I'm hoping you're not too terribly shocked to be getting 2 new chapters in less than a week. Blame it on an unusual combination of inspiration and time. I actually had both. And no one else fighting me for the computer.
Again, not mine, except for the characters that are. I suppose if you recognize them, they're not mine.
I do so appreciate the reviews. They make me all warm and fuzzy inside and encourage me to keep going. You are so sweet.
Lupin fan 1 and All For Jesus: So glad you like the background I came up with for Nick. I hoped it wouldn't be too boring or heavy on the drama, but would explain some things about how he became who he is. Maria is a little less trusting, so it may be a little while before she tells all of her story, but I hope you will find it as interesting and plausible.
Ella: Thanks. Glad you liked it. I have some chapters in the works somewhere down the line that will answer your questions.
And dear Shadowbeats22107: Please don't go seeking a 12 step program for this addiction. I so appreciate your feedback and encouragement. Simply: updated.
Thanks to you all for taking the time to tell me what you think. I hope that you will continue to do so.
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Risks 8
Nick Fury scrubbed a hand over his face. His morning meeting was not going well and he had a feeling it was about to get worse. He looked at the last item on the agenda.
"Ruiz," he commented.
Salvador Ruiz was an annoying little dictator in a tiny little country with an overinflated estimate of his own importance. Unfortunately, his tiny little country was strategically located between two others whose well being and comfort were of far more importance to SHIELD and these countries were becoming very annoyed with the man. Ruiz, though, was known to have a soft spot for a certain dark haired, blue-eyed SHIELD agent.
Maria Hill nodded at him, checking through the calendar on her data pad. "I just need to get a couple of things rescheduled, then I can be ready to leave."
"Not necessary," Fury told her.
She looked up at him sharply.
"You have duties here needing your attention."
"Nothing as important as Ruiz," she protested.
He cut her off. "That's not your call to make, Agent Hill." He glanced around the tablet. "Hiroshi and Nichols, you need to be on the deck and ready to leave in one hour," he ordered, nodding at the two.
Both nodded. Before Maria could open her mouth to protest again, Nick concluded the meeting. "That will be all."
He turned on his heel and headed towards his office, knowing he would be quickly followed. Sure enough, Maria was hot on his heels as he entered the room, barely waiting until the door closed behind them before she started.
"What the hell is that all about?"
He took a seat behind his desk, folded his hands in front of him and looked up at her.
"Are you questioning my duty assignments, Agent Hill?" he asked, his voice low and steady.
Hands on hips, she glared down at him. "Yes, SIR, I am. You know I'm the best person for this assignment."
"Perhaps, but there are others that can handle it as well," he started.
"Hiroshi and Nichols?" she asked, disbelief in her voice.
"You doubt the competence of your fellow agents?"
"Not in general," she corrected, "but in this situation, neither of them is familiar with the situation or with Ruiz."
He waved a hand dismissively. "A fact that can easily be remedied on the trip down there. Your briefings on previous missions have been complete and thorough, haven't they?"
"Of course they have," she replied defensively.
"Then they should be ready by the time they arrive," he concluded.
"That's not the point," she answered, placing her hands on the edge of his desk and leaning over. "You know that I'm the best person for dealing with that twit. You know that I can get results from him in half the time anyone else can."
"Perhaps," he acknowledged.
"Perhaps?" she echoed. "So now you're doubting my abilities?"
"Not at all," he hastened to reassure her. "I'm just more concerned about the other matters you have on your plate right now."
She raised an eyebrow in disbelief as she pulled out her data pad and pulled up her schedule. She dropped it on the desk in front of him.
"You want to explain to me which of these is more important?"
Without looking at it, he picked it up and handed it back to her. "As director of this organization, it is my job to prioritize our duties and to assign personnel to each as I feel appropriate. Is that quite clear, Deputy Director?" he asked, his tone steely.
She glared at him a moment before reaching out to take the pad.
"Perfectly clear, Director," she answered, her tone equally steely. She took a deep breath and stood up straight. "If you will excuse me, sir, I have important work to do."
He seemed about to say something, then reconsidered. Finally, he nodded. "Dismissed." He watched as she turned and stalked from the room. Had the door been able to slam, he was certain that it would have been.
