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After talking to Billy, Teddy got in contact with the Director and asked for a meeting. Letting her know it was about someone who wanted to be a SHIELD consultant as well, he suggested the Triskelion since it's an actual known secret headquarters as opposed to the one beneath the Chinese place. At the appointed hour, he and Billy fly down the ground and let the guard know the Director is expecting them.
*
Consultants. Peggy let it be known that she's not entirely sure how she feels about this 'consulting' business. It opens them up to trouble and lacking trust, when she trusts all of her agents implicility. This is walking a line. So, he wasn't invited to the office, but she did agree to a meeting at their public front, even if she had to drive all the way out to Governor's Island to do it. At the expected hour, the guard lets all of them in and leads down a long, open hall to where the director has a too-modern, too window filled, completely unused office. She doesn't even have photos up here. Seeing shapes approaching the door, the rather pregnant director stands and calls, "Come in, come in, please…"
*
Billy comes dressed in his super duper top secret agent man outfit: black jeans and a black hoodie. He seems distinctly nervous, eyeing the guards with a certain wary look, even if he's been here before. The completely unused office doesn't set his mind at ease, but seeing the lady director is all so very preggers actually does, somewhat. You can't be pregnant and be an evil government mastermind, right? Assuredly not. "Hi." he says hesitantly, gesturing slightly, "Uhh. Hi. Sooo, uh, glad to see the alien tube things didn't mess up the whole baby thing for you, was concerned during the rescue." He awkwardly scratches at the back of his head.
*
Teddy looks around as they get escorted down into the complex. "Wow, it looks so much better when it's not rubble." It's actually the first time he's been here when something hasn't blown up. As is usual when he's being SHIELD-y, he's shifted into a more normal, albeit green, humanoid form that's only slightly bulked up so he's still kind of bullet proof. His SHIELD uniform has the name tag HULKLING on it. Hearing Peggy, he leads the way in. "Hey. Director, this is Billy. He'd like to work for you too. Billy, this is Director… ummm. The Director."
*
The sharp, middle aged woman who might be physically as soft around the middle as they get right now, but is otherwise all lines and stiff, military presence, leans her hand over for a proper, business-like shake. "Billy. Do you have a full name, William? Or shall we start this entire relationship on a complete lack of trust? I'm Director Margaret Carter. Director Carter or sir is fine." There is a momentary, sidelong look given to Teddy as she says that, some implication hidden in the words, but then her red velvet lipstick pulls into a smile and she nods them both in. "Come in, sit. Someone might as well get use of the chairs." She clips over to her own leather chair, managing not to waddle (much) in her high heels.
*
Returning the shake with at least a bit more confidence, he settles nervously into a chair and considers a moment. "My name is complicated." he admits, "In fact, *I'm* like the definition of a weird complication. The name I was born with but which you won't find on any records ever is William Maximoff, only with a Transian twist so its probably something like Vilheim or something." He nods his head as he says this, "And yes, I'm related to Wanda." He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, "As for trust, I have a certain… *wariness* about the government and my name ending up on a list of people with powers. It's not that I don't trust *you*, personally, but you can't speak for a successor if politics change and an anti-mutant agenda becomes public policy. But…" He shrugs, "I'm willing to deal with the wariness for the greater good." He winces, "So William Kaplan is the name you will find on paper."
*
"Like the trust of wanting to do full background checks?" Teddy asks in response to the look. It goes both ways lady! He takes a seat and lets Billy do the talking since it's really about him. But when he gives his last name, he is obviously surprised and stares at him.
*
A few things surprise Peggy about this all, his first last name, the family relation, and then the fact that he gives his full name. Peggy's smile flickers a bit warmer and a slight tilt of her head with full respect. "Yes, the trust of wanting to do full background checks. It's what starts building that basis. So I know who I'm throwing into the pool with agents who have been with us and loyal for a decade." Peggy doesn't even blink or apologize about that. SHe absolutely believes in her reasoning. "Thank you, Mr. Kaplan. I suspect it will be a great pleasure working with you. I read the report, your assistance was invaluable. You are one of the few to whom I directly owe my life."
