Chapter Two

"Yes. He had a similar reaction when he was first put on the project. Whipped out some cards of his and demanded us to get Rogers to sign them. More or less." Barton said amused at my brothers idiocy.

"What'd you expect. The man's idolized him since he was five." Fury stated sticking up for his friend. Barton shrugged.

"Forget Rogers. What you ortta look at is this," he continued, handing me another file with the bold words 'Project X', "The Avengers Initiative is only the tip of the ice-berg. Project X is where you're being transferred."

I opened the new file and began to read the briefing. Project X was aimed at expanding the human brain capacity. Scientists had developed a serum that activated dormant parts of a subjects brain. Test subjects grew a high tolerance to pain, enlarged their memory capacity and some even developed telekinetic abilities. Side effects of the serum included hallucinations leading to imminent insanity and later death.

The scientists altered the formula many times and though each new serum developed the brain further and harnessed more power, eventually all patients suffered the side effects and died.

"So what's my role?" I asked nervously. I was hoping they weren't suggesting I become a test subject.

"We're not using you as a lab rat. Though the scientists would like to study a subject a bit more thoroughly. Blood, tissue and hair samples will be required, then you'll be put on guard duty to watch the laboratory day and night." Fury explained. I was slightly disappointed, I thought that they were going to get me to do something 'important'. Instead they'd steal some of my DNA and make me babysit a bunch of test tubes for the rest of my life and what in the world did Project X have to do with the Avengers?

"It is only because of recent technology,' Fury glanced outside to the Tessaract, "That we have been able to keep this project running. The board was thinking of shutting it down. It's only hanging on by the skin of it's teeth. It is important that there are no mishaps, if the slightest thing is to go wrong again it'll be cut. That means that the security of the place is in your hands. If anything goes missing, the blame's on you. Try not fail Agent Coulson."

And with that I was shown to my new 'home' or so I like to think of it – I was going to spending 95% of my time there. The lab was situated in the next room from the Tesseract, another glass window separating the two. The lab itself was remote and bland, with only three or four scientists working at a time. Compared the fanciful room next door, Project X got skimped on. It had adequate equipment, for what I assumed they had to do, four expensive looking microscopes, knives and picks, rubber gloves. I could understand why they almost got terminated.

"So... You're our new security guard." one of the scientists said to me once Fury and Barton had left, "You're not going to up and die like the last guard did, are you?"

"I... uh..." I stuttered, ultimately freaked out.

"Paris! Leave her alone." another one said, coming out from the storage room with a container filled with test tubes and a needle.

"Hi. I'm Georgio, head researcher. Your one woman welcoming comity is Paris, leading cognitive scientist in the northern hemisphere and my chief advisor. Nice to meet you." the man said.

"Emily Coulson."

"So... do you mind?" Georgio asked, holding up a needle and test tube, "Just for external research."

"No problem. Go ahead." I said cheerfully, maybe a bit too cheerfully. Georgio led me over to a near-by stool and sat opposite me.

"It won't hurt a bit." he coaxed.

"I've done this a thousand times before. We have to get medicals to be cleared for field work every month or so. I suppose I don't need them now..." I ranted as Georgio drew the blood. I barely felt a thing and continued talking about my experiences as a spy, not sharing 'classified information' but detailing fighting sequences over-dramatically. After taking a sample of my hair and scraping some skin off my finger, he was all set.

"I know your other work sounds more interesting, but trust me, you'll like it here." Georgio reassured me before locking away my samples.

When Fury said I'd have to work day and night he lied. I worked approximately the same hours as Georgio and Paris – 10:00am until 10:30pm before someone else took over – though the two of them got off at 7:00pm. It was a long day and despite my first worries, it wasn't too bad. I usually hung around the inside of the lab chatting to Georgio about every care in the world. I found out Georgio was married with two kids who he got to visit every weekend. Paris on the other hand rolled her eyes at me every time she saw me, but I had a feeling that she would warm up sooner or later. I also had new quarters, close to the lab incase there was a disturbance and I had to be there quickly. I had two sets of clothes and both my laptop and phone had been confiscated. The email I had sent was gone by the time I checked. So much for secure.

I hadn't seen Phil since he reported me to Fury. I had no idea whether he was avoiding me, since I couldn't phone him, and I wondered if he even knew where I had been relocated. It was better if I didn't stress myself over it, over-thinking a situation wasn't my strong suit.

After working at lab for two weeks Georgio came up to me oddly. He had pulled an all nighter after claiming on to be on the verge of a break through.

"Emily. I need you over here quick." he called, before I even had a chance to walk in the door, "I was fiddling around with your DNA last night and I think I might have found something. I randomly mixed some of your blood I took when you first arrived here with the serum, to see what would happen, and I've found the key to completing the formula! Your blood has a rare high white blood cell count. Officially called Leukocytosis..."

"Wait, hold on." I stopped him, "What is Leukocytosis?"

"It's a blood condition. You have a higher level of white blood cells. White blood cells are the healers. I suppose you've attained the condition due to intense exercise regimes or possibly stress—," he began to drear on.

"To the point Georgio." I redirected.

"Emily. The higher count of white blood cells in combination with the serum would enhance the ability for the brain to heal itself, therefore counter-acting the side effects preventing the hallucinations and insanity but permeating the pain resistance and possible telekinesis."

"You did it!" I said in realization, starting to jump and down with Georgio.

"No. We did it! If it wasn't for you we'd never have come across the pattern!"

"Who cares!" I shouted, then suddenly stopped, "Trial it. Try it on me." I insisted. At my request Georgio dropped eye contact.

"What? What is it?"

"It's just..." he faltered as Paris came in the door. Georgio uncharacteristically ignored me and went to talk to Paris about the discovery. Georgio had never acted in this way before and it bugged me. It had been my blood that had completed the serum and shouldn't it make sense to trial it on me? The rest of the scientists began to pile into the lab and forced me to wait outside as Georgio stood on top a chair and explained his logic and how his tests had worked.

"—I trial the subject's blood and the result was everything we've been hoping for!" Georgio explained as suddenly the anger boiled in me and I burst back into the room. All heads turned and I gave a deathly stare to Georgio.

"The subject has a name and she would like to be acknowledged." I said bluntly.

Just wondering if anyone actually knows who Phil Coulson is or whether everyone think's he's someone I made up? I thought it was sorta obvious who he was with the Captain America response, but tell me if you didn't know.