Sorry it's late, it's been a crazy week! And this chapter was kinda challenging for me. I really prefer interactions (especially with Skye) to action. I tried my best, but sorry if it's a bit rushed and not my best writing.
You all are the best. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon for you all.
Thanks *virtual hug*
"How long do you think we have?" Hunter's voice was low. Coulson glanced at him, face hidden in the darkness.
"I told May to leave with Skye without us if we take too long."
"What?!" Hunter yelped. "You didn't think about telling me that earlier?!"
"Shh."
"How do we know he hasn't left?" Hunter asked disgruntledly. It had only been a couple minutes since they radioed with Garret and they were making their way through the hall of the science wing. Both had scattered cuts and bruises here and but were relatively unharmed.
"I know Garret."
"May and Skye have reached the plane."
Tripp's voice reported in his ear and Phil's heart leapt with joy. It didn't matter one bit that he was still in the middle of the building belonging to his enemies, being hunted down.
His little girl was safe.
"I knew it would be you that found us."
Phil spun around and found himself face to face with Garret.
"You son of a…" Hunter stepped forward, but Phil grabbed his arm, pulling him back.
About a dozen soldiers stood at attention behind Garret and he lazily paced in front of them.
"I always admired you, Phil. I may have been lying about a lot of things, but that was one thing I never faked. You have a talent for assessing a situation and knowing what the right thing to do is."
Phil was silent, blue eyes attentively tracking Garret's pacing.
"I would find that flattering but I don't take much value in compliments from traitors." Coulson's voice was hard.
"That's harsh." Garret looked genuinely hurt. "I'm not here to flatter you though. I'm here with a proposition."
"What could you possibly want from me?" Coulson's gaze was even.
"I want you to come with me. Join us. I am the commander of this entire base, and there are many others."
"Why would I want to join a group that kills innocent people?"
"There needs to be order before there is peace. And sometimes sacrifices must be made for peace. History has shown that time and time again," Garret purred, stepping closer. "With us, you would have the power to protect the ones you love, to work on creating a better world. Isn't that all you have ever wanted?"
"Not this way." Coulson shook his head.
Hunter was staring at Garret.
"He actually believes that shit," he observed, brown eyes wide.
"Coulson and I need to have a conversation." Garret stepped closer. He raised a gun to Hunter's head.
"Go to hell," Hunter spat.
"You'll have to save me a spot down there then," Garret grinned.
"Wait!" Coulson stepped forward desperately. "You want to talk? Let's talk." He pulled out his gun and dropped it to the ground, kicking it away.
"Coulson," Hunter hissed.
"You said if I joined Hydra, I could protect the ones I care about. Prove it to me," Coulson stared at Garret.
"Coulson, what the hell…" Hunter protested, despite the gun inches away from his face.
Garret began chuckling and tucked the gun away.
"Alright old friend. Let's talk." He put an arm around Coulson's shoulder, leading him into a room.
Hunter turned to look at the dozen of soldiers staring at him. He knew that Coulson had bought him some extra time, but he had a feeling they wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he provoked them.
And then he spotted the flash of blond hair in the hall and all concerns for his own well being disappeared.
"I like your shoes. What size do those happen to be?" Hunter turned to the nearest soldier. The man gave him a confused look before looking down at his shoes. Hunter took advantage of the distraction to grab the gun out of the soldier's hand, putting a bullet in him before using his body as a shield as the other soldiers began shooting. He made it to a metal table, which he flipped and dove behind.
He shot back, taking down a few.
He was still cornered behind the table when his gun clicked, signaling it was out of ammunition.
The temporary fortification wasn't going to last long. But he had to stop the soldiers from getting to Coulson.
"Shit." Hunter swore as a bullet tore through the table he was hiding behind. He arched in pain as a sudden pain ripped through his left leg.
He was cornered.
But Hunter wasn't one to give up. He grabbed a nearby chair and hoisted himself onto his feet, bashing the nearest soldier, yanking his gun out of his hands. He rolled to the floor as shots rang out, making his way to the next table, intending to use it for shelter.
However, his leg gave out before he could make it behind the structure, and he faintly noticed the trail of blood along the floor.
A gun was once again pressed to his forehead.
