Chapter 13
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AN: Thank you to all who have added to alerts, read, reviewed or any combination of the three. It means a lot to me.
AN2: 214 REVIEWS at the time of posting this chapter. THANK YOU THANK YOU SO SO MUCH. Just a warning there is a line in this chapter that is my favourite line that I have ever written. It made me emotional when I wrote it and emotional every time I have read it since. Let me know if you think you know what line I'm talking about in your review.
"No." May tells her daughter.
"No way." Coulson adds.
"I've got to, otherwise people are going to die. I can't let that happen." Skye explains to her parents.
"And we won't." Coulson tells her "We have the coordinates as to where he is we can send in a strike team and take him down before he can kill anyone else." Coulson tells his daughter.
"All those agents and Anna will be killed then." Skye tells her father. "And likely everyone else, I doubt that Sam is doing this on his own." Skye says using his first name for the first time since finding out he sent the email.
"A S.H.I.E.L.D strike team is fast, Skye, and quite. They can take him down before he kills anyone." Ward tells her.
"The reason he attacked me when we were seeing each other was because I overheard him talking about getting explosives and I asked him what he was up to instead of just getting out of there." Skye explains "But there was no proof when the police looked into it so it wasn't charged with anything, all he was charged with is what he did to me." Skye explains "That's what he meant when he said 'ask Skye about the conversation she overheard." She explains. "So I'm betting he has explosives in place. If anyone else goes in there they will be killed, and I won't allow that." Skye says.
"And we won't allow you to just turn yourself over to him." May tells her daughter. "He'll kill you."
"Maybe not. Not if you can teach me how to get out of restraints." She explains "I know every single one of the people who will be included in the Group, every single one of them. None of them a criminal genius, yes they are hackers who occasionally break other laws, and Sam's psychotic but none of them know a thing about keeping someone prisoner, and none of them with the exception of Sam and a couple others even know how to fight." Skye explains "If you can teach me how to get out of most restraints then I can get myself free, handle anyone who's guarding me and escape while you guys protect everyone else." Skye tells her parents.
"How do you know that he won't just kill you as soon as he sees you?" Coulson asks not even considering letting her do this but wanting to know how she can be so sure.
"Because they will want the information on S.H.I.E.L.D." Skye explains "They care more about that than punishing me for what I have done. They won't do anything until they have the information that they want, but the wont get it." Skye explains "I will take with me a flash drive that I encrypted with fake files on it, files that look like the real thing, but aren't. By the time they realise that I can be gone." Skye explains.
"No, it's still too risky." May explains as Ward leads FitzSimmons out of the room to give the family a bit of privacy "What if they catch you escaping? Or what if they force you to unencrypt the flash drive and they see that it's full of fake files. Or what if they just kill you for revenge?" May asks her daughter "It's too dangerous, no."
"Don't you get it, I've got to do this." Skye tells her parents her tears returning to her eyes "Too many people have died because of me, Agent Avery and her team, an entire Village and now Miles. I won't let anyone else die or get hurt because of me." Skye tells Coulson and May.
"Skye, we'll find another way we will protect them, but that way won't be you handing yourself over." Coulson tells her daughter.
"There isn't another way." Skye says tears still rolling down her face "Sam's video was clear on that. All the people that he mentioned, The Brody's, Sister McKenna, Anna, Danny and Maggie they are all good people. The Brody's are two loving people who take in kids who need a home, Sister McKenna has been a nun for over thirty years, Anna helps troubled teens and Danny and Maggie are two kids who I looked out for during my last few months at St Agnes and even after because they had just lost their parents and were having a hard time. The only thing any of them have done wrong is know me." Skye explains, "I understand that you don't want anything to happen to me, I do. But I don't want them to die because of me. There has been enough death because of me, I won't allow anymore, I can't deal with anymore. I will turn myself over to him with or without your permission and help." Skye tells her parents showing them just how much like them she really is.
"We're in the air." May reminds her daughter "How are you planning to go to the coordinates if I don't fly us there?"
"Then I'll take a parachute and jump and then make my own way there." Skye says having already come up with the idea "I don't want to because the idea of jumping out of a plane frankly scares the crap out of me but I will, to protect them then I will, without hesitation." Skye explains. "Neither of you would ever let someone else die for you so why are you asking me to?" Skye asks her parents.
