Here's chapter three: the mission.
"'Sam'," Coulson called and the kid got up from his seat to stand in front of the room. He took the remote from Coulson and began his presentation to a room full of the tactical team that had arrested him about three weeks prior. Clicking the button, George revealed an image of a compound in the Central African Republic. Sam then went through the tactical teams several routes into the compound and all the security measures that would have to be disabled and disposed of.
"Now, the main officials of Hamlet meet once a month at random locations, this month it's here. That means that when the escape routes have been secured by us, the officials will retreat to these room here," George said, pointing out the vault. "From this room, they can call for back-up and have a band of militia on us within twenty minutes. So, if they make it into these rooms, which they most likely will, we have under twenty-minutes to break in, take Chambers and haul ass. If my security I.D still works, then easy, I can open the door. If not, then we need to blow that door down as quickly as possible."
"Any questions?" Coulson asked.
"Evac.?" Lieutenant Riley asked.
"Choppers to the roof." Coulson then waited until he was sure there were no more questions. "Ok. Get to the plane, we leave in fifteen." The team then left the room to get sorted. "You did good," Coulson said to George. The kid leaned against one of the seats.
"If this goes wrong…" George began.
"It won't," Coulson interrupted.
"It will, it's inevitable," George said. "You know who I am now, you know what part I play in this. There's no way that this comes out ok. Hamlet, SHIELD, who am I supposed to root for? I'm either supporting an organisation of murderers or choosing to kill my own family."
"Just because you grew up with them, doesn't make them family," Coulson said, standing next to him.
"No? Well who the fuck else have I got?"
"SHIELD," Coulson said and George looked up at him. "We protect our own and we're very good at it. We also try to only hurt the bad guys. Not a bad place to look for a fresh start."
"I've killed people, Coulson. I'm responsible for their deaths."
"Everyone's got a past, it's what you're doing with your future that I'm concerned about."
"You really think I could stay after all this?" George asked sceptically. "You really think SHIELD would want me?"
"I'd have to file some paperwork, but I think I could turn a few tails," Coulson smirked. "I've got your back kid, now come on, we've got a job to do."
…
"Not bad," George stated, having finished putting on his gear. Black boots, knives concealed on the outside edge. Black cargo pants, with a thigh strap, containing a slightly larger knife. Black t-shirt, black collared jacket and a bullet-proof vest. Best of all though was the wrist strap. Tied over the jacket sleeve was a strap, moulded to his wrist with small throwing knives diagonally placed along the top, an easy reach from his throwing arm to his left wrist.
"Here, George, put this is your ear," Coulson said handing him a com-link.
"Thanks," George replied, doing as he was told.
"We are five minutes from drop, over," said the pilot over the link. George, Coulson and the tactical team stood and got their parachutes on.
"You ever jumped before Coulson?" George asked.
"A few times, and yourself?" Coulson asked when he saws the signs of nerves in the kid.
"I…uh…tend to stay in the cockpit when flying," George answered as the hanger door was suddenly opened.
"Don't uh usually feel the wind like this."
"Well kid, you either jump or one of the ex-SEAL's will drag you out," Coulson said joking, but Riley heard and did prepare to do such a thing, positioning himself subtly behind the kid. The orange light suddenly turned on and the tactical team crouched. As soon as it hit green George tried not to think and ran after the guy in front, he had slowed down at the end but Riley's momentum carried him out. George was just glad he had saved some dignity by only screaming on the inside.
…
"This is alpha team, entering the North-side, over," a soldier stated.
"Copy that Alpha team, delta we have all clear," Riley said, leading his men forwards. George and Coulson walked in the middle of the soldiers. They were the team going all the way in. With their night-vision goggles the team quickly disposed of the outside guards and set charges to blow the exterior doors. Once into the corridors it was just a case of shooting the lights before they were spotted. Coulson and George had gone without the night-vision so had their hands on the back of the soldiers as they were guided through. An alarm suddenly sounded and the emergency lights switched on, they had been spotted. "Phase two, Alpha team hold exterior," Riley stated as his team removed their goggles and picked up the pace, stealth was no longer essential. Hostiles came out of all the rooms they passed and Riley found himself starting to be impressed by the kid. He just took down three guys with miniature knives, who had been a millisecond off killing some of his men. Riley had to admit, the knife throwing was quick, silent and effective.