*
At Teddy's look, Billy shrugs helplessly and gestures to Peggy: its one thing to insist in theory, its another thing to have the pregnant lady talking about trust and all of that stuff. "A background check… worst case scenario if the next President is a wacko anti-mutant guy who appoints Evil Director to run Evil SHIELD and they come after me, I might very well be able to write myself *out* of any records, maybe. I dunno." He nods to Peggy a bit, "I'll be entirely honest I might not have done it if it weren't for Teddy having this insane plan to get himself kidnapped. Oh, if I knew aliens had anyone prisoner I'd be up there fighting to get them free no matter what, but I wouldn't normally have worked with the government to do it. Uhh, seeing Wanda was a shock. See, I go around doing the whole superhero thing on my own but you know I figure I'm only capable on a certain scale? And there's some scales you are on that are beyond me. And I figure if the world is about to end being able to get there without you know travelling between spaces might be useful for you. I really want the world not to end. I'm kind of firmly in the not-world-end camp." Pause, "Also solo-heroing doesn't pay very well and I kinda want to move out, to be entirely honest about my motives."
*
"It wasn't insane!" Teddy protests. "It takes a lot to hurt me when I'm ready for it and they had no reason to suspect another shapeshifter was replacing the one they wanted to replace. Though Fitz didn't tell her about it and now she's really pissed off at him." he tells Billy in an aside. "I told him to let her hit him." He shrugs and looks back to Peggy with a sigh. "You /promise/ you won't let me mom know about any of this? I suppose if some Evil Director does take over, it won't matter if you know my last name when I can just change what I look like."
*
"If some Evil Director takes over who has such ideas, gentlemen, I trust a few others on my team to ensure that that evil director firmly disappears before they can impliment any of those ideas. Everyone in SHIELD knows what we are here to do… What we dedicate ourselves to. If someone tries to change that?" Peggy just clears her throat, leaning forward in her chair as much as her belly will allow and folding her fingertips neatly on her desk. The smile on her lips is utterly terrifying. "They no longer get to be a part of this organization. I've made that… implicitly clear to certain parties." Yes, Peggy has just said that, after her little kidnapping, she has put some black ops into the organization to actually take out their own. She says it without hesitation or fear. If anyone has been terrified by a pregnant lady? This might be the time. She then clears her throat and rolls her shoulders back a touch more, "Your mother won't know a thing, Theodore. That is not my job to rat on people to their mums. And Billy… it sounds like you may wish to do more than consult. We do pay well, you know?"
*
Billy's eyes widen a bit at mention of…. disappearing people, looking a bit warily at the woman. She kind of has a scary mom voice. Billy pauses a moment, thoughtfully, "Well I don't exactly know what consulting means. I'm not an expert on anything and do still have to go to college? So I'm not looking for a full time gig… but look, see, I have certain abilities that would be useful." And then he and his chair are lifted up in the air for a moment before settling back down, then his hands come up and electricity zaps from one hand to the other, "Its why I used to go by Aether, I thought maybe I was like a grandson of Zeus or something weird like that. But these are all manifestations of something…. a great deal more powerful that I'm only beginning to figure out. Uh, this I *must* insist you not write down anywhere, ever. The implications of what I can actually do is dangerous for people in power to be aware of. Best people think of me as like… a wizard from Dungeons and Dragons." Which doesn't exist yet. "Err, that's likely not helpful. Spells." Then he eyes Teddy as an aside, "Just because it *worked* didn't mean it wasn't cracked. Aliens kidnapped you! There was no guarantee I could have gotten to you. I wasn't as good at wormholes then." But he does add quickly for Peggy's benefit, "I've gotten them down now." Pause. "Well except closing them. I'm still working on that." Pause. "They close on their own eventually!" is added a bit defensively.
*
So she's going to kill them. See, that's what Teddy's expected of a super secret government spy agency. "If you hadn't been able to find me, I'd have just broken out and found her on my own. I did have the SHIELD tracking device that Fitz built for me." Granted, being in space was a complication but they knew it was a possibility. He looks back at peggy and folds his arms across his chest, letting out a sigh. "Fine. It's Altman. And no one is to talk to her about this. And I need lots of money too." Which is the cause of all this in the first place.
