"Amanda, we need to start the Avengers Initiative," Nick Fury said.
"Agreed, Nick," said Amanda Waller. "Hydra is out there, even if we don't know where. The rest of SHIELD doesn't want to do anything yet, but it'll be too late when they decide it's time to fight them."
"Who have you chosen?" Nick asked.
Amanda pulled up the videos she had on her recruit ideas. On the TV, an African American in U.S. Army attire was fighting in Afghanistan. Eventually the videos all became pictures of the same man in body armor and a grey helmet beating up and shooting people in the dark. "John Diggle. Served three tours in Afghanistan, came back to Starling City to be the vigilante Spartan. Skilled with a gun or in hand to hand combat."
The videos switched to show a tall man in a suit at Palmer Tech. It transitioned into a man in a suit, shrinking in size. "Ray Palmer. CEO of Palmer Tech. He created a suit that allows him to shrink. He calls himself the Atom."
The videos switched to a blonde woman in court rooms, transitioning to show a screaming woman in black, holding two batons. "Laurel Lance, assistant DA at Starling City. She has the superpower of screaming high pitches loudly. Calls herself the Black Canary. Who do you have?"
Nick turned on his own videos. First there was a man fighting in World War II. "Steve Rogers, the famous Captain America. 'Nuff said."
The video switched to a man with long blonde hair walking around in a cape and throwing a hammer. "Thor, an Asgardian, Prince of Asgard, god of thunder."
The video switched to a cocky man in a suit semi-similar to Palmer's. "Tony Stark, billionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist. Built a weaponized suit and calls himself Iron Man."
"Spartan, Atom, Black Canary, Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man. We can work with this," Amanda said.
"We just have to assemble them," Nick added.
"Without the rest of SHIELD knowing." Amanda bit her lip. "My most trusted agent, Lyla Michaels, has...connections with John Diggle. Agent Michaels can recruit him. I shouldn't have to hard of a time with Ray Palmer and Laurel Lance."
"Yes, Phil Coulson and Maria Hill can also be trusted with this. Agent Coulson has Thor's trust. Agent Hill can quite easily recruit Tony Stark. And I think Steve Rogers will be the easiest," Nick added.
"Very well, Nick. We need to do this fast. Who knows what Hydra is planning right now?"
Nick looked at his watch for the date. "It's May 20th today...let's have a deadline at...June 5th."
"Sounds fair." Amanda used her watch to contact Agent Lyla Michaels. "Contact Agents Hill and Coulson, and we'll brief them in twenty minutes."
Nick and Amanda sat down as they waited for their confidants to enter the room. When the three of them came, they stood up. "Lock the door, Phil." Phil did as he was told and locked the door behind him.
"As you know, Nick and I have been trying to get SHIELD to investigate Hydra. SHIELD has let Hydra be since the end of World War II, and who knows what they're capable of now?" Amanda started.
"But SHIELD isn't willing to do this. So, we're gonna have to take matters in our own hands," Nick said.
"Just the five of us? I don't think five people can take down all of Hydra," Lyla said.
"Yes, we may be some of the best, but we're not enough," Maria agreed.
"Which is why we're gonna need the Avengers Initiative," Amanda said.
"John Diggle, Ray Palmer, Laurel Lance, Steve Rogers, Thor, and Tony Stark. Spartan, Atom, Black Canary, Captain America, God of Thunder, and Iron Man. They'll be the Avengers once we assemble them," Nick said.
"Lyla, you have connections with Diggle?" Amanda asked.
"Yes, I do."
"Recruit him. I'll get Palmer and Lance," Amanda said.
"Phil, you get Thor. Maria, you get Stark. I'll get Rogers," Nick said.
"We need the Avengers team together by June 5th," Amanda added. "Don't tell anyone else about this. Can you handle this?"
"Yes, Amanda, we got this," Phil said.
"Then be on your way," Nick ended.
Lyla and Amanda had gotten off the quinjet an hour ago at Starling City. They had gone their separate ways, and Lyla was going down a familiar lane to find John Diggle.
Before Lyla joined SHIELD, she was a soldier in the U.S. Army and had served two tours in Afghanistan. They had met them and became good friends. Some would say they were more than friends. But Lyla joined SHIELD and Johnny stayed in the Army. Since then they haven't talked much, especially since Johnny became the vigilante Spartan. Not that Lyla was against vigilantes, just that she knew he wouldn't have much time on his hands, not when Starling City was full of crime.
Lyla saw his house in the shadows. Below it she knew was Johnny's base of operations. She sighed. "Time to pay an old friend a visit."
Amanda watched from her car as Laurel Lance left the Starling City Police Department station quickly. Lance was in a rush. Amanda turned on her radio to listen to police dispatch. An armed robbery with military weapons was happening a few blocks away. Lance went to a car. Inside the car was Tommy Merlyn. Lance went into the back while Merlyn drove toward the scene of the crime.
Amanda decided to follow. It was easy to find Palmer. He was always at the top floor of Palmer Tech, working on whatever piece of technology the company was going to release. Lance, on the other hand, was a little harder. There probably wouldn't be another opportunity like this.
Phil was in Iceland, ready to find Thor. A couple years ago, Thor had shown up at Phil's mission in Sweden. Now whenever Phil was in Scandinavia, Thor would show up to help.
Thor had mentioned his best friend was Heimdall, and he could see everyone in the Nine Realms and open the bifrost. Thor had once told Phil that if he needed him, to "go to the homeland and call on Heimdall." So that's what Phil intended to do.
Phil didn't really know how to get Heimdall's attention, but he was in the middle of nowhere in Iceland. Hopefully Thor would come.
Maria drove down the busy roads of New York City. Stark Tower was easily visible. Sure, Stark is cocky and arrogant, but he'd go to help Nick. All he wanted was world peace.
Maria parked the car and walked into Stark Tower, and entered the elevator to the top, where Stark probably was.
Nick knew that finding Rogers would be easy. Rogers still hadn't gone back into the world after he woke up from the coma. But he knew that he'd only listen to Nick. And Nick knew that the Avengers needed a leader.
Sure, Amanda and himself were going to guide them and be their superiors. But within the team itself there needed to be a leader. Diggle and Lance worked alone, so they haven't gained leadership skills. No one could take Palmer seriously. Stark was too arrogant and cocky to be a good leader. And Thor didn't understand enough about human nature to lead a team of humans well. But Rogers, he was practically born a hero! He'd lead the Avengers into glory and defeat Hydra.
Convincing him to join would probably be easy. When he fought in the War, he was fighting Hydra. Hydra had killed his best friend, Sergeant Barnes, and almost destroyed huge cities like DC and London. He'd be more than happy to finally stop Hydra.
The question was, would the others be as enthusiastic as Rogers? And could they get along?