Zephyr Containment module…on free fall…seconds after plumbing fiasco
The team sat quietly, each going through the motions they would assume once the pod hit the ground. Together they had determined that 'shock and awe' was the best plan of action. Hale would surely not expect them to simply 'drop in'. That shock might just give them enough of an edge to find Daisy and Lian and get out before the real shooting started or at least before they were intercepted. Piper and Davis had stayed behind as backup, a situation that brought a silent chuckle to each one of them. Mostly, they'd just be sending word back to Fitz and Jemma that…well, it wouldn't be good news.
May stared ahead contemplating what she'd do with the bitch that took her child and how her own mother would more than likely do the same. Coulson did all that he could not to wrap his hand around hers, knowing she'd have none of it at this time. Mack rose and stood at the thick glass, watching the sky speed past and trying not to think of Elena using her own speed to infiltrate the compound before the rest of them exited the pod. She was to find Daisy and Lian as quickly as inhumanly possible.
No one spoke, which was not uncommon before an intense mission, especially one so close to everyone's heart. This was a kid. This was family. This was too close to everyone's heartstrings.
Hale had violated that.
Each team member jumped a bit as the pod hit the roof of the compound, wrapping their hands, white-knuckled, around the edge of their seats. It jarred again as it blasted through floor after floor, coming to an abrupt stop as it hit the lowest level settling a few inches below that surface. Each team member stood ready for whatever awaited them outside. Mack cocked his axe gun and gave them a quick nod that each returned, ready to move in the next second.
As planned the door opened immediately.
A splash of sewer scented water rushed in.
Hallway…Hale's Compound…amid total chaos
I really didn't know which way to look. That guy just lay there in the scummy water. He didn't even lift his head. He was out cold and Nai Nai was standing there just like May with the same look that she probably taught May herself. It made perfect sense that she told me it didn't matter how old or big you were cuz well Nai Nai had to be old…I mean way older than May cuz May was…well she wasn't young. And Nai Nai was a little bitty Asian granny! She was teeny and old and she just knocked a guy twice her size and probably more than half her age across the…well hell of a long way.
I was just about to give her a giant fist pump in the air when old Hale-dra yanked me closer to her and kinda wrapped her arm around my chest. I did a lot of squirming and flailing and kicking but she was still a lot bigger. Besides she just held tighter and that made it hard to breath. She was kinda squishing me into her. She was yelling something to her goons about getting her and me out of there. A couple started running toward us. That's when the door on the pod opened and there was May, standing there glaring with a look I never saw on her before. The guys running at us just flipped up like they were really rotten ice skaters and their guns flew up in the air and then down so fast that I knew Yoyo was on a roll.
It was pretty crazy cuz people were running everywhere and there were sparks shooting out of the lights from all the water squirting into them. Everybody was yelling and screaming and Hale was bellowing orders that nobody really heard cuz nobody was really listening. And then another guy went flying across the floor. He landed right on top of the first guy and one of the walls just started falling apart. I guess all the water was too much for it. It kinda looked like mashed potatoes when you try to wash 'em down the drain and gooey and drippy.
Yep, that plumbing was a lot worse than I thought it was.
That's when I saw May stomping toward us. The disgusting water was splashing all over with every one of her steps. It was kinda like it was trying to get out of her way and even though the other guys were slipping and sliding, she was just coming right ahead. If I didn't know she was there to get me I'd be scared she was there to get me. Hale yelled something a couple times but I don't know what it was, probably something like 'stop right there' or 'grab her'. Yeah, right like either would stop May.
Mack and Yoyo and Coulson were out of the pod too and knocking Hale's goons left and right. The water and sparks were helping, well that and Yoyo zipping around grabbing everybody's guns and tossing them into the water where one of the wires dangled about an inch above. Trying to get one back would be suicide.
Then May was right there…right in front of me. But Hale was still holding on tight. She said something like, 'you and your whole team are under arrest…you have nowhere to run'. Only she didn't sound as order-y as she usually did and most of the guys that should have done the arresting were either on the floor or slip sliding away.
May looked right at me then tossed her head to the side a little. "You do this?" She asked with a kinda blank look.
I turned up my mouth and kinda shrugged a little.
Then she smiled. "That's my girl."
"ENOUGH!" Hale screamed and stepped back, pulling me with her. She pointed a finger at May and yelled. "You are not coming into this compound and wrecking havoc on an institute…"
I was pretty sure May was gonna break that finger right of and shove it right up her…
A giant boom came from a room down the hall where all the computer stuff was (I saw it on one of my bathroom visits). I guess the water got to it and KA-BOOM. The door flew off and smashed into the wall on the other side. A whole lot of black smoke poofed out and then more guys were running for the nearest exit. Hydra sure wasn't hailing…more like bailing, the damn cowards. Anyway the ones that didn't take off were getting pummeled by the team and Nai Nai. She never even slowed down and then she was right next to me.
"I do not think you are in any position to tell anyone what they can or cannot do." Nai Nai said real quiet, like scary quiet. She did some kind of poke on Hale's arm and it just dropped off me. The big stiff Nazi let out a little squeak and grabbed her arm. I couldn't resist. I stomped down on Hale's foot before I spun around and stood right next May. I put my fists and got into fighting stance cuz I was gonna help the team take down this big bitch.
May pulled me in front of her and just looked at me. I figured she was gonna tell me to get out of there so I just looked back at her. I wasn't going anywhere. I wanted to just hug her and let all the feelings I had inside get out but I was still afraid Hale would figure it out and well, I just wanted her to think this was a bunch of people who came to rescue me. Plus, I figured that would just let all the tears I was holding inside out too and I still wasn't gonna let Hale Hydra see me cry.
