MISSION: REDACTED
LOCATION: HELICARRIER

It has been two days since the disaster of the desert and two days since they lost the Tesseract and Clint. The loss hit everyone hard especially Agent Natasha Romanoff, she had been close to Agent Barton.

Seated in the center of his room, still dressed in his gear and suit, Higgs meditated. Faint hissing and thrumming of the pipes overhead acted as white noise to him. Beside him, his golden mask glistened. Carved in the fashion to mimic a skull, his mask acted as just that. A mask but it had other properties as well.

"Higgs!" Knuckles banged on the other side of his bedroom door. "Higgs! Open up!"

Snapping open his eyes, they glowed a fiery orange in the shadows of his hood as he looked straight ahead, seeing his reflection in the glass before him. He turned his head and listened to the speaker outside. It was Agent Coulson. "Higgs!"

He snatched up his mask and slid it into place, hearing the pieces lock into place. Pressing a button on his wrist, the door whirled and hissed to the unlocked position and began to open. Agent Coulson along with a young woman entered the room to find it empty.

"Maybe he isn't here?" The young woman peeked around Agent Coulson, "Maybe he left?"

"No, he's here." Agent Coulson replied, waiting patiently. And he was correct.

Slithering like a snake, Agent Higgs descended the pipes from overhead. He hated when the trainees accompanied him. Dropping, he landed softly before Agent Coulson and the woman. "Coulson."

"Higgs, this is Agent Santana." Coulson started, "She's your-"

"I do not care who she is. What do you want?" Higgs spat in disgust.

"Fury wants to talk to you personally."

Peering over Coulson's shoulder, Agent Santana watched Higgs with complete curiosity. She could see he was dressed entirely in full- tactical gear. The only thing that was out of place was a weird rigging device that flowed down his spine as he turned around, pinning the hood on his back.

"Why didn't he come himself? Instead of sending his lapdog?" Higgs stomped over towards a large series of lockers that lined the back wall of Higgs's bedroom. He typed something on the weird computer-like device on his inner left wrist and whirling caught Agent Santana's attention. It was a weapons locker and it was stockpiled with gear belonging to her new partner. He took a set of identical pistols from their cubbies and slid them into the holsters at his thighs. Belts clicked into place when Higgs fastened something on his back, rolling his narrow shoulders as it attached to the metal spine.

Coulson merely raised an eyebrow towards Higgs, who in turn, turned around and faced him. He remained quiet as Higgs stared him down. "He has more important things to do than walk around the Helicarrier, telling people where to find him."

"Right. Like I wait on him hand and foot like you. " Higgs retorted, walking past Coulson, "Whatever, I will go speak with Fury."

"Good." Coulson followed Higgs and the new agent followed Coulson. She swallowed her fear of her new partner and did her best to stay out of his way. Like everyone around him. Other agents looked at him with fear in their eyes as he walked like a predator, prowling for his next meal. Many stepped to the side as he stalked the halls with Coulson and Agent Santana behind him.

Reaching the Hull, Coulson and Santana stopped while Higgs proceeded to approach Fury. He turned around from his position and screens to address Higgs. "Higgs."

"Sir." Higgs spoke gruffly.

"You are needed."

"For what?" He glanced over at the computer screens as fellow agents were doing whatever they could to find Agent Barton and the Tesseract.

"You are going to assist Agent Romanoff in retrieving an asset. One that requires the utmost caution. You will be taking Agent Santana with you."

"An 'Asset'?"

"An ally, but one that can be extremely volatile. Under no circumstances are you to threaten this individual." Fury stared Higgs down.

"And if this ally proves to be difficult," Higgs clarified, "How do I proceed then?"

"Don't let that happen," Fury states imperatively.

Higgs bowed his hooded head, "Yes, sir."

Coulson approached him, holding out a tablet. "Your target is Dr. Bruce Banner. You will be assisting Agent Romanoff in retrieving him and escorting him here back to the Helicarrier."

Higgs's jaw must've dropped in disbelief, "Dr. Banner? You want me to bring back that MONSTER!" He turned on his heels to face Director Fury. "I'd rather put a bullet in his skull."

"That 'monster' may be our only lead in locating the tesseract and putting it back where it belongs," Fury countered. "We've taken precautions for once he gets here. You just need to get him on board."

Higgs stared at Fury but didn't believe him. He knew bringing the doctor onto the Helicarrier would be a bad idea but those were his orders. Moving his jaw in annoyance, Higgs nodded. "Fine, I will bring the Doctor."

"And don't antagonize him. It was hard enough to find him the first time." Fury added.

Higgs stalked away from Director Fury, Coulson and Santana. "Maybe you should've left him alone."