The Avenger's Soul

0-8-4 (Part 1)

Skye's POV

I threw my bag out of my van; which was parked right next to the ramp of the plane, before grabbing the hula dancer that was on my dashboard.
I then hopped out of the van and shouldered  the two bags that contained most of what I owned. The rest fit into a box, which I reached into the van and pulled out next. I took a moment to look at my van one last time. It wasn't much but it was mine...and after years of Hydra controlling my every waking moment - and even my unconscious ones, I wanted to cling to what little was truly mine!
I turned and walked onto the plane and the ramp moved upwards, closing up the plane as I looked around.
"Oh, Agent Coulson told us the news. What a wonderful surprise. Isn't it, Fitz?" Agent Simmons called out to me as she and Fitz came out to greet me.
"Yeah," said Fitz, though he didn't sound all that thrilled.
"No, it's wonderful," said Simmons. I smiled at her.
"Yeah, a surprise," Fitz added.
"You must be very excited." I looked at Simmons.
"Yep, first day of school," I said, trying to keep the sarcasm to a minimum as the two helped me up the spiral staircase.
"Officially it's an airborne mobile command station. But we call it The Bus," Fitz explained to me. I gave him a confused look.
"We find it best to use shorthand when in the field. But, everything has to be just so, you know, because of the danger," Fitz said. I just looked at him and nodded, already knowing all about the benefits of shorthand since Hydra loved to abbreviate and nickname everything. I had simply been confused over the choice of nickname.
"Yeah, I've been up here before, but I didn't see much because of the bag that Agent Ward put over my head."
"Yes, so sorry about that. Water?" I took the bottle of water that Simmons handed me, but I wasn't very thirsty.
"Wheels up in two. Lock it or lose it," came May's voice over the intercom. I followed Fitz as he lead me over to the last remaining bunk, which he pointed out happened to be right next to his.
He hurried away and I took my two bags and dropped them down as I set the box on the center of the bed. I looked up as Ward appeared, knocking on my door to get my attention.
"Hey, I know we didn't really –" I tried to say, hoping to start fresh with him.
He handed me something, not interested in making small talk. Guess not...
"You may want to read that. This isn't like other planes."
I opened the pamphlet he gave me - it showed the layout of the plane and the many exits off of it.
"You could say that again," I mumbled as I read the pamphlet over. I glanced sideways as Coulson walked over to me.
"Say what again?"
"Sweet ride!" I said, smiling at him.
"I earned a little good will from Directory Fury when I got hit right before the Battle of Los Angeles. I looked at him in interest. That had been right after I moved down from New York to California. It had taken all of my will power not to step in and help out, but in the end, I had kept my head down and let Tony and the others do the work, apparently with Agent Coulson helping them.
"You took a bullet?" I asked in surprise.
"Ish. An Asgardian stabbed me through the heart with a chitauri scepter. The effect was similar." Wow and I thought I was the only walking zombie around! "Got a few weeks R&R and this plane. Had it completely refurbished, studs up, spared no expense." I grinned at the boyish look of excitement on his face.
"Yeah, Ward told me they sent you to Tahiti."
"It's a magical place," he said, again sounding slightly mechanical as he said it.
"You mentioned that," I said, frowning. Something seemed off...but I shrugged it off.
We walked over to a booth-like table and I went to put my water down but Coulson stopped me.
"Here, use a coaster." I rolled my eyes.
We both buckled up as I looked over at Coulson.
"I don't even know where we're going," I pointed out to him.
"Peru. That's where the 0-8-4 was reported."
"And an 0-8-4 is...?" I asked, with raised eyebrows.
"An object of unknown origin. Kind of like you. Team goes in, determines if it's useful or if it poses a threat." I looked at him as he stared me down with curious eyes.

*****

"We should warn the people who live around here if the 0-8-4 is dangerous. They're already dealing with anti-mining rebels and the Shining Path Guerillas. I could post something," I suggested to Coulson as we made our way to the Archeological dig site.
"Remember the panic when that anti-matter meteor splashed down just off the coast of Miami, nearly devoured the City?"
"No," I said, though that was probably because it happened while I was still in Hydra's clutches - not that I was going to tell Coulson that!
"Precisely. Because we kept it quiet and contained."
"So, what am I doing?" I asked, confused.
"Well, if it gets out, I might need you to create some kind of diversion, put the public on the wrong scent."
"So...everything that I'm against," I said as I blinked at him.
"Yep." Great, just great.
I listened in as Coulson introduced himself to the Professor, who then explained to us how he had found something in the Incan temple that was impossible and looked like it might be dangerous. The news just keeps on getting better and better!
"Well, that's why we're here," I heard Coulson say as he tried to reassure the Professor.
The Professor lead Coulson and the rest of us through the door.