May and Coulson are silent both of them know that their daughter is right, that they would never allow someone to die for them but she's their daughter which makes it different.
"Okay." Coulson says struggling with every syllable, more than fifteen minutes after Skye asked her parents why they are asking her to let someone die for her when they wouldn't.
"No." Melinda tells her ex-husband "Absolutely not. No."
"Skye, give us a minute." Coulson requests.
Skye nods and heads out of the room and over to FitzSimmons and Ward where as soon as she does she gets pulled into a hug by Jemma.
"I'm not going to let her do this." Melinda tells Coulson. "And I can't believe that you are."
"You heard her she is going to do this no matter what. If it's with our permission then maybe we can help to make sure she gets out alive." Coulson explains.
"We'll find another way." Melinda tells Coulson "Any other way, a way which doesn't involve her putting herself in this much danger and us letting her."
"If you've got another plan than I will be more than happy to hear it." Coulson tells her "Do you think I want to let her do this? Do you think I'm okay with her doing this? Because I'm not." Coulson tells her "She's my daughter too Melinda, allowing her to do this is the last thing that I want."
"Then why are you letting her?" May asks Coulson.
"Because we don't have another option!" Coulson says frustrated "We send in a team and them and the people Skye cares about will be killed, Skye does anything that goes against the instructions then she'll be killed, we help her and she will be killed. We don't let her do this and she'll go anyway." Coulson says "She's our Baby Girl, I don't want her doing this, I want to get her as far away as possible but we can't because then she'll jump out of this plane and go in anyway. Just like either one of us would do in her shoes." Coulson explains.
"If you want to let her do this then fine, but I won't." Melinda tells him "I will not help her to do something that most likely will get her killed."
"Melinda if I thought forcing her not to go would work, I would in a second, but we can't. She is just as stubborn as either of us and she cares about people as much as you do." Coulson being so say but May cuts him off knowing where he is going.
"Don't." Melinda tells him knowing exactly where he is going with what he is saying.
"She's already feeling the guilt for all the Agents and Villagers who died to protect her when she was a baby and now Miles's death, someone from what I saw meant a whole lot to her, has been added to that. She said it herself she can't handle any more people dying because of her. You know what that feels like to live with that every day so why would you ask our daughter to live with that as well?" Coulson asks knowing that what he is saying is completely out of line but needing to convince Melinda to allow Skye to go in because in the seventeen hours they have until the deadline Melinda is the only one who can teach Skye what she'll need to know to maximize her chance of survival quick enough.
Without a single word Melinda walks over and punches Coulson in the face, "If anything happens to her I will never forgive you." May tells him stressing the never as she does.
"If anything happens to her I will never forgive myself." Coulson tells her.
"Once Skye gets the coordinates send them to me." May says leaving the Command Centre and then walking past Skye, Ward and FitzSimmons all of whom are looking completely shocked as she makes her way to the cockpit.
"Did she just…" Ward begins to say but Skye cuts him off.
"Punch Coulson in the face? Yeah." Skye says before walking back into the Command Centre the others right behind her.
"Are you alright?" Skye asks Coulson concerned when she sees him.
"Yeah I'm fine, it's nothing I didn't deserve." He tells her knowing that the punch May just gave him wasn't intended to hurt him just make it clear that what he said was completely out of line. "Send the coordinates through to May." Coulson tells his daughter.
Skye nods and does just that. "Done. I'm going to go talk to her." Skye says before leaving the room.
"Is there something you want to say Agent Ward?" Coulson asks as he can see that Ward is clearly trying not to say something.
"It's just, I can't believe you are letting her do this Sir." Ward comments.
"If we don't let her do this then she will take a parachute and jump out of this plane." Coulson explains.
"We could sedate her until after the deadline, so that she has no choice but to stay." Ward suggest, wanting there to be another way.
"You do that and it is guarantee that Skye will never ever trust a single one of us and likely hate us all." Simmons tells him knowing that it's not a good idea.
"At least she'll be alive." Ward comments thinking that he can handle Skye hating him if she is alive to do it.
