Chapter 22: The Consultant's Debrief, Natasha's Tests

Chapter 22: The Consultant's Debrief, Natasha's Tests

The S.H.I.E.L.D. debriefing room was exactly as Adam imagined: sterile, impersonal, and probably bugged within an inch of its life. Nick Fury sat at the head of the table, his single eye fixed on Adam. Phil Coulson sat beside him, looking like he'd just survived a particularly glittery war. Natasha Romanoff, cool and composed, sat opposite Adam, her gaze sharp and assessing.

"Well, this is cozy. It's like a very expensive job interview, but instead of asking about my weaknesses, they're asking about my ability to make their agents question reality. I think I'll ace this."

"Mr. Stiels," Fury began, his voice a low rumble. "Let's talk about New Mexico. And the Stark Expo. And the… anomalies."

"Director," Adam said, leaning back in his chair, a picture of nonchalance. "As I told Agent Rushman, I was merely observing. From a distance. My agency specializes in… unusual phenomena. And those events certainly qualified."

"Unusual phenomena that seemed to benefit our operations, Mr. Stiels," Fury countered, his eye narrowing. "And left a trail of very confused agents. And glitter."

Adam shrugged. "Can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, Director. And sometimes, those eggs are covered in glitter. It's a metaphor."

Natasha's lips twitched, a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Coulson, however, just sighed.

"We know you have abilities, Mr. Stiels," Fury pressed. "We've seen the energy signatures. The sudden disappearances. The… spontaneous tap-dancing."

Adam chuckled. "Ah, the tap-dancing. A classic. It was a stressful situation. I thought a little musical interlude would lighten the mood."

"We need to understand your capabilities," Fury said, ignoring the humor. "And your intentions. Are you with us, or against us?"

"Director, I'm a private investigator," Adam said, his voice taking on a rare serious tone. "I'm on the side of innocent people. And I'm against anyone who wants to hurt them. Whether they're wearing a metal suit, a green skin, or a very bad toupee. My intentions are clear. I want to help. On my terms."

Fury stared at him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Your terms. Understood. But we need a demonstration. A controlled environment. To assess your… unique talents."

Adam grinned. "A test? Finally! I was starting to think this was just a very long, very boring lecture. What's the challenge? Making Coulson levitate? Turning your desk into a giant rubber ducky?"

Coulson flinched. Fury just sighed.

Natasha, however, spoke up. "We'll be running a series of exercises. Controlled scenarios. To see what you can do. And how you do it. Just you. No agency support."

"Oh, she wants to see me sweat. Cute. But I'm Adam Stiels. I don't sweat. I shimmer. And I'm about to put on a show for the Black Widow."

The next few days were a blur of S.H.I.E.L.D. training exercises. They threw everything at him: simulated hostage situations, infiltration drills, even a few "what if this alien goo suddenly appeared" scenarios. Adam, unseen, used his Invisibility to bypass security, his Teleportation to appear in impossible places, his Illusions to confuse and disorient, and his Enchanted Might to move heavy objects or create unexpected obstacles.

Natasha was his primary observer. Her eyes, sharp and intelligent, followed his every phantom move. She set up traps, tried to predict his next move, and occasionally, a flicker of genuine surprise would cross her face.

In one exercise, a simulated "bomb" was hidden in a complex, booby-trapped room. Natasha was watching from a control room, trying to track his movements. Adam, invisible, slipped into the room, disarmed the "bomb" in seconds, and then, just for Natasha, used his Matter Reconstruction to turn the "bomb" into a bouquet of roses.

Natasha stared at the screen, then at the roses, a genuine, surprised laugh escaping her. "He turned the bomb into roses? Seriously?"

Later, after the exercises, Natasha found him in a deserted hallway. "You're… good, Stiels," she admitted, a rare compliment. "Very good. Your abilities are… unique. And your methods are… unconventional."

"Unconventional is my middle name, Agent Romanoff," Adam said, a playful glint in his eye. "So, did I pass?"

Natasha leaned against the wall, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Let's just say, Mr. Stiels, you've certainly made an impression. Fury's still trying to figure out how you turned his coffee into glitter."

"That was a classic," Adam chuckled. "So, does this mean I get a S.H.I.E.L.D. badge? Or a secret handshake?"

"It means," Natasha said, her voice softening slightly, "that you're a valuable asset. And that Fury wants to keep a very close eye on you. And me, apparently."

"Oh, she wants to keep a close eye on me, huh? I can work with that. In fact, I insist on it."

"Sounds like a plan, Agent Romanoff," Adam said, a confident smirk on his face. "Just try not to get too attached. I tend to leave a trail of bewildered agents and spontaneous glitter wherever I go."