A Few Thousand Years to Calm Down
This has been an idea bugging me since I started rewatching Agents of Shield. I like the concept of Hive, and I thought that it'd be fun to write what the show would be like if he wasn't such a dick.
- Maveth -
Blue.
The entire planet was colored blue for some reason. Grant Ward, agent of Hydra, didn't really see the appeal. It cast everything into perpetual twilight and he could see how Jemma Simmons would have gone a bit mad being alone on the planet for a few months.
He'd been on it for an hour and it was already irritating him.
He wondered what exactly the Inhuman he and his team were tracking down would be like. According to Gideon Mallick, it had been trapped on this planet for a few thousand years, so who knew? It might not even speak English, which would be a very upsetting experience.
If that were the case he'd have to figure out a way to convince a super powered monster that he wanted to help it while neither of them could properly communicate with each other.
Well… Fitz could take care of that.
Looking over at the Shield agent, he notices that the man is fiddling with the pad he'd been given to figure out their exit strategy. Ward felt kind of bad for the kid, mostly for the things that he'd done to him. But, at the same time, he was just about all out of mercy for anyone in Shield.
"Go scout out that ridge," He orders one of the nameless Hydra flunkies Mallick had sent to this planet with him. After the soldier sets off he tells Fitz, fighting to keep the irritation from his voice, "We have less than six hours to find the next portal and go home."
"Why don't you shut the hell up, so I can concentrate?"
Well, that was more sass than he expected from a prisoner. He could almost see what Fitz was about to do. It was easy enough to catch the scientist's hand when he went for the gun, and even easier to kick his little ass.
A bit of threatening to clarify his position, and to make sure that it was absolutely clear that the only thing keeping Simmons alive on Earth is the fact that Ward was the one getting back there. Didn't matter if it was a complete lie, but it got his cooperation.
But Fitz didn't let up, and he kept poking at his insecurities, "The only reason you're on this mission is because you're expendable."
Obviously, but that didn't change the fact that if this mission was a success he'd be one step closer to finally killing Coulson, May, Skye, and every other member of Shield he could find. He might have even said as much if the goon he'd sent to scout the ridge hadn't called for his attention.
"Alright, move," He tells Fitz, and a little push gets the brit moving. Reaching the peek of the ridge, they're greeted by the sight of his man dropping to his knees in reverence, which seemed like a bit much until what the man was seeing became what they all were seeing, "Well, hail Hydra."
So, whatever this thing they were looking for was, it'd clearly had time to build a giant statue of the Hydra symbol. Ward couldn't even begin to contemplate exactly how bored it must have been to do something like that.
"Alright, let's get moving," he tells the team, then smacks the tablet back into Fitz's hand, "Find our exit."
"Right," is the reply, the scientist still staring in awe and horror at the statue. A push gets him moving again, and unfortunately restarts his whining.
It felt like it would never stop, just on and on he went, with Ward only half paying attention to the nearly full hour of constant commentary. Yes, the creature could smell blood, it was an ancient Inhuman monster after all.
Eventually though, Fitz runs out of steam and just starts mapping the area like a good little scientist. It doesn't take Ward long to get to enjoy the silence before it's broken again, "Er, I think that's the ridge we're looking for…"
With practiced ease the Hydra team moves out and starts looking around, the mission on their minds. Ward hears something behind him, and he turns to see Fitz kicking something. Blinking, he asks, "What's that?"
"That's an interesting question," Oh, he was going to try something, great, "I thought I might check."
It's some kind of hatch, and Fitz is quick to drop down into it, eliciting an irritated growl from Ward, "Check the area, make sure there aren't any exits."
"Yes, sir." The team spreads out, eyes now trained on the ground as they spread out.
Taking the direct path, he hops down the hole after Fitz with an irritated growl and a grunt thanks to the landing.
"Will?" He hears Fitz say around the corner
"Holy shit," he hears somebody else say, "Fitz, right?"
"Yeah," Fitz says, then he turns at Ward's approach.
"Who the hell is this?"
"This is Will, he's gonna be our guide," Fitz tells him quickly.
Ward snorts, "No he won't."
He steps up to the man and places his gun to his head. The man, NASA by the insignia on his jacket, doesn't even react. How long had this idiot been on this planet that he wouldn't care about a gun to his head.
"No!" Fitz cries, but a Hydra agent grabs him and holds him back before he can take a step.
"You did this yourself, Fitz," Grant chuckles, "You didn't follow my instructions, and now our new friend has to pay the price."
"We need him!" Fitz argues, "I can calculate where the next portal is going to be, but only he can lead us there!"
Ward raises an eyebrow.
"He knows the area, the land! He can lead us to the portal!" Fitz tells him.
Ward muses for a few seconds, then looks to his team, "Thoughts?"
His second shrugs, "Worth a shot, sir. Man's been here a long time."