"That went well," a voice stated from his office sofa.
Years of training kept Fury from jumping in surprise. He slowly turned his chair to study the man sitting in the dark.
"Barton. My office was locked."
"Yes, it was," the other man agreed.
"You're supposed to be influencing Romanoff, not the other way around."
Clint shrugged. "I thought breaching a locked room to be a handy skill."
"Yes," Fury agreed, rubbing his forehead, "but not my office."
"I'll try to remember that, sir." He sat for a few moments, watching his boss. "She seemed pretty upset with you there."
"Disagreement about an assignment. Not the first time, won't be the last," Nick told him.
"Something she thinks she's qualified for that you don't think she is?" Clint probed.
"No, I have no doubt that she could do it. In fact, she is probably the best one for it."
"That's a relief." When Nick looked questioningly at him, he continued. "I couldn't imagine anything here that Hiroshi and Nichols would be better qualified for."
The director cleared his throat. "If I only sent the best to every job, there would be a few people doing everything and my new agents would never get any experience."
"So this is about getting experience for the newer guys?"
"Certainly," Nick agreed. "They never learn if we don't send them off."
"Alone? Isn't your normal procedure to send a mixture of experienced and inexperienced people?"
"Usually."
Clint continued to prod. "So why not send one or both of them with Maria. Let them learn from her how to handle this guy, then maybe they can do it on their own next time."
"Don't know that they'd be equipped to handle him the way she does," the other man muttered.
"I know it's a volatile region," Clint said, "but, if I recall correctly, they can both do pretty well with weapons. Not as well as Agent Hill, but then not many people can." He continued looking at Fury, puzzlement on his face. Finally, it cleared. "But you were talking about Ruiz specifically,weren't you? Not just about the danger there."
"I don't like sending any of my people into danger," Nick replied.
"She doesn't handle Ruiz with threats and weapons, does she? It's more her 'feminine charms' that turn him to our way of thinking, isn't it?"
"It's all of it," Nick finally confessed. "I just don't like putting my people in those conditions. Any of them," he emphasized.
"Especially her?" Clint questioned.
"Any of them," Nick repeated. "And she is currently needed here."
He focused his attention on his computer, doubting that he had convinced Clint any more than he had convinced himself. After a few minutes of work, he looked up to find the agent still staring at him.
"Was there a particular reason you broke into my office, Agent Barton?"
"Yes, sir. I just wanted to let you know that I was back from Ireland. Where I left Agent Romanoff. All alone. After helping her infiltrate that terrorist splinter group you've been so concerned about." He paused to let his words sink in. "She'll be in touch as she's able."
He stood and walked towards the door.
"Hawkeye." Something in Fury's tone made him stop and turn back to the man. "You are a man of few words, but the ones you do use are every bit as pointed as your arrows."
The other man shrugged. "Just don't want to see you mess something up for stupid reasons."
"Wanting to protect people you care about is a stupid reason?"
"When it comes to certain independent, stubborn women who interpret it as interfering with them doing their jobs, yes, sir."
With a snort, Nick picked up his mobile and punched a 'call' button.
"Agent Hill," she answered, the ice clear in her tone.
He winced as Clint grinned.
"Grab your bag and report to transport," he told her. "Your flight will be leaving in about 30 minutes."
There was silence on the line for a moment, then her response.
"Yes, sir."
"Good luck," he responded, just as the line went dead.
Barton nodded at him. "Good call, sir."
"Thanks, Clint. I hope it was."
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It had been a busy two weeks and Maria was glad to finally be back home. Ruiz had been even more annoying than normal and it had required a great deal of willpower to keep herself from simply strangling the man. His usual attempts to charm her had seemed smarmier than ever and had produced more irritation than the amusement that they normally did. Reminding herself that his son and presumptive successor was even worse helped to prevent drastic action on her part.
Having to deal with the two agents sent to 'assist' her had certainly raised her irritation levels as well. Hiroshi showed promise and would probably be as asset to the organization. As for Nichols...she seriously considered offering him to Ruiz as a gift. Though that might set relations with him back again. She even managed not to drop him in any of the jungle they flew over, though the temptation was strong and she doubted any of the rest of the team would protest.
