53
Nick's POV
I could feel the dream as I slept, I could feel hunter watching it as well… Lucid dreaming..
Flat on my back, my hands were bound in front of me. I couldn't move, stunned and trying to gather my bearings. But my gaze focused on the person in front of me, immediately I tried to talk but I felt the hard prospective hand on my chest.
'Coulson!" I tried to say but I could only grunt as his began to put painful pressure onto my ribs. His face daunt and heavy but the intention was clear. It dawned on me to who he thought I was. But the pain increased. I could only watch in horror as he pressed down but then…the fragile ribs gave way, My body freezing up but the sicken and pain full crack that followed-
"Hunter!"
I jumped away, pushing the close person back, rolling but found myself flat on my front, my chest heaving for breath. But I was glad for each breath. There was no pressure or pain but…I could remember each detail. I could feel the urge to throw up. Hunter wide awake in my head, haunted by what he had felt in Ward's place.
"Hunter." I didn't move but felt a hand on my shoulder.
"What?" I mumbled after a moment.
"I heard you from the other room. Did you have a bad dream?" I finally recognised the voice, slowly moving to sit up. Hartley.
"Yes." I mumbled, my hand over my chest, right where I had felt the pressure. I looked to Hartley before standing up, wiping some of the cold sweat from the back of my neck.
"Should I ask?"
"Probably not, Izzy. But I feel you are doing." I called, heading to the bathroom. "Why are you up?"
"Coulson and his team are gonna be here soon." There was a slight hint of amusement in her tone. I skipped the shower, I had already had one this morning. I paused, quickly recalling the early morning wake up that I couldn't forget.
"Oh, yeah."
"Well we have till noon. We're meeting them a couple miles away from the conference so we need to get packed up you have twenty minutes." Hartley called before I heard the door from my room slam shut.
I inhaled deeply, heading to the sink for a quick rinse, jumping a little as I saw no reflection. Damn, I had forgotten about that.
Haha. Came the response from the back of my head.
I ignored him, quickly brushing my teeth, running through Hunters memories on his morning routines before he shut me out, growing annoyed at that intrusion.
"Sorry."
No. You're not.
I sighed, feeling a little annoyed as I combed through my hair. I couldn't check my appearance in a mirror.
And there's the problem.
I could feel the glee in his words. I huffed quietly, but ran my hand to make sure that my hair was decent for clearing it all up into a washbag and tossed it into another for travel. Making sure to make sure it looked like something Hunter did pack himself before heading out, fully dressed.
Everything seemed a flurry as I stepped out my room, and what I could see most of the safe house was becoming bare.
"Oi, Hunter." My eyes flickered to Idaho. "We're packing up the SUV, take the stuff down with Mack, will you?"
I didn't have a chance to answer before a box was dumped into arms by Mack who grabbed a bigger box and took off out the safe house door. Huffing, I followed, the box was lighter than I thought, carrying it quickly till I saw The back of Mack opening a surprisingly familiar style of SUV, the SHIELD badges spray painted away from the smell.
I dumped the box down, walking off.
It took half an hour to fully pack up the safe house. Though I felt nervous, I acted it off, sitting quietly as Idaho drove.
"So..." Hartley stated after a moment. "I've talked to a few people beside Coulson, We're gonna meet up with Bobbi who's on her way to the place should Coulson's team arrive early." My eyes immediately flickered to her, Hunter's attention caught.
"Bobbi?" I echoed. "Are you serious?"
"Well Coulson wants our version intact as the Earth 3 group." She shrugged.
"And Bobbi's the magical person to join them?"
"Cool it, Hunter. You don't have to stay in the same room as her but the Earth 3 version you will." Mack said tiredly at my (put-on) attitude.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better? There's gonna be two of her now."
"Well there's you and the other Hunter, so we're not any better in that department. " Mack pointed out. "But man, that's gonna be weird as hell. Another me." He shook his head.
Oh great, I did not think of that. Hunter muttered, thinking about Bobbi and his previous meeting with her. In my case it was helpful since my knowledge of his experience was….not detailed enough given my script and no back story on Hunter and Bobbi's relationship apart from the bare minimum. Hunter didn't take notice.
"I get it, it'll be weird all around but it's for a greater cause here. Better deal with yourself then having your head stolen like Vic or Agent May." Hartley muttered.
I resisted twitching at that.
Yes, me too. I'm part of that list. Hunter called out though knew I wouldn't say it. He was being sarcastic in a sense.
