Chapter 13
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A couple of hours later Coulson and May are exiting Skye's bunk after watching her until she is in a deep sleep, when they do they see Garrett waiting for them.
"I've got to go, I've got a lead." He informs them, "I'll send you anything I get on Deathlok." He tells his old friends.
"No, don't send it." Coulson tells him, "We don't know who's monitoring what." He tells him.
"Guess we're doing things the old fashioned way." Garrett comments.
"Don't you always?" Melinda asks.
"Of course." Garrett answers.
"Where are the others?" Coulson asks.
"Clint and Natasha are upstairs, I think going through Mole suspects. Everyone else is downstairs." Garrett tells them, "And while I would love to stay and chat, I really have to go, till next time." He says shaking Coulson's hand then Melinda's.
"Oh and Congrats, it's about time you realised divorcing each other was the stupidest thing you've ever done, and that is saying a lot." He tells his friends.
"Garret, send our people up as you go." Melinda requests and Garrett nods and heads downstairs.
A minute after Garrett headed downstairs, Ward, Fitz and Simmons return upstairs.
"Sir before you say anything I'm sorry about what happened today we should have looked after her better." Ward tells his bosses and friends.
"We're you all watching Skye?" Melinda asks.
"Yes." Fitz, Simmons and Ward reply.
"We are angry that it happened because no parent likes to see their child hurt, that is why we had you talk to Natasha and Clint first, so that we could have some time to cool down and think." Coulson explains.
"He's not saying that we are angry with you he's just saying that we are angry." Melinda explains.
"I know I'm risking making you both even angrier but I was curious as to why Garrett was here." Ward comments but before either Coulson or May answer Clint's voice interrupts.
"Phil, Mels, Fury is on the line." He says from the top of the stairs.
"We'll finish this later." Coulson says and he and Melinda head upstairs.
"Did he say what he wants?" Melinda asks as she and Coulson enter Coulson's office.
"No." Natasha answers and Coulson picks up the phone.
"Sir?" Coulson asks, "Very Well Sir," Coulson says after a pause, "Of course Sir, yes Sir." Coulson responds, "Goodbye Sir."
"What's going on?" Melinda asks as Coulson hangs up the phone.
"We've got a mission. Fury odd power source coming from South America, Fury wants us to investigate." Coulson explains.
"Coordinates?" Melinda asks.
"I'll send them to you." Coulson responds.
And with a nod Melinda exits the cockpit Natasha right behind him.
"You okay?" Clint asks Coulson and Coulson just gives him a look in response.
"Right, stupid question." Clint responds making himself comfortable on Coulson's couch, "So Quinn, Deathlok, you think we're going to get them?" He asks.
"Don't we always?" Coulson comments sitting down on his desk chair.
"Of course, but what's the cost going to be." Clint says, "You, me, Mels, Nat, Maria, Fury even Garrett we all know there is going to be a cost, on something this big there always is. Are you ready for that?" Clint asks.
"You know what that cost of not stoping, Quinn, or Deathlok or the mole will be and you know we can't let anyone else pay it." Coulson tells his best friend.
"Yeah I do." Clint answers, "I just don't like it." He reveal.
"That's the job." Coulson responds working on his tablet.
"Do you ever think about doing another job?" Clint asks his friend.
"Are you serious?" Coulson asks looking up from his tablet.
"No, I don't know, I just want my family to be safe." Clint tells his friend and Coulson walks over and sits next to him
"That's what we all want." Coulson tells him, "But the only way to be sure of that…." Coulson begins to say but Clint cuts him off,
"Is to do the job." Clint finishes, "I know." He adds, "You know I'm pretty sure Nat and Mels have several save places where no one would find us for when this is all over." He comments.
"Let's get through this first, then talk retirement." Coulson tells his friend.
"I don't like the word Retirement, I'll go with vacation, a long one." Clint comments and Coulson smiles.
Later that night everyone except for Coulson, Melinda, Natasha and Clint are asleep. They landed in South America a few hours later but as it was night they couldn't investigate the source of the energy and are instead monitoring it.
"Who's going to take first shift?" Clint asks the other three as they are all down in the lab monitoring the energy.
"I think you just volunteered." Natasha comments.
"No I didn't." Clint argued.
"Yes, you did." The others respond.
"Okay fine." Clint comments as when all three of them agree on something he isn't going to get what he wants.
"I'll take second shift." Melinda volunteered and Coulson nods, "I talk third, Tasha you take the last." He says and they nod.
"Have fun." Coulson says and he, Melinda and Natasha leave the lab.
"See you in the morning." Natasha says as they reach the upper level and She heads to Melinda's bunk, which has become hers and Clint's when they don't sleep on the couch in Phil's office, and Melinda and Coulson head to Skye's bunk.
