Thank you so so much for the support! Especially MalirBly and Jingles7567 who continue to give me hope and happiness whilst I write these. Thanks also to Skaisy and GoodReadz your support means so much! Anyway despite the UK (where I live) being in lockdown I've still had work and Uni and have been swamped with Uni work. I also had my wisdom tooth out so whilst I've been recovering I've had plenty of time to write this. I will update Chasing Hope next. Please please please leave a review! :)
When Skye came to, she was immediately aware of the sharp intense pain all over her body. Her muscles tensed and her fingers clawed for a release but she couldn't feel anything beneath her fingertips. Her mouth strained open but she couldn't scream, only gasp for air which didn't alleviate any pain like she hoped it would. Her eye's felt like they were glued shut but she was sure she had managed to pry them open… that couldn't be right? Maybe the room was dark, but usually she would still be able to make out shapes. Skye tried not to panic as her brain slowly caught up with her senses, she couldn't see.
A sudden high pitch noise infiltrated her ears and she tried to lift her hands to cover them, but her arms were too heavy and painful. She couldn't move. The world seemed to be upside down, was she dead?
"Daisy, can you hear me?"
Skye managed to let out a small grunt in acknowledgement which made her throat throb. She recognised the voice but her mind was muffled, all she could feel was pain.
"She's starting to feel it sir" came another voice.
"Good"
A sudden spasm of pain shot through her skull, she gasped and tried to scream again but nothing came out. She wanted the white noise to stop, she wanted everything to stop.
"Let me die" she croaked.
Skye felt a warm breath on her cheek and tried to move away but was stuck in the same spot "Now, now, we didn't ask you to speak"
She screamed.
"Ok everyone is ready, project indigo will commence in ten hours. We need to find where they took Skye and make a plan on where to meet when it starts, a room nearby maybe? Or perhaps we could convince Whitehall to let us help?" Bobbi said.
Ward nodded "I've heard chatter that they took her down to the basement, I've never been down there though"
"Well let's change that" Bobbi replied, heading towards the main staircase.
The pair checked the coast was clear before heading down the steep flight of stairs. When they reached the bottom they turned left and headed down a dark narrow corridor. The walls were a dingy green and stained with what appeared to be blood. The hallway was also cold and sent shivers down the pairs spines, not just because of the chill.
"What is he doing down here?" Bobbi thought aloud.
Ward shook his head, quickening his pace down the hallway. The first door they came to, on the right, they peered into. Upon seeing it was empty they opened it and entered. The sight that met them made them want to throw up. In each corner was a security camera pointing down towards the centre of the room. The dirty dark grey walls were spotted with crayon drawings clearly drawn by a child. On closer inspection Bobbi could see many of them signed in the corner with the name 'Skye' with an age. All ages seemed to range from nine to eleven and as the number increased so did the intensity of the pictures themselves. One of the worst contained a monster in the middle with green eyes and a cape on and surrounding him on the floor were, what looked like, a bunch of dead children. But what horrified them the most was the cold metal table lying in the middle of the room. There were straps and chains connected, supposedly to hold the person down and a bowl with wires on by the head. Syringes scattered the floor around them and splatters of blood and urine. Bobbi tried not to gag as she saw what looked like a clump of hair lying in the corner of the room with a razor nearby.
"It doesn't look like this room was used for long" Ward noted.
Bobbi nodded "we should go find Skye" she replied, leaving the room quickly.
Bobbi walked faster, trying to distract her mind as she searched from room to room. They had to find where Skye was being held or their whole plan could fail. They desperately needed her strength and powers to help bring down the facility but could Skye really do what they needed?
"Here!" Ward called and Bobbi ran to catch up.
Ward was standing in front of a door to the left and Bobbi peeked through the barred window and tried not to gasp. Skye was lying on a cold metal table similar to the one in the first room with chains tying her body down, but it seemed as though they weren't needed. Her face was screwed up in agony, her eyes moving around but unfocused whilst she swam in and out of consciousness. She was wearing limited clothing and Bobbi could see the dark purple bruises and cuts covering her skin like tattoo's. Her hair was filthy and matted and was entangled with the wires connected to her head. Neither Ward nor Bobbi had ever seen this type of torture before but it seemed to be unbearable.
