Chapter 36:
[Grant Ward POV]
[SHIELD HQ, New York City]
After standing outside the SHIELD HQ building for five minutes, Drake reminds me to remember the plan and not to screw up before walking away. I take a deep breath and enter the lobby. The receptionist, a young woman in her early 20s, looks up at me with a friendly smile. "Can I help you?" she asks. "I hear you've been looking for me," I said with a cocky smirk, "I'm Grant Ward." The woman's eyes widen in shock, and she quickly punches an alarm under her desk. A tactical team storms in and surrounds me. I throw my hands up in the air and drop to my knees. "I will only talk to Skye," I say. The team leader, a man with a shaved head and a stern expression, steps forward.
"What do you want?" he demands. "To talk to Skye," I say again, "I have viable intel she'll be interested in." The team leader studies me for a moment, then nods. "Fine," he said, "We'll bring her down. Cuff him." The team leader turns and walks away while another soldier cuffs my hands behind my back. The receptionist stares at me, then shakes her head, "You're crazy." I shrug, "Maybe. But I'm the best asset you'll ever get." The receptionist rocks her head again and turns away. The soldier lifts me to my feet and pushes me to a cell.
[Spartan POV]
[Apartment Complex, New York City]
Knight and I arrived at the scene of a massive gun battle between the police and a gang. Bullets were flying everywhere. It was a chaotic scene. Wounded police officers and innocent civilians littered the street. Emergency responders, armed with ballistic shields, were attempting to evacuate the civilians and wounded. One of the gang members fired a grenade launcher, blasting them away. Knight sped the car towards the police line. We got out of the car and ran towards the SWAT commander. "What's the situation?" Knight asked. The SWAT commander looked us over, taking an extra second to size me up. As the two of them drew up a plan of attack, I switched on my HUD and scanned the layout of the operation zone.
The main priority is getting the civilians and wounded cops out of the hot zone. Problem is most of them are out in the open with no cover, easy picking for snipers. Gazing over to an armored SWAT vehicle, I get a crazy idea. I dash over to Knight and tell her my plan. The SWAT commander demands us to tell him what we're planning, but we don't have the time to run it over with the man. Knight and I bolt toward the armored vehicle, jump in then ram the barricade.
We angle the vehicle right in front of the injured, shielding them from oncoming gunshots. Dismounting the car, Knight and I provide cover fire so EMS can clear out the wounded. While the gang is too focused on what's in front of them, I take the opportunity to go around and flank them from behind. "Hey, assholes!" I yell. Every gangbanger turns, eyes go wide in surprise. I drop them all via quick double-taps. Time to deal with the thugs holed up in the apartment complex. Knight and SWAT team move in on my position. Moving fast, we quickly cuff the unconscious gangbangers. "You good?" Knight asks me.
I nod, giving the woman a thumb-up, "Ready to move in?" "Can't do that," the SWAT commander states, "Just got words from the Chief of police. He says to surround the building and wait." "We can't wait! If we don't move in now we'll lose our best advantage," Knight shouts, "Spartan, you're on point." I smile under my mask, readying the pistol at the aim, "Yes, ma'am."
[Inside.] Stacked up, we move up the stairs, methodically checking our surroundings for threats. As we reach the top, the hallway echoes with gunfire. I hold up a fisk to signal the others to hold their advancement. By everyone's exposition, they all heard the screams as well. "Do you send in a team earlier?" Knight questions the SWAT commander. The man shakes his head, "No." Suddenly two gangbangers storm out into the corridor. He fires on us. We hug the walls for cover, but a stray bullet tags the SWAT commander in the throat. Gangbanger-2 makes a break for the stairs leading to the roof. Dashing forward, I shoot the goon in the chest. Keeping on the move, pursued the other gangbanger.
