1963-06-30 - Super-human Investigations
Summary: Agent Fury and Acting-Director Sousa discuss some hot topics.
Related: http://marvel1963mush.wikidot.com/log:1963-06-14-the-house-that-stark-built
Theme Song: None
sousa fury 


Sousa is trying not to count the days until Peggy gets back. He hasn't heard anything and the only phone calls have been brief and mostly family-oriented. So, preparations are continuing to receive the 'former' Nazi scientists and he's trying to oversee those preparations as much as possible. He is also trying to maintain his own work within Supernatural/Super-Human Investigations. It's not an easy balance.

Currently seated at the Director's desk, he's reading and making notes on some paper and looking at some photographs. His crutch rests against the desk within easy reach and there's a rhythmic 'tap tap' from his pen as he idly taps it on the blotter of the desk as he reads.

*

Going to the Director's Office. Director Carter's out, has been, and, well… the less time spent in offices, the better as far as Nick is concerned. Hell, if he had an office, he wouldn't want to be in it either. In a million years, he'd never, ever want to be a desk jockey. But behind that door today is a relative unknown, which makes him uneasy, which, in turn, means there's a wariness behind the single-eye.

A rap is given at the non-descript door at the end of the hall, rapid, self-assured. Personalities can be ascertained by how that person knocks. Slow, uncertain to a pounding. Nick is no-nonsense, and to the point.

*

"Come in!" is called as Sousa finishes up what he was reading and closes that particular folder. It's set into one of the piles on the desk before he uses the piece of furniture to balance as he gets to his feet.

When the agent enters, he offers a hand, "Agent Fury, right? Come on in…have a seat. Can I get you anything? Water, coffee…" He gestures to the small seating area if he chooses.

"So, what can I do you for?" He got the message that requested the meeting and made sure to make time for it.

*

The door opens, and in steps Nick Fury. Turning around deliberately, he closes the door before he takes the one step, two towards the desk. He glances around the room quickly, a brief scan, before his eye locks onto the pictures. She's still got 'em up.

"Yes sir." He got the name right. "No sir, I'm fine." Nick does take a seat, however, when directed. If given a choice, he always stands.

"I'm looking for some clarification." His voice is low, serious. "SHIELD is a multifunctional agency, correct?" Nick knows it is. He's been with it for some time. Virtually from the beginning. "Now, assuming for a moment a project comes forward that has to deal with all this cr- garbage with the mutants, where are we looking in terms of responsibility?"

*

The door opens, and in steps Nick Fury. Turning around deliberately, he closes the door before he takes the one step, two towards the desk. He glances around the room quickly, a brief scan, before his eye locks onto the pictures. She's still got 'em up.

Nick extends his hand to the one pro-offered with a "Yes sir." He got the name right. "No sir, I'm fine." Nick does take a seat, however, when directed. If given a choice, he always stands.

"I'm looking for some clarification." His voice is low, serious. "SHIELD is a multifunctional agency, correct?" Nick knows it is. He's been with it for some time. Virtually from the beginning. "Now, assuming for a moment a project comes forward that has to deal with all this cr- garbage with the mutants, where are we looking in terms of responsibility?" (RE)

*

Sousa grabs his crutch and limps his way over to the seating area as well. He also takes a seat, his left leg remaining outstretched in front of him. Eyebrows raise at the subject, but he nods. "Yes, SHIELD is a multifunctional agency…" he knows of Agent Fury and knows Peggy has worked with the man quite a bit. He shifts in his seat at the real question, "Ah."

"I suppose it's what we plan on doing about the mutants. Technically, I think they would fall under my department," his real one, "But it's certainly possible that others will want to get in on the action, depending on what is actually done." He leans forward then, "What, specifically, are we talking about?"

*

"What is it that we plan on doing with them, sir? If you don't mind my asking." Nick is actually personally invested in this as well as professionally. "Now that this is a 'thing', an' all." He leans forward as well, never letting his voice rise in the office. "Because we can't always depend on them turnin' the other cheek if riots start up." Again. "Kick a dog enough and it'll turn on you." He knows that well enough.

