Chapter Text
***
Whitehall was in his office, he heard the metronome swinging back and forth keeping a rhythm on the shelf behind him as he picked up a drinks tumbler and poured it into a glass.
"First time I drank this, I had just enlisted. It was bland, immature," he pours himself a drink, closes the sifter and sets it down, then picks up his glass. "But, I had a hunch. I bought a case," he sniffs the glass then takes a drink with a 'mm,' noise. The noise deeps as he swallows. He's talking to Bakshi, who has a clipboard in his hands. Bakshi's in a lab conjoining to Whitehall's office. "$10 seemed so expensive back then. And now, one bottle costs over $2,000." Whitehall appears to be looking at someone or something past Bakshi, and his eyes appear to be focused there as well. "Goes to show you patience is most definitely a virtue. Something we've both benefited from," Whitehall takes another sip then walks closer to Bakshi. "I believe in second chances."
Whitehall enters the that Bakshi is in. "I want us to work together. I want you to become a valued member of our organization," he's fully entered the lab room and walks around some sort of device. He gets to the front and there's a woman, Agent 33, strapped into the device. Her arms are locked in the device and there are rods coming from it that are keeping her eyelids apart, she's breathing hard. "Surrender, and you will find meaning. Surrender...and you will find release."
Agent 33 sees some sort of psychedelic swirling of colors and patterns with flashes of white light every so often on the screen in front of her. "Take a deep breath. Clam your mind. You know what's best. What's best is you comply, "e keeps his voice soft and soothing while speaking to the woman. "Compliance will be rewarded. Are you ready to comply, Agent 33?"
Agent 33 grits her teeth together in anger. "I will never work for HYDRA." She takes a shaky breath.
"I expected it would be a long night," he smiles and lifts his glass for her to see. "Why I decided to treat myself," he takes a drink making another pleased sound. "Mr. Bakshi, let's go again." Whitehall walks toward Bakshi.
"Where do we start?" Bakshi asked.
"At the beginning. Like the song says, a very good place to start," Agent 33 is still breathing raggedly but steeling herself. "You and I both know the Faustus method takes time," Whitehall puts something in his ear. "And I've got plenty." The device in his ear is whirring up to power as Agent 33 stares ahead.
***
Simmons' alarm goes off at 5:45, she hears the song playing and reaches over to turn the volume up with a smile. She gets out of bed then we see her running on a treadmill. After her run, and an obvious shower, she stands at the closet and picks out an outfit. She pours milk into a to-go cup, grabs her briefcase and jacket and exits her apartment. She's cut her hair since the incident in the medical pod. She walks down the street with her coffee eating a breakfast sandwich. She enters a large office building and smiles at the guard.
"Morning, Theo." Simmons sets her stuff down in front of him and goes through a metal detector.
"That smile. A breath of sunshine in an otherwise dreary morning." He takes her purse and looks inside, the briefest of looks, then puts it on the other side of the metal detector.
"Oh, you're too sweet. And you mix your metaphors. Have a good day." Simmons picks up her stuff, gives him another smile, then walks away. She walks to the elevators and puts her thumb against a fingerprint reader. It's shows her picture then the bell on the elevator dings and she enters it.
***
Simmons enters a lab, it's not the lab at The Playground or any other S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, it's a HYDRA lab. This lab is much bigger than SHIELD's and The Playgrounds lab is, with multiple computers and work stations. She stops at one, there's a coat over the chair there and she puts it on, a HYDRA pin is on the lapel. She opens a drawer and pulls out some equipment and gloves. A man appears behind her carrying a clipboard.
"Ms. Simmons, you're here early." The man said.
She smiles as she puts on her gloves. "Yes. You see, those samples you gave me are quite faci –"
"I'll read all about it once you finish your report," he walks right past her not taking his eyes off his clipboard. As he passes Simmons looks at the white wall, painted in black upon it is the HYDRA emblem. "Have it on my desk as soon as possible."
Simmons looks at the emblem then down at her work.
***
Skye's in The Playground's shooting range, firing a pistol. The targets she aims at have HYDRA emblems on them. She empties the gun then sets it down and takes off her ear protection. May stands next to her then hits a button to bring the targets in.
"I imagined they were all Garrett." Skye lied, she actually imagined they were all Grant's family members, especially Christian Ward.
"Imagine they're all targets. Don't get cocky. This is step one. It's all about control..." May was saying when Skye cut her off. "Control. I know."
"Open your mind, your body." May said.
"Don't forget your mind."
"In the field you need to maintain control." May was saying while Skye is talking over her, this is obviously a speech she's heard multiple times from May.
"Whatever the situation. Hostages, bombs about to go off –" May said before Skye interrupted her. "So what you're saying is what I just did was puny and sad."
May takes Skye's wrist and pulls it up, looking at the fitbit on Skye's wrist as she turns it on. "61 beats per minute. Consistent the whole time. Not that puny."
Skye looks down at her wrist when May lets go and walks away. "Speaking of not puny..." Skye trailed off. May picks up a very large gun. " Yeah, I want you to get used to this, it's a sniper rifle." While May speaks Skye can see Hunter, pushing a trolley, and Mack walking down the hallway toward them. They reach May and Skye, Hunter stops.
