The Before [Prequel- Part 1]

Gunner

~~~Loki's pov~~~

Since last speaking with Catherine, Grill has assigned Mack, Agent Rodriguez, and I to interrogate some man named Gunner. He said he was behind on some payments and that he was receiving a package from level 35. Apparently, that's where they keep the high-tech weapons.

Before she left, Catherine told me that she was going to that level to try and find some information on Simmons with Coulson, May, and that man we met when we first got here, Deke.

Finding Gunner wasn't difficult. Now all we have to do is scare him into giving Grill his money.

I don't like this, but we need to do it. To survive.

We trailed him to his room, Agent Rodriguez taking the lead.

"Hey." She said, gaining his attention as Mack closed the door behind us, trapping him.

"Who are you?" He asked, backing away from us, a box of unknown items in his hands.

"Grill sent us," I answered.

"He wants his money," Mack added.

"Yeah? Screw Girll. I told him he'd get his money, and he will. He thinks you're gonna scare me?" He raised his brow at her.

"I should." She replied smugly. "Because if I don't, my friends here will." She gestured to us. 

"Tell Grill to relax. I'm putting it together. No one wants any trouble."

"Good, then don't cause any."

"You three just need to calm down." He shook his head and started to store the items in the box he was holding.

Mack walked forward, scaring Gunner with the sudden movement, and he dropped the box. "Now, this package you're waiting for, you know we can make it disappear."

The man's eyes hardened. "What did you just say?"

"I'm saying that if you try anything, it wouldn't be hard for us to go after this package of yours and make it so it never gets to you."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You can't do that." He protested, stepping forward.

"Hey, things go missing all the time." Mack shrugged dismissively. 

"I swear, I'll kill you."

I furrowed my brows at his response. What could this package possibly be that he'd kill for it?

"What kind of man makes a threat so low? You're sick." He spat, growing angrier by the second.

"Just pay Grill, and no one will take your package," I said calmly, trying to diffuse the tense situation. 

"But if you don't, we'll take it and throw it in the crushing mill." Mack threatened, undoing any progress I had managed to make.

Why does he have to make it so drastic?

"Mack, Loki, look." Agent Rodriguez called us over softly, pointing to the items Gunner had dropped on the floor earlier.

The contents of the box were baby supplies. Blankets, toys, and food.

The package was...

"Who threatens a child? Who would threaten to tear a baby away from someone when the chance is so rare?" Gunner asked us, his hand clenched in anger.

"We're sorry. We didn't know." I apologized.

"Kids are scarce here. Because of people like you three who only understand violence and death! I hope you never get the privilege. You'd mess it up anyway. People like you don't deserve a child." He shook his finger at Mack, but what he said felt more directed at me.

And let's just say it hit too close to home.

While Gunner was preoccupied with Mack and Agent Rodriguez, I teleported to my room.

I needed time to think.