Chapter 5

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     Grimacing, Janet clasped her hands in front of her as she stood at the center of the rapidly ascending elevator. Her body was bruised, and her temples throbbed, but her physical discomfort was the least of her worries. She had failed. She had not learned why Elias Morrow was freed or what had really caused the abnormal quakes in Los Angeles. The only useful bits of information she had gained were the confirmation that the Reyes' were working in collaboration with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the identity of the Ghost Rider.

     He had nearly finished her. Janet shut her eyes, her breath catching somewhere inside her chest. He had nearly dragged her down into an inescapable abyss, and she would have deserved it. No, the other part of her objected, you are doing what is necessary. You are working for the greater good. She opened her eyes and released the breath she had been holding, reminding herself that they were playing the long game. It was not always easy, but it was right.

     The doors parted soundlessly, and Janet straightened her posture before exiting the elevator. Before her stood a wall of narrow, rectangular windows that were twenty feet in height. Intersected by black linear frames, their glass panes captured a dazzling view of New York City. Fluorescent lights from the nearest tower cast a cyan glow over the dark room, and she squinted as her eyes adjusted to the maze of smaller, square-shaped lights pouring through the windows.

     On the far side of the room, directly in front of the windows, was a desk, and behind it was a chair. A man sat in it, silhouetted against the wall of lights like a silent master as he looked out over the monumental metropolis. He remained that way as Janet approached him, still and sculpturesque in his aspect. She stopped when she came within several feet of the desk, clasping her hands behind her back and taking a breath.

     "Norman."

     The chair swiveled, and she was greeted with a winning smile.

     "Janet! I'm glad to see that you have returned from your assignment unharmed. Tell me, what have you learned?"

     He leaned forward, elbows propped eagerly on his desk, and she swallowed. "The Reyes brothers have formed some sort of alliance with S.H.I.E.L.D., but I don't know the extent of it. My questioning of the younger one was...interrupted."

     His pale eyes narrowed with focused interest as she continued.

     "His older brother showed up, and I was taken by surprise. He is no ordinary man. I was no match for him in close quarters."

     "Who is he?" inquired Norman. "Where did he acquire such power?"

     Janet blinked, a chill running up her spine even as she spoke. "He's the Ghost Rider."

     Norman leaned back in his chair, fingers tracing thoughtfully over his chin. "That's why he was at the prison. He was freeing his uncle. But why is S.H.I.E.L.D. interested in Elias Morrow? That is the crucial piece of information we need. His files have been sealed, which means there's something in them that S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't want us to find."

     "I'm sorry," she said, guilt weighing heavily on her shoulders. "I failed you. It won't happen again."

     "The failure of one plan doesn't mean that another one won't succeed," he answered calmly, beginning to shuffle through the papers stacked neatly on his desk. "I considered arranging a meeting with the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. but decided that it would be far too obvious a play. No, I have a much better idea."

     Withdrawing a folded up newspaper, he slid it across the polished surface, and she lowered her gaze to the headline on the front page.

     "WIZARDS IN MANHATTAN?"

     Just below the dramatically printed text was a large photograph of two men standing over a broken body. There was glass scattered along the sidewalk, and a small crowd stood gathered around them, bystanders whose expressions were a varied mixture of dismay, shock, and awe. One of the men was dark and robed in green, but the other was pale, with black hair, blue robes, and a red cloak. Though his appearance had drastically changed since the last time she had seen him, his identity was unmistakable.

     The mere sight of him made Janet feel like she had been punched in the stomach. Her lips parted, and her feet were rooted to the floor. Her eyes were glued to the page, despite the fact that she had not read a single word of the article.

     "Stephen Strange," said Norman, observing her keenly as he leaned forward onto his desk. "He resurfaced months ago, while you were away on an assignment, in fact. It appears that, after his financial ruin and subsequent disappearance, he has discovered a new purpose—one that involves magic."

     Janet stared at him, struggling to comprehend what she had just seen and heard.

     "He was just seen again while you were on your way to Los Angeles," Norman went on, settling back and folding his arms over his chest. "A building collapsed, and he swooped in to save the day. That made the evening news, and now every media network in the country is desperate for an interview, but he seems to be keeping a low profile."

     Swallowing, she finally met his gaze. "What do you want me to do?"

     "There has to be a connection between S.H.I.E.L.D., Morrow, and what's happened to Strange," he replied, allowing some of his frustration to seep through. "I want you to find it. You were once very close to him, were you not?"

     "Well, yes, but...that was a long time ago," she stammered.

     "Please, Janet," he implored, leaning toward her, "do it for me. We need this information to stop S.H.I.E.L.D. and shut down their work with the Inhumans. Director Mace is turning them into pawns, making them nothing more than tools of his misguided will." Norman paused, his brow furrowing with empathy. "You're Inhuman. Surely you are concerned about this."

     Her eyes flashed to meet his. Her heart was thumping wildly, and she suddenly felt weak in the knees. "Okay," she agreed at last, despite her misgivings. "I'll do it."

     Satisfied, Norman grinned. "Thank you, Janet. There is no one better suited to this task than you. Your invaluable contributions will be instrumental in healing this plagued nation."

     Gratefully, Janet inclined her head. "Thank you, Norman. Without the opportunities you have given me, I would not be who I am today. I will not fail you, not this time, and I will find out what is causing these disturbances."

     "I'm counting on it," he smiled.

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