About all a person can do, really. "Hopefully he brought me back some tequila, if I'm to be babysitting the Pre-teengers." That's officially their name now. It's a thing, he'll make it a thing.

"not going to lie, kind of wish I'd been there. No pain in the knees? No ice baths after every mission? What a terrible night to be just a human." He moores, but snaps up and heads towards the exit with a nod to both Fury and Natasha.

"I'll keep you both posted on what troubles arise... and I'll let the bullpin know to start packing cold weather gear for our trip to Niflheim."