"No you don't understand." Simmons tells him, "She won't just hate us she will leave and we will never see her again, she has made herself disappear before and she will do it again and this time she will have Lard and who knows who else after her." Simmons explains not wanting Skye to turn herself over to Lard any more than Ward does but she like Coulson knows that there is no other way.
"That tracking smell you used on Mike Paterson, you are the only ones who can trace it, correct?" Coulson asks looking at FitzSimmons.
"Yes Sir." FitzSimmons say.
"Then when she goes to turn herself into Lard she will have that on her." Coulson says he is about to walk out of the room but he pauses to talk to talk to Ward "Don't you dare think that I want her to do this, that I haven't thought of every possible other option, because I have. This is the only play we've got." Coulson tells Ward before leaving the room.
After leaving the Command Centre Skye heads straight to the cockpit to talk to her mother. She walks right into the Cockpit and sits on the chair across from her.
"I know that you don't want me to do this and I'm sorry about whatever Coulson said that made you punch him, but I've got to do this, I don't have a choice." Skye tells her mother.
"There is always a choice Skye." May tells her daughter.
"Your right, there is a choice my choices are do this or let a lot of good people die, and I won't allow that." Skye tells her mother. "I'm going in no matter what but I need your help to make sure I get out." Skye explains to her mother "I know how to pick a lock but I'm betting that that won't help me out of restraints, I need you to show me how too, please." Skye requests.
"Skye.." May begins to say but Skye cuts her off.
"If there was another way, something else we could try then that's what we would do, but there's not." Skye tells her mother "You guys may not have gotten the chance to raise me, but I am a Coulson, and a May, that means I'm not going to just sit on the sidelines and let others get hurt because of me, I won't." Skye tells her mother.
"You just…" May begins to say sounding completely shocked.
"I know." Skye tells her mother.
"You've never..." May begins to say but once more Skye cuts her off.
"I know." Skye repeats.
Without a word May gets up and walks over to her daughter and pulls her into a hug "I can't lose you again." May says holding Skye close to her.
"And you won't." Skye tells her mother "But I can't let others die because of me." She explains once more "I know who will be included in the group, there are very few people who even know the basics of fighting and with what Ward has taught me I know that I can get away but I don't know how to get out of restraints. I'm going in, so please teach me how to make sure I can get out." Skye requests.
For a long time May just holds her daughter wishing that if she holds her a little longer than maybe she will be safe.
"Why are you watching that again?" Fitz asks Ward who is watching the video Lard sent for the second time since Coulson left the room.
"Because it's the only way I'll get to know the guy." Ward explains "If I know him I can figure out his weakness and cross him of before Skye gets hurt."
"Have you learnt anything?" Simmons asks curious, hoping that the answer is yes.
"That he's smart. His instructions are very clear and leave very little room for loop holes. He is obviously psychologically damaged…" Ward begins to explain but Fitz cuts him off.
"After what he did to Skye we already knew that." Fitz says referring to the psychologically damaged part.
"Which is why I don't understand why Coulson is letting Skye turn herself into him." Ward comments.
"He's doing it because no matter what he chooses there is a possibility that he will lose Skye. Doing this he has the biggest change of her staying alive. This isn't an organization like Centipede we're talking about this is a small group of Hackers. Skye is going to do this no matter what, we all know that once she makes up her mind, that's it. This is the best option we have in a whole lot of bad ones." Simmons explains to Ward and before Ward has a chance to say anything Skye and May walk past the command centre.
"Ward, with us." May says as they do.
"I hate this." Simmons says once Ward has left the room.
"I know." Fitz tells her.
"I told her that I would be with her, no matter what happens." Simmons says to Fitz quietly "But I can't, if I even try then they will kill her."
"Skye know that if you could be with her you could." Fitz tells his friend.
"I feel useless, there is nothing I can do to help her." Simmons comments.
"We can double and triple check the tracker, that's what we can do to help." Fitz tells his friend "Skye is down with May and Ward learning how to escape, she'll be as prepared as she can be, so it's up to us to make sure we can find her once she manages to escape." Fitz explains.
