Chapter Two

Nick Fury thumbed through the report that sat in front of him. A cigarette sat smoldering in an ashtray to his right, apparently forgotten, if the length of ash was any indication. The hard lines of his face were pulled tightly down, a scowl playing across his features. Setting the report down on his desk, he reached to the phone that was beside of his elbow. Pressing the call button, he requested to be connected to Sharon Carter's office. The line went dead temporarily, and crackled back to life at the sound of Sharon's voice. "Good afternoon, Nick. I trust that this call is in regard to the report that I faxed you this morning."

"Yeah, Sharon. Where did this little piece of Intel come from?"

"A source out of Madripoor provided the outline, and our field agents in Canada did the background research. Not a pretty picture, is it?"

"So the details have been confirmed by our own S.H.I.E.L.D. agents?"

"That is correct."

"How do you recommend we proceed from here?"

"Nick, you have been in the game a lot longer than any of us. I was hoping by sending you that report first, you could give me some insight on how to proceed."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Sharon." Nick quipped. "Do we know who is supplying the technology?"

"It appears that there is a physician from the original Weapon X project that has eluded us for years. That would explain the know-how. However, technology is coming from an unknown source. Since our last encounter with the Canadian government, we assumed that any remnants of the Weapon X project were destroyed."

"Do we have further intel on the location or the identity of the physician? And do we know the governing body that is attempting to purchase the goods?"

"Christ, Nick, did you read the report at all? I know that the details that we have at this time are spotty at best. I hate to send you out with so little to go on, but the fact remains that someone out there wants to start back up the Weapon X project, and we have no idea who it is. Do we really want another Victor Creed loose in the general population?"

Fury scowl turned positively horrid on that remark, as if his eyebrows were trying to swallow up the eye patch on his face. Victor Creed was a genuine psycho, a creature that lived for the torment of his fellow man. The enhancements that had been done to Creed by the Weapon X project had made him almost unstoppable. "Trust me, I will not let another mistake like Creed happen again."

"I suggest that you assemble a team quickly, and meet up with our agents in Madripoor to see if you can pick up the trail of this physician before the transaction takes place." I will leave the details to your best judgment, as well as who will be accompanying you. Good luck, Nick, and remember that I expect standard reports on your progress."

"I won't let you down, Sharon"

Nick twisted the telephone cord around his finger for a minute as a look of concentration played across his weathered features. Suddenly, his hand shot out and he snatched back up the receiver. He dialed a few digits, and spoke quickly into the handset.

"Get me John Wraith."