Garrett's first involvement with the Avengers came while he was using the identity of Triathlon; he assisted them in defeating arms dealer Moses Magnum. Soon after, Garrett also helped the Avengers battle Lord Templar and Pagan at the dedication ceremony of a new Triune Understanding building. The battle ended with Lord Templar and Pagan escaping. Jonathan Tremont publicly blamed the Avengers for the destruction, and then covertly set up a smear campaign against the team to suggest they were religiously intolerant and racist. Tremont then had the mercenary the Taskmaster frame a number of Avengers for the destruction of an important Triune building. Tremont then publicly "forgave" the Avengers, which the team grudgingly went along with to avoid further bad publicity. It was during Tremont's media event at Avengers Mansion that the building was attacked by a terrorist. Triathlon aided the Avengers in defeating the terrorist. In the aftermath, Duane Freeman, the Avengers' government liaison suggested that the team add Triathlon as a member to quell the bad publicity that the team had recently engendered. With some animosity on both sides, Triathlon was made a member of the Avengers when their new line-up was announced to the public.