"You're right." Simmons says "Let's go." Simmons says knowing that she isn't as useless to her friend as she thought she was.
Up in his office Coulson is sitting at his desk trying to think of another option, trying to think of anything that won't involve his daughter turning herself in alone, but he keeps coming up with nothing. Every idea he can come up with violates Lard's rules in some way and will end with death.
He hates that he agreed to let Skye turn herself in and if he was in May's shoes after what he said he would have punched him as well. Needing to do something Coulson gets up and heads down to the Cargo bay where he assumes Skye is, hoping to help her to learn what she is going to need to get out of the situation safety.
For most of the day and evening Skye learns from her parents and Ward. While they are teaching it is more than clear that none of them want her to go but at the same time they want her to know as much as possible so they are very intense with their teaching and thankfully after a few hiccups Skye manages to pick it up pretty fast.
"Okay, time." May says as Skye manages to once more get out of being tied to a chair.
"What do you mean time?" Skye asks puffing, clearly out of breath "We've still got a few hours before the deadline." She comments as she collects a bottle of water which Coulson hands her.
"Exactly." May tells her daughter "Soon enough you're going to have to do all this for real which means you are going to need your energy and strength." May explains "We're going to be landing in about an hour at an air field five miles from the location. Then it will be another two hours until the deadline. You need to rest before then, you've learnt all you can now. If we continue to try and teach you then we will just overload you." May explains.
"But I'm not ready yet. I've still got issues trying to get out of the zip ties." Skye says looking between her mother and father.
"Skye, you've done incredibly well today but Melinda's right. If we try to teach you more you will forget what you have learnt." Coulson explains, "Have a shower, rest up, and have some food."
"But.." Skye begins to say Coulson cuts her off.
"If you don't think your skills are where they need to be and if you don't want to do this anymore then you don't have to." Coulson tells her hoping that she will tell him that she doesn't want to hand herself over "We'll find another way." He tells her.
"We've already talked about this, there is no other way." Skye reminds him "I guess a break would be good though. I've still got to get the flash drive ready and that will take about an hour. Which reminds me I've got to run an idea I had by Fitz." She says grabbing a towel and heading into the lab leaving, May, Ward and Coulson outside.
When Skye enters the lab Fitz and Simmons are once more checking the sent tracking.
"Haven't you guys been checking that all day?" Skye asks them curious.
"We just wanted to make sure that is completely perfect, we don't want to take any chances." Simmons explains.
"I appreciate that, but I'm still not sure if I should have it. Sam said no form of tracking or he would kill me and everyone else, this counts as a form of tracking." Skye points out as Ward enters the lab.
"He won't be able to tell that it's there." Simmons explains "The only people who even know that I developed this are the people on this plane." She points out.
"And Mike Peterson." Ward reminds her.
"True." Simmons admits "But there is no way that Rising Tide could have found out about it and even if by some random chance they did then then they wouldn't even be able to tell that you had it on you." Simmons explains "He will never realise Skye." Simmons assures.
"Okay, cool." Skye says feeling okay with the idea now "I had a question for you." She says looking at Fitz "I have a code to hide files in a flash drive but do you have anything that could hide a GPS?" Skye asks curious "Because that way once I'm clear you can find Sam and the others or if the smell thing doesn't work you guys could find me." Skye asks
"You're worried about have an odourless sent on you but you are not worried about hiding a GPS, in a Flash Drive full of encrypted fake files?" Ward asks her surprised.
"Between me and Fitz we can make the files look real enough for me to have time to escape and you guys to get to me, or if I can't, if Fitz has a way to hide a GPS in a Flash Drive then you guys can just find me with that and the tracking smell." Skye explains "I just need to buy enough time so that the people who have been threatened can be protected." Skye explains. "So can you do it?" She asks looking at Fitz.
"Already have." Fitz says pulling out a flash drive "GPS hidden in the files, completely full of files that look like they are S.H.I.E.L.D documents but are actually nothing. I've added my own encryption but it needs yours." Fitz tells.
"Thanks Fitz, really." Skye tells him with a grateful smile "I'll do that now." She says as she walks over and sits down at a computer.
"You don't have to do this." Ward tells Skye.
