[1] Take the Shot | Leo Fitz

40

Nina was immediately on edge when they walked down the dimly lit hallway. The team were surrounded by concrete walls and tiled flooring with no escape as the door they had walked through slammed shut behind them. They were in a bunker, Nina knew that much, whose bunker was what she was weary about.

"What is this place?" Skye asked as she took in the vaulted doors and empty wall space. Everyone had pushed off their puffy hoods and unzipped their massive jackets, they could no longer feel the intense cold from outside and that was the one thing Nina was happy about.

The specialist was still in a weird headspace. The hike had allowed her to come to terms with that fact that her life had been dictated by Hydra since she was 7 years old when they killed Monica and her Dad. Despite the confirmation, she was still increasingly angry and lost. And she was struggling with where to direct that anger.

The struggle resulted in calling out Coulson and where she had every right to do so, she felt bad for practically calling him an egotistical bastard in front of his team. He deserved it, was what she was telling herself, for bringing up her own team in the way he did but knowing that didn't make her feel any less shitty.

"One of Fury's secret bases," a jolly voice called out and the team turned to face it. The owner of the voice was a stranger to everyone, with greying hair and a thin smile. He was short, that was the first thing Nina noticed, with bright green eyes that shone when he saw everyone else. She couldn't tell if it was because he was happy to see them specifically or if he was just happy to see someone, "I call it Providence, although technically it doesn't have a name because technically it doesn't exist, it being a secret base and all."

Nina shared a look with May before turning back to the newcomer. They both understood technicalities but this was the first time they'd heard a secret base being one of them.

"If everyone would follow me," he said, turning on his heel and walking down the rest of the dark hallway. Coulson turned to face his team before following after the stranger. After a few moments of uncertainty, the rest followed after them, this time Nina led with her gun in her hand.

They entered a room that mirrored the dining halls in the academies. Tables and chairs filled the room and the windows displayed digital pictures of a beach. Nina wondered if there were any real windows in the building as she was yet to see any natural light but she was reminded that they were in a bunker and most likely underground. Their guide for the day stopped in the centre of the room and extended his arms as he displayed the surroundings with a smile.

"Pretty cool, huh?" he said, his already bright smile brightened and Nina rolled her eyes thinking, what could this guy possibly have to be so happy about.

"I'm sorry. Who are you, exactly?" Coulson asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Eric Koenig, Agent of SHIELD, Level 6," he answered with pride.

Nina looked at Koenig, trying to understand him. The man was small and stubby, Nina could probably kill him with a toothpick but he held a kind smile and had an aura of responsibility. From the way he stood, clad in a suit, with an identification badge hanging from his neck told Nina three things. He was either going to hate her, fear of her or both.

"Phil Coulson,"

"I know, I know," Koenig grinned as he shook Coulson hand enthusiastically, "it is an honour to meet you, Agent Coulson. And I apologize for the kerfuffle outside. The precision remote system was designed to destroy any rapidly moving metallic object."

"It was my badge," Coulson said and Koenig cringed slightly in apology.

"It was... okay. That's gonna be, tough to replace...but very soon you're gonna be issued your very own lanyard," he exclaimed holding up his identification badge. Koenig showed the team with a smile before gulping when he caught sight of the gun in Nina's hand, "oh... you won't be needing that."