Hydra's Lair

Chapter 11

James found Kasey in the same room as she’d been in earlier, in fact if he hadn’t seen her ghost-spirit walk back here he would think she was still in the same condition as before as well. But he knew better, she was dying, he needed to save her. “Kasey I don’t know if you can hear me… but please don’t give up. I need you to live. What happened was an accident, you shouldn’t die from my mistake.”

            Her shadowy half formed ghost flickered into view as it turned to look at him, it didn’t speak but the expression said it all; she didn’t regret her decision and even though she was dying, and by now probably knew she wouldn’t make it, she wouldn’t have left him to be crushed. James felt like shooting himself in the head, as the ghost became more substantial and Kasey’s heartbeat became almost a straight line.

            “Kasey don’t, don’t die on me!” James grabbed her cold wrist and looked down at her. “We were going to train together and become some of the best agents in HYDRA… Ward and I, we were going to be your new family, remember? Family doesn’t die on each other please, if you can hear me, don’t die.”

            Footsteps entered the room and James turned to see Pierce looking down at him with an expressionless face. “Agent, why aren’t you training?”

            “Ward gave me a short break… Sir.” James tore his gaze off Kasey to look up at one of HYDRA’s bosses.

            “I think you should go back to see if he has anything else for you to do.” Pierce made it sound like a suggestion but James knew it was an order.

            “Kasey, she’s going to die if I leave.” James knew that was a lie but maybe Pierce didn’t. “Let me stay a bit longer… it could save her life.”

            Pierce’s gaze seemed to bore straight into his soul. “No, you are an agent not a medic. They can deal with Miss Crain.”

            James nodded and gave Kasey one last look as he left the room, she looked so much younger, smaller, and just more defenseless as she lay dying there. It made him wish he could keep Pierce away from her, he hadn’t missed the look the man had given Kasey or the way he seemed to want her dead rather than make a slow recovery. So a few minutes later when the heart monitor made a beep to signal she’d flat lined and Pierce came out with an empty needle in his hand James wasn’t surprised. He forced himself to turn away and shadow traveled to the prison cells before Pierce could see him.

            “What are you doing here?” A guard asked as he walked into the light.

            “Ward said he wishes to speak with you… I’m here to replace you while you’re gone.” James lied, his voice sounding hollowly emotionless and cold enough to freeze blood.

            “W-Ward… have I done something wrong?” The guard stuttered.

            “I guess you’ll have to go and see yourself.” James shoved passed him. “Now leave, if you’re late Ward might kill you.”

            James watched as the man ran out and waited until he could hear the elevator doors close shut before walking over to the group of cells that contained the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Lance was giving him his trademark scowl while Skye seemed to take notice of the change in his demeanor and was giving him a worried look, May on the other hand kept her poker face.

            “So what’s the new information?” Lance broke the chilling silence. “You did send the guard away for a reason other than guarding us right?”

            “Is Simmons okay?” Skye asked, still looking a bit worried.

            James nodded. “Your scientist friend is just fine…”

            “Then why are you here?” May questioned impatiently.

            “Kasey died.”

            “What?” Lance glared at him. “I didn’t save her in that airport just for you to let her die!”

            James glared back in anger and frustration. “I tried to save her! Pierce made me leave, when he came out of her room she was dead and he was throwing away a used syringe! He killed her!”

            “Lance enough…” Skye spoke up softly before he could say anything else. “No one could do anything to stop what happened.”

            “He could’ve.” Lance spat. “Out of everyone here he has powers.”

            By then James had sunk to the ground while holding his head in his hands like he was trying to keep it together, hearing what Lance said though made him look back up. “My powers wouldn’t have done anything to kill Pierce or stop him.”

            “Tell us why Pierce would kill his own agent… even if they aren’t fully trained.” May told him.

            James shook his head. “I don’t know… Simmons might, or Ward, they’re higher ranks than I am and if this is for an experiment…”

            “Can you bring Simmons to us? Or speak to her about it?” Skye asked.

            “I can try.” James replied. “I’m due to train in the lab soon, I’ll speak with her then.”

            “Wait, what is soon?” Lance asked. “Because I want answers now.”

            James scowled at him. “You’ll get answers tomorrow. Until then… we never had this conversation.”

            He walked back into the shadows and heard the sound of the guard coming back, limping by the strange pause between steps, before shadow traveling back to his room. Now he had to think of a plan to speak with Simmons without being overheard while still not being suspicious. Whatever Pierce was planning couldn’t be good and if it was some sick experiment then James would stop him or die trying; though he would probably die afterwards anyway as a traitor to HYDRA.