X marks the spot

Stolen

The team were setting up in the lighthouse. A familiar place. A familiar place with a floor. Stability. Or something close to it anyway. Aaron was still in his pod, to keep him safe as the present and apparent future got closer together – and the two versions of him got closer to meeting and memories crossed, it could kill him.

"You feeling ok?" Mack asked, looking to the girl. She nodded with a smile. She didn't feel like Aaron did about it. Whether that be because she wasn't him, or that she didn't have full access to those flashes of future memories, she wasn't sure. She was glad, either way. As to not be having that as well. It sounded mean, but it was honest.

Mack made a comment about his nostalgia for the 80s, and how it had died now given their trip.

The elevator doors opened, and a woman greeted them. She was dressed in a suit, long hair.

"Roxy," Mack said, "it's good to see you."

Roxy smiled, "likewise sir. Didn't expect you back so soon."

"Yeah, well," Mack chuckled, "couldn't be helped."

They exited the elevator, carrying their belongings. As they did, Roxy fell into step with them, "I know you guys are up to some top-secret stuff. The lighthouse is up and running. Wish I could hang with you."

"Congrats on getting into the Academy," Coulson said.

"Thanks. Yeah. I thought I was in SHIELD, but it turns out Deke wasn't authorised to make me an agent."

Mack hummed with that assessment.

"Rest of the gang signed up, too. Maybe we'll be reunited at the Triskelion after we graduate!" she then paused, exiting dimming for a moment, "hey. You're not in a TV anymore, Coulson. That's cool."

She was a gentle person, Roxy. Kind. Dressed nicely. Her lips were a nice shade of red, Lisa saw.

"Just don't ask me to explain it," Coulson asked. His smile was the kind one he gave to people – an assurance, but one that held some fakeness to it. It was odd toe try explain it. Lisa didn't fully get it, but the smile was there anyway.

Roxy chuckled, "well, duty calls."

"Good luck, Agent Glass," Mack said.

Roxy gave them a salute, before taking leave.

There was a rumble in Lisa's head. A memory from one of the team about Roxy. It was gone as quick as it came. But that sense of familiarity was still there.

"She mentioned the Triskelion," Coulson noted, "but it's 1983. Wasn't in use yet."

"It's ahead of schedule," Elena said.

"Just like Project Insight," May added.

Lisa nodded. Time was shifting around them. Things were getting out of order.

"What are you thinking?" Mack asked Coulson.

"Well, you're the director –"

"No, enough with the formalities," Mack shut that shit down fast, "we're dead in the water here. I need you to be you. So if you have a mission for us, let us know."

Mack was the optimist and a good leader – but Coulson was one who with more experience in that category. Lisa's eyes flickered from one to the other. They were dead in the water. They just about landed and were still so far behind the Chronicoms. It seemed everytime they started to get somewhere, they changed something else.

"Timeline's coming apart. We have to put it back. Nathaniel Malick's out there with quake powers and a new base," Coulson looked to May, "you made a promise to Daisy's mum that she wouldn't have to fight him alone," there was a pause as people started to realise what Coulson had in mind: