Indie POV
"We will be landing in a few minutes. Out of the way base, not too many problems. I hope none of us plan to create any?" Coulson accuses, glancing dubiously at Sky and Simmons, who both flushes a bit red. Murmurs of 'no, sir' carry throughout the room.
Coulson's office (and our temporary meeting room) is filled with vintage knickknacks and model cars. We all stand, surrounding the oak desk as Coulson tells us what has happened in the last twelve hours. Mindlessly I finger a miniature red mustang as he speaks.
"Agent Landers called about an hour ago. They think that this army is fighting under Ultron," he explains. At our clueless expressions, he elaborates, "Ultron is a machine. An alliance of the fifth realm created and controls it. With it, they can see the fears and weaknesses of their enemies. They are trying to take over all of the nine realms. We're landing to meet with the Avengers now."
Sheepishly, Simmons pipes up, "But, sir, they think that you're dead." Her words grow quieter with each syllable. Agent Ward, who stands tall next to her, looks down.
Coulson nods, "They'll be surprised, then." He says this with finality, with false lightness.
Fitz's then asks, "Sir, does this have anything to do with Hydra?" Hydra...? I squeeze my numb eyes shut, thinking. In the back of my mind, I know of the multi-headed Greek beast, but this must not be what he is referring to. Maybe it means-
My thoughts are interrupted by a deep, masculine Voice. The click of a gun unlocking. A horrified, betrayed shriek.
"It does. Drop your weapons or she's dead," The Voice commands. A gun clatters to the ground. The Voice barks something else, but I cannot hear it, I am so afraid, everything is muffled. I hear another voice, a scared voice, swear loudly. All I can do is listen, the terrifyingly truthful sound flying around me, taunting. I squeeze my eyes tighter and the darkness swims around me until my eyes force themselves open.
The Voice is Grant Ward.
Agent Maria Hill POV
"Now that you're all here, we can get started," I inform the now full team. The room grows relatively quiet, and I continue, "There are some things you should know before we begin."
"Like what?" Stark interjects. I shoot him an annoyed look.
"I was just getting to that, Tony," I sigh exasperatedly, "You should know that Ultron is bigger than anything any of you have ever faced. Even Loki. He can get into your head and control you. He can see your fears and weaknesses by just looking at you. This is going to be a hard battle, and S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone. There won't be many forces fighting alongside you. The good news is, the ones we have are the best of the best." Anything else? I ask myself. Suddenly I realize what I have forgotten and mentally hit myself over the head. The room looks expectantly at me, and Thor nervously strokes his hammer. "Oh, and Director Fury isn't dead."
All of the Avenger's, minus Natasha and Steve, look at me in disbelief. Dr. Banner begins to speak, but just shakes his head and smiles slyly. I grin at the team, and for the first time in a long time genuine happiness courses through my veins.
"Welcome back."
Indie POV
"Grant?" Sky croaks. She stands, and many different emotions play over her face. Disbelief, betrayal, sadness, fear. And anger. She's furious at him, her metallic weapon shaking in her hand.
He glances at her and momentarily drops the veneer of evil, of toughness. Ward looks at Sky with overwhelming regret and sorrow. But it is just a flash, and then it is gone. His features harden, "I said, PUT THE WEAPONS DOWN!" He madly gestures his gun to the pale Gemma, who is trapped within a headlock in his muscled arm. Coulson looks from Fitz, whose gun lays lifelessly on the ground, to May, who stares at Ward in shock.
Coulson begins to negotiate, "Ward, can we please-"
"No. You have five seconds to drop your weapons. Five."
Fitz began to panic, "Ward, stop!" He glanced madly around the room and his voice rose into hysterical rants, "Coulson, May, we have to do something, please we have to.. we have to save her, please!" Coulson gave no attention to him. He looked only at me. "Four."
Coulson mouthed a word. 'Teleport.' In that instant I knew that Coulson had no other plan. If I didn't save her, she would die.
"Three."
May could not remove her darkened eyes from Ward. Sky pleaded futilely with him, and Ward deliberately ignored them both. His eyes were directly on Coulson, preventing him from doing anything of use. Fitz had fallen into hysterics, trying to save Gemma. That left me. "Two."
I don't owe these people anything. They lied to me. My parents...
Coulson mouthed another word. 'Please.' His face... it was so hopeless, so afraid. I had to do this.
I had to do this. "One."
I clutched the weighted model car and vanished.
Agent Maria Hill POV
The avengers commenced in catching up, as most people do after they learn that they are about to fight the universe's most powerful villain. Eventually, I joined in, exchanging stories of the past year.
"Nice having a year off, huh?" Barton said dryly. Stark let out a bitter laugh, but it died in the silence of the room. Memories flooded through like an overflowing creek. My jaw tightened and I closed my eyes.
A quiet, quick knock came from the door. I stood abruptly, "Yes?" The door slid open, revealing the Level Three from earlier.
"Ma'am?" He asked, terrified. I knew that behind me the team was suppressing laughter. Those guys were about as moody as thirteen-year olds at five A.M.
I ran my hands down my face. I reply, annoyance clear in my voice, "Yes?"
"The, um, the bus is- it's landing soon. Ma'am," He explains hurriedly. I nod, raising my eyebrows, "Do they know yet? About the thing?"
I shake my head, "No. It'll be a surprise."
He nods solemnly, looking like a child mimicking his father. He turns like a proper soldier and closes the door behind him.
Indie POV
My entire body is on fire. The air I breathe burns my lungs until I choke, the nothingness of empty space scorching everything. And though it is not even a millisecond that I am in the Void, it feels like I choke and burn for hours before I land behind Ward.
Without even a thought, I ignore the pain and smash the model car into the back of Ward's head. He crumples to the ground, the bullet he was about to fire into Gemma's head ricocheting and eventually sinking into the wall. Fitz, relieved, catches Gemma as she chokes in air. I smile softly as darkness overcomes my vision and I fall to the ground.
My eyes flutter kneels over me, his face swimming into focus as the others tend to Gemma. His face is grim, "Feeling better?" Nodding weakly, I struggle into a sitting position and try to clear my swimming vision.
Agent May stands behind Coulson, her face clouded with dark uncertainty. I look up at her helplessly , half expecting words of appreciation, half expecting a barrage of outraged curses. I receive neither. Abruptly turning, she emotionlessly strides towards the cockpit to land the plane.