"Pardon me, uh, just one quick question," he focuses on Skye. "You went to S.H.I.E.L.D. academy, right?"
Skye starts to shake her head and open her mouth but May speaks. "You didn't. If you did, you would have known better than to shoot us."
"Apology number 470, I'm very sorry Agent May." Hunter said.
"Don't be sorry. Just wait." May warned, both Hunter and Mack both look uncomfortable at this, Mack turns his attention back to Skye.
"Uh, we just have a little wager. So, did you...?" Mack was asking.
"Go to the academy? Yeah, no." Skye said.
Hunter lets out a deep exaggerated sigh and sinks his head onto his arm. Mack perks up and hands Hunter a clipboard clapping him on the back.
"Yeah, all right, well have fun with the inventory. And remember Koenig likes them neat," Mack starts to walk away but turns back with another thought. "Oh, and, uh, none of those Euro sevens, with the lines through them. Drives him crazy," Mack walks away with a grin.
Hunter looks at Skye accusingly. "Coulson said you were a field agent with a badge and everything."
"More like a work-study thing. Badge, I had for like a day before S.H.I.E.L.D." She mimics an explosion with her hands and takes a drink of water.
"You know, Hartley, she loved her blade, hated guns. Idaho, if on a job someone ended up dead, he'd go to church light a candle. Said it'd balance the karma. See, I knew them, what they do, not do. So, us being workmates and all..." Hunter trailed off.
Skye stares at him a moment. "You're wondering if I've ever taken anyone out."
"Have you?" Hunter asked.
"Not that I know of." Skye turns away from him, it was a lie, she'd taken out people who got too close to uncovering her secret.
May appears behind Hunter. "Hey," she knocks on the window between them getting his attention. "Don't you have inventory?"
Hunter sighs and stands up straighter. "I suppose now I do," he puts the clipboard on top of the trolley and gives them a smile. "Good afternoon, ladies." He walks away.
May hands Skye a mag for a gun. "Practice. I want you to get used to the recoil," They hear a door close and May looks down the hallway to see Coulson walking past. "And for the record, experience doesn't make it any easier to cross someone off." May then hurries to catch up to Coulson, leaving Skye alone.
"She's right you know?" Skye glanced into the shooting range and saw her father standing there. "About how experience doesn't make it easier to kill someone."
"Yeah, course you'd know that." Skye huffed, as she readied the gun to fire, she looked through the scope and fired paying no attention to the ghost of her father, Skye loved sniper rifles, they were so much fun, especially when taking a shot from 20,000 yards like she and Grant have both done.
***
Simmons in the lab, her eyes are pressed against a microscope. The Man from earlier steps up next to her. "Ms. Simmons, I need everything you have on the samples you're working on."
"I'm not done. I'm testing a second set of DNA –" Simmons was saying.
"Right. Just whatever you have." The Man interrupts.
Simmons looks down unsure. "What I have is more questions than answers."
The Man looks over his shoulder hurriedly then back to her keeping his voice low. "Okay, you know what? I get it. You don't have time. Neither do I. The time tables have moved up and I have been called upstairs to fill them in. No prep time, no PowerPoint. Just me, pants around my ankles, talking out of my butt."
"If you want, I could accompany you, present my analysis." Simmons said.
"Oh, no, y-you don't want to go up there. The higher you go..." He drops his voice to a bare whisper. "The scarier it is."
"Okay. Well, what you can say is," the Man pulls out his notebook and takes notes. "That the cells have an abnormal ability to create trace amounts of liquid nitrogen."
"That's odd. What about the DNA markers?" The Man asked.
"Normal. The anomaly appears to be environmental, not genetic," Simmons looks down at the folder he is holding and see a picture of Donnie inside his folder. "Is that –"
"It's just another acquisition." The Man said, he closes his folder and walks away.
***
Donnie Gill is sitting as a table in Morocco, messing with a radio. He puts the cover for the batteries back in place as a man walks over to him. "I thought that was broken for good," he sets down a tea tray next to Donnie. "You clearly have a gift."
"A degree. I used to study engineering," the man sets down a glass of tea next to Donnie then turns his back to him taking the tray away. Donnie puts one finger against the glass chilling it. "You know, I could help out around here. Fix things in exchange for room and board. It's been awhile since I've like being somewhere." Donnie said.
"Marrakech has a long history of giving shelter to travelers hiding from their past." The man said.
Donnie stares at the man. "Why would you think I'm hiding?" The man's smile drops and Donnie stands up angrily, the man steps back. "Who were you speaking to? Huh?" Donnie demanded.
"They threatened me! They said you were dangerous and –" Whatever else he was about to add is cut off as Donnie grabs his throat freezing him instantly.
Donnie then hears a second man call out. "Mr. Gill," Donnie looks over the frozen man's shoulder and sees two men standing there wearing suits. One of them has a gun drawn pointed at Donnie while the other has his hands in the air. "We don't want to hurt you. Stand down, Agent. Holster your weapon," the third man lowers his gun as the second man takes a step toward Donnie. "Mr. Gill, we just want to talk. If you would just hear me out." The Second Man sits at the table.
