Chapter 106: Black Widow Goes Undercover at Umbrella
Testing complete, everyone came back inside.
After a brief conversation, Matthew confirmed the decision: mass production of the power armor. Fifty sets.
Fifty sets, from raw materials through fabrication, energy system integration, and final assembly, at approximately sixty million per unit.
Three billion total.
If not for the Hunter production line the System had deposited into his Warehouse, that figure alone would have been a headache worth sitting with for a while.
"If only Ultron would transfer a hundred billion into my accounts once he shows up," Matthew muttered to himself.
SHIELD Headquarters. Director's office.
The notorious Nick Fury was sitting at his desk reviewing accounting documents. When he heard a particular knock at the door, he pulled a newspaper over the accounts without rushing.
"Come in."
The door opened. Natasha Romanoff walked through it in a form-fitting black combat suit.
Natasha Romanoff. Known also as Black Widow. Level Seven agent of SHIELD, skilled in intelligence tradecraft and hand-to-hand combat. By any professional measure, exceptional. She also had a face that gave her a natural advantage in categories of work where that was a relevant variable.
"Director. You wanted to see me?"
Fury nodded. "If I remember correctly, your assignment on the Stark Industries side wrapped up yesterday."
"That's right."
"Since your last assignment is done, I happen to have a new one for you." He pulled a file from the desk drawer and passed it across.
"Take a look. This is your target."
Natasha took the folder with a faintly puzzled expression and opened it.
Name: Matthew Lawrence.
Position: Director of Umbrella Corporation (security division). Director of Stark Industries. Director of Oscorp.
Professional history. Personal assets. Personal associations...
Everything that could be publicly established about Matthew was in the file. When she reached the last page and read the mission objective, the confusion resolved into a different shape.
"Testing whether he's suitable for the Avengers Initiative?"
She looked up. "Why?"
"I understand the reasoning with Tony Stark. His capabilities speak for themselves. But this person isn't Iron Man." She set the file on the desk. "Looking at what you've given me, I can't find a single standout quality. At most he's a wealthy individual who likes charitable work and contributing to society. And even that wealth came from luck: he inherited his father's estate."
Fury was quiet for a moment.
"You're right, he did inherit his father's money. But did you think back to what Tony Stark said to us when we approached him in the coffee shop?"
Natasha considered this. "You mean when Tony said he preferred working alone and didn't want to be part of a team?"
"No. The line after that. 'Rather than inviting me, I think there's a friend of mine who would be much better suited to your extraordinary boy band.'"
Natasha paused. "...You mean the friend he mentioned is Matthew Lawrence."
Fury nodded.
"I'm skeptical of Tony's exact claim as well. But the Avengers Initiative is still in its early stages. Let's see whether the person a genius speaks about in those terms actually has what it takes. If the answer is no, end the mission and move on. If the answer is yes..."
"Try to recruit him." Natasha supplied the end of the sentence before he could.
Fury nodded again. "Exactly. The agency has already put together a cover identity that should get you access to Umbrella's interior."
Umbrella Corporation. Matthew's office.
A few minutes earlier, Matthew had ended a call with Eleanor.
The situation was straightforward: Eleanor's recruitment of Aldrich Killian was not going particularly smoothly and was going to take more time before it resolved. To prevent work from piling up in the interim, she was proposing to bring back the real Jessica as a temporary assistant: the one Ada had originally tied up and impersonated at the start.
Ada had no objection. More hands meant more slack time, and she and Jessica were, in a manner of speaking, already acquainted.
Matthew looked over at Ada, who was feeding the fish in the office tank. "Do you have any thoughts on Jessica coming back to work here?"
Ada dropped a piece of shrimp into the water. The fish converged on it immediately, and the crab at the bottom of the tank cleaned up whatever the fish missed.
"It's a good thing." Ada said this without any particular change of expression. "Having someone else to share the work means less on my end. And since I already know her, we might even have good chemistry."
Matthew's expression twitched internally.
The "know her" in that sentence was because you personally tied her up and impersonated her for a week. And you're genuinely confident that a kidnapper and their former captive will have better professional chemistry?
Before he could continue this thought, there was a knock at the office door.
Speak of the devil.
"Come in."
The door opened. A woman in uniform walked through it with her hair dyed blonde, each step with the deliberate composure of someone who had gone over the scene beforehand. Her gaze went immediately to Matthew in the main chair and then, briefly, to Ada and the fish tank.
"Hello, Mr. Lawrence. I'm the assistant Miss Eleanor has hired. You can call me Jessica." She extended an envelope across the desk. "These are Miss Eleanor's hiring documents and letter of recommendation. For your review."
Natasha's voice was steady, with a natural warmth in it.
Matthew and Ada looked at the envelope together.
Neither of them said anything for a moment.
Was this actually happening?
Had they somehow traveled back in time?
Otherwise, why did this feel so familiar?
The two of them looked at each other.
***
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