AN: Hello again everyone. First of all big thanks to Pyrojack, who spotted a continuity error in my work way back in Arc 2. Luckily it was a small detail, only one line and has since been edited. If anyone sees something like that, please message me, I would like my writing to make sense. I want to thank everyone who review the last chapter. Still love to get feedback.
Chapter 3
Nick Fury led Peter and Felicia across the hallway to the Penthouse that occupied the other side of the top floor of the hotel. The beige walls, drown moldings, and brass light fixtures lent to the class of the plant. The soft yellow light that filled the short hallway felt warm and inviting. The three individuals crossed through the rosewood doorframe to the main abode on the floor.
The Penthouse was a case study in luxury. Immediately off the to left of the entrance was a serviceable kitchen. The stovetop/oven combo was brand new stainless, and matched the refrigerator as well as the other appliances. The redwood cupboards matched the door to the outside. The recently buffed tile gleamed against the overhead lighting. A nearby dining table complete with chairs sat at the edge of the tile's footprint.
The rest of the apartment was equally attractive, with a white leather sectional couch, cream carpet, and a massive Plasma T.V. The floor to ceiling windows on opposite sides of the room brought in the light from the other buildings in Manhattan. The bedroom and bathroom weren't visible from where the group stood in the kitchen.
Nick went over to the fridge and opened it up. Inside was the food that he wanted to prepare. Chicken, eggs, noodles, chopped nuts, peppers and garlic. He then pulled out a wok and a saucepan from the cupboard. From a different cupboard he pulled out vegetable oil and soy sauce.
"So what questions do you have so far?" Nick asked. When you reveal that you know someone's secrets, and you them ask them for help soon afterward, people are bound to have questions.
"For starters, and out of curiosity, how do you know both of our identities?" Peter asked.
"Simple. Surveillance." Nick said as he put on a black linen apron. "SHIELD is a spy agency, and isn't really concerned for vigilante violence, so unless a world ended threat shows up, they don't concern themselves with all superheros. I believe that this is shortsighted. With my own resources, I have developed dossiers of various individuals with multiple…lifesyles. If something goes wrong, I want to be prepared."
"That must have been pretty difficult for some of us." Peter stated as he reached into the fridge to grab something. "And why is there so much strawberry soda?"
"Mix the soda with Corn Syrup to make excellent fake blood. Useful for faking your death, attacks, stuff like that." Nick explained as he put water in the saucepan and set it to boil. "And yes, some have been harder to get good information on." Nick sighed remembering the weeks on end he spent following Moon Knight. The multiples ID's, combined with multiple personalities, combined with some personalities had training, and some others had good instincts have been a nightmare.
"Huh. Want one Felicia?" Peter asked as he grabbed a bottle.
"Yes please." Felicia said as she saw down on a stool. "Now about these independent operations?"
Nick saw the look of caution on her face. It wasn't often she was duped, and it set her on the defensive. He walked over to a cutting board and started to cut some chicken to bite sized pieces.
"In short, I use a variety of slush funds to run necessary operations that SHIELD may not be able to do, either by lack of jurisdiction, or lack of…conviction." He explained. "Sometimes, I can use super powered individuals such as yourselves to make my personal missions easier."
"How do you get people to go along with it?" Peter asked. "Most of us aren't the cloak and dagger type."
"Indeed." Nick said as he put oil in a wok, and he started to cook the chicken. "It get people to cooperate on a case by case basis. For instance, I didn't have to convince The Punisher to invade an island controlled by a rouge military unit with a stolen nuke, he was already there to killing them for run of the mill arms dealing. Your Mr. Parker are going to help because I'm going to ask nicely, and Ms. Hardy here is going to help because I have information on a man who I suspect may be her father."
Nick smiled as he continued to cook the chicken. Here knew that the jaws of his two guests just hit the floor. He had been holding onto that particular trump card for a while. Nothing like giving a daddy's girl the opportunity to feel a father's love to get some compliance.
"What do you know?" Felicia asked deadly serious.
"I know many things about many subjects." Nick said as he checked the noodles. He moved back to the chick and took them out of the wok. "Including about a man on the west coast who made some private art sales of art suspected of being lost art stolen by the infamous Cat."