"She could have been really hurt today." Coulson says as he and Melinda sit down on the floor at the end of Skye's bunk, watching her Sleep.
"I know." Melinda responds and the pair drift into silence, both watching their daughter.
A couple of hours later Clint heads upstairs to get Melinda for her shift, worried about why she didn't come down on her own because it is unusual for her not to be on time. When he finds Melinda and Coulson sitting in Skye's bunk, asleep, leaning on each other deciding to let them and Natasha sleep and he'll spend the night monitoring the energy, it being far from the first time that he pulled an all-nighter.
When Coulson and May wake up the next morning they are confused as to why Clint or Natasha didn't wake them up but then they realise what must have happened.
"Mommy? Daddy? What are you doing here?" Skye asks confused when she wakes and she sees her parents sitting in her room.
"We were making sure you were okay." Melinda answers.
"I'll go see if Simmons is up." Coulson says getting up.
"Mommy, why do I have to see Jem every morning?" Skye asks interested and confused.
"Well you need to see her today because she needs to see if you can take the bandage off your arm." Melinda tells her daughter.
"But why do I have to see her every morning?" Skye asks confused, "I don't always have a bandage on my arm." She tells her mother.
"I know." Melinda says getting up and walking over and sitting next to her daughter, "May you're special." Melinda tells her daughter, "And because of that we need Jem to run a couple of tests on you ever morning just to make sure that you're alright." Melinda explains.
"But why?" she asks confused.
"Because it's just something we need to do." Melinda tells her daughter, "May I promise you when you are a bit older I will tell you everything." Melinda promises her daughter.
"Promise?" Skye asks.
"Promise." Melinda assures, "Let's go see Jem." She says and mother and daughter get up and head downstairs.
When Simmons runs her usual tests she realises that Skye has aged another couple of months and due to this her arm is held though Simmons is still working on understanding the science behind that.
A couple of hours later when the rest of the team have gone to investigate the energy Natasha has stayed behind with Skye at the plane where they have started on their second ballet lesson at Skye's insistence.
For over a week the team stay in South America investigating the energy source which as it turns out came from an object made from a company called Cyber-Tec. As soon as the see the name Coulson, May, Clint and Natasha become worried as they know the connection that that company has to both Quinn and Deathlok thanks to the information that Garrett gave them.
After a discussion between themselves they have decided not to inform the others of the connection though Fitz, Simmons and Ward are worried.
"What do you think they are keeping from us?" Fitz asks Simmons as they are down in the lab together.
"Who knows?" Simmons respond , "If Skye was still grown up she would tell us to find out." She tells Fitz.
"We need Ward's help." Fitz tells her.
"What do you need my help with?" Ward asks walking into the lab.
"How do you do that?" Fitz asks.
"What do you need?" He asks again ignoring Fitz's question.
"We want to know what Coulson, May, Barton and Romanoff are keeping from us." Simmons explains.
"We'll find out when they are ready to tell us." Ward tells them, "Since when do you want to know everything?" he asks interested.
"We've spent too much time with Skye." Fitz responds.
"Give it a few days, then I'll help you look into it." Ward tells the people who in the last year have become siblings to him.
"Okay." Fitz and Simmons respond.
A few days later the team are back in North America having found another item from Cyber Tec. Because they know that Ward, Fitz and Simmons have been curious about what they have been up to they have called Fitz, Ward and Simmons up to Coulson's office after Skye has gone to bed for the night.
"I know you've all been wondering what is going on with us for the last few weeks." Coulson say to the other three.
"Ever since Garrett showed up actually." Ward comments.
"That was a couple of weeks ago." Clint tells him.
"First you need to know that we didn't tell you because we didn't trust you, because we do." Melinda tells them before Clint and Ward can seriously start to bicker.
"What is going on?" Ward asks.
"The tec that we have had been collecting lately was made by the same company that created Mike Peterson's new leg." Melinda explains.
"Who according to Garrett we now call Deathlok." Natasha adds, "He has been see a couple of times since Skye defeated the Clairvoyant and every time he has been see there has been death and Destruction. He's definitely being controlled by someone and he's undergone more upgrades since Melinda and I fought him." Natasha explains.
"What does Garett have to do with this?" Ward asks.
"He's helping us." Coulson explains, "We've briefed him on what is going on and he is helping us to find the Mole and Quinn." Coulson explains.
"Have we got any leads?" Simmons asks.
"No, not yet." Clint answers.
"We thought it was time that you knew what is going on." Coulson explains.
