I Don't Know but I've Been Told
"Again!" Mack bellowed into his com, trying to hold several rags over the slash in the hydraulic hose.
Inside the cockpit, Davis cringed and held a hand to his ear. He flicked a few switches and pulled the level that should curtail the program meant to open the bay doors. The man let out a frustrated breath. "Yell at me one more time and I'll…" he mumbled under his breath.
"You'll what?" Piper laughed. "Cuz whatever it is I wanna watch." She laughed again. "You and Mack, yeah that I gotta see." She spoke around her chuckle.
"Oh, just shut…" he slammed a hand against the console causing it to emit a sound neither of them had heard before. Davis pulled his hand back as if burned as Piper took several steps back. The sound reached an ear piercing pitch then abruptly stopped with a low groan.
For a moment Piper and Davis remained motionless until he almost jumped from his seat. Mack and Fitz cheer echoed in his ear com. He held his hand against it and leaned forward to peer out at the two men raising their fists, or one fist and one mitten, in triumph.
Now the real work would begin.
xx
"There's not much left," Mack sighed as he tossed a broken flange into one of the broken crates in the hangar. "This place had the least amount of damage thanks to the blast doors…but most everything was stored below. All we've got are a few tools and a lot of…whatever the hell this is." He kicked the nearest crate.
"Without that hose there is no way to open that door." Fitz stood looking up at the large portal above the plane. "We'll have to improvise."
Mack almost laughed. "There's not a heck of a lot here to work with, Turbo. I don't even think you can fix this with a couple connectors and a handful of sprockets. I know you're Scottish man, but you're not MacGyver."
Fitz seemed to ignore the comment, lost in deep thought and still looking up at the ceiling. Mack shook his head and walked to the operations panel. He tapped a few gauges and snarled at what he saw. "We've got enough reserve for one shot. If that door doesn't open the next time Davis hits that switch we aren't getting out of here." He shook his head. "Well not alive anyway," he muttered to himself. One more intense shake of the base and the whole thing would come down on them.
"Fire," Fitz announced so calmly Mack barely reacted. He glanced toward the smaller man, now standing in front of a large emergency fire station. Despite the trembling of the base, the window had not broken. Inside was a fire hose, folded in more than a dozen loops. A small hammer hung on the wall next to the 'in case of fire – break glass' sign. Fitz looked at his bandaged hands then over his shoulder at the approaching Mack.
"We'll need to cut what we need and tear away the cloth layers, but the inner rubber tube should be close to the same size as the pump hose. It is thick enough to carry the fluid." Fitz announced as Mack reached for the hammer. "We need something to make the cut."
"That," Mack slammed the glass, shattering it in one stroke, "I've got covered." He pulled the hose free and began removing the nozzle. The threads on that end would hopefully fit into the hydraulic pump.
xx
"What's wrong with them?" Daisy asked in a quiet voice that still seemed to echo in the large room. She spoke to the doctor but could not take her eyes off her…Skye's parents.
"We can find nothing wrong with either. Everything you see is being done to keep them with us. Their systems were failing. We thought you might have some idea of what it could be?"
Daisy shook her head and squeezed Melinda's ice cold hand. Odd that the doctor used the word systems, like they were robots or machines of some kind. But this was a different world with different words and different ways and she was not sure how to take what he said. She wasn't sure of a lot of things, but she trusted Yeye and he trusted Dr. Liu. If only Fitz could answer that damn computer link.
"I don't know anything abo…" Daisy thought for a moment remembering the illness she and Skye seemed to 'share'. It was early in their interaction and maybe kinda a little bit like whatever this was. She turned quickly toward the doctor. "Skye and I got very sick, both of us, at the same time with some kind of fever/virus thing. She got a lot worse. We had to send Simmons to help but even that wasn't the answer." She spoke quickly, walking back and forth, seeming to be retelling herself more than telling the doctor. "We ended up in that nowhere place but I was worse there and…before that Fitz told me not to make any physical contact but…but she hugged me and…" Daisy shook her head. It all seemed surreal, but most of what she experienced did.
Hell, they lived surreal every day.
She stopped and stared at the doctor for a moment, judging whether he believed her or found her a raving lunatic. She smiled a small laugh. "There was…this blue explosion or pop or kaboom and we…we were back where we belonged." She shrugged her shoulders. "No worse for wear, no fever…no virus." She waited for a reaction that didn't come. "Of course that was when Fitz figured Skye was just a bit of his program, before all this…" she waved her arms in an arc.