Nick cracked a couple of eggs into the wok. He started to scramble the yolks. He let the information sink in. He may have tipped his hand a little, but he also knew that he was holding all the cards.
"I'm in" Felicia said. Uncharacteristically direct.
Nick looked over at Peter waiting for his response.
"So are you going to ask me nicely?" Peter asked.
Nick grinned. "Would you kindly help me recover experimental tech developed by a foreign government and stolen by a private intelligence outfit?"
"Sure. Always down to help." Peter said. "How can Spider-Man and Black Cat be of service?
Nick pulled out three white ceramic plates. He pulled the noodles out of the pot and deposited an even amount of each plate. "Well those two can't help me at all." He said. He put the chicken and egg on top of the noodles. He then put hot sauce, ground pepper, and chopped nuts onto the mix.
"Well how do you want our help." Peter asked.
Nick set the plates down on the table with a pair of chop sticks. Peter and Felicia sat down. "I need you technical expertise in the fields of technology, underworld trading, and related subjects. Because we are dealing with foreign governments, trained operatives, and technology the UN has deemed illegal, this all needs to be done low key. So as to prevent international incidents." Nick explained.
"So how do you intend to do that?" Peter said. He took his first bite of the Pad Thai. The look on his face resembled a combination of surprise and enjoyment. "That's really, really good."
"Thanks. To answer your question…" Nick took a bite out of his own food. Then he got up from the table and moved over to a drawer in the kitchen. From inside he pulled out two manila folders. "Cover ID's.
"Ohhh roleplay." Peter said. He looked over to Felicia. She was already focused on the contents of the file. "Wow. What's the world come to?" Peter wondered aloud as he opened his own file.
"What are you talking about?" Felicia asked, looking up.
"You're focused on the job, I'm making the lewd comments. Next thing you know, I'll be in skintight leather, and you'll be the one in charge of lame quips." Peter said.
"If you two would bring yourselves back to the dinner table." Nick said. He wasn't going to let Peter's personal quandary distract them. "I've prepared cover ID's to match your skillsets, but far enough from your real life so as to keep anyone from thinking you are you." Nick explained.
"Hey. Freelance Personal Shopper. I can do that." Felicia said with calm confidence. "Why have I never done that before?" She questioned
"Private math tutor. Nice!" Peter said with far more confidence. "Oh, and I gamble on the weekends. A lot."
"If you will look into the details. Ms. Hardy, you are Jillian March, and you buy stuff for rich people that they want but don't have time to get, for which you are compensated far to well for such a simple job. Mr. Parker, you are Jonas Black, a math tutor for kids who attend private schools, for which you earn a modest paycheck." Nick explained as he took another bite of his food. "That cash you take to Atlantic City and turn into a much more substantial amount. You don't cheat, you just play the odds, which is easy for you to figure out, 'cause, you know, it's math."
"Okay. I see that." Peter said. "We going to Vegas or something?"
"Even better." Nick explained. "Monaco. I already have the passports, disguises, outfits, everything ready."
"Wait disguises?" Peter asked.
"Outfits?" Felicia followed up.
"Well…yeah. Wigs, hair dye, color contacts. As far as the outfits go, there's plenty of picture of you in skintight clothing all over the place for me to get references for your sizes. I could get you too tailored underwear." Nick said.
Peter ate the last of his Pad Thai. "okay, a little weird, but I get it." He looked over to Felicia, her plate only half eaten. "What's up?"
"I'm really concerned about my figure now." Felicia said.
"Sooooo…you gonna eat that?" Peter asked.
Felicia moved the plate over to him.
"Glad you like it." Nick said. "Not it's important to stick to your cover. Should be easy. I crafted the covers to make it easy for you to do what you do best. Ms. Hardy, you shop for expensive things. Mr. Parker, you do math…by playing poker. I'll explain more when we actually get over there tomorrow." Nick said.
"Anything else?" Peter asked
"Yeah. When you play, no Baccarat!" Nick said very firmly.
"What?" Peter asked confused.
"Yeah. You're still an American, which means you play Blackjack , or Texas Hold 'Em. Draw is for losers, stud is for fools. Baccarat is only played by spies and the French. One you're not, the other you don't want to be." Nick explained, still very serious.
"Which one is which?"
"I'll leave you to figure that out."
AN: For anyone who has never had it, Pad Thai is delicious.