"It's a fine line to walk, though. Beat 'em down, they're gonna rise up. Be reasonable, and some'll be fine and be neighborly right back, and others?" Nick shakes his head. "Not so much. And you know as well as I that the Fed can't do sh— nothing about it. They'll come in with hoses, and they're gonna find out that mutants don't fold like that."

*

"I don't mind you asking at all, Fury," Sousa offers, looking at the man. "I've been thinking about the same thing, myself." A hand taps at the armrest of the chair, "It was recently pointed out to me that they could be considered 'minorities' and we don't harass minorities. However, I don't know if that's entirely correct since the few reports I have and the footage from the riot show that they're of different backgrounds." Not how they generally define 'minority' right now.

"I'd like them observed. I have knowledge that there's a mutant-led research institution based somewhere outside the city and I want information on that. What are they researching?" There's another tap of his fingers, "I wouldn't mind talking to a few. They could certainly be an asset to SHIELD if they were interested in that route. But if their goal is to wreak havok, then we need to figure out a way to shut that down before it gets too wide-spread."

*

"You can't put 'em into a single pile." The government makes that mistake every day with blacks, and Nick is smarter than that. "And 'minority', hell. They could be a majority for all we know. They've been layin' low until the riot." Which spooked his 'son'.

Nick knows first hand about that 'research institution'. Saw a business card for it an everything. "Any CORONA pictures?" Of course, right now, that's above his grade, but that doesn't stop him from knowing about the existing satellite surveillance abilities of the US. "Easier than getting a man in." Though, Nick -could- actually -get- a man in.

"And if they're not friendlies?"

*

"We don't have coordinates," is answered in response to CORONA. "We don't even know what we're looking for besides 'facility'. Is it a warehouse? Underground? In someone's garage?" Sousa inclines his head at the mention of lumping them into a pile. "That's sort of what I thought, too. They don't fit the demographic."

His hands do come up to his chin, his index fingers pressing together against his lips. "What defines a 'mutant'? I think we need to know that, as well. Is it extra-ordinary abilities? In which we have a few of those in-house already. If they're a majority then…" Then Howard was right and they need as many of them on their team. One doesn't need special abilities to go 'evil' but if they have them, it makes them harder to take down. "…then we need to know that as well. The more knowledge we have, the more we'll know if they're friends or foes."

His hands lower, "If they're not friendlies then we can't let them get stronger. We may need to take them down."

*

"Easy enough with some of those eggheads you got. We already know what's supposed to be there. We've got files on every mom and pop operation this side of the Mississippi, plus on every mom and pop." That last bit is probably a little more terse and matter of fact than Nick probably meant, but then again? Maybe not.

Still, he's not about to tip his hand. Nick's got too much invested, and Kurt is no one's damned business but his own. "Yeah, we do have a few in-house, but question is, you gonna turn 'em into a team? Or they just gonna go out there and maybe, just maybe, something'll go right for 'em?"

*

"But we don't have information on everyone who lives in the city and outside of it," Sousa points out. "Not unless we have a reason." They don't go digging into Average Joe's business unless there's due cause. Violation of one of the Amendments. "If someone can get me an address or a name, then we can start looking. I have a name of one potential member and what we're turning up isn't…well, it doesn't sound 'friendly'.

Sousa does stand now, pushing up from his seat and grabbing his crutch. He doesn't move far, however, but sort of half-sits on the back of the chair he was just in. The question gets another raise of his brows, "There's been talk of a team, yes. What do you know about it?"

*

Does Nick believe that for a moment? Hell no. He was CIA. Almost everyone in this country has a file. "If you say so, sir." McCarthy made sure of it. Hollywood was full of subversives, real or imagined. Every black family that enrolls their kids into school a potential threat. There is a war going on, after all, and protesters are coming out of the woodwork already. Little Amendment violation never stopped agencies before. Certain ones, anyway.

When Sousa rises, Nick does also out of ingrained respect. One doesn't sit when a superior office isn't. "Potential member of this research facility?" He doesn't ask, however. It's information tucked away.

