Here you go my lovelies! Fresh new (okay, a few days old but... sorry) chapter! I meant to get it on here sooner but the program I used to write it wasn't cooperating. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter 5

"Fury give you the third degree?" If it were an ordinary person, they would have jumped a few feet in the air when a disembodied voice talked to them. Good thing Katherine wasn't an ordinary person.

"Not really," she paused while Clint hopped down from his perch near the ceiling. "How many?"

"Ah, about five or so." He said thoughtfully, walking beside her.

"You think they'd learn to look up once and a while after the first time you scare the daylights out of them."

"Nah, I keep them on their toes. It's good for them. So what'd he say?"

"Not much, just the usual."

"Report?"

"Yep," Agent Mason said sadly.

"Bummer, say could you-"

"Fine, what's it about?"

"Rookie filed a complaint."

"How much did you scare him?"

"He wet himself."

"Why's he complaining? He could have reacted like Jensen did."

"He got a big head, now he thinks S.H.I.E.L.D. can't run without him."

"I see, I'll need a name for the report."

"Tony Stark."

"Hmm, this might require looking at some security footage- just to be sure." Her gleeful expression made Clint pause.

"I can see you'll have fun with this one."

"Definitely," She gave him a serious look. "Five."

"Three, and only if you make it sound good for me."

"Nope, four's my lowest." Clint sighed, defeated.

"Fine." Clint turned a corner while Agent Mason kept walking straight. He turned and started walking backwards. "What am I at now?"

"2,483 favors." She said, grinning.

"And you?"

"None." She called over her shoulder. Clint merely smiled and walked silently on his way. After all, you couldn't argue with the truth.

...

"Agent Mason, you've been requested at lab 5B." The said person sighed and stared at the small walkie-talkie, albeit a very advanced one, before hitting the 'sleep' button on the computers she was working on.

"Took him long enough," Agent Mason muttered, walking out the door. Impatiently, she jabbed the down arrow for the elevator. She stepped to the side as a group of agents entered the floor, each giving her a nod as they passed. There was only two people who stayed, when she recognized who they were she gave a resigned sigh.

"Hello boys."

"Ma'm."

"Lady Mason."

"What floor are you two looking for?" She pressed a small unlabeled button and waited for their answer.

"I wish to pay a visit to my brother." Nodding, Agent Mason pulled a card from and unseen pocket and held it up to a scanner. It beeped, and she repeated the process with her eye and a short code.

"All set, when the elevator stops take a left and its the third door on your right. After that just tell the guards I sent you and they'll lead you the rest of the way. "On second thought," she said when she saw his confused face, "I'll show you. Where are you going, Captain?"

"I was supposed to find Stark. I'm having a slight problem with my portable phone." He shifted uncomfortably, his confidence depleting a little.

"Let me see what I can do." Agent Mason held out her hand, expectantly. Steve silently handed it to her.

"Hmm..." She titled her hand thoughtfully to the side, before giving it back to its reluctant owner. "It's fine now, just a small glitch in the programming."

"Tony said he designed that himself."

"Figures, I'm on my way down to see him. I would be happy to point it out to him."

"Thanks," Steve looked relieved not to have to ask Tony for help. Not surprising.

"I'll drop you off at the training center, I heard we just got a new shipment of punching bags." She pressed another button, barely managing to keep the smirk off of her face.

"That would be great." The silence continued until the characteristic ding of the elevator sounded. Steve stepped out but turned around slightly, clearly confused on where to go.

"Just keep walking straight, if you need anything just ask an agent that doesn't have a weapon in their hand." The door closed on an uneasy Steve.

"Is what you say true?" Thor's deep voice rumbled from the side.

"Partly, not everybody at S.H.I.E.L.D. likes the Avengers Initiative, they say its volatile- a time bomb." She gave him a meaningful glance. "Most of you have- special abilities, that they don't comprehend, so they don't trust you. But they tolerate it, its become a pet project of sorts for Fury. Besides, none of them are brave enough to stand up to the captain, or any of you for that matter."

"And what of you?"

"I had my own doubts at first, but who am I to judge any of you for your abilities?" She shrugged. "But I think you all proved yourselves, at least temporarily, last week." Thor nodded, and then bowed his head.

"What are their thought on my brother?"

"Mixed, I think when Fury releases the extent of his innocence there'll be a bit of an uproar. There will be disbelief at first, then anger, but gradually I think that the general population will, at least, listen to what he says."

"And until then?"

"Don't let him do anything stupid."

...

Three minutes. That's how long Agent Mason had been standing directly behind Tony Stark, waiting for him to turn around from whatever he was working on. She knew that he knew she was there, he had been more than a little confused and upset when she had easily disabled the new security he had installed in his lab. Now he was sulking, typical. Deciding she might as well have some fun while she was here, Agent Mason walked over to a bank of computers and wires that were obviously a new edition to the lab. She lazily dragged her hand across the keyboard, effectively bypassing the password encryption. Tony was futilely trying to look without seeming to. Smiling to herself she opened up a few files and turned around.

"What did you do?"

"I," She stood up and calmly looked him in the eye, "got your attention. But, I also helped you get settled in."

"What do you mean?" Agent Mason just smiled and addressed the ceiling.

"How are you doing JARVIS?"

"Very well, Miss Mason. Good evening, sir."

"Huh," Tony sat down on the edge of his worktable and started absentmindedly fiddling with a wire, "mind telling me how you did that?"

"Like I said, I was trying to get your attention. Besides," she grinned, "Fury will be- well, furious. You were going to do it anyway, I just sped up the process a little. It's just in this room anyways. So, I know why I'm here- go ahead and ask."

"Ah, yes. The mind reader."

"Why do I sense sarcasm? How do you think you forgot the question you most wanted answered? You wanted proof, so I gave you proof."

"Fair enough, so if you know the question- why don't you answer?"

"I'll save you some time," she placed her hand back on the monitor, and within a few seconds a file popped up. "My official report." She gestured to the screen and stood to leave. "I hope it makes for good reading."

Might be a new chapter up this weekend... tell me what you think!