'Morning…' I heard Brett call through, though I could sense his tiredness. 'Nightmare.. I had a dream Coulson crushed my chest.'
'Me too' Chloe joined in after a moment. 'I guess we all had the same dream from our nap, Ming threw up since she sat up too fast.'
'Is she alright?' I asked silently after a moment. I had almost thrown up but if May's body was far along then it would be expected.
'Yes…I'm fine. Not an experience I want to dream again.' She joined in quietly, much quieter than the others.
'What you doing now?' I asked.
'We're going to be booking into our hotel In London. The Pod is fast so we got to London quickly.' Brett said, a faint picture of his view passing through my mind to see where. I felt Hunter Recognise it.
I took Bobbi here once for a mini-moon before she had to go. After we were married the second time. Hunter said after a moment, surprised.
'When's the conference'
'2:30 pm.' Brett continued. 'Plenty of time, it's coming up 11:20 now'
I almost nodded. Add time to be asleep...though some of them had been a way at god-knows time to talk to me.
"Hunter. Are you still mad that you're not gonna get into spying in the Conference?" Hartley questioned, my attention drawing back to the SUV.
"Partly." I answered gruffly. "How long?"
"Twenty minutes."
"Hm." I wasn't sure whether or not to be pleased, on Hunter's behalf at least.
Sure enough we pulled up at a less posh hotel to that Brett was using, unloading and getting set up at the room. It was two rooms conjoined, using one to store out equipment as we set it up. But a knock at the door drew everyone's attention. Sparing a look, I headed to the door and looked through the peep hole. Hunter recognised her before I opened the door and walked away with a placed disgruntled look.
"Well isn't that a warm welcome." Bobbi remarked at me before behind. It felt odd seeing her, or seeing Bobbi, and not Adrianne. At that, Hunter got a little interested in those memories, a normal version of Bobbi who wasn't his wife or even Bobbi Morse but had the same genes and appearance. He found it weird but equally interesting.
"Hunter, if you can't play nice, go away and help get Agent Triplet's stuff ready. And your other self's ones too." Hartley warned. Again, Mack picked up a boxed and shoved it into my arms, to stop any objections, if I had any. Hunter had a few.
"Fine," I answered gruffly, walking into the emptier room, opening box and took out very familiar clothes.
'The build's security uniform.' David spoke suddenly, making me a jump, dropping it back into the box. 'Sorry'
I couldn't answer out loud but sighed a little, picking it up and put it out on the bed. There were names sewed in, but the IDs at the bottom had been edited with Trip's mug shot…and Hunters.
Okay, I'm never gonna get used to that. Hunter said, his focus on the ID.
"We're missing some of the gadgets." Mack said, almost making me jumping, having not heard him walk into the room. "Coulson's coming two more sets of glasses, so we'll have eyes on the ground as well. The Comms will be relayed to the base but we'll have a stream to and from the base to talk to the... rest of the Earth 3 group should they want to watch the mission."
"Right."
'We have tight security put in so we'll detect the glasses signature… and their comms' David pointed out, quiet so I wouldn't react physically.
"Though are you sure they won't be detected?" I said after a moment, Mack looked towards me in the middle checking a ICER. "What? Just a thought."
"Are you trying to make the mission have more worry or are you actually trying to help?"
"Don't you want any input of possibly being found out. It'll give us more time to think of ways to extract the double and Trip." I folded my arms, giving Mack a long look.
'I think if we talk to our security chief, then we could slip those two in. It'll give SHIELD a good view on our products and can see how our hosts are doing.' Brett though for a moment. 'I know Coulson wants to see May. Badly.'
"We have that planned out." Mack shrugged, "you buggered off to bed, remember." He added, seeing my expression.
"Coulson and his small team's gonna be here in 10 mins!" Bobbi yelled through, interrupting us. Mack looked back before moving, pushing me a little to get to the uniforms. Stabling something into the inside.
"I'll finish off, go sit somewhere." He ordered. Glowering and Hunter feeling annoyed that we were brushed off to do nothing by both Hartley and Mack. It wasn't the time Hunter had almost killed May's ex.
Come again? Hunter asked, distracted by me. I didn't answer, letting him have full rein to catch up on my mentality of things.
After a moment, I sat alone in the corner, closing my eyes than watching Mack get everything ready. But this time was good. I could talk properly with my people.
But I felt a sudden odd feeling…like someone was missing. It was eerily familiar for no reason. I couldn't place it. Had something been misplaced. Was I the only one feeling it?