Donnie leans on it close to him. "No," Donnie touches the table and freezes the man's hands to it. The frost quickly travels up his arms then up the rest of his body freezing him. "I can't," Donnie looks up at the Third Man who looks terrified. Donnie thrusts out his arms as if throwing something and the Third Man flinches then runs. Donnie pats the Second Man's coat then pulls out his cellphone. He goes to the man's calendar and scrolls through it. It says "deliver asset to Maribel Del Mar". "Maribel Del Mar?" Donnie looks around thinking, he goes to leave pushing against the First Man's body sending him down to the ground on his back where he shatters.
***
Simmons enters her dark apartment. She sets her stuff down and hears a thump from another room. She pulls her gun out of her purse and stands at the edge of a doorway then pulls the gun up and aims it into the kitchen.
Coulson is there leaning against the counter, his arms crossed. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?" Simmons lowers her gun and he walks, with a very serious face, over to her fridge and opens it, taking out a bottle. "Sriracha? Beer? That's all? What kind of diet is that?" Coulson asked.
Simmons smiles at him. "Well, I also have tea. And if my diet's such a concern then perhaps dead drops shouldn't involve fast food."
"We'll revisit that protocol. I picked up some groceries," she watches him with a smile as he picks up a paper bag and sets it down on the counter. "We've got...steak – grass fed, fingerling potatoes, kale organic," he pulls each item out of the bag showing them to her and she laughs. "It's basic, but I do good basic," Coulson starts to roll up the sleeves of his shirt. "While I cook, you debrief."
Simmons nods with a sigh and enters the kitchen fully. "Do you remember Donnie Gill?"
Coulson thinks for a moment. "From the Academy?" She nods.
Later, the two sit at the table eating. "I mean, I knew he was a gifted scientist but you're saying he's...a "gifted" scientist."
"Gill was struck by lightning while holding the device that created the storm. Perhaps the electrical surge infused hi system with a freezing agent? It's just – well, it's just speculation. They're keeping me sequestered in the downstairs lab. I usually advance much more quickly, but they are intent on wasting my talents doing rudimentary biochem and molecular analysis on blind samples." Simmons said.
"It's not about your intellect. Have you made friends?" Coulson asked.
"Oh, sir, you don't need to worry. I mean, it's been a tad lonely, true, but..." She looks up at him and then smiles a bit. "You weren't asking out of concern of my feelings, were you?"
"Undercover is all about the relationships you make. If you're gonna move up in HYDRA you need to make friends." Coulson said.
"Be like Ward? I can't lie like he did." Simmons replied, not knowing that Skye was just like him, none of them knew that Skye was playing them all.
"You don't need to. Selective truths. You're very likeable. Use that." Coulson said.
Simmons smiles then sighs a bit. "So, how is everyone?"
"Fitz is okay. He's hanging in there." Coulson told her.
She looks away and down then changes the subject. "You think they're trying to recruit Donnie Gill as a scientist?"
"That would be the best case scenario." Coulson said.
***
While Coulson has a meeting with Hunter, May, Mack, Trip and Fitz, Skye goes down to vault D, she once again removes the yellow barrier but gives him a silent warning that the cameras are on to which he gives a subtle nod, so she has to act like an Agent rather than Grant's girlfriend.
"Well, they're not exactly what you'd call welcoming. They don't give you a choice." Grant told her.
"So what do they give you? Money? Threats? Torture? Combo platter?" Skye asked.
"They're good a convincing people." Grant said, Skye knew what he was talking about, brainwashing, HYDRA had a habit of brainwashing.
"Yeah, well, they suckered you in." Skye said.
"No. I was never loyal to HYDRA. I was loyal to Garrett." Grant replied leaving out something that would break her cover.
"Oh, Garrett is the reason you're a cold blooded killer." Skye said.
Garrett scoffed from where he was standing, beside Grant. "I'm sorry, remind me what you are again."
"I don't blame him for the choices I've made." Grant said.
"Right. I seem to remember you blaming your brother," this gets a response from Ward, he looks away from Skye bristling a bit. "Or was it your parents? Man I can't keep up."
"My family tore me down. Garrett built me back up...the way he wanted." Grant said.
"Ouch kid, I rescued you from yourself and prison." Garrett said, not getting a response from either Grant or Skye.
"We're all aware of who your family is, Ward. Not only are they respected they're pretty much loved." Skye said.
Grant gives her a humorless grin. "Well, every family has its secrets. Yours does, too," he stands up from the wall he was leaning against walking closer to where she sits. "You ever wonder why –"
"You know what? My bad. I slipped," Skye shifts in the chair. "Talked to you like a normal person. Let's stay on task."
Grant gives her a small nod of his head and steps back. "You make the rules. HYDRA's protocol on gifteds pretty straightforward. An acquisition team is sent out to convince or capture the gifted. If those two options aren't possible then they'll take them out."
"Even if the gifted doesn't pose a threat?" Skye asked.
"A gifted that refuses HYDRA is a threat. And threats are taken care of quickly." Grant replied.
"That's the difference between S.H.I.E.L.D. and HDYRA." Skye jumped in.
"And that's why HDYRA will win. Because while a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent is considering right and wrong, HYDRA's already taken the shot." Grant said.
