22: REMEMBER ME
A few hours later, Fitzsimmons rushed back into the tightly packed briefing room, where the rest of the team were working and panicking – mostly panicking.
"We've looked through the chemicals we could identify on the CCTV that R.E.S.C.U.E. have taken, but we can't find any link between any of them. It's like they just grabbed whatever they could find." Fitz reported as he and Jemma joined the rest of the team.
"What's their plan here? What are we missing?" Coulson asked, irritated.
"Oh, no. Oh, crap." Daisy said, staring worriedly at the computer screen she was sat at.
"What is it?" Coulson asked.
"I've spent the past hour trying to make this CCTV screenshot clearer. Something about this chemical they took a crate of seemed familiar to me somehow. I managed to unscramble some pixels and change the lighting to read the writing on the tubes." Daisy explained.
"What did the tubes say?" Joey asked.
"GH.325…" Daisy revealed, looking to Coulson, whose face dropped.
"That's not possible; S.H.I.E.L.D. owned every bit of GH.325." Coulson said.
"Maybe John Garrett got one of his guys working undercover at S.H.I.E.L.D. to sneak a load out under everyone's noses a few years back? Leak it onto the black market?" Fitz speculated.
"Okay, I must be missing something. What's GH.325?" Lincoln asked.
"A drug derived from the blood of the Kree. The compound that brought me back to life and restored Daisy a few years back." Coulson revealed.
"We've been tracking the van's raid across the city via CCTV and so far they've taken more of that than any other chemical. They've taken more of that and the Terrigen crystals than anything else." Bobbi said.
"Because that's what they really wanted; they took all the other chemicals as a ruse to keep us off their scent. If they're allowing themselves to be seen and tracked on CCTV they must be carrying out their masterplan very soon. We can't have much time." Coulson said.
"So what's their ploy?" Mack wondered.
"Maya's body drained of blood when the radiation leaked out of her following her death. If they pumped GH.325 back into the body as a new source of blood -" Fitz began.
"- They could repeat Terrigenesis on the body using the crystals and…oh my god…" Jemma added.
"What would happen if they did that?" Lance asked.
"In theory, it would 'reboot' Maya, for lack of a better word, and possibly…" Jemma started.
"…Revive her." Fitz finished, fear very much present in his voice.
"Oh my god." Joey sighed in disbelief.
"Revive Maya and therefore Rage. Her dying as a human worked in their favour. If it would revive any Inhuman, it would revive one with every-changing abilities like Rage." Coulson said, shocked.
"I can't believe this." Lincoln said, shaking his head and running his hands through his hair.
"Follow the CCTV and find where the van stopped NOW." Coulson ordered, rushing out of the room as his heart started beating faster than ever.
In one fell swoop, the stakes got a lot higher.
…
Coulson was shocked to see a high priority contact was attempting to get hold of him as he paced around in his office. Pressing a button on his false hand, he was surprised to see the face of the President appear on the screen.
"Agent Coulson."
"Mr President, sir. It's been a while since we've talked face to face."
"Technically, we're still not." President Ellis remarked.
"I'm sorry I've avoided you recently, sir." Coulson sighed.
"I've been informed of the effect Rage's radiation had on you; you were not fully responsible for your actions, and neither was I." Ellis said.
"And yet we both still feel responsible anyway." Coulson said.
"…Indeed we do." Ellis sighed.
"My team are tracking R.E.S.C.U.E.'s location now. They're planning to revive Rage – for what exact purpose is unknown. But we can't have a lot of time." Coulson explained.
"…Oh, dear God. I ordered the termination of R.E.S.C.U.E. as soon as Maya Anderson went on the run. I can't believe I let her get in my head so easily." Ellis said.
"You were far from the only victim, sir; it wasn't your fault." Coulson said.
"We had one hell of a time covering up the Helicarrier falling into the ocean without outing S.H.I.E.L.D. still exits; we had to get the Avengers to blame a training session gone horribly wrong. What if stopping R.E.S.C.U.E. leads to something we can't cover up?" Ellis asked.
"…There's no choice here; we have to take that risk."
"You're a good man, Coulson. And a good leader, and agent. I know S.H.I.E.L.D. can finally end this madness once and for all." Ellis said.
