Besides their barracks, there were only two other buildings that were far enough along to be toured: the main building and the larger, rectangular building. To Ruby's surprise, the rectangular building housed a large hanger with several Quinn jets and a handful of helicopters lined up in two rows.

Agent Reynolds drove through it in the golf cart, calling out hellos and waving at various individuals.

Izzy's eyes grew big as they drove by the jets. "You've actually flown in one of these?"

"Yep," Ruby told her, "but I was asleep for most of the flight, so don't ask me anything about it."

"You're no fun," her friend pouted. "What about you, Robbie? Have you flown in one?"

"Several times," their guide said with a bit of pride.

"You'll have to tell me all about it sometime," Izzy told him, placing a hand on his arm.

"Sure." The cart jerked to the side. "Sorry about that, there was a hose that I didn't want to drive over."

Ruby was sure there was no hose but kept that to herself. Izzy was having fun teasing the guy, so who was she to get in the way? The pep talk had helped clear some of the dark clouds out of her head. She was so lucky to have such a good friend.

The cart pulled to a stop before a set of double doors.

"We'll have to go on foot from here, Ladies. They don't allow golf carts past this point," Robbie explained. "At least they don't now that Mr. Stark is gone."

"Did you know him well?" Ruby asked.

"No," he shook his head. "I never got to meet him. I was in training at SHIELD's pacific facility until recently."

"So, you're almost as new as we are?" Izzy asked.

"I've been here for three months."

Izzy didn't say anything else, so Reynolds led them forward through the doors.

"These are all the workshops and labs," Reynolds told them. "Ruby, you will be working with Dr. Banner here. I'll show you the lab when we get there."

Ruby's eyes were big as saucers as they walked by the workshops full of equipment that she couldn't begin to guess the purposes of, but she knew enough to know that what she was seeing was on the cutting edge of technology. Most of the large rooms they passed were open for viewing through large plate glass windows along the wide corridors; only a few were concealed from sight. Almost every room they passed had someone in it working.

"There are a lot more people here than I imagined," Izzy again gave voice to her thoughts.

"Well, with the realization that we aren't alone in the universe, the support for space exploration has exploded." Reynolds frowned slightly, "as has the sense of urgency for ways to better protect the earth from future invasions. SHIELD has seen a large influx of people wanting to contribute to one or the other cause. Right now, this is our primary facility, but we are building up the one on the pacific coast and there are plans for other facilities throughout the world. Having the bulk of our work and research here kind of puts all our eggs in one basket. We are working on spreading it out to limit our vulnerability."

"Surely after so thoroughly defeating Thanos, nobody would be willing to attack such a potent organization?" Izzy's brows drew together.

"We wish," Reynolds replied quickly.

"Hold on a minute," Izzy grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Are you telling us that we might be in danger here?"

The agent patted her hand, "No! Not at all. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to alarm you, Izzy. We have the best security on the planet here." He pointed to small black domes extending down from the ceiling at regular intervals along the corridor, "we have cameras in all the common spaces and throughout the grounds that are a self-contained power grid. They all overlap so that there isn't one inch of space that isn't monitored by the campus' AI 24/7"

"Are there cameras in our rooms?" Ruby shuddered at the thought.

"No, of course not. That would be a gross invasion of privacy," he assured her.

"But cameras don't do anything to protect us," Izzy pressed.

"Well, I really can't tell you anything more about the security systems. You haven't been cleared for that information. But," he hesitated before continuing, "I can tell you that there are always at least two Avengers here at any given, and that doesn't include any of the prospective recruits that are here training."

Izzy released his arm and raised her hand to her chest, "well, that certainly makes me feel much better. Doesn't it you, Ruby?"

"I guess," she answered. She wasn't worried about security, just cameras in her rooms.

"Well," Reynolds nodded, "let me show you the labs on the second floor. Wait till you see where you'll be Ruby."

"Lead on, then."

The second floor was like the first in that most of the rooms had windows facing the corridors; however, these rooms were considerably smaller than the ones below. There were also more of them, and by the time they reached their destination, Ruby was completely lost.

"Here we go," Reynolds held the door open to one of the labs that didn't have windows and allowed them to enter.

"Oh, wow, Ruby," Izzy breathed. "You've hit the jackpot, girl!"

She was right, Ruby thought. Large and open, the room was lined on two sides by walls of white boards. The third wall was bank of large screens, currently blank. There were two large desks with computers and double monitors in the center of the room, and a sitting area with a couch, table, and chairs. The lights came on when they entered the room, but at a low luminosity, bathing the room with warm light.

Ruby went to the desks. One was in use, papers and handwritten notes were scattered over its surface. Each desk was almost bigger than her office had been. Checking out the computers, she saw with surprise that they were not any brand she recognized.