As she was facing away from the camera, Skye smiled coldly, Grant gave her an equally cold smile himself, HYDRA may have been means to an end for her, Garrett and Grant but now her loyalties without a doubt lied with Grant and she had a feeling that one day they'd lie with HYDRA, if she and Grant got to mould it in their own image.
***
Donnie is walking past a boat in the Port of Casablanca. He looks down at one of the bollards the ship is tied to and puts his hand against it. It of course freezes and also freezes the rope leading to the ship and another leading into the water. The ocean around the rope freezes and surrounds the ship with frozen water. The ship is named: Maribel Del Mar. Donnie looks at his handiwork and walks on.
***
Simmons puts her coat on the back of her chair and tidies up her station. The Man from earlier is walking down the aisle between work stations. Simmons looks at a reflection of herself in a piece of glass. "Make friends," she turns toward the man with a big fake smile and false cheer to her voice. "Mr. Turgeon, hello!" She laughs and tries to look natural leaning against a work station. "I was thinking of going over to Salties. Happy hour and karaoke could be a load of –" Simmons was interrupted.
Turgeon holds up both of his hands stopping her. "Uh, Ms. Simmons –" he tried to say.
"Call me Jemma." Simmons interrupted.
"Jemma, you're wanted upstairs for questioning." Turgeon said.
"Is this regarding my analysis?" Simmons asked.
"It's a security matter," Turgeon gives her a meaningful look then glances over his shoulder at guard walking down the aisles now. "Uh, yes, these men will escort you," he turns back to her and whispers, very lowly. "What did you do?"
"Nothing. I haven't done anything." Simmons said.
The guards have just reached them.
"Well then I'm sure you have nothing to worry about." Turgeon said.
"Ma'am come with us." a guard ordered.
Simmons gives Turgeon a very small smile that drops as she walks past the guards, Turgeon watches her go with a worried look.
***
Simmons rides up in an elevator and an automated voice announces she's on the 25th floor. She's lead into a conference room by the guards, Bakshi is in there waiting. He sets down a folder when she enters.
"Ms. Simmons. Have a seat," one of the guards walks to a chair and pulls it out for her. "Leave us. Stay close. In case there are consequences," the guards leave, Simmons looks at Bakshi but looks away when he looks at her. "You've been lying to us, Ms. Simmons," he tosses the folder down in front of her. Bakshi is right beside a seated Simmons looking at the folder over her. "Not long ago, you were a Level 5 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."
"Yes, before S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fall. I was candid about my work history." Simmons said.
"You left things out." Bakshi said.
"If I did, it wasn't intentional." Simmons smiles up at him.
"Stop...lying," her smile drops as she looks away. "You've been doing cellular analysis for project blizzard, yet didn't inform your supervisor that you knew the subject," he moves aside some papers in her folder to show an article about Fitz-Simmons and Donnie from the Academy, it says: Student Saved by Academy Alumni, complete with pictures of Fitz-Simmons speaking at a podium and a smaller picture of Donnie.
"I didn't realize it was Gill until yesterday, when I saw a photo in Kenneth's file. I-I would have said something." Simmons said.
"Yet, you didn't," he walks around behind her to stand on the other side of her. "What else are you hiding?"
"I didn't want to corrupt my analysis, analysis which I'd done before I knew who it was. I-I barely knew him." Simmons said.
"You saved his life." Bakshi said.
"Only because I happened to be at the Academy giving a lecture." Simmons said.
She looks up at him, Bakshi can see how nervous she is. "You seem nervous."
Simmons scoffs at him, sounding natural. "Because I am. I was escorted here by armed guards, I'm well aware of how I work for."
"Hm. Let's discuss your previous employer. Why did you join S.H.I.E.L.D. in the first place?" Bakshi asked.
"I was a 17 year old girl with two PhDs and a million questions. S.H.I.E.L.D. had the resources to help me answer them. Now they don't and HDYRA does." Simmons said.
"So your loyalties are with us?" Bakshi asked.
Simmons looks up at him, looking less nervous and more like herself. "My loyalties are with science. So long as HDYRA allows me to do the work I want to be doing, then, yes, my loyalties are with HDYRA."
"Well, loyalties can be tested." Bakshi picks up the folder and walks away leaving a worried looking Simmons behind.
***
Whitehall is in the lab looking room with Agent 33. She's still right where both he and Bakshi left her, inside the device with her eyes propped open watching the ever changing screen. "Why cling to the founding principles of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Freedom. Equality. Individual rights. These principles make mankind a plague on this planet, one of Agent 33s hands appears to be working on the restraint holding it in place. While Whitehall talks it seems to be coming looser. "Think of a forest. It dries up and catches fire with the first spark," Whitehall can't see what she's doing, he's behind her facing away from her as he talks. "Now mankind would fight that fire, believing every individual plant perfect in its own individual way. But it's the fire that's perfect," Agent 33 undoes the wrist restraint making a clanging noise. Whitehall turns at the noise but continues to speak. "Essential," he walks over to her. "Now, more magnificent plant species like the giant Sequoia –" he sees her arm dangling and grips it tightly standing right in front of her. "Their seeds need the heat of that fire to crack open and be born. To literally rise from the ashes. And they will live for a thousand of years," Whitehall runs a finger on her cheek. "You don't need to keep burning. Rise. Be born."
