Excalibur #6 - Debriefing


"I don't believe it," said Bridge, slamming his fists down on the desk. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" He knew Excalibur had been recalled to their home countries, or at least those who could be recalled were, while the 9/11 crisis management took place. It was hard to believe it had been a month ago, but that was the way things were. Everyone was pitching in to try and resolve things, but this was something he hadn't expected. "Tell Fury I'm on my way over," said Bridge, as he got up from his desk. Nick was in Washington, so it was a good job he'd be able to speak with him person to person.

"Yes sir," said Charlotte and picked up the telephone. Bridge was angry. Granted he took his missions like any one else but this was simply wrong. Excalibur had proven themselves. The experiment had worked, well mostly. The team had bonded a little after the first mission, and the news about the terrorist attacks had united them in their shock and disgust at what had happened. He believed the project would work well enough, and his report had submitted that as well as any. 

"I know what yer gonna say," said Nick, who was standing outside his own office. "An' for what it's worth I tried to get 'em to say otherwise, and you know my feelin's about this well enough."

"They didn't even consult me," said Bridge, angrily.

"They didn't consult you when you were put here either," Fury barked back. "Let's take a walk. Raven, I'm headin' outside for a bit." Inside the office Marcus Raven nodded, making a mental note to tell Pete Wisdom what was happening. As soon as they were outside, Fury lit a cigar.

"So what the hell happened?" asked Bridge as they sat down. 

"Excalibur has been put on hiatus until the international situation gets back to some semblance of normality. The United Nations Secretary General himself made it happen."



"Thank you for coming to back to New York on such short notice, Colonel," said the Secretary General.

"Not at all," said Fury, watching the man warily who was sitting with the Security Council. There was a presence to him he had not seen earlier, though it could be down to the whole events of late. Everyone had been shaken by what had happened in Washington and New York. "SHIELD can be mobilised to assist the armed forces in any way they need to..."

"No, Colonel, you misunderstand what we called you here for." The American delegate spoke, looking at him. "In fact, other than the current investigate duties in which SHIELD is assisting, SHIELD will not be needed to play much more of a role. You are after all a global organisation, and this is an American objective. We have support across the world, but the use of SHIELD would be classed as the UN getting involved."

"Which we are not," said the Secretary General.

"So...?" he was confused as to why he was here.

"The Excalibur Project," said the American delegate. "We're suspending it until further notice, to be reviewed again in six months."

"Suspending?" said Fury almost unable to believe his ears.

"I can tell this is a treat for you, Colonel, seeing as how you were opposed to it in the first place."

"Not opposed to it, but rather the forced involvement of SHIELD," said Fury. "The group performed very well under difficult circumstances in Alaska. Hate to admit it, but they did better than I thought they would."

"We agree wholeheartedly," said the UK delegate. "However, with the world in the state it is at the moment, it is not feasible for the team to be active in the world. There needs to be some distance from things at the moment, and until the crisis is resolved, it is better if they are out of the limelight. The World Trade Center was just that - the trade center of the world, and if we had super powered operatives working for the UN, then it would become clear that we would have to send them in to stop the threats."

"Which would signal that it's not a war against terror, but a third world war with armies of super heroes." Fury could see the reasoning behind it. "So just don't get involved. It's simple."

"Yes, it would be," said the Secretary General, "but the world is not that simple. This is for the best," he said, "and the Americans who drew up the Excalibur Project agree this is the best thing to do. They need to give faith back to the ordinary people and that's what will happen."

"You didn't just call me in to tell me this though," said Nick. 

"No," admitted the Secretary General. "Your job is to tell them."


"You're kidding me," said Bridge. "They dumped that on your head."

"Yup," said Fury. "So don't you tell me how pissed off you are, because it don't compare." However he wasn't telling Bridge what also went on in the meeting.


Interesting, thought the Shadow King as he looked at the minds in front of him. The whole of the United Nations Security Council, sat there looking at him and not realising the most powerful mutant mind on the planet was amongst them. It would be easy to create something amongst them, but that would reveal his presence too soon, and he was not ready for that. There was too much to be done and he like the state of chaos that the world was already in.

However the Secretary General was another matter. He couldn't read him at all, and that was a concern.

