Okay, first things first, I'm really sorry for taking so much time to post this chapter, but I have been busy applying to college and when I realized I had neglected this story, I immediately started to write this. The only thing to say is that I see a bit of a plot ahead in this story (Woohoo), because I have to admit, in the beginning I just wrote what came to me, improvising. I think (and hope) that that will change from now on. Thank you again to all those who have read, favorited, followed or reviewed, really, I can't believe this story has really got this far. Thank you, really, because knowing that you like it is what keeps me writing. And without further ado, here is the next chapter. I really hope you like it.

The ride back to his hotel was one of the most awkward ones Tony hade ever had the misfortune of experiencing. At first he had been perfectly willing to walk back there on his own. That was, until he realized he had no idea where he was. Thinking back, he regretted not having learnt by heart the route Fury and he had followed. That had been a stupid move on his part, but one he was sure he wouldn't make again.

Before he could even take his phone out of his pocket and get a taxi, Coulson had gripped his shoulder and led him towards Lola.

"Get into the car, Stark."

"What? No way. Last time I stepped close to that car, you explained to me very thoroughly all the ways you had to kill me and dispose of my body and make it look like it was an accident. Altough I have to admit, Agent, it was a hell of a PowerPoint slide show. It almost made me shed a tear."

"Get into the car or I will gladly put 'way number 16' into action."

Tony paled considerably and swallowed hard. Number 16. He shuddered. Definitely not the best of ways to leave this world and get a free room in what he liked to call 'The Afterlife Hotel'.

Ten minutes and two innuendos later, he was seriously considering the pros and cons of opening the glove box to take a sneak peak inside. Anything to abate his boredom.

But, as the most rational (and most ignored) part of his brain provided, the cons had already crushed the pros and buried them deep beneath the ground. And, contrary to popular belief, he was far from stupid. Alright, maybe he didn't always give much evidence that indicated he was capable of rational thought when regarding his self-being, but, as he had already proven to his most inner circle, there was method in his madness. And he knew that taking sneak peeks when Coulson was concerned was madness without a method. Just pure, unadulterated, Reindeer-Games-style, madness.

"Okay, I give up. Could you just tell me what the hell is going on here? And don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't prefer this rather than being with Mister 'tall, dark and mysterious', but I don't like not knowing, and you know that, so it kind of unnerves me that you don't tell me anything. So come on, fire away. What do you want? 'Cause I know you probably would have saved my ass from Fury anyway, but this ride, that isn't normal. That's just you, trying - and let me tell you, just so you know – and failing, to be nice for some reason that my almighty-yet-only-human brain can't seem to process just yet."

Coulson sighed, but kept his eyes on the road and his hands on the wheel. Only when they stopped to let an old woman cross the street did Phil turn his head to the side and address Tony.

"I had really hoped it didn't have to come to this, but we've reached a dead end in our investigation and we need a bit of…external and unofficial help, for lack of a better term, someone that is capable of working off the radar. Normally we would use either Natasha or Clint, but the, let's just say, main subject of our investigation is acquainted with both of them. Steve could, but he's also too well known in those circles. Thor is obviously out of the question. The only two people left that we could trust are Bruce and you. And, as you can guess, we'd rather avoid getting Bruce in stressful situations if it can be helped. That leaves you as the only suitable person."

The old woman finished crossing the street, and Coulson wasted no time in going ahead.

"So" Tony interrupted, "Fury wanted to use that information as leverage, right? I mean, the fact that he knew my real age and all that."

Coulson nodded, and kept looking ahead while driving.

"He vaguely told me what he intended to do, but I disagreed. Told him that we'd better tell you first, noncommittally, of course, and prepare strategies and measures depending on your answer. But" he added, glancing briefly to Tony, "as you can guess, I think he didn't quite agree with that. By the time I had found out he was on his way to Wales it was too late to stop him, so I pulled a few strings and came here on the fastest Quinjet I found. And you know the rest."

"Okay, let me get this straight. First, you want me to work for S.H.I.E.L.D unofficially because you're out of your depth. Second, you won't use Steve, one of the best strategists that there is, because he is too well known. Well, I hate to be the bringer of bad news, honey, but I think you've just forgotten who I am. I am a rich, famous billionaire. I somehow don't think I fit the 'anonymous' category too well, do I? And third, your people planned to blackmail me to get my help! Please enlighten me, Phil, how the hell can I trust all of you now? And how would I, in the off chance I actually agreed to help you, be able to do whatever it is you need me to do without being recognized and shot on sight?"

By the time Tony's monologue had finished, Coulson had already pulled up in the underground parking lot of Tony's hotel. He and Tony stepped out of the car and walked to the elevator. Tony might not be an experienced agent like Coulson, but even he knew that talking about S.H.I.E.L.D affairs in a parking lot or elevator wasn't exactly brilliant. Coulson waited until they were inside Tony's room to answer his questions.

"First, if you want me to say it, I'll do: We, at S.H.I.E.L.D, are out of our depth and need your unofficial help to avoid the world turning into a war field. Second, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but it's not exactly you that is recognizable Tony. It's your goatee, your clothes, your act, your brain, your wits and the suit that people recognize. Take that away, and we get rid of Tony Stark and we have Anthony instead. And third, we didn't plan to blackmail you, Fury did. As I had told you, my initial plan was to be sincere and tell you the facts so you could decide whether to help or not."

Tony plopped down on his bed and gestured Coulson to sit on the chair opposite him.

"So you plan to use Anthony, a 26 year old bloke nobody knows about, to infiltrate or whatever the hell it is you want me to do, and I can assume you have fake IDs, fake background and fake everything ready for me, right? And for some reason, you can't use any of your numerous little loyal soldiers that are running around somewhere. Excuse me for being a little sceptical, but I still don't see why the hell I'm needed for that. You have hundreds of minions dying to fight your fight and do as you tell, no matter what. Why do you need me, or rather, fake me?"

"Because that is exactly what our suspects are waiting. They know we've reached a dead end and we can't do anything. They know we will try to use an agent to infiltrate, and an agent is what they'll be expecting. They know our agents, they know how they work, how they act, how they think, I've told you they know Clint and Natasha, and our agents have learnt from them. But you, you are different. You can work undercover almost the same way as them, but your MO is different from theirs. You think differently, you act differently, you are unpredictable, and you don't give a fuck about what Fury might do or think. He has no jurisdiction or influence over you; he can't tell you what to do, or how to do it, so you can do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission. That is what our enemies aren't expecting. You'd have free rein, you wouldn't have to answer to us, but we'd be there to back you up if anything went wrong. We need you because you are unexpected."

"But if they are expecting you to make the first move and infiltrate an agent, they'll suspect, they won't trust me when I show up and they'll kill me."

"Tony, who said you'd show up at their headquarters with a homemade apple pie and ask for a job? No, they'll be the ones offering you a job; you'll earn their trust, because you'll do something for them before they know they want you to work for them. I can't tell you more if you don't agree to do it, but we have a big plan ready, a… raid, you might say, and you won't be on our side, if you know what I mean. You won't be on theirs, either, you'll just be a casual bystander that will be forced to defend himself by, let's say, helping them. After that, they will probably give you a low key job, if you say and do the right things. But first things first, Anthony Edward Stark, are you in?"

"Aw, Agent, how could I say no, when you ask me like that?"