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

What They Become

"Come on. Whitehall wants to meet you," A guard came in, hauling me up and chaining my hands behind me. What used to bring me comfort now only made my skin crawl. "I have just one question. How do they fit in?" The doors opened to reveal Raina, Ward, Zabo, and a man with paper-white hair who I assumed was Whitehall. Skye approached from the side, flanked by two guards.

"I needed insurance that S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't blow us out of the sky," Ward defended. "But you also ordered that the S.H.I.E.L.D. plane shouldn't be shot down. I had to counter that order myself. I have a theory as to why she's here, at least. Not sure about the other," Agent 33, who had May's face, opened a silver chest to reveal the Obelisk. "I'd like both of you to pick it up," Whitehall ordered. "You first," I countered. Several pistols loaded, aimed at us.

We exchanged a glance, before grabbing it together. I raised my brows slightly, letting go and swinging onto one of the guard's shoulders, taking them down and disarming them at the same time as Skye pressed the Obelisk to another guard's neck. Everyone's weapons were trained on us, ready to pull the trigger at any second. "I hope you're as special as your mother," Whitehall said to Skye. Raina went over, taking the Obelisk and not turning to stone as she walked away.

"I'll confess--I didn't recognize you when you first barged into my office," he said to Zabo. "If my daughter wasn't here, I would tear you and your men to pieces," Zabo threatened. "Well, then, I'll add that to the number of reasons I'm glad she's here. You are the piece of the puzzle that I can't decipher. Why are you really here?" Whitehall said, aiming the second part at Ward. "Is it really that hard to see? It's love. The same thing that saved Agent Triplett. Agent Ward believes if he helps Skye fulfill her destiny, she'll see him for who he really is," Raina claimed. "Aww. It's a pity you won't get to fulfill that destiny, or that after all these years, you won't get your vengeance for what I did to your wife. Your friend Iva, however, will be returning to where she truly belongs," the door opened to reveal Madame B. strolling into the room, a smug grin on her stupid, very punchable, face.

The butt of a gun hit Zabo's head, knocking him out. "Secure him. Remain alert around Agent Ward. He's a trained killer--one of the best. I have a feeling that, in time, I can make you comply,"

-

I squirmed against my binds, hearing gunshots outside. "Up, Redback. You're going to get me out of here," Madame B. cut my binds, yanking me up harshly before passing me a pistol. She wrapped a hand into my hair, pulling at it as she whispered in my ear. "Even think of killing me, and you'll be dead before you hit the floor," she threatened. What she didn't know is that I had the pistol aimed at her side.

As soon as she let go, I pulled the trigger and sent the bullet deep into her stomach. I felt a knife sink into my shoulder blade as she jerked, falling to the floor. Unfortunately, I had been stabbed enough times to know that the knife needed to stay in place. What was equally unfortunate, was that it hurt like a bitch. Coulson darted into the room I was standing in, taking in the sight of me standing in the middle of the room, ropes lying on the floor next to Madame B. who was imitating a half-squished cockroach, a gun in my hand and a knife in my shoulder.

"Hey, Coulson. Lovely weather, isn't it?" I asked nonchalantly. "Asya! You're alright," he exclaimed. "Well, except for the knife in my shoulder, but I've been through worse," I shrugged, before sending another bullet into Madame B.'s head, ending her for good. "Who's that?" He asked as I jogged over. "Madame B. The 'b' stands for bitch. And now she's dead," I said.

"Now, get out of here. Skye needs you,"

-

Skye and I arrived in some sort of tech area, presumably where they were drilling, with flashlights to scope the area. I found the box the Obelisk was in, but it was empty. "The Obelisk's gone, Skye," I said. We found a hole with a rope through it, leading down into the depths. "Oh, god, Raina," Skye muttered.

"I'll go down first. I'll shout when it's safe for you," I said, grabbing the rope. "Wait, before you go," Skye wrapped me in a tight hug, burying her head in my chest. "Thank you for coming with me," she muttered. "You're welcome. Thanks for standing by my side," I said, returning the hug. "Now go," she said, and I wrapped my foot around the rope, sliding down to the bottom before stepping to the side.

"It's safe, Skye!" I shouted, and she slid down, landing on the ground with a thud. We started wandering through the tunnels, rounding a bend to see a silhouette standing in front of some sort of lit cavern, a glowstick thing laying nearby. "Mack? You scared the hell out of me. What are you doing down here? Mack?!" Mack turned towards us, revealing that his eyes were all black and he was unresponsive when Skye waved the light in front of him. "Okay. Okay, come on. Come--we got to get out of here. Mack. Mack! We're gonna come back. Okay?" We went into the cavern, weapons hot, to find Raina with the Obelisk standing in front of some sort of pillar. "I knew you'd both come," she claimed.

"Somebody has to stop you," I snapped. "Your whole lives--our whole lives have been leading to this moment," she claimed. Some screws must've come loose or something with the way she was talking. "Sorry. I don't buy into the whole 'This is your destiny' thing. We're taking the Obelisk, and we're leaving.  There are too many lives at stake," Skye said. "You've got it all wrong. Whitehall, everyone has got it all wrong. This doesn't destroy. It gives life--new life. We finally get to find out what we become," yeah, there were definitely more than a few screws loose.

The Obelisk started glowing orange and pulsating. "Make it stop," I ordered firmly, but she had a wistful grin on her face. "I can't," she let go, and it started floating towards the spire. "None of us can now," it landed, some sort of noise like a thud or click echoing through the air. Rumbling filled the air, and I looked around, panicking.

"If you want to leave, now's your chance," she said as stone started to close us in. "I got to admit, I'm just the tiniest bit nervous," Trip ran in just as the walls sealed around us. "No, Trip! What are you doing here?" I asked. "Came to get you," he said, winded.

A torch was in his hand, he was gleaming with sweat, and blood was soaking the bandage on his arm. The Obelisk opened, revealing a bluish crystal that started to grow. "How do we stop it?" Trip asked. "I don't think we can," I said weakly. "What's supposed to happen?" He asked.

"Something beautiful," Raina said. Gas burst from the crystal, filling the room and sending us back against the wall. A high-pitched ringing and warbling filled the air. Strange rock started creeping up my body, and I dropped my gun in shock. "Oh--oh, god," my lungs felt like they were being compressed.

"Tr--Trip!" I gasped, the rock forming around my face. The rock cocoon started crumbling around me, falling away from my eyes to reveal Trip. But it wasn't Trip. He was frozen in place, made of stone. Tears poured from my eyes, the cocoon falling to the ground in a thud as it shattered from around Skye. 

The temple started to shake as I ran over, putting a hand on his shoulder. But, my hand went right through him. Everything was shaking, dust pouring from the ceiling in waves. Trip crumbled into pieces, and he was gone.

And so was I.