Partners

Aria looked around nervously as she played with the zipper from her jacket. She studied the rush of people dressed in business attire as they chattered mindlessly on their cell phones and packed themselves like sardines into the elevators that line the oversized lobby. ‘Why was I here?’ Aria questioned herself as she wandered over to the sole receptionist seated at a desk in the heart of the room. “Excuse me?” Aria spoke softly as she approached the marble countertop. The older, white haired woman seemed oblivious to Aria as she shifted her weight uncomfortably. “Excuse me, Ma’am?”

The woman’s dark brown eyes snapped up from her paperwork, “Yes?” Her tone was brazen and bored.

“I’m sorry,” Aria apologized automatically as she shifted her gaze down to her folded hands. “I’m looking for a Mr. Nick Fury.”

The elderly woman sighed loudly as she turned her chair towards the computer screen, “Fury?”

Aria nodded, looking from her hands, “Yes, I received a letter from him directly, about a possible job offer. I’m supposed to have a meeting with him this morning.”

“Sorry, dear. There’s no Nick Fury employed at this building,” the receptionist announced.

Aria frowned in confusion, “Are you sure? There are over a hundred floors in this building and not a single Nick Fury?”

“No, there isn’t.”

“But,” Aria shuffled through her messenger bag. “I have this letter,” she pulled the paper free and shoved it onto the desktop before the woman.

As she examined the printed text, the woman shook her head, “There’s no one here by that name,” she insisted as she pushed the letter back into Aria’s hand, “Better luck next time.”

Aria took the paper back with defeat, “Thank you anyways,” she muttered quietly as she pushed away from the desk. The huge lobby had been emptied, Aria noted as she checked the time on her watch; 8:09. The meeting she was supposed to attend had surely already begun. As she turned to leave, she read over the short letter once more.
Miss Aria Delaney Monroe,

Congratulations on being selected for participation in a trial basis job interview of sorts. You’ve been highly recommended. Arrive at the Reed Building in downtown New York City at approximately 8 a.m. Monday, April 23rd. Further information will be delivered accordingly.

Nick Fury

Who was this Nick Fury? Aria didn’t understand. Did he even exist or was this just some sort of scam set up for the gullible?

“Miss Monroe,” a man’s voice came from across the lobby.

Aria spun around on her heels at the mention of her name. “Yes?”

A man dressed nicely in a suit and necktie stood alone beside an open and waiting elevator. His grey eyes were serious but his tone was light. “This way to Director Fury’s office,” he gestured to the elevator before clasping his hands in front of his body again.

Aria considered her options silently. She could run, the door was but a mere five feet away, and just past that the busy streets of NYC. Or she could follow this man, into his elevator and to this ‘Director Fury’s’ office. Was that old saying true? Did curiosity really kill the cat? It seemed as if not resolving the curiosity would kill her far quicker than any trouble she could possibly wander into or at least that is what she tried to convince herself of as her scuffed sneakers slowly dragged over the tiled floor. Her eyes found the receptionist once more, unsurprised by the fact that the older woman was again completely absorbed by the papers Aria had distracted her from moments ago. Had she even realized the man had entered the room? “I thought there wasn’t a Nick Fury in this building,” Aria mumbled as she stopped walking to stand directly in front of the stranger. She ran a hand through her auburn hair anxiously.

“Come with me please,” the man ordered softly as he took a step into the elevator.

Aria attempted to swallow the nerves she felt building up inside of her as she took a leap of faith and entered the lift. She moved quickly to the corner of the small boxed in area as the man in the suit moved to the control panel, swiped a card and pressed the first button. He stepped back as the elevator shifted downwards instead of up. “There are lower floors?” Aria blurted before she could hold her own tongue.

The man nodded with a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips, “There are just as many floors below our feet as there are above.”

Aria’s eyes widened but before she could respond with another question, the heavy steel doors opened. The stranger exited the elevator and no longer waited to see if she was following. Aria matched his long strides, “Where are we going exactly?”

“Conference room B,” the man said as he turned down a hallway. She followed him like a lost puppy dog. The man stopped in front of a frosted glass door, his hand rested on the silver knob as he looked down on Aria. “Director Fury and the others are waiting inside.”

Aria frowned, “The others?”

The man nodded as he pushed open the door. “Director Fury,” his voice echoed through the room. “Aria Monroe is here.”

“Bring her in, Agent Coulson.”

