They were. There's a show - The X-Files - not a creative title, but fairly descriptive, I'd wager. It starts when Scully and I start on the X-Files together and it's a bit interesting knowing that all your, well, quirks, are out there for the world to know.
Understandable, it did the same for me. SHIELD is no doubt working on their own theories but there's a small group of us who are looking into theories and ideas on our own time.
So help me out a little here - I suppose I could look it all up - but do we work together in the future? How do you feel about cigarette smoke?