A few days later the team are in Europe once more trying to follow a lead on Cyber Tec. Coulson, Ward, Natasha and Clint are at a warehouse investigating why Fitz and Simmons are at the plane with Skye.
Simmons and Fitz are in their lab and Skye is out in the cargo bay but they have the lab doors open so that they can watch her, and the ramp is up.
Skye, who is out in the cargo bay, wonders why there are targets on the ramp. No sure why she is doing what she is doing Skye heads over to the side of the cargo bay and opens a case that is kept high up in one of the shelves on the side of the cargo bay. When she opens the case she finds an object that she has seen her uncle use. Unknown to her she is looking at her own bow which has several arrows in the case.
Not sure why she feels like it is something she should be doing Skye picks up the bow and one of the arrows.
"Fitz, we've got to get the consistency right." Simmons tells Fitz angrily, "Not a single one of the rounds have the same amount in it." Simmons tells Fitz.
"I know." Fitz says annoyed, "I am being consistence." He says annoyed, "What the hell?" he asks shocked and confused as he turns to the cargo bay and sees Skye perfectly aiming her bow.
After exchanging a look with Simmons the pair rush out just as Skye fires the arrow and it hits the target dead in the centre.
"Skye, what are you doing?" Simmons asks surprised that she managed to hit the target in the centre even though she knows that grown up Skye was a good archer.
"I don't know. It felt like something I should do." Skye response, "It was fun, can I play?" Skye ask Fitz and Simmons.
"No." Simmons says taking the bow out of Skye's hand, "This is not a toy." She tells her, "It's dangerous." She reveals.
"This on the other hand is a toy and isn't dangerous" Fitz says walking into the lab and returning with the Nerf crossbow that Clint used in their Nerf war, "You can play with this." He tells her handing her the crossbow and the Nerf bullets.
"But whatever you do, do not hit anything near your Dad's car." Simmons advices.
"Lola, her name is Lola." Skye tells Fitz and Simmons.
"Coulson would be so proud." Fitz comments and Simmons smiles.
"I won't, I know how mad Daddy would be if I did." Skye responds and she run to the other end of the cargo bay shooting the Nerf crossbow as she does.
"What the hell was that?" Fitz asks Simmons quietly.
"It's like her knowing how to Swim, its muscle memory." Simmons explains.
"But you said that she needs to be shown how to do something first, she hasn't been shown how to use a crossbow." Fitz points out.
"Not directly no, but Clint was holding her when he was using the Nerf Crossbow and we've all watched him practice down here." Simmons points out.
"Roshambo on who tells Coulson and May?" he ask and he wins, "And looks like you're telling them." He tells his girlfriend.
"No need to be too happy about that." Simmons responds.
Twenty minutes alter Fitz and Simmons here Ward's voice through the Coms telling them to lift up the Cargo Bay ramp because they are five minutes out.
"I'll take Skye, upstairs, good luck." Fitz says before getting Skye and heading upstairs.
"How did it go?" Simmons ask the others when they arrive.
"There was nothing there we think it stopped being their current lab a while ago." Coulson reveals.
"Simmons's what's Skye's bow doing on the desk?" Clint asks.
"Um about that, Skye went over to the shelf and got it down, she fired an arrow perfectly." Simmons reveals, "Fitz and I realised just as she was firing and we took it off her and gave her the Nerf one to play with, we thought that would be a better idea." Simmons reveals.
"What do you mean she fired it perfectly?" Clint asks.
"See for yourself." Simmons says raising the ramp so that you can see the target with the arrow in the dead centre, "I don't even think she realised what she was doing. I'm don't know why she went to the shelf in the first place." She explains.
"Do think this could be one of the Echo's we were warned about?" Melinda asks.
"I don't know." Simmons answers truthfully, "I can only guess, the only person who fully understands these powers is Skye." She tells the others.
"And she doesn't understand them at the moment." Natasha comments.
Overnight the team fly back to North America and the next day when she wakes Skye is taken down to Fitz and Simmons to have her brain activity and ageing recorded to see how it is progressing and Simmons is shocked to discover that it has increased a lot more since the day before, even more so than usual as she is visibly older which is something that hasn't happened since she was a baby.
"Skye how old are you?" Jemma asks her friend as they have realised that Skye knows what ages she is whenever she is asked.
"Seven and a half." Skye answers to Coulson, May and Simmons surprise, "What's wrong? You know how old I am." Skye says to her parents confused.
"Why don't you go and have breakfast, we'll be up in a minute." Melinda says to her daughter.
"Okay." Skye says jumping down from the table and heading upstairs.
"Did she age a year in one night?" Coulson asks shocked.
"Thirteen months to be exact." Simmons answers.
"How?" Melinda asks shocked.
