Chapter 21
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It has been a little over an hour since Melinda left the bus and ever since Fitz, Simmons, and Skye have been down in the lab with Trip and Mack.
Ever since the three younger agents returned to the lab Mack and Trip have noticed that while they have been doing what they can to help they have been quiet, and so Mack, who honestly can't believe how young the three agents seem, decides to change that.
"So Skye, why did Agent Hand just introduce you as Skye?" he asks curious.
"I don't have a last name." Skye answers.
"Seriously?" Trip asks.
"Yep." Skye confirms.
"How long have you been a S.H.I.L.E.D agent for?" Trip asks curious.
"Three days, four days, I don't even know anymore." Skye admits, being pretty sure that a lack of sleep will do that to her, "I've been on this plane for months, being trained by Bobbi and May."
"That would mean you were the last Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." Mack realises.
"Yeah, guess so." Skye says, sounding uncertain, and as she does Simmons, who is standing near the table Skye is sitting on reaches over and squeezes Skye's leg with one hand as she holds Fitz with her other.
Looking between them Mack is reminded of the way his little brother was when he was younger and he realises that he is going to do whatever he can to help them, to protect them, look out for them, as they seem to be losing their innocence in front of his eyes.
"What if while trying to figure out if we can make the plane invisible we make it so it just seems like we are?" Trip asks.
"What are you thinking?" Fitz asks curious.
"What if we encrypt our transponder, all the signals the bus is pointing out, make it so it's harder to be detected." Trip suggests, and Fitz realises that that may just be a good idea.
"Wouldn't that interfere with what can detect? And make it harder for May to detect us when she comes back?" Simmons asks.
"It could." Fitz admits, "Before we do anything we'd have to talk to who's flying so we can make sure there are no contradictions or interferences." Fitz explains.
"I'll go get Bobbi." Mack says, honestly wanting a chance to talk to his friend, before heading upstairs.
A couple of minutes after leaving the lab Mack walks into the cockpit where he finds Bobbi sitting in the pilot's seat,
"You need something Mack?" Bobbi asks, having recognized his footsteps.
"We might have an idea down in the lab for a way to stay hidden, but we need your input." Mack explains.
"Okay, I just need a couple of minutes to set the evasive autopilot." Bobbi admits, and she starts to do what she has to do Mack sits down in the co-pilots seat, "Did you need something else?" she asks curious.
"Those kids, Skye, Fitz, Simmons, do they know how to fight? To defend themselves?" Mack asks curious.
"May and I have been training them. Skye has a little more skill, but they all know the basics, and they're stronger than you'd think." Bobbi explains, and as she does Mack can hear the pride in her voice.
"Considering everything that's happened the last few days I'm not even surprised." Mack admits, "So, how's this team been working for you?" he asks curious as he was surprised when Bobbi told him he was joining a team.
"It's been good, really good, they're great people." Bobbi admits, "And it's been great being with Melinda again." Bobbi says, and as she does Mack sees a look on Bobbi's face that he can't help but place.
"Right." Mack says, deciding not to question what that look means.
"Okay, autopilot set." Bobbi reveals, and they both get up and head downstairs.
Not long after they left the cockpit Bobbi and Mack walk back into the lab.
"What's the idea?" Bobbi asks curious.
"We scramble the signals that the bus is transmitting and make clones that we used to make it seem like there are more signals so that any aircraft that detects us should hopefully think it's a glitch, and not be able to get an exact read on us." Trip explains.
"The problem with that is that it could make it difficult for May to find us when she comes back, and we'll need to know what systems you'll need full control over to make sure you can still fly us, and keep us hidden." Fitz explains.
"If we can do it right that sounds like a brilliant idea, but won't it take a while to pull of something like that?" Bobbi asks curious.
"Not if the five of us work together." Skye says, referring to her, Fitz, Trip, Simmons, and Mack, "We all have enough knowledge to each be able to do a specific part of what we need to do, and once we all do those parts we can put them together, and have what we need in a short amount of time."
"Okay, sounds good to me." Bobbi realises.
"What can't we touch?" Fitz asks, as while he knows the engineering he needs a pilots' perspective, and Bobbi starts to explain what she needs control over to keep them in the air and hidden, and what she'll need so May can find them, and once she does Fitz, Simmons, Skye, Trip, and Mack, start to do what they have to do.
It has been a little over three hours since Melinda left the bus, and has managed to track down Maria Hill, and has dealt with the various people following her.
"We need to talk, Agent Hill." Melinda says, stepping out in front of Maria, who has pulled her gun.
