Chapter 11

He leaves them alone for only two days, barely even forty eight hours. Everything was set up, there should have been no problems. What are the chances something could happen? That's what he had said to May before them left.

'-should have knocked on wood, just then.'

He could already feel her mentally telling him I-told-you-so over and over. The base was in an uproar, agents running up and down the halls, not even stopping to acknowledge the director of specialist. Where was their team?

"Agent Morse, Simmons. Where are all my agents?" The two women smiled nervously at the man, turning away from the monitor behind them. Somehow they didn't need to say anything for him to know it had something to do with Ward.

"Well you see, sir, we ran into some complications.." The biochemist started, looking down at the tablet in her hands and tapping at the screen. He almost thought she might be stalling.

"What kind of complications?"

Instead of letting Simmons continue, Bobbi placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder, before looking to the man. "Ward took Daisy from the Retreat."

May stepped forward from behind him, a look of concern crossing her face. "What?"

"Mack went with Lincoln Hunter and Joey to get her back." All eyes turned to the boy, who had been sitting quietly in the corner. Coulson hadn't even realized the young inhuman was there.

"Though complications appear to have arose, they didn't get Daisy." As though to respond to his words, the monitor alerted them of the quin jets arrival.

"They didn't get Daisy? What do you mean they didn't get her?" Coulson demanded.

"The base evacuated before we had much time to find her."

Once again all eyes turned, this time to the door. Where a more than angry Mack stood, with Hunter Lincoln and Joey in his stead. They didn't look too battered, but it looked like they had all rolled in the dirt, or gone through a dust storm.

"But Daisy was there, right?" Mack nodded in confirmation to Caleb's confused gaze.

"She was able to get a phone and call Mack's cell. We were supposed to pick her up out front, but when she didn't show, we went in after her." Joey explained.

"What happened?"

Mack sighed, looking back at his teammates. "Like I said, the base was evacuating, weren't even in two minutes and the place started falling apart. Someone must have triggered the self destruct, we barely made it out before the place collapsed."

"They left pretty last minute themselves." Hunter commented. "There were still cars fleeing the rubble."

"Joey was able to plant a tracker on one of the trucks, but I'm not sure how much good it will do us." Mack shrugged, handing a tablet, with a map and red dot moving across it, over to Bobbi.

Coulson wanted to slam his fist down on the table, how could he have been so foolish? That monster had wanted him to send Daisy off base. It had just been waiting for the opportunity to grab her and he had practically placed her in his grasp. He should have kept her here, where there was at least some assurance that the evil inhuman wouldn't take her away.

"Was it really self destruct.. Or something else...?" Caleb caught everyone's attention again, without even meaning to. His bright golden eyes seeming to glow in the shadows of his hood. His quiet voice had somehow carried to all the room's occupants ears.

"Something else?" Hunter spoke first, looking at the teen like he'd grown perhaps two heads or turned into barney the purple dinosaur. "What would Hydra have that could make a bloody mansion crumble to the ground?"

The scaly inhuman looked as though he was about to reply, but was beaten by the director and the other field agents.

"Daisy."

"Bobbi, keep an eye on that tracker, see if you can find out where they're going. We don't know for sure who is inside, but maybe they can lead us to where Malick and 'Ward' have taken Daisy." Coulson nodded to her 'yes sir,' turning his gaze to the four agents that had only just returned. "I'll want full detailed reports on everything, but how did you know where that base was?"

"Caleb told us." Simmons piped in, but she was not the one to continue the explanation.

"Daisy had me find where he would take her, before she was taken." The teenager said.

"Find it? How?" Coulson only looked more confused as he looked to others for clarification. The look Simmons and Bobbi exchanged was not one the director would describe comforting. They looked weary of how he would react to whatever was about to be said.

Deciding they should just come out and say it, Fitz stepped forward. "Well sir, you see we never really found out what Caleb's gift from terrigenesis was, besides the obvious physical changes, but by recent events, we've come to understand-"

"Fitz, I don't need the long version."

Looking a little more nervous now, the rocket engineer rubbed the back of his neck. "In that case, Caleb can read other people's minds."

"He's telepathic."

-o-o-o-o-o-

It stood there, in his body, watching the rise and fall of her chest. Some might have thought it creepy for him to watch her sleeping the way she was. Yet he saw it more as a guardian standing vigil over his treasure, ensuring no harm may come to it, or in this case, her.

