The Tales of a New S.H.I.E.L.D. | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. [BOOK 1]

Chapter 8: What Lies Beneath

"Hello?" Skye called out, breathing heavily, standing in a deserted base, running through empty hallways in a very uncharacteristic white midwestern sundress adorned with daisies.

"COULSON?!?" she shouted, the distress evident in her voice, her need to find her teammates as soon as possible. A storm was coming and no one was prepared for it. The sound of a baby crying echoed through the base. The lights flickered off as she rushed past them.

"Where'd everybody go?!?" Skye yelled, her panic rising. As she reached an intersection, she halted, scanning every direction in confusion."WHERE'D EVERYBODY GO!!?" she repeated frantically.

Amidst the chaos, she entered another section of the base, searching for Coulson.

"COULSON?!?" Skye's voice echoed, and suddenly, a soft chiming melody filled the air.

"That sound...what is that?" Skye wondered aloud, her senses heightened as she listened intently. Abruptly, she teleported into the lab, hearing whispers and feeling a sudden unease. A small box materialized on the table before her, and Coulson appeared beside it.

"Coulson, what are you doing? We have a mission to prep for," Skye insisted urgently.

"This is the mission. It opens," Coulson responded, fixated on the box. "So weird, right?" he remarked, reaching for the box.

Alarmed, Skye shoved the box off the table, protesting, "NO!" The box opened as it hit the floor, revealing a music box emitting a gentle tune. The nursery rhyme, Daisy Bell. Skye heard a baby crying and turned to see Coulson holding a baby girl, accompanied by May.

"Sacrifices have to be made. Poison tree, poison fruit," May remarked solemnly.

"I know," Coulson acknowledged, gently placing the baby on the table. "Bye-bye, Angel Eyes," Coulson murmured as he and May left, leaving Skye behind with the crying baby.

"No, wait. Wait! Don't leave her!" Skye pleaded desperately, to not leave her, the same way she had been left behind, but they disappeared, leaving her holding the music box, which began to affect her like the Obelisk, burning her arms. "COULSON!" Skye cried out in agony as the burning sensation spread. "MAY! WAIT!" she called desperately, the burning moving up her body.

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"Skye, wake up!"

Coulson's voice broke through, shaking her awake with a gasp. She found herself in the living room area of The Bus, her head resting on the table.

"Sorry, I startled you, you okay?" Coulson inquired, concerned.

Skye examined her arms, finding them unscathed, and cleared her throat. "Hi. Yeah. I just dozed off."

"Grab your things. We're back," Coulson directed, and Skye glanced at her arms once more, relieved, before hastily looking over her shoulder.

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At the Playground, Mack navigated a red remote-controlled car resembling Lola, zooming through the hallway. As the car moved, a lab tech peered down while Mack went further down the hall operated the remote control.

"Coming through coming through!" Mack announced as the car maneuvered past legs, only to bump into someone. It was Fitz who picked up the toy car, examining it with curiosity.

"Hey, hey, take it easy with that. I made that for Coulson.," Mack chided gently.

Fitz, intrigued, mused, "Wow. Hey, you know, if you're looking for vacation time bribery will get you nowhere, cause I've tried."