Now that raises an interesting question, and pressing his gun a bit further into the man's head he asks, "How long you been here?"
Will blinks at him a few times, "Here… as in how long I've been in Will or how long I've been on the planet?"
That gets everyone to freeze, and Fitz mutters a horrified, "What?"
Will looks from Grant to Leo and asks, "It's an important distinction."
"You're… not Will," Fitz sighs.
"No," Will says, then looks up at Ward, "Well?"
Pulling the gun away from his head, Ward asks, "Who are you?"
"My followers call me Alveus," Will tells him.
"Latin," Fitz breaths.
"Yes, the Kree tended to favor the Romans over my people for their experiments," Alveus explains.
Ward blinks a few times, then takes a step back, "You're the Inhuman we were sent to find?"
Alveus tilts his… its head, thinking. After a few seconds it stands up, and it is clear that the body of Will isn't in the best shape, "I suppose I am, if you are Hydra."
"We are," Ward tells him.
"Excellent," Alveus nods, "I have been waiting far too long for reprieve."
"Reprieve?" Fitz asks, and Ward looks at him. There are tears in his eyes for some reason.
"From the monotony of existence on this wretched planet," Alveus explains, "I have dwelt on this cursed realm for an eternity and wish to rejoin the rest of humanity."
Grant smiles, looks like he wasn't too far off the mark with his theory on how bored the create became over the years. He could just imagine how horrible it would be, "Alright, let's get out of here."
His team nods and sets off, and he waves for Alveus to move in ahead of him. After the walking corpse does, he turns to the frozen Fitz, "Remember, we don't make it back, they will peal Simmons apart piece by piece."
He doesn't notice Alveus freeze, but Fitz does. The agent of Shield watches as it slowly turns to glare at Grant with the same level of hatred the old team did.
What was its motivation?
Why did it care that Ward was threatening Jemma?
How did it take over Will's body?
Questions raced through Fitz's head, making him wonder if he would ever get a solid answer. Maybe the creature retained the memories of its host. If that was the case, then maybe there was hope. As Fitz followed Alveus up the ladder out of Will and Jemma's bunker, he had to wonder why it had taken the place as its home.
And then it extends a hand to help him the last foot out of the hole, and he has to debate with himself for a few seconds before he takes the hand and lets himself be pulled up. Alveus gives him a rueful smile, patting him on the shoulder before stepping out of the way and moving into the center of the small canyon around the trap door.
A few hours later, they are walking down a new valley, only a few miles from where the portal will open.
"You know, I never did appreciate how clever Will Daniels was until now," the monster notes, a wistful sigh escaping his lips.
"How do you mean?" Fitz asks.
"He managed to evade me for years!" Alveus notes, "It was incredibly impressive."
"But you still killed him."
"Of course, I did," There is a sigh, "And now I'm in his head I am very much regretting that."
"Why?"
"Because he wasn't nearly as mad as my previous hosts," is the reply, "I tend to have that effect on humans."
"You drive people crazy?"
"Yes, it was part of my design," He tells them, "How can you fight me if you're already fighting yourself and all that?"
"Part of your design?" Ward asks, curious.
"I, and the rest of my kind, were designed to fight the wars of the Kree."
"Blue aliens? Strong? Deep voices?" Fitz asks.
"That's them."
"Yeah, that lines up with what Lincoln said."
"Who?"
"One of their Inhumans," Ward tells the creature when Fitz clams up, "and apparently their expert on Inhuman lore."
"We have lore?" Alveus blinks.
"Apparently Inhumans have existed for a few thousand years on earth in secret," Ward tells him.
"Generation one or two?" Alveus asks.
"What?" Fitz and Ward both look at the Inhuman with confusion, wondering what he means.
But, before he can explain, there is a sudden pop and one of the Hydra team drops to the ground, dead. Everyone scatters, Alveus grabbing Fitz and rushing for a large stone pillar. Fitz tries to break free, but the grip is too strong and he finds himself pressed against the stone as Alveus peeks out.
"What're you doing?" He demands.
"Well," Alveus moves back and smiles at him. It was probably meant to be reassuring, but the fact he was wearing the face of a dead man wasn't helping his case, "I'm certain Jemma wouldn't appreciate it if you were killed."
"What?"
There is a shuffle behind them and one of the Hydra goons moves into cover beside them, "It's Shield, sir!"
"Really?" Alveus peeks back around cover, "I can't see anyone?"
"On the ridge, towards the gas planet on the horizon."
Alveus adjusts his gaze and nods, "Ah, there he is, thank you."
And then Fitz watches with confusion as Alveus calmly grabs the man by the face and breaks his neck. Eyes widen in horror as Will's body seems to come apart at the seems for a few seconds before a cloud of… something moves to the newly created corpse and begins to dissolve it.
