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

Afterlife

Afterlife, Location: Nepal

As soon as we landed, Gordon started to take Skye away. "Wait! Where are you going?! Wait!" men grabbed me by the arms, dragging me to a room and locking me in. I started panicking, my body phasing faster and faster, making me feel like I was going to blip out of existence at any second. There was a knock at the door before an Asian woman appeared. "Hello, Chebotaryova. My name is Jiaying," she said.

She was holding some kind of clipboard. "M---m---Asy--," I said, my voice cutting in and out. "I need you to breathe. Calm yourself," I closed my eyes, clearing my head and slowly feeling the glitching stop. "My name is Asya," I told her. "Of course. Do you know where you are?" she asked.

"No. Where's Skye?" I asked, ready to fight her. "Skye is currently being treated. She'll be out for the next few days. We need to start your transition period if you would please come with me," she led me to a room with a strange white bed, which I laid down on. They started sticking pins in me, and eventually due to drowsiness, I fell asleep.

-

I woke up to see a strange man poking around. "Woah! Who the Блядь are you?" I exclaimed, staring at him. "Oh. I forget you're new to this. My name's Lincoln. I'm your Transitioner, alongside being your friend's," he said, drawing up a chair. "Skye? Where is she? Is she okay?" I asked. "She's fine, she's sleeping. She woke up an hour ago," he explained.

"My team--they're in danger. I need to help them. Why can't I move?!" I wasn't able to move my arms or legs. It felt like I was being pinned to the table. "Why are you here?" I asked. "As I said, I'm your Transitioner. Let me start from the top. Imagine a thousand years of evolution taking place instantaneously. T-That's what happened to you after the mist. These treatments--we're helping your body adjust properly to the change, transitioning you quickly and painlessly, I hope. We usually like to start the process right after the mist, but as--" he was trying to explain when I cut him off. "How long? When can I leave? They're in danger," I said.

 "You're the one in danger, Asya. Remember? You're being hunted,"

-

"How are you feeling?" Lincoln was back. I had changed into some clothes that were better than the rags I was wearing when I woke up. "Kind of...normal," I admitted. "Normal's good," he said, setting something down. "Yeah," I muttered.

"We flushed your lymphatic and circulatory systems, so you'll be weak for a few days, but..." as he talked, I pulled on my jacket and pulled my hair out of my face. "I need to send a message to my friends, and to find Skye," I said. "Gordon's the only one who can make contact with the outside world. We can talk to him when he gets back. As for Skye," I turned, seeing the brunette standing behind me in similar clothes. She ran up to me, wrapping me in a hug. "You're okay," she breathed, sounding relieved. 

She pulled back and I turned to Lincoln. "Where are we?" I asked. "No one really knows. Uh, the official name is Chinese, I think--来世," he said, going over to a pair of doors. "Afterlife," I translated as he threw the doors open. We stepped out, staring at the vast mountain ranges.

-

"You said the name of this place was Chinese. Are we in China?" Skye asked. We were walking through a pavilion, people staring at us as we passed. "No idea. Gordon's the only one who knows where we are, and he's the only way in or out. It keeps us secret and safe from the outside world," hearing him say that no one really knew where we were reminded me very strongly of the Red Room, where they blindfolded us or knocked us out while we were traveling for missions. "Or it keeps us prisoners," I interjected, crossing my arms.

"You're not very trusting, are you?" he asked. "Forgive me for not trusting someone who I meant when I woke up on a table naked in a place no one can even point to on a map," I snapped, on edge. "You weren't totally naked. And you both asked Gordon to bring you here. No one's gonna force either of you to stay. It's not a bad place. The nightlife's a little lacking," he said. "So you live here?" Skye asked. "No one lives here--not permanently. It's more like a waystation. I'm from Cincinnati, trying to finish Med School. I'm brought here when I'm needed.  Some people come here when they need a safe place to stay," he admitted.

"Why do I feel like we're the new kids in school right now? Everyone is staring at us," Skye said, looking around at those staring, some with venomous looks in their eyes. "Gordon didn't explain?" Lincoln asked, confused. "I thought you said everyone here is like us and that this happens all the time," she said, equally as confused. "Are you kidding? T-This has never happened. Things here have always been done a certain way. These people are descendants, yes, but most of them are waiting to be chosen. They carry the genetic marker and have been brought here to be evaluated, cultured, and prepared for the change, should they be selected, but that only happens to one person every few years," Lincoln explained. "They actually want to go through?" I asked, shocked.

"This tradition has been passed down through countless generations," he said. "And we jumped the line," she muttered. "And not only did you both go through without permission or prep, but you did it old-school, with a Diviner in a Kree Temple. Uh, that hasn't happened for thousands of years. You can se why some of these people might be a little envious," he said. "We'd gladly change with any of them. We didn't want this," I informed him. "I understand," he said.

"The woman who changed with us, Raina...Gordon took her and my father. Are they here?" Skye asked. "Gordon takes people everywhere. It's his job to keep us safe. I promise, there is no one here who will harm either of you. You're protected,"

-

"How many of us are there?" I asked as we strolled through the pavilion the next day. Earlier, Lincoln had brought Skye up to a ridge, but I opted to stay in my room and try and contract anyone but kept failing, or at least, that's what I told the others. "We don't know. Not every descendant is found, and not everyone who is chooses to come. Gordon! I hope we're still on for pizza tonight. Truthfully, I think that's what sold her," I spotted the blind individual as he approached us. "Not tonight. I have to see to some pressing matters, but I'm glad you're feeling better, Skye, Asya," Gordon said. "We need you to give a message to our friends, let them know we're okay," I said.

"I can ask permission, but they'll advise against it. It's better we stay quiet for the time being," he said, starting to walk away. "Uh...wait!" Gordon turned back around to face us. "My father and Raina--where did you take them?" Skye asked. "I can't divulge their location, just as I can't divulge yours. But you don't need to worry about them," he said, then walked away. "What does he mean 'ask permission?' Ask permission from who?" I asked.

 "The elders. You both've made a lot of people afraid--afraid our secret won't be safe for much longer,"