I do now own any of the characters in the Marvel Universe and this story is not for profit.
Thanks to those who are reading, following, who have marked the story as a favorite and have kindly sent in reviews.
I appreciate it all so much and am glad you are enjoying the story as much as I am writing it.
Send me a Review and feed my muse!
AN: This is a Ward Heavy Chapter
Shifters of Shield Search for Answers Chapter 37
"Target is crossing street Ward," Fitz told the black leopard shifter as he manned the Commande Center from inside the yacht.
"Understood," Grant Ward told the young scientist as he stood in the shadows between a big rig truck and the side cement wall of the truck stop restraint just outside Toledo, Ohio. Ward did a quick look inside the plate glass window at Phil Coulson and Maria Ward. Both might have appeared to an outsider as just a couple ordering an evening dinner, but Grant knew better. Maria Hill's piercing eyes drilled into him as to say, "Just give me a reason and you are dead". Ward noted Coulson held the fob that would send a shock either mild or fatal in his hand.
Ward adjusted the baseball cap on his head making sure the bald spot from his surgery was covered and watched James Sommers enter the truck stop and look around the room before sitting at the counter. Ward waited a few minutes walking the parking lot and street. He did not enter until he felt comfortable that Summers had come alone.
"I'm going in," Ward spoke into his comm knowing Fitz, Hill and Coulson could all hear through their earpieces. "Subject is in late forties, brown hair, beard in black jeans and black T Shirt. He is sitting at counter on stool looking at the menu."
"Understood." Coulson spoke under his breath taking a sip of his coffee and fiddling with his napkin.
"Stick to the plan Ward," Maria Hill whispered gruffly in her earpiece seeming to be concentrating on opening the sugar packet for her coffee.
Grant Ward took a deep breath and entered the truck stop ignoring the hostess offering to sit him at a table and moving to the counter and taking the stool to the right of Sommers.
"Ward," James Sommers looked over at the man in the New York Yankee's ball cap and blue jeans jacket.
"Sommers," the handsome young man nodded at the middle aged man sitting beside him motioning for the waitress to fill his coffee cup. "I am sorry I did not respond to your message right away. I have been in Europe for a few weeks. I know you called the day Shield started seeking out the shifters."
Both men stopped talking when the waitress brought a plate of ham and eggs to Sommers and then took Grant Ward's order.
"Garrett told me you were on mobile team and you travel a lot. I have not been able to get in touch with Garrett," James Sommers told Ward taking a bite of his dinner.
"He is AWOL from Shield and off grid. He disappeared the day Fury started cleansing Shield of Hydra and shifters," Ward told him thanking the waitress as she set a steak dinner in front of him.
Sommers looked around the room cautiously before speaking to Grant.
"Listen, I contacted you because I need to know if this is going to be traced back to me. Fury knows about Malus and the shifter serum. He knows Hydra has an army in mind of shifters and Malus is the brain of it. I left that shit behind me after I got into college. I designed the schematics of the implants because of the challenge and because Malus was seeing I got a full scholarship of anywhere I wanted to go through graduate school. I have lived a clean life and I sure as hell did not know Malus was setting you boys up as super animal humans taking commands blindly to violently control the world." Sommers shared his voice shook with emotion. "And how is it you are still walking around free? I understand they even got Sitwell."
Grant Ward thought his next words carefully as he worked over the conversation in his mind. He knew all that Coulson and Hill expected was for him to get the man outside and for them to shoot him with an Icer and cart him to Cuba. But Grant felt that maybe this man was an asset. Problem was though whether Hill would take kindly for him going off the plan. He would talk a few more minutes before deciding how to play this.
"Fury knows a lot. Honestly though, your name only came up as a person of interest of shield's radar after you contacted me," Ward spoke honestly cutting up his steak and starting to eat.
"I don't want my hands dirty with you or Hydra Ward. I am not asking for your help but I would ask that you ask them to look the other way and not contact me," Sommers answered. "For the sake of my elderly parents and family."