[Roof.] I crash through the door, eyes scanning the area for the gangbanger and other potential threats, pistol at the aim. Around the corner, I find the gangbanger on the roof's edge, eyes alert. "Freeze!" I yell at the man. The gangbanger sets her gaze in my direction but not at me. All of a sudden, an unseen force grabs hold of the gangbanger by the throat, lifting him off the ground. The man dangles helplessly in the air. "Stealth-camo," I say under my breath. The near-invisible figure hurls the gangbanger over the edge, sending the man falling to the street below. I yell out, but unable to do anything about it.
The shadow deactivates the stealth-camo device, revealing a tactical-suited merc. My eyes go wide at who it is. "Drake!" I yell. The psychopathic merc blitzes toward me in a flash, slamming a right-hook at my face. I block the attack. Before I can make a counter, Drake seizes me by the collar and tosses me off the roof. As I fall, the SOB shoots a mocking salute. I crash on top of a police cruiser, losing consciousness on impact.
When I reopen my eyes, I find Knight staring down at me in concern. Groaning, I roll off of the wrecked vehicle. "What the hell happened?" she asks. "Drake happened," I answer. She arches an eyebrow in puzzlement. "Who the hell is Drake?" Knight inquires. With a sigh, I reply by telling the police detective everything I know about the psychopath. Based on her expression, she doesn't like what she's hearing. Knight grimaces, "The NYPD doesn't have the capabilities of dealing with someone like that psycho. Fuck." "No, you don't," I say back in agreement.
At that moment, SHIELD arrives on the scene; a tall bald, muscular man leads them. "Agent Mackenzie reporting." "Miss the action. What took you guys so long?" I press. "Sorry, we were dealing with another matter overseas. We got here as fast as we could," he answers. I growl in annoyance, pointing a thumb to the wrecked street, "Tell that excuse to them." While I leave the scene, I call up Murdock and Karai.
[Nelson & Murdock Attorney Office, New York City]
[Office.] I briefed Murdock and Karai on what occurred on the op earlier. They, too, aren't thrilled with what they learned. Karai starts pacing. We all consider opinions on how to deal with the newly emerged threat. The office door swings open at that moment, and a woman sporting a leather jacket walks in. She freezes in her strides when she catches sight of Karai and me. We wave to her hello. Murdock quickly makes the introductions, "Corvo, Samus, this is Jessica Jones. The firm's PI." Jones sizes the two of us up, "SHIELD." Not a question but a statement of facts. Karai and I shoot the woman an acknowledging nod.
Murdock's phone rings with urgency, repeating the caller's ID name. The blind lawyer makes a show searching for his phone, and then answers the call. After a moment, the man jerks out of his seat, "What?! How?!" He hangs up the call. We all stare at the man, waiting for him to fill us in. Murdock focuses on Jessica Jones, "Decker was found dead in his cell. Suicide." Both Karai and I shift our gaze between the PI and the lawyer, confused. Jones expresses that Decker's death wasn't suicide but an ordered hit by Kingpin. Finally, noticing our state of perplexion. Murdock and Jones briefed us on the event.
"Damn," I remark, "An almost per-Batum sequence of Samus's scenario." "Yeah, unfortunately, Murphy was a casualty of that one. Killed because he was investigating a criminal syndicate and aimed to expose the major players." Jones straightens up at that, "Wait, Murphy? As in Jerome Murphy?" Me and Karai nod in unison. "You know him?" I ask. Jones shakes her head, "Not personally, but crossed paths once or twice. Suspected Union Allied was tied to organized crime. A front for Kingpin's many operations. But there was never any evidence to push for an investigation. Either paid off or made to disappear." "That's too many links to be a coincidence," Karai states. Murdock perks up, "During your investigation, didn't you run a check on Union Allied?" Jones crosses her arms while leaning onto the desk, "Of course I did. At least I tried, but I couldn't get anything solid. Under hundreds of documents and half a dozen shell companies, all I managed to get was one name. Wilson Fisk." Suddenly Karai's and my comlink buzz of an incoming call from SHIELD.
