Pieces of the Missing Puzzle

"People have scars. In all sorts of unexpected places. Like secret roadmaps of their personal histories. Diagrams of all their old wounds. Most of our wounds heal, leaving nothing behind but a scar. But some of them don't. Some wounds we carry with us everywhere and though the cut's long gone, the pain still lingers."

-Meredith Grey, Grey's Anatomy

April 12, 2018

By the time Grant arrived at the hanger where The Bus - a massive airplane that Director Fury gave to Coulson for his sacrifices before the Battle of New York - his agitation had doubled. Sure, he understood why Coulson wanted him on this team. He was one of the best Specialist S.H.I.E.L.D. had currently - and that was putting it modestly - but the fact remained that he was not a team person. He was not built that way and he was not trained that way, so the fact that he was being forced into this position really got on his nerves.

As he made his way up the ramp, he could hear the two scientists on the team arguing in the lab.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch it! That's the night-night gun," he heard the young male with a Scottish accent exclaim. He rolled his eyes. Night-night gun...he was not calling it that.

"Well, it's on my stuff, and it doesn't work, and there's no way we're calling it the night-night gun," the British woman replied. At least she realized how stupid the name was.

He sighed in annoyance as the pair began to argue their point at the same time.

"The bullets work. Nonlethal, heavy stopping power break up under the subcutaneous tissue…"

"Oh, with a dose of only .1 microliter of adreno-dendrotoxin. I'm not Hermione. I can't create instant paralysis with that. You should have run the specs by me before building the molds. Or used a higher-caliber round. Or read a book."

"The bullets are hollow. It's a marvel I can keep them from breaking apart in the chamber. Have you ever heard of physics or What's the other one? Inertia? It's not particularly difficult."

Tired of waiting for them the notice him, he drops his bag on the ground, causing both scientists to look over at him.

"Fitz-Simmons?" Ward asked nervously.

"Fitz." the English woman started, pointing at her partner.

"Simmons. I'm engineering. She's biochem." The Scotsman finished.

"Agent Ward?" Fitz asked.

"Coulson said I'd need my comm receiver encoded. Don't know if you've worked with that model before. It's Brand-new." Ward said removing the external received from the inside of his jacket.

"He'll repurpose the I.D.I.S. Chip," Simmons explained as Ward stared in shock at Fitz as he smashed his external receiver without hesitation.

"Don't need the external receiver for the inner-ear comms anymore," Fitz added.

"So, uh, how does it…" Ward began to ask before Simmons shoved a Q-tip in his mouth and rubbed it around.

"Embedded sensorineural silicone matched to your DNA. It's very posh." She explained as she collected his DNA. "So, are you excited to be coming on our journey into mystery?" She asked cheerily.

"It's like Christmas." He deadpanned. She didn't seem to notice his clear annoyance. She just smiled and turned away.

When his comm receiver was encoded, he grabbed his bag and made his way upstairs where Coulson was discussing the mission.

"I'll contact the DTW-ATC Director and find a place to land," the woman said. Coulson said something that Ward didn't catch. The woman nodded curtly, spared him a glance, and turned to head toward the cockpit.

"Agent Ward," Coulson greeted.

"Was that…?" Ward began before trailing off.

"She's just the pilot." Coulson stated in a way that made Ward believe that that conversation was over.

"Melinda May is just the pilot? Sir, with all due respect, but what game are you playing." Coulson just smiled.

"You should put your stuff away. We'll be taking off soon." Coulson left to head upstairs, leaving Ward confused and still aggravated. This day was really pissing him off.

It took about an hour and a half to get to New York from The Hub. By the time they landed, Ward's aggravation had extinguished for the most part - it was never a good idea to be in a bad mood during a mission, that led to mistakes and Ward didn't make mistakes. He was geared up and ready to go by the time Coulson made it down to the cargo hold.

"Sir, we were able to narrow down the location of the terrorist group from the footage from the drone." Simmons said.

"We believe that they're hold up in an abandoned office building on 125th street." Fitz added.

"125th street? That's in Harlem, right?" Coulson asked.

"Yes sir." Fitz confirmed. "According to the thermal readings from the drone, most of their men are on the third floor of the building. We think that's where they are working on uploading the information they stole."

"The thermal readings show that most of the people in the building are at the front or on the third floor, so entrance through a window in the back is your best bet," Simmons explained, showing Ward and Coulson a picture of the back of the building.

"Good work FitzSimmons." Coulson nodded at the pair.

"Thank you, sir." They replied in unison before heading back into the lab. Ward headed toward the passenger side of the S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV. This was an intel extraction, but Ward was hoping to punch a few guys out. That would take care of any lingering aggravation he had. Yeah, his day was looking up.

His aggravation was back. It was his own fault, honestly. He thought the mission would be easy. He jinxed it. When they arrived at the office building, it didn't take long for them to notice the camera's or the keypads on the doors.

