Part 1 'Times have changed...'

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1989.

Chicago.

"And in other news, the mysterious disappearance of Peter Quill has baffled police for over a year now, with no known leads or witnesses to go on, the police remain open to all suggestions of his whereabouts. We managed to get a interview with.." "Hey Laurel could you turn that down please" Agent Wright said as he pushed his empty shot glass to the end of the bar. "I ain't keeping this bar open so you can boss me around Lance." Laurel replied searching for the remote under the desk "and I guess your wanting a fill up too?" she added.

Outside, a shiny black Cadillac pulled up to the side of the diner, rain was lashing down on the side walk as a man got out of the front, opened his umbrella and went to open the back door. A grey suited man stood up out of the car, lighting a cigar and thanking the mysterious figure inside for the talk. The two men made their way up the side walk to the diner "What has Agent Wright dragged me all this way for now" the grey suited man uttered, puffing smoke from his cigar as he talked. " I do believe he has a proposition for you." the other man responded, shaking and closing his umbrella.

The grey suited man stood inside, the diner was dimly lit and other than the bar waitress and Agent Wright sat on a bar stool to the far left, They were alone. The grey suited man stumbled his way to a bar stool next to Agent Wrights "I'm glad you could make it Agent Stanton." Agent Wright began, as he sipped whiskey from his shot glass "Ah, I see you looking at my glass, would you like some? it's the finest whiskey in Chicago…" "Cut the crap" Agent Stanton retorted, "I didn't just ride in a car for 5 hours so you could offer me some gosh darn whiskey"

"Okay then… it's a no on the drinks, no that's more than fine, down to business!" Wright said signalling to Laurel that no more drinks were needed, he saw her mumble "thank god" and she walked away. "As you well know" Wright added "Its been a few months now since we… lost Pym. He was one of our greatest scientists and an even better…err…small…fighting man and ever since he left we have been struggling with rising crime across the globe, so I'm here to make you an offer Agent Stanton a very good offer."

Stanton sighed and tapped his cigar lightly to get rid of the ash, then he placed it down, "go on then… I'm all ears."

"Okay, I…well, Shield want you to go and start a Shield division in the U.K." exclaimed Wright. Agent Stanton stood up from his stool "Its been more than a pleasure to see you Agent Wright but I have no time for your stup…" "No, no! here me out!" Wright declared, moving to a booth further along the diner. "We have thought long and hard about this, and Shield strongly feel it is right to expand, we will gladly give you the money and all the man power you need! Just please think about it Eric, we all joined shield because we wanted to help protect our country, well now we want to help protect the world. You are an agent of shield are you not?"

Agent Stanton stopped for a moment and stared at his badge, his mind filled with all the memories he had with shield, how he joined, his missions and his family. He was proud. " you always have been a good talker Wright, fine I'll think about it" Stanton said walking out of the door.

September.

2015.

South of England.

A matte black 4x4 baring the shield insignia tore down the motorway as it raced past car after car. Two other cars were in chase, both gaining quickly on the shield 4x4. "Wow, your hydra buddies really want you back don't they?" Agent Chapman said looking in his rear view mirror to a tied up Hydra agent in the back, the Hydra agent didn't respond.

"You know, maybe I shouldn't have put that tape over your mouth! Now how are you supposed to tell me what I want to know?" Agent Chapman added, reaching back to rip the tape off of the Hydra agent, he let out a small painful scream. "you wont get anything out of me you basta…"

"whoa there! enough with the bad language, you my man, have just re earned the tape." Agent Chapman replied, placing the tape back over the Hydra agents mouth. "now then…what to do with your Hydra bros back there…"

The Hydra cars were gaining rapidly on the Shield 4x4. One of the cars pulled up along side Agent Chapman and rammed the 4x4 sideways towards the barrier, in turn causing a car behind them to swerve off and stop, the other Hydra car now came in behind the 4x4 blocking Agent Chapman in.