"I'm not positive but I think it was because her electrical energy levels just received a very large boost, which could explain what happened yesterday, I think to accommodate that her ageing had to increase dramatically." Simmons explains.
"Is that likely to happen a lot?" Coulson asks.
"I don't know." Simmons responds honestly.
Upstairs Skye is upstairs sitting at the counter in the kitchen pushing her breakfast around on her plate rather than eating it
"What's wrong Kid?" Clint asks concerned as it's odd that Skye's not eating as Coulson made Chocolate Chip pancakes which are her favourite.
"Nothing." Skye responds as she continues to push food around.
"Talk to me Kid, what's wrong?" Clint asks concerned.
"I know you're keeping a secret from me." Skye says looking up at her Uncle, "You Mom, Dad, тетя Наташа, Jem, Fitzy, and Ward. I know there is something you're not telling me and I don't like it, I don't like secrets." Skye tells her Uncle.
"Kid…." Clint begins to say, not even sure where he's going to take that sentence when Natasha's voice interrupts.
"Melinda, Clint, Phil, come up to the office, Maria's on the line she has news." Natasha says through the coms.
"Go, it's okay." Skye tells her Uncle.
"We will finish this conversation Kid, I promise." Clint tells her.
"Ah huh." Skye says doubtfully.
"Hey, look at me." Clint requests and his niece looks up, "I promise you that we will continue this conversation." He tells her, "Until then eat your breakfast, I mean it." Clint tells her, "Have I ever broken a promise to you?" He asks.
"No." Skye responds but she has this feeling that tells her that the only guaranty about promises is that they are broken but she doesn't understand why as every promise she can remember someone making her they have kept.
"See, eat your breakfast." Clint tells her and Skye does just that and once he is sure that she is eating he heads upstairs.
Once Coulson, Melinda and Clint are upstairs Natasha presses the speaker button the phone.
"We're all here." Natasha informs Maria.
"Garrett and I will be arriving at your location in a while." Maria informs them, "So don't go anywhere." She tells them.
"What's going on?" Coulson asks.
"We've got information on Quinn, but I don't want to discuss it over the phone." Maria informs them.
"How far away are you?" Melinda asks.
"About an hour." Maria responds before hanging up.
"You guys need to talk to Skye." Clint tells his friends.
"Why? What's wrong?" Melinda asks worried.
"She knows we're keeping a secret from her and she doesn't like it." Clint reveals, "Ultimately it's up to you but I think it's time you told her the truth." He suggest.
"I agree with Clint, with her ageing being so erratic lately the longer you wait the angrier she is going to be." Natasha tells her friends.
"We know." Coulson comment and he and Melinda look at each other, "Once we've dealt with whatever Maria is going to tell us we'll talk to her." He says and Natasha and Clint both nod, both of them along with Coulson and Melinda knowing that it is the right decision.
"What's going on Sir?" Ward asks Coulson when Garrett and Maria arrive.
"They've got information on Quinn." Coulson reveals.
"What kind of information sir?" Ward asks.
"I don't know for sure." He admits, "But whatever it is, we need it." He reveals.
"What do you want me to do?" He asks.
"Stay with Skye and FitzSimmons, once we know whatever the information is we'll fill you in." Coulson responds as he Melinda, Natasha, Clint, Maria and Garrett head into the command centre and everyone else stays outside.
"What's going on?" Skye asks Ward curious, "Why is Maria here?" She asks as she knows who Maria is because when she talks to Nicky Maria is often present.
"I really don't know." Ward admits.
"What have you found?" Natasha asks Maria once they have closed the door to the command centre.
"Not a lot, but something." Maria says connecting her own private, encrypted tablet to the monitor.
"Most of what we have found is from his teenager and early adult years as we figure that for the mole to be trusted by Quinn and by extension his father he or she must have known them a long time and that time is likely when they met." Garrett explains.
"Why do you think the mole connection is through Quinn and not his father?" Melinda asks interested.
"Because of everything that we know about Quinn we don't believe that he would trust someone just because they knew his father. The Clairvoyant on the other hand could know just by thinking if he can trust someone so it would make sense that Quinn is the one who brought in the mole rather than his father." Maria explains.
"What exactly are we looking for?" Coulson asks as Maria puts something up on the big screen.
"Anything that could show a connection to our mole." Maria comments as they all start reading.
"Scroll down." Natasha requests several minutes later.
"Wait, stop." Clint requests.
"What is it?" Maria asks interested as everyone turns to Clint.
"Blair Athol Private Boys Boarding School, does that name sound familiar to anyone else?" He asks and everyone pauses to think about it.
"Sitwell." Coulson comments realising the connection.
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