The early morning sun rose early in New York City. Much of the city was already very much awake, it was no exception aboard the S.H.E.I.L.D airliner. Fitz and Simmons were tinkering in the lab, while Coulson was in his study, awaiting a call on another possible mission. Ward was beating the sand out of a punching bag, and May was still asleep having landed in NYC at about three in the morning. Everyone was up and moving except for one.

Ward walked up to Skye's door and hesitated to knock. Of all the things Skye was, she definitely wasn't a morning person. Sure, he had the the muscle and height advantage, but even though he would never admit it, nothing scarred him more than the anger of Skye at quarter after six in the morning. She had to get up though, training was a daily affair. It could mean the difference between life and death. He finally knocked. No answer. Knocking again, he became a little braver and more curious. Ward finally just slid the door open and looked inside. Much to his surprise she wasn't there. Her bed was neatly made, the curtains opened, and the room silent. They had only been on this plane for a short while but if there was one thing set in concrete inside Ward's mind was that Skye was never an early riser. He re-closed the door and checked the cameras in the lab and the loading dock. Nope, nothing. Passing the busy pair in the laboratory he walked up the spiral staircase to Coulson's office. He entered the room to find Skye, miraculously wide wake and not grumpy, and Coulson studying a digitized map of the city. "What's going on?" Skye gave him a smug little grin and turned from the screen. "Oh, nothing much, just getting a pre-debriefing on a new mission. Jealous?" Ward crossed his arms across his chest and scoffed. As if he would be jealous that she was one step ahead of him? "No, I was just wondering why you didn't show up for training this morning." "Actually Agent Ward she was already up so I called her to get a little head start. We have a very unique case, I was just about to debrief the rest of the team when you came up. Looks like both of you beat me to the trigger." Coulson smiled at both of them as he walked out of the room. "So, what's this mission about?" " Come on," Skye smirked as she followed Coulson out of his office. "as if I would spoil the surprise." Ward rolled his eyes and walked back down to the common area where the rest of the team had already been gathered. Skye typed on the high-tech computerized table and brought up the case file. A series of colorful pictures, notes, and various videos scattered across the screen. "S.H.E.I.L.D has recently been tracking an old case that had caught our attention after becoming active a couple weeks ago. It only became of high priority yesterday." Coulson expanded a clip of what looks to be a regular security/traffic cam video. A large tractor trailer was coming down the street. Everything seemed normal until out of the top of the screen a blurry yellow dot slammed straight into the roof of the trailer crippling it. The truck skipped to a halt and the driver got out and ran for his life. The video ends there. Everyone in the room was stunned except for Coulson. "So, as if this wasn't enough, it's what was being transported that makes it even more shocking, roughly a ton of scrap metal." Simmons gasped. "What could have possibly done that much damage?" "Not what, who." He slid over another image, this one of a girl about 18 who had short white spiky hair and icy blue eyes. "This is Taylor Johnson, she's been on S.H.E.I.L.D's radar for about six years. Only recently has she moved herself back on to our radar. This time she's more destructive than before." Fitz pointed at the paused video. "You mean that was her?" "Yes, so is this." Coulson said pointing to another pic of a leopard. "What?!" "Oh, come on Fitz it's not like this is your first super." Ward said. "No, it's just that I'm not very fond of cats." "Fond or not we've been assigned to check it out, we leave in twenty." Fitz took one last look at the cat and left with the others and Simmons to get thier gear ready.

Though Coulson already knew what they would be up against, the rest of them still had one foot in the dark. They wasted no time in tracking her. Skye had used the satellites to pick up the old tracking device implanted the first time Coulson and S.H.E.I.L.D. had encountered her. Their black Escalade pulled up to an old abandoned warehouse near the docks on the Hudson River. Ward, Coulson, and Skye filed out while Fitz and Simmons stayed behind to tend to the tech. "I'll get the back exit, you two head inside." Coulson said as he drew his gun and walked around back. The rookie pushed the ancient doors open as Ward entered first. Inside was dark but some light shone through the various cracks in the ceiling. They walked to the middle of the room into the brightest patch of light provided by a small light on the ceiling. Skye lowered her gun and checked her phone. "It says she's right on top of us but I don't see anything." "Me neither, but keep your guard up." Just as Ward said that a small object fell from the rafters of the building and landed right between them. They both looked down at it. It was the tracker. Silence fell over the two. A loud roar erupted to thier right breaking the stillness. The leopard pounced with lightning speed at Ward and slammed him into the ground. She sank her claws into his right wrist forcing him to release his gun. He winced and gasped in pain as the cat flung the weapon to some unknown spot in the dark. Skye still had her's and aimed at the cat. "Let him go and I won't put a bullet in your head." The leopard just laughed. She grabbed the extra firearm from Ward's belt and aimed. "Well, we'll just have to see about that now won't we?" A blue aura surrounded the cat and she changed back into a human, still on top of Ward. He tried to throw her off but it was like she was made of solid lead with the sturdiness of a brick wall. Skye studied thier position, Taylor was planted right above his midsection, keeping him pinned to the ground. Skye shifted uncomfortably, which didn't go unnoticed by Taylor. A evil smile formed it's way onto her face. "Oh, hold the phone, what have we here?" Taylor stood up releasing Ward from his constricting confinement to the cement. She walked past Skye, putting herself across from Skye and Ward, who was back on his feet gripping his injured wrist. "What are you two love birds the best Coulson could send?" A pink blush painted both of thier faces. "We're not love birds!" The two shouted in unison. A sly smile spread across Taylor face. "Well, if your not together then maybe I could take him off your hands." Skye scowled. "Never." "Oh, okay. By the way the safety is on." Skye glanced at her weapon and reached for the release. Ward held out a hand. "No, wait!" To late, Skye hit the button and released the magazine of the gun. "Aw, man..." She would have to get over herself later because she was still facing a leopard-human hybrid holding a pistol. A deep growl sounded from Taylor's throat. "Drop it." Skye dropped the fire-arm and kicked it away. "See, now isn't this better? No more stalemates. So, who wants to watch who die first?"