Bakshi appears on the other side of Agent 33, he's holding Simmons' file. "Sir, I hate to interrupt, but I'd like to evaluate on all our employees and act with authority."
Whitehall keeps his voice low and his eyes locked with Agent 33s when he speaks. "Mr. Bakshi I trust you to do what needs to be done," Bakshi nods and exits as Whitehall looks deeper at Agent 33. "Are you ready to comply?"
Agent 33 grunts and fights against her restraints.
***
There's a map of Morocco up on a monitor in the Playground as May speaks to Coulson, Hunter, Skye, Trip, Mack and Fitz. "Maribel Del Mar. Anchored in the Port of Casablanca. It's a privately owned cargo ship. Supposed to cast off this morning but didn't. It's frozen in ice."
"Iceberg in the middle east? Gill's not subtle." Trip comments.
"Trip, how long till you can have the bus in the air?" Coulson asked.
"15, tops." Trip replied.
"You heard him. You got 15 minutes to gather your gear." Coulson said.
Trip walks out as Coulson starts to walk away, Hunter holds up a finger. "Excuse me, but Gill wasn't hard to track," Coulson stops walking giving him his attention. "If HYDRA are looking, they'll find him."
"The asset said HYDRA would be ready to take him out if they couldn't capture or recruit him." Skye said.
"Which is why we have to beat them to it." May added.
"I'll coordinate from The Bus. Down to 14 minutes. Let's get moving." Coulson said.
***
Simmons is being lead down a long white hallway by the two guards. "Where are you taking me?" She looks back at them both but they say nothing. "Thank you. Thanks very much." She hears the noise of guns cocking, many guns cocking.
Simmons then rounds a corner and sees a big group of soldiers getting ready with Bakshi there. He turns around and looks at her.
"Ms. Simmons. Do you have anything warmer?" She looks down at what he's wearing, just a suit, then back up at him. "I'll grab you something before we leave."
"Leave? Where to?" Simmons asked.
"We've found Donnie Gill. We've tried brining him into the fold before. Now we have a second chance," he gives her a warm smile that just comes across as smarmy. "With you, a friendly, honest face. Maybe we'll have better luck."
Simmons looks around at the soldiers finishing their preparation. "He's dangerous, isn't he?"
"Don't worry. We'll have your back every step of the way," he reaches over and grabs a jacket, complete with HDYRA patch, to Simmons. "Suit up. It's going to get cold." Bakshi then walks away.
***
Donnie is talking to someone inside the ship. "You have no idea what you're bringing down on yourself. We will find you." the man on the ship warns.
"I know! I want to be left alone, but you people won't stop coming after me! So I'm done hiding. It's time HYDRA learned once and for all...I'm not interested. I'm not afraid," Donnie quickly reaches out and grabs the man around the throat freezing him. "I'm pissed off. And every HDYRA agent they send is going to feel it."
***
Fitz is walking down a hallway in The Playground with his Image of Simmons trailing after him. "Fitz, please, this is ridiculous. What, exactly, are you hoping to accomplish?" Mirage Simmons asked.
"The asset Skye has been talking to – it's him." Fitz replied.
"Oh, Mack was right. You're sounding paranoid. Stop assuming the worst." Mirage Simmons told him.
"They're keeping things from me and I just want to know the truth." Fitz said.
Mirage Simmons stops walking and he does as well. "Fitz, you need to be honest with yourself. You're barely holding it together. There's a reason they're keeping things from you. I don't think you should go in there."
Fitz has been breathing hard and fast. "You are not here." Once the words are out of his mouth Mirage Simmons disappears and he continues on.
***
Fitz opens the door to the vault and enters. He walks down the stairs holding a tablet and looks around. The screen/glass that covers Grant's cell is frosted over, Fitz can't see what's inside. He hits a button and the frosting goes away, he sees Grant pacing in his cell. He looks up quickly, expecting Skye, but finding Fitz. His footsteps fault as he stares at Fitz, they both stare at each other in shock. Fitz because he was right, Grant is there. Grant because it's the first time he's seen Fitz since sending him to his death in a pod. Fitz stares at Grant with open shock taking a couple of steps away from him.
"I imagine you've got a lot to say to me," Fitz's breathing becomes ragged and he turns away from Grant for a moment then turns back to him. He bends at the waist trying to control his breathing. Grant looks at him with what might be concern. Fitz finally gets a little bit of control back over himself. "Look, despite all this..." Fitz makes it to the chair and sits down heavily in it, still panting. "...it's really good to see you," Fitz's breath catches again and he leans forward putting his head into his hands. "Fitz? Fitz, are you al –"
"Stop. Stop talking. Stop." Fitz demands, unseen by him, Grant lifts a hand in a kind of calming manner and takes a step away from him. Fitz sits up still trying to calm himself.
***
The ship is still stuck in the ice and there are now a helicopter on the ground next to it. Bakshi, Simmons and the soldiers on the ground around the ship. Bakshi is walking Simmons to the ramp leading up onto the ship. "I'll be listening to everything," he holds out an earbud to her which she takes. "If you run into any trouble I'll be in your ear, talking you through it." Bakshi reassured her.
Simmons puts the earbud in. "And what if he doesn't respond well?"