"There are two Hydra cars surrounding you, four more incoming, time till arrival four minutes" the computer said showing Agent Chapman a screen detailing three hydra cars travelling up the motorway and another coming across a bridge. "oh for the love of… fine, if Hydra want you so badly then they'll have to go through me!" The cars continued to tear down the motorway, still blocking agent Chapman in, 3 hydra agents leaned out of their car windows and began shooting at the shield 4x4 "Ow! Hey this is a gun free country fellas! Did they not get the memo?!"

"Car windows integrity, declining, recommended offensive countermeasure." the car computer said, "And to think I left my gun at home… I love you shield computer." Chapman exclaimed, reaching for the four barrelled machine gun rising out of a compartment. "Hey Mr hydra agent, watch what I can do to your buddies!" Chapman turned the gun around to face the back of the car and started firing at the car behind, causing the back window to smash in the 4x4. The Hydra car behind span out of control, and swerved into a lorry. By now two more Hydra cars had caught up with Agent Chapman and the remaining Hydra car. "seriously what is with your 'kill one thing off and two more take its place deal' I mean come on… can't I catch a break!"

A Hydra car could be seen on a motorway overpass, there was a Hydra agent stood next to the car aiming a rocket launcher down at the shield 4x4.

"Oh shi…" Chapman said as the rocket fired down onto the motorway, the shield 4x4 swerved out of the way closer to the barrier, causing the rocket to hit the road, the cars went under the bridge and came out on the other side. The Hydra agent primed another rocket "I really hope this car is rocket proof as well as bullet proof." Chapman said. The rocket launched down onto the motorway but to Chapman's surprise hit a Hydra car behind the 4x4, causing it to flip over and crash "what…" mustered Chapman. He looked back to see the mysterious Hydra agent returning to his car and driving off. "well… looks like one of your Hydra loyalists isn't that loyal!" Chapman smirked as he looked to the tied up Hydra Agent.

"Receiving conformation of a local call to the police made over sounds of shooting on the motorway, police have been dispatched and are en route" the car computer said bringing up a map again showing the police cars in the vicinity, "looks like I'll have to be quicker in dispatching these goons" Chapman said to himself. The shield 4x4 swerved out into the road again taking the Hydra car, still to Agent Chapman's left, along with it. "Motorway junction approaching" the computer mentioned as Chapman kept pushing the Hydra car towards the hard shoulder. The junction approached quickly and one final swerve saw the Hydra car plough straight into it, causing the hydra agent still shooting to fly out of the car.

"Hold up located, distance, four miles, re route recommended"

"Find me the nearest junction turn off, its time to end this chase." Chapman said to the computer whist looking at the last two enclosing Hydra cars in his rear view mirror. "Maybe kidnapping a high ranking hydra official like you may have been a bad idea after all!" Chapman added looking at the Hydra official tied up in the back, who by now was looking very nervous and pale. "Aww, don't you do car journeys very well?"

The motor way junction was approaching and the Shield 4x4 had picked up even more speed to escape the perusing Hydra. The police had also caught up to the Hydra cars but drove straight past them as they honed in on the shield 4x4, the junction arrived and the 4x4 took it, braking immensely so it could speed round the corner. By now Agent Chapman had moved to the back of the car leaving the computer to drive it. "Where did I put the bag now" he said to himself searching the back of the car. "There it is! Now hold still Mr Hydra official this wont take a moment" Chapman muttered as he struggled to place a bag over the Hydra officials head. "Okay computer, open the left side backdoor please." The backdoor swung open, Agent Chapman waited as he grabbed hold of the Hydra official. A grassy verge approached "Okay, computer you know where you're going, don't stop until you lose them all. I will return for you soon my love…"

Agent Chapman jumped out of the speeding 4x4 with the kidnapped Hydra official in hold, landing on a grassy verge at the side of the road. Agent Chapman, clutching his side after landing on it and the Hydra official then quickly hid over the other side of the verge. Watching as the police, followed by the remaining Hydra cars, stormed down the road after the now, auto driven 4x4, Agent Chapman stood up, still holding his side and looking at the Hydra official with a bag over his head "the trouble I go through to please the team" Chapman said getting out his phone.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" a female voice shouted through the phone. "Its nice to speak to you too Lucy! And don't worry I'm sure it will explain itself when I get back." Chapman said. "It better" Lucy replied still shouting down the phone "I'm going to need a lift back to base if you don't mind dear, I'm sending the coordinates now."

