The Lives of Two 19 Year Old S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents

Chapter 22 - It's OK

It was about 20 minutes before Chloe came to find me. Either she couldn't find me or she wanted to give me time to calm down. When she did find me, without saying a word, she pulled me into her arms and we sat there together.

"Are you OK now?" she asked me after a few minutes.

"Yeah, I'm good," I replied.

"Ready to go back?" she asked.

I nodded and we walked back to The Bridge together, holding hands. As I walked past Fury I said to him, "I'll take it off on the day."

"Actually, Agent Elliott, Agent Thomas, I have a mission for you," he said.

I turned towards him and firmly shouted, "No!"

"Anaiya, our German base was hit half an hour ago so we've sent a lot of agents there and we have two major missions in progress now. You two are the only ones I can send."

"Fine," I replied, surprised at the news, "But if either of us gets too injured to go to Spain to save Tayla, we're postponing the mission, OK."

He gave me a look of agreement.

"It's tonight." he said. "All I need you to do is some recon. There's word about that Kronkov Skilenski and his team are conducting human enhancement experiments at a facility here in Kent. I just need you two to take a look around and see what you can find out."

"Skilenski, I've heard that name before," I said, thinking. "Where have I heard that name?"

"You met him on a mission last year in Wimbledon," replied Fury. "He must have survived the explosion."

"I remember now, he shot me in the side," my hand automatically moved to the area.

"Do we have any other info to go on?" asked Chloe.

"Other than the address," he replied. "No."

That evening after we'd gotten dressed, Chloe and I met in tactical room seven for a final discussion. She wore a plain black catsuit like mine instead of the outfit she'd worn last time. Probably because it had been destroyed on our last mission. On her back she had a black quiver and in her hand she held a collapsible bow. All of her arrows were black with purple tails and silver heads. She also had a gun in a holster on her right thigh. I just wore my usual catsuit with combat boots and a gun in a holster on each thigh with extra ammo.

"Where's your crossbow?" I asked her.

"I lost it on our last mission," she replied, "and I'm more comfortable with a bow. I was just trying to impress you."

"Just remember," I said, "this is only your second mission. Natasha has been training you well, much better than me, but you are still an amateur. Be careful and never let down your guard."

"I know," she replied.

She leaned over and I gave her quick kiss. Fury walked in and we had a quick final discussion before Chloe and I set off in a quinjet with our friend and pilot, Katherine Gilbert.