I saw ancient writing on the wall along with something that was shiny metal with blue glowing lights. It looked like there were some wires running out of the device.
"Who else knows about this?" Coulson asked after the Professor had finished reassuring him that they had left the object exactly as it was found.
"Just the ministry. I believe they are the ones who contacted you."
"Sir, I need you and your team to evacuate the site until we determine the risk associated with this object," Coulson told the Professor as Fitz-Simmons got their equipment out.
I pulled out my phone and did a quick, but thoroughly extensive, search across the Internet.
"There's nothing about this anywhere," I concluded with a laugh. "It's amazing. I searched every data stream. What do we got here, guys?"
I got closer to the device and slowly reached a hand out to touch it.
"Whoa, car – uh, careful. I – no I wouldn't do that," Fitz warned me.
I hastily lowered my hand and looked back at Fitz worried.
"The object's placement in this fossiliferous rock formation suggests it's been here for at least 1,500 years. That pre-dates this temple by a millennium. Ah! Maybe it's alien," said Simmons excitedly.
No, no, no! Can't things ever be simple!
"Yeah, but the shape and craftsmanship, it's almost German," Fitz pointed out. I laughed.
I walked back over to Coulson in time to hear Ward warning him over the walkie-talkie about something.
"Lots of rebels in this area," I commented.
"Not enough gunfire. Keep working." He clicked the walkie-talkie. "I'm on my way," he told Ward as I went back to join Fitz-Simmons.
"Are you seeing this? It's alive," Fitz suddenly said.
"Wha – alive, alive?" I took a step back as I suddenly realized how close I was standing to the device.
"It has a functioning power source," he explained.
I turned and looked at the device while the two scientists talked back and forth using words I could barely understand.
"Depends on the shifting of the temporal radio stuff, so..." I interjected, hopelessly failing at keeping up with them, but not wanting to be left out. It was an odd feeling and not one that I had ever experienced before...
They both look up at me with confused faces, obviously missing my joke.
"It's totally weird, right?" I gave them a smile, but they were still looking at me like I was talking gibberish - which in their defence, I was. Why do I want them to like me so much? I hardly ever cared what people thought of me - if you didn't count Tony, Steve, Natasha, Clint, and for some strange reason, the Winter Soldier. But I put that down to the fact that they had been the very first people I could actually remember meeting who weren't Hydra. I shook my head to stop my mind from heading down dark roads.
"I'm gonna go check on Coulson," I said, hoping for a distraction.
I turned to head out of the temple, but Ward walked in, stopping me in my tracks.
"We've got company. National police," he informed us.
"What? Why are they here?" Fitz-Simmons cried out.
"They heard about this object, they're probably here to protect it. This area has lots of rebel uprisings."
"Yeah, people are fighting back against the government's mining policies. It's pretty kick ass!" I said, having read up on the issues on the plane ride over. I just wished I'd been able to stand up to Hydra like these people were doing. I had rebelled when and wherever I could, but they were very creative with their  punishments and while I had always done my best to not let them see it, they terrified me. I hated this fact, because it showed how weak I really was. At least these people were working together to fight for what they believed was right!
I glanced up to see Ward glaring at me angrily.
"Yeah, it's kick ass, all the violence."
"That's not what I'm saying!" I crossed my arms and returned Ward's glare with one of my own. He always managed to twist my words to fit his image of who he thought I was...it was aggravating.
I growled under my breath as he point-blank ignored me and turned to Fitz-Simmons. "How much longer?"
"What's the hurry? Are we in danger?" They asked.
"Not if everyone does their job." He looked at me coldly. "What is yours, exactly?"
I was about to open my mouth and slice his ego to smithereens, when I realized that with all of them not knowing I had powers, I didn't really have a roll here. Other than media control apparently...I closed my mouth and lowered my eyes, more hurt by his comment then either of us realized. What was I doing here? Why had Coulson wanted me on his team?
Fury's reasons I could understand, since he knew as much about me as I did, which was not much - but enough to think that I could use my powers to help bring down Hydra and protect the planet for aliens...but Coulson? As far as he was aware, I was just sum bum living out of my van who was good with computers...what use did he possibly have of someone that fit that discription?
I was cut off from my depressing thoughts as an explosion from outside rocked the ground, raining down dirt on all of us. Both Ward and I went on immediate alert - not that Ward noticed, probably thinking that I would be useless in a fight.
Part of me wanted to prove him wrong, but a larger part wanted to keep my secret for as long as I could; though I'd certainly enjoy the look on his face when he finally did realize that he had completely misjudged me and was a twig compared to me.
"Sounds like they're engaging with rebels. Let's go," he said as he peered his head out of the archway. "Rebels, they're coming for it. Let's move!" He confirmed as he motioned for Fitz-Simmons to hurry things up.