The southern sun complimented her features as she lay at peace in the bed. The light pouring in, from the large windows, was shining perfectly on her face. The warm morning breeze, from the open balcony doors, was welcome after the winter they'd come from. 'Ward' was almost tempted to join the female inhuman under the thin blanket, but had to remind himself of the possible threats he could miss from that position. Though he knew the mind reader hadn't been with the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents this time, he should still remain alert. They could have easily followed one of the cars from Malick's wrecked northern home.

"Sir."

The dark inhuman scowled as he tore his gaze off the sleeping beauty. Giyera was standing with a hand still on the bedroom door, not completely entering the room, but still there.

"I thought I ordered not to be disturbed."

"Forgive me, Malick wants to see you. He says he will not wait." The younger man said, bowing his head in respect.

It noticed he didn't dare to lay his eyes on the slumbering woman. He knew 'Ward's plans for her and that he would not want another man to lay eyes on her like this. Turning back to Daisy for a moment, It was tempted to move the lock of hair, that had blown onto her face. But he did need to deal with Malick.

"Where is he?"

'Ward' didn't have to worry about leaving her alone. The only way on or off the estate was by boat or helicopter. Both of which she would have no access to.

"He's in his office, and I should warn you, he is not happy about the events in England." Giyera pointed out.

"Let him cry for his lost castle, he has more houses." With that, the parasite made Ward's body rise from it's place of guarding, by the window. He turned his sights on the hallway, registering the click as Giyera closed the door and followed him.

Malick was pacing, when It entered. His troubled expression was not missed as he turned away from the inhuman, his hands clasped behind his back. Humans may have evolved some, but It found this behavior childish.

"Leave us."

The telekinetic inhuman did, but only after a nod from 'Ward.' The hydra head didn't need to know he'd lost the loyalty of all inhumans in Hydra. He was already weary enough of the one controlling Grant Ward. It wondered what would happen if he knew the man was still alive in him. He couldn't trust Malick, he knew that, but would he try to save the comrade he was controlling?

'Ward' pondered this as he waited for him to speak, knowing if he spoke first the man may lose his temper and he really didn't feel up to that at the moment. He needed the man's pull and resources.

"That girl is becoming a problem." It was short, to the point, and definitely not what the human wanted to hear. He'd expected the man to complain about his ruined castle. "S.H.I.E.L.D. will only keep sending more men. We should get rid of her."

"That is not for you to decide. Daisy stays with me." 'Ward' nearly snarled, his gaze narrowing at the prospect of losing his prize. "S.H.I.E.L.D. Does not have the man power to waste resources on her."

"Why should we risk it? Why is this girl so important that all of Hydra be put in danger?" Gideon definitely looked angered, but that paled in comparison to the rage brewing in the parasite. He cared not what risks it was to Hydra.

"She is not simply a girl, she is an inhuman. Her gifts are very powerful, the whole of hydra cannot match her power."

"I'm sure there are those of your race stronger than that S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, and they don't have a secret organization coming after us for them."

It watched as the human stepped forward, pretending he wasn't afraid of angering it, or the power 'Ward' could unleash upon him. If 'Ward' hadn't had hundreds of years worth of control, he would have snapped the head of hydra's neck.

"There is not another like her among either of our races. Her strength does not just come from her gifts. No, these memories, Grant Ward hangs onto, they are filled with sorrow. She's experienced such painful trials, the suffering she's had to bare, and still she continues to fight. Continues to keep her faith in humanity. Her strength is one to be envied by all."

'Ward' felt pleased he'd rendered the older looking man silent. Perhaps now he would stop questioning It's choices. The inhuman should not have to explain himself to a human. That had been becoming quite a bother.

"Remember that the next time you think of getting rid of her." With that, 'Ward' turned to go back to his sleeping beauty.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait, sorry for the shortness, and sorry for any errors I may have made. I had surgery a little over a week ago and I'm still a little hazy from the drugs they have me on. Also apologies that there are no quotes from the show, I'm sure there are some good ones I could have used this chapter, but I couldn't think of any ones I might want to use.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, even if it's short, please Follow Favorite and/or Review!

I'll try to write more soon, but it's kind of hard to stare at my computer screen right now.

So until then...

Tootles.