The Recruiter

Gwen Stacy receives a visit from a government agent.

Disclaimer: Not my sandbox.

The business card Gwen held was an unassuming rectangle of white cardstock. Three lines written in black Helvetica told her the business name, the person to contact, and a phone number. Somehow it was the most curious piece of paper Gwen Stacy had ever held.

"Gwendolyn Stacy, a moment of your time."

It had become a common statement in the past week. Between her position in Dr. Conner's lab, her father's death, and her own involvement in the recent destruction of several sections of New York City by a mutated lizard, everyone was eager for a moment of Gwen's time. 'Well, almost everyone' she thought as her mind briefly drifted to a pair of brown eyes and the feel of freefalling.

Pulling herself from her reverie, she looked up from where she was attempting to organize several years of paperwork from the numerous overturned file cabinets in the lab. The man who had addressed her was rather nondescript; close cropped hair, a Bluetooth headset firmly in ear, and a dark suit. Her father had always told her there were two types of people you should never fully trust: a man in a mask, and a man in a suit.

"You are Gwendolyn Stacy, head intern for Dr. Curt Conners?" It was asked as a question, but Gwen could tell this man knew exactly who he was speaking with.

"I'm sorry, I'm not looking for representation," Gwen said, returning her attention to the paperwork. He wouldn't be the first lawyer she turned down. Her dad had referred to his like as ambulance chasers, though this one had fallen a week behind the crowd.

"I'm not a lawyer," the man persisted and Gwen rolled her eyes. "Miss Stacy, you're due to graduate from Midtown Science High School this year." Again, not a question. " I'm here to offer you a job."

Gwen neatly stacked a pile of clinical trial records and stood up to face the man. "I'm sorry mister…"

"Coulson. Phillip Coulson."

"Mr. Coulson, but I'm not looking for a job. I have a full scholarship to attend Empire State University next fall."

"Of course, great school. My alma mater." Mr. Coulson winked and Gwen offered a tense smile in return before trying to move past him and end the conversation. "But can I ask you a question?"

Gwen hesitated, her upbringing to be polite warring with her need to get away from it all. Mr. Coulson continued anyway. "Is it true that you returned to Oscorp Industries to evacuate the employees, despite knowing the danger?"

"It was the right thing to do." As she had told every reporter that had already asked her that question. It was in her statement to the police and a matter of public record. "If that will be all." She brushed past the man, intending to leave the lab.

"And is it true that you single handedly created the antidote that cured the infected?"

Surprised, Gwen spun back around. That information on the other hand was between her and Peter. "I-uh-I..." She composed herself. "That was two questions, Mr. Coulson."

The man in the suit smiled knowingly. "Fascinating." He reached into his breast pocket and handed Gwen a business card. "It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Stacy. I hope we'll be in contact again." Gwen bewilderedly watched him leave, though he only took a few steps when he seemed to remember something and turned around.

"Oh and Miss Stacy, we do offer college credit."

Sitting on her bed later that night, Gwen once again examined the business card. It wasn't a company she had ever heard of, and an internet search had only returned vague references to Howard Stark and a missing in action USO performer from World War II. Which was… strange. She looked at the card again to make sure she had it right.

S.H.I.E.L.D

Agent Phillip Coulson
(646) 480-6649

Honestly, would it have hurt them to come up with something a little more descriptive for a name?

Notes: Because it will never happen so I had to write it so. Someone else probably already has but I didn't want to read any and be influenced, so if it's similar I apologize for redundancy. Obviously this takes place before the Avengers film. Coulson went to Empire State University because really, who didn't. The last line is a reference to the running gag in the first Iron Man film.