"The empty one is your desk," Reynolds told her. "The computers are prototypes of experimental quantum processors." When she looked up in shock, he hurriedly continued, "but the contents of the drives are uploaded to the servers every ten minutes, just in case something fails. Not that we've had any failures from this lot of prototypes."

"What do you think, Ruby?" Izzy asked, walking around the perimeter of the room, looking at everything with bright eyes.

"I guess it will do. For now," Ruby tried but failed to keep a straight face. "Oh, gracious! This is fantastic! I can't wait to get started."

"Well, how about now?"

Ruby spun as Bruce walked through the door.

"Now?"

"Why not?"

"Well," she stuttered, "Agent Reynolds hasn't finished our tour."

"Oh, I'm sure Dr. Banner can show you the rest," Izzy completed her circuit of the room, coming to stand next to Reynolds. "Robbie can finish showing me around while you two get to work."

Ruby had already had enough of Izzy's blatant flirting, and she was looking forward to getting started, but the idea of being alone in the room with Bruce made her jittery.

"Dr. Banner has better things to do than play tour guide," she told her friend, trying to indicate with her facial expression to not leave her here alone.

"Oh, I don't mind at all," Bruce said, oblivious to Ruby's near panic. "You two go on. I'll make sure Ruby gets back safely."

"Great," Izzy smiled brightly, ignoring Ruby's attempts to signal her. "You're so sweet. Isn't he, Ruby?"

"What? I mean, yes, he is."

"Ok, you two try not to have too much fun!" Izzy grabbed Reynolds and pulled him along behind her.

As the door swung shut behind them, Ruby turned to Bruce, her cheeks burning, "well, that wasn't too subtle."

"Like a brick through a window," he agreed then cleared his throat, "um, what did you tell her, about, you know…, what happened?"

Her face felt like it was on fire, "you mean about us making out?" At his hurried nod, she continued, "nothing. If you think this was bad, you have no idea what she would be like if she knew that."

"Okay, good to know," he cleared his throat again.

Did he regret what they did? Ruby's heart dropped at the thought. But what had she expected? His declaration of devotion after kissing her just once? She wasn't that naive.

"Well," he broke into her thoughts, "shall we get started?"

Bruce watched how Ruby's demeanor changed with the departure of her friend. It was as if her confidence left with Izzy.

"Oh, yes," she said, not making eye contact as she walked over to her desk and took a seat. "Was there anything in the Hydra files we found at the institute?"

He shrugged, "don't know. That's what we need to look into."

"Okay. What else?"

Bruce smiled at her eagerness, "Isn't that enough?"

Across her desk from him in the soft lighting, he could still see her blush. "I didn't mean to sound…," she started.

"Ruby," he stopped her, "I'm just kidding."

"Oh," if anything her face grew redder, "sorry."

"Don't be." He got up and walked around the desks to lean against hers. Looking down at her, he continued, "I know you aren't used to working with people that believe in you, but that's all in the past. You wouldn't be here if Fury didn't think you had something extraordinary to contribute."

Leaning down he tipped her face up to meet her eyes, "you are brilliant, Ruby. You just need to start believing in yourself."

She swallowed and licked her lips, "I'll try. But I have a lot of history to overcome."

He barely registered her words because his focus was on her lips. Damn, he wanted nothing as much as he wanted to kiss her right now. But he was trying to convince her of her worth as a genius mathematician, not as his potential lover. Kissing her right now might send the wrong message about why she was needed here.

Forcing himself to release her, he straightened. "We will work on it together, okay?"

She nodded wordlessly, her eyes big and bright. Did she realize how close he came to pulling her into his arms and kissing all those doubts away?

"Would you rather start with the papers we found or the pictures we took?"

It took her a heartbeat to respond, "the pictures, please."

With that they settled down to work.

Ruby was sure Bruce had been about to kiss her and was keenly disappointed when he moved away from her although she tried not to show it. She had no idea how she was going to be able to concentrate on anything but found herself quickly immersed in the images from the institute. Before she knew it, Bruce was leaning back in his chair stretching.

"I can't focus anymore without eating. How about you?"

She glanced down at the time, "holy cow! Is it really that late?"

He laughed, "you forget we're an hour ahead here?"

"I guess," she shrugged. "But being in here with no windows makes it hard to guess what time it is. Is the cafeteria even open this late?"

"Come on," he stood, "I know a place that is always open."

As the door to their lab shut behind them with a quiet snick and whirl of electronics, Ruby had a thought.

"Bruce, do I have to be accompanied by you at all times in here?"

"No, you can work any time you want," he told her with a frown. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I don't have a pass card or badge or anything. How do I get in? For that matter, I haven't seen any badges on anyone since we got here. How do you know who is supposed to be here and who isn't?"

"Oh, nobody explained that to you yet?"

"Nope."