"In case I haven't said it enough today, yes I do." Skye tells him.
"Skye…" Ward begins to say but he gets cut off.
"Miles is dead because of me, do you get that?" Skye asks, looking upset, "If I don't do this then more people will and I won't let that happen. I get that you're worried about me and so is Coulson and so is May but I've got to do this and none of you will talk me out of it. It's as simple as that." Skye tells Ward "I'm going to finish this upstairs." She says ejecting the Flash drive from the computer and leaving the lap.
"She is so frustrating." Ward says once Skye leaves causing Fitz and Simmons share a knowing look.
"She defiantly inherited both of her parent's nobility." Simmons comments.
"More like their stupidity." Ward mutters.
"You do realise you just called Agents Coulson and May stupid right?" Fitz asks him.
"No, I just, this is so frustrating." Ward says clearly annoyed before leaving the lab.
"I really wouldn't want to be him when Coulson realises Ward's got a thing for his daughter." Fitz comments which causes Jemma to give a small laugh exactly the reaction Fitz was hoping for.
An hour before Lard's deadline the entire team is in the Command Centre.
"The Location is a warehouse five miles from here, according to satellite there is no vehicles there currently but that could change. We'll leave here in two teams." Coulson says "Skye you will be with Melinda and I the rest of you will be in the surveillance truck." He says "Lard's instructions were very clear so we can't have any surveillance, or coms, or back up in any way which is why we will use the sent." Coulson says to Skye "We will drive to a block away from the location and park, you will walk from there." Coulson explains. "Once you're in we will wait fifteen minutes to ensure the exchange of you for Anna has occurred then we will send teams to the people who are threatened. Once they are safe we'll get you out."
"But I might get the chance to get myself out by then." Skye comments "Do I wait for you or do I take it?"
"If you have a chance of getting out you take it." May tells her daughter, "Don't worry about us just get yourself to safety."
"You'll still have the tracking on you so that if for some reason once you escape but you can't get back to us we can get to you." Simmons tells her and Skye nods.
"Did you finish encrypting the drive?" Ward asks Skye.
"Of course. It will take them at the very least a couple of days to get into it." Skye explains "They won't want me to decrypt it for them at first because they would be worried that I would delete the files, that's when I'll get my chance." Skye explains. "Nothing will be done to me until after the Group has met so I'll have a window."
"Make sure you use it." Ward tells Skye who nods.
Forty minutes later the group arrive at an Alley which is a block away from the warehouse where Skye is to turn herself over.
"You don't have to do this." Melinda tells her daughter once more trying to get her not to go.
"Yes I do." Skye says getting out of the car May and Coulson doing the same.
"We'll follow you." Coulson tells Skye as Fitz and Simmons put the tracking sent on Sky's hand "No matter where you go, we'll follow."
"I know you will." Skye tells her father "Just make sure Anna and everyone else is okay." Skye tells her father.
"We will. Just make sure that you are." Coulson tells her.
"I will be." Skye assure her father.
"You better be." Coulson says pulling his daughter into a hug "Come back aright and I'll let you drive Lola." He whispers into her ear.
"Seriously?" Skye asks both excited and completely surprised.
"As long as you stick to your end of the bargain." Coulson tells her breaking the hug "Come back to us okay."
"I will." Skye tells her Dad.
"You better." May says pulling her in for a hug "Remember don't panic, stay calm and think." May tells her daughter needing to give her one last piece of advice.
"Melinda, it's time." Coulson says several minutes later when May hasn't let go of Skye.
"I've got to go." Skye tells her mother when it seems like she isn't going to let go. "This isn't goodbye, it's see you later, I will come back to you guys. I have once, I'll do it again." Skye tells Melinda as she reluctantly lets her go.
"Be careful." Coulson tells her "And we…." Coulson begins to say but Skye cuts him of.
"No, not now." Skye tells her father pretty sure that she knows what he is about to say, "Tell me when once everyone's safe and I'm home." Skye tells her father. "See you later guys." She says to Ward and FitzSimmons but before she can walk away she finds herself getting pulled into a quick hug by FitzSimmons.
"Okay, it's really time for me to go." Skye tells them ending the hug "I'll see you later." Skye says looking directly at her parents before she turns and walks away.
