In the Event…


Chapter 4

Ward could hardly believe that he was doing this. He was willingly stepping back into the trap that was S.H.E.I.L.D. After almost a year out and after everything that he had done to stay out of their cross hairs, he was willingly going back to help a friend. He knew as well as any other ex agent what was involved with a Ghost Wind insolent and just how deadly it could be for the person that had been infected. Last time he checked there was no known cure for the toxin, other then to deal with the urges that the drugs induced in its victims. Never let it be said that he was unwilling to help out a friend, and Kara was one of the few that he had left.

Grant had been quite surprised when he had gotten the call from Kara as he knew for a fact that he had never given her this number and so had wondered at first whom it was that she had gotten it from and whether or not he would need to cross someone off for having broken his confidence and supplied her with the information. Just moments after the call from her, Grant had received a text from his friend Kebo telling him to expect her call. After responding to his friend that he had already herd from Kara he had inquired as to whether the other man might know of a way of getting him back to the U.S. as quickly as possible and what the reason had been for the need.

Kebo had called in a few favors with some of his old Australian Defence Force contacts about getting their hands on a personal transport that could get them from just west of Kinlock New Zealand to Boston Massachusetts. Grant could only hope that Kara could handle the Wind's affects for the length of time that it would take them to make it back to the States. He had been most surprised when after three hours of heated and intense convincing, Kebo had arranged to 'barrow' a liberated gen two quin jet. Grant was not sure he wanted to know from whom Kebo had 'borrowed' the plain from but was grateful as it would mean that the normally 19-hour flight would be accomplished in 12 hours. With additional travel time on the ground that would put Kara's Wind incident at 55 hours' total wait time, or a little under two and a half days.

The one advantage that they had was that being a private jet they would not have to log a flight plan or arrange for passport clearance into the U.S. that would otherwise have flagged him on many government raiders. Once arrangements had been maid, Grant packed up the few items that he owned as he figured that he would most likely not be coming back to the cabin that he had been staying in just north of Lake Taupo in northern New Zealand, and made his way to the private air strip that was a half hour away. Grant was also glad to see that Kebo had arrived before him with the jet and was already getting the additional fuel supplies on board that they would need so that they would not have to stop as often during the trip.

"Hay man, I want to thank you again for doing this." Grant thanked his friend with a clap to the shoulder.

"Not to worry. That Ghost Wind shit is bad form. Don't know why someone would want to make someone else into a horny toad. Don't see the point in it. Not like the person infected can say anything of use during an interrogation anyway. What with all the thrashing and moaning. Shit has a bad habit of going south when that junk is involved. Saw it a few times before the end," nether Grant or Kebo had to mention if it was the end of S.H.I.E.L.D. or the end of their time with Hydra that they were referring to. "One guy ended up running his head into the wall just to make it all stop. And if you are lucky to make it out with someone that is going to help you, then the natural consequences of dealing with the problem always results in miniature people problems if you catch my drift."

"Always?!"

"Ya always. Some up and comer thought about ten years back to add some fertility drug to the new mix. Said it made the toxin more potent as the longer the shit sits in the system the more concentrated the affects become and the harder it is to brake those affects." Kebo could see the almost horrified look on Grants face as he informed him of this new development.

"Remind me to stop in at a pharmacy on the way over then. Don't think that is the kind of thing that either Kara or I need in our lives." The thought of children had Grant thinking back to his own failed childhood and he doubted if he would ever be ready for something like that.

"Don't know, I think any kid between you two would be rather cute. Black hair, amber eyes, olive skin. You'd need it to be a boy otherwise if it was a girl you would be in for a whole other world of problems with how attractive she would be when grown but then again what with things the way they are for you now you could just flay the suitors away." The more that Kebo went on about Grant's potential children the more concerned and embraced he was becoming about helping Kara out. This resulted in small glints of flame to dance along his hands that he had rested just past his knees as he sat hunched over in the back passenger area of the quin jet. "Hay, hay now none of that. Don't need you torching our ride before we can get you to your girl."

Grant began to focus on his breathing to bring himself back to center. Kebo was right in that they didn't need him loosing control right now of his gift of flames while they were crossing an ocean. "I want to thank you buy the way for everything you did back in Russia. Not sure I would have made it out of there after my change."

"What are friends for?" Kebo responded with a smile. "So how are things anyway? No big flare ups I hope."

"No, other then this I have not had any incidences that were not of my own choosing in over a month."

"That's good. You training yourself like I told you to?" Kebo had been the man that had helped Grant out the most right after his change. He had seen Grant at his worst and had helped him figure out that it was his emotions that where the source of his problems. As Garret had always said to him, he felt to much and his emotions had almost cost him his life this time. Anger, fear, confusion and embarrassment seemed to be the cause of the worst of his flare ups in the seven months since he had changed. Things however were getting better as he started to experiment with just what the limits of his gift, with in reason of course as he really was playing with fire, could do. To date his largest accomplishment had been a 'pyro ball', as Kebo referred to it, that was simulate in size to a basketball. It was hard to say what his range was exactly as he had been hurling the balls into Lake Taupo so as not to cause himself or anyone else harm, but if he had to guess it would likely be closer to twenty-five to thirty yards away.

"What kind of specialist would I be if I didn't train all of the gifts that I have. Much like hand to hand or sharp shooting you don't get better buy never practicing."

"True to that. So I calculate that we are going to need to stop off in Hawaii and then again somewhere in Colorado to refuel even with the extras we have on board. I think once we get to Colorado however I will be taking my leave of you as it were and you can continue the last leg of the journey on your own." This surprised Grant as he had expected that his friend would need to get the quin jet back to its owner in short order. As if reading his mind Kebo continued speaking. "My friend has told me he doesn't need the jet back for a least three weeks and I figured that if you get held up for what ever reason," Kebo grinned suggestively at Grant, as he just rolled his eyes at the implied sexual direction of that statement. "Then you were likely to need an expedient get a way vehicle. Besides I was able to arrange a job in Colorado so I figure may as well kill two birds with this trip."

"Well thanks again man. I know Kara would have loved to see you again but if what you said is true then odds are that buy the time I make it to her she is going to be in a ruff state anyway and not likely in a good place to be trying to catch up even with an old friend." And with that both men settled in for a very long flight. Grant just hoped that Kara would still be alright when he arrived.


In story word count: 1611

Sorry for the delay people as what with the beginning of Summer brake and family vacations I have been away for a bit. But as promised Ward had finally made it onto the seen.

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