Natasha Romanoff had not seen Agent Coulson or Agent Melinda May for a long time.
More precisely, she had not seen them since the Battle of New York in 2012. She was one of the few people within the Avengers who knew Agent Coulson was still alive. Keeping that secret from the other Avengers was not difficult, after all, the Avengers' missions rarely overlapped with Coulson's team.
"You've gotten old, Coulson."
Natasha Romanoff waved, greeting Melinda May beside him while completely ignoring the guns aimed at her back. Ever since Dinah had brazenly driven the extended Bentley into the base, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s security personnel had surrounded them. If not for orders from the director, they would have opened fire long ago. This was a military base, after all. Forcing one's way through a checkpoint was a federal felony.
"You still looked young at Lighthouse Base. It's only been a few months. What happened to you?" Natasha asked. She gestured behind her, signaling the maids in combat stance not to be so tense. "Relax, Dinah. I don't think your master wants innocent blood spilled on the ground."
Natasha carefully examined Agent Coulson and Melinda May standing across from her.
They looked as though they had suffered severe malnutrition and brutal combat. Their skin was in terrible condition, and Agent Coulson had several more wrinkles on his face, along with faint scars that had healed.
The other agents were the same, including Leopold Fitz and Jemma Simmons from the research team. If not for the absence of obvious sunburn or frostbite, Natasha would have suspected they had been sent on some long-term mission in the Middle East or the polar regions.
"Ask him!"
Melinda May crossed her arms and stared fiercely at Salomon behind Natasha. Even Jemma Simmons, normally the mildest-tempered of them