A Shield car pulled up outside a large brick mansion. The mansion itself looked very old and was dilapidated the building was longer than wider and was dominated by two side wings that led to two towers at either side the main part of the building had several smashed windows and outside laid against one of the wall lay a metal statue of the Shield logo, moss was growing up several of the walls and one of the towers that took up the left side of the building was crumbling, the mansion was in a state of repair and hadn't been lived in for many years, it was now the new Shield base.

Agent Chapman and Lucy got out of the car. "oops nearly forgot my luggage" Agent Chapman quipped as he dragged out the kidnapped Hydra official, and walked him through the door. Inside the mansion it was very quiet, there were many boxes bearing the shield insignia stacked up in different locations, a variety of boxes of paperwork was also stacked in different locations, a majority of the room was taken up by a grand but decrepit staircase that led up to the top flight of the mansion, up there were two other Agents talking among-st themselves, Lucy and Agent Chapman moved across to the right wing of the mansion, the right wing was much cleaner and had several doors each with a sign over them, Agent Chapman and Lucy proceeded to the door marked 'interrogation'

They bust open the door and handcuffed the Hydra official to the seat in the room; it was a very dark room with black pentagons covering the walls. "Do you like the new room?" a mysterious woman's voice said in the shadows of the room. "Melissa!" Agent Chapman remarked "its Agent Caldwell to you Joseph" she replied scowling at him. "And where the bloody hell have you been? You've kidnapped a Hydra official without my jurisdiction, you've left our only surviving Shield 4x4 on a wild goose chase and you come back calling me 'Melissa'?! Give me one good reason I shouldn't kick you out right now, Agent Chapman" she shouted. Agent Caldwell then gave Joseph a large slap.

"Okay! Okay…let me explain my self!" Joseph said rubbing his face where he had been slapped. "Ever since the Avengers busted their way through several Hydra bases across the world, Hydra themselves have been scattered, so I decided…"

"Seeing as no one else would" he muttered under his breath.

"That we should kick Hydra out of the UK for good, starting with this Bozo giving up everything he knows about the main hydra base." Joseph answered. "You could have given us a little bit of warning" Lucy added "You know how much I love spending time with you Joseph…" She said sarcastically "Thank you for bringing Agent Chapman back, Agent Stanton" Melissa said " but haven't you got some other work to complete? Me and Agent Chapman have this under control" she added.

Lucy left shutting the door behind her leaving the room in a slight darkness. "Now, Joseph if you don't mind removing the bag from the man's head, then we can get started" Joseph removed the bag leaving the black haired man panting and looking around as he regained his breath. "I'm not saying anything to you Shield scum" the man spat as he stood up trying to race out, Agent Caldwell quickly ran round the back of the hydra official, grabbed the back of his head and slammed it against the table. "Now… Listen very carefully, if you don't want twenty thousand volts coursing through your body from a very powerful Taser. Then I suggest you give us the details of where you and all your little Hydra buddies are hiding" Agent Caldwell said angrily as she moved around to the other side of the table to sit down. "If I do talk, what will you do?" The man added.

"Now we're getting somewhere!" Chapman replied.

Agent Stanton was busy working in the left wing of the building. The left wing was transformed into a large room with a huge holographic computer in the middle presenting a large map of the UK with new updates and data to either side of it, the room was dimly lit and several rows of chairs lined around the computer. Two male figures came into the room; Agent Stanton overheard the two scientists talking away to themselves about what she thought was physics. "Good afternoon you two" Lucy said looking over towards the scientists.

