Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, The Avengers or anything that looks familiar.

A/N Sorry that it took longer than normal. Also, I noticed a comma in the last chapter that was completely out of place, I'm so sorry about any grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors that you may come across. Thank you so much for all of your favorites, follows, and reviews. I'm glad to answer any questions you have and if you have an idea for the story I would love to hear it.

nightmarehunter676: Glad you like it.

Guest: Good to hear that you're intrigued, here's more!

Yeet: It's great to hear that you like this sort of fic. I'll make it as good as I can.

~{I'm just a line break}~

Last chapter:

With a sinking feeling in his chest, Agent Phil Coulson wished that he could go back to dealing with Tony Stark- even Stark must be better than this unknown.

Ryo smiled and cheerfully began humming the Avengers theme song as a firm hand on her shoulder guided her towards an inconspicuous black van.

The party was just getting started, and Ryo Inari Noble was determined to make it memorable.

~{I'm just a line break}~

A black void stretched itself across Ryo's vision and cold metallic cuffs bit into skinny wrists. This was not a part of her plans. Not that it would ruin them in any way, it was just an annoying inconvenience. As soon as she was shoved into it, the doors of the van were shut, a blindfold was shoved onto her face before her eyes could adjust to the dim interior and all she saw were the outlines of several agents before the world went dark. Chilling metal handcuffs soon followed the blindfold and her mocking comments to Coulson were met with silence. Ryo lost track of time as the van drove quickly, twisting and turning- likely backtracking and circling to lose any possible followers- slinging her against the silent guards on either side of her at every turn.

After what could have been an eternity, though it was likely only half an hour, the van slowed before finally coming to a stop. Heavy headphones were carefully secured over Ryo's ears before she was pulled from the van. Once again, a firm hand was placed on her shoulder as a pair of hands grabbed her wrists and Ryo was guided forward. Stumbling through a maze of hallways, practically being carried at every set of stairs, and tripping at unexpected moments, Ryo finally came to a stop for a moment before being shoved into a new room and guided to a cold chair and table at which her hands were chained to the center of the table and her ankles were guided into shackles attached to the floor.

After another pause the headphones and blindfold were peeled away and bright, burning light shone into Ryo's eyes. Blinking against the blinding new light, Ryo finally saw Coulson once again, now casually seated across from her in the interrogation room.

"Are you ready to discuss your so called vital information now?" A calm smile was stretched across Coulson's face, but a hard glint gleamed from his eyes and Ryo felt her heart pound faster in anticipation of her plans.

"As you may recall, I offered information specifically to Nick Fury. I understand that he is likely dealing with Stark at the moment and it was necessary for him to send you in his stead, but I am perfectly willing to wait for him to return."

Coulson leaned closer, "you aren't in any position to be bargaining with SHIELD, and your threats to leak information won't intimidate us."

"What I mean to say is that I intend to discuss my knowledge with Fury, not one of his subordinates. And my comment about selling information was not a threat. It was an exaggerated phrase designed to further my uncompromising stance. I was taught never to make a threat unless you are prepared to carry it out and I am not a fan of carrying anything. Even watching other people carrying things makes me uncomfortable. Mainly because of the possibility they may ask me to help." By this point Ryo had gradually leaned further and further forward until she was almost nose-to-nose with Coulson, she abruptly backed away once more, slouching against the chair as if she had said all she intended to.

There was a threatening tightness in Coulson's voice as he responded, "You've showed up out of nowhere and supposedly have important information. You're making my men, some of the most highly trained professionals in the world, look like a bunch of minimum wage mall cops trying to find a rogue thief. That's hurtful." A smile played at the corner of Ryo's mouth as she recognized the speech as almost the same one that Coulson would eventually use on Thor. "Why don't you tell me where you received your information? Russia? Chechnya? Japan? You strike me as the easily-influenced type, probably didn't intend to get caught up in criminal activity. Certain groups pay very well for a good mercenary like you. Who are you? One way or another, we'll find out what we need to know. We're good at that."

"I doubt you'll have any luck in your search, but go ahead and try. Or you could just wait for Fury to return." Ryo's words were met with silence so she continued. "For an intelligence agency, you lot seem awfully frightened of intelligence, after all, I'm just an ordinary teenager-"

"Ordinary teenagers wouldn't have flecks of blood on their face, but I guess that since you're just an ordinary teenager I don't need to send a doctor in here when I leave." With this final statement, Coulson began scooting his chair back, rising from his seat and walking towards the door.