Dr Liu stood at the foot of Phil's bed. He tapped his finger on the frame. "You are saying we should put all of these people together and yet you have also seen the result of that scenario." He shook his head. "I do not know if it is worth the risk."
Daisy shrugged again. "It's all I've got, doc. Risk might be all we have." Her voice went quiet as she finished.
"Yes, risk…" the doctor began as he moved to the opposite bed and examined the chart that hung there. Daisy waited for him to continue.
"Our doctors believe the Coulson's may recover once your Coulson and May return to their own world. But…" He shook his head slowly.
"But you're not sure." Daisy finished for him although he did not affirm her statement.
"Of this," he nodded toward the patients and shook his head. "I am certain of the fact we can send your agents back. We have been preparing for months."
Daisy shook her head. "Coulson won't leave if he knows they're in trouble. You don't know him."
The doctor smiled. "I know him well enough to know this and it is why we will keep them separate." He turned and held up a hand before she could protest. "Just until I have explained everything to you."
"Me?" Daisy pointed at her own chest. She took a step forward and spoke through her teeth, controlling the anger that stirred and doing her best to channel her mother. "He's the one you need to talk to…to tell everything to…not me." She shook a finger toward the doctor and missed her powers more than ever. At the same time she knew that power would have long since flung the doctor across the room. She let out a long breath, turned and paced away and then back.
"I am afraid you will have to make a great decision and I feel you will not desire the input of your parents." The doctor replied calmly.
Daisy's anger dissolved in a sea of confusion.
xx
"I don't like this." May growled as she stood at the large window staring across the lab at the door where Daisy and Dr. Liu had disappeared. She crossed her arms over her chest and planted her feet meaning she would not move until the girl reappeared.
Coulson slowly paced from the door they entered to the door the doctor had exited. He gently tried both and found them locked. A third door in the room led to a small lavatory. He made his way to the small metal box the man had called an intercom. Coulson examined the few buttons on the device then gently tapped the object with one finger. A small red light appeared for a seconded then flickered out. He narrowed his eyes and stood back.
"You should relax." He replied to May's comment with a tone that did not match his expression. She turned and began to speak but halted when he held up a finger and cast his eyes to the device on the wall. "Maybe we should take the doc up on that cup of tea."
May gave a curt nod, dropped her arms to her sides and curled her hands into tight fists. Whatever was going on here did not sit well with her partner and apparently someone was monitoring their conversation. Coulson tapped the out button on the intercom. A crackly voice asked how they could help and with a smile the man asked for a pot of hot tea with two cups. The side of May's mouth curled up. Coulson enjoyed tea about as much as she did coffee. She gave another nod and moved to the door careful to stay out of sight and left enough room to step back as it opened.
Coulson scanned the room for any kind of video surveillance and when satisfied there was none he moved to the lavatory, turned on the faucet and pulled the door closed. He gave a nod toward his partner and eased himself into one of the chairs at the table in the center of the room.
A few minutes passed before the door slowly opened and a smiling female intern eased a tray with the requested items through it. She looked up at Coulson then across the room before stepping inside.
He tossed a thumb over his shoulder. "Rest room," he explained simply. "She gets a little nervous when she's gotta wait." He grimaced and rubbed his stomach. "Might be in there a while." He looked at the door and frowned.
The woman looked to the door as well then smiled and stepped into the room.
Coulson caught the tray before it hit the floor, muffling the sound of clinking cups with the towel he'd grabbed earlier. May sent the intern into unconsciousness with one well placed cut and caught her before she went to the floor. She let out a heavy breath as she dragged the woman to the small couch and with Coulson's help placed her on it.
"Nervous," May snarled.
Coulson shrugged then followed her through the now open door.
xx
Skye huffed a breath at the window in what she thought of as the 'snack room'. She watched as a haze formed on the window then drew a silly face with her finger. She smiled at it then stepped a few inches to the side and breathed another hazy circle. The little girl though for a moment then carefully drew a well practiced figure. She grinned then turned to her grandfather.
"Look Yeye! I made snow." She pointed to the hanzi she had created.
William smiled and nodded at the quickly fading figure. He glanced at his watch and tapped a finger against the side of his cup. It seemed they had been there longer than he had expected. "Your practice has benefited your work but I do not feel the people here will appreciate your creations."