"Ah Agent Stanton!" one of the men replied "seeing as you are the best agent on the team…"

Lucy smirked a little "We were wondering if you could test out our new gun we've been working on" the scientist added presenting a small pistol with several blue lines that seemed to be flowing with some kind of energy.

"We call it the Stinger" the other scientist said handing the gun over to Lucy.

Joseph then stormed through the door startling the three agents inside the room "We have a location. The Hydra goon gave us it all" He added quickly typing a location into his computer.

"Edinburgh?" one of the scientists said adjusting their glasses.

"Unfortunately so, Matt" Chapman replied as the computer zoomed into to Scotland and then Edinburgh

"Edinburgh castle!?" the other scientist retorted as he started typing on his pad he had in his hand

"Okay… he never said anything about a castle" Joseph declared scratching his head and folding his arms.

"No this is good news!" the scientist added finishing up on his pad. "I don't see how this is good news Theo" Matt said looking towards Theo in surprise.

"Let me carry on, Matt!" Theo replied "me and Matt have been hard at work on a new mode of transport, a sort of mobile base if you will"

"Ooh goody! Please tell me it's a plane, you know like Director Coulson's team have!" Chapman said excitedly

"We are not like Coulson's team" Agent Caldwell insisted "we will not ever, be like Coulson's team. I personally made sure of that when I chose you all, when Shield fell, he took his path and we took ours. There are no secrets on our team, from me or between each other. I don't want another incident of what has happend across in America over here, there is only one Shield. It maybe Coulson's shield but it is ours too."

"Looks like I've touched a nerve" Chapman replied slowly backing away from Agent Caldwell

"No… it's just… I'm sorry Agent Reed, please continue" Melissa sighed, as she slowly sat down and started typing away on a computer

"I'm sorry, Joseph but it isn't a plane, it's a…" Theo paused "in fact let me show you, follow me!" he added walking back out into the central foyer, over in the far right tower the agents all crammed into a lift that took them underground. They appeared in a large grey garage that was well lit. The only vehicle in the garage was a large matte black truck and trailer, and on the side of the trailer was printed the Shield logo.

"this would explain where you two have been all this time" Chapman remarked, staring in awe at the behemoth of the truck that lay before him.

"let me show you inside" Agent Clark replied as he pressed a button on a small phone sized gadget he had in his hand, a door on the side of the trailer hissed and whirred as it slowly opened, followed by a set of stairs that lowered down allowing access to the trailer, the Agents stepped inside into a room with a large holographic screen in the middle, surrounded by several computers.

"This is The Hub" Melissa said as the agents gathered round the screen "I asked Agent Clark and Agent Reed to build me this truck after we lost our livelihoods and our home in central London when the shield HQ was destroyed, this truck will be our mobile base for the foreseeable future and we will be using it quite often." she added as the holographic screen showed schematics of the truck and trailer.

"Now to the back of the trailer you will find your beds if we have a long journey, there is also food and drink in some boxes by the side of the beds. To the front is a small room for sitting, there are also one way windows in that room if you require a view." Matt paused, pressing another button on is gadget that zoomed in to the truck.

"The truck itself has space for two people, with a small holding cell in the back if we acquire any assets on our travels. The truck and trailer its self have a full polymer, titanium mix to make it bullet proof, there are also several weapons lining both the truck and trailer for defence. Any questions?"

"yeah, where is the toilet? I'm busting" Chapman retorted.

Matt then sighed and took a pause "In the back right corner of the trailer just through that door"

A few minutes passed and the truck was ready to leave, Agent Chapman volunteered to drive the many hours to Edinburgh, leaving the other agents in The Hub to formulate a plan

"Now from what we know already and from what Agent Caldwell has told me, the Hydra base is deep under the castle, the only entrance being from a side hatch by a building close to the bottom of the castle hill." Lucy pointed to the holographic screen which had brought up the location of the hatch near the castle.