*
Altman. Peggy writes down nothing, but there is no doubt that both the young mens' names are completely memorized and soon going to be fully run down for a background check. She keeps her hands smoothly folded and watches both of them with just a touch of a glimmer of amusement through her dark eyes. She tilts her head, "Are you two lovers? You fight like my husband and I. It's… charming." No judgment. Just amusement. Perhaps a bit of soft around the edges approval. She then clears her throat and stiffens again. "Yes, well…I'd prefer to have you both full time with shifting schedules around your classes. It depends if you are up to such a challenge."
*
Billy promptly blushes and DOES NOT ANSWER THAT QUESTION. "Oh, like… see, I didn't realize you guys had like… that much *work* that needed magicing." He blinks, the implication causing him to consider this matter seriously, "I have no idea what is involved in secret agenting. I figured every so often you'd need a lift or some firepower or the… well, unique things I can do as a reality warper… you'd call me up and I'd show up and help out. I didn't really think you'd have stuff that needed me on a regular, ongoing basis. But if you do? And if schedules can be flexible… college is important to me." He looks questioningly over at Teddy.
*
Teddy just… freezes at the question. "NO!" he answers, perhaps a bit too emphatically. Even though it's the truth. "Just… what's involved in not being a consultant? Is it same as a nine to five job?"
*
The older woma arches a hard brow, amusement fluttering across her eyes. "So, that is a yes. Charming. We offer spousal benefits to partners of all sex. It's… progressive. And a lot of people get cranky about it. And the paperwork is a bit complicated, but we have it, never the less." As Peggy gives that little, permissive statement, she then goes back to a more stiff personal. "It is not. We are still agents. There are dangerous things that happen in the evenings, the weekends. For the first while, you all will train to actually be agents. In combat, stealth, clue detection, people reading… Then you start on as junior agents with more senior partners taking on whatever issues come up. Sometimes it's a fight. Often it's a mystery."
*
"That is a not *yet*." replies the blushing Billy, not at all sure how this conversation happened! "I was told that you can get killed for admitting this sorta thing in this time!" he exclaims, "By which I mean uhh… anyways so like. Combat?" Blinking some more, "I don't object to learning all of that stuff, though I think if it comes down to me punching someone something has gone *wildly* wrong. My telekinetics are way stronger then my muscles will ever be and my lightning is … but. Okay." He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out, "I'll be a … trainee agent. But you should be willing to use me in the field even before I graduate to junior agent. I've got more experience then you might expect given my age. And most of what I do is improvised, that's just sorta how the magic *works*. But I can be a trainee agent." What is he getting himself into? And why can he not stop blushing?
*
Teddy doesn't say a word. Not a word. About that, anyway. "I can fight. And I've got stealth covered. Suppose the rest can be useful. What's it pay?" Really, cut to the chase and get to the important part. "And is there a housing allowance? I'd really like to move out of my mom's place but college is taking most of our spare cash. We're not rich."
*
It's more Billy's comment about 'this time' that catches Peggy's interest, than being killed for it. "…Yes, you can be, and speaking about it in the street is ill advised. But… in *our time*… in this organization, you are protected. That is simply the ship I run. Now, tell me, William Kaplan… what do you mean our time? Do you have a sense of the future or do you claim to travel through time the way you travel through space?" Yes, this is going to be far more interesting than worrying about getting them set up as junior agents. "Junior agent and trainee salary starts at 10,000 a year. No housing allowance. So… you find roommates and make due, like most of us did growing up."
