The Flu

"Melinda, what in the world is wrong with your organization?"  her mother demanded as soon as the medical technician finished giving May and Coulson instructions on the necessary treatments for the two coughing techs.

"We're having a problem with the flu.  I really appreciate your help."

"A problem with the flu?  And Director Fury sent your team instead of doctors?"  her mother said.

"We're the only agents who actually got flu shots that ought to be effective.  We're the only ones he could have sent.  And we do have someone with medical training, but right now she's tied up tending to Victoria."

"Victoria, I've heard a few rumors about her.  How bad is it?"

"She's critical, which is why we've got to handle the other agents.  I've got to go."  May said as she spotted Fitz entering the room.  "I'll call back later."

"Fitz?"  Coulson asked as the two senior agents met him.  He couldn't be finished checking the building already surely.

"I just wanted to see if Edwin Tuttle is on the list of sick agents in the building."  Fitz said with a shake of his head.  "Because I'm sure that Agent Hand's going to be wanting to have a few words with him when she's feeling better."  Fitz shook his head again.  He had already found so many improperly managed repairs.  It was a wonder there hadn't been a fire before now.  "So many fire hazards, and we've just gone through the first page of his assigned work so far.  I thought I better update you and see what you want us to do about repairs once we've identified everything."

"Anything that looks like it's about to burst into flames, fix first.  Anything anywhere near Victoria's office, fix yesterday.  I trust your judgement about this."  Coulson said.  "How long do you think repairs will take?"

"I couldn't begin to guess.  Days, probably."  Fitz said.  "If I just had a monkey.  A monkey would be perfect for this."

"We gave you Ward to help."  May said, not even wanting to think about the fact that she and Coulson might be on their own, tending 300 sick people for days.  "Why do you need a monkey?"

"Ward's fine.  He's going to be a big help.  Especially with some of the larger damaged equipment.  But a monkey could get into some of the tighter areas so easily.  If I just had a monkey."

"Fitz, remind me of the monkey request when Agent Hand is feeling better."  Coulson said.  Victoria was probably the only one who would be capable of convincing accounting that a monkey was a necessary team expense, and then likely convincing the IRS that it counted for a business deduction.  But if Fitz could prevent any more fires, when she was critically ill and fighting to live, Victoria just might be thrilled to do it.

Okay, the third time had not been the charm, but maybe the fourth time would be.  Fury thought as the doctor at the Treehouse picked up the phone.  "Doctor?  You have patients who are down with this thing.  You know about what's going on at the Hub.  Give me some sort of option to deal with this."

"Director, I wish I had something that I could offer."  the doctor said, fear obvious in his voice.  "I have the two cases here in isolation with the highest infection protocols in place at the moment."

"Isolation and preventing the spread of this is fine, but how do we treat these people, that's what I want to know.  How serious are the two cases you have?"

"Fevers of 104 at the moment.  Director, I'm sorry, but I agree with the other doctors you've consulted.  I wish I didn't, I wish I could offer you something more, but…"

"There are 300 sick people in the Hub, and Agent Hand happens to be one of my few level 8 senior agents.  Are you telling me that all of those people are going to die?"

"Not all, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a 50 percent mortality rate given how fast they became ill and as for Agent Hand…"  He paused, not wanting to say it but feeling like he had to.  "A fever of over 106, it likely caused brain damage.  Death would probably be a mercy for her after that.  Do you know if she had a living will or advanced directives?"  Perhaps that would simplify things.

"Thank you for your opinion, Doctor."  Fury sighed as he heard a gasp from the door and looked up to see Sitwell, who looked ready to pass out from shock.  Probably not a good idea to put calls like this on speaker, but it was too late to do anything about it now.

"Director, I do have one question.  If we have casualties, what arrangements are you making for the bodies?  Should we cremate them or…."

"I'll call you back about that.  Thank you, Doctor."

"Cremation?  You're not going to do that to Victoria, are you?"  Sitwell grabbed the edge of the door in one hand, and barely held onto his phone where someone was shouting at the other end with the his free hand.  Cremation?  Victoria deserved better than that, a proper funeral and a chance to be mourned.

"Not unless I have a hundred people telling me it's necessary."  Fury pulled up his contacts and then hit the number for the mortuary they had used to prepare their lost agents for either Shield arranged funerals or return to their families after New York.  He probably ought to at least check with them and make sure they would be able to offer assistance if this turned out to be as bad as the doctors kept saying it might be.

"This is Director Nick Fury."  He said as soon as someone answer the phone.

"Director Fury.  I remember you."  The funeral director cringed when he recognized the name.  Not that Director Fury had been a difficult person to deal with, but a funeral attended by Tony Stark, he still had staff members recovering from that experience.

"I just wanted to give you warning, we have an incident going on here at Shield and we might have a number of bodies for you to process soon."

"Bodies?  How many?"

"Maybe a 150 or more."

"And will we be seeing Mister Stark again?  He was such a joy when we dealt with Agent Coulson."

"No, no Stark.  Can you handle 150 bodies?"  It would be a pain if he couldn't, having to clear another mortuary or rely on military resources to handle their dead.

The funeral director paused, wishing he could say no but his father and his grandfather had both worked with Shield, and he felt bound to continue the tradition.  "The only issue I can see is having enough caskets on hand.  For the top of the line models, there might be difficulties getting enough in.  Have any of the deceased made pre-arrangements, or indicated what they wanted?  I would hate to have something inappropriate as the only item on offer."

"There's some sort of back order for coffins?"  Fury demanded.

"That many people, and top of the line caskets, there might be.  If you're wanting something like what you got for Agent Coulson….  Why don't you click on our website?  Perhaps that might give you some ideas for what you need."

"Is that a coffin?"  Maria whispered to Sitwell as she came into the office just as Fury pulled up the page.  They were looking at coffins?  Had Coulson called with confirmation that Victoria was gone?

"Of course, if you just want a basic model, there's no problem there, but some of the top models, our woods…."

"She would want wood."  Maria said without thinking.

"Mahogany looks nice."  Sitwell added.  "She would like mahogany."

Fury clicked and opened another page without real thought as his agents leaned over his shoulder, scanning the list of coffins available.

"Not that one."  Sitwell rejected one immediately.  "Too red.  It would clash with her hair, don't you think?"  He asked Maria.

"Probably.'  How were they picking coffins and discussing clashing?  This wasn't how she had expected to spend the day when she work up this morning.  "Black maybe?"  And black with the white lining just seemed to fit with Victoria's style.

Before Fury knew it, he was placing an order.  He shook his head as he closed the computer browser.  He absolutely could not stand funerals.