"She called the plane home." Melinda says as she watches her daughter walk away.
"Yeah, she did." Coulson replies surprised by what her daughter said "Let's make sure she gets back to it. FitzSimmons."
"Starting tracking Sir." Simmons say and they climb into the back of the van leaving the door open as they do.
"Deep breath Skye, remember what you were told." Skye says as she walks away from her parents and friends, and now that they can't see her she isn't the picture of confidence that she appeared to be in front of them.
Sky walks for a couple of minutes until she arrives at the warehouse that the coordinates led her to. After pausing to take a deep breath, preparing herself to face someone she never wanted to see again, Skye pushes open the door and enters.
As she enters she sees a male figure standing twenty meters in, "I came." She says. "Where's Anna."
"So you did, I'm glad." Samuel Lard says "But I have to be honest, it wasn't the Rising Tide who wanted you." He admits.
"Then who was it?" Skye ask as she tries to make it as unnoticeable as possible that she is taking steps back.
Before Samuel can respond there is the pop of a silenced gun firing and Samuel falls to the ground "It was me. Skye, it's been a while." Ian Quinn says stepping out from the shadows holding the gun with a silencer on the end.
Before Skye can do anything she finds both of her arms being held back by two men, she doesn't recognize their faces but when she looks at their arms she sees Centipede on both of them.
Even though she knows that it is useless from the second the super soldiers grab her arms Skye fights them, trying to get away because she knows that whatever Quinn with Centipede soldiers want her for can't be good. She attempts to twist her left arm out of the soldiers grasp but at the same time that she does he tightens his hold. As soon as she twists her arm there a loud crack that echoes around the empty warehouse and Skye feels a blinding pain in her arm and she screams out in pain but her scream isn't heard because the second of the crack was heard one of the soldiers covered Skye's mouth to assure that she wouldn't be heard.
Once the soldiers get Skye, who despite the pain in her arm didn't stop fighting, to Quinn, he injects her with a sedative, takes the flash drive out of her pocket and drops it by Lard's body as the soldiers carry Skye to a room out the back of room that Skye entered through where there is a black helicopter waiting.
"I understand that S.H.I.E.L.D has developed an odourless way of tracking, this will prevent that." Quinn tells the soldiers before picking up several buckets of liquid and pouring them over Skye. "Get her in the chopper, we only have minutes now." Quinn says, pressing a button that removes the roof form above them. Knowing that they have very, very little time before a S.H.I.E.L.D team storms the warehouse, especially considering who Skye is, he quickly get in the back next to where the soldiers placed Skye while the soldiers themselves get in the front.
It has been more than five minutes since Skye left Fitz, Simmons, Ward and May. Simmons and Fitz are sitting inside the Van with Ward in the front seat while May and Coulson are standing outside.
"Is she still at the warehouse?" Coulson asks.
"Yes sir." FitzSimmons reply and the group goes back to silence.
"No, no, no FITZ!" Simmons suddenly yells about a minute later.
"What's wrong?" May and Coulson asks panic clean in both their voices.
"We've lost the signal." Fitz explains.
"How's that possible?" Ward ask.
"It shouldn't be." Simmons tells him.
Without a word just a look exchange between them Coulson and May run towards the warehouse, Ward and FitzSimmons not far behind them.
They just get to the warehouse when they hear the sound of a helicopter, which is taking off from, it almost seems like, inside the warehouse.
"Call for Backup. WE NEED SATELIGHT SUPPORT NOW." Coulson orders Wards as he and May enter the warehouse both hoping that they will find their daughter but at the same time they are both positive that she was in that helicopter.
"Look." Coulson says pointing to where they can see a figure on the ground when they enter the warehouse but as they are too far away they can't see who it is.
"SKYE." Melinda yells running towards the figure.
"It's not her." Coulson says once he gets to the body.
"It's Lard." May says relieved that it's not Skye.
"Dead. Which means he wasn't in change." Coulson realises "There is someone else behind this, someone who didn't care about information or revenge." Coulson says as he notices the Flash Drive that Skye brought with her on the floor.
"They wanted Skye." Melinda realises.
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