May put her hand on my chin and tilted my head back, then moved it side to side. Her eyes got that 'yer gonna die' look then she moved me out of her way.
Compound hallway…Team's POV
May drew a breath through her teeth. The large hand shaped bruise on Daisy's face sent shards of anger through her. The fact that it seemed to be shadowed by a second bruise added ice to those shards. She eased the child to one side and ignored the sounds of explosions and fighting behind her. The team would see to that but this…this was her fight.
"You enjoy striking children." She growled, stating the fact rather than asking the question.
Hale flashed her usual pseudo-smile. She glared at Daisy, speaking directly to the child. "Some children deserve to be put in their place." That smile disappeared with the crack of May's palm landing across her jaw. The larger woman stepped back with a hand to her stinging cheek.
"And what place is that?" May fired through her clenched teeth.
"How dare you!" Hale growled back, still massaging the sting off her cheek. A second back-handed smack stopped whatever more she would have said. She stepped back again.
May stepped forward.
Hale dropped her arms to her sides, glaring at May. "Is that all you've got?"
Melinda pulled back. What she really wanted was to snap this bitch in half, but Coulson would never allow it. Of course in this situation he might help. Only the jerks keeping him and Mack busy were keeping him from joining her to give Hale her due. But Hale was unarmed and not fighting back…where was the sport in that. She looked to her mother, who had just tossed another guard across the slick floor. Lian, she thought, might not be so…
Hale shoved her hands behind her back and began to strut back and forth. "The great Melinda May…I've read so much about your deadly abilities." She stopped and let out a strangled chuckle. "All I've seen is some slap happy sissy."
May drew a breath and glanced at Daisy who smiled a wicked little smile then noticed a very similar smirk from her mother. She turned away from Hale, who continued goading her then spun a round house kick with just enough force to knock the woman on her ass. She landed in the chummy water with a splat. Before Hale could react, May pulled her to her feet by the lapels of her tight fitting uniform jacket. She pulled the woman close and spat. "You're not worth it."
Hale reached to touch the swelling already starting on her right eye and found she could not move her arms. She had not felt the zip-tie as it was rapidly attached to her wrists. Yoyo stood a few feet away and wriggled her brows with a wide smile as she waggled a few still-to-be-used ties in her hand.
May grabbed the woman's upper arm. "Move," she commanded with a yank.
Hale dragged her feet, still defiant. "Where are you taking me?" she demanded.
May flashed a smug grin as she leaned toward the woman, now dripping with the brown swill that covered the floor and still streamed from cracks in the ceiling and floor. "We're just gonna put you in your place."
The door at the end of the hallway burst open admitting a well dressed bespectacled bald man. "What the HELL is going on?" He bellowed as he stormed forward, ignoring the water, the smell and the chaos around him. A squad of well armed soldiers followed, each carrying a weapon that would cut the team to shreds. The man held up a hand, stopping them as he halted in his tracks.
"Coulson," he snarled, standing face to face with the man as he turned almost out of breath.
Coulson straighten his stance and drew a breath. He glanced toward May and Yoyo, each with a good grasp on a still complaining Hale. Daisy followed close behind, but moved to the side at the sound of man confronting her father.
Coulson let out a disgusted sigh and shook his head. He half smiled with a short huff. "Sitwell, you damn bald buffoon traitor." Before the man could respond, Coulson cold cocked him with one well placed punch. Sitwell stood in shock for a moment as his glasses snapped in half and fell to the gook at his feet. He fell backward with a splat.
A dozen guns cocked but never fired as the men holding them were blasted backward with half the wall following.
May dropped her hold on Hale and turned to the small girl who held her hands extended in front of her, her small face twisted in pain. "Daisy…" she breathed.
The sound of many more reinforcements came from both ends of the hall as the water slowly dripped to a stop. Coulson pulled Sitwell to his feet, quickly snapping cuffs on his wrists. "Time to go," he announced.
Mack crossed the space in two long strides, scooping Daisy up and heading for the pod. May shoved Hale forward as the team entered the pod. Yoyo slammed a hand on the retrieve button before the door fully closed.
The pod lifted as the squad rushed into the hall with guns blazing.
Compound hallway…Daisy's POV
Everything happened so fast it was like watching a movie that somebody was just flipping through. Mack was socking guys left and right. Coulson, too! I didn't even know he could pull some of those moves. He clobbered at least five guys and batted one with the gun he took from him. I couldn't keep track of Yoyo but I counted the guys that were piling up in the corner. I figured Nai Nai and her had some kind of relay going on cuz a guy's gun would just poof away and then grandma would send him sailing.
The best thing was watching May slap Hale silly. Wow, she gave her a couple good ones and then when Hale started mouthing off…Wooo Hooo, May landed a kick right in the kisser. She already had a doozy of a shiner when May dragged her out of the goop. I really wanted to kick her right in the ass when they were walking her to the pod but then things went bad.
Damn Sitwell, that bastard…he was behind all this. He came in with a bunch of different soldier and lots of guns and then Coulson just slammed him and all those guns were aiming right for him.
I didn't even think. I just let go and send the whole bunch of them into the wall and let it fall all over them. I couldn't just let them kill Coulson…never. I think I even heard the little cracks in my bones and then May was there and she said something but the hurt just made everything go away. I couldn't hear the craziness anymore and then Mack picked me up and it hurt even more.
In the pod Mack put me on May's lap but I didn't get to hug her cuz everything went black right when it lifted off.