Chapter Text
Project Everfree
"Project Everfree is a special program to train enhanced and special individuals. Each person chosen was chosen for a reason. These individuals have lost everything and have everything to gain. It is your job to shape them and make them the best kind of agents SHIELD needs. Failure is not an option." Director Nick Fury handed Agent Maria Hill and Phil Coulson four files. "I trust you two to do this right. Don't make me regret this."
Maria Hill and Phil Coulson left Nick Fury's office after his speech to them about the new, top-secret program. Fury had specifically assigned them to this mission because out of all the agents, Fury trusted them the most. If Carol Danvers was back on earth, she, too, would be involved with Everfree. Project Everfree was located deep in the Adirondacks at an old, mostly forgotten, SHIELD base. Fury had the place revamped and saw it as a perfect opportunity to train individuals SHIELD chose to train.
In the foyer of the base sat four children–Billy Russo, Tony DiNozzo, Matt Murdock, and Neal Caffrey. All of them were quiet, looked nervous. Matt was subconsciously tapping his small cane on the floor, which annoyed the hell out of Tony. Billy wrapped the ragged jacket he wore tighter around his small, somewhat malnourished body. Neal kept sketching in his notepad, trying to block out everyone else. Tony, in between Neal and Matt, was the only one who was actually looking around in awe at just the foyer which held a small area with a coffee pot and donuts, a table covered in magazines, and multiple chairs littered the room. It reminded Tony of the waiting room in a doctor's office or hospital.
The two SHIELD agents walked into the foyer and over to the young children who were close to their early teens. Maria was the first to approach them. Squatting in front of them, she looked at them with a stern, yet compassionate look. "Welcome to SHIELD. You four will come with Coulson and me, and we will get you settled in." She waited for any one of the boys to look at her or acknowledge her.
Matt was the first to acknowledge Maria by tilting his head toward her. "Why are we here?" he asked in a hushed voice, his own whisper sounding like a yell to his still sensitive ears. Matt was no stranger to secret organizations at her age. Stick started Matt's training before he left Matt alone.
"Good question," Maria offered a smile. "Let's go somewhere more private to explain that." She stood up and glanced back at Coulson who was standing by the entrance of the long hallway they had just walked down. He walked over to Maria and the kids. "Before we go," he cut it, "you need to know that you're safe here. No one else will hurt you anymore. We will protect you, help you learn to live with what has happened, and help you grow into independent men."
Billy, surprisingly, was the first to get up and step forward. He lifted his head to glare up at the two agents. Yet, they could see a bit of hope buried underneath the fear and anger in Billy's eyes. "Don't make promises you can't keep," he snapped.
Tony was next to step toward Maria and Coulson. His brown eyes were wide. He didn't say anything, but it looked like he wanted to. He glanced back at Neal and Matt who both seemed equally unsure about the whole arrangement. "Come on," Tony urged. "How bad can it be?" He winced after the words came out of his mouth. All of them know things could have gone worse. "Just give it a try."
Neal rolled his eyes and closed his sketch pad, placing the pencil in the little loop attached to the binding of the pad. He gazed at the other with distrust. He didn't see the reason why they were needed. He was perfectly fine back home. However, when he looked at the whole picture, he saw an opportunity to be a hero like how Ellen described his father to be.
Matt nervously turned his head in Maria's direction. Did they know about his abilities? He was always careful about keeping them hidden. "It's okay, Matt. No one will judge you here," Coulson said. He couldn't hear Maria or Coulson lie about keeping them safe. Neither could he find any reason to leave.
"Okay," Matt whispered, getting up and going over to the group. "The glasses stay." He knew how scary people found his eyes. They didn't look glazed over but unfocused and people found that unnerving.
Billy eyed Matt with a bit of pity. He had seen many blind and deaf people in the streets. Deep down, he felt bad for Matt, not that he would ever show it. Attachments made one weak, or so he had been told.
"Come along," Maria spoke, walking down the west hallway, opposite of the east hallway where Fury's office was. She and Coulson guided the four boys to a large dormitory that had a living room, mini kitchen, bathroom, and two rooms with bunk beds. The walls were navy blue with pure white carpets on the floor and a white ceiling. The kitchen had a small stove, a mini-fridge, a sink, and some counter space with a microwave near the fridge. Located in the living room was a corner couch with a coffee table and a medium-sized television. On the west wall stood a large bookshelf with braille books and regular books.
"You will be staying here," Coulson explained, allowing the four to look around. (In Matt's case, feel around.) "Tomorrow your training will begin—"
"—training?" Tony interrupted, looking intrigued as well as suspicious.
"Yes, training. Your four are the first for Project Everfree." Coulson watched the four tense up and start to look uneasy. "Don't worry. You are here to become agents of SHIELD and help the world. You can leave anytime you want. This is your choice."
"Is it really much of a choice?" Billy huffed, "because we don't have anywhere else to go." Billy didn't want to stay, but he didn't want to leave either. Anyplace was better than where he had come from.
"You always have a choice, Billy," Maria said, going to the door. "There is a console in each dorm where you can call us if you need us. We will come back at six o'clock sharp tomorrow morning." She waited to see if anyone had any questions. Hearing nothing, she and Coulson left the four to settle in.
"Are they serious?" Billy groaned, "are they serious?!" It took all of his self-control not to punch the door in front of him. "Are you all okay with this?" He incredulously looked back at the other three.
"Well, as you said, we have nowhere else to go," Neal mumbled, "and it may not be so bad." He shuffled his feet and went over to the couch, going back to continue his sketch.
"I'm fine with this," Tony shrugged, a small grin on his face. "I mean, what's cooler than being secret agents? Besides, we won't be defenseless anymore, and we can help people. I don't know what happened to any of you, but maybe this is a way where we can all be better than the people who put us in this position–alone with nowhere else to go."
"Stick taught me how to fight before he left me. He also said that attachments made you weak," Matt shyly spoke up, head tilted toward Tony and Billy. "Though, my father always wanted me to be happy, have friends, and a good, successful life." He shook his head, sitting on the couch near Neal. "I'm going to give this whole thing a shot. Maybe it's a mistake, maybe it's not. We'll figure it out."
Billy couldn't believe his ears. "You all believe this is a good thing? What happens when they take advantage of you or when one of you dies because you wanted to play hero?" He growled and wanted to scream, cry, and laugh all at the same time. "Whatever, do what you want. I'm getting some sleep." He stalked toward the bedrooms and slammed the door.
"I pity the person who rooms with him," Tony whispered to Neal, choosing a Disney movie to watch. "He seems like a stick in the mud."
"No, he seems sad," Matt said, standing up. "He's been hurt and just doesn't know how to process it. You two can take the other room. I'll share one with Billy."
"Good luck," Neal shivered, "you'll need it."
Matt did his best to glare at both Neal and Tony. "He just needs time to come around." He grabbed a book and sat back down. "Think of this as a pit," Matt smiled. "All of us are stuck at the bottom. Either we work together and get out stronger or we stay at the bottom thinking each one can get out on their own."
Neal and Tony stayed silent, thinking about what Matt said, until Tong broke the silence. "Do you think we should create a podcast called Life in the Pit?"