"May." Maria says, with a sigh, "A phone call would have done it. But I appreciate the discretion." Maria admits, looking glad to see her former SO, as she puts her gun down.
"Thought you'd like the night off." Melinda says, as Maria checks her watch, "They must hate that you're going to work for Stark."
"Most of the intelligence community would like to drop me into a dark hole, but even they can't mess with Tony's army of lawyers. So, for now, we're privatizing global security. Want to join?" Maria asks, her offer being complete serious as Melinda is one of the best agents there is, and someone she knows she can trust, and thus she would be more than happy to vouch for Melinda with Stark.
"Can't, Hand, Hartley, Gonzales, Triplet and Mack, have joined my team on the bus, and we need help. We need somewhere safe to go, intel so that we can fight back, because that's what we're all going to do." Melinda reveals.
"We don't have time to talk about that now, not when you so effectively dealt with my surveillance detail." Maria tells her, it being clear that she has idea.
"I'm here for six more hours, I flew a Quinjet in, you know where to find me." Melinda says, giving Maria a look.
"I do." Maria confirms, and Melinda makes no effort to move, "You want something else." She realises.
"TAHITI, Phil knows enough but he deserves to know more." Melinda admits, "I need to know who was in charge of the project."
"You think it was Peirce." Maria realises.
"Secretary Pierce was the man in charge, the only person Fury took orders from and he was Hydra." Melinda says, "Having a man like that design your brain? You can understand my concern." Melinda comments.
"Fury took his cues from pretty high up. That much I know. But when I asked him who it was, Fury said that he buried that intel when he decided not to bury Coulson." Maria explains.
"Maria, now's really not the time to wax poetic." Melinda says, sounding annoyed.
"Those are his words, not mine. You knew the man. Sometimes he spoke in riddles." Maria comments.
"Guess I'll have to solve it, then." Melinda comments, and Maria just makes a hmm sound and gives Melinda a look, "Unless you want to ask Fury for me."
"Fury's dead." Maria respond, and as she does she and Melinda start to hear sirens.
"I'll believe it when I see it." Melinda says, before leaving the alley.
It has been a couple of hours since Fitz, Simmons, Skye, Mack, and Trip started to work together to try and hide the plane's transmission and ever since they have been working on their plan, and surprisingly have been working extremely well together.
"How's things going?" Phil asks, walking into the lab.
"We're close." Skye answers, "With a little more time the plane will be as invisible as it can be, without cloaking."
"Which Mack and I should be able to recreate after we land, and check the quinjet version." Fitz explains.
"Good." Phil says, sounding relieved about that, "If you can stop what you're doing then do so, we've got food ready upstairs." He explains.
"I can stop." Trip says.
"I can as well." Simmons says.
"Same." Fitz, Mack and Skye say.
"Okay I'll see you in the kitchen, I've got to get Bobbi." Phil says, before leaving.
Just like he said Phil goes straight to the cockpit after leaving the lab.
"How's things going in here?" Phil asks, as he walks in.
"Okay. So far we haven't been caught." Bobbi admits, "How'd your talk with Hand, Hartley and Gonzales go?"
"Honestly, about as well as can be expected." Phil admits, "We're trying to find out what facilities are still secure, but we're not have much luck." He reveals, "Nor are we having much luck trying to find out how many loyal S.H.I.E.L.D agents there are left."
"It's going to be a long road." Bobbi comments.
"That it is." Phil confirms, "We've got food ready, you should come eat." He suggests.
"I'm fine." Bobbi answers, and as she does Phil walks over and sits down across from Bobbi.
"Bobbi, I know you're worried about May, and I know you're trying to keep us from being found, but you should eat. You need to look after yourself." Phil says.
"I am. I'll eat later." Bobbi says, the truth is she wants to make sure the others all eat first as she knows that they might end up running low on supplies at some point.
"Do you want to talk?" Phil asks, being able to tell that there is something she isn't saying.
"I wanted to go to DC with Melinda, but she said no." Bobbi says, "And now…."
"She in the city that's the most dangerous place for S.H.I.E.L.D agents to be, you're worried." Phil realises.
"Of course I am." Bobbi says, "But I said I'd protect the team, and keep us from being detected, so that's what I am going to do." She says.
"You can't do that if you don't eat." Phil says, "I get it, you're worried about the supplies lasting, but not eating yourself isn't the answer. We're all out there and if they don't see you the kids are going to get worried."
"Low blow Phil." Bobbi says, giving him a look.
"I know." Phil admits, "Did it work?" he asks curious.
"Yeah, I guess it did." Bobbi says, before switching on the autopilot the way she needs and heading out to the main area of the plane with Phil.
