"Director Fury?" Agent Coulson paused at the doorway to Nick Fury, the director of SHIELD's office.
"Yes, Agent Coulson?" Fury replied, glancing up from the files on his desk.
"Project APOLLO has had its first graduate as of an hour ago." Coulson said, handing Fury the file.
"Project APOLLO was supposed to last 3 years, Coulson." Fury remarked as he began reading the latest test results. The new recruit, David North, had certainly passed all the tests that SHIELD could throw at him with flying colors. His enhanced marksmanship certainly helped.
"Indeed, sir." Coulson replied, struggling and failing to keep a smile off of his face, "Agent North has beaten even the most optimistic of our projections."
"And the serum?"
"It was administered last week. There was a… minor side-effect that we had not anticipated, sir. After we were sure that it wouldn't harm his ability to perform in the field, I took the liberty of making him an agent of SHIELD."
"Minor side-effect?" Fury asked, looking up from the file, his face characteristically emotionless.
"It appears that the serum, in the process of changing his DNA, mutated him even further. He can regeneratively heal."
"That could make him more dangerous." Fury mused.
"To others and to himself." Coulson finished, "Agent North has already demonstrated a level of recklessness and impulsiveness. With these powers…"
Fury nodded as Coulson's voice trailed off, "I want you to assign him Agents Barton and Romanoff as his SOs. North might be good but as far the Council is concerned, he's only 23. They need proof of his loyalty to us."
Coulson nodded. Clint and Natasha had been bugging Coulson about getting to supervise the new recruit; Clint after North had equaled his score at the range and Natasha after she watched him hold his own against a much older and experienced Grant Ward.
"Now another thing, Coulson. There's a new project, TAHITI, that I want you to look over…"