Eventually they approached the corridor outside the secure zone and two SEALs went forwards to clear it whilst Coulson, George, Riley and a few others hung back behind the corner.
"Clear Sir," one of them called and Riley turned to George.
"Let's go kid," Riley stated, leading George round the corner to get to the security lock, whilst Coulson remained behind the corner. Coulson heard the click of the door being unlocked, but also a cry of pain as there was suddenly a flash bang and gunshots coming from round the bend. Coulson moved to see but a SEAL grabbed him and pinned him behind the wall for cover. When the gunfire stopped the SEALs moved in and Coulson was forced to look from a distance. The two soldiers were dead; headshots and Riley was lying still, with blood over his chest. The security door was open, but concealed by smoke. There was no sign of George. The SEALs quickly grabbed Riley's vest and dragged him back to cover. "They…took…took the kid," Riley coughed out, eyes drooping.
"Get him to the extraction now!" Coulson shouted at the SEALs who instantly pulled their injured Lieutenant up, whilst some others grabbed their fallen comrades. "You three, we're going in," Coulson said to the remaining SEAls. There was a screech in his ear that signalled that one of the comm's had been destroyed.
Coulson could no longer contact the kid.
Coulson then led them to the door and slowly entered the smoke-filled room. Both he and the agents took out the remaining guards and walked into the final room only to freeze. George was sat on a chair in the centre of the room, bullet-proof vest removed. He was bound and gagged, left thigh bleeding badly. Behind him knelt Chambers, head resting by George's shoulder, making a shot unachievable.
"Ah, SHIELD. What a mess you've made," Chamber's said in greeting. "I must thank-you though. You may have taken out most of my men, even some of our leaders but, you've reunited me with my family, I was so thrilled to find out my dear nephew was alive," Chamber's continued, stroking a hand through George's hair, causing the kid to turn his pale face away in disgust.
"Let the kid go, its finished. Hamlet's finished," Coulson stated, spotting the gun Chamber's held in his right hand, pressed into George's side.
"I think not. You see I don't put all my tricks up one sleeve. I'm sure I can find another venture, especially with my talented nephew here returned to me, but you're running out of time. The militia is on its way and you have two choices. I'll kill the boy and you take me in, or you leave and the boy lives." Coulson looked at the kid and knew what he wanted him to do, he just knew it was very risky. The kid was already weakened from blood loss. Coulson felt the agents behind him getting twitchy and he looked at his watch, they had two minutes. He had to make a choice and he did.
"SHIELD don't like ultimatums," Coulson stated as George smacked his head back into Chamber's face and rocked his chair to the side. The bullet Chamber's fired glanced his side, causing him to wince but nothing more as Coulson ran forward to disarm Chamber's. The guy was already refocused on Phil, however, so George kicked his closest leg out into Chamber's arm, so that the bullet missed Coulson. He couldn't help but scream into his gag as he had used his wounded limb. Coulson quickly disarmed Chamber's and the agents grabbed him and bagged him. Coulson was pretty sure he saw one of them punch Chambers in the face out of the corner of his eye as Coulson knelt beside George.
The kid was blacking out from the pain as he moaned into his gag. Phil left it in, knowing that without it the kid was likely to bite his tongue. Phil pulled off George's shirt and ripped it quickly, tying the material around the leg wound. George's muffled screams were going to give Coulson nightmares.
"George. Look at me. Stay awake!" Coulson said as he grabbed the kid's head, forcing him to look at him. The kid's eyes were drooping but it was evident he was trying. "Come on kid, keep those eyes open! You don't save my life then die on me."
