Melinda May reflected that Coulson was a lot nicer than she was. Perhaps she could learn a few things from him. Of course, maybe if Coulson was a little more like her they wouldn't be where they were now.
The team was sitting single file along a stone wall in a stone room with their hands chained above them. There was no visible door and no windows, just rusty light bulbs on the high ceiling. May looked at Coulson, who was seated to her right in the center of the line.
"Maybe you should've gone for something a little more intimidating than hello," she said.
"Often times brilliant lines hit me after the fact," Coulson said, a little wistfully. "I've been trying to work on it since Fury made me director, but I'm nowhere near Captain Rogers' speech making skills."
He looked over at her. "I would have let you do the talking, but I was afraid then there would be no talking."
She nodded, keeping the smile off her face. "Maybe we needed less talking, maybe then we could have kicked some more butt," she said.
"Okay," Coulson said. "You get to be the director next time."
The team fell silent.
"So," said Hunter. "Did anyone make a rich evil man very angry and forget to tell us?"
"Who would use darts?" Daisy asked, nursing her resulting headache.
"Someone old," Hunter suggested.
"Someone with an appreciation for historical elements that are still functional," Coulson added.
"Like I said," Hunter leaned back. "Someone old."
"How did they find our base?" Bobbi asked.
"Our systems were completely operational," Daisy said.
"Someone could have tipped them off," May offered.
"Ugh, I don't think I can handle another Ward." Jemma sighed. "Besides, no one even knows where our base is."
"The ATCU might have found out," Daisy said, leaning her head back against the wall.
"You didn't tell Lincoln did you?" Fitz asked.
"No," Daisy said indignantly. "Of course I didn't!"
"So why are we here then?" Hunter asked.
"I think the answer is," Coulson sighed. "We don't know."
"Kidnapped, by ninjas," Hunter said. "Man, we could have a really great story book, you know."
The walls slid apart at the center and a man flanked by four guards on each side walked in. The man was older, his hair half gray, half dark brown. He wore a black suit with long coat tails to about his knees in an old fashioned style. He had piercing gray eyes and a shotgun in his belt. He had small lips that smiled in a cold way and high cheekbones. He stepped into the room.
"Hello," he said. He looked around at them and nodded. "Excellent then." His voice was silky.
He turned to his guards. "Put them in individual cells, as we discussed." Then he turned and left.
"I'm sorry," said Hunter. "Was that an introduction? Cause the only thing I gathered is that you look like every story book villain ever. I thought villains were done wearing evil on the outside."
"Oh, Mr. Lance Hunter," the man said not turning around. "What fun we are going to have together." Then he was gone.
They were moved to separate cells. Hands chained, but no longer stuck to the wall, they were free to move around their small cells. The walls to the sides were bars so they could still see each other, but the front was a barred door. The cells were set in a half circle, and the center of the room was empty. A few chairs were scattered oddly here and there. A large old fashioned door stood on the left wall, but other than that there was nothing.
The ninja guards took May first. She was brought to a small room. She sat across from the old fashioned dressed man. The table was small and her handcuffs were attached to it. She studied the man across from her, using her training to keep her face emotionless and her body pasture unreadable. He looked back, just as unreadable.
"Hello," he said.
"You said that already," May told him.
"Ah, yes, I suppose I did, didn't I? Well, yes, how are you Melinda?"
May blinked. Only Andrew ever called her Melinda.
"You kidnapped me and I'm your prisoner, so if you're going for nice you could at least tell me who you are and what you want."
"Oh, no no no no," he said sounding actually distressed. "I want us to be friends."
"Friends?" May cocked her head, "You lost the possibility of friends when you broke into my base."
"Well, technically I didn't break into your base, I was on the plane."
"But you ordered it?'
"Yes, but someone has to make the hard decisions, I'm sure out of anyone you'd understand."
May raised an eyebrow.
"Bahrian. Tell me what happened."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. did its job," May said. "The threat was neutralized, no agents lost their lives."
"You left the field, after that, didn't you?"
"I decided to leave on a high note."
"Yes, the Calvary. I'm sure that wouldn't be your nickname if S.H.I.E.L.D. knew what really happened. It's easier, probably, for you to think of the mission as a success."
"If you think you know what happened, why are you asking me?" May was getting frustrated with the conversation.
"Because I want to hear you say it, and I'm sure the world would like to hear you say it to."
"Say what?"
"That S.H.I.E.L.D. made you shoot a little girl."
May leaned back in her chair and observed him. He looked excited, like a little kid, but she wasn't sure what he was getting at.
"Melinda," he started.
"Its Agent," she interrupted.
"Agent," he mused, "Are you still proud?"
She glared.
"Have you looked around, Agent?" he asked. "We pride ourselves in being independent, in doing the impossible, solving the unsolvable, deciding things for ourselves, and yet we allow heroes. With powers we can't explain, taking care of us like we're helpless, deciding who deserves to live and who they'll kill by themselves." He took a breath. "Its un-American, and I am going to show the world their heroes the way I see them. Human, emotional, reactionary, flawed, dangerous, not qualified for the powers they have."
"How are you going to do that?" May asked.
"Oh, I'm not going to, they are going to do it themselves. Starting with that girl in my basement, umm Daisy, yes Daisy."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"You're going to help me," he said.
May snorted.
"All you're going to do is tell the world how S.H.I.E.L.D. forced you to kill a innocent little girl supposedly for the greater good, but really for the safety of the agents they unnecessarily sent in to cover themselves. Tell them Agent, tell them the truth, if you're so proud."