Ghost Protocol
Activating this protocol will leave you without support, or back-up.
Activating this protocol is considered suicide, especially if you're caught.
Disclaimer: I own nothing that is claimed by Marvel.
I do own a couple of later characters and this plot.
When she got up, after her morning hygiene routine, she went straight to the cargo hold for a workout. Putting her headphones in, cranking the volume up and wrapping her hands, she let the plan come together. Pounding away at the bag, ducking, dodging air, she felt eyes on her. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end but she carried on. Finally feeling tired enough; she unwrapped her hands and stretched, cooling down. Grabbing a bottle of water, she made her way to the kitchen. She didn't expect it, she didn't see it coming and she almost choked.
Him. HYDRA Agent, Grant Ward.
She kept her face neutral and headed for the kitchenette completely ignoring him for sandwiches! She didn't hear a thing except her music. Had she turned her music off, she'd have heard him asking Fitzsimmons who she was. Cutting the tomatoes and cucumber with a very sharp knife, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Instinct kicked in and she had Agent Clint Barton pinned, blade at his throat within seconds.
"Oh. My. God!" she screamed. With Barton flinching at the unreasonably high pitched screech from her, she backed off, pulled a bud and helped him, "Sorry Birdie, I had no idea you were here! Why didn't you tell me?" Setting the knife aside, she rushed at him, arms wide.
"Don't worry about it Demon, I should've known better! I forgot Coulson had Nat and Mel train you. Only the best for his second, ya know? And you were sleeping, wasn't going to disturb you," Clint returned the hug. Pulling away and holding her at arm's length, "I see you've a few new scars. What in the hell is that?!" He turned her to get a better look at the once black bruise across her ribcage, now purple. She shrugged and turned back to sandwich making.
"It's nothing C.B, rogue bullet. Had my vest on. Be all healed up in a few days, then I can kick your ass. Kosher!" Slapping on the top slice of bread, cutting into triangles, she bit into it and gave a moan of satisfaction. Natasha chose that moment to stroll in, smirking.
"So, it was you three I saw on cam? Way to give a girl a heart attack! I thought A.C was a goner," she turned to Clint. "I didn't see you between the MDX's," and then it dawned on her. "You fired the arrow at May! We got half chimp, half hawk here or what?" She tried to keep a straight face, she really did, but she ended up doubled over, laughing hard! When she was finally able to regain her composure, "man, I gotta tell Fitz. He'd have a field day with you!"
"I suspect you've met our latest recruit? Anything to say about that?" That was so Nat. Always straight to the point, no sugar coating and Skye really liked sugar!
The facial expression said it all, she was livid among other things but she couldn't form the necessary words politely.
"Natasha, Clint, a word please?" Coulson had been watching the exchange, he'd enjoyed watching as they'd gotten to know one another. As he headed up to his office, both agents following, Skye replaced her headphones and went back to the cargo hold.
On passing the lab, she saw Simmons make a beeline for her and turned in that direction. She didn't see the other agent standing above, watching her every move.
"So, what's up?" she asked as the older but much younger looking agent pulled her into the lab.
"Ward! He doesn't know who we are. He doesn't know who you are. He knows nothing about his affiliation with HYDRA. He knows his work as a specialist but other than that, he doesn't have the slightest idea about who he is. I mean, with everything that's going on related to HYDRA, you'd think he knew something, anything to help. Goodness, I'm blabbering again, aren't I? Fitz, help?" the young scientists looked flustered, annoyed but relieved.
"Well, we asked him about-"
"-his family and Agent-"
"-Garret and he doesn't-"
"-know a thing about the guy. It's as if-"
"-he's had his memory-"
"-wiped and the only people we know with those-"
"-capabilities has gone off the grid. We can't find them anywhere, but-"
"-it's Fury. The guy's a ghost when he wants to be. How are we-"
"-supposed to handle this? Just forgive him and-"
"-get on with it?" Skye couldn't help but think they were two of the most adorable people on Earth. Sure, they were in a relationship, thanks to Ward but they'd never forgotten how it happened.
"I'm gonna go work out, I'm really not in the mood for this type of discussion. I'd kill him if Coulson wouldn't hang me for it but that's just me!" as she slowly retreated, still facing them, she hit something solid that wasn't glass. She turned slowly and almost, almost, lost her cool.
"Agent Grant Ward. Who, and more to the point, what are you?" his face was expression less, much like the first few weeks they'd been on the bus together. Typical robot, she thought.
