I was planning on posting this yesterday, but decided to watch last nights episode first, just in case. And 'in case' happened, and it was awesome.
*Spoilers to the third episode* I thought Skye shined last night. Who else loved it when she tried to explain why SHIELD was a good kind of big brother and it was jumbled up? I think they really kicked it up a notch from the last two.
Thank you Ghost Rider of the Aragon, Sammy, Qweb, LarielRomeniel, BlueEyedBrigadier, Meiyo no Ko, chicken, isi7140, and PernDragonrider for reviewing chapter three!
"You sure you don't need a distraction?" Skye asked Coulson, who was sitting across from her in the SUV. "I'm just saying, May would be better backup."
"She is the backup." Coulson said, motioning to May, as she drove into the facility parking lot. "She's out here in case we need an extraction. You're with us-"
"In case you need my mad skills, I know, and I'm not complaining. You trust me with this and that's awesome. But you know me and 'the field' don't get along too well."
"You'll be fine Skye," Ward assured.
"Of course I will, I can take care of myself. Mad skills, remember? Alright," She settled in her seat, adjusting her suit jacket. "Look smart. Look smart."
Ward leaned over as they stopped. "You probably should have brought some glasses too. I don't think the suit and ponytail are going to cover it."
Skye glared. "For that, I'm locking the shower controls on the bus to cold whenever you use it." She smiled, grabbing the 'dwarves' case, "Have fun in the Polar Bear Club," and followed Coulson out.
It looked like any three story office building; surrounded by others that looked just as ordinary and probably were.
Coulson led them forward, Skye to his left, with the case, and Ward to his right. The doors looked like tinted glass but they knew they were most likely bulletproof. Coulson typed in the code Skye gave him into the keypad by the door, waiting until the green light flashed, then opened the door and walked into the lobby. There was one receptionist but they knew cameras were watching them and guards were stationed out of sight.
The plan was very straight forward and surprisingly truthful; they were bringing in some equipment to the second floor, Coulson was the head agent, Ward the muscle, and Skye the brains/scientist for the 'dwarves'. FitzSimmons were in her ear if anything needed explaining.
Except nothing did, because all Coulson needed to say was, "We're headed to the second floor."
The receptionist blinked, "Oh," her eyes moving to the case in Skye's hands, then back to Coulson. "Yes, yes of course. I'll just need to scan your hands." She held out a pad to each in turn, waiting for the screen to flash green before moving on. "Further authorization will be needed at the elevator for all three of you."
Coulson nodded and led the trio across the empty lobby to the elevator. There was another hand scanner and coded key pad then a panel opened revealing a retinal scanner.
As the doors closed Skye let out a breath, "What the hell?"
"Skye," Coulson warned.
"There's nothing in the elevator," she assured. "So what the hell? She didn't even check the case."
"She didn't." Coulson frowned.
"Did you see how she looked at it?" Skye continued, "Like she didn't want to know."
"She's probably not authorized for the second floor," Ward put in.
"Still-"
The floor dinged, cutting Skye off, and the doors opened to another receptionist desk with a woman in a lab coat behind it. It was a small area, to the back right were sealed double doors with a guard.
The trio walked forward to the desk.
"Key cards," the woman commanded, holding out her hand, then stopped. Her brows, which had raised expectantly, seemed to raise further in surprise as her gaze fell on Coulson. She took a breath, still staring at Coulson, then down at the papers on her desk. "Uh, no." She shook her head. "No, no, no." She flipped through more, continuously glancing up and down.
By the doors, the guard was tense.
The papers stopped shuffling and the woman looked up, her voice firm. "You shouldn't be here. You need to leave."
Coulson stared back at her. "I'm afraid we can't do that."
The guard was already moving for his gun.
The receptionist's eyes went wide as she caught the movement and she stood and turned to the guard, raising her arms, even as Ward's tranque fired. "No! Don't shoot! Don't-" She went limp as dart hit her neck and she fell back into her chair.
Skye looked around with wide eyes, her grip tight on the case. Ward and Coulson shared a look, prompting Skye's mouth into action. "Did she just try to stop the guard?"
May's voice sounded in their ears. "She what?"
"Skye, we need those doors opened." Coulson commanded, as Ward disarmed the unconscious guard.
Skye set the case down and moved around the desk. "She did, didn't she? Seriously, what the hell is up with this place?"
"She's right, sir." Ward said, tilting his head slightly. "Something off. She knew you on sight."
"Or just the sight of me."
There was a buzz and they heard the lock on the doors click.
Coulson grabbed the case. "Any silent alarms?" he asked Skye.
"Nope."
"You want to wait here?"
"That didn't sound like an order and really want to see what behind the doors, so," Skye lifted the case from Coulson's grasp, "I'm coming."
Ward was through the doors first, his gun still drawn. His steps faltered for a split second before moving forward. As Coulson and Skye came through they saw why. They were is a large room full of curtains. Each sectioning off small areas.
Skye frowned. "This looks like a hospital."
Ward drew back a curtain, revealing an unconscious man, in his thirties, in a bed. "Yeah, it does."
There were over a dozen curtains and behind each one was another person in a bed.
"Well this was a little anticlimactic." Skye complained.
Coulson nodded to the end of the room. "What about those doors?"
Skye looked over and noticed the keypads. "Give me a minute." She said, walking over.
"A VIP ward for SHIELD?" Ward asked, though he sounded skeptical.
Coulson shook his head. "There's got to be more to it than that," the frustration clear in his voice.
They turned as they heard one of the doors click, but Skye looked surprised as the door swung open and man in a white coat stepped through. "What are you doing?" he asked Skye, his voice hard and accusing.
"We're wondering that as well." Coulson, said, drawing the man's attention as they walked toward him.
The man's eye went wide. "Sir!" His head twitched, an aborted move to look back to the room he had just exited. "Sir, it's not safe for you to be here." His left hand moved to his pocket, but Ward had him against the wall and restrained in an instant.
Ward frisked him and pulled out the phone he had been going for, handing it to Coulson.
"So, what are you doing here, Doctor? Are you a doctor?"
The man shook his head, "It's classified, sir, you really need to leave. You shouldn't be here."
"I'm just going to…" Skye said, slipping into the room.
"Wait!" the man pled, Ward's hold still firm.
There was a yelp from within the room and suddenly Skye was backing hurriedly out the door.
"Skye?" Coulson asked, moving to her side.
She flinched away from him, her eyes wide.
"Skye?"
She shook her head and took another step back from him. "It...it's you."
Coulson frowned, then quickly turned and entered the room, ignoring the protests of the man.
The room was dim, the only light, coming from a table lamp and the medical monitors. It looked like any private hospital room. Then he looked at the bed. Looked at the unconscious man. His breath caught. And wouldn't release.
He was staring at himself.
