Thunderbolts*

There is something wrong with me.

An emptiness.

I thought it started when my sister died,

but now it feels like something bigger.

Just a... void.

Or maybe I'm just bored.

Boo.

They send me a job,

I clock in, clock out, you know?

I'm in the cleanup business.

This week, Malaysia. Next week, who knows?

I thought throwing myself into work was the answer.

But I'm not focused, and I'm not happy,

and I don't have purpose.

And without purpose, I'm just drifting like a river...

or like an old leaf.

Or like an old leaf in a river.

Which do you think is bet-- 'Ey!

You weren't listening to me.

It's like your mind is somewhere else.

Well, whatever. You're useless to me unless

you can get me past that facial recognition thingy.

Hello.

Can you help me get in there?

No?

Mmm.

You've got your own problems, I guess.

Well, it didn't say how to destroy the evidence

in the assignment.

It's gonna get messy.

Stop right there!

Hi.

Now, that's a face that can open a scanner.

Did Valentina send you?

This research is property of OXE Group.

You're gonna tell me

-I don't understand. -You don't understand.

-We've made a breakthrough. -You've made a breakthrough.

-It's gonna change the world. -No, no, no.

-It could end the world. -Blah, blah, blah.

Valentina doesn't understand what happened here.

Shh, shh, shh.

Look, blame the US government for their pesky investigation.

Now we have to get rid of all this stuff.

Do you think I like taking orders?

Going from job to job doing the same thing all the time?

Don't do it. I wouldn't do that.

Always a struggle for a gun.

Oh, God.

You shoot, I dodge.

Oh, my God.

Tell Valentina she's making a mistake.

- -

You guys can never aim for shit.

Always collateral damage.

You try to say your last words.

Project Sentry isn't what she thinks.

But you start to fall asleep.

Oh...

Oh, damn.

I needed that face.

Okay.

The assignment is-- Oh, wait. Hang on.

Assignment is complete.

What's next?

Representative Barnes,

as a freshman congressman, any words on today's hearing?

Well, I'm not on the impeachment committee,

but the rumors of wrongdoing are, um, very worrying.

They are, uh, very, very concerning and worrying.

And, uh, I think that

my Brooklyn constituents deserve better,

so we're-we're gonna get to the bottom of this,

um... ...worrying issue.

Thank you.

Now, today, the committee is meeting

to examine this official who sits before you.

Articles of impeachment have been brought against her.

And when we vote in favor of the impeachment,

she will be removed from her post permanently.

Please state your name for the record.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

Mm-hmm.

-Uh, Miss Fontaine-- - No.

It's "de Fontaine." You forgot the "de."

Mr. Anderson, for example,

is Secretary of Defense, not secretary of "fense."

Miss de Fontaine.

At this moment, you are serving

as a director of the CIA, correct?

That is correct.

And before that, you were the chairwoman of the board

of OXE Group?

Yes. Although, I have fully divested in OXE

since taking office.

I now sit on the board in a strategic guidance capacity.

And following this strategic guidance,

the OXE Group maintains significant holdings

in unregulated labs in foreign countries

and rumored human experimentation.

All part of an illegal operation

to develop your own super... person.

May I speak now, Congressman?

Yes.

First of all, I don't have time

to entertain these rumors and this gossip.

Right now, there are multiple rogue nations

with technologies that far exceed our own.

And you'll recall that our last president turned into

a bright red superhuman monster

who nearly destroyed this city.

The Avengers are not walking through that door.

We have no reliable heroes.

That is why the onus is on me, on us,

the American government, to shield its citizens.

-And you know... -

Madame Director.

...anything I have done in my roles,

both at OXE or at the CIA,

has been done with that goal in mind.

- -Order. Madame Director.

I officially reject these articles of impeachment.

This is a partisan waste of time.

And your hunt will come up empty,

no matter how many nooks and crannies

you happen to stick your nose in.

So you don't mind

if this committee continues this investigation?

Oh, of course not.

Shit.

We gotta get all of this outta here ASAP.

Yep. So far they've removed all the case studies...

Okay, just get rid of any hanging chads

that could get me impeached or land me in federal prison.

Copy. No prison.

What about our shadow ops out in the field?

Did all those loose ends get tied up?

Well, the ends are tied, yes, but the rope is on fire.

What?

Can you please just say it normal?

Okay, um, one operative blew up an entire laboratory

in the middle of Kuala Lumpur.

Whatever.

Did the new assignments get sent out?

Yes, ma'am. All but one have checked in.

Where is she?

There's Brezhnev.

Those guys with the little waves.

Get out of my way.

-Get out of my-- -

I click "leave on porch."

Your "subordinance" will be reported to DoorDash HQ.

Alexei, it's me. Open up.

Yelena?

Hold on!

"Protecting you from boring evening."

-Hmm. -

Yelena! So good to see you.

Hi, Dad.

Sorry for the wait.

I was on important call.

Highly classified.

How long has it been, huh? A year?

Wow, yeah, I guess-- I guess it has been.

You-- You've been busy with work?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, a lot of, uh... a lot of work.

-Me too. -Too many irons in fire.

Uh, security.

My limo business.

You would not believe the important people

I meet driving.

So you... you feel fulfilled?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, so full, so filled.

Move to DC, best decision I ever made.

Isn't this technically Baltimore?

No. Baltimore start next block over.

-Oh. -But why do you ask this?

What, uh-- What brings you here?

Uh, I-- I wanted to talk to you about Valentina.

Okay. New assignment.

You come to Red Guardian. You want a little help.

Uh, no, I-- I think I'm gonna quit.

What?

I would burn the city to the ground to work for her.

What? You just said you were fulfilled.