"Well, this makes getting in slightly more difficult." Coulson mused. Ward rolled his eyes. Obviously, it was more difficult, but not impossible.

"As soon as the camera turns, I'll traverse the ledge and slip in through that second-floor window above the door. I can open the door from the inside." Ward explained. Coulson nodded in agreement.

"Or," Coulson began, watching the camera. Once it moved away from the door, he stood and headed towards it. Ward was about to ask him what the hell he was doing, but never got the chance. Coulson opened the door. "We could just walk in."

At a loss for words, Ward stood up and hurried toward the door before the camera turned back.

"How did you know it was open?" he asked Coulson once the two were inside.

"I noticed it was cracked. I guess these terrorists aren't the sharpest nails in the bucket." Coulson explained. "Alright, we're gonna have to split up."

"With all due respect, sir, maybe you should wait in the SUV. I can head to the third floor and stop the upload." Coulson stared at him for a moment.

"You are really not a team player, are you?" Coulson asked.

"I did try to warn you, sir."

"You're making my job difficult."

"I apologize sir, but I was trained to be the whole solution. I can stop the upload and once it's stopped, you can call in the cavalry to take down the group."

Coulson sighed. He obviously didn't want to do this, but Ward could see his resolve cracking.

"Alright," Coulson finally said. "Stop the upload, but do not try to take on the entire group by yourself. As soon as you stop the upload, let me know, and I will signal the NYPD. They're already on stand-by." Ward nodded curtly.

"Yes sir."

Coulson pushed the exit open slowly, checking to make sure he was in the clear, before taking off. Ward felt a small amount of relief. Coulson was a good field agent, but he wasn't a specialist, and Ward didn't want to worry about anyone. It would cause a distraction and Ward couldn't do his job while distracted.

It didn't take long for him to get to the third floor. He stuck to the shadows - moving under the cameras and in their blind spots - and only running into a handful of guards - all of which he took down easily enough. He thought he was in the final stretch, as he made his way to the room he believed the upload was happening in, but, once again, he was taken by surprise when he ran into a young girl as he rounded the corner.

"Holy crap!" She exclaimed quietly, clutching her iPad to her chest. Ward pointed his gun at her out of instinct.

"Freeze!" He whispered.

"Whoa! Calm down cowboy. Why don't you put that gun down?"

"Sorry, I don't negotiate with terrorists." The girl snorted.

"Do I look like a terrorist?" She snarked.

"Well, you're in a building filled with them." He retorted.

"So are you. Are you a terrorist?"

"No!" He whispered harshly. The girl rolled her eyes, causing Ward to clench his jaw. "I'm with S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Oh man, S.H.I.E.L.D.? The day is saved." She replied sarcastically. "You don't look like the type of person who can shut down an upload."

"What type of person do I look like?" He asked, slightly out of annoyance, but mostly out of curiosity.

"Not a person, a thing. Specifically, a robot." The girl smirked at Ward as his face reddened slightly.

"What - you know what, never mind. I am on a government sanctioned op. You should not be here. You're a civilian."

"Yeah, a civilian who can stop the upload. Just out of curiosity, how were you planning on stopping the upload? Smashing the computer?"

"Well...yeah." He replied, causing the girl to laugh.

"That wouldn't stop the upload. Fortunately for you, Mr. T-1000, I know how to stop it." Before Ward could reply, the girl turned and sauntered down the hallway. Ward hurried after her.

"What the hell are you doing?" he hissed. "There are cameras!"

"No duh," she muttered mockingly. "I put them on a loop before I even entered the building."

"But they're still moving?" the girl gave him a look that said he was stupid for asking.

"Of course, they are. It has to seem like they're on and working or else someone will notice." They walked quietly for a moment before a thought dawned on Ward.

"You're the one who left the back door open. You hacked the key pad?"

"Two points for the robot. He's finally getting it." Ward clenched his fist in irritation. The girl was really testing him.

"How exactly where you going to take on the guards in the room where the upload is happening?"

"I have my ways." He looked at her, waiting for her to elaborate, but she never did. Instead, she slowed down as the approached a door at the end of the hallway. "That's where the upload it is happening."

"You should stay out here while I take care of the guards." Ward held up his gun and grabbed the doorknob. "I'll come get you when it's safe." He didn't wait for her reply. He opened the door and rushed in. He fired several shots at the guards - all of which were silenced - before they even knew what was happening. He took cover as shots were returned, but quickly gained the advantage and took down the remaining guards. There weren't many - either not many people believed in whatever cause they were fighting for or they were cocky and didn't think they needed anymore guards. Either way, it worked out well for him. He turned his gun on the door when he heard it shut. "Are you crazy? I could have shot you!" He hissed.