And there, there's the question. Talk of a team. "If there's a team, that would fall under your department, then." Nick is clarifying, even though the entire conversation has led thusly. "Assuming there is such a team under consideration, I would request consideration to be part of forming said team." Beat. "Sir."

*

"Alex Summers, a geophysicist. What does geophysics have to do with a mutant research facility, I have no idea." Sousa isn't going to touch the point about files on every household. Not his purview and he doesn't want to get into that. He's SSR into SHIELD…very different foci. "I'm told he also had a mutant bodyguard with him. Why does a geophysicist need a bodyguard?" That does seem to be quite a question.

As the subject comes around to the Team, Sousa cants his head before giving a little sigh, "Yes and no. R&D came up with the project and the Director is the ultimate say, from my understanding. However, it does also fall under my department." At the request, those eyebrows rise again, "May I ask why? Curiosity, really."

*

What the hell does a geophysicist do, anyway? Nick's never had to worry about something like that, and likely will never have to. "Alex Summers. And a mutant bodyguard," he repeats. "It's a rough world out there, sir. I don't blame the guy for having someone to watch his back." But it's still a valid question.

"R&D. Your department." Nick shakes his head, his voice low, "Too damn many fingers." As if he was asked his opinion? "Something like that needs its own department." Still, he's not the one in charge.

The 'why', however, brings Nick's attention around. "Because my talent here is being wasted. Sir. Director Carter is a good woman, but even she can't hold off everyone forever." He nods in the direction of one of the Howling Commandos pictures. "They were my men. Every last one of 'em." He looks back at Sousa, his expression .. now neutral. "I work to earn my pay. If those mutants out there are good people, they're gonna need someone who recognizes that and sees through the differences. I mean for real. Not some lip service. And if they're not, you'd better believe you'll need your ass covered from the media up to the President and the UN." He pauses before the finish, "And you sure as hell know I'm that man."

*

"Why does a scientist need a bodyguard?" is repeated as well…as if maybe that's a hint? Sousa rests his forearm on the top of the crutch as he stands, "I agree that there are to many cooks in the kitchen, but it was Stark's idea and I can't very well wrench it away from him. He's supposed to run potential members by me, however." It seems that he hasn't brought anyone to his attention yet.

At the nod to the article about the Howling Commandos, he follows the other's gaze, "I met one of your men on one of my missions. Good man. Good crew." He then turns back to Fury, watching him for a moment…possibly assessing him and his words. "All right. But I want to know names and 'why' you want them on this team. But you can pick the ones you think would be good for it." Maybe he'll conduct his own interviews, but the other's reasons for wanting in might just be enough for him to trust his judgement.

*

See? Like right now, Nick is covering Howard's ass. You're welcome.

"Well then, I'd say that when the Director gets back, we all need something of a sit-down and a chat. Because if there's gonna be second guessing out there in the field, there's gonna be problems. Everything has a reason. Including why a scientist has a bodyguard. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say because there's safety in numbers, and our boy Summers is up to something, which is making him paranoid. Now, question is, who is he protecting himself -from-? Other mutants, which could potentially mean that he could be one of our boys, or us. Trick is, if we make contact, we can bring that down to a single front."

Nick looks back at the picture, or rather, lifts his eye. "All of 'em were good men. There isn't one of 'em I wouldn't take to watch my back." He does consider Sousa's words and nods, "I get results, sir. Ain't nothing changed in that." He's quiet for a long moment before, "Permission to be excused?"

*

"I'm in complete agreement with you," Sousa replies in reference to having a sit-down. Poor Peggy, from one item of business to another with nary a break. "It's a place to start, perhaps," in regards to finding out why another might feel they need a bodyguard. "I'm not entirely sure we should be making assumptions when it comes to these mutants until we know more about them." After all, he knows so little and it's his department! There may be a shakedown once he's back to only one position within the organization.

"Permission granted. Thanks for volunteering for this, Agent Fury. I know Director Carter trusts you and because of that, so do I. Go do what you do best." Get results. "I'm looking forward to your reports."

*

Fury has left.

*

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