"I don't understand, why is he doing this?" Bobbi asked.
"Well we know he wants he wants her to be the destroyer of worlds but he's not stupid. Skye is powerful and has always rebelled. I heard he even helped to genetically modify her DNA to be compatible with the machine so he knows he can't pick anyone else. So he's going to break her. Break her and then manipulate her until she is in his control." Ward let out a harsh laugh "but he doesn't know what she's like. Are you okay here? When everything kicks off I need to be with my brother"
Bobbi nodded "He will be with the other prisoners so you can start the attack there, I'll stay with Skye."
Just before he left Ward turned to her "Take care of her"
Bobbi nodded and watched him leave. When she first met Skye she had thought she was a criminal, an assassin who had no regard for rules or order but she had been wrong. Skye had been controlled her whole life, made to be something she was not and if anyone could save her it was SHIELD, hell it was Coulson. The girl lying in immense pain on the table in front of her deserved so much better. The things Bobbi had seen in the girls file…
Suddenly Skye let out a piercing scream, several doctors and guards rushed forward to retain the frail girl but she resisted, arms thrashing against the chains causing loud clangs to echo down the corridor. As Skye's wrists and ankles became red raw she fell back against the table and started to smack her head against the metal table. Bobbi couldn't help herself, as Skye's head let out a sickening crack and blood splattered the walls nearby she sprinted into the room.
"Give her a sedative!" Bobbi screamed at the doctors nearby but they stayed still and just stared at her in shock.
"Let me die, let me die, let me die!" Skye sobbed, her movements slowing and words becoming more blurred as she started to lose momentum.
"Keep her awake" Whitehall directed "Now Bobbi was it?"
Bobbi nodded "yes sir" she replied bracing up and bowing her head. She knew she had overstepped, damn she had just ruined the whole operation!
"What do you think your doing?" Whitehall ordered, eye's flashing and nostrils flaring.
"I was walking by and heard the commotion, I'd thought someone had escaped again so I ran to assist. I didn't realise this was an active experiment. Accept my apologies I was only trying to help" Bobbi lied expertly.
Whitehall paused for a minute, scrutinizing Bobbi's face until he released a small smile "that's quite alright. Perhaps you'd like to stay, learn a few things hm?"
Bobbi smiled enthusiastically "I would love to, thank you sir!" Inside her heart was pounding. She had done it, now to wait…
Whitehall waved a hand dismissively "As you already know Daisy here or 225 as you've probably read is one of my most prized subjects. Right now we are trying to uh what's the phrase break her in. We don't have long and we've been trying to convince her that we aren't the bad guys here but she still continues to fight. So now we are going to fry her brain until it's not sure what's right or wrong anymore."
Bobbi kept her face stoic with real difficulty. The smile on Whitehall's face was sadistic whilst the fear on Skye's face was heart-breaking.
"Daisy? Can you hear me?" Whitehall asked.
Skye scrunched up her face in pain and let out a small whimper.
"Good, now up the voltage" Whitehall ordered.
Bobbi glanced at the machines in horror "but won't it kill her?"
"That's always been a possibility but what we are doing is targeting specific area's of the brain such as the Limbic system which controls emotional responses. We need to dull her spirit, up until now that seemed impossible, so we are forcing it."
Skye let out a horrific scream as her body arched upwards, head rolling back. A small amount of blood trickled down from her ears. Bobbi didn't know what to do. This was wrong but her cover meant she could save everyone's lives here not just Skye's.
"Sir the committee are here!" an agent came rushing in.
Whitehall's eyes widened as Skye's body relaxed, "now? But they're early! Never mind, carry on with Daisy do everything necessary for success. I will stall the party until we are ready" Whitehall nodded to the team and then left briskly.
Suddenly Bobbi's phone pinged and she quickly snuck a glance down at the text she had just received 'earlier than expected. Arriving now. Start attack now'.
As soon as Bobbi had finished reading the message the lights blacked out.
"What's going on?" a voice echoed in the darkness as feet shuffled around the space.
'Great job Fitz' Bobbi praised in her head.
Bobbi quickly put on her night vision goggles and pulled out her gun quickly stunning all the Hydra agents in the room a second later the lights flickered back on and Bobbi rushed to Skye's side, throwing the goggles to the floor.