So that's his plan, Ryo thought victoriously, he doesn't know that I'm actually healed, so he thinks I'll talk if it gets me medical treatment. "The only person you need to send in here is Director Fury. Don't keep me waiting."

Her words were met with the sound of the door closing and a heavy lock sliding into place.

~{I'm just a line break}~

Nicholas J. Fury's day didn't improve any as it drew to a close. Fury arrived at Tony Stark's mansion to invite the genius to join the Avengers Initiative, but the brat rejected his offer, going so far as to say that he didn't want to join Fury's "super secret boyband" and that he had no interest in working for SHIELD.

As Fury sat in a helicopter, being flown back to headquarters, his phone vibrated from his pocket and Nick reluctantly answered it, cursing as he was forced to accept that his day was not over yet. "Coulson, this better be good news."

"Unfortunately not, sir. I had a team assist me in bringing in the unknown earlier today, and she came willingly, but since then we have been unable to find information on her and I was unable to learn anything of importance from my informal interrogation with her. She insists that she will only give her information to you."

"I'm on my way back to headquarters now, I should be there in twenty minutes. She'd better be ready to talk when I get there. Are there any other inconveniences that I should be aware of?" Fury growled out.

"Not that I know of, sir. I'll be waiting for you at the landing pad."

~{I'm just a line break}~

In an immaculate interrogation room, a small figure slouched tiredly against a cold table, hands shackled to the table and legs attached to the floor. Ryo was tired. And bored. And impatient.

That all changed when a scraping metallic sound echoed through the room as the door was unlocked and thrown open. Nick Fury paused in the entrance for a moment before striding into the room with Coulson at his heels. The room was silent except for the swishing of Fury's trench coat as he strode to the chair across from Ryo and sat down. Coulson shut the door and leaned against it, observing the scene.

"So, you're the little hellion that wanted to speak to me," Fury remarked, leaning closer to Ryo, "Start talking."

"Yes, sir" Ryo chirped cheekily, "Ask whatever you want."

"Who are you?"

"Ryo Inari Noble. You can just call me Ryo."

"Who sent you?"

"No one."

"That's unlikely. What were you doing earlier today?"

"Nothing much."

"No one gets blood on them by doing nothing much. Why did you contact me?"

Ding! Ding! Ding! And there's the million dollar question, Ryo thought to herself. "I have a considerable amount of information that you will be interested in. In exchange for my cooperation, you will provide me with the necessary documentation to attend the college of my choice as well as enough money for me to live in an apartment and purchase basic food and necessities until I have a job with which I can afford to pay for such things myself."

At this, Coulson interjected from his position by the door, a shining tablet in hand. "Sir, the background checks for Ryo Inari Noble have been unsuccessful, she's lying."

Fury scowled, turning his attention back to Ryo "Do you really expect to fool an organization like SHIELD with such pathetic lies?"

"Fury, dangerous times are coming. I just want to prevent a bit of collateral damage while helping myself at the same time," Ryo hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words to explain herself, "Stark may have rejected your offer today, but there will come a time when he and others will need to be called upon to save a lot of people-"

"Where have you been getting your information?" Fury interrupted harshly. "I hadn't informed anyone about Stark's answer yet."

"I just know some things. It's difficult to explain how, but that isn't important. The fact is that you need me if you want to keep innocent civilians from dying." Ryo hadn't expected that it would take this long to convince Fury to trust her and she was growing desperate.

"I'm not going to put any faith in a flimsy excuse like that," Fury thundered angrily, standing from his chair, "Coulson, put her in holding cell 12, we'll continue this tomorrow."

Ryo's eyes widened in panic. "Next year is 2010, right? At the beginning of June, Thor will show up. When he does, maybe then you'll trust my word." Her words echoed out the corridor and Fury paused only for a moment to listen to her before departing.

Coulson unchained Ryo's legs from the floor and wrists from the table and guided her out of the room.

Ryo Inari Noble had failed to convince Fury to trust her.

She had placed all her chips on this play and now she was worse off than when she had started.

Ryo's knowledge had amounted to nothing.

All she had was her cunning and will to survive in this harsh new world.

It was up to her to save herself.

~{TBC}~