SHIELD Agent Eleanor Flint

Chapter 29

The flight back to HQ was the most painfully silent and awkward rides I have ever had. No one said a word when the Clean Up Team came in and stared at Jonathan Bell's body. No one said anything when the four of us got on the jet without Bell. No one said anything when Henry was the first to sit down while the rest of us took off our gear. The entire ride back I sat a few seats down from Henry. Was I scared? No. Was I confused? Very. Did I know what to say? No. What am I supposed to say when my boyfriend compromised a whole mission by shooting the target that we were specifically told to keep alive? 

Whatever Bell was going to say to me had left my mind the minute Henry pulled the trigger. The only thing on my mind was what kind of punishment we were going to get from Fury. Namely Henry. Henry was the one who fired. Not us. That terrified me. I dared a glimpse at Henry. He was still just sitting there, staring at the wall with the same expression. No remorse. No regret. Nothing. 

~~~

Word travels fast at HQ, so of course everyone was staring at us (mainly Henry) as we walked down the hall to the conference room. I dreaded this so much. My palms were sweaty again and I felt sick. We still hadn't said anything to each other. Henry had yet to even look at me. Clint opened the door for us and Natasha walked in first, followed by me, then Henry, then Clint. I sat down across the table from Natasha and Clint, and Henry sat down next to me. Fury wasn't there yet. He was going to make us wait. 

There was five minutes of painful silence before the door opened and Fury walked in. He sat down without a word and surveyed each of us. I felt his eyes on my neck where the bruise had fully formed after a hostile tried to strangle me. Fury exhaled through his nose and folded his hands on the table. 

"Do one of you, I don't care who, want to tell me what the hell happened?" He asked. "Because I have heard ten different stories and I don't know which one to believe." 

Us four agents glanced at each other, unsure of who would speak up. I looked at Clint and he focused his gaze on Henry. 

"Reed," Clint said. 

Henry's eye twitched and I glanced down. He readjusted in his seat and turned to Fury, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. It looked almost unhinged. 

"I shot Bell in the head because he was a pain in the ass," Henry stated. I suppressed a groan as I lowered my head into my hands. Clint leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. Natasha pressed her lips into a thin line. There was no reaction from Fury. Henry continued. "Bell was a threat. I saw that he was a threat and we had no use for him. He was also batshit crazy, so what are you gonna do?" 

"Henry." I stopped him. 

He leaned back in his seat and did not break eye contact with Fury. I watched as the Director's eye became colder and colder. A vein pulsated on the side of his head and he clenched his jaw. Natasha slumped into her seat, she knew what was coming. 

"I expect more from you, Reed," Fury said, rather calmly. That is what scared me. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think that you were just as batshit crazy as Bell." His volume raised and he glanced at Natasha, Clint and I. "Leave. Now." 

Natasha was the first to stand and head to the door. Clint had a moment's delay and he followed. I quickly placed my hand on Henry's hand that rested on his lap before I stood up and walked out the door. I shut it behind me and stood with Clint and Natasha at the window. I couldn't hear anything from inside the class room and a little part of me found that relieving. I leaned into the window sill and watched the cars go by. 

Evening had reached us and the orange setting sun reflected on the city windows. I thought about the sunset on Brooklyn Bridge when Henry took me on our first date. I frowned to myself as I wondered what had happened to that kind man on the bridge, whose brown eyes reflected the sun so nicely. I grew fond of that man, and somehow he was the same man sitting in the conference room with blood on his hands. I exhaled a somber breath and Clint peered over at me.