X marks the spot

Lockup

Water woke Robert up. He gasped for breath, spitting out some of the water. He looked around his location, a place with not very much light in it. It was small, too. The main thing he could make out behind his son - who was sat on a wooden chair - were Rebecca and the other woman who was the driver.

Next to Aaron, there was a tray, filled with sharp tools. Robert's breath picked up. Sure, he'd ordered this to happen before to other people, but he had never seen it or been on the receiving end of it.

He looked to his son with fearful eyes; while Aaron's were only cold, that darkness no longer there in his eyes, but there was a glint of something Robert caught.

What had he done?

"I need you do tell me where you get your chips from?" Aaron leant forward as he spoke, hands coming together, back hunched a bit.

"W-what?" Robert asked, still trying to get his bearings.

"The chips that you get. The ones you put in your workers. You know, the one Maria used to have, too? Those ones? Found one on the victim we're investigating. Found one at her house, too." He made his voice quieter, but nothing close to softer, "So, where did you get them?"

"I got people looking for me." Robert said, trying to keep the act up.

Aaron scoffed, leaning back and chuckling a bit, "You're still on that? May just got the all clear, that place is long fucking gone, old man. Your phones gone. Now, unless you have a tracker in you, which I'd doubt as you wouldn't want to 'massacre' or whatever the term you fuckers use for change your body or manipulate it in some way, you're on your own."

Robert looked to the two other women, but they didn't do anything.

He really was on his own.

"Michael Birchwood," He shut his eyes and squeezed them. He bit his lip, before he continued, "His name was Michael Birchwood. Guys a cook, but also holds shit for...not us, but we buy from him."

Aaron nodded, shoving the tray away and standing up, "You know where he is?" Robert nodded instantly, "Ok, then."

Aaron walked over to May and Rebecca, the younger SHIELD agent silent as she patched up her wound, "Lock down the fort while we're gone?" He asked of May. She nodded, wordlessly.

"We won't be gone for very long." He assured her, looking back to his father one more time. This was a man who would sell out the whole world if it would save his skin.

So at least Aaron had that going for him. That he wouldn't do that.

The drive wasn't as awkward as the two thought it would've been. There was no music. Only the sound of the world passing them by. Between the two, it was a more relaxed feeling. The two seemed to have an understanding in this moment. That this was it, this was the man they needed. The man that they had been chasing.

"You ready?" He asked, she turned from the window to her partner. She let the words linger for a moment as she fully processed the question, was she ready? For this to be over. She knew that, at the end of the day, this was just another case. Just another murder, and her time here would be over. She'd have to go back to HQ. And he'd be let go to do what he wanted. They both knew that if he slipped up though, they'd be on his doorstep quickly.

"Yeah." Her voice gave away her slight uncertainty with the answer. To be honest, he felt it as well. It felt too perfect, in a way. That this would be the end of the story. Just wrap up like this. If it turned out he was wrong, then fine. But, still, the two had a feeling that deep down this wasn't over.