Bakshi stops walking looking down at her. "Then I suppose there'll be a job opening at our laboratory." He walks away and she looks up at the ship, the walks up the ramp.
***
Inside The Bus, Hunter and Skye both have backpacks on, Hunter working on Skye's. "Your first jump?" Hunter asked.
"Second. First was with Coulson and Lola," Hunter gives her a confused look at the name. "It's a car. It flies. Yeah, this is my first."
"It's okay to be scared." Hunter reassured her.
"I'm not scared." Skye replied.
"Maybe you should be; I packed your chute and according to my ex, my folding skills are abysmal." Hunter said, trying to reassure her.
"Hmm." Is all Skye replied with.
"Nice thing is, this is as scary as it gets," Skye looks down at her monitor to show her heartbeat is 72 beats per minute. "Once you jump physics takes over."
"Yeah, I'm good, thanks." Skye turns from him grabbing something as May enters the cargo hold.
"Trip says 2 minutes out." May told them.
Coulson walks over to a panel on the wall. "Remember, Donnie Gill's a gifted," he pulls a lever and the cargo door opens. "He could be a formidable weapon for either side. Let's make sure it's ours."
Skye looks at her monitor again, now it says 65 beats per minute. Coulson watches as they jump.
***
Fitz is still in the vault with Ward, his breathing is still hitched up but seems to be coming easier.
"I didn't want to hurt you," Grant's sitting on his bed as he speaks to the Scotsman. "I tried to avoid it."
"You tried to kill us." Fitz accused.
Grant stands up and walks closer to Fitz. "No. I wanted to save you. Garrett ordered me to kill you and Simmons. He expected me to put a bullet in your head," Grant shakes his head a few times. "But I couldn't. I gave you a fighting chance to find a way out, like you always do. Like you did."
"Save me?" Grant nods his head with a hopeful smile. "Do – do you – do you – do you know what the, um..." Fitz's eyes are filled with tears as he tries to articulate what he's thinking. "What you-" Fitz points to his head and sits up straighter for a second then sinks back down into the chair. He lifts up the tablet looking at it. "Okay. I –" He stands up. "You know, I have trouble with words, so, um..." He continues to look at the tablet. "It's probably best if I show you," Fitz hits a button.
"Show me what?" Grant asked.
"Hypoxia. Found that one. That's what you did to me." Fitz looks down at the tablet, it's showing an monitor of oxygen inside Grant's cell. The arrow on the meter goes from into the green to into the yellow.
The panels in Grant's cell close as the sound of oxygen being fed into the room decreases. "Fitz? What are you doing?" Grant beings to pant as he looks around slightly confused and then back at the Scotsman.
Fitz shows him the tablet. "I'm showing you...what it's like. When you're deprived..." Grant gasps for breath and takes a step away from Fitz. "...of, uh..." Grant continues to gasp, backing away and sitting on his bed. "The oxygen, b-the brain cells, they – they re – they react first. They die. Three minutes, damage is permanent."
"Where's Skye?" Grant asked.
"Gone. They're all gone after Donnie. And I should be there with them. But I can't be because of you, because of what you did to me! I'm damaged!" Fitz yelled.
Grant stutters while speaking as he pants to get breath. "Donnie – Donnie – Donnie Gill. That's – that's why Skye was –"
"No. No, I'm not – I-I don't – I don't – uh – I don't answer, uh –" Fitz tried to say.
Grant held out a hand and spoke. "Fitz. Listen to me. Listen. You, they don't know what they're walking into.
Fitz stares at Grant with worry.
***
Simmons is inside the ship looking for Donnie. "Hello? Donnie?" She looks up and sees a man frozen on the level above her, she gasps. "Oh," she starts down the stairs going deeper into the ship. "I'm looking for – I'm looking for Donnie Gill," there's another ship worker at the foot of the steps frozen. She continues on moving deeper in the ship calling out. "Hello? You may not remember me."
Donnie appears at the end of the walkway she's going down. He looks at her hard but his face softens when he recognizes her. "Agent Simmons?" he asked.
"Donnie. It's nice to see you again." Simmons said.
Donnie walks toward her and she steps back keeping distance between them. "Who sent you? S.H.I.E.L.D.? HYDRA? What – what side did you end up on?"
"I'd like to think I'm on your side." Simmons said.
"Get close to him. Convince him you want to help him." Bakshi said through Simmons' comms.
"I saved your life once. I heard you were in trouble. Please, I...I need you to hear me out." Simmons said.
***
A soldier opens a door on another part of the ship, a second soldier following. Both are taken out by gunshot. May, Skye and Hunter standing there above the two soldiers. "Coulson, we're not alone." May starts down the steps.
"Not what I hoped but not unexpected. Proceed. Let me know when you have eyes on Gill." Coulson said.
May's standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Copy that." She looks up at Hunter and nods.
"Skye, you cover the door." Hunter said, turning to her.
"You don't give the orders, Trainspotting." Skye said in response.
Hunter makes a face. "I'm not Scottish."
It's Skye's turn to make a face at his line, she's looking more confused than anything. May looks up at her next. "Skye, protect the exit route."
"Roger that." Skye said.
May and Hunter enter through the door the soldiers came out of as Skye walks away still on the upper part of the ship.
