"What do you mean, 'gone'?" asked Coulson, springing up from his chair without caring that his loud reaction to May's declaration was probably to be considered a little extreme.
"Ward wanted to talk to her about something," May explained , watching him carefully. "So he looked for her; when he couldn't find her, he asked Jarvis for her whereabouts, and was informed that she'd left the base about an hour ago."
An hour ago. Coulson groaned. That was around the same time his conversation with Loki about his daughter - Hel, Skye, whoever she was - had ended. Had Skye overheard the conversation somehow? And then he realized that, yes, she had. Jarvis recorded nearly everything that happened in the base at all times since he'd been set up following Stark's arrival, and Skye had been keeping track of how he was functioning thus far. So, yes, she more than likely had heard.
How could he have been so negligent?!
"Phil," May said a little sharply, snapping him out of beating himself up. "What do you want us to do?"
"She just vanished?" Phil checked.
"Not exactly; Jarvis recorded that she headed northward, but once she got outside of the parameters of his cameras, he lost sight of her."
"Then tell everybody to head north and spread out, looking for her."
May nodded, but Phil could tell that she was holding something back, so he asked, "What else?"
She sighed heavily before revealing, "I checked the video feed of when Skye left. She was carrying a backpack, and it was pretty stuffed. Is there any chance that she… doesn't want to be caught? That she's running away?" Phil slammed a hand furiously down onto his desk, eyes blazing, but Melinda wasn't deterred, asking coaxingly, "Why would she do that?"
"Because she found out some very disturbing news earlier today by accident," Phil bit out, rounding his desk and heading for his office door.
He needed to get out from between these four walls, but he had never dreamed that this would be the reason why. Flinging the door open, he screamed, more for his own release than any necessity, "Everybody assemble at the entry to the base!"
Koenig and Pepper were the only two others who were nearby, but Ward and Barnes came in from the bullpen on the other side of the offices, and three out of the four of them wore confused - and slightly terrified - expressions.
Jarvis called out in his monotone, "Would you like me to spread the message?"
"Yes, please, Jarvis," Pepper answered for Phil before asking the director, "What's wrong?"
Ward queried, "Is it Skye?"
Phil nodded mutely, charging into the elevator. Ward and May followed him in, but Barnes, Koenig, and Pepper employed a little more self-preservation, taking the stairs instead.
"What is going on?" Melinda demanded when the doors slid closed.
Phil's answer was clipped as he informed her, "Nothing we're going to discuss."
"Is Skye sick or something?" Ward guessed, concern creasing his brow.
"Right now, I'd imagine so."
"What's that supposed to mean? Is it terminal?"
"Only if she's suicidal - and I currently wouldn't put that past her."
May muttered a curse as the doors slid open to the fifth level of the base and Trip strode in, and Phil's look alone said that he would say no more on the subject. The fourth floor rendered them who Phil assumed were Fenrir and Jormungandr. At the third floor they picked Hill, and at the second, a distraught-looking Loki and Sigyn.
One look at the female Asgardian, and Phil knew that Loki had told her. At least she didn't seem to have taken it badly.
When they finally reached the room that Phil had called them all to, he went to the front of the room and called out, "Skye left the base about an hour ago without saying anything, and it looks like she means to run away. We can't let that happen, so we need everybody out looking for her. Best as Jarvis' feed can tell us, she headed north with no intent of coming back, so we're going that way too. If you feel more comfortable going in pairs, feel free to do so, but please call me if you spot - or even better, retrieve - Skye. Any questions?"
Simmon's hesitant voice asked, "Why is she running away from us? We're her family."
Phil smiled kindly, answering, "Indeed we are… she's just having a day where she doesn't see it that way. We've got to find her and prove different. So let's go!"
With the exception of Fitz, who stayed behind to see if he could work with Jarvis to get any better of an idea where Skye was, everyone went ahead of Coulson out of the base. When Phil turned to go out as well, a pale hand wrapped firmly around his forearm and Phil's head snapped back around to stare up into Loki's tumultuous blue eyes.
From beside Loki, Sigyn asked quietly, "Do you know why she would leave?"
"Where is she going and is she hurt?" Loki asked urgently.
"I don't know… and probably. Now, don't panic, idiot. She's not sick from anything beyond the fact that she heard our conversation earlier."
Loki did the impossible and became even paler as he verified, "You're sure?"
"Jarvis, has Skye seen the video feed of Loki and mine's discussions today?"
"Yes, sir."
Loki swore as Phil tore his arm impatiently out of the Asgardian's grip and went to search for Skye.
Bruce did a double-take when he drove slowly past a city park and noticed who he thought was sitting on a park bench. Yes; he'd found her. There was a stuffed SHIELD backpack dropped at the feet of the slumped brunette occupying the bench, and though he couldn't see her face, if her shaking shoulders were any indication, she was crying. His eyebrows drew together with concern as Bruce texted Coulson to inform him that she was safe, parked, and got out of the car, quietly calling Skye's name.