"Hey, Skye? Can you hear me?" Bobbi asked, carefully shaking the girls shoulders.
Skye groaned but managed to open her eyes slightly.
"Ok good, we are going to get you out of here ok? But I'm going to need your help, oh wait" Bobbi quickly broke the bracelet on the girls wrist and Skye suddenly felt intense vibrations pulsating through her skin. Immediately the room started shaking.
"Woah, Skye I need you to calm down. Everything's going to be okay and I will need you to release your powers but not yet. Let's get out of the basement first."
Bobbi managed to pull Skye to her feet and awkwardly walk towards the staircase. Skye was leaning heavily on Bobbi's shoulder and Bobbi was shocked at how light the girl was. She could basically lift her with one hand.
"Come on just a bit further" Bobbi encouraged even though it was clear Skye was switched off at the moment.
Eventually they made it up the stairs and into the main building. Several bodies were scattered along the floor, some knocked out but many dead. Further ahead there were several Hydra agents coming towards them, Bobbi pushed Skye aside where she flopped against the wall and stood firm. After analysing the situation, Bobbi rushed forwards batons in hand and faced the first assailant, quickly she turned and kicked him in the stomach, causing him to fall back. Taking the advantage, she hit him over the head and then the legs for good measure. One by one the agents came and fell until Bobbi was once again alone in the corridor. She turned and sprinted back to Skye, picked her up and continued towards the prison cells.
Luckily the hallway was empty so she propped Skye up against the wall and stood in front of her. "Skye I need you to do something. All these other prisoners need to escape too but it will take far too long to open the doors. They are all uniquely locked with different codes so I need you to use the strength you have left to force them open ok?"
Skye shook her head, her legs were trembling and her pale blood stricken face was blank "I can't do it" she whispered, her voice shaking.
"Skye, I know you can. I just need this last push and then we can get you safe" Bobbi pleaded.
Skye took a deep breath. She had been trapped here her whole life and now she was free. Did she want to do something about it? She had to. She couldn't pass up this opportunity and regret it later. Skye managed to push all the pain into the locked box in her head, and stood up. Her thin legs could barely support her but she managed to walk forward. Bobbi watched as the girl scrunched up her eyes in concentration and forced her hands out to either side. Suddenly, the doors flew open and the floor shook.
Several, worn and battered powered people came stumbling out including one with blonde hair and blue eyes.
"Over here! Everyone this way!"
Bobbi turned to see May herding the prisoners down the hallway and to the back door.
"Quickly move! Head to the planes, they have medical teams and supplies waiting!" May yelled.
Bobbi and May shared a quick nod before May ran onwards towards the rest of the cells whilst Bobbi made her way to Skye.
Meanwhile, down the hallway Skye let her fatigue over come her as she fell to the floor.
"Skye!"
Suddenly she felt strong arms catch her and pull her into a warm embrace. Skye looked up to see Lincoln holding her, his eye's sparkling at the sight of her.
"I'm glad your ok. When they took you I thought-"
"It's ok. I'm ok" Skye whispered back.
"There you guys are! Mack's got all the kids out, Tommy's with him. I saw Hunter leave with a bag load of files and…" Ward stopped in front of the pair of powered people.
Skye looked up and immediately tried to shuffle away but Lincolns arms stopped her from doing so. Ward cringed as he saw the hurt and fear flicker across the girls face before she could school her features.
"Skye are you ok?" Ward asked.
Bobbi rushed forwards sensing the unease "she's fine. Let's go"
Together Lincoln and Bobbi helped Skye up whilst Ward stormed ahead and out of the building. May came running back to meet them and immediately pushed Lincoln aside, carrying Skye's weight herself. Seeing Lincoln about to protest May cut in first "your both hurt, now get a move on before one of you passes out"
Just before they could reach the door Skye pulled away "where's Whitehall?" she asked.
May and Bobbi shared a look before May spoke up "We searched the building, he's gone"
Skye's frown deepened "Did you get everything important out?"
May nodded.
Skye let out a small smile "Good"
Suddenly, the building started shaking, large chunks of debris fell down as the small group walked out into the darkness. Skye stopped and turned around facing the black walls which had kept her confined for all her life and watched with a hint of relief as the buildings tumbled to the ground in front of her.