Worst of all, she had missed Nick, and that bothered her. She had spoken with him during the mission, status updates and the like, but there was much that couldn't be communicated over official channels. During the long nights alone, she had come up with several ideas about why he might have acted the way he had, but there wasn't anyone to talk about the situation with. She really hated how they had left things between and hoped that they would soon be able to sit down and clear the air.
Honestly, she had hoped he might be waiting for her when she landed.
But he wasn't.
When she texted him that she was back, mission accomplished, he had responded by telling her to get some rest and she could give him a full report in the morning.
With a sigh, she sent the rest of the team on their way and signed off on the pilot's paperwork before grabbing her duffel bag and heading to her quarters. When she entered the darkened rooms, she took a deep breath, expecting the musty smell of a place empty for 2 weeks. Instead she smelled something different.
A whiff of his aftershave?
She inhaled again.
And her favorite Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Mouth watering, she made her way into the kitchen. On the table, a single place setting waited, the bowl of soup still steaming as though just placed there. A glass of wine sat next to it. A green sticky note stuck to the glass said 'Welcome home'. With a smile, she sat down and spooned the first bite into her mouth. When it hit her taste buds, she almost groaned, realizing how long it had been since she had eaten, especially her favorite meal. The wine was a perfect complement and before she knew it, both had been consumed.
She crossed over to the sink to wash her dishes and return them to their proper spots. When she opened the flatware drawer, she found a small, yellow sticky note.
'I'm sorry,' it said.
The cupboard where she returned the bowl had another.
'The rest of the wine is in the refrigerator.'
And it was, along with another note.
'Check out the bathroom'
Throwing her duffel over her shoulder, she snagged the wine bottle and glass and walked back to her bathroom. The lights were off, but flameless candles covered the counter, the floor, and the edge of the tub. The lights reflected off the shiny bubbles that filled the tub. Setting the wine down on the counter, she noted a small music player.
Another note.
'Push play'
She did, and soft jazz music surrounded her. Smiling, she shed her clothes in a heap on the floor before refilling her wine glass and slipping into the still steaming water, feeling her tired, achy muscles finally relaxing.
When the water began to cool, she reluctantly rose from the tub, allowing the water to drain as she reached for the thick, fluffy towel and patted herself dry. A t-shirt and robe lay neatly folded on a stool. She picked up the shirt and started to slip it on. Instead, the put it back and unzipped her duffel, pulling out the shirt she had been sleeping in for the last few nights. She put it to her nose and breathed deeply. Yes, she could still smell him. She slipped it over her head, then picked up the robe and slipped it on.
No underwear, she realized, wondering if that was deliberate.
She turned off the candles and brushed her teeth, then grabbed up her dirty clothes and tossed them in the hamper. On the lid, she found another note.
'Time for bed
And don't forget the wine'
"Trying to get me drunk?" she muttered.
But she still grabbed the bottle and her glass as well as the music player and headed into her room.
Half expecting to find him waiting there for her, she was a little disappointed to find it empty. The bed, though, was neatly folded down, the pillow fluffed against the headboard and the bedside lamp turned low. On the comforter, two small packages waited.
The first was a box of her favorite chocolates. She opened it and popped one in her mouth, letting it melt on her tongue before swallowing. She sighed with pleasure, then picked up the other item.
A book.
She ran her hand over the cover. Ian Fleming's James Bond in Casino Royale.
While some people went for leather bound hardbacks, she had always preferred the paperbacks with their original artwork. She remembered mentioning that once to Nick as they waited in the Stark library for something. Apparently, he had remembered.
Refilling her wine glass again, she crawled into bed and opened the book, feeling like she was becoming reacquainted with an old friend. As the first chapter concluded, she marked her place and placed it on the nightstand, picking up her phone instead. She looked at it for a few moments, considering, then typed in a text message.
NF: Ready for immediate debriefing. My quarters. MH
Taking a deep breath, she hit 'send'.
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Hmm. Think this may call for a chapter 8.5. What do you think?
And chapter 9 is also underway.
As always, feedback greatly appreciated, reviews adored.