*
H E double hockey-sticks. She picked up on it. Billy grimaces, "I'm from the future. It was related to that whole… hellmouth thing?" He isn't entirely clear how, so he shrugs, "There was a magical snafu that wrenched me back in time and stuck me here. Now before you start getting your hopes up there's two things that are important. Well, one, the magic tried to rewrite my existance to fit me in— your background check is sorta funny to me since my entire life is a magical fabrication, but it was a *very* good one. But mainly, and this is the doozy, this is *completely useless*. I know certain facts, but my memory was affected so that I completely lack context. I know that in the future the government *will* turn on mutants. I don't know when, or who will order it, or what agency does it, or why it comes to pass. I knew the President would get killed but didn't know when, or where, or how: so knowing that is completely useless. I couldn't have told anyone anything that would have been useful." He sighs, seeming annoyed, "So I'm not a source of intel. The facts are completely without context. And I couldn't reproduce that if I wanted to: we don't really understand how it happened. Somehow Wanda was doing something at the hellmouth, I was doing something… and my life got snapped back here, and stitched into the world. This is just… why I mentioned early on I'm the definition of weird complication. Oh, Wanda's my mom despite being only 25. She just hasn't gotten pregnant with me yet. My life is weird, Director. So very, very, very weird. There was a day last week when I was a girl, and I did not at all know how important bras were until then." He rubs at his chest with a wince.
*
Ten thousand? That's… a lot. A lot more than they'd need in the place Teddy was looking to get an apartment. They could even get a place without gangs on the corner. "Powers make life complicated." he corrects.
*
Yes she picked up on it. There isn't very much that gets past Peggy Carter, and that wasn't the first weird time thing he dropped, just the first obvious enough that she couldn't let it slip. So, here they are. Peggy listens to his explanations in silence, both her brows slowly climbing up her face, but no accusations of him being crazy, a liar, or wasting her time. The woman seems someone who has seen enough in the world — especially after being kidnapped by aliens — that she's pretty much able to accept such things. Besides, she's can tell when someone is lying. When he's done with the explanation, she exhales quietly, leaning back in the chair, "Not to mention the risk of creating a time paradox, if you stop something that needs to happen for you to be there. It's all theory but… not really a theory I care to test. That being said, if you remain in our organization, I suspect I will put you… Both of you… on a contengient watching out for just that risk. If the government turns on mutants, it will turn on all heroes. I don't intend for that to happen to my people. SHIELD is the protector of ALL people. Mutants, heroes, and regular citizens alike. That will not change as long as I or any predacessor I pick atill breathe." Peggy explains quietly. Then she looks back towards Tedy, a slight smile quirking as he takes in the payment. "… It seems the salary is acceptable? Good. I'll get the paperwork drawn up for both of you. Do let me know your college schedules, yes?"
*
Huh, that's novel. She seems almost to have believed him the first time he explained it? That's new! "Yeah, time is way too dangerous to mess with." Billy does agree, and he nods quickly, "Yeah, the salary is acceptable. Oh, all my classes are loaded up on tuesdays and thursdays, I'm taking twelve credits as I didn't want to overload myself." He blinks a moment, letting the idea of SHIELD and protecting everyone and watching out for the government… and Peggy seems genuine about this? See, he was right to trust the pregnancy. Pregnancy inherantly makes you good, everyone knows that. "I'm sure the government will turn on them all when the time comes, its just they'll specifically figure out how to fight mutants." Frustrated, he shrugs, "I just don't remember what it is. I only remember 'Sentinel', but don't know if its a program, some sort of mutant detector, some weapon, an organization, some technology, what." He shrugs and shakes his head, "But, anyways. Yeah. Tuesday/Thursdays. Umm, when do we start?" At least he's not blushing anymore!
*
Teddy looks over at Billy for a moment then nods. "I think it's good, yeah. I'll be able to pay for college, find a place to live and give my mom some money too. As far as classes, I have some every day in the afternoons." Lets him sleep late and stay up late.
*
"Mr. Kaplan, your schedule will be ideal then. We'll set those to your day off and it will be up to you to manage your work load. I do want a report on everything you can remember about these Sentinels but, until I give word, no one else knows that we had this conversation about them, understood?" Peggy fiercely clips out, wanting to juggle between protecting the world from them and protecting the timeline. Then she looks back to Teddy, frowning just a bit with an arched brow. "…Afternoons, hmm? Lets you stay up as late as you wish and sleep in all morning. That will be harder. Next semester, if you still wish to work with us, you will need to switch to a schedule more like Billy's. For now, we will have you on half days. *Mornings*."