And then the soldier toppled forward onto him.
"Can't even hold your own against a couple mercenaries?"
Bobbi's face was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and not just because he had thought for a moment he would never see anything again.
"A couple?" Hunter grinned, allowing her to help him up. "I think I took out the majority of them, sweetheart."
"Like hell you did." Bobbi's smile fell off her face as she suddenly noticed the large dark blood stain spreading down Hunter's left pant leg. "Shit Lance." She was already pulling off her shirt and wrapping it tightly around his leg, leaving her in a black tank top. "Sit." She pushed him down. "Where's Coulson?"
"Why do you have to be so bossy all the time?" Hunter complained. Bobbi looked like she was about to slap him so he relented. "He's in that room with Garrett."
Bobbi handed him a gun.
"Think you can guard the entrance while I grab him?"
He took the gun with a nod. Bobbi hesitated, blue eyes looking him over critically, landing on his leg with the rapidly soaking shirt wrapped around it. He was touched at the small flash of fear he saw cross her face.
"I'll be fast," she promised.
"I'll be here."
Coulson watched as Garrett prowled in a circle around him, usually jolly face tainted with something more sinister.
Maybe that sinister look on his face had always been there but he had just been unable to see it before, Coulson mused.
"There are other Hydra bases."
"Many. You can have one if you want." Garret stopped walking his lazy circles and stood still.
"So are you the leader then?" Phil raised an eyebrow.
"I know what you're thinking, Coulson. Sorry to disappoint you, but I am only a part. Only one head among many. Cut one head off …"
"Two grow back, yes I know how it goes." Coulson looked unimpressed. "Why are we still here?"
"I meant what I said, Phil. We've been through a lot together. You're a talented man. We would be honored to have you as a colleague."
"We were colleagues, Garrett, or don't you remember?" Coulson's eyes flashed.
"We both know SHIELD is deeply flawed. Or did you not come here on your own?"
Coulson was still.
"I can offer you the power to protect all those you love. To create a better world for them."
Coulson's calm broke.
"Is that what you call torturing a little girl?!"
He lunged suddenly at Garrett's gun, but the man reacted too quickly, drawing it just as Coulson's hand connected with it and the gun went flying across the room.
Garret pulled out another gun and Coulson rolled out of the way, towards the second gun. He heard waves of gunshots, but couldn't tell where they were coming from.
Hunter.
Shit.
He couldn't focus on the man now; he could only trust that the Englishman could take care of himself.
A bullet grazed his side just as his hand touched the metal of the gun, but he was already twisting his body and shooting back.
Garrett dropped.
"I always was a better shot." Phil painstakingly pulled himself up. He looked down at the man he had once called his friend. A drip of blood was running from Garrett's mouth, blood spreading from the hole in his stomach. "I'm sorry."
"Fuck you." Garrett breathed.
"Coulson." Bobbi was suddenly in the doorway, assessing the situation. "SHIELD is almost here."
"Skye?" Coulson froze.
"She sent me to tell you that Elsa needs you."
Phil pulled off his jacket and pressed it against Garrett's stomach.
"I'll let SHIELD do what they want with you."
Bobbi's eyes drifted to Garrett then back to Coulson. "Are you sure you don't want to just kill him?"
Coulson shook his head.
"No. I'm not sure. But SHIELD might want him for information."
"He could escape."
"Then I'll hunt him down and kill him."
Bobbi was taken aback by the look of determination on Coulson's face.
He pulled out a device that looked somewhat like handcuffs and attacked one side to Garrett's wrist and the other to a pole.
"If you try to pick it without the electronic key, it will explode," he warned.
"You're making a mistake." Garrett was pale and shivering but the fury in his eyes was fully alive.
"No. I don't think I am." Coulson turned to Bobbi.
"Fuck you! You and that little girl are going to die! We will hunt down everyone you love and tear them apart…"
Bobbi brought the butt of her gun down on Garrett's head, watching disinterestedly as he slumped into unconsciousness.
"Sorry," she shrugged at Coulson.
"Let's go."
They left the room without looking back.
We'll be back with Skye soon, I promise.
Sorry about the rushed writing. Action stuff isn't my strength.
Thoughts?