"Yes, sir."
"Kick their asses, Phil. For humanity. And for Agent Melinda May." Ellis stated.
Coulson nodded firmly as tears formed in his eyes.
…
A few minutes later, Mack rushed into Coulson's office.
"We've got a location. The van stopped outside a warehouse on the edge of Manhattan. R.E.S.C.U.E. soldiers started unloading the stolen items inside; only the crystals and GH.325, though – we were right, those are all they were after." Mack reported.
"Good. Tell the new designated pilot the coordinates and let's get this done." Coulson ordered. Mack nodded and ran off.
Coulson took a deep breath before following behind.
…
As The Bus flew to its destination, Coulson gathered the now prepped team in the hangar awaiting deployment.
"From this point on there are no second chances. This is our last stand. Letting R.E.S.C.U.E. revive Rage is not an option, and we can't let a single one of them get away – take that how you will. It's been a hellish journey leading to this point, but I strongly believe we're stronger than ever. Rage injured some of our loved ones, and we've seen them come back stronger for it. R.E.S.C.U.E. took our friend from us, and Melinda May's memory will keep us fighting until this is done. We will not allow her to have died for nothing. Everything that happens now happens in her name, and her legacy. There's no way we're letting her down." Coulson said passionately, the team nodding along as they grew tearful.
"Get ready for landing. They'll know we're there before they see is; they'll have chance to prepare and have a home advantage." Coulson added before his false hand started beeping.
"What's that?" Lance asked.
"An alarm from the cell room. Seems like Ward wants a word." Coulson said sternly.
…
"I want to help you."
Coulson chuckled at Ward's words.
"I'm serious; you dressed in your tactical gear, The Bus' speed clearly increasing rapidly – we're heading somewhere for a mission. And I want to help." Ward explained.
"We tracked R.E.S.C.U.E.; they're planning to revive Rage with the chemicals that brought me back." Coulson explain and Ward's face filled with dread.
"Now you have to let me help. You know how good I am in combat." Ward argued.
"You honestly believe I could trust you running loose in the field? You could kill us all and run away." Coulson retaliated.
"I won't, I swear it. I need to help you with this."
"Why?"
"Rage hunted me; left me in a state of fear for months. With Rage dead – hopefully permanently – R.E.S.C.U.E. are the ones I blame for it. I want to take them down for what they've done. I respected May; I would fight in honour of her, too. I want to see this horrific chapter in my life through to the end. I want…closure. You know I'm telling the truth, Coulson. I'm begging you." Ward pleaded.
Coulson stood silently staring at him for a short while then sighed.
"You were an explosive vest in the field; one wrong move I blow you to pieces." Coulson stated.
"Fine." Ward nodded.
"In that case…suit up."
…
When Coulson and Ward returned to the hangar, Andrew was stood with the team to wave them off. Everyone turned and pointed their guns at Ward.
"Nice to know how popular I am." Ward smiled.
"What the hell are you doing?" Mack demanded.
"Ward wants to help us stop R.E.S.C.U.E., and I've studied this man a lot since I realised what he truly was. His logic makes sense when it comes to this. If he makes one wrong move I have a detonator that blows him sky high. He's on our side for this." Coulson explained. Eventually, everyone lowered their weapons.
"Dr Garner, I'm sorry for your loss." Ward said to Andrew.
"Don't talk to me again." Andrew snapped.
The Bus slowed down as it began its descent onto its destination. Andrew took a step forward.
"Melinda loved being a part of this team, and she loved every single one of you." Andrew smiled. He turned to Ward.
"She hated you."
"Probably fair." Ward whispered.
"And if there's one thing I know she'd want you to do, it's to not let this mission go unfinished. Never give in. For her. Make her proud." Andrew added as a tear fell down his cheek.
"Here we go!" Coulson shouted as the large hangar door opened and the team were met with the sight of the warehouse as The Bus got closer and closer to the ground. A strong breeze filled the room as Andrew backed away, silently cheering the team on.
Jemma grabbed Fitz's hand and took him to the side.
"Just…be careful, okay? You're still healing." Jemma said softly. Fitz took her hands in his.
