Redback Widow II | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. [9]

Making Friends and Influencing People

"Hey, Aysa, quick question. You went to S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, right?" Hunter asked, rolling up with a cart and Mack. "Um, we just have a little wager. Uh, so, did you...?" Mack admitted. "Yeah, no," I said, and the two sighed. "Alright, well, have fun with the inventory. Remember, Koenig likes them neat. Oh, and, uh, none of those euro sevens with the lines through them. Drives him crazy," Mack said before walking off. "Coulson said you were a field agent, had a badge and all," Hunter objected.

"It was more a straight-from-the-street thing. Badge, I had a day before S.H.I.E.L.D. collapsed," I admitted. "You know, Hartley--she loved her blade, hated guns. Idaho--if on a job someone ended up dead, he'd go to church, light a candle. Said it'd balance the karma. See, I knew them, knew what they'd do, not do. So, us being workmates and all..." He said. "You're wondering if I've ever crossed someone off," I said bluntly. "Have you?" He asked. I bit the inside of my cheek before answering.

"Dozens. Now, don't you have inventory?"

-

"Most likely scenario--HYDRA's looking for another weapon. From what we've been able to piece together, Donnie Gill had limited powers when he entered the Sandbox, but..." We were all sat in a briefing, this time about Gill, who had escaped during the collapse. "While there, he was taught to control, amplify those powers," May finished. "Lovely. And who, exactly, do we have to thank for that? S.H.I.E.L.D. or HYDRA?" Hunter asked. "Your guess is as good as ours. HYDRA had scientists embedded at the base. Explains how they took it so quickly," Rue admitted. "A friend of mine was stationed there. He said it got bad fast," Mack said.

"Is that when Gill escaped?" Trip asked. "I don't know. What I do know is that Creel wasn't an isolated incident. I've been told Gill's next on HYDRA's wish list," Coulson said, coming into the room. "Told by who?" Fitz asked. "I have a source," he admitted. "A source you trust?" I asked, suspicious.

"Very much so. Now, I want us to bring Gill in before HYDRA gets their hands on him. Fitz, you know him better than any of us. Got anything to help us narrow the search?" Coulson asked. "Um...well...the la--the last time I saw him, he was, um..." Fitz stuttered. "Angry? On drugs? Uh...friendly? Sleeping?" Mack guessed. 

"Yeah," he said. "Sleeping?" Mack asked. "No. What--the one--the--go back one," he stuttered. "Friendly?" Mack supplied. "Friendly. Um...uh...no, he had trouble making friends," he added. "Anything else?" May asked with a sigh.

"I don't know. Maybe ask Jemma if you have a contact number for her," he mumbled. "Okay, and if you think of anything--" Coulson started. "Yeah, we'll work on it," Mack said. "May, you lead the search to find Gill. Let me know as soon as you have something," Coulson said, then left. "Scan satellite feeds for any temp--" May started.

"Shouldn't Skye be here?" Fitz asked. "She's working another angle,"

-

"Maribel del Mar. Anchored in the port of Casablanca. It's a privately owned cargo ship. Supposed to cast off this morning but didn't. It's frozen in ice," Rue said. "Iceberg in the middle east? Gill's not subtle," Trip said. "Trip, Asya, how long till you can have the Bus in the air?" Coulson asked. "Fifteen, tops," I shrugged. "You heard her. You have fifteen minutes to gather your gear," I took off towards the hangar, Trip on my tail.

"No gear?" He asked. "We're making a stop," I said, pausing in front of my door. I opened it, going over to my bed, and grabbing my duffel of gear. I slid it on my shoulder as we headed to the hangar, getting on the Bus and going to the cockpit.

-

"Coulson, we're not alone," May reported. "Not what I hoped, but not unexpected. Proceed. Let me know when you have eyes on Gill," Coulson ordered. "Donnie didn't escape the Sandbox. He took the Sandbox for HYDRA," Fitz reported suddenly. "HYDRA recruited Gill?" Coulson asked in disbelief.

"They brainwashed him. And they're going to retrigger his programming if they can," Mack said. "Are we dealing with a kid or the Winter Soldier?" I muttered. "How do you know this?" Coulson asked. "I spoke to Ward," we exchanged a glance. "We'll talk about that when I get home. Nice work, Fitz. May, Hunter, do either of you have eyes on Gill?" Coulson said. "Not yet," May reported.

 "Target is talking to HYDRA," Hunter reported. "End that conversation. Now. What am I hearing?" Coulson asked when we heard fighting on the other line. "Agent May shot me," Hunter said. "Repeat?" Coulson said. "May shot me," Hunter repeated.

"Man, I wanted to be the one," I griped, earning a look from Coulson. "Simmons is here. Repeat--Simmons is on-site with HYRDA. Do we maintain her cover?" May asked. "Yes. Maintain her cover," Coulson confirmed. "Your source?" Trip asked. "My source," he admitted.

"That's crazy," Trip said, grinning and shaking his head. "What about our main target?" Hunter asked. "If we can't take him in, we take him out. Do you copy?" Coulson said. "Copy that," Hunter said. The boat started to freeze, and all of a sudden, Gill jolted and fell into the water, breaking through the ice and sinking.

 "The threat's been neutralized. HYDRA doesn't have him," Skye reported. "And Agent Simmons?" Trip asked. "Her cover's been maintained. She's safe for now. They're leaving empty-handed. But we're not,"

-

"Nice payload. Too bad we couldn't make off with the whole cargo ship," I said, watching an agent carry in a box of HYDRA supply. "Wanna take a bet on how much tech's in the cargo?" Mack asked. "Not gonna sucker us into doing your inventory, Mack. Good try, though," Trip chuckled. "Trip, have you seen Skye?" May asked, appearing. "Upstairs," he told her, Hunter getting in the way.

I hopped over the railing, going upstairs and earning a few confused looks from the others. I went over to my old bunk, sitting down on the bed and reaching into the drawer, withdrawing the file. "You know it's unhealthy to keep coming back to that," I looked up to see Trip. "You've read it. I'm surprised you don't hate me and haven't told the team," I said. "Well, judging how protective you are of that damn thing, you want your past to stay exactly that--the past. And I'm going to respect that. If you don't want the team to know, they won't know," he assured me.

"Something in me tells me I should keep it, but the majority wants to burn it so that I'll never have to see it again," I admitted. "Well, it's your choice. Do with it what you will, no one will stop you," He said. I sighed, sliding back into the drawer. "Out of sight, out of mind,"

a/n the video up top is completely irrelevant, but I kept seeing it in my recommended feed. Enjoy.

Also, um, holy shit!!! Thank you so much!!!