Chapter 14: Recruitment Drive
POV: Clark
The new office smelled like fresh paint, optimism, and the kind of expensive carpet that suggested serious financial backing. Clark stood in the center of what had once been a cramped Hell's Kitchen storefront and was now the headquarters of Collins Investigations—a name that appeared modest on the business license but concealed resources that would have impressed small governments.
Tony Stark's "grant" had transformed Clark's operation from a one-man PI shop surviving on missing persons cases into something that resembled a legitimate security consulting firm. Proper office space, professional equipment, the kind of technological infrastructure that allowed global operations without attracting unwanted attention from agencies that monitored such things.
"From artifact-collecting private eye to team leader in six months. The system works fast when you're saving billionaire inventors from corporate assassins."
Scott Lang sprawled in a chair that probably cost more than his old apartment's monthly rent, feet propped on a conference table that could have hosted UN negotiations. Luis paced around the room with the manic energy of someone exploring a playground designed specifically for his criminal skill set. Dave examined the new surveillance equipment with professional appreciation. Kurt had already hacked into the coffee machine and programmed it to dispense drinks in seventeen languages.
"Boss," Scott said, grinning at the security monitors that showed every approach to their building, "I gotta admit, this beats working out of your old place. No offense."
"None taken," Clark replied, settling into his new chair while trying to adjust to the reality of leading an organization that had resources instead of surviving on luck and determination. "Tony believes in investing in success."
"And he believes in keeping the people who saved his life happy, well-funded, and available for future consultation. Smart business, good karma, and enlightened self-interest all in one check."
Luis stopped pacing long enough to examine the team roster displayed on one of the main monitors. "Twelve new people, boss. Ex-military, hackers, investigators, even a couple of linguists. We're like a mini-SHIELD now, except with better health benefits and no government oversight."
"Don't get cocky," Clark warned, though he felt the same rush of possibility that came with resources and talented people. "Bigger teams mean bigger responsibilities. More people depending on us to make good decisions."
"And more opportunities for security breaches, personality conflicts, and the kind of operational complications that turn simple jobs into international incidents."
The office door chimed with the musical tone that announced authorized visitors. Natalie Rushman entered carrying a tablet, coffee, and the kind of professional efficiency that made complicated logistics look effortless. She'd adapted to their expanded operation with the seamless competence that suggested either excellent training or natural talent for organizational management.
"Or both. Definitely both, considering she's probably reporting our organizational structure to Nick Fury while simultaneously making sure our payroll is processed correctly."
"Team meeting in five minutes," Natalie announced, her smile bright enough to power the new LED lighting. "I've prepared briefs on our first three cases and coordinated schedules for artifact familiarization training."
Scott's expression suggested he was still processing the concept of "artifact familiarization training" being discussed in professional business contexts. "We're really doing this, aren't we? Making magical investigative work a legitimate career path."
"Legitimate is a relative term when your competitive advantage comes from supernatural items that technically don't exist according to scientific consensus."
"We're providing specialized security consulting to clients with unique requirements," Clark said, which was the corporate euphemism they'd agreed on for "solving problems that conventional law enforcement can't handle."
Dave looked up from his examination of the surveillance equipment. "What kind of unique requirements?"
Clark activated the main display, showing a map of New York City dotted with case markers that represented exactly the kind of unique requirements their expanded operation was designed to address.
"Missing persons with unusual circumstances. Corporate espionage involving experimental technology. Security consulting for individuals who attract the kind of attention that conventional protective services can't handle." Clark gestured to specific markers on the map. "People call us when normal solutions aren't enough."
"People call us when their problems involve things that go bump in the night, when their enemies have resources that shouldn't exist, and when they need solutions that require thinking outside the boundaries of conventional reality."
Kurt raised his hand like he was in school. "Question, boss. What is policy on artifact distribution for team members? Are we receiving enhanced equipment for field operations?"
Clark had been dreading this conversation since the team expansion began. Artifact distribution was a delicate balance between operational effectiveness and security risk. E-tier artifacts were relatively safe, but even low-level supernatural items in the wrong hands could create problems that extended far beyond their immediate operation.
"Each artifact distributed is a potential security breach, a possible target for theft, and a person whose loyalty becomes critical to maintaining operational secrecy. But teams without enhanced capabilities won't survive what's coming."
"Limited distribution," Clark said finally. "E-tier artifacts only, for team members who demonstrate operational security and tactical competence. Everyone gets basic protection items, but specialized equipment requires additional training and clearance."
He opened a secure cabinet that contained his growing collection of duplicate and surplus artifacts—items acquired during missions but not integrated into his personal arsenal. The contents would have fascinated archaeologists, terrified physicists, and provided significant competitive advantages to anyone smart enough to understand their potential.
"Scott," Clark said, pulling out what looked like ordinary black socks. "Silent Steps Socks. They muffle sound when you're moving, make lockpicking easier, and provide enhanced balance for climbing."
Scott accepted the socks with the kind of reverence usually reserved for religious artifacts. "These are... these are actually magical socks."
"Enhanced socks," Clark corrected. "We don't use the M-word in professional contexts."
"Magic is what civilians call technology they don't understand. Enhanced equipment is what we call magic when we want to sound like a legitimate consulting firm."
Luis received a [E-Tier] Mood Ring that provided enhanced emotional reading capabilities—useful for negotiations, interrogations, and avoiding the kind of personality conflicts that could destabilize team operations. Dave got [E-Tier] Lucky Dice that improved probability outcomes for vehicle operations and emergency situations. Kurt was given [E-Tier] Tech Whisperer Gloves that enhanced his already considerable hacking abilities.
