Shiranui Hayate reached out and pressed a small button on the meeting room table.
Only a few seconds passed before a soft knock came from the door. In the next moment, Umino Iruka stepped inside.
"Iruka, bring Lee here for a moment."
Iruka didn't ask questions; he simply nodded and withdrew, closing the door behind him.
Seeing Hayate's cooperation, Phil Coulson gave a satisfied nod. A hitman, even a legendary one in New York, still knows better than to stonewall the federal government... Minutes later, another knock echoed. Iruka returned, leading Rock Lee into the room.
"Master Hayate, you called for me?"
Lee walked in with a bright, eager smile. In his mind, a summons usually meant a new mission was at hand.
Hayate gestured to a chair. "Sit, Lee. This gentleman has some things he'd like to discuss with you."
Once Iruka left the room, Coulson studied the boy's peculiar outfit. He couldn't hide his curiosity. "Rock Lee... are you a fan of Bruce Lee?"
Lee blinked, tilting his head in confusion. "Sir, who are you talking about?"
Coulson made a few martial arts gestures with his hands. "Bruce Lee. Jet Li. Chinese Kung Fu."
The confusion on Lee's face only deepened. "I am sorry, sir. I have no idea who that is."
Coulson paused, slightly taken aback. "Then... your outfit?"
"It's very similar to Bruce Lee's iconic look. Only the color is different."
Lee looked down at his green jumpsuit and then back at the agent, explaining earnestly:
"Sir, these clothes were a gift from my master. I admire him more than anyone in the world, and I wear this with pride. I don't know who this 'Bruce' is, but he is clearly not my master."
The word "Master" triggered a thought in Coulson's mind. A master? Is he talking about Hayate?
Hayate remained silent, watching Coulson's performance like a spectator at a play. He didn't intervene when Lee mentioned his master. After all, there was a high probability that Might Guy would actually manifest in this world eventually.
Lee shook his head, clarifying: "It isn't Master Hayate. I have my own teacher."
"But more importantly, sir... why are you looking for me? Do you have a commission for me?"
When Lee mentioned the word "commission," his eyes sparked with the fire of youth. He looked ready to spring into action.
Coulson caught the look and glanced deeply at Hayate. To him, using a child for "commissions" was the height of immorality. He forced his most approachable, fatherly smile and leaned in.
"Rock Lee, would you like to go back to school?"
"To live the life of a normal child. To study and play without a care in the world."
Lee's response was immediate and filled with a strange kind of maturity. "Sir, I already graduated. It's been over a year. Why would I go back to school to study things I already know?"
Coulson, who had been brimming with confidence, froze mid-sentence. Graduated? At thirteen? He opened his mouth to explain what kind of "school" he meant and the "normal" life he was offering, but Hayate stood up, cutting him off.
"Mr. Coulson, I'll let you and Lee chat. When you're finished, I'll be waiting outside."
Without another word, Hayate turned and left. He didn't want to hear any more.
Coulson's strategy was sound, but his target was wrong. Trying to convince a shinobi to go back to a civilian school was like trying to convince a shark to live in a birdcage. Even if Coulson offered a specialized academy, it wouldn't interest Lee.
For a moment, Hayate had considered letting Lee "infiltrate" S.H.I.E.L.D. It would have been a perfect way to gather intelligence—specifically on the Tesseract. He wondered if the Cube's energy could be converted into system currency.
However, Lee was still a child. Even if he joined, he'd be stuck in the S.H.I.E.L.D. academy for years. By the time he had the clearance to touch the Tesseract, the "main event" would be over. Hayate dismissed the idea. It would be easier to just snatch the Cube from Loki when the time came.
In the lobby, Iruka stood up as Hayate approached. "Master Hayate, is the discussion over?"
"Not yet. The man wanted a private word with Lee. They're still talking."
Iruka lowered his voice, his expression tightening. "Master Hayate, ever since that man arrived, we have been under surveillance."
"I can sense the killing intent. There are multiple rifles aimed at this Agency from the surrounding buildings."
"I wasn't sure if they were the Agent's backup or assassins looking to collect the bounty, so I haven't moved to neutralize them yet."
Hayate waved it off casually. "They're with the FBI agent. Don't worry about them."
Reassured, Iruka relaxed, and the iktwo of them began chatting about Agency logistics.
About half an hour later, the meeting room door opened.
Phil Coulson stepped out, the "good guy" smile nowhere to be found. He looked utterly drained. He had spent thirty minutes talking to Rock Lee and felt like they weren't even speaking the same language.
He hadn't managed to extract any useful intel, only that Lee had a "Master" who taught him everything and that this Master wasn't in the city yet but would arrive eventually.
More importantly, Coulson had the distinct feeling that his hidden camera and recording equipment had been compromised. The boy had spent half the time staring directly at the locations where the devices were hidden, though he never said a word about them.
Coulson walked up to Hayate. "Rock Lee has no interest in coming with me. He is quite loyal to his... 'Godfather.' But we won't give up. You might see me again."
In Coulson's eyes, Lee's "Master" was clearly a godfather figure or a high-ranking handler.
"I told you he wouldn't go," Hayate replied calmly. "You should probably give up on that idea."
"Goodbye, Hayate."
Coulson didn't linger. He walked out of the Agency and climbed into his car, where Agent Melinda May—the "Cavalry"—was already waiting in the driver's seat.
"May, you saw the feed and heard the audio. What's your take?"
May removed her headset and looked at the building. "Shiranui Hayate... he isn't afraid of us. Or rather, he doesn't care about the FBI at all. He was entirely confident that the boy wouldn't leave."
"And the Agency itself is more than it seems. The Asian man, Iruka—he spotted our deployment instantly. While you were talking, he stepped outside and looked directly at our sniper nests."
"He didn't look panicked," May added, her voice cold. "He looked like he was cataloging them. Like they weren't a threat, just a nuisance."
Coulson leaned back, thinking about Hayate's feigned anger and the sheer confidence in the room. He sighed.
"Let's head back and report to the Director. See how he wants to play this."
"In the meantime, keep a surveillance team on them. I want to know everyone who enters that door."