Benji managed to raise his head up. He was in a computer lab of some sort. He moaned at the pain in his head.
"Hey dude, that stuff they gave you can be a bitch. Better stay down a while longer." Said someone from across the room.
"W-where am I now?" he mumbled. All he could see were walls of monitors.
"Level 3, room 12." Came the reply. "Hey boss?" someone questioned into an intercom. "Newbie is up,"
"Be right there." Came an older voice from a speaker.
The next thing Benji knew, a middle aged man with little hair and wire rim glasses was peering over him. "Rolf Gunderson, Director of SHIELD Research and Development. Nice to meet you Agent Dunn." He said while grabbing Benji's hand to shake it.
Benji managed to sit up and get a better look at room. Metal. Everything was metal. An air craft carrier, maybe?
"I suppose you would like to hear about our work here?" he asked enthusiastically.
"A-And where is here, exactly?" Benji asked.
"Why, the SHIELD mobile base, of course. Not for long, you know, the new ship is almost ready, but this old girl has served us well. Didn't they brief you?"
Benji shook his head. Uh, oh. It wasn't a dream. He really was on ship. The older man pursed his lips and folded his arms. "They just took you, didn't they?" he said, shaking his head.
Benji nodded, "I think I was a little out of it." he confessed.
"Well, follow me then Agent Dunn, and we'll take the tour, shall we?"
Benji stood up and carefully moved forward, not sure walking around was the best idea.
"Maybe we should head in the direction of the mess hall and get some coffee." Asked the older man, laughing.
"Thank you." Coughed out Benji as he followed the man in the blue lab coat out the door.
"Atif? Greg?" asked Gunderson with a fatherly tone, "Can we make some room for our new agent, please." He said while motioning to a work station piled high with equipment. He disappeared out the door with his clueless new charge shuffling behind.
"oooo, an AGENT" Benji heard someone say sarcastically before the door closed.
Great, thought Benji. Just great.
It was definitely an air craft carrier, or at least it had been at one time. Benji figured it was best to keep his mouth shut for now. For every one person in a lab coat, there were three in uniform. This was a military operation, no doubt about it.
Gunderson was shuffling along, muttering about the purpose of each room they passed. It was an impressive set up. Every piece of equipment was state of the art, and some it looked to be prototypes that would make a MIT researcher envious.
They came to an intersection of corridors. Benji was looking down one hall when Gunderson pulled his arm.
"Not THAT way, Dunn!" he scolded. "If it has a dark blue stripe, DON'T enter it." and he shuffled on.
Benji nodded in obedience. After what seemed like minutes, they came to another junction. "Now, here we are. Mess hall!"
The dining hall was brightly lit, unlike the rest of the ship. Clearly, updated through the years, it looked almost civilian. It was maybe half full of people, some waiting in line for food, and some sitting at table chatting together. Benji followed Gunderson to the coffee station and nearly downed his cup before they even found a seat.
Benji leaned forward to the man, "Thank you very much for the hospitality, sir. But could you please tell me why I'm here?" he pleaded.
Gunderson duplicated Dunn's movements and leaned in as well. He removed his glasses, revealing a piercing gaze. "We only take the best, Dunn." He said, all traces of his previous joviality gone. Benji sat back and put his hands behind his head. So, the mad scientist bit was just an act.
"So no one at the IMF minds that I won't be showing up for work today?" asked Benji.
Gunderson smirked. "When it comes to equipment or personnel that are in short supply, SHIELD gets top priority. Always."
Benji knew he had nothing to lose at this point, because, for some reason, these goons wanted him here. "And what does SHIELD do, exactly?" he said softly.
"SHIELD monitors and protects the world from all types of threats."
"On whose authorization?" Benji questioned again, wincing a bit. Not sure he wanted to know the answer.
Gunderson smirked again, impressed at Dunn's ability to figure things out so quickly. "Like I said, SHIELD gets top priority."
Benji nodded. "Mind if I get some more coffee?"
"Not at all" smiled Gunderson. "I have to check on an experiment." He said, rising. "Stay here until I come back for you, then?" he chirped. The congenial scientist had returned.
Benji nodded again. There was no way in HELL he wanted to wander around this place alone.
Benji took the opportunity to cautiously observe the other people in the room. The ratio of lab coats to uniforms seemed the same. And in just like every other cafeteria in the world, it was segregated. Uniforms sat with uniforms. Lab coats huddled together on the far side of the room. The airmen seemed to have a table of their own. There was also a table of suits, but they didn't seem to talk to each other. Benji noticed another suit walk in and go for the coffee station. He had "head suit" written all over him. Yep, tailored blue suit, blue shirt, blue tie. Benji wondered if Langley had a secret cloning facility or something, because those guys ALWAYS looked the same.
So, this place was a Frankensteinish combination of Navy, DARPA, and CIA. Benji shook his head to himself. How did he manage to get himself into these situations? Benji was looking at the floor, thinking of how he might manage to get out of this new 'assignment' when a pair of black shoes appeared. He looked up, right into the gaze of the Head Suit. How in the hell did those people move so silently?
"You must be Benji Dunn?" said the man pleasantly. He offered his hand. "The name is Coulson."
Benji shook his hand and looked at him ruefully. Coulson looked around and upon realizing that Dunn was alone, his gaze narrowed.
"Gunderson will be right back." Offered Benji. "He told me to stay here, and that's what I'm doing." He hurried on, sitting on his hands.
Coulson's expression didn't change. "Of course, Dunn, you'll meet with me a later time, after you've settled in." He looked at his watch. Benji was about to mention that he hadn't been past the labs or mess hall, let alone settled into any living space- assuming he wasn't just getting a bunk and trunk – when Coulson turned to walk away.
Coulson passed Gunderson in the doorway as he left. Gunderson shot him a wary look and stepped back in deference. Coulson didn't acknowledge him. Gunderson took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hoped to hell that this guy Dunn was going to work out, because Rolf Gunderson really needed Phil Coulson to stop being pissed off. He really did.