[Skye POV]
[A While Later, SHIELD HQ, New York City]
[Detention-cell.] I slowly descend down the stairs. The light switches on, illuminating the whole room. Standing in the solitary cell is Grant Ward. The one person I never wanted to see again for the rest of my life. 'God, just looking at him makes me sick.' This fuck who suppose to be our friend and teammate turned out to be nothing more than a backstabbing murderer and HYDRA scum. "Hello, Skye. You're looking good," he says with a smirk. Without a word, I pull up a seat. "I told SHIELD I'm only going to talk to you. Feed you actionable Intel," he says. I shoot the man a scrutinizing gaze, "What's your game, Ward?" He flashes a small smirk, "Maybe I want a chance at redemption."
I bark a humorless laugh, "Redemption?! You murdered Triplett in cold blood and other SHIELD agents. Tortured Bobbi. Severely injured Leo to the point he suffered permanent brain damage." Ward fakes a sorrowful expression but sees I'm not falling for the act, so the HYDRA sleeper agent stops. "Have you ever heard of an organization called Leviathan?" I rock my head from side to side. "Leviathan is a terrorist organization. Formerly a secret division within GRU. Like HYDRA, when the Soviet Union collapsed, they went underground and spread across the globe. They expanded their power by basing themselves in economically poor regions devastated by recurring wars. They're involved with every evil deed known to man. Human trafficking, assassination, terrorism, drugs, etc," Ward tells me. "Just like HYDRA," I spit. Ward leers, "HYDRA isn't the only boogeyman that lurks in the shadows." I narrow my eyes at the man, "You know where Leviathan's base of operation is located?" "Of course I do. Why would I waste my time telling you all of this if I didn't? Madripoor," Ward turns around and lays back down on his bunk without a care in the world, "When you find my intel is reliable, you'll be back and I'll be right here waiting. Oh, might want to be quick. There are other forces in play," Ward voices, intentionally being vague. I storm out of the room.
[Steve Rogers POV]
The whole team watches the exchange between Skye and Ward in Fury's office. I feel for the young agent and, at the same time, commend her on her bravery. She faced the man who made her suffer a lot of hurts and stared dead in his eyes as she took back her power. Coulson should be proud of the woman she has become. Skye is going to be a great SHIELD agent. From the corner of my eye, I note how Karai is keeping her focus solely on Skye. It's a very familiar gaze, a gaze of longing and protection. The type of look I would give Natasha. I flash a knowing smile, internally hoping the woman has the best of luck.
Karai and Skye have a lot in common. They are both strong, capable women who have been through a lot in their lives. They are also both fiercely loyal to the people they care about. I think Karai would be a great partner to Skye, and I know that Skye would appreciate her support. I'm rooting for both of them.
"We just completed a week-long mission and now we're being thrown back out for another one. Damn do we ever get a break, "Sam complains. "Not in this line of work," Spartan remarks, crossing his arms. Sam rolls his eyes, "Clearly. Anyway, what do we know about Madripoor? First time I've heard about the place."
"It's a cesspool of scum and villainy," Spartan voices, pulling up a holo-map of an island in Southeast Asia, located in the south of Indonesia's Strait of Malacca southwest of Singapore. I snap my fingers, "I understood that reference." The team chuckled at that. Natasha interjects, smiling, then she turns serious, "That's putting it lightly. Take the worst, grimmest and darkest side of society, give them a place where all their sins are given free roam to be expressed, collect it into a system that can just barely sustain itself and you get something close to a hell-like city. Madripoor itself also has strong geographical factors due to how classes are divided up. These two areas are known as Hightown and Lowtown. As imagined, Hightown is full of riches and wealth, where the most powerful reside; often international folks. Lowtown, on the other hand, is far grimier and stricken with crime and poverty."
"Madripoor was once a haven for pirates, a tradition which somewhat continues to present day: its proximity to the most important Asian ports makes it a largely lawless haven for smugglers, secret societies and warlords, constantly vying for control," Karai adds, "Last I'd heard Madripoor is under the control of an individual called Powerbroker. Bet he or she is in league with Leviathan." "Alright, gear up. We're moving out in 20 minutes," I say to the team, clapping the shield onto my back.