"when we arrive in Edinburgh we will have to leave the truck on the outskirts somewhere near the castle and go in on foot, unfortunately this is where we lose our advantage as once in the hatch we wont know what the layout is like, all we know is we are looking to kill the main head of Hydra in the UK. Alexander Braun, a 'member' of shield since my fathers days he was one of the first to join the UK branch of shield, assembling his Hydra forces for over 20 years. He overwhelmed us In London and now its our turn to fight back" Lucy looked to the screen as a Braun's face appeared, he was in his 50's with greying hair and a cybernetic eye, his face was scarred.

"Now me and Matt have been busy making new weapons for you all, as you know our pride and joy is The Stinger, a rapid fire pistol that fires bullets laced with electricity, once fired the bullet splits apart into 5 sections with wires connecting them proving a large shock to anyone it hits, if it doesn't kill them, it renders them paralysed for several days"

"We don't know the exact number" Matt added

"One final thing we have is please wear these jackets, they render you practically bullet proof and shock proof" Theo said handing the jackets to the three other agents left in the trailer.

6 hours later.

The Truck arrived in Edinburgh, as it parked up near the castle the agents were suiting up to prepare for the attack.

"okay do we all know the plan" Agent Caldwell stated as the agents gathered outside the truck.

"Agent Chapman and Stanton you are up first leading the assault, me and Agent Clark will follow on behind, and you Theo will stay behind and guide us."

"I'm installing a camera on each of your jackets, so I can see the situation" Agent Reed replied as he fiddled around with some wiring on Melisa's jacket. "Okay… your good to go!" he added. The agents left the truck and headed for the hatch.

The group reached the building housing the entrance hatch after a few minutes of walking. Lucy signalled for Joseph to go around the other side of the door, she then pulled a gadget out of her jacket and placed it on the door lock, it made a quiet hum as it unlocked the door without any noise. Joseph then peered through the door, two Hydra agents were stood in full gear guarding the hatch, two shots were fired from Lucy's stinger, they hit the Hydra agents, electrocuting them, they then fell to the floor.

The rest of the agents swiftly moved in surrounding the hatch, it was a large metal hatch which was well protected by reinforced steel. Matt reached into a satchel he had brought with him and revealed a device to the rest of the team, he held it above the hatch and pressed a button, which shone a laser down onto the hatch, a minute of precision cutting later and the hatch could be lifted up off of the ladder it was protecting.

"Agent Stanton, hen you get to the bottom survey the area, kill and hydra agents you see, if the alarm goes off we are compromised, Chapman you will follow behind to provide back up" Agent Caldwell said peering down into the darkness below.

"once you get down there you will be looking for the main office, that is where Braun will be, get in there and kill him before the rest of hydra realise we are here. We've come so far into stopping them, don't let it be for nothing." Agent reed crackled into the Agents earpieces.

Lucy stepped down the ladder slowly, checking to see if anyone was at the bottom on each step. She reached the bottom of a well lit corridor, she spotted a hydra agent waiting further down the corridor, silently she crept up on the hydra agent, she fired her gun on his leg causing the hydra agent to collapse in front of her. Lucy stood up just as Joseph had made his was down the ladder.

"Hey you could save some for me you know" he whispered.

Agent Caldwell came down next, followed lastly by Agent Clark.

"you and Joseph, take that way, me and Agent Caldwell will take the other" Matt said, looking at Lucy.

The Agents split off taking a direction each. A few minutes passed and Lucy and Joseph had entered a large room, it was an armoury and at the end there was a group of seven Hydra guards.

"you take the right, I'll take the left" Chapman whispered creeping towards the guards. He got up behind one and kicked him out from below causing the guard to fall, the rest of the guards noticed causing Chapman to fall back.

"didn't you bring a gun you idiot?" Lucy snapped.