I tried to help Fitz pack his things but he was being extremely picky.
"No, no, no, no, no, no," he kept saying as he rearranged everything I touched.
"It doesn't matter!" I exclaimed in frustration.
"It does to me!"
"Please, let us do this," Simmons said. I backed off, raising my arms up in defeat. "We need a containment case for the 0-8-4," she continued to say.
Ward and I looked at her like she was insane. There is so not time for this!
"There's no time," Ward cried out, echoing my thought. I think that was the first thing we had ever agreed on - and it was probably also the last.
Fitz started rambling something sciency but another explosion rocked the ground around us and I closed my eyes as dirt poured down on me.
Ward walked away from the opening and back to the device.
"Sorry, science class is over." With that said, he grabbed onto the device and yanked it out of the wall. My eyes widened in shock. I didn't have to be an expert like Fitz or Simmons to know that what he had just done was extremely dangerous!
"You did not just pull that out of the wall! What is the matter with you?! Do you realize we do not know the amount of photon emissions coming out of this –" Fitz yelled. Ward just gave him a hard shove making him turn to face the opening of the temple, Fitz got the message, though I frowned at the manner in which it had been delivered.
We all filed out - Fitz being the last one to leave, hiking his bag higher on his back.
We had just exited when we were met with heavy fire. I ducked down, but not in time to miss the bullet that tore through my leg. I sighed heavily as I did my best to hide the limp in my step as Ward ordered us to get back.
This was the second bullet wound in less than a few days! I really hoped I wasn't going to be making a habit of this! I mean the pain of a few stray bullets was nothing compared to being cut open by a crazed scientist who liked to keep his subject awake and alert during his experimentations, but it wasn't something I wanted to be dealing with on a semi-daily basis! Especially since I would be in big trouble if I kept getting injured and anyone noticed the rate at which I healed...
I watched as Ward pulled something out of his coat - it looked like a small baton. With a flick of his wrist, it lengthened to look more like a walking cane.
Ward did a fancy roll off the steps before coming to rest on his knees on the ground in front of the temple - which I thought was a bit flashy and unnecessary. He drove the cane into the ground and pressed a button on top. A small device popped out of the top, hovered in the air for a moment, then sent out a shockwave of green energy. It hit the rebels in the trees, sending them flying back.
Ward pulled the cane out of the ground and tossed it aside as he waved us on. I did my best not to stumble as we crossed the clearing. An SUV arrived with perfect timing to block the shots fired from one of the rebels who had managed to stay on his feet.
The passenger side door opened, showing May behind the wheel. I breathed a sigh of relief as I clambered in and she sped off towards the plane.
"Slow down!"
I stared at Fitz. "You're joking, right?"
"Ward, listen, we have to be careful. There's a binding energy structure that could overheat."
Simmons got an excited look. "I could roll down a window!"
"Do not roll down a window!" I shouted, grabbing her hand for good measure as the rebels began firing at the SUV.
May reached over to the radio area of the car, but instead of a radio, it was some sort of computer screen. She punched a few buttons and the ramp on The Bus began to lower.
"How fast can you have the wheels up?" Ward asked.
"Fast." She really likes her one worded responses! I couldn't help thinking, as we got out of the SUV and raced up the ramp.
I looked back and realized that Fitz was falling behind, leaving him right in the line of fire. I quickly darted back and pulled him out of harms way, cursing as another bullet thudded into my lower calf. It's a good thing I wore black jeans today! Otherwise there would be no hiding all this damn blood. I guess I could just say it isn't mine if anyone is observant enough to notice amidst all the chaos...
"Cutting it pretty close, sir," I heard Ward say as Coulson finally arrived, followed by the members of the national police.
"Didn't want to leave anyone behind," Coulson stated. I smiled at his words, feeling my respect for the man double.
"Now, what was the problem?" Ward said, addressing Fitz as he holstered his gun.
"As I said before, this device has a high-frequency, fluctuating, sub-material compression -"
"Fitz, in English." That was English...I silently pointed out - he just wasn't using terms we had the know-how to comprehend.
"The 0-8-4 is full of lethal amounts of gamma radiation," Fitz explained. My eyes widened as I started to see where this was going. I really miss my van right now!
"Gamma, you're saying its nuclear?" Ward clarified. I rolled my eyes but let Coulson set him straight.
"No. He's saying it's much, much worse."
The five of us who had been standing in a half circle around the bag holding the device all look down and then started moving back.
Coulson, Ward, Fitz, and the national police officers all headed up the spiral staircase, some of them mumbling about finding something to drink.
I followed Simmons into her and Fitz's lab, watching as she carefully lifted the device out.
"Not to worry, the device is stable," she said, though I think it was more for her own sake than mine.