"Oh, I know fine well who you are, Agent Ward! The question is, why are you here?" her face stoic, showing a slight irritation.
"That's on a need to know basis, Level Eight and above. I'll ask again, who are you?" Skye had never laughed so hard in her life. Fitzsimmons were crying, Fitz on the floor trying to catch his breath. Simmons was holding on to a counter top, trying to keep her balance.
When all laughing was over and they'd finally seen Ward's extremely confused expression. "Level Eight? My identity and origins are none of your concern but next time you speak to a superior like that, you'll find yourself leaving this plane, midflight!" She'd snapped.
"You're speaking to the Deputy Director, Agent Ward!"
"Jesus, Spidey! A little warning next time?! I really should start calling you Ninja, sneaking up on people like that. I almost died there."
"With all due respect Agent Romanoff, I don't believe you. No-one on this plane acknowledges rank. They make fun of each other, prank each other. Nothing about this is professional," he turned to Skye. "You're careless, unobservant, annoying and loud."
Inside, the fire was raging but, a smirk playing at her lips, "So, you'll speak to Agent Romanoff respectfully but not the Deputy Director? Agent, detain him. I'll be in the Cage soon!" and with that, she made her way to Coulson's office. Barging in, she started pacing.
"Why? Why is he here? What happened to him? Why doesn't he know me, us? What's his purpose? Why isn't he locked up? I can't do this A.C. Not with him on board, and just so you know, he's in the interrogation room...What? Don't look at me like that. He disrespected his superior and he needs to know that it's unacceptable...Again with the looks, I'd do the same to anyone else. Excluding the people who know me personally and yes, technically he knows me personally but what's with the mind voodoo? Will he remember? He's back to being the T-1000? What did Fury do to him?" she kept on with her rambling until Coulson cut her off.
"He's been in that cell for over an hour. At this moment in time, all I know is that Fury swapped out Garrett and HYDRA for him and SHIELD. With the technology upgrades in recent years, it was difficult but not impossible. Look at what Fury was able to accomplish with me but no, he doesn't remember and let's hope he never does because we know it didn't end well the last time someone's memories were messed with." Running a hand through his hair, he continued, "He's here because he's the best, besides you and May, excluding Avengers. You can do this! I know you can. You're strong and stubborn and loud and you're you! Now, let's show him what happens when he doesn't respect his superiors."
They gathered an audience as they headed to the interrogation room, "everyone stay outside please. I think it's time he learned just how scary I can be!" Failing to contain the devious smile, the others shared a knowing look. That was the look that told them that he'd be lucky if he didn't have nightmares for the rest of his life. Barton handed over two files, one of which was quite large.
Throwing the door open, she stepped inside and let the wind close it.
"Agent Grant Ward. You know why you're here? Care to explain why you think it's acceptable to disrespect your superiors when they're present?" No emotion on either of their faces until he didn't answer. She let the mask slip just a tiny bit, her eyes bright pink.
"I won't ask again, Agent Ward!"
"I don't need to disclose that information. As I told you earlier, everything to do with my task is Level Eight and above. Now, you tell me something. What are you?" Stubborn, stubborn man! She sat his credentials in front of him and let him look them over.
"As I clearly stated earlier, my origins are none of your concern, Level Ten and above. You were saying, Level Eight Agent Ward?" Keeping her voice monotonous, she let the mask slip that little bit further, her eyes turned to a bright red and her pupils darkened. "About your lack of respect for women, other than Agent Romanoff, who outrank you?" Coulson stepped inside and shook his head, looking her straight in the eyes.
"Deputy Director Skye, you have a phone call. Sounds urgent and they won't speak to me." Ward turned to Coulson, obviously puzzled at how the older man address the woman. "Yes Grant, she looks, sounds and acts so much younger but here," sliding her file across the table, "are her credentials. She rebuilt SHIELD's mainframe on her own within a couple of weeks and she is more than qualified. Bit of advice? Don't call her ma'am unless you want to die. Don't annoy her, at all, unless you want to die! I've seen what she can do and it's not for the faint hearted, believe me."
Meanwhile, in the soundproofed bunk that was hers, Skye picked up the phone, "Deputy Director Skye, and you are?"
"I'm in!" She heard the click
Ten minutes later, another phone call came with the same phrase. The rest came shortly after, a mixture of 'I'm in' or 'Time to think.' She'd had Fitz make sure a random number of phones were untraceable and installed her own encryption data on all of them. Hers was programmed with the other numbers. The others only had hers. Let the games begin!