Birds of a Feather | | Leo Fitz Book One

Chapter 44

If it weren't for the bright green and red flashing orbs coming off the various pieces of electronics, the avionics bay would have been pitch black. It was definitely a place Asia never expected to find herself, surrounded by humming electronics, waiting at any moment for someone to discover them. She felt slightly uncomfortable here, the only thing making her really feel safe being Leo. Yet, the hairs on the back of her neck were still rising, and she kept her eyes sweeping over the room, ready for the worst.

Leo, sensing her discomfort, placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "Just give me one quick moment, we'll be out of here in a jif." He gave her a comforting smile, noticing the way the lights softly danced on her face, almost like a fireworks show. She looked beautiful, even in the almost pitch-black. Then he placed his flashlight in his mouth and began to reach for the wires, looking for the proper one. There were at least 50 wires running through the box he was inspecting, alone. This didn't even account for the rest of the machinery in the room. Locating the correct one, he gave the thin, blue wire a quick yank, snapping it. "Ok, ok, got it. Let's get the hell out of here," he grabbed Asia's hand, much to her surprise, and dashed out of the room.

From behind them, they could hear footsteps. Leo looked at her, his eyes wide. When the reached a fork in the hallway, Asia shoved him towards the left. "Get to the Lab. I'll be right behind you!" She said, glancing behind them before dashing to the right and towards her room. She skidded around the corner and grabbed onto her doorhandle, throwing it open and grasping her wristlets off the shelf, slipping them onto either arm, feeling the satisfying pulse as she activated the pressure point, the knives sliding out. Whipping around, she sprinted off back down the hall, towards the Lab, hoping she wasn't too late.

When she reached the stairs, she heard the gunshot ring out. Without hesitation, reacting on pure instinct, she flipped herself over the railing, landing in front of the Lab doors, in a fighting stance, knives at the ready, facing Agent May herself, who still held a smoking pistol. Behind her, Leo stood, mouth wide open, looking at the cracked glass, the impression marked by the bullet directly where his forehead would have been, had the door not been there. Asia let out what sounded almost like a feral growl.

May did not lower the gun, but instead cracked her neck and smirked. "I don't think you want to do this," Asia warned, senses raring to go.

Suddenly, from either side, Coulson and Skye emerged, each brandishing a pistol. "Put it down, May!" Coulson ordered, the gun trained on her head, as much as he regretted it. He would pull the trigger if he had to. If she was HDYRA, he would do it.

"It's just an ICER, Coulson," May growled back, not lowering her gun from Asia's location. The brunette agent didn't move a muscle either. As far as she was concerned, she was the only thing standing between Leo and May.

"Well, this one's not," Coulson barked back, nodding at the gun. "It's very real, with very real bullets. Now I repeat, put the gun down and explain just what the fuck is going on here."

"I...." May trailed off, her gaze flickering to Coulson for a second. If Asia had wanted to use the moment to her advantage, she could have. But, what with Coulson and Skye both holding very real, very loaded weapons, she thought it was best not to. "I can't," May finished.

"Just listen to him, May," Skye said in a surprisingly authoritative voice, which caused the two female agents in the stand-off to glance over at her for a second in almost disbelief.

May glanced up at Coulson, her eyes almost pleading, before she lowered her gun to the floor. "I can explain everything to you but....it can't be here," she said, finally.

Coulson was about to speak when the plane lurched to the side, sending May toppling to the ground.

From behind her, Asia felt a hush of air against her bare neck, felt an arm wrap around her waist, and she was yanked into the Lab, the door shuttling tightly in front of her, locking with a click. Leo, breathing heavily, held his head to her back, listening to her heart through her thin tanktop.

"I thought she was going to shoot you," he whispered, gripping on to her tightly.

Asia swallowed hard, her lips trembling. "I thought she was going to shoot You."