"I promise. You be careful, too okay?" Fitz asked and Jemma nodded.
"…I love you."
Fitz grinned.
"I love you too."
He leant in and kissed Jemma passionately before the two re-joined the rest of the team.
"3…2…1…GO!" Mack shouted as he led the charge off of The Bus and into the warehouse.
…
In the middle of the cold, darkened warehouse, thirty of forty R.E.S.C.U.E. soldiers, scientists and general operatives were gathered. Maya's body lay on a metal table, all surrounded by heavy machinery of some kind. Several tubes had been inserted into the corpse, and R.E.S.C.U.E. had already started the process of pumping GH.325 into its system.
"What are the guys in charge even gonna do if this works?" One R.E.S.C.U.E. soldier asked as he observed the scientists at work.
"Apparently, they're gonna lock it up and train it over time to do missions for them; assassinate powerful people and that sorta thing. A one-man army." Another soldier responded.
"I don't think that's what Maya Anderson meant when she wanted to use Inhumans to make the world better."
"Who cares? If we don't help, they'll kill our families, remember?"
"That's 1.4 gallons running through her system. Should be enough." One scientist declared.
"Let's do this. Operation 284 is ready to begin. Everybody get well back and stay away until the gas clears!" Another scientist shouted, throwing a Terrigen crystal next to Maya's body. As the gas surrounded the corpse, it slowly turned into stone as it spread across the whole body.
"I think it's working!" A third scientist declared.
"What's that?" A soldier asked, hearing the sound of The Bus landing.
"It's S.H.I.E.L.D.! They found us! Everyone prepare to engage! Protect the target at all costs!" Another soldier ordered. The scientists headed for the back of the room as the many soldiers spaced out and cocked their weapons.
After a moment a silence, the doors flew off their hinges and knocked five soldiers to the floor following a shockwave from Daisy. The rest of the team rushed in and gunfire immediately filled the place.
"You all chose the wrong people to follow after Maya went on the run! This was not what she wanted R.E.S.C.U.E. to be." Coulson shouted as he hid behind a crate, taking the occasional shot at some soldiers.
"No, it'll be better!" A soldier shouted, charging at Coulson and firing their gun at the same time. A bolt of electricity from Lincoln sent them flying across the room and crashing into the wall.
"Their guns are plastic, not metal; I can't do anything to stop them." Joey warned.
"You can shoot." Bobbi said, handing him a spare gun as the team continued spreading out across the room.
"Terrigenesis has already been performed!" Jemma shouted above the hailstorm of bullets as she looked over to Maya's body.
"We don't have long, sir!" Fitz shouted.
At that very moment, some of the rock around Maya began to crumble away. As the substance fell from her face, Maya slowly opened her eyes, which were the original jet black Rage's were in its prime.
"Attack!" Coulson ordered. The team all got out from cover and shot at some soldiers, taking many of them down.
Bobbi leapt over a crate and kicked one soldier to the floor. Ward shot three soldiers in the chest and rushed over to check on them; one of them was still breathing, so Ward snapped their neck.
Lance took another two out, running out of bullets as a third came up behind him. A stray bullet from behind took the soldier out; Lance looked in the direction it came from and saw Ward waving at him.
"You're welcome."
"Piss off."
More rock crumbled away from Maya as she slowly stretched her fingers out and felt the edge of the table she lay on with her fingertips. Her body suddenly began flinching as rock started protruding from her body and the skin on her legs started to turn navy blue.
Several group of soldiers kicked some crates, sending all of the team flying across the room. As they all got up, they found themselves completely surrounded.
"Drop your weapons. Now." A soldier ordered. Everyone but Ward obeyed.
"Ward…" Coulson ordered. Ward looked at him angrily, then reluctantly threw his gun to the floor.
"One step from anyone and we gun you down." Another soldier smirked.
Everyone looked over to Maya, whose bottom half was now navy blue and her fingers were staring to grow into claws. Her head flinched from side to side, stopping when she made eye contact with Coulson; he could have sworn she recognised him in that moment.
"…Lincoln." Daisy whispered. Lincoln, who was standing behind her, leant forward.
"…That thing we've been practicing…?" Daisy added.