[Madripoor, Southeast Asia]
[Quinjet.] During the flight, Spartan and Karai briefed me on the events that transpired in our absence. "Sounds like you guys have been very busy," I say once they finish bringing me up to speed. The gang war and Kingpin is concerning problems. Right now, issues we'll have to handle at a later time. "Speaking of which, there's a possible recruit I have in mind to bring on the Avengers," Karai says. "Oh?" I question, my curiosity piqued. Both she and Spartan nod in unison. "Considering Daredevil a position on the team," Karai proposes, "I believe he'll be a great asset." I think on it momentarily, "Based on his dossier he's not much of a team player." "Not entirely. He teamed-up with Spartan a number of times on ops," Karai states, "Granted he deals in more street-level conflict." "Well, if you two vouch for him he's good in my book," I tell the duo.
"I'm glad you agree," Karai says, "I'll reach out to him and see if he's interested." "He will be," Spartan says, "DD is always looking for a challenge." "But the man will have to learn to work as part of a team if he wants to be an AVENGER," I stress. "He'll be a team player," Karai says, "He's a quick learner." "I hope you're right," I say, "Because we need all the help we can get."
[Leviathan Base, Madripoor]
We exit the quinjet and start heading north. Reaching the hilltop, we catch sight of the Leviathan facility. With a gesture, I instruct Falcon to run recon. Falcon deploys Red-Wing. The bird-like drone takes to the sky and scouts the security strength. "Minimal enemy force," Spartan remarks. We push forward, infiltrating the base. Taking point, I leap over the high wall. As I land, I fling the shield toward a patrolling sentry, knocking him out cold. It boomerangs back to my hand. Keeping the momentum going, I knock out another sentry with it. I block bullets from a third, then drop several other soldiers with my fists. Once it's clear, I move to the control panel and open the main gate to allow the team to make entry. From about the corner, an armed Leviathan soldier emerges. And right behind him appears Spartan under stealth-camo. He quickly disarms the man and fires a combo of punches, hitting him with left and right hooks, then collar-tie-sweep him to the ground.
The Leviathan soldier is stunned by Spartan's sudden appearance and quick attack. He tries to fight back, but Spartan is too quick and too strong. Spartan quickly disarms the soldier and then takes him down with a series of well-placed attacks. The other soldiers in the area are taken by surprise and quickly defeated by the other AVENGERS. With the base secured, the team moves on to the next objective.
[Inside.] We walk through the corridors and enter a control room. Beyond the observation window, we see rows of tube-like pods containing a person. The pods are filled with a strange, glowing liquid, and the people inside are completely still. Sam is confused and shocked. "What the hell?" he says. "What is this place?" I ask. "I don't know," Sam states. "But it looks like something out of a science fiction movie." I nod in agreement. "This is definitely not good," I add, "We need to find out what's going on here. Karai, work your magic." "On it, Boss," Karai rushes over to a computer node and hacks into it. "Are they alive?" Clint asks, staring at the pods. "No idea," Spartan answers.
"Project Lazarus," Karai says, reading the data file. My blood runs cold when I hear those words. I remember the rumors about it, the whispers of a secret project that was supposed to bring the dead back to life. I never thought it was real until that one mission. HYDRA's most twisted and darkest experiments. I remember the reports of the soldiers who had been brought back to life but who were no longer themselves. They were mindless, obedient drones controlled by HYDRA. I knew that if HYDRA had succeeded in bringing back the dead, they would use them as weapons. I had to stop them. I had to destroy Project Lazarus. "We need to get out of here," I say, "And we need to destroy this place." "But what about the people in the pods?" Sam asks.
"It's too late for them," I say, "They're already dead. We need to focus on stopping Leviathan." I know it's a hard choice, but it has to be done. I can't help but think of the people in the pods who are being used as guinea pigs in Leviathan's experiments. But I have to focus on the mission. We have to stop Leviathan and destroy Project Lazarus. Before it's too late. In the far corner on the lower level, I catch sight of a tall and muscular figure in a purple mask. My eyes gape in shock, 'Zemo!' Without uttering a word, I dash out of the room and make my way to the lower level.
