A/N: To anyone who has read my other fanfic, Crowley's Apprentice: Stories From Araluen:
1) Thank you!
2) Don't kill me. I'm bad with remembering names. Just to clarify, the two people who share a name are not the same. At all. Anyways... Enjoy!
A/N 2: I think it's logical to assume that Steve would be in contact with the President. I also think it's logical to assume that I would be in the middle of a HUGE political debate if I made a real person president. Hence, the president in this story is President Proedros (which is Greek for president q: ) Sooooo this is not a real person at all, just putting that out there now in case he plays a more active role later!
"What do you want now?" Fury asked with obvious frustration.
"I was hoping to get some more information on the two people that I was sent to meet up with, Director," replied Steve.
"Not my business. I'm too busy with everything else to chase down every agent and their missions. Oh wait- that's actually what I have to do! Now out!" he barked.
Steve sighed. He hadn't had high hopes, but this was the easier method. I guess I'll use the Dinosaur Files anyways, he thought. I still don't understand why they're called that, but whatever. Steve nodded at the guard.
"I need to access some files on an agent, code name Mississippi," he said.
"Name?" the guard asked with obvious boredom.
"Captain Steve Rogers."
"I'll get the system online."
A few minutes later, after he had presumably looked up the file in question, the guard spoke again.
"Sorry. Can't access that file."
"Why not?"
"Clearance level 10."
That's odd. Usually that's reserved for top level SHIELD agents. And both President Proedros and Fury said that they aren't one of their people. But Missy said something about basic training earlier...
"I'll let Fury know later. How about another agent, code name Panter?"
After another couple of minutes, "Nope. Can't access that one either."
"Is it a 10 too?"
"Nope. 8," the guard said, checking his watch.
"Still got 15 minutes 'till shift change," Steve said sympathetically. "If I could see the file, I actually have the clearance." Steve tried to hand over his ID.
"Sorry sir. If you were a level 8, you wouldn't still be a captain."
Actually, Project Rebirth was a Level 8, which means that, in order for me to legally know about my own existence, SHIELD had to make me an 8 too. One of the few benefits of being classified.
Steve offered the card again. "If you have any suspicions, Maria Hill would be more than willing to back me up." The guard took the card and scanned it warily. Everyone knew that 'Maria Hill' and 'willing to [fill in the blank with helpful action]' didn't belong in the same sentence.
"Well, it looks like you're clear... I'll have to put you down as having visited... One second... Ok, you can go now."
Steve nodded his thanks. Then he sighed again. Maria Hill was going to be very angry when she got that guards call to come verify his clearance. Steve was perfectly aware that there was no check in system at the File Room. Therefore the guard wanted to notify the officials.
Steve pulled a file of the shelf in the 'P' section. "Here it is," he said to himself.
PANTHER
STREET NAME JACK McCARTHY
See also JACK McCARTHY, SPECIAL OPs RIVER, AIR FORCE COLONELS
Age: 22
Height: 5 feet 4 inches
Weight: 159 lbs
Race: Caucasian
Branch: Air Force
Rank: Colonel
Birthplace: Clonmel, Ireland, United Kingdom
Residency: Undefined American
Occupation: Unspecified
Clearance: 9, 10 on request
COB (Current Operations Base): Unspecified
BCO (Base Commanding Officer): N/A
General Assignment: Special Operations and Undercover Action Committee
Other: Currently assigned to Areas of Interest with OPERATIVE NAME MISSISSIPPI, CLEARANCE UNDEFINED.
So he's a spy... that's interesting. It explains all of the 'undefined' categories. And it looks like he really is Irish. He's a colonel who is assigned to Mississippi... that means that she outranks him. Not to mention ridiculously high clearances on both of them. This is quite the power team.