Ten minutes later, the quite large group, are all sitting around the area near the bunks, Trip, Mack, and Bobbi are all sitting on the floor with their respective plates of food due to the lack of seats while Fitz, Simmons, and Skye are sitting in the corner couch and table, while Phil, Hand, Izzy and Gonzales are sitting on the stools around the table.
"I forgot how good you cook Phil." Izzy comments, with a grin.
"I did what I could, but I honestly can't say I'll be able to pull this off again." Phil admits.
"How is our food supply looking?" Hand asks curious.
"We have enough to last for at least a few days." Phil reveals.
"Good. That's good." Gonzales says, looking glad about that.
"There's something else we should talk about, sleeping." Phil reveals.
"I don't think it would be a good idea for us all to sleep at the same time." Mack comments.
"I agree." Phil admits, "That's why I think it would be good if we rotate."
"It would be the best idea." Bobbi says, "Five of us for four hours the switch." She suggests.
"Would make the most sense." Phil says approvingly, "But other than you who else could fly the plane?" he asks.
"I can." Trip answers.
"Okay, then you and Bobbi can't sleep at the same time." Izzy says, looking between the two people she said.
"Okay." Bobbi and Trip both say, and the group continue to eat in silence.
In DC it has been a couple since Melinda talked to Maria and ever since she did she was running over what was said and as she did she realised what Maria's words meant and they lead Melinda to Coulson's grave which she is now digging up by torchlight, something which is difficult, but not the most difficult thing Melinda has ever done.
A little over an hour after Melinda started digging she reaches Phil's coffin. Not being entirely sure what she will find Melinda opens it and finds it empty, except for a flash drive, which she takes.
"I'll watch it later." Melinda says, knowing that she has to go to one of her drop sights to get supplies before getting back to the hanger where she left the Quinjet, the hanger that she knows Maria will be able to find.
On the bus it has been a couple of hours since dinner and the first group are getting some sleep. As she volunteered to go second Bobbi is in the cockpit flying the plane, and drinking coffee as even though she would never admit it she is actually starting to feel pretty tired.
"Can I join you?" A voice asks and Bobbi turns to see Izzy.
"Sure." Bobbi answers and Izzy walks over and sits down in the co-pilot's seat, "How are things going out there?"
"Skye and Mack are in the lab working on getting the plane hidden. Vic's still trying to see if we can get any more information about secure S.H.I.E.L.D facilities." Izzy explains, having decided to leave her wife to what she was doing as she was getting more frustrated with the lack of results, "Phil is sleeping in your bunk, Fitz and Simmons are sleeping in their respective bunks, Gonzales is sleeping up in Phil's office because he needs more room to spread out because of his leg, and Trip's in Skye's bunk." Izzy explains.
"Good, that's good." Bobbi says, sounding relieved, as she knows that everyone needs some rest.
"Yeah." Izzy responds, and the two of them drift into silence, "Have you heard anything from May?"
"No, but at the moment I'm assuming no news is good news." Bobbi admits.
"Yeah, it probably is." Izzy realises, "So, you and May went into her bunk before you left."
"You have no concept of subtlety, do you?" Bobbi asks, looking amused.
"Come on Bobbi, how long have you known me for?" Izzy asks, giving her an amused look, one that Bobbi actually finds herself returning, "So you going to answer the question?" Izzy asks curious.
"I don't believe you asked one." Bobbi admits, doing so in a way to try and give herself more time to figure out how to answer.
"What's going on with you and May?" Izzy asks, watching Bobbi carefully to try and figure out what is going on.
"Ask again when Melinda is back." Bobbi requests while she and Melinda talked about telling Phil they didn't talk about telling anyone else and even though Melinda has known Izzy almost as long as Coulson, and they both consider her a friend she feels like it would be best to talk to Melinda before saying anything.
"That answer tells me everything I need to know." Izzy admits, "I'm glad you two have finally seen sense."
While Bobbi and Izzy are up in the cockpit Skye and Mack are down in the lab working on making the bus invisible to other aircrafts.
"Okay, this is the last bit of hardware done. Now we just need to code them, and the system." Mack explains.
"I can do it in about ten minutes." Skye reveals.
"Seriously?" Mack asks shocked.
"I'm a hacker, or I was, it's kind of what lead to me become an agent." Skye admits.
"What do you mean?" Mack asks curious.
"I hacked S.H.I.E.L.D, more than once. Coulson offered me a place on this bus because he saw something in me, and Bobbi started to train me because she and May did too." Skye admits, not overly sure what they saw in her, "I owe them."
"They matter to you." Mack realises.