"Thank you for your loyalty," Alveus seems to grow larger as the dust returns to his form, and the limp in his leg seems to fade away, "Oh, I am very glad that Will kept as full a stock of food as he could."
There is a clatter as the dead Hydra agent's equipment drops to the ground in a dusty plop. Fitz looks down at it, then back up at the Inhuman.
"I'd recommend you put on the vest," Alveus tells him, "No doubt you are going to be shot at."
"Why did you do that?" he can't help but asks.
"They are obviously going to try and kill you once you lead them to the portal," is the explanation.
"What did you do, then?"
"I needed to recover. Will Daniels will do as my host, but he was injured severely in our fight before he died. I thought it prudent to absorb the necessary biomass to reconstruct his leg."
"That's… disturbing."
Alveus chuckles, then turns back to peek around the pillar. Leans back, "There is a small balding man crushing Ward's chest."
"Coulson," Fitz breaths out, and he peeks around the rock as well to confirm his theory.
"Gah!" Grant Ward screams in pain as his ribs are broken in, glaring up at the unflinching face of Phil Coulson.
There is a crack as his sternum is broken, and the light begins to fade, but before he can feel his life ending he hears, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't kill him just yet."
The pressure is relieved, and he sees Fitz and Alveus, the latter looking far healthier than he had a few minutes ago. Fitz gives Coulson a nervous wave, "Sir."
"Fitz, good to see you're okay," the Director of Shield nods, then looks over at Will, "Will Daniels?"
"Not exactly," Fitz shakes his head.
"My name is Alveus," the Inhuman introduces itself, "William Daniels is dead."
"Alright, I'm gonna need a few more details," Coulson declares.
"He's the Inhuman prisoner," Fitz tells him, "Some kind of parasitic life form that can inhabit the dead."
Alveus turns to give Fitz a look, "I can describe my own abilities, thank you."
"So, you killed Will, now you have Fitz and you want me to keep Ward alive… what's your end game?" Coulson asks.
"None at the moment," the Inhuman tells him, "But Ward has explicitly stated that if he does not return through the portal, Jemma will be killed."
"And you don't want that," it isn't a question, the answer is obvious.
"I do not."
"Why?"
Alveus raises an eyebrow, "Are you really asking why I don't want one of your soldiers to die?"
"Feels like relevant information."
"Very well, it is because Will Daniels is my current host, and his connection to her is my connection to her."
"What?" Coulson asks.
"He inherited Will's memories after he killed him," Fitz explains, "Will loved Jemma, so he loves Jemma."
"As good an explanation as mine, though less poetic," Alveus notes.
"What is it with you and talking in riddles?" Leo has to ask.
"I've been riding the bodies of poets, explorers, and philosophers for thousands of years," Alveus notes, "I feel it would be stranger still if I did not inherit their habits."
"Alright, Ward lives until we're back on Earth," Coulson nods, "I can live with that."
"Excellent," Alveus nods, then turns to Fitz.
"Where we heading, Fitz?" Coulson asks, prompting the scientist to consult his tablet while the director pulls Ward to his feet and handcuffs him.
"Uh, it looks like we need to go… here," Fitz holds the pad out for them to see.
"Ah, I know the place," Alveus nods, "It's near Etari."
"E-what-i?" Coulson asks, "What's that?"
"A settlement," Alveus explains, "There used to be nine cities on this planet."
"What happened to the people who lived there?" Fitz asks.
"They feared change. When my people were banished here they warred amongst themselves and with us. It destroyed their entire race."
"And you had nothing to do with that?" Coulson asks sarcastically.
"The war killed my people too," Alveus replies bitterly, "I will not apologize."
- Earth -
Acting Director of Shield Mack MacKenzie and agent Daisy Johnson watch the black goop of the portal with nervous anticipation. It had spilled out only a second ago to make the portal, and with the semi constant explosions of Hydra trying to breach the portal, they were nervous as hell on what might come through.
They're very glad when it turns out to be Fitz. The young scientist pops out of the portal and immediately takes Daisy's hand when she offers it to him. They hug for an instant before he turns back to the portal and says, "Ward, Coulson, and… Will are coming through."
"Ward?" She asks, but the portal spits the man out before her eyes to confirm what Fitz has said. Mack grabs the former double agent roughly and tosses him to the side. There is a pained grunt as Ward lands badly, unable to catch himself with bound hands.
He looks up at them, then smirks. Daisy has to fight not to shoot him, they might need to know why he's so damned smug.
The next person to emerge from the portal is somebody neither knows from more than a picture. Will Daniels pops out of the portal, then takes Mack's extended hand and gives the man the biggest hug possible, "Oh, the sweet smells of earth! I am home!"
"Alright, man, we still need to get Coulson," Mack notes, his weapon dangling from his shoulder as he pats the strange man on the back.