:::Yes, I expect it is::: the strange voice echoed in his mind.

:::Who are you?::: demanded the Shadow King.

:::Who I am I is unimportant::: the voice said. :::However, I was not expecting one such as you:::

:::No doubt, however now you have revealed yourself to me and I will...:::

:::Do nothing::: the stranger laughed. :::You cannot affect me however I...:::

:::Cannot affect me either it would seem::: the Shadow King laughed back. :::Stalemate:::

:::Indeed. I must not have fully recovered:::

:::How unfortunate for us all::: said Farouk, his tone reverberating with sarcasm.

:::Have a care, telepath. In my prime I could have destroyed you in a moment:::

:::Likewise. So what do you propose we do?:::

:::I suggest we keep out of each other's way. You have your plans, I have mine. Assuming they do not conflict, we will be able to coexist:::

:::A compromise, then::: the Shadow King answered, guarding his thoughts more closely this time and thinking he would find out who this stranger was and that he would rue the day he confronted the Shadow King.

:::A wise decision::: came the reply and the Shadow King knew his thoughts had been missed. He then broke the conversation between them and the Shadow King looked at the Secretary General through the eyes of Nick Fury.

"Your job is to tell them," said the Secretary General.

"Thanks a lot," said Nick. "I guess we know our place then."

"Yes," the Secretary General said coldly. "We do indeed."


"What about Neal?" asked Bridge. "He joined the group to clear his debt to society. He can't do that without a team to work with."

"I know," said Fury, "however he's still part of a team. Yer just on hiatus, and they'll reinstate the lot o' ya. Eventually."

"So what happens? He goes back to prison?"

"No," said Nick. "I've pulled some strings ta get this - Jim Hammond's going to take him on at his new organisation - Tachyon. Specialist engineering and the like. He's agreed to keep an eye on him, give him a job and get him on his feet."

"The former Human Torch?" said Bridge. "Your old war buddy, right?"

"Yeah," said Nick. "He is. Plus I figure he'd be good company for Sharra, being acquainted with fire and all that. The others have their own lives to live, and I know you only just got 'em workin' together but this'll give 'em a break. They won't be called on missions that often anyway, so it'll be a taster."

"You think?" said Bridge.

"Nope," said Fury. "Best I got though. I told you first, because I knew you'd be easiest. Problem is, yer gonna be back at yer desk for the duration. That I can't fix."

"When are you telling the others?" said Bridge.

"Yeah, that's the other problem. No way, I'm gonna get chance. The Feds are giving us trouble, thanks to the deal with that deputy Director. They blamed us for it because we hired the agent he fired."

"Did we do it?" asked Bridge, thinking it wasn't the way SHIELD usually worked.

"Yeah, but we as in Pete Wisdom. You two've met."

"Briefly," said Bridge. "Should have slapped him down there and then, but we had bigger fish to fry."

"He's a good man," said Fury. "And he gets the job done. Like you do."

"You're going to have me tell them aren't you?" said Bridge and Fury nodded. "Thanks a lot."

"Sorry," said Nick. "Look, I'm gonna go back to the office and see what else has turned up over the 9-11 stuff."

"Yeah," said Bridge. "Whatever." He wasn't happy, but he knew how in it Nick was at the moment, so he'd do it and he pulled out his mobuile telephone and made a call to his secretary. "Charlotte, I'll need a flight arranging, to Texas." He'd see USAgent first.


"Sons of fucking bitches," said Walker as he knocked back a bottle of Bud. "And they sent you to tell us?"

"Something like that," said Bridge, taking a gulp of the whiskey before him. 

"Figures, really," he said. "Can't stand you anyway, so they get you to tell us we're fired."

"Not fired," said Bridge. "You can be recalled at any moment - just not for six months."

"And that's that," said Walker. "We've both seen these things come and go before - it never lasts. That was our first, last and only mission." He gestured to the bartender, who brought him another drink. "For what it's worth, you were better at leading that I figured you'd be. An' I'm only slightly drunk."

"For what it's worth, you did a good job too. You were almost an Avenger, and I'm not even close to being drunk." Walker nodded at his former commander as he stood up. "I'll be in touch." Then he turned and left the building, leaving Walker to his beer, and heading towards the airport. Next stop would be