It was raining as they walked. Coulson had offered to hail a taxi or even arrange a car for their trip, but she didn't mind. "I love the rain." She'd said with a bright smile. Coulson loved the rain too, but it was January in New York City and the rain was fucking cold. Coulson didn't know too many assassins. It was protocol that if SHIELD arranged to use one only one agent would interact with them at all times. So he was Lilith's handler or contact for SHIELD. It was highly unusual that any outside contract would ever be called into SHIELD headquarters and yet that was where they were headed. "While you're here you're cover will be…" He pauses to think of a believable lie. Too many people knew him and he couldn't pull off a daughter or a girlfriend. Even though Lilith was very young, no one would bat an eyelash at the girlfriend bit. Too many agents went for the younger more impressed version of women today. It made leaving them for long stints less dramatic unless they handle the situation badly, which has happened before. But he couldn't pull that off. Not because he'd never have a girlfriend, but because personal life was not what Phil Coulson had. "Your niece?" She offered up helpfully. Coulson looked at her. No one at SHIELD knew his family tree, that is true. That could probably work. "Yeah. You can stomach calling me Uncle Ph-" He stumbles over his own name. No one ever calls him that. It's so very personal. He frowns, throwing the thoughts away to the back of his mind. "Uncle Phil, yeah?" Lilith narrowed her eyes just a tiny bit, that small secretive smile still at the corner of her mouth, "I'm sure I'll survive calling you Uncle Phil for the day." They continue walking. Coulson hunched over pulling the collar of his trench coat up farther. Lilith with her face turned skyward, hair getting soaked. He hoped she didn't get sick from this, he knew he would be. Check wasn't as smooth as he'd like it to have been. The guard had to detain them because Lilith did not, nor would ever have a SHIELD badge. So the necessary 'bring your out of the blue niece to work' paperwork had to be filled out. He watched her fill out the form knowing that every field was a complete lie. It made his skin crawl that they'd have a file as inaccurate as that within the building. They gave her a temporary name badge and then grabbed an elevator to the top. He was taking her to Fury first. That was the main reason they were there, but along the walk she'd convinced him to let her stay all day with him. Why? He had no clue why she'd want to see him work. It was boring shit, that. He knocks on the director's door and waits. The two guards at the doors were being less then subtle with their eyes glued to Lilith. "This is my niece soldiers. Please keep your eyes where they are needed." He growls out as the door opens, another guard and they walk into Fury's office. "Coulson, I wasn't expecting you till this evening. Miss Lilith, it's nice to finally meet you." Fury rounds the desk and walks up to them, hand out. Lilith smiles and takes his hand. "Nice to finally meet you sir. I like to know who pays my wonderful fees from time to time. No one treats me better than SHIELD." Fury's eyes darken just a little bit. Like Coulson, Fury hated the assassin business. Usually the only reason they used it was because the Council was breathing down their neck or it was the ONLY option available. "Hmm, I see. Yeah, we pay your bills from time to time, but you can't make us like it. If it were up to me we'd never hire you cockroaches, no offense dear, but killing is a nasty business and I don't like it." Coulson gave a smirk but remained quiet. This wasn't about him. Never missing a beat, smile never fades. "Well us cockraoches survive when companies come and go. Organizations fall, people die- true we're the ones who usually pull the trigger, but we do it survive and in this world that means more to me then morality." Coulson gives a chuckle and looks down. He didn't want the director to think he was agreeing with her. To Coulson's complete surprise Fury laughs. "I can see that side of the coin as well Lilith. Not many people know how I got my start." Coulson looks at him with a new kind of awe. No, Fury didn't have a file, not anywhere in this building, Coulson would know. "Go, git out of my office. I just wanted to meet the woman that has my enemies with their drawers around their ankles. I was sure she'd be older." That makes Lilith laugh as they head for the door, "Nice to meet you too Director Fury." They ride the elevator back down a few floors to Coulson's office. Once inside Coulson boots up his laptop and sits down. "Won't be a minute, just checking emails. Then I can get you out of here." Lilith laughs. "Are you kidding me? I'm going to live up this niece of yours alias. It'll be fun to dig the dirt out of your co-workers!" She gives him a bright smile and runs out the door. Coulson strides over to it fast, but not fast enough. She's gone. She has a level 5 clearance badge because of who he said she was and now she was loose with almost the entire building at her fingertips… Not to mention what kind of information anyone would spill to get a hands up over Phil Coulson. "Fuck."