*
Billy wrinkles his nose at Teddy's schedule, and winces when he gets put on morning duty. BUt he nods to Peggy, "I'll write up what I can remember, but there is almost nothing besides the name. Its how this stuff tends to go: I think it might be on purpose. Reality might have allowed the whole slipping through time thing but it put its foot down on paradoxes, so scrambled my head. But uhh, Wanda knows. And Stephen. My non-Kaplan parents." He's not even sure how it is that he managed to have two sets of parents: that little oddity is still weird for him.
*
Teddy shrugs unrepentantly. "Bad guys come out at night. I can't be fighting criminals at midnight and be awake at seven to make class." No, he's not up all night partying. Up all night catching late scifi movies maybe. But not partying. "But sure, I can do a different schedule next semester."
*
"The bad guys come out all points of the day. And, especially with SHIELD, 9 pm in Hong Kong is 9 am here. But… for your training, you will start mornings. Once you change your schedule, we can consider more flexible evening hours." Teddy is, alas, getting the strict sort of boot camp treatment. THat he's going to have to do some uncomfortable hours to prove that he's interested in this. "You gentlemen will start MOnday, 9 am. Both of you report to a restaurant called Wing Sing in Chinatown. You should be smart enough to find it, Teddy knows the way. WE will get you settled in with fingerprints, background checks, and your training schedule. Understood?"
*
"Wing Sing in Chinatown." Billy repeats it a little skeptically, but after a moment he shrugs, "Well I guess if you're going to have a secret government spy agency you wouldn't put its name on the door. Okay. Monday, 9AM. I'm going to have a job." This sounds a little daunting, "And here I was thinking I'd get some sort of internship at an accountant's office. This has been very weird, madame Director. Very weird indeed."
*
Teddy glances down at his fingertips then back to Peggy and shrugs. That's kind of useless but whatever floats her boat. "The food's actually good there." he informs Billy. "I'd actually eaten there a couple of times before I knew there was a secret SHIELD base underneath it. I bet all the waiters know kung-fu and can kill you with their finger, right?" he asks Peggy then nods at what Billy says. "Weird." he agrees. "But cool. We should start looking for an apartment. And I've got to figure out how to tell my mom I'm moving out. And… how I'm paying for it." he adds with a frown then looks at Peggy. "What's my cover?" He's seen a bunch of spy movies.
*
A slight chuckle escapes her throat and Peggy leans back in her chair, giving them a little wave. "Dismissed, gentlemen. I will see you on Monday. And oh, Theodore, I don't know. You're the spy, make something up." Peggy winks at him, that devious sort of teasing smile crossing her lips which says she was probably quite beautiful, and quite a bit of trouble when she was younger. She waves them off once more, "Don't make me get up from this chair and walk you out, my ankles will be quite unhappy. Go, go… Enjoy your last weekend of freedom. I hear Atlantic CIty is nice this time of year and the Claridge doesn't ask too many questions."
*
"Crap." says Billy in his I-don't-cuss sort of way, "I didn't even think about that. Wanda will understand more or less, but my other parents who I actually live with will have questions. Uhh, I'm really good at math and science. My major is chemical engineering. So I guess I'll look in a phonebook for a chemical company around town and say I'm having a paid internship there." He hops up though, eyeing Peggy a moment, "No no, you stay there and be super pregnant, we can find our own way out." He snags Teddy by the arm and tugs him towards the door.
*
"I know the way out." Teddy's been here more than the other base. "Thanks Director. Tell Fitz I said hi." Glancing down at his arm, he pulls it out of Billy's grasp. "Stop that, I'm coming. And that's a really bad idea. What happens the first time they call there and ask for you?" he asks Billy as they head out of the office. "You know that's going to happen at some point. I've met them. They're going to want to see the apartment too. So will my mom. How are we going to explain not living in a dump?" And he thought fighting crime was complicated.
*
"The front office does have a line that rings to a business called Wolvertone, Zahn and Associates… take that as you will. If you make up more about it, let us know so the girl knows what line of bullshite to spin to your parents." Peggy calls after them, more than a little amused by it all. But the meeting had been exceptionally productive, so she's content to leave it at that.
*
"No, it's a great idea. We explain not living in a dump by having cover jobs." Billy glances back to Peggy and thumbs up, "And see they can help." And they head off, likely bickering, though Teddy gets a narrowed eye'd glower at the 'stop that' comment.
*