Will nods and pulls back, then moves over to stand above Ward, "So… Jemma would be kille- "
The final member of their party bursts out of the portal before he can finish talking, and his attention is diverted. In that instant, Ward kicks off of him, and makes a break for it.
Daisy, helping Coulson out of the portal, isn't able to use her powers on him, and Mack had dropped his weapon thanks to Will's hug. The only one that manages to act is Coulson, who draws his pistol as Ward rounds the corner and gets off a pair of shots.
But, as with the way of things and fitting with Grant Ward's slippery nature, he manages to escape without getting any more injured than he already is.
"Damnation," Will growls.
"Leave him," Mack tells him, "We need to get the hell out of here!"
"But – "
"Now, May's ready to blow this place to kingdom come!"
Will blinks at him, then nods, "A fair point."
Mack leads the way, but if Daisy expected him to lead them to their infiltration point she was wrong. A few turns later and they are inside the containment unit that had held Andrew Gardener, also known as Lash the Inhuman killer.
"May, do it!" Mack gives the order over the radio then hits the ascend command on the pod, which rockets into the sky. Out the windows they watch as the castle is destroyed, explosions rocking it to pieces as six missiles impact it one after the other.
"Oh, god," Daisy and Mack turn to Fitz, who asks, "What am I going to tell Jemma?"
"The truth is always an option," Will notes, "From William's experience with her, she preferred a straight answer to one that avoids the issue. She almost fell into my clutches thanks to him avoiding the truth more than once."
"Sorry, who… what are you guys talking about?" Daisy asks.
"That's not will," Fitz tells them, and they both look at the man.
"Then who the hell are you?" Mack asks.
Will's body leans back and a small smile breaches his lips as he says, "My name is Alveus."
"That's Latin," Mack notes.
"Yep, we already covered that," Coulson agrees, "Don't know what it means, though."
"Hive, I believe," the newly named Alveus tells them, "Several of my previous hosts were very well versed in the language."
"Hive?" Mack's eyes widen.
"You're the Hydra god?" Daisy demands, while she readies her powers.
Alveus raises an eyebrow, "A god? No. I am merely the commander."
"Commander of what?" Mack demands.
"Inhumans," is the reply.
There is a brief shudder as the containment module latches to the Zephyr above them. The pod slowly begins to raise, but before it can get to the hanger, Mack presses a finger to his ear, "May, lockdown this pod."
"Mack?"
"Now!"
The pod is bathed in red light for a moment, and Alveus looks up, "A smart choice. You don't know my capabilities and you don't want your forces exposed to me."
"Yer damned right I don't," Mack retorts, "What the hell are you."
"I told you, my name is Alveus," the Inhuman explains, then waves a hand looking for words. After a moment, he asks Fitz, "If you would explain it, I think I would only confuse them more."
"He's a parasitic Inhuman that can inhabit the bodies of the dead," Fitz explains, "He we made by the Kree to be the commander of their Inhuman forces… don't know what that means, though."
"It means I can sway any Inhuman that descends from my people's generation," Alveus tells him, "I connect to them, and they to me, and together we form a Hive stronger than the Kree could ever hope to be."
"That why you're called Hive?" Daisy asks, "Because you connect Inhumans? Is it networked mind control?"
"No, and yes," Alveus tilts his head, "It is like… I fill an emptiness that always existed. I fill their hearts and their minds, complete them. For those who follow me, it is a joyous experience."
"And what about the ones that don't?" Mack wants to know.
"I'm fairly certain the fact I was banished from Earth with my Inhuman followers is evidence enough as to how the rest of my kind felt about my power."
"What're you planning to do now?" Coulson asks, the four of them ignoring the sensation of rising through the ship towards the hanger,
Alveus grins, "I think I will speak briefly with Jemma, and when she rejects me I will find and consume a cheeseburger… or a whole cow, whichever I locate first."
"Why?" Daisy asks.
"At the moment, I am piloting a corpse," Alveus tells her, "I have managed to repair some of the damage I caused in our struggle, but now I am back upon Earth, no doubt I will begin to decay."
"So why do you need a cow?" Fitz asks.
"Because I need a sufficient level of organic material to dissolve and reconstitute a living body," Alveus tells them.
There is a click as the containment pod reaches the hanger and the four of them look out the window. The entire team is looking in, concerned. The only one that looks truly distraught is Jemma, who is blinking tears of sorrow from her eyes as she looks at Alveus.
The Inhuman bows his head shamefully, then looks back up, "Could you hear all that was said?"
"We could," It is agent May that speaks, then she adds, "And until we're sure you aren't a threat, you're staying in that pod."
Alveus ignores her, standing and stepping over to the glass, looking down at the scientist his body was trapped on that god forsaken planet with. She looks up at him, warring feelings of hate and love battling in her eyes, and he tells her, "I am sorry."