Forming a Team

"Everyone on the news is talking about either Tony or you. Tony told the Senate last time that there wouldn't be any small reactors for five to ten years, but now one has already appeared. The government will definitely seize on that and keep pressuring him to hand over the technology. Tony's in big trouble this time," Natasha said to Xia Yu, who was lounging on the bed.

"Leave Tony's troubles for Tony to handle. He'll figure something out. We're here on vacation, darling. This is Morocco's blue-and-white town, one of the most beautiful and romantic towns in the world. Why are we talking about Tony here?" Xia Yu said without even lifting his head from the bed.

Natasha had just finished showering and was drying her hair with a bath towel as she watched the news on television. She heard Xia Yu's lazy reply.

Natasha went on, "What about you, then? That reporter who said she wanted an exclusive interview with Justin Hammer wrote a vivid, emotional article about you. She said that when people were in danger, you descended from the sky and saved everyone. She also called you the Dragon Knight who protects people."

"Dragon Knight? Damn it, I'm neither Yang Guo nor Yin Zhiping," Xia Yu said.

"What did you say?" Natasha asked.

"I said I'd only be your knight. I don't want to ride a dragon. I want to ride you." Xia Yu pulled Natasha into his arms.

Use your imagination for the adults-only part...

No matter how much pressure Tony Stark was under, Xia Yu happily took Natasha around Morocco and had a wonderful time. In the space of a week, they traveled through almost the entire country. Just as Xia Yu was thinking of taking Natasha to South Africa, a phone call from Nick Fury brought him back to Los Angeles.

Curiously, Nick Fury was in a hurry to call him and Natasha back, yet arranged to meet them at Tony's house.

"Our Dragon Knight is back, with his princess. We've got a pile of trouble here, while he ran off on vacation with her," Tony Stark said sarcastically as soon as they met.

"Don't call me Dragon Knight, Tony. I hate that nickname. Really hate it. Compared to your Iron Man, I feel like an NPC in an old video game," Xia Yu said.

"Xia, we do have a pile of problems to solve," Nick Fury said seriously.

"We?" Xia Yu looked at Tony, then at Fury. "We all know the two of us being S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in name is a joke. When you say 'we,' has Tony formally agreed to your Avengers Initiative?"

"Yes, I agreed to the initiative. If the aliens this guy talks about are real, I'm in. But I have one condition. I can try to trust the guy with the eyepatch, but I don't trust the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Tony Stark said.

"Since the big boss providing the money has spoken, I have no objections either. Now let's talk about our problems." Xia Yu poured himself a drink and gestured for Fury to continue.

Nick Fury began counting them off. "The first is Stark's armor. We can't keep the government under control anymore, but Stark has already come up with a solution that works for both sides."

"Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes?" Natasha asked.

"Correct. James Rhodes is a good friend of Stark's and an air force colonel in the military. Stark will give him a suit of armor, but not the technology. That gives the government an answer. Then, when the time comes, Colonel Rhodes can take the suit out for a flight, and that will give the public an answer too," Nick Fury said.

"There's one more thing: Steve Rogers has woken up. That's my problem. We can't let him appear before the public just yet. We need to give him some psychological treatment and evaluations to make sure he can adapt to today's society." Nick Fury took a sip of his drink and continued.

"The last thing is where I need your help, Xia. I need you to go to New Mexico and pick up a hammer that fell from the sky," Nick Fury said.

Xia Yu thought that was just great. Except for Hulk, the early Avengers were all accounted for.

"Why me? I'm just a level-one agent with no salary," Xia Yu said.

Nick Fury tossed him a new ID. "Starting now, you're a consultant too. As for the hammer, Coulson's already gone there. Just find him. While you're at it, get to know your future teammate Hawkeye a little."

"That's it? Didn't you say there was a whole pile of problems? Tony's is solved, the captain's in your hands, and I'm going on a blind date with a hammer. Anything else?" Xia Yu asked.

"For now, Natasha is in charge of choosing a location for Avengers Headquarters and things like that. There's nothing else for the time being," Nick Fury said.

Xia Yu said in frustration, "You were so solemn and serious about this whole pile of problems, and that's it?"

"Do you know what the Avengers represent? Why do you think I'm keeping this from everyone? All of you together are practically a pile of nuclear warheads. I'm holding a nuclear warhead that might be beyond my control. I have to take this seriously," Nick Fury said earnestly.

"Taking things seriously doesn't mean you have to be solemn, Nick. Times have changed. Look at Tony Stark. Before he became Iron Man, he dressed to the nines and spent his days in high society. Did you ever see him do one decent thing?" Xia Yu said.

"All right, you win. You've changed my mind," Nick Fury said.

Tony Stark: "..."