'No...It's same feeling we got when you came here.' Brett said, his focus on me then unpacking his clothes. 'It's another one of us. Find who it is?'
I stood, my eyes going to Mack, then to his shadow from the light. One.
I walked into the other, looking at the three in there in the door way, one at a time. Hartley…one …Idaho.. one..Bobbi…Two…and Very obvious.
Oh god. Not here! Hunter called, concerned for Bobbi, despite their relationship. Something that wouldn't change. I didn't know what to do. Point it out, get Adrianna locked up or not and let her escape when she wakes up, if she hadn't been contained.
"Hunter what are you-" Mack stopped behind me, looking where I was. Damn.
"Bobbi, don't move or anything." He said slowly, getting past me.
Bobbi looked over, frowning in confusion but very still. "Mack. What are you doing?"
"Hartley, Idaho. Move away very slowly." Mack instructed. Both stopped what they were doing, moving, but also cautious since they had no idea what was going on. The Idaho looked down.
"Oh Shit!" He swore, moving right back into the door.
Harley did as well, as soon as she saw the problem. "What did Coulson say to do?"
"Guys, what the hell is going on?" Bobbi snapped, "Because not answering me is really isn't helping."
"Bob, you have two shadows." I said finally, her eyes widening before she looked down, her body freezing up.
"Where's the thing Fitz Invented?" Bobbi said, her voice higher and quicker. I felt my hand suddenly shoot to my pocket. Hunter. I felt the small box in there, pulling it out to see an odd device before it was yanked from my hand, Mack hurling the the box to the side and shoved the thing on the side of her face.
"What did Coulson say to press?" He said quickly.
"A small switch, the one closer to her ear." Hartley said quickly. Then I felt an odd dull hum as soon as it was switched on. Heart beating fast, there was a long pause, all of us looking to her as if waiting to see if it worked or not.
"Oh that's…weird." She said after a moment, closing her eyes. "I don't feel as nauseated as before…"
"And you didn't say anything." Mack said, his tone hard.
"I had a chicken wrap on my way up here. I thought that might be returning." She snapped a little.
"How are you feeling appart form that?"
"Scared. A little. And there's this…low humming sound? Is that me or the machine?"
Knock, Knock
We all jumped.
I jumped backwards, falling backwards over a box. Hartley almost knocked over a monitor as she swivelled towards the door but the rest stayed place apart from their body's jumping. .
"In a sec!" Bobbi shouted, her hand on her chest but didn't otherwise move, keeping back to the door. . I clambered up as Idaho scrambling to the door, opening it.
I paused as I saw Coulson, but didn't focus too much on him as I saw the doubles of May, Skye, Trip, Other me and… Bobbi.
The air was tense as they came in. Though I could feel Coulson feeling confused a little by it, and from the looked we were enhancing, it was obvious that something had happened which they didn't know about. It was all quiet as May shut the door behind them.
"Okay. This is weird but I have a feeling this isn't about us guys." Skye said after a long moment.
"What Happened?" It was an order from the tone.
I looked to Bobbi, she side glanced to me but I nodded instinctively.
"Me." She answered after a moment, her voice quiet before she slowly turned to face them. The other Bobbi's eyes widened as she saw the thing on her head. A few taking a step back as they realised what it mean. "What...what happens now?" She asked after a moment, nervous.
Can you blame her? Hunter asked after a moment, worried a little for her sake, despite their messed up past. But he was right, I couldn't blame her for feeling the way she was. It was natural. If he had known, he'd have been scared.
Coulson glanced to the other's sighing deeply. "Relax a bit more, as long as that's working correctly then we shouldn't have a problem but I will have to have you moved to sleeping somewhere more secure. For your safety and ours."
"I know...I do understand."
The other group began to move in a little more, May whispering to Trip and the other Hunter to get on their uniforms. I moved from the door way, not looking at the other Hunter as he past, despite his look to me.
"I know this is a poor time but we are on a limited time to get Trip and Hunter into the facility, we can talk about it once they're in and such." May pointed out to Coulson. Thankfully. It broke the situation up from the jump start movement. Though I stayed out the way.
"Okay. We're now connected to the base." Harley said from a Laptop, from the distance, I could see the small picture and the rest of the teams there, ready to get watching and on closer inspection, they even had a table of food and to snack on.
"We're dressed!" Trip declared but was handed a razor from Bobbi then he disappeared off from to the bathroom.
"Okay, these are the glasses you'll be using…" Skye started to explain but I didn't listen. But it was almost time that things were getting going. I could feel it.
