Saving Grant Ward

Chapter Forty

When we touched down in Norway, I was just starting to feel awake. I'd had like five cups of highly-caffeinated tea, and I didn't even stumble as I got off the plane.

Coulson, Grant, Simmons, and I were headed for a national park, where apparently some whack-jobs had chopped down a tree and stolen an ancient scepter. As we trekked through the forest, I breathed in the outdoorsy smells. Being in the middle of a forest just felt so fresh and clean.

I sighed. "Norway.  I love it. Now I can finally cross it off my bucket list."

"Since when is Norway on your bucket list?" asked Grant, looking skeptical.

"Since now."

Grant rolled his eyes, but I ignored him and kept walking happily. Finally, we ended up at the fallen tree we were supposed to be investigating. Once we were on the scene, I started checking the ground and surrounding area for anything that might be useful while Phil talked to witnesses and Grant and Simmons investigated the tree.

Ever since almost falling to her death, Simmons had been terrified of anything remotely high up. I could hear her and Grant talking, and my heart swelled as I heard Grant coaching her up the tree like a caring older brother. I literally wanted to hug him. He was being so kind to someone he hadn't known for years! It was such progress for him!

After searching the site and not finding anything new, I headed back to stand with Grant. Simmons was scanning the thing in the tree to send back to Fitz. Suddenly, Skye and May came over the comms, patching us in to a news report about extreme rioting in Oslo.

"The rioting has left twenty injured, three in critical condition," said the reporter.

I glanced at Grant. This was not good.

"Reports indicate that the group of about a dozen was led by this man and woman," the reporter continued. I couldn't see their pictures yet since I didn't have my SHIELD tablet, but hopefully it was a good picture that would make them easy to find. "And though their motive was unclear, their message was hauntingly spelled out on the streets of Oslo."

Phil came over to Grant and I with his phone, holding up a still of the news broadcast. The message

WE ARE GODS

was carved into the pavement, spelled out in flames.

"Well I guess we know who they think they are," said Phil. I shook my head. I couldn't believe this. "Let's get back to the Bus and find these guys."

Grant nodded and I went to help Simmons pack up. Some people. Honestly. It felt like they just got crazier the longer I was at SHIELD.

****************

As soon as we got back to the Bus, we got an ID on our whackjobs and started digging into the artifact they pulled out of the tree. Phil knew a professor in Spain who he though could help, so it was wheels up for Seville ASAP. Coulson took FitzSimmons with him to talk to the professor with the model of the staff we pulled out of the tree, leaving Grant, May, Skye, and I behind on the Bus.

"Do you remember the last time we were in Spain?" I asked Grant, looking out from the ramp of the plane.

"How could I forget? It was the mission that resulted in Siberia," he said.

I gave him a "really?" look. "It was also the mission where we first talked about our lives before SHIELD. And the mission when I learned about your mud volcano trauma with Garrett. And when I realized you were a terrible driver. And when we started watching The Office!"

"You just had to bring up the mud volcano, didn't you?" asked Grant with a smile.

"Yeah, I did. That is the unprecedented best story about you."