Chapter 1:
"How are you this morning, Jason?" the bartender says with a sarcastic tone and a half grin. "You're early today. I'm still setting up for the lunch shift."
"Yeah, it's been a long night." Jason yawned.
Jason sat at the end of the bar head in his hands. His shirt stained with mud. The jacket Jason draped over the back of the bar stool wet with mud and rain water.
"Breakfast?" the bartender asked smiling to try to comfort Jason's obvious angst.
"Just hook me up with the usual, Sammy."
"Come on Jason! Don't you think it's a little early for that?" Sammy barked as she stocked lemon wedges in a metal container.
"I got a meeting with a client in an hour. I got to be presentable." Jason replied jokingly as he lit a bent Newport cigarette he pulled out of his coat pocket.
Sammy prepared "the usual" for Jason, a tall Budweiser and a double shot of Hennessey. Jason watched as she reached for the glasses and bottles. She was beautiful. Jason had always thought so since had had started spending his mornings at the bar across the street from the office space he rented.
"How's the P.I. business going, anyway?" Sammy asked as she puts the drinks down in front of Jason.
"We'll see after this meeting but then again there always business in Brooklyn baby." Jason exhaled as he spoke watching the smoke in the morning sunlight.
Jason chatted with Sammy briefly as he quickly finished his drinks. The time for his meeting was approaching. He dropped forty dollars on the bar, like always. Jason always tips Sammy very well, not just for the service but for the comfort and she brings to him.
"I'll see you later Sammy, ok." Jason said as he stands up and puts his coat on. "maybe" the after thought that ran though his mind.
"Okay Jason, at least change your shirt before your client gets to the office alright." Sammy said as they both laughed.
Jason smiles to himself as he enters his office. He tosses his jacket over the coat rack as he closes the door behind him. Taking Sammy's advice he takes off the mud soaked shirt throwing it directly in the trash.
"Those stains will never come out." Jason says to himself grinning at his own comment.
Jason opens a small suitcase lying on the floor next to his desk removing a white t- shirt and a black sweater. Before putting the clean shirts on he checks the giant bruise on his right side. It was a long night.
After putting on the clean shirts Jason sits behind his desk opening the bottom drawer. Out of the drawer Jason grabs the half empty bottle of Hennessey he has hidden away for himself. He takes a big gulp of the liquor exhaling as he puts the cap back on and puts the bottle back in the drawer. Then there was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" Jason yells so he won't have to leave the comfort of his chair.
The door opens and through it walks a man who Jason recognized immediately.
"Jason Evans." The man says.
"I'm sorry. I'm not military anymore you have no business here Agent Fury." Jason scowls." Not only that, but I really don't want to deal with any of you S.H.I.E.L.D. motherfuckers."
"I need your help. Just hear me out, ok" Fury asks as he looks Jason over not very impressed by his disposition. "Jason, you are my last resort. I wouldn't be here if I thought it wasn't totally necessary." Fury explained.
"I don't care Fury. I do my own thing here. I'm good." Jason replies sternly standing to look out the window for more S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that maybe patrolling the parameter.
"No need for that Jason. I'm alone." Fury said as he sighed in disappointment. "I'm in hiding Jason. Tony Stark is in control of S.H.I.E.L.D. now."
"Please don't tell me anymore. I really don't want to be involved in your war of the super-freaks. Besides why come to me? You don't even know me. I'm just a P.I., in a shitty office, with a shitty car…"
"Enough! I know you well; I've read your jacket. U.S. Marine, special ops, C.I.A., international espionage. You're qualified for the task at hand and you have no affiliation. You're neutral; exactly what is need right now." Fury growled.
"What about Castle? Why don't you bother him about this?" Jason asked sitting back in his chair.
"His already involved," Fury explained.
"Oh, the plot thickens." Jason says throwing his hands up in disgust. "What is it?"
"An invasion," Fury stated unemotionally. "There is a Skrull spy among the super hero community manipulating recent events in preparation for a worldwide invasion."
"That's just great. Just what we need with all the super-hero's fighting each other. Makes perfect sense though and I don't even know what a Skrull is, but I bet it's something bad." Jason mocked as he lit his cigarette. "How come none of your egg-heads like Xavier couldn't see any of this shit comin'? And how do you know about this invasion?"
"I have my sources still" Fury replied.
"Payment?" Jason said with attitude.
"You'll be the biggest hero since Captain America." Fury offered.
"Yeah, we all know how good that turns out." Jason counters.
"How about I go across the street and snap the neck of that pretty little bartender you like so much." Fury threatens as he looks toward the window." I'll be doing her a favor. She'll be dead instead of a slave. Once this gets taken care of we'll talk about your compensation."
Jason opens the bottom drawer as he did before Fury came in his office and takes another big gulp and raises it toward Fury. Fury looks at it for a second then takes it taking a gulp equally as big then sets the bottle on the desk. Jason stands up and faces Fury.
"Fury you're a real bastard for coming here." Jason says with a smile on his face. "I'm gonna need all the good shit Fury; weapons, armors, access codes to S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities, and the super-gene nullifier to level the playing field a bit."
"How do you know about the super-gene … forge it. I knew you where the right one for the job. All the codes you'll need are in this file. You'll have to go to Reed Richard's lab in the Baxter Building to get the weapons and a supply of the super-gene nullifier." Fury relayed the information comfortably with the command and confidence he once had looking Jason directly in the eyes watching Jason's demeanor turn from privet investigator back into an elite military soldier. "That will be your first mission."
"Sounds like suicide, but doable. You owe me, big, Fury."
Chapter Two: Meeting the Initiative
Jason gets put to the test at the Baxter Building against Cloud 9, Armory, Hardball, and Thor Girl.