"We can't. It's too dangerous." Lincoln whispered.
"The team have non-conductive armour on. It's our only way out." Daisy replied.
"…Okay." Lincoln nodded, taking a step back.
A moment.
"…EVERYBODY DOWN!" Daisy shouted. The team fell to the floor as she leaped into the air and sent a pulse into the floor, cracking the concrete all around her and sending the soldiers falling to the floor and laying on the cracks she had formed. Lincoln punched the same area Daisy had landed; bolts lit up the cracks and sent a massive electric shock into the soldiers, knocking them all out.
The team all stood up, shocked and in awe.
"…What was that?" Jemma asked.
"We're calling it a 'static quake' for the time being." Lincoln nodded proudly.
The team picked up their weapons and aimed them at the scientists at the end of the warehouse; they all raised their hands in the air as Coulson rushed over to Maya, who continued to flinch as her transformation took hold.
"Maya, it's me. It's Phil." Coulson said.
Reluctantly, Coulson placed his hand gently on top of Maya's. After a while, her body calmed and her jet black eyes looked into Coulson's as a tear fell down her cheek.
"I don't want to be like this anymore. Please. I was with them. Glenn and Kaiden. They were calling for me. I was home. Bring me home, Phil." She whispered through her tears.
"Bring me back to them. Bring me home." She added.
"…I'm so sorry, Maya." Coulson said, crying silently as he placed his gun on Maya's abdomen and fired a single shot. Maya's body stiffened as the jet black faded from her eyes and her skin returned to normal.
"…Thank you." She smiled, holding Coulson's hand before slipping away, finally and truly at peace.
As a soldier came to, Lance grabbed him and held him against the wall.
"Give me one good reason I shouldn't really hurt you right now." Lance demanded.
"No, p-please…they made me work for them, I swear. Some of them enjoyed it but a few of us…they said they'd kill our families if we didn't comply." The soldier explained.
"I'm having a hard time believing you."
"No, I-I can give you the names of the new guys in charge; they elected themselves into power after Maya went on the run. I'll tell you everything I know; quite a few of us will. P-Please." The soldier begged.
Lance looked at Coulson, who nodded. Lance let the soldier go and he sank to the floor.
"I'm…I'm s-sorry." He sobbed to himself.
Coulson looked around to see most of the injured soldiers had come to and were looking at him, the innocence and fear in their eyes plain to see.
At long last, it was over.
…
Every R.E.S.C.U.E. worker was taken into custody; those who proved their families were being threatened were released and allowed to go home and hug their wives and children again. Those who worked for them because they believed in their ideals were imprisoned.
Valuable information from many sources named the three new self-elected heads of R.E.S.C.U.E., former members who served under Maya than twisted her view for their own gain; they wanted power, nothing more. They were all put on trial and found guilty, incarcerated for the rest of their lives. All of this, and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s existence was still managed to be kept a secret; Lance was annoyed when the news praised the police's efforts in saving the day, but everyone talked him round eventually.
"Congratulations Coulson, you and your team did a phenomenal job." President Ellis smiled as he appeared on the screen in Coulson's office once again.
"Thank you, Mr President." Coulson smiled.
"What will you all be doing next?" Ellis asked. Coulson chuckled.
"…I think we've all earned a little break, sir."
…
"It's lovely, Phil. She'd be so honoured." Andrew smiled as he stood with Coulson and the rest of the team in the living area.
Drilled into the wall was a shiny metallic plaque, with ten words lovingly carved into it.
MELINDA MAY
Loved and missed always.
Our inspiration. Our friend.
"She'll never leave this place, or this team. I can promise you that." Coulson said emotionally, shaking Andrew's hand.
"So, what do we do now?" Jemma asked as she finished drying her eyes.
"I can't see any threats coming our way in the near future that we can't leave to The Avengers. I'm temporarily disbanding S.H.I.E.L.D.; everyone gets a month of. I think we've all earned it. And I promise I won't call you in after eight days like the last time I did this." Coulson smiled and the team all laughed as they walked off, excitedly chatting about what they were going to do with their time off.
"Thank you Phil, for everything." Andrew smiled.