He nodded, "Well, everything is biometrically controlled. Your photo and prints have already been uploaded into the security system along with your access. The AI monitors all the security feeds and identifies anyone that is not authorized. If the doors are unlocked, you have access."

He took her by the shoulders and turned her back towards the door. "Any doors that have a scanner like that," he indicated a discrete hand scanner in a panel by the door. "you just place your right hand on it and lean in for a retinal scan. If it opens, you're authorized."

"So, I just go around trying doors?" she giggled at the thought.

"No. Tomorrow, I'll show you around here and all the labs and workshops you'll have access to."

"I'm going to need a map." She was doubtful she could even find her way back to this lab, much less remember others.

"See that icon with the 'I'? Push it and ask any question."

"Now?"

"Now."

Taking a step up to the panel, she selected that icon.

"Good evening, Ms. Beaumont. What can I do for you?" a soothing female voice asked from the speaker.

"Uh, where is Izzy right now?"

"Ms. Ashford is in the trainee lounge at the dormitory."

"Thank you." She wasn't sure what the protocol was for thanking the computer for help but being polite was always a safe bet.

"You're welcome," the computer replied. "Dr. Banner, Mr. Fury has requested you join him in the conference room when you are done here."

"Tell him I'm going to get some dinner first," Bruce put a hand on Ruby's shoulder to steer her away from the lab.

"I'm afraid Mr. Fury is insistent."

Bruce stopped and sighed.

"It's okay," Ruby assured him. "It's late anyway. I'll just grab something from the dormitory kitchen."

"I'm sorry, but you know how he can be."

"I'm beginning to see, yeah."

"Tell, Fury that I'm on my way and that I'm hungry and irritable so I will not be accountable for some of my actions."

"I will relay your message, Dr. Banner," the computer replied smoothly.

"See you tomorrow morning?" he asked Ruby.

"Absolutely," she told him, hiding her disappointment as she watched him hurry away.

"Um, computer?"

"Yes, Ms. Beaumont?"

"How do I get out of here?"

"Is that what you're eating for dinner?"

Ruby ignored her friend's question as she plopped down beside her on the sofa in the lounge, already shoving a spoon of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream into her mouth.

"What happened?"

"Nothing," she said around the cold perfection.

Izzy raised an eyebrow, "really?"

Swallowing the bite, she replied, "really," before scooping up another spoonful.

The great thing about Izzy, she thought, was that you could always tell what she was thinking. Right now, the look on her friend's face clearly said, 'horse hockey'.

"How was the rest of the tour with Robbie?" she tried to change the subject and shoved another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth so she wouldn't have to talk.

"Did you know this place has two Olympic sized pools? One indoors and the other outside."

"Huh?" she grunted.

"Yeah, and we can use them any time. They're always open."

"Cool."

Too bad she didn't have a bathing suit, Ruby thought. Maybe she did, though. She never finished unpacking. She shuddered, just imagining which of her bathing suits Martha had packed.

"And don't try to tell me you don't have a suit! They have a supply available for the trainees."

The bad thing about Izzy was that she could practically read my mind, Ruby thought, almost groaning.

"You're going to make me go swimming, aren't you?"

"You can at least come keep me company and get some sun in the process," Izzy wasn't going to give up easily.

"Izzy, I'm not here on vacation. I'm here to help undo some of the harm that I've done at the institution," she snapped.

Undaunted, Izzy shrugged, "they can't make you work around the clock. You've got to have some time for yourself."

"Which is why you want me to go to the pool to keep you company?" she pointed out dryly.

"Of course." Izzy reached over and grabbed the spoon from her. "I'm good for you," she smirked as she took a bite of the ice cream.

"What is so damned important that it couldn't wait for me to eat dinner," Bruce growled with annoyance as he entered the conference room, only to stop short when he saw Fury wasn't alone.

"Good evening, Dr. Banner," Carol Danvers stood and offered her hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

"And I've heard almost nothing about you," he told her with a pointed look at Fury as he shook her hand. Which was true, after she helped defeat Thanos, she had departed earth again to continue the Kree's efforts in maintaining order in the galaxy. Fury had been tight lipped about her since then.

"Well, maybe this will help make up for that," Danvers motioned towards Fury.

Bruce sat down at the table across from the director and waited for him to explain.

"All the intelligence the Kree have gathered indicate that Hydra doesn't have any active allies out there," Fury told him with a look of satisfaction.

"So, all they have is salvaged tech left behind from the invasions?" How did they get that lucky, he thought.

"Exactly," Fury nodded. "And they wouldn't be as far along as they are if it wasn't for your little southern belle."

Bruce flushed, "she's not my anything. And she didn't knowingly help them."

Fury waved his protest away, "it doesn't matter right now. I want you and Ruby working on this. We need to know how far along they are. Can you handle that?"

Bruce looked down at the black pyramid, "I guess I have no choice."

"Well, at least you're right about that," Fury said without smiling.