***
Mack is playing a video game at The Playground, it's a first person shooter game. There are a lot of gunshots and Mack is smack talking the game. Very faintly, under all the noise, we can hear Fitz screaming from far away. "Mack! Mack!" Fitz arounds a corner. "Mack!" Fitz runs into the room and unplugs the game.
Mack looks up at him angrily. "Hey, hey! What the hell man?!? I just took out the boomers!"
Fitz is breathing hard and thinking fast. "Uh, the Bus! The Bus! We need to talk to the Bus!"
Mack doesn't hesitate, he gets right up out of his seat.
***
Simmons is speaking with Donnie. "Fitz would talk about you. He described the blueprints he saw in your room. He was quite impressed. And Fitz is very hard to impress."
"Get him to trust you." Bakshi said.
"You're a lot like him. Like both of us, really. We're scientists, wired to solve problems." Simmons said.
"Maybe before. It's different now." Donnie replied.
Simmons scoffs a bit. "Oh, I don't believe you. You must miss it. Minds like ours, they need to be used."
"I'm tired of being used." Donnie's voice rises and he takes a step toward her, making her nervous.
"Don't let him get angry. Repeat what I say. Take a deep breath." Bakshi said.
"Take a deep breath, and clear your mind," Donnie looks at her confused as his eyes start darting around. "Surrender and you will find meaning. Surrender and you will find release." Simmons said, copying what Bakshi was saying.
Donnie starts shaking his head and pinches his eyes shut, he looks very confused. "Agent Simmons...?"
"Take a deep breath." Simmons said.
***
May shoots at Hunter, hitting him in the shoulder preventing him from taking a shot, when they both see Simmons. This gets both Simmons and Donnie's attention as they look up at the sound of the gunshot.
"You think I don't know what you're trying to do? You're just like the rest of them. You liar!" Donnie yelled and he grabs at Simmons, luckily he only manages to get a hold of her jacket. She spins quickly out of it and runs away from him screaming. Donnie throws the frozen jacket to the floor and watches after Simmons.
***
Simmons running from Donnie, May has them in her sights and takes aim at Donnie. She hits a pipe next to him, he yells in surprise and jumps away, then puts his hand to the pipe freezing it. After its frozen he hurries after Simmons.
Simmons turns a corner and runs down a long hallway. She reaches another turn and goes left – only to come face to face with a wall of HYDRA soldiers. Bakshi appears from behind them as they lower their guns.
"Is he far behind?" Bakshi asked.
"Not far. I'm sorry. I tried." Simmons said.
"It's all right. Conditions are better here, anyway," Bakshi looks past her and down the hallway, where Donnie appears and starts walking quickly towards them. Simmons moves but stays visible to Donnie as he stalks closer. Bakshi appears before Simmons stopping Donnie. "Good afternoon, Mr. Gill."
Donnie stares at him with shock. "You?"
"Take a deep breath." Bakshi said.
Donnie starts shaking his head as his eyes go wide. "No."
"Calm your mind." Bakshi said soothingly.
"No. Please. Please!" Donnie begged.
"You know what is best," Donnie starts to look confused. "What is best is you comply." Bakshi said.
Donnie shakes his head, more weakly than before. "Don't."
Bakshi moves in even closer to Donnie. "Compliance will be rewarded," Donnie pinches his eyes as if in pain. "Mr. Gill..." Donnie relaxes as his eyes seem out of focus. "Are you ready to comply?"
Donnie looks up at Bakshi, gives him a small smile and nods his head. "I'm happy to comply."
Bakshi smiles pleased. "Prove it, then. Keep us from being followed," he turns around walking away from a nodding Donnie. "Let's move!" Simmons follows after Bakshi with Donnie right behind her.
***
Outside, Donnie closes a big metal door and freezes it, Bakshi and Simmons stand close by. "What just happened?" she asked.
"You laid the groundwork and gave us a second chance. He's with us again," Donnie finishes freezing the door and turns to Bakshi, he in turn looks back at the soldiers. "Let's head out," the soldiers lead the way onto the big open deck, Bakshi, Donnie and Simmons following after. The soldiers continue on but Bakshi stops and addresses Donnie, Simmons stops, too. "Ice everyone inside this ship. No one leaves here alive."
Donnie and Simmons are on the deck of the ship. Donnie has walked to the rail of the ship and puts his hands on it as Simmons watches nervously. Suddenly a gunshot sounds out and Donnie is hit in the chest. Skye is holding the sniper rifle and she takes it away from her eyes. Donnie then falls over the side of the ship, breaking through the ice below.
Simmons and Bakshi hurry to the side and look over. They see Donnie just under the surface. He closes his eyes and his body is covered in ice as he sinks.
Simmons turns and looks up seeing Skye, Skye takes the scope away from her eye and looks back at Simmons, shocked. Skye quickly reloads the gun and takes aim at Bakshi. Simmons looks from Skye to Bakshi and shoves him out of the way at the last second, the bullet hits off the side of the ship. "Let's go!" Bakshi yelled, he puts an arm around Simmons' shoulders and leads her away.
***
Skye lifts her wrist and looks at her monitor on her wrist, 61 beats per minute. We can hear helicopter blades turning while she does this. "The threat's been neutralized. HYDRA doesn't have him."
