updated and betaed 04/10-2020

Chapter 5: The Ultimatum

The next day May went up to Coulson's office, "What did Skye say yesterday?" she asked.

"It's something between Skye and I," he answered, without looking up from his paperwork. May only nodded, and was about to leave when Coulson stopped her, "We've been asked to come to The Hub," he said.

"Who put in the order?" she asked.

"Maria Hill, she will meet us there."

"Okay, I'll go put the coordinates in," she said and went to do just that.

When she reached the cockpit, and after setting the course for The Hub, she closed her eyes, took out her phone, and found the right contact and pressed the call button. She waited a few moments before it was picked up, "Maria Hill," was said at the other end of the line.

"Maria, it's me," she said.

"Hey Melinda, I guess that Coulson has told you to come to The Hub?" Maria asked.

"Yes, he did. Does this have anything to do with including Skye in the project?" May asked.

"Yes, it is, and there is also a mission that Ward, Fitz, and Coulson will be sent out on, so Coulson and Ward won't ask too many questions. Coulson knows that I have asked to talk to Skye about what has happened over the last few days," Maria said.

"Hmm, isn't it a little too soon to include Skye? We haven't known her for that long, only what, two weeks?" May asked.

"Yes, but Peggy insists that we do it as soon as possible. Natasha will be there too, and she is not happy about it either," Maria said. May let out a big sigh.

"Okay Maria, we will be there in 2 hours and 17 minutes," May said.

"See you then," Maria replied, the call ended after that.

When they got to The Hub, they were met by Hill. Her and Coulson greeted one another, then Hill turned to Skye. "Hello, you must be the mysterious Skye. I'm deputy director Maria Hill," she said with a smile.

"Mysterious, who me, I'm not that mysterious," Skye replied with a little laughter. She saw Hill get an expression on her face that she couldn't read. "Sorry," she quickly said.

Maria made a "hmm" sound, then she turned to Coulson and said, "Coulson I need to speak to you, before you, Ward, and Fitz have the mission briefing with Agent Hand," Maria said.

"Of course," he replied.

"Good, follow me. The rest of you will be called when there is a need for you," she said. "Skye, we have time for some training before the briefing," Ward told Skye, much to Skye's displeasure.

When Coulson and Maria made it to Maria's office at the Hub Coulson asked "So Maria, what is it that you want to talk to me about? If this is about Skye then-" he didn't get to finish when Maria interrupted him.

"Coulson this is about Skye, just not what you think," she said. "I just want to know what your thoughts are about her, I know she told you something about why she is here last night. I also know that you won't tell me, or anyone else, what it was she told you if it isn't a threat to SHIELD, and since you haven't done that, I can only assume that it isn't," she told Coulson.

Coulson only made a "Oh" sound before he started to tell Maria that he believed that Skye could be one of the best agents SHIELD had ever had, if she was just given a chance, and that she was a good person who had just made a few mistakes. Maria only nodded, then she told Coulson to get to his meeting with Agent Hand.

When the time for the briefing came they were told that it was only for level 7 and above, once Fitzsimmons heard that they went to the lab. Skye was confused and tried to follow Coulson, May, and Ward, but when she got to the panel that opened the door, her wrist got stuck to it. Coulson came back to her and told her that she wasn't allowed in the meeting, that he knew that it was hard for her to adjust to the way the rest of SHIELD worked, compared to the way they did things on the BUS, but that her wrist should be free in a minute and with that, he left.

When Skye finally got free from the panel, she went back to the plane as there was nothing else she could do. It was a couple of hours later that the rest of the team came back, she was told that the boys were going on a mission and Simmons was asked to help down in the lab with something classified down there for Agent Hand.

The next morning the boys departed for their mission as it was scheduled to take at least a week. Skye was a little worried, but she didn't say anything to anyone and then when Simmons went down to the lab, it was only her and May until Maria Hill came on the BUS, "Skye, Agent May, follow me," was the only thing she said. When they arrived at Maria's office, Skye was surprised to see another person in there, it was a redhead that she knew, or more correctly knew of.

"Ahh, you're smaller than I thought," the redhead said.

"Ummm, what's going on here?" Skye asked. The three older agents and wolves could see that Skye gulped.

"Maria, will you?" Natasha said as May walked over and stood next to the redhead.

"Yes," Maria answered with a little bow of her head.

"Skye, first I want to introduce to you Natasha Romanoff, and secondly," Maria took a deep breath, "there is a project that SHIELD has been working on for a very long time, May, Natasha, myself, and a few others are a part of it too. Our leader has decided to," Maria just stopped looking very troubled, Skye thought that she didn't want to or knew how to end her sentence.

"She has decided that she wants you to join, and you will," Natasha said, because Maria couldn't.

"Decided? What, don't I get a say? What is it anyway?" Skye asked, getting a little mad that it seemed like she didn't get a say in it.

"No, you either join or you will never see the light of day again," Natasha said.

Now Skye was mad, "You can't do that, Coulson won't let you," she almost yelled back.

"Coulson doesn't have a say in this, he doesn't even know about this," Natasha said back with a dangerous tone, but because Skye was angry herself, she didn't hear it.

Maria interrupted them before it went any further, "I know it is hard for you, but I really think that you could learn a lot, if you said yes to this," she said in a gentle tone to Skye. Out of the corner of her eye, Skye could see May say something to Natasha, and Natasha visibly relaxed.

"What is this project and why would you want me to join?" Skye said.

"It's a gene manipulation project," Natasha said, not answering the why part of Skye's question.

"Gene, gene manipulation?" Skye asked, completely shocked.

"Yes, we will start tonight with the first injection and when you are back on the plane May will help you with your transition from there on out," Natasha said with a gentler tone than before.

Skye was quiet for a while, then she sighed and nodded, "Okay, but what exactly will happen when my transition is done," Skye asked.

"You will become a wolf," Maria said.