"Sir, we have to go," one of the SEALs stated and together they grabbed a shoulder each and pulled George up. The kid had lost a lot of blood and was now a dead-weight, though he tried to use his undamaged leg. They had to drag him towards the extraction. Coulson heard the militia arriving at the compound as alpha team held them off and increased his speed, he was getting the kid on to that chopper. Gun shots started firing and one of the choppers took off to pick up alpha team as they got onto the roof. When they jumped on-board the chopper got hit a few times and Coulson was sure it was going down but by some miracle it kept going. George was passed out and a medic was seeing to his leg as Coulson pulled the gag off and sat beside the kid. The medic pulled a breathing mask out of his kit and Coulson quickly placed it over George's mouth. He felt relieved when he saw the steady fogging of the mask.
"He'll need surgery when we get back, the bullet's still in there," the medic said, seeing Coulson's thoughts.
"Riley?" Coulson asked. The medic, however, frowned and the atmosphere on the chopper got colder.
"I'm sorry Sir. He didn't make it," the medic replied and Coulson glared at the bagged figure strapped into a seat. Chamber's was going to pay for this.
…
Coulson sat in the waiting room for what seemed like days as the surgery was going on. About half an hour in, Fury had joined him.
"You got the job done," Fury stated, knowing the look on Phil's face.
"I'm not really in the mood for a pep talk Sir," Coulson replied.
"What happened wasn't your fault. Riley's death was unavoidable. He performed his duty to the best of his ability, but in this line of work that's not always enough."
"I know that," Coulson replied.
"Then it's the kid," Fury responded. Coulson didn't reply, but looked up at the clock again, it had been two minutes since he last checked. "You want to recruit him, don't you?" Fury asked.
"Yes," Coulson stated.
"You sure about him Phil?"
"He saved my life Sir." Fury wasn't going to dispute that fact as a test of character.
"Then you know what to do. When he's settled in, I want to meet my new agent," Fury said. "Sir."
…
He felt dizzy, like nothing was real. He had felt this before and knew he was on pain killers. Intense ones. His eyes felt like lead, but after some coaxing they flickered open only to snap shut when the light hit him. Something clicked and the light seemed to become gentler so George tried again. It was blurry and he had no idea where he was, but a shape moved closer to him. His vision cleared a little and George could make out a suit and tie.
"Coul…son?" George said between breaths.
"Yeah kid," the guy replied.
"Wha…t?" George mumbled, attempting to sit-up. There was instantly a hand holding him firmly down. "Easy," Coulson said, "you're back at SHIELD, you're safe." George kept his eyes closed as he processed that information and remembered where he had been and what had happened at the compound.
"Riley?" George asked, worry in his eyes.
"He's gone kid, I'm sorry," Coulson responded. George turned his head away at that news, too many times had he felt responsible for a death. "It's not your fault."
"Then whose fault is it?" George snapped. "It was my intel."
"It's not all about the numbers kid."
"No, it's also about the people and I knew what Chambers was like."
"Yes, you did, and that's why you knew it was right to put an end to Hamlet."
"Stop doing that!"
"Stop doing what?" Coulson questioned confused.
"Stop making it seem like I'm a good person, ok! I'm not!"
"No one's a good person kid, but there are people that make choices for good reasons and you're one of them." George looked at Coulson, weighing his expression. He let it sink in but didn't want to continue that conversation and looked around the room.
"Where am I?" he said eventually breaking the silence.
"SHIELD medical, Triskellion," Coulson replied, annoyed that the kid had become reserved again, but at least he had gotten somewhere.
"You've got the good stuff; I can't feel a thing."
"That was your last batch of it though, it's not going to be easy," Coulson replied.
"What happens now?" George asked.
"Well, that's up to you. Hamlet's gone, Chambers' is locked away and it's all because of you. Due to your previous key involvement in the illegal organisation you can expect some jail time, or, you can join us." "What would I do?"
"Desk job kid, we don't send under-age agents out into the field." "What about what we just did?" George questioned.
"You weren't an agent, you were a consultant," Coulson replied matter-of-factly.
"Ok," George said and paused for a short time. "Sign me up." Coulson smiled.
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