"And Agent Simmons?" Trip asked.
Skye watches as the helicopter takes off. "Her cover's been maintained. She's safe for now. They're leaving empty handed. But we're not." Skye said, she uses the scope of the gun to look at the crates on the ship deck, they are all marked with HDYRA logos. She stands up straight and takes a deep breath.
***
Skye's sitting on the halotable in the Command Center on the Bus, laptop on her legs working. May walks to the doorway and stops. "What are you doing in here?" May asked, confused.
Skye lets out a sigh. "I don't know. It's reminds me of before."
May looks down and away then over the Bus with a sigh. "Should replace the glass if we're gonna take her out regularly." May enters the room and stands next to Skye.
"I've been monitoring Moroccan law enforcement channels," Skye sets the laptop aside and looks at May. "They still haven't found Donnie Gill's body yet."
May looks up at her. "You okay?"
"No," Skye shakes her head and looks away from May. "I get why Coulson kept what Simmons was doing from us," she jumps off the table and turns to fully face May. "I understand he's protecting her, making sure no one compromises her mission, but you knew?" she asked.
May nods. "I knew."
"I'm scared for her. Simmons in HYDRA? She's a terrible liar," May smirks a bit and nods her head. "I'm serious. I love her, but her trying to lie – it is a horror show." Skye said, she knew that May believed every lie that came out of her mouth, the first night she'd slept on the Bus before everything happened being one example.
"Maybe before, but not anymore. She can handle it. She's good," Skye nods her head unsure. "She's not the only one." Skye gives her another nod of her head.
***
Whitehall sits at a desk with Bakshi beside him. "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s becoming a problem. Do we know who's in charge?" Whitehall asked.
"I'm afraid not." Bakshi said.
They both hear the ding of an elevator and the sound of doors opening. Bakshi has walked around to the front of Whitehall's desk so he can see a woman, Agent 33, walking off the elevator.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, I was told to bring these." Agent 33 holds up a folder in her hand staying well away from the desk in the shadows of the office.
Whitehall beckons her closer. "Please, bring it here," she walks fully into the office and from the light around Whitehall's desk, she sets the open folder down on Whitehall's desk as he bends forward to sign whatever it is. Agent 33 stands and Bakshi just stares at her. She glances over to him then back to Whitehall with a smile. "Thank you, I appreciate it."
Whitehall hands the folder back to her. "Happy to comply." She turns and walks out of the office, Bakshi and Whitehall watching her go.
Bakshi turns back to Whitehall. "Donnie's programming proved to be unstable."
"Ultimately it held." Whitehall added.
Bakshi nods his head agreement. "One last thing. There's a scientist in our downstairs lab. I believe her talents are being wasted. I'd like authorization to bring her up here."
"So, you trust her?" Whitehall asked.
"I do now. But, if I'm wrong...We'll make her comply." Bakshi said.
***
Skye is walking down the stairs to enter the vault at The Playground. Grant sees her and stands up from his bed walking closer to the barrier between them and then stepping through when Skye lowers the barrier. His eyes travel over her and he seems to have a relieved smile when he looks at her.
"Relieved it's not Fitz?" Skye asked.
"Happy it's you, that you're okay. I'm, uh, glad I could help." Grant sits down on his bed.
"I've turned the cameras off, no-one knows that I'm down here." Skye said, with a cold smirk.
"I figured." Grant replied.
Skye gives him a grin. "You wanted to tell me something, I don't know what it was."
Your father is alive," Skye just stares at him, he walks closer towards her and places his hands on her shoulders. "Not John, he's dead there's no disputing that," Skye's face falls slightly at the news. "But your biological father, he's looking for you. And some day, if you let me, I'll take you to him."
"But he never raised me, never took care of me like Dad did." Skye argued, she didn't want to think about someone else being her father, John Garrett raised her, he was her father.
"He wanted to Skye, but couldn't." Grant said.
Skye frowns for a moment. "I watched the footage when I got back, had to make sure no-one did anything but he did, Fitz deprived you of oxygen, he tried to kill you. How am I supposed to forgive him for that?" she asked.
"Don't, compartmentalize that hate and use it when needed." Grant replied.
Skye nodded her head and placed her forehead against Grant's before pulling away and hugging him. "Whoever my biological father is, no-one can replace Dad."
"Awe, I feel so loved." Garrett spoke up.
Skye and Grant both looked over at Garrett who was standing in Grant's cell leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Good for you Dad," Skye looked at Grant. "I love you. I need to go upstairs before people question where I am."
Grant nods and watches as Skye walks off before speaking. "Don't kill Fitz."
"I'll do my best." Skye said before walking out.
Grant turned towards Garrett. "Make sure that she doesn't kill Fitz."
"I'll try but I'm in yours and Skye's heads, so I'm not really here." said Garrett before he disappeared.
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So, I found this amazing link that means I don't have to write the scenes of the episodes anymore, so I'm happy, although sometimes more detail is added.
Hope you enjoy this chapter.
As you can see, scenes have been changed, removed or created to fit the story.
Dialogue has also been changed and added to fit the story as well.
Skye still has visions of her father.
I loved Bakshi as a character and I loved Kara/Agent 33 as a character as well.