"Ward. It should be Ward." Skye said.
She was very concerned. He hadn't stopped shivering since he had got out of the river, he was electrocuted worse because of it and he was now shaking as his every nerve felt as though it had been activated.
"I'm fine. I think it should be Fitz." Ward said.
"Why me?" Fitz asked.
"I was going to say Simmons." May interjected.
"Fitz. We know we have to build a device when we have all outrun the dogs. We don't know if we have a time limit. If Fitz goes next he can be putting the pieces together as he gets them." Ward reasoned.
"How are you still coherent? That made far too much sense." Skye said as the crackle of the tannoy halted their debate.
"Have you chosen?"
"Ward's right." May said as four pairs of eyes turned to face Fitz.
"I'll run." Fitz replied. As much as he didn't want to outrun a pack of wild dogs, the alternative was to stay in here and out run them later.
"Excellent. You will follow the red arrows. The rest of you will follow the black ones."
"Good luck Fitz." Simmons said, kissing him on the cheek.
He smiled at the others and headed out towards the red arrow alone.
Once they could no longer see Fitz they set off following the black lit arrows.
"There was more to your decision than needing to put together that 0-8-4 wasn't there?" May asked Ward as they stumbled further into the woods.
"Always."
They heard a scream in the distance.
Fitz slowly followed the arrows. He wanted to take his time to calm his nerves and formulate a plan. He tripped on a tree root and fell to his knees.
He fought his way through the low hanging branches of the tree and to his feet. Having formulated a plan he quickened his pace.
Going over and over this plan Fitz nearly walked into the next arrow. He turned the corner.
"AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!" he screamed as a drooling, snarling dog came at him. Fitz took several steps backwards, thankful that the dog had been tied up.
Before long he made it to the kennels, where more barking dogs were trying to get out of their kennels to get to him. Fitz approached the box numbered '2' and inserted the key. The lock opened easily and Fitz removed the small object from the box and placed it in his backpack.
Taking a deep breath he turned to face the gate.
"I'm going to die!" He thought to himself as he shakily walked over to it.
Looking up he saw something that made him ever hopeful.
Coulson was looking over the wall at him and was pointing to his only escape route.
The ladder.
Coulson had been pacing around the cage for ages when he heard the scream. Immediately he knew it was Fitz as it was a male voice and Ward would never scream like that.
Leaving his backpack at the bottom of the hay bale stairs (it wouldn't do to drop it!) he made his way to the top of the wall by the ladder. As he nearly missed it he was sure Fitz definitely would.
He watched Fitz walk shakily to the gate and look up.
Coulson waved at him and pointed to the ladder.
Fitz nodded his understanding and took a stance where he could set off quickly.
"Release the hounds"
The gate rose and Fitz started running.
"Keep going Fitz!" Coulson shouted at him.
Fitz risked a glance behind him and let out a whimper.
"Come one Fitz, you're nearly there!" Coulson encouraged.
Coulson could tell Fitz was starting to panic, but he was so close now. Coulson reached his arm down for Fitz to grab onto, which he did.
Fitz managed to get his feet onto the ladder, but he wasn't quick enough to climb it and a dog jumped up, gripping Fitz's foot in its mouth. Fitz wiggled his foot out of his shoe and allowed the dog to fall back to the ground.
Coulson helped him climb the ladder and pulled him over the wall to safety.
"That was my favourite pair of shoes! Fitz complained.
A/N: I am just giving you fair warning... more maggots will appear in the next chapter (or two)... just for those with a slightly more sensitive disposition (Biichi-Gi- I'm looking at you!)