"Not that it couldn't explode at any minute, especially if hit with machine gun fire. But, things like this happen from time to time when in the field, and at first, it's very unpleasant, and you regret your decision to leave the lab at all." I listened quietly as she talked more to herself than me, knowing from first-hand experience the joys of rambling.
"Are you mental?"
The two of us looked up at the sound of Fitz's voice - which paved his way as he and Ward followed close behind a few moments later when they entered the lab. It was obvious that they were in the middle of an argument. Something that did not come as a surprise to me, considering Ward was involved...
"I did explain in great detail, exactly what I meant, using the Queen's bloody English!" I laughed at this, quickly catching on to the reason for their argument.
"I use normal English. Words like 'duck' and 'run' and 'might blow us to pieces'." I clapped a hand over my mouth to muffle my giggles, not wanting to draw Ward's attention to me when he was already upset enough as is.
"Oh! Well, congratulations, Agent Ward. You managed to string three words together in a sentence!" I could barely breathe. Dying of laughter was definitely not something I ever thought was a possibility for me.
Fitz had been carrying a case when he walked in, which he now set down on the table - taking out some sort of tool and tinkering with it while Ward and he continued to argue.
I glanced up as the door whooshed open and Coulson entered.
"I'm trying to tell you –" Fitz was saying, but as you can guess, Ward interrupted him.
"I don't understand anything you're saying!" Oh, honey, I'm sure there are a lot of things you do not understand! I thought to myself.
"Do we have a problem?" Coulson asked sternly.
The two boys immediately stop fighting and looked at him, like chastised children.
"No, sir. Just working on our communication. Not everyone was prepared for a firefight." Ward better not be talking about me! I'd bet my lucky hula dancer girl that I had ten times the training he ever had!
"We got out, didn't lose anyone, saved a few of theirs, I'd say we did all right. Anything else?" Coulson stated. Man, I was really starting to like this guy. He really summed that up perfectly.
That fact didn't stop me from raising my hand into the air though.
"Uh, yeah. I've got a small question. Because Mr. Big-shot over here as been treating me like the tagalong hayseed rookie, but now I get the sense that Ward doesn't know which one's Simmons and which one's Fitz - and I'm not a rocket scientist, but is this your first mission together?"
"No, of course not. It's our second!" Simmons declared.
"I was your first? Aww, how sweet," I said sarcastically.
"You're amused?" asked Ward, throwing me another one of his signature moody looks.
"Actually, I am! You keep acting like some high and mighty guru who knows everything and can't do wrong, but I have been on this team just as long as any of you. I might as well be Team Captain!" I said, completely kidding about that last part.
Simmons scoffed and looked away as Fitz shot a look at Ward.
"I was joking, but maybe that's not a bad idea, because these guys do not like each other much," I commented, looking at Coulson with my brows raised.
"This isn't about that," said Ward, again ignoring everything I had just said. He probably hadn't even listened to a single word of it...He turned and looked to Coulson. "I'm a specialist. Today, I could have eliminated the enemy threat myself if I was working alone. But, I had non-combat ready agents –" There he goes again, I really wish I had a pin to pop that inflated ego of his!
"Whoa, whoa. Wait. You work alone?" Hmm, maybe Fitz will do it for me?
Simmons nodded in agreement with Fitz.
"So typical. Who do you think designs your equipment?" She stated.
"Or the polymers for your weaponry?" Fitz added.
I walked around the table as Ward focused on the other two, about to dissolve into a fight again.
"Yeah," said Simmons.
"People like us do it," continued Fitz. I'd noticed they liked to finish each other's sentences a lot.
"Try going into the field with just your bare bum!" I laughed at the mental image of Ward that Simmons had just put in my head.
I went to go stand closer to Coulson and spoke to him quietly.
"See them proving the point I just made?"
Coulson nodded slightly to me. "You're not wrong. We still need to iron out the kinks. But, Ward, you can speak six languages. Simmons, you have two PhDs in fields I can't pronounce, and Fitz, you are a rocket scientist. So work it out!" With that, he walked out of the room as I stared at his back in disbelief. Geesh, I know he barely knows who I am; neither do I, but way to just leave me hanging! It's not like Ward doen't already have enough reasons to think I'm useless!
"I'm good at stuff too you know!" I called out after him, though I doubt he heard me.
Ugh. I turned around and headed up the spiral staircase to my bunk. I grabbed my hula girl and flopped onto my bed, sighing as I flicked the figurine, making her wobble back and forth. I sighed again and reached over to put the hula girl back on the windowsill as I rolled up the bottom of my left pant leg and pulled out the two bullets that were lodged there. I watched and waited until the skin had started to knit back together before rolling the cloth back down and sinking into the mattress, my eyelids getting heavy as my energy left me weak and tired as it worked its' way towards patching me up good as new.