Everything is changing…
Don't own the S.H.I.E.L.D. or the characters of Marvel Comics, but happy to play in their backyard.
"The secret is out…"
-Skye, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Thirteen Minutes
Chapter 1—Costumes
In the Skies over Mid-West
The Bus was on its way to the East Coast. They had their briefs. This mission was passed down to them from the Council. Several high-end Halloween Costume parties had gone sour when the guests began turning into zombies. Fitz and Simmons eyes widened at that thought. Ward grabbed the handle on his SIG. Skye just shrugged and thought it sounded entirely normal. As the brief went on the Council's main point was obvious, get it cleaned up and gone.
They spent just a few minutes in planning the operation. Agent Coulson was happy that everyone had a part in this. May had agreed to help. She said he needed something different and maybe a little protection from the Zombies would be good for him. Fitz and Simmons were to work on an antidote and means to deliver it. Skye's job was again a key to the operation. At the previous parties there were electronic signatures prior to the transformations. Skye was to determine their origin, identify them and break into the system. Ward was to protect her while she tried to make the break-in.
Skye replayed the video of the last party. It seemed to have the best coverage. She was still surprised at the speed of the S.H.I.E.L.D. equipment. She could go from almost any angle to the next and move up or to the sides using video feed from the guests' cell phones. It seemed as though each of the guests like taking pictures and sharing them as much as going to the party.
This particular event was a little muddied as the two main participants a husband and wife were in Zombie costumes. It took several scans to determine when they actually changed. Skye smiled, "Got you!"
Ward was standing next to her as she was reviewing the video. She promised him another session at the firing range before this mission. But she convinced him with a little backing from Agent Coulson that identifying the event timing was critical to the success of their mission. Reviewing the video was the only way to get to the bottom of this.
"So ready?"
"No I need to check what we got at the others first." She shrugged, "It should go faster, now that I know what to look for."
She began the process of going through each of the parties. She was able to identify what she decided to call the Guests of Honor, the people who were infected first, and began developing timelines. The sequence appeared to be the same. From the arrival of the Guests of Honor to the outbreak was thirteen minutes. They had thirteen minutes to get in, get it and get out.
By the time she finished, Agents Coulson and May were with Ward watching the events unfold. Skye turned to face them. "Okay, we have thirteen minutes from the time the Guests of Honor arrive to the outbreak begins." She saw the questioning look from Ward. "Now I say Guests of Honor because these people are the first ones infected and in two of the parties I know the Guest of Honor could really have been that. They were celebrities in their fields. The first two were an actress of a new hit movie and her football star escort. The next two were a CEO and his wife, a celebrated writer. From the time they got to the party to their transformation was thirteen minutes."
Agent Coulson nodded, "Good. I'll let Fitz and Simmons know."
Ward smiled, "Great, now let's hit the range."
"What, I have it?" Skye announced.
Agent Coulson looked over at Ward, "You know I am happy that she ejected the cartridge rather take the safety off." He shrugged as he walked out of the room.
Ward shook his head and started down to the in-plane firing range. The range was a special design allowing the shooter to practice at various distances from the target. The range was built with holoform projections. With the close environment the projections were easily manipulated and could be shaped into anything desired. An electromagnetic shield that stopped all bullets before they hit the out walls protected the range itself. Since the range was in an aircraft, the walls were designed to absorb the impact of the bullets too.
Ward got to the firing stand and quickly arranged the parts of the SIG P226. He smiled as Skye walked up.
She had already hacked the firing range and watched as Ward took the SIG apart. Having done this several time now. She watched the sequence once again and smiled. She pulled up the manual and read it over quickly before entering the range. "What, do you think this is a real problem?" Skye smiled back. She smoothly picked up the barrel and inserted it into the slide. She then fit the recoil spring and guide into place. Slipping the assembly onto the frame she switched the levers and inserted the magazine. She proudly held up the finished product for review.
"Okay, this time hit the target."
Suddenly instead of bare walls, the range projection before them was an old cemetery. Head stones popped up from the ground at irregular angles. The tree out to the side hung over the area providing shade in the branches of the leafless tree. A lone wolf was howling in the background.
Skye smiled at Ward, "I didn't know you had it in you."
"So pick out the dangerous targets and take them out."
Skye watched as a dark witch flew by on a broomstick. A mummy strolled down the cemetery lane. And a little girl walked along holding several books while looking a pager. Skye took two shots. The first blew to books away and the second went through the pager into the holographic girl who disappeared.
"What, someone just passing through, another going to visit a friend but the girl? And a pager? Come-on?"
Ward shook his head and marched out of the firing range.
May called over the Bus, "Ten minutes till we land. So has anyone picked out our costumes?"
A/N Hey, thought a little Halloween treat was in order. Hope you enjoy. Come join us and post some stories. Treats and reviews appreciated.