"Yeah, for the first time, ever, it's like I have a family, a home." Skye admits, then she realises what she said, "I really don't know why I'm telling you this."
"I'm easy to talk to." Mack admits, "Plus I'm betting it's been a while since you got any decent sleep."
"Oh, it really has been." Skye admits, "And with everything going on I'm guessing it's going to be a while."
"Probably." Mack admits, "But we have two choices, keep pushing through or give up, I know my choice what about you?"
"Push through, it's what I've always done." Skye admits.
"Then I guess you should get coding, give us one less thing to worry about." Mack comments.
"Guess so." Skye says, with a smile, and the two of them get to work.
In DC Melinda has made it to one of her drop sights and before she collects everything she needs she finds a secure laptop that she knows she has as boots up. Once it is up and running Melinda puts in the flash drive she found in Phil's empty grave.
"TAHITI project supervisor to director Fury." Melinda reads, sounding shocked, and then, even though it is above her clearance level Melinda presses play and watches the video.
On the bus it has been a couple of hours since Bobbi and Izzy talked and Bobbi has been alone in eth cockpit for a little while.
"Agent Morse." A voice says, and Bobbi looks up to see Trip.
"Trip, I didn't hear you." Bobbi says, actually being surprised by that.
"Which is why you need to go get some sleep." Trip tells her.
"I'm fine." Bobbi says, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
"You're forgetting, we've worked missions together, I can tell when your close to exhausting yourself." Trip tells her, "Look, I promise I'll wake you up if the smallest thing changes, but you need to rest, at least for a little while."
"The smallest change, you promise?" Bobbi asks.
"I promise." Trip assures her.
"Okay." Bobbi says with a nod, "I'll get some rest."
A couple of minutes later Bobbi has explained everything about the evasive tactics was using to Trip and has headed to Melinda's bunk. Changing out of her tactical outfit, which she has been wearing ever since the Hub, Bobbi changes into something that is more comfortable to sleep in, and sets an alarm for ninety minutes before laying down in the bed, trying not to think about how much she misses Melinda being next to her as it is something she has gotten rather used to lately, and then, basically the second she laid down Bobbi is fast asleep.
Down in the lab, having noticed that she has fallen asleep on her laptop Mack, being as careful as possible, picks up Skye and just as he does Fitz and Simmons walk in and so Mack gives them a look to be quiet.
Seeing the look they both nod and allow him to walk past, when he gets upstairs Mack sees Phil, who is sitting on the couch, with Gonzales, on the tablet and realising what is going on Phil gets up and leads the way to the bunks and once they are close enough he points to one, and so Mack walks in, puts Skye in the bed, and a blanket over her and then heads out of it closing the door behind him.
"Did she fall asleep in the lab?" Phil asks curious.
"Yeah, I thought I'd bring her up to somewhere more comfortable, she was surprisingly light." Mack admits.
"I'm not surprised." Phil admits, "You should get some rest too, Agent Mackenzie."
"That's exactly what I was planning, Sir." Mack admits, "Which bunk can I use?" he asks curious.
"Fitz and Simmons bunks are the ones either side of Skye, neither of them will mind if you sleep in one of theirs." Phil explains.
"Okay. See you in a few hours." Mack says, heading to a bunk and falling asleep basically the exact second he lays on bed.
After sleeping an hour and a half Bobbi is woken up by her alarm and because she knows she can't sleep any longer she gets up, changes back into her tactical suit and heads out of Melinda's bunk. As she does she sees Phil and Gonzales looking deep in discussion about something.
"Is something wrong?" Bobbi ask concerned, as she walks up to them.
"Agent Morse, you know you could have slept for another couple of hours." Gonzales tells her.
"Ninety minutes is all I need." Bobbi asks, "Has something happened?" she asks concerned.
"Nothing new." Phil admits, "But we're starting to get reports from the Sandbox, apparently it was taken extremely fast, and an extremely bloody way." He admits.
"Oh." Bobbi says, honestly not sure what to say to that, "Do you think we'll ever know, how many good agents have died, how many traitors there were among us?"
"Probably not." Phil says, sadly.
"But we'll fight on for the ones we've lost, and stop every single person who betrayed us, who betrayed S.H.I.E.L.D." Gonzales says.
"We will." Bobbi confirms, with a nod, "Have you heard from May?"
"Not yet." Phil admits, as he pulls a phone out of his pocket, "Here, it's the pair to the phone I gave May, it would make the most sense for you to be the one to answer the call." Phil says, offering both for logical reasons and because it would be good for Bobbi to be the one who talks to Melinda.
