Sorry everybody, super short chapter, but it's my first week of summer break and everyone wants me doing something! GAH! So busy! Alrighty, here we are… Chapter 5

-E.H.

A A A A A

"Out of the question!" Nick Fury roared at the holographic displays in front of him. They showed the blurred faces of his superiors…the only people on the planet that outranked him. That in itself was a reason to hate them, but that was nothing compared to what they had just ordered him to do.

"Director Fury…" Said a man on a screen to his right. "We require your team's services here in DC immediately. If your team is one short, that will just have to do."

"And by 'one short' you mean MIA." Fury growled, throwing the man a dirty look. He raised his holographic eyebrows at him.

"Public image, Director. Public image. If your team stays as secretive as it has been the public will never accept them in a time of crisis. The world leaders are already talking about forcibly disbanding the Avengers. We're on your side for the time being Fury, but that could change unless we see results."

"Agreed." Said a woman on the leftmost screen. Fury was almost beside himself with frustration and rage, though he tried not to show it.

"Listen, if I kept the team together for any length of time they would tear each other apart. You know what happens when you lock up a bunch of male lions? They eat each other. At least keeping them apart keeps them sane. They will come together when we need them sir, I assure you." Fury said, doing a fair job of keeping his cool.

"I wish I was comforted, Director." Another holographic display muttered, loud enough for him to hear but not so much that it went on the record. Fury's frown deepened and his one good eye narrowed.

"I'm not leaving my man in the field to go have a feel-good press conference with Fox and CNN. I will head over myself, but my team is currently preoccupied."

"Preoccupied? With what?" The man on the right asked, rather, demanded. Fury smiled, throwing them all off.

"One is out retrieving our lost man, one is overthrowing a dictatorship, two are in training, and…" He looked over his shoulder at something the people on screen couldn't see. He sniffed the air and turned back to them. "…And one of them is baking something. I'm sorry, but right now if you want a press conference, the best you can hope for is me and Dr. Banner."

"That…won't be necessary…" The woman said quickly, much to Fury's satisfaction.

"Alright then. I'll be in touch."

Before any of them could protest Fury had shut off the communication channel. The screens disappeared and Fury slumped into a chair, rubbing his temples. He groaned. He hated his job. Well, that wasn't completely true…He liked the job, he hated his bosses. They were so…naïve… Did they actually know what happened every day on the Helicarrier? No. Of course not.

Fury stood up from the chair and walked to the door that led to the flight deck. He needed a vacation…soon.

As usual Hill was waiting for him outside. He wondered if she stood there waiting for him to come into the bridge all day or if it was just coincidence that she was always standing at the door…usually with bad news.

Nick Fury saw the clipboard Hill was carrying, saw her expression, and flinched. Defiantly bad news.

"What is it Hill?"

His second in command nervously brushed a strand of brown hair behind her ear. This wasn't going to be good…

"It's one of our agents, sir… They've…"

"Yes?"

"They've dropped off the face of the Earth sir."

Fury let his eyes wander to the ceiling before he asked the million dollar question.

"Who?"

"Stark."

"Damn."

"Last we heard of him he said he was going south for the winter."

"Great."

"He also mentioned visiting a Hawk."

"Fantastic… He's going lone ranger again. Remind me to give him a leash when he comes back."