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"Agent Coulson," Dr. Streiten said in a calm voice that in no way expressed his true feelings.
"Oh, hey Doc," Coulson replied looking up with a small smile. "I didn't realize you were joining this mission."
"And what mission is that, Phil?" Streiten asked, slowly lowering himself down onto a nearby stool.
"We've found Cap!" Coulson enthused, his whole face lighting up. "He's buried in the Arctic shelf, and we're going to dig him out!"
"Oh, really?" Streiten asked with carefully measured interest. "And who's 'we'?"
"The team!" Coulson said, and his whole face lit up. "Fury's still putting it together, but I'm responsible for first contact."
"That's quite an honour," Streiten praised him.
"You bet," Coulson nodded. "I know more about Cap that just about anyone alive," he explained. "I've read all the books, seen all the movies, scoured all the reports," he listed it off. "I've got first editions of all of his comic books and a mint condition set of trading cards." He smiled proudly. "Took me years to get the whole set."
"Seems like Director Fury got the right man for the job," Streiten agreed. "So when do you leave?"
"Leave?" Coulson asked, looking at him like he was crazy. "We're en route right now!"
"We are?" Streiten asked, raising his eyebrows slightly but managing to keep the surprise out of his voice.
Coulson's face adjusted slightly into an expression of understanding. "No one told you," he said slowly, as if working his way through the idea. "Because the mission is clearance level 8." He shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry, Doc. If I'd known that, I would have explained it all better."
"No no," Streiten reassured him gently. "No need to apologize." Shifting slightly on his stool, he pointed to the surface in front of Coulson. "So is this the plan?" he asked with a leading tone of voice.
Coulson nodded, face settling into a professional cast. "That's right," he said. "Strike Team Alpha," he lifted up a small boat, "Is in the icebreaker, and they lead the way with the Tac Team." He put the first boat down and picked up a second. "While Strike Team Beta," he continued, "Follows up with the Med Team."
"I see," Streiten nodded carefully. "And you'll be with...?"
"Alpha, of course," Coulson said shortly. "I get to use the pick-axe and everything."
"Of course," Streiten nodded. He wrote something down on his clipboard and then stood up. "Well, I'll just go join Strike Team Beta, shall I?" he asked with a small smile.
"Right," Coulson agreed. "Make sure the Med Bay is prepped and ready. You're going to have a Cap-sicle to thaw out, and we don't want to lose anything."
Streiten gave him one last nod of acknowledgement and excused himself back out to the hallway.
"Nurse?" he called to the young man who had moved back to his station.
"Yes, Doctor?"
"You say he's been in there for 3 days now?"
"That right, sir," he confirmed. "Only comes out to get meals and run more hot water. Even sleeps in there, until we fish him out."
"And the bubbles...?"
"Are 'Arctic ice,' sir," the nurse nodded. "He's going through the bubble bath pretty quickly, too. We'll have to bring in some more."
Streiten nodded distractedly.
"Sir?" the nurse prompted.
"Hmm?" he refocused. "Oh yes, of course. Send Campbell or Hong, whichever one's free."
"Very good, sir," the nurse started to move back to his desk to make the call.
"And nurse?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Tell them to pick up a Captain America action figure, too," Streiten directed.
"Sir?"
"He's not going to come out of there until he finds him," Streiten explained. "So we make sure he does."