"I am not in contact with Hydra now Sommers," Ward carefully waded in looking at Coulson and Hill in the corner of his eye. Ward knew he was taking a risk here but decided to gamble. "I am off their grid literally." Ward took off his hat and showed the man the shaved spot on the side of his head. "Shield removed the implant and chip in my shoulder. I am loyal to shield."
"Shit," Summers looked at Ward. "How the hell did they manage that? And you are alive to tell about it to me? And that means they knew you were a shifter and still you are alive and not locked up in some prison."
"Shield is the good guys Sommers and they recognize talent and are sometimes willing to give those of us who should be imprisoned or killed a second chance." Ward told Sommers looking at Coulson and Hill. "I got that chance."
"You said I am already on their radar. Do they know you are here? Are they here also?" Sommers asked scanning the room and turning on his stool to look outside for the police.
"No cops Sommers," Ward told him not turning around as Sommers scanned the perimeter and every corner of the restaurant. "But yes Shield knows I am here and sanctioned this meeting. I am here to offer you a deal. Come clean, come work for shield. They could use your skills and knowledge for good. If you refuse, I honestly think you will end up at Gitmo with Sitwell and Garrett if they catch him."
"I, I don't know what you mean. You can't honestly expect me to make my mind up that quickly about something like this? I don't want to be attached to anyone. I just want to be left alone," Sommers told Ward.
The designer of the implant could not miss the fact that a woman had moved from a table to sit beside him and the man that was eating with her had moved to sit on the other side of Ward.
"I am sorry Dr. Sommers but your decision needs to be now. I can't allow you to disappear. You are too valuable and even your desire to be left alone is an impossibility. You need Shield's protection or Hydra will force you to work for them like Malus is currently doing. His mistress and son have been held hostage by Garrett." Phil Coulson leaned over and whispered in Sommer's ear in his soft spoken not threatening voice that always could put the most anxious stranger's at ease.
"I am second in command of Shield Dr. Sommers and I guarantee your safety and that your talent's could be of great use in the organization. If you agree and are willing to go through debrief and a period of transition," Hill spoke her speech she had used last ironically on the woman who was like a daughter to her, Natasha Romanov.
"You have nothing to lose Sommers. It's a good deal take it," Ward encouraged suddenly decided he wanted to quickly finish his dinner and take a back seat to Hill and Coulson.
Sommers looked around and his shoulders suddenly slumped. He felt backed into a corner and maybe he had made a huge mistake contacting Ward. The man knew it had been a risk because Ward worked for Shield.
But maybe deep down I wanted to be found out, Sommers thought to himself. Maybe I want to make up for the violation I put all of those boys through and setting them up for a future as genetically altered mind controlled freaks of nature.
"I will go with you. I have no wife, no children to keep me here in Ohio. When do we leave?" Sommers asked hesitantly.
"Finish your dinner Dr. Sommers. I will even splurge and get you desert," Coulson tried to put the man at ease. It was growing clear to him that this man was no criminal or monster. He had been a young man who probably had been manipulated by Dr. Malus and used for his talents without having a clear picture of the ramifications of such a piece of technology. He may have been seduced by the promise of a full scholarship of as many years of schooling as he wished.
"I'll call Fury," Maria Hill told the men standing up and going outside to go inform her superior of the developments. "Dr. Sommers you made a good decision. Grant stay here will Sommers and Coulson."
Maria walked outside wondering if this is how Barton felt when he brought in Tasha.
Ward had possibly made a good call though, she thought to herself. I won't tell him that though. He still has a lot to prove.
An hour later as the moon rose, the team was on their way to D.C., Dr. Sommers in tow. The trip to Cuba cancelled. Fury had told them May and Romanov were in D.C. and the team and family could reunite there. Maria knew one thing though. Ward would be off the plane without seeing the babies or even Natasha. He had done well on this op and proven he probably had a future with Shield. But for now, not with them.