"you know I only like using my guns, but they were too loud for in here" Chapman replied

"bloody hell, take one of mine" Lucy retorted, throwing Joseph a gun. They both stood up and began firing at the hydra guards

"just like old times eh, Lucy!" Chapman quipped

"you know its been so long since we had some us time, you know?!" she added, dodging bullets. A hydra agent came running towards Lucy, she was quick to react kicking his leg sideways and punching him in the face as he fell down, a quick stinger shot finished it.

The last shot fired and the final hydra guard fell to ground. Lucy and Joseph checked the room to make sure they were all dead.

"id call that a good job" Joseph stated walking over to Lucy. They both saw a door at the end of the room, walking towards it they headed through.

Meanwhile Melissa and Matt were heading through more and more corridors and small rooms. A small crackle came through the ear pieces

"I've managed to hack my way into Hydra's system and I've found a map, you may not like what is on here" Theo stated

"do go on Agent Reed" Melissa replied

"It seems Hydra has been busy with research into god knows what, there are several labs located all around the base, with the biggest near your location"

"this isn't good news, I know for a fact Shield UK were developing some pretty dangerous ideas before it fell who knows what hydra have got there hands on, thank you for keeping us updated Agent Reed"

The two Agents, ventured around a few more corridors until they came across a door marked 'research lab 3' on the door, they snuck inside 4 hydra were in the room, they had lab coats. A guard was stood at the other side of the room. Agent Caldwell quickly stormed through the door and shot the guard from across the room, the other hydra scientists, ran to get guns from the wall.

Matt held his gun towards them, his hand was shaking, he had only just completed his field combat and it was a different strep from being a scientist full time, he fired a shot in the direction of the scientists, it missed but another was fired in quick succession killing one of them, with help from Caldwell they were quick to kill the other scientists.

"Good work there Matt, I see my training hasn't all gone to waste" Mellissa said, smiling at Matt.

The research lab was full of computers and lab equipment.

"We need to look through all of this to see what they have been doing" Matt said looking at a computer

"we don't have time just yet, we have come here for one reason. Braun" Melissa replied peering out into the corridor. "come on, this way" she added.

With help and directions from Theo the agents all met up at the doorway to Braun's office. Joseph couldn't wait any longer and busted in through the door, shooting the two hydra guards stood by his table. The rest of the agents stormed through the door as well, to find that Braun wasn't there

"Where is the bastard?" Lucy said searching behind his desk, suddenly a projector started whirring and a screen came on, Braun's face appeared on it

"the famous Agents of the pathetic and non existent shield, how unfortunate I couldn't be here for you to kill me, I knew from the moment your agent in the 4x4 kidnapped one of my hydra officials that I needed to leave, as none of them can be trusted. Unfortunately agents you wont be able to track me down either, i am long gone by now and nobody knows where. Too many times you have come close to killing me, now I am one step ahead. Times are changing for this country, the age of heroes is becoming increasingly more, shall we say, unwanted. So to you agents, I guarantee your demise and the end to your pathetic shield, Hydra will being the UK to its knees, starting today, with your deaths."

The video ended and an alarm started sounding, the projection turned to a 20 second countdown.

"oh no…" Chapman said starting to look panicked, all of a sudden, some rubble came crashing down onto the floor light shone through, the agents ran towards it, four ropes dangled down and they all grabbed hold, they quickly went upwards to the surface. Just moments before a large explosion rocked the ground, it could be heard all over Edinburgh. The agents quickly jumped out of the way of the fireball, they landed on the ground panting.

"What… did all of… that mean" Matt said still panting on the ground.

Melissa stood up, dusting herself down she spoke "It means, the UK isn't safe anymore… Braun was right, times are changing… and we as agents of shield… need to be ready, to fight or protect anything… or anyone that comes our way, we are on the brink of something big and deadly, and it means we are out numbered so what ever comes our way, we need to be ready, we need to stand as one, as Agents of shield."

END OF PART 1.…