"You could have tried." She laughed before making her way to the single computer in the room. It didn't take her long to do whatever it was that she was gonna do. Ward kept an eye on her to make sure she didn't try to do anything like steal the information or finish the upload. Honestly, Ward was wondering what the hell he was thinking. He didn't know this girl and yet, he was allowing her to stop the upload. Coulson putting him on this team was really throwing him off his game.

"Are you almost finished?" He huffed. The girl snorted.

"You're really lucky I showed up. You would have been lost."

"The hell does that mean?"

"It means that it takes more than five seconds to stop an upload of this size. Luckily, the upload was only at 38 percent, which makes the cancelation easier, but it still takes time. Before he could reply, the doorknob began to jiggle. The girl - he should ask her name, but what was the point? He wouldn't see her after this mission - had locked the door, but it wouldn't take long for them to get inside. Ward crouched down with his gun aimed.

"Hurry up!" He hissed. The girl looked at him and rolled her eyes before turning back to the computer. The sound of gunshots filled the room and the door knob exploded simultaneously. Ward began to squeeze the trigger, ready for whatever was to come. Well, almost. He was prepared for a group of guards to bust through, guns blazing and bullets flying. What he was not prepared for was three filing cabinets sliding across the floor and propping themselves up against the door, successfully preventing the guards' entrance.

He looked at the girl in disbelief. Her eyes were focused solely on the filing cabinets. Did she do that? Ward blinked a couple of times. The girl looked at him with a smirk.

"I told you I had my ways." She turned her attention back to the computer and finished preventing the upload. "Okay," she said after a few more minutes. "The upload has been cancelled and the computer has been wiped of any information." She kneeled in front of the modem and began to open it up. "Here is the hard drive. Reassurance that they don't have the information and can't get it back." She handed him the thick, black hard drive. He took it with a nod, the only form of thank you he knew.

"Coulson," Ward said over the comms, turning away from the girl slightly. "The upload has been cancelled. Call in the cavalry."

"Roger that," Coulson replied. Ward turned back to the girl only to find an open window and the girl gone.

"Shit," Ward muttered as the sound of sirens filled his ears. He made his way over to the window and found just what he was expecting: nothing.

Once the NYPD showed up, they arrested any group members found on sight. Several units split off to find the ones who took off. It didn't take long for them to be found, they didn't get very far. Once everything was handled, Ward and Coulson headed back to The Bus, hard drive in hand.

One the way there, Ward could feel Coulson's need to say something, but he made no effort to start the conversation. Turns out, he didn't need to.

"Your comms were on the entire time," Coulson began, causing Ward to freeze and look at the older man slowly. "I heard everything."

"Sir…" He began.

"You don't need to explain Agent Ward. What you did was smart."

"Smart, sir?"

"Yes, smart. You realized that you didn't have the capability to stop the upload, so you took the opportunity that presented itself."

"It was a dangerous decision, sir." Ward argued.

"Maybe, but it worked out. I may not be a specialist, but I do know that when you're in the field, things are unpredictable and sometimes, you have to trust your instincts, even if they're telling you to go with something unfamiliar."

"So, you're not angry, sir?" Not that Ward cared.

"Not at all. In fact, I'm intrigued. I'd like to know more about this girl." Ward scoffed.

"Why? She's just a cocky teenager with an attitude problem."

"Agent Ward, you have a lot to learn about people. That girl is clearly an asset."

"An asset?" He was in disbelief. Coulson was crazy, clearly. His death, or near death, or whatever he went through before the Battle of New York obviously fried some brain cells.

"Yes, an asset. We don't know anything about her. Do you know how rare that is?" Ward just shrugged in reply. "What is even more rare is her determination to stop the upload. Our job is to protect the world from the much weirder world. That's not her job, and yet, she was there."

"For reasons we don't fully know, sir."

"All the more reason to find her." Ward didn't reply. He knew he wasn't going convince Coulson of his point. It was clear the older man was determined to find her, and he would.

Coulson watched the mystery girl who Ward encountered a day prior pour coffee for a table of unruly men. As she turned away, one of the men smacked her butt, causing her to freeze. A surge of protectiveness shot through Coulson and it took him a moment to remember why he was there.

He saw the girl's fists clench before the freshly poured coffee exploded over the four men in the booth. They all jumped up and took off toward the bathroom. Coulson watched as the girl smirked and went to put up the coffee. After he made his intentions of finding the girl clear to Ward, the younger agent filled him in on his suspicions. He believed the girl had telekinesis and caused several filing cabinets to slide across the floor. So, Coulson knew, but it was still impressive to see.

Coulson was brought out of his thoughts when the girl of the hour approached his booth, notepad in hand.

"Hello, I'm Skye, and I will be your waitress today. Can I start you off with something to drink?" She looked at him expectantly.

"Hello Skye," Coulson replied, setting the hard drive she had given Ward on the table. Recognition flashed on her face immediately as she looked at the hard drive. She looked at Coulson, her eyes wide and slightly fearful. He gave her a reassuring smile. "I think we need to talk."