Goddess of Deception

Phil takes me to the S.H.I.E.L.D. training facility.

“Here you will learn International laws, espionage, fight training and the rules and regulations of being a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. You will train here for a year. Once you have completed your training I will take you under my wing as a rookie and show you the ways of being an S.H.E.I.L.D. agent.” Phil said

“Thank you for this opportunity. It’ll be nice to stay in one place for a while.” I said

Since I know so many different languages and cultures the espionage training was not that hard. The hardest was fight training. For one, let’s just say the way I was taught to fight is very archaic. Nothing like today's fighting. Two, I had to make sure I didn’t kill anyone because I am quite a bit stronger than the average human. But luckily I'm a fast learner. A year for me goes by like a snap of the finger.

*2004*

“While you were gone I did some research on you. I went to Norway and heard many stories of Runa Thorsdotter. Of how you would help people in droughts. Provide villages with water. Being the town's protector.” Phil said

“So I guess you didn’t hear about all the battles I fought in?” I said

“Oh no, I heard the great tales of the berserker warrior that was Runa Thorsdotter,” Phil said

“Yea about that…” I said

“You don’t need to explain yourself, it was the times, battles were fought,” Phil said

“Thanks,” I said

I just let him think it was something I had to do, and not something I enjoyed doing. Because I really did enjoy it.

“All of the years we have of you on record, you have never been charged with a crime,” Phil said

“My mother always told me that I was a God among men and I should show them a better path. Show them how life should be lived. Set an example for people to follow.” I said

“I knew I made a right decision in sending you to training,” Phil said

“You said when I first met you that S.H.I.E.L.D was in the market for people with abilities, why?” I asked

“S.H.I.E.L.D is a preventive protection agency. We try to stop wars before they start and if we can't, we try to end them as fast as we can, with minimal casualties. There was an initiative proposed in 1994 by director Fury after what we call the Secret Invasion. The Avengers Initiative. Its purpose was to gather all enhanced individuals and form a team if something crazy were to happen.” Phil said

“What’s the Secret Invasion?” I asked

“That’s out of your clearance,” Phil said

“Well, what do you mean by crazy,” I asked

“Anything, Zombies, Vampires, Aliens, WW3,” Phil said

“Those things are all real?” I asked

“Not zombies and Vampires,” Phil said

“What about aliens?” I asked

Phil is silent.

*April 16, 2005*

We were on our lunch break. Phil gets a call.

“Yep…yep…Alright…Got it.” Phil said

“Get your lunch to go,” Phil said as we get into our SUV

“Where are we going?” I asked

“Airport. They had an incident at Culver University.” Phil said

“Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project?” I asked

“Yep,” Phil said

“How bad?” I asked

“Won't say. We’ll see when we get there.” Phil said

We get on the jet and fly to West Virginia and arrive at Culver University. There's a giant hole in the side of the building.

“How many injured?” Phil asked

“3 dead, 6 injured.” The officer said

”What happened?” I asked

“Well…It was a giant green man.” The officer said

Phil and I look at each other.

“Like the Jolly green giant,” I said

“No, this guy was huge.” The officer said

“Well, I need more than just a big green guy. What did he look like? Did he have three heads 10 arms? Give me more.” I said

“He was just a guy. He looked like us just really big.” The officer said

“How big?” I asked

“I don’t know about 9 feet tall about 1500 pounds.” The officer said

“Holy shit,” I said writing everything down

“What is this? Alien?” I asked Phil

“No, They were trying to replicate Project Rebirth. The project that made Captain America.” Phil said

“Well, it doesn’t look like it worked,” I said as we walk into the building seeing the destruction.

“Do you have a list of who was working today?” Phil asked one of the workers

“Yes.” They said getting the paperwork.

“Out of all these people who’s missing?” Phil asked

“UUUMMM…Dr. Banner. Bruce Banner” She said

“Ok, thank you,” Phil said walking away.

“So, what do we do now? They have a giant green guy running around. I can take him out. Let me track him down and I can end this before any more people get hurt.” I asked

“No. We're going talk to Ross and see what they were up to in that lab,” Phil said

We drive to the hospital that Ross was at. He was in the outpatient area. We walk up to him.

“Shit already,” Ross said

“Come on Ross, you know the drill. What were you doing in that lab?” Phil said

“Our funding was going to be cut so we did what we had to do,” Ross said

“And what was that?” I asked

“Banner volunteered. Betty created a serum based on Erskine’s and gave it to Bruce. That and the combination of Gamma radiation caused a mutation.” Ross said

“A really big mutation,” I said

“You thought your funding as going to be cut, wait till you see what’s next,” Phil said

“No…you can’t…We need this project…” Ross said as we walked out

“Now we wait for a sighting,” Phil said

That doesn’t take long.

*May 19, 2005*

We were at the Triskelion. Phil walks up to me and drops some papers on my desk.

“Reports of a man transforming into a giant green man at the Canada/US border.” Phil said

“So that means he can go back to human form. That’s going to make it even harder to find him.” I said

We get on that plane and fly to the border. We make our way to the sighting. Two officers tried to arrest Banner trying to cross the border and that’s when he transformed. We were looking in the woods. Trees were toppled over.

“Hey found something.” An FBI agent said

He holds up a watch. I grab it and look at it. The back said ‘To Bruce, all my love, Betty.' I hold it up and show Phil

“Its him”

Then radio silence for a year. No sightings or anything.

*May 27, 2006*

I get a call.

“Recon satellite, position over Canada got pictures of a big green guy. Thought I should call you and Phil since this is your big case.” The agent said

“Ok, on our way.” I said hanging up the phone

“Off to Canada again.” I told Phil

“Banner” Phil asked

“Yep.” I said

So we go to Canada again. We land and stop at a gas station to get coffee. I pick up a paper. 'Green Sasquatch '

“Hey Phil, Look at this,” I said holding up the paper

“Green Sasquatch,” Phil said turning to the cashier

“Have you heard about this?” Phil asked

“Yea, it’s weird. Everyone is saying they seen this big green dude running around naked in the woods. I think there are all crazy, but hey, what do I know. They could just be smoking that good stuff, you know.” The cashier said

“Where are these people?” I asked

“Down the road to the left.” The cashier said

We go to these their homes and talk to them, but they have no new information.

“Look, I think it’s time to give up on Banner. We are just chasing cold leads. It’s been over a year and we are no closer to finding him than we were last year.” I said

“Yea, might be time to leave it to the military.” Phil said

The everything just goes quiet for years.

Notes