Skye let out a sigh as her shoulders dropped as she dragged her feet back to the table and flopped into a chair. "It's really boring here, Yeye." She dramatically let her arms fall to her sides and slide down farther on her seat. "There's nuttin ta do 'sept eat and have tea." She nodded toward her grandfather's cup. "And that just reminds me a' bee-in' sick."
Skye closed her eyes and blew a breath up over her lip causing her hair to flip up then down. She fell forward landing her arms on the table then laying her head on top. Staring at the vending machine, she smiled. "They got some good stuff here, though." One little finger pointed to the treats. "Lotsa chocolate stuff and even one of them crispy bars mommy never lets me get." She turned to William giving him her best puppy dog eyes.
William chuckled but shook his head. "There is a reason your mama does not allow you so much of this type unhealthy food."
Again Skye let out a fluttery breath and furrowed her brows before dropping her head onto her arms. "I think I needa go the bathroom." She spoke to the table and knew she didn't really have to go but anything was better than this boring room.
William let out a soft sigh and rose from his chair. He put out a hand and waited for the little girl to take it. "I do not know where to find the lavatory but I am sure there is one nearby." He smiled down at Skye. "You must not let go of my hand." He warned. "You must remain with me at all times."
Skye smiled and took a few steps then came to an abrupt stop, pulling her grandfather back. "Yeye," she exhaled. "You can't come in the ladies room with me and I ain't goin' in the men's." Skye shook her head rapidly. Maybe going to the bathroom wasn't such a good idea.
William stared at the little girl for a beat then grinned. "No, Skye. Neither would be a good idea, but I will remain at the door while you do what is needed." He raised his brows in question.
Skye thought for a moment and chewed her lip. "Okay," she began as she took a few steps. "But it gotta be on the outside." She stopped again and looked up at him. "Right?"
William squeezed the little hand he held and nodded. "On the outside, as you say."
He pushed the door open and stepped into the empty hallway.
xx
Daisy stood before one of two matching upright capsules. Both reminded her of one of those iron lung things she'd seen pictures of when polio ravaged the young of the country. She ran her fingers lightly over it as she moved around it.
"What you see is the result of years of research, but we have only been able to create this in the time we have followed your physicist." He explained.
Daisy poked her head from behind the second capsule. "Only two," she stated.
"It was our plan to send a pair to collect data but recent events has caused us to question that plan." The doctor shook his head and drove his hands into his pockets. "We aren't certain we have the power or the ability to send more. All of our designs have been for but two."
Daisy tapped a finger on the small glass panel on one of the capsules. "We…" she swallowed hard, realizing what the doctor was saying. "We only had headsets and…" she stretched her hands out, palms down in front of her. "Beds or cots or…" she shrugged once and stopped. It didn't really matter what they had, there were only two…only two of them could return and she would make sure it was Coulson and May. She drew a deep shaky breath.
"There's nothing to decide. You send them back. Don't tell them anything just put them in here," she knocked on the nearest capsule. "Put them in and send them back even if you have to knock them out first."
The doctor held up a hand. "I do not think there will be need for such harsh measures. And there may be a way but you will have to agree to certain conditions that may not be auspicious." He raised his brows and waited for her reply but Daisy merely stared. "My colleagues disagree but I see a way to send you and your parents back. I do not see that we have much of a choice as it is your presence that brought us this unending winter."
Daisy looked at the capsules. "But you said…"
"I said we could only send two here, but I have reviewed all of the data that sent you and the child to and from the divided planes. I have had the experience of success and surely I can recreate what was done."
Realization overcame Daisy as she narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger. "It was you! You're responsible for all the back and forth and switching?" She paused and spoke to herself. "It wasn't Fitz or his program. It was you," she poked a finger into the man's shoulder sending him back a step. "It was you messing around with Fitz's program, using me and Skye as guinea pigs!" She sent him back with a poke for each word.
The doctor did not resist and waited for the girl to gain her composure. She stopped poking but stood before him glaring and breathing heavily. "You resemble your mother greatly. You surely deserve to be by her side and I will make amends for my misgivings. I shall return your family and preserve the one you leave behind. But as I said it may not be what you desire."
Daisy took a deep breath. "As long as you get Coulson and May back safely, I'll take my chances."
Dr. Liu smiled. "Then we have much to discuss."
