Chapter Six
August 24, 1953
So far everything had gone according to plan. His fake ID had been accepted, his credentials and invitation had been validated, and he was inside the building. No one thought he looked out of place. He fit right in with his expensive wardrobe and I.D. badge pinned to his suit pocket.
After they opened the doors for the conference, he headed in along with the others. Most of them went in in pairs or groups, but no one seemed to notice the lone soldier walking in.
The meeting went by quickly. Phil got what he needed and made it out without complications, just as was expected. A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent picked him up from the hotel afterward.
Agent Carter was pleased when he returned in one piece. Everyone was glad to add the new recruit to the team. No one noticed the fact that Phil Coulson had made one tiny mistake: he had forgotten his fake I.D. at the conference.
August 25, 1953
Phil was looking into a file for someone on a possible case he might take on when Agent Carter burst into the room.
"What is it?"
"Did you account for your false I.D. when you left the conference yesterday?"
Phil paled. He hadn't. He must have left it.
"No, you did not. You left it at the conference. One of the janitors found it and took it to the police. He said he found it at some cheap hotel, obviously a lie, but it was, after all, a secret meeting. The police identified it as a fake. The man you were going as died three years ago in a car accident, and he certainly did not look like you." She paused and looked Phil directly in the eye.
"They put out a search to find a man with your description. They have a photograph!" She was clearly upset at him.
"This will take some of my best agents at least a week to cover up. Not to mention you let the janitor who works for our possible enemies know that you weren't supposed to be there. We already have the information we need, but now that they know, they could pose as an even worse threat than before if our suspicions are true… A less than satisfactory job on this mission, Coulson."
"I'm sorry," was all Phil managed. It sounded stupid after he said it, but all he could do was apologize.
"I won't hold it directly against you because it was your first mission, but you've cost us lots of time and effort and possibly security. I expect better next time."
She left. Phil couldn't believe that anyone could forgive him for that. He had ruined his whole mission and compromised SHIELD security. Agent Carter must think highly of her agents to cover it up well, or else he might no longer be a SHIELD agent.
September 26, 1953
Phil had been a SHIELD agent for over a month now, but he had yet to accompany a group of agents on a significant mission. He had gotten cut after Agent Clenton had decided he needed one less person on a trip to Arkansas.
The fact that he was stronger than any of the other agents made him more upset when he was the one they decided to cut. He figured it was because of how badly he botched the first mission.
This was wy he was surprised when Agent Carter walked over to his desk with an envelope, two days after Agent Clenton had left with three others.
"This is a case file for a man about 120 miles from here. He's a possible suspect for an international smuggling ring. I think he might also have other jobs."
"Am I allowed to ask why you're showing me this?"
"I'd like you to lead the mission."
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