‘Agent Coulson’ glanced back at Aria as he pushed at the small of her back. Conference room B was not unusual. There was a table, with chairs and a large projection screen off to one side. However, the man at the head of the table was unlike anyone Aria had ever met before. He loomed over the large table as he crossed his arms behind his back, his face clear of any emotion. Aria studied his hardened face. One of his dark brown eyes was hidden beneath a black eye patch, the other carefully watched her in return. A heavy looking leather jacket hung low off his frame and ended just above his black combat boots. This man appeared ready for anything,

Agent Coulson cleared his throat, "Miss Aria Monroe, this is Director Nick Fury."

Aria nodded silently as she offered her small pale hand to him, "It's nice to finally put a face to the name," Aria murmured when Director Fury's hand engulfed her own.

Fury nodded also but remained silent as Aria took in the other men seated around the table. There were two of them, each different in the way they sat there as they observed the newcomer. The man closest to the head of the table looked familiar but Aria couldn’t remember just when and where she had seen him before. His goatee shaped the half smirk that graced his thin lips as laugh lines deepened around his coffee colored eyes. He stood from the chair he had occupied and stopped next to the director. “Tony Stark,” he declared as he stuffed his hands into his jean pockets. “Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.”

It hit Aria then, the soft glow that had slipped from her observations before but now stood out from underneath the cotton shirt he wore. She recognized him instantly from the cover of every major gossip magazine from New York to the shores of Malibu. She should have felt intimidated to be in the presence of a man such as Tony Stark, a brain she admired more than she’d really ever care to admit, but she didn’t. She stood up a little straighter and offered her hand once more, “Aria Monroe, dirt poor Stanford graduate.”

Tony chuckled, “I like her.”

“Sit down, Stark,” a soft voice spoke up from behind Tony.

Tony rolled his eyes dramatically, “Whatever you say Capsicle.”

The man took Tony’s place beside Aria, “This is Captain Steve Rogers,” Director Fury introduced as he returned to his seat at the front of the table.

“It’s nice to finally meet you Ma’am,” Steve spoke gently, a voice from a different time.

“Aria,” she corrected him kindly as she took a moment to size him up. He towered easily over her but standing at 5’2, it wasn’t a particularly hard thing to do. His blue eyes reminded Aria of a clear sky, free of all clouds and rain showers. “And what do you mean, ‘finally’?” she questioned after a moment.

Steve took a step back, glancing over his broad shoulder at Fury. Fury shook his head slightly. “My apologies,” Steve murmured. He smiled at her softly before he returned to his seat.

“Take a seat, Miss Monroe,” Director Fury requested firmly, his rough voice left no room for argument.

Aria hesitated slightly, “I uh, I received a letter about an interview?” Aria questioned as she sat down slowly. She pulled the letter free from her bag yet again and placed it down on the cold wood of the table.

Fury nodded, “We’ve been watching you very closely, Miss Monroe. Your intelligence is something we find very intriguing and potentially useful here at S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Aria’s jaw fell slack, “You’ve been watching me?” Wasn’t that some kind of invasion of privacy? What kind of interview was this?

Tony chuckled to himself beside her, “You’ll get used to it.”

“We understand you are struggling to find work since you left California-”

“Because you’ve been watching me…” Aria interrupted, her usual politeness forgotten in her shock.

Director Fury sighed, “Take the job with us and money will never be a problem for you again, nor will your living arrangements.”

“My living arrangements?” Aria questioned in confusion. Aria couldn’t exactly call her current residence a ‘home’ but she had a roof over her head and four walls to protect herself from the bitter fall breeze and that okay for the time being.

Director Fury stood from his seat, “Upon the acceptance of this job opportunity, your belongings will be moved directly into Stark Tower where you will live amongst the rest of our intelligence team; Stark and Rogers included.”

Tony grinned widely as he turned to face Aria in his chair, “Top 10 floors all R&D, you’ll love it... its candy land. Assuming you’re as much as a lab junkie as I am.”

Aria tried to smile as she took a moment to gather her bearings, “What exactly does this job of yours entail?”

“At first, you will train with one of my best agents; mostly physical defense. You must be able to protect yourself,” Fury watched Aria carefully as he continued. “When we believe you are capable of protecting yourself and the others working alongside of you, you will be sent into the field. You, along with the rest of the team will travel around the world in order to do what is necessary to complete your mission, should you so choose to accept my offer.”

Travel the world? That had been on Aria’s bucket list ever since she was a little girl. That nagging curiosity that had pushed Aria into that elevator had returned. The deal seemed almost too good to be true. Travel the world in return for her intelligence?

Aria stood before she could talk herself out of the confidence she suddenly felt, “I’ll do it,” she agreed.

Director Fury smiled but it held no real emotion. He grabbed the phone from its receiver on the table and pressed a single button, “Send in Agent Barton.”