"Let's start with some control questions, shall we?"
"So Ward, are you Hydra?"
"No-"
Irritated Coulson interrupted quickly biting out, "Let me rephrase. Did you work for a member of Hydra?"
"Yes."
"For how long?"
"Sixteen years."
Coulson's eyes narrowed as he quickly did the math. Ward would have had to have met Garrett when he was sixteen years old. May shifted uneasily behind them.
Oblivious to their storming emotions Ward's head lolled a bit to the left, seemingly fascinated with a particular square on the charcoal walls.
"Ward..." Coulson began, forcing his tone calm again, causing Ward's wandering gaze to once more rest on him, "How did you meet Garrett?"
"He broke me out of Juvie. Taught me how to protect myself, how to suvive."
"How exactly did he teach you?"
Faint frown lines appeared causing Ward's brows to crease. "I don't...I...it made me stronger. I'm strong now! I can fight back, I'm the best there's been since Natasha Romanoff." This last bit was said with an almost desparate air. Like a child trying to prove to a parent what good job they did. Coulson felt a steadily increasing feeling of dread creep up his spine, clawing at his throat. He wanted to scream and demand answers. Such an action would get him nowhere, so like so many times previously he shoved them back down.
"Ward," Coulson gently admonished, "What did he do to you?"
"He left me," Wards voice trembled, cracking with anguish. "For six months alone in a forest. And, I couldn't leave, the cops we looking for me because I burned down our house. I didn't know Christian was still inside! Then Garrett came back...I tried to be good, I did! I just wasn't always smart enough and...it made me stonger. Garrett said so, he promised!"
"Grant," Coulson soothed. "It's alright Grant, he's not here anymore".
The lost little boy look on Ward's face now edged with confusion. But, at the same time his panicked breaths which were borderline hyperventilating slowed down.
The loud shot of a door crashing shut caused Ward to flinch back, body seeming to shrink down on itself. Skye had left.
