Chapter 29 – S-HOD
Enjoy.
It had taken more than 10 minutes, but finally the team had gathered in the briefing room to discuss the device Fitz and Simmons had been working on. Simmons had given Bobbi a telling off for being up and active so soon, but her attention was quickly diverted when Fitz revealed he'd had a breakthrough with their project.
"The Statistical Analyt-"
"S-HOD," Fitz shortened for the agents in the room looking slightly put out by Simmons' overuse of complex vocabulary. However, the biochemist wasn't pleased at his interruption,
"Fitz, it doesn't work to abbreviate the device to 'S-HOD', I've told you to at least think of something better, but I don't know why we abbreviate everything on this team anyway…" She muttered her disapproval, causing Coulson to silently raise an eyebrow.
Lance piped up from where he stood to back Fitz up, "It's probably because we don't have half the vocabulary range you have so it makes it simpler for our brains to process when you shove your fancy technology at us."
"Speak for yourself," Bobbi murmured, provoking a snigger from Maria beside her. Lance, in his curiosity, shot them an accusing glare.
"How about we get back to the point. We don't have a lot of time." May stated. Simmons nodded in agreement and continued to inform of the new S-HOD device.
"It is programmed to each of you after it is injected into your bloodstream – a harmless procedure that I'm sure you won't mind – then we can see you vital signs on our computers or phones. We can keep an eye on you all during missions, detect oncoming viruses, monitor recovery rates and most importantly, there will be no more lying to me about how you are." Simmons finished, feeling triumphant with herself for getting one over the agents.
Coulson stepped up to look at the miniscule device in the box that Fitz still held, "When can we start using them?"
"Right away, sir."
"Any side effects?"
"We can't be sure but none that we're aware of."
"How long do they last?"
"Well, anytime between 6 to 18 months, sir."
Coulson hummed and stared at the device some more, before looking up at the scientists and giving them a small smile, "Good work, let's get them started."
Simmons was visibly relieved that the small interrogation was over and glanced over the agents, "Any volunteers?"
No one immediately came forward, it was after everyone else had lowered their eyes or averted their gazes that May stepped up,
"Alright, I'll get it done then I'm back with the Bus. It's almost done and I want to get searching for this guy and Romanoff."
"Right, Damien's with you today so you can both go. Any updates and you let me know." Coulson ordered. Damien internally groaned but shifted onwards to follow Fitz, Simmons and May to the lab. This left Maria, Lance, Clint, Bobbi and Skye to receive Coulson's orders for the day.
"You're all going on land search today with Ivana's agents. Lance, Skye, you're going west and Maria and Clint are going east. Remember, we're looking for Lukin. May is searching in the air for Romanoff and will have better eyes than you. If you see any leads towards Romanoff, call her, got it?" Nods of affirmation were passed around, "Get your… S-HOD's fitted and then get started. We don't have all day, I need you back before dark."
The mentioned agents dispersed, however Bobbi was left, Coulson's failure to give her orders wasn't a shock considering the circumstances.
"I'm surprised you've let Lance work. I mean, surely if he can then I can, he was concussed. I've been drugged before, I've dealt with it without the fancy treatment, so what's your game this time?" She questioned the director who gave a half-shrug,
"Just in case there was anything else in the drug, you're going to be seen by Simmons to double check. Then you're on the desk with me. I know, sounds awesome right?"
Bobbi blew out a sarcastic laugh, "As if, Coulson I'm not stupid, anyone could see straight through you right now, you're practically transparent," She lowered her tone so her voice didn't echo off the walls of the vast room, "Do you think I'm going to turn?"
"The chips could be hidden anywhere-"
"Oh my god! You think I'm going to turn into a blue-eyed, murderous-"
"Come on, I'm being rational, thinking ahead. Plus, being drugged is still a little more serious than having a concussion, no matter how many times you've dealt with it."
Bobbi went quiet but her lips were turned down into a disapproving manner. Her mind thought back to the weird device that Fitzsimmons had created, and how she'd seen them working on it over the last few weeks since the new mission had cropped up. Thinking now, Bobbi wondered if they had less interruptions over the weeks, then they would have it done earlier.
"Do you think the S-HOD would help find Nat if she had one?" She asked the Director who had watched her mind working for the last minute.
He sighed and Bobbi realised why she was really not allowed in the field today but said nothing of it. The reply came in a tone of regret and guilt from the event that had caused Natasha's disappearance, "Maybe, but it wouldn't have stopped it happening. I made my decision based on Natasha and the mission. We had a conversation not so long ago where she said that it would be a pleasure to die returning what she had stolen from the people she hurt all those years ago. You should know that she would have chosen the same thing, no matter what everyone else said. I can take the passive aggressiveness if I know that."
Bobbi understood and relayed that in a look to Coulson before they walked out of the briefing room and to the lab. The agent couldn't help but send a prayer to someone, anyone, Natasha, wherever you are, be okay, be as safe as possible and please be reasonable.
Peter walked behind the struggling prisoner being dragged back to the claustrophobic room they had rested in for the last day since their capture. If by rested, that means fighting off the effects of the drug they had supplied them with and ramming their entire body weight into the door and walls to find some way of escape.
"Oh, Miss Romanoff, you should just quit while you can. This process would be so much easier if you would just settle for once." He said with an uncomfortably smooth edge to his voice that was not at all relaxing to his prisoner.
Natasha growled and would have smacked the man right there if she could. The effects of the drug had left her dreary and lacking in her usual bite and awareness, there was that and the fact that the people who worked for Lukin were almost as strong as him with the enhancements they most likely had.
Despite the disadvantages, Natasha was as alert as she could be. She was aware of the two pairs of strong arms guiding her back to her room. She was aware of Peter's watchful eyes as he eased his way forwards behind her. She was aware of the passing people, carrying boxes upon boxes of gadgets, wires and accessories to other places. Her eye caught one particular box edging towards them, no lid and full of wires. A hand out and no one would notice, Natasha thought to herself as she waited for her second to strike.
"You alright there, Natasha? You've gone strangely quiet." Peter's voice came again. Now. Natasha put up another struggle against the people either side of her, to put a show for Peter and to just grab the wires. A second later she was tossed into her room and the door slammed shut.
Peter sung from the other side, "Hope you have a nice stay!"
Natasha spat at the door, instantly disgusted with herself for reacting to such a vile man. She looked at what she'd picked up in her hands, squinting in the dimness of the room. They looked like electrodes you'd find on some people with heart problems in hospital but these had a plug on the end of them, lighting the memory in her mind of Fitz's speech on electrical tech. The Russian agents mind worked in overdrive at what to do with the newfound technology laying in her hands, no prisoner could throw away an option of escape.
These people are impossible to break, they are inhuman, the thought bounced around in Natasha's mind as she got up and felt around the walls for a plug socket. Three quarters her way around the room, her heart sunk a little in disappointment of not finding anything, when her hand hit something cold, plastic and extremely plug like. Her movements became rapid with adrenalin as she plugged the wires in and attached them to herself.
"This better be worth it, there's no going back, Romanoff." She whispered to herself. Her finger hovered over the switch for a moment. Another moment later and Natasha's body was pulsing with electricity that coursed through her veins and arteries, the exhilarating feeling of power rushing straight to her head. The power that would undoubtedly get her out of this situation and back to the team.
Unknown to her, it would soon cause issues in the long run.
Thanks for reading.
I'm sorry. It's been so long, if anyone is still reading I praise your time and patience. Thank you.