But as Clark distributed artifacts to his expanded team, he noticed Natalie's behavior pattern. Every artifact he handled, she found reasons to examine closely. Checking specifications, admiring craftsmanship, accidentally brushing against items with the kind of focused attention that suggested she was gathering intelligence rather than satisfying curiosity.
"She's scanning them. Every artifact I touch, she's somehow analyzing for energy signatures, technological composition, or whatever SHIELD uses to classify supernatural equipment."
The realization that his spy intern was conducting sophisticated surveillance of his artifact collection should have been alarming. Instead, Clark found it almost professionally reassuring. Natasha Romanoff was exactly as competent as her reputation suggested, which meant the intelligence she gathered would be accurate, comprehensive, and probably shared with people who had resources to act on it.
"Better to have competent enemies who understand what they're dealing with than incompetent ones who might make catastrophic mistakes."
"Natalie," Clark said, handing her what appeared to be a simple silver bracelet. "Emergency beacon. Activates with specific biometric signals if you're in immediate danger. Range is approximately fifty kilometers."
She accepted the bracelet with a smile that might have been genuine appreciation mixed with professional calculation. "Thank you. It's beautiful."
"Truth and lies in the same sentence. It is beautiful, and she is grateful, but she's also analyzing its construction while wondering how to reverse-engineer its tracking capabilities."
As the team familiarized themselves with their new equipment, Clark's phone buzzed with their first official case as an expanded operation: a missing persons investigation that had attracted federal attention because the disappeared individuals all worked for companies with government contracts.
"Fifteen software engineers, three physicists, and two linguists," Clark announced, reading the case file that Pepper Potts had forwarded through official channels. "All vanished over the past six months. No patterns in their personal lives, but their professional specializations suggest someone is building a very specific kind of team."
"Human trafficking with a technological focus. Someone's assembling personnel for a project that requires diverse expertise and complete operational security."
Scott studied the case details with the focused attention of someone who'd learned to spot criminal enterprises from the inside. "This isn't random kidnapping. Someone's recruiting for something big."
"Recruiting suggests they had a choice," Luis observed. "These files read more like targeted acquisition of human resources."
"Human trafficking ring with sophisticated targeting and operational capabilities. Either criminal enterprise with exceptional resources, or hostile intelligence operation building assets for future deployment."
Clark felt the familiar weight of decisions that would test his team's capabilities while potentially exposing them to threats that conventional law enforcement couldn't handle. But fifteen missing people meant fifteen families hoping for answers, and the expanded operation had resources that could make a difference.
"All right," he said, standing to address the team with the kind of authority that still felt new but increasingly natural. "This is what we trained for. Dave, you're handling vehicle logistics and surveillance support. Kurt, background research on all missing persons and their potential connections. Luis, coordinate with local contacts for street-level intelligence."
"Command decisions. Resource allocation. Risk assessment. Three months ago I was a one-man operation surviving on Lucky Penny coin flips. Now I'm sending people into danger while hoping my leadership doesn't get them killed."
"Scott, you're with me for direct investigation. Natalie, administrative coordination and liaison with official channels."
Natasha's nod suggested she understood her assignment involved more than administrative work. "I'll establish communication protocols with relevant agencies and ensure our investigation doesn't conflict with ongoing federal operations."
"Translation: she'll make sure SHIELD knows what we're doing while gathering intelligence on our operational methods."
As the team dispersed to begin their first coordinated case, Clark remained in the office, staring at the city map while processing the reality of leading people whose lives would depend on his decisions. The weight of responsibility felt heavier than any artifact he'd carried.
His phone buzzed with a news alert that made his blood run cold: "HULK SIGHTING IN BRAZIL: Military Sources Confirm Enhanced Individual Destruction in Rio Slums."
Clark marked the date on his calendar and began planning for the kind of disaster management that would test every lesson he'd learned about balancing public safety with superhuman conflicts.
"Bruce Banner's running out of hiding places. General Ross is getting more aggressive. And when the Hulk comes to New York, Harlem's going to become a war zone unless someone with artifacts and advance knowledge positions resources to minimize casualties."
Natasha appeared in his doorway, tablet in hand and the kind of expression that suggested she'd noticed his sudden change in demeanor.
"Something wrong?" she asked.
"She's watching. Always watching. Cataloging my reactions to news events, trying to determine if I have advance knowledge of threats that haven't materialized yet."
"Just thinking about resource allocation," Clark said, which was technically true. "Our expanded operation means we can handle multiple cases simultaneously, but it also means we need to be prepared for situations that might require our full attention."
"The kind of situations that involve government oversight?"
Clark met her eyes with the kind of steady gaze that suggested he understood exactly what she was asking. "The kind of situations where civilian safety depends on having the right people in the right places when everything goes wrong."
Natasha's smile was sharp enough to cut glass. "I'm impressed by your foresight, Mr. Collins. It's almost like you know what's coming."
"Dangerous territory. She's fishing again, trying to determine if I have intelligence sources that explain my operational preparations."
"Experience teaches you to prepare for contingencies," Clark replied. "And in our line of work, the contingencies tend to be unusual."
As Natasha left to coordinate their first team case, Clark returned to his disaster planning with the grim certainty that bigger teams meant bigger responsibilities, and that the Hulk's arrival in New York would test every system he'd built for protecting people from superhuman collateral damage.
The Guardian's Barrier hummed quietly in his artifact collection, ready to shield innocent lives from forces that could level city blocks. It would need to be enough.
Because when monsters fought in the streets of Harlem, artifacts and advance knowledge might be the only things standing between civilians and catastrophe.
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