"Thank you." Bobbi says, giving Phil a look which says what she is really thanking him for, "I'm going to go check on Fitz and Simmons then head to the cockpit." Bobbi reveals.
"Okay. We'll let you know if anything changes." Phil assures her, and Bobbi nods before heading downstairs.
When Bobbi walks down into the lab she can't help but smile at the sight that greats her.
"That's an interesting way to spend your time." Bobbi notes, seeing Fitz and Simmons, each of whom are sitting on chairs with wheels, playing what appears to be volleyball with a balloon.
"Skye and Mack finished everything we were doing earlier. There's not really much we can do right now." Simmons admits.
"Good point." Bobbi admits, "I'll send Trip down once I'm in the cockpit, he could properly help you with some drills that are like the ones May and I have been having you do, if you're interested." Bobbi says, knowing for a fact that Skye and Mack, maybe even Izzy, will likely join once they wake up.
"I guess that could be okay." Fitz says, figuring that more training a that the moment couldn't really hurt.
"Okay." Bobbi says, with a nod, "I'll send him down in a little while, until then keep having fun." She says, before heading upstairs.
In DC Melinda has just finished loading weapons and more supplies into the Quinjet when she hears footsteps and so she quickly pulls the ICER she brought with her and points it at the visitor, who is just Maria Hill, who is carrying a duffle bag.
"Easy May, it's just me." Maria says.
"I didn't think you were going to show." Melinda admits.
"I had to ditch several security teams, and make sure no other ones were following me, that takes time." Maria explains, "Here." She says, handing over the bag, "inside you'll find some intel, and untraceable tech, it should help."
"Thank you." Melinda says, taking the bag, "I don't know if you've heard but Garrett and Ward were Hydra, they're both dead now."
"I vetted Ward." Maria says shocked.
"I know." Melinda says with a nod.
"Nat and Clint are okay. I'm sure they'll reach out to you, Bobbi and Phil when they can figure out a secure way. If I see them first is there something you want me to tell them?" Maria asks.
"That we survived, and are going to keep fighting." Melinda comments, and as she does Maria looks around the jet.
"Do I want to know how many weapons you have on this jet at the moment?" Maria asks curious.
"Probably not." Melinda admits, "All of us on the Bus are in agreement, we're fighting back against Hydra, we could use all the weapons we can get."
"You know, a part of me wishes I was going back with you." Maria admits.
"Then why don't you come? There's plenty of room." Melinda says, "And I'm sure everyone will be glad to see you."
"I want to, after everything they've taken I want to be on the front line fighting Hydra, but right now I've got to too many eyes on me." Maria admits, "The best thing I can do to protect you all, to protect every good S.H.I.E.L.D agent that is out there is If I stay in the open. By drawing all the attention on me, you can do what you have to do in the shadows." Maria says, taking a step forward, pulling something out of her pocket, "But if you really need me, really need help, I'm just a call away." Maria says, handing over a secure phone.
"I'll remember that." Melinda says, "I'll see you Maria."
"I'll see you Melinda." Maria says, starting to walk out of the Quinjet.
"Maria." Melinda says, once Maria is a few steps away, and she turns back around, "Safe place, any ideas?"
"Tell Coulson to check his badge, it will tell him everything you need to know." Maria says, before walking out of the Quinjet, as she's already made sense of one cryptic message today Melinda figures that it will make sense once she talks to Phil and so Melinda heads to the cockpit, to get ready to take off and head back to the bus.
It has been a while since Bobbi talked to Fitz and Simmons and she is once more in the cockpit alone, doing her part to make sure they aren't being tracked or detected in anyway. As she files the phone that Phil gave her starts to ring and so Bobbi quickly picks it up to answer.
"Hello." Bobbi answers, having needed to stop herself from saying 'Melinda' just in case someone else got the phone.
"Hi." Melinda's voice responds, and Bobbi is extremely relieved about that fact.
"Are you okay?" Bobbi asks, dreading the answer.
"I'm fine." Melinda answers, "I'm on my way back."
"Good. I can't wait to see you." Bobbi says, "Did you get answers from Maria?" she asks curious.
"To more than one question." Melinda answers.
"Okay, I can't wait to you explain that." Bobbi admits, "So, we should figure out a plan to get you back."
"That we should." Melinda confirms, and together that's exactly what she and Bobbi do.
After a few minutes, even though she would have loved to stay on the phone, Bobbi hangs up the phone and just knowing that Melinda is okay, and on her way home makes her feel relief, and almost like a weight has lifted from her and so she just continues to fly, as she starts to countdown the time until she'll see Melinda again.