"Thank you. What will you do now?" Coulson asked.
"Checking in on Melinda's parents for a few days, then…well, I guess I'll go home and do what she'd want me to do…get the hell on with it." Andrew chuckled lightly.
"Take it easy, Andrew." Coulson said, pulling him into a hug before handing him something from a nearby table.
"I thought you'd like this. May had it in her locker." Coulson smiled as he gave Andrew the ivy green psychiatry book Andrew had told him she loved. Tears filled his eyes as he held it in his hands.
"She actually kept it."
"She did." Coulson smiled, gripping Andrew's shoulder respectfully before walking off with a smile.
Andrew opened the book as he walked over to the window, crying silently as he read what he'd written on the inside cover years ago.
'My Melinda,
Look up at the sky, and I'll be there.
Your Andrew, always.'
Andrew looked out the window and up to the blue sky above.
"I love you, Melinda." He whispered with a smile.
…
Coulson dropped a brown envelope at the base of the cell. From inside it, Ward looked confused.
"What's that?" Ward asked.
"A gift for you to take. We're all heading to the airport and you'll be accompanying us." Coulson said.
"What's in it?"
"Money. Enough for a plane ticket to wherever you want to go." Coulson said. Ward looked at him in disbelief.
"You kept to your word, and you haven't been a problem for us for a long while now. I'll never forgive you for betraying my team, you better understand that. You get on a plane and make sure none of us see you again. Understood?" Coulson asked.
"Understood." Ward said. Coulson unlocked the cell and began walking up the stairs as Ward picked up the envelope.
"Coulson? Thank you."
"…Go to hell, Grant."
Grant smiled as he watched Coulson go.
…
Everyone stood in the busy airport as they prepared to part ways for their separate flights.
"So, where are you off to?" Daisy asked Joey, who smiled.
"Home. This guy at my local coffee place has been asking me out for months. I can finally say yes without being worried about rushing off suddenly for a mission this time." Joey explained happily.
"Good for you." Daisy laughed.
"What about you?" Joey asked.
"Me and this one are going backpacking around Japan." Daisy smiled, playfully elbowing Lincoln.
"I already regret this decision." Lincoln teased, kissing the top of Daisy's head.
"Where are you off to, Mack?" Bobbi asked.
"I'm going home too. It's about time I spent some quality time with my brother." Mack smiled.
"Sounds good to me. I'm being dragged to Mexico." Lance sighed playfully as he took Bobbi's hand.
"We never actually had a proper honeymoon; now we have the chance to have one." Bobbi explained happily, smiling at Lance.
"What are the lovebirds doing then?" Mack teased as everyone looked at Fitzsimmons. Jemma giggled as Fitz looked at the floor, embarrassed.
"Well, first we're spending a week in Scotland with Leo's mum, then driving down and spending a week with my mum and dad, and then jetting off for two weeks in the Seychelles." Jemma revealed excitedly as she squeezed Fitz's hand.
"She wants to go snorkelling." Fitz added.
"You'll enjoy it, I promise." Jemma said.
"I know I will, you'll be there." Fitz smiled. Jemma kissed him as everyone else rolled their eyes and laughed.
"Get me a bucket." Lance joked.
Coulson walked over to the group and smiled at them all.
"Ward got on a plane okay then?" Bobbi asked.
"Yep. Let's hope I don't regret that decision." Coulson confirmed.
"What're you gonna do now?" Daisy asked.
"First I have a week of treatment to get Rage's radiation out of my system. Then I thought it's about time I actually did go to Tahiti." Coulson smiled.
"Well, you enjoy it, sir." Joey said.
"I will. All of you, have the time of your lives. I'll see you soon." Coulson smiled, hugging the team in turn as the all split off into tiny groups to catch their flights. Coulson, however, returned to The Bus; before his holiday could begin, he had a few people to say goodbye to.
…
Coulson laid a white rose at the shiny new headstone at a local cemetery.
MAYA ANDERSON
With her family again.
Coulson had arranged for Maya to be buried next to her husband and son. A lot of local people came to her funeral, realising that in the long run she'd been a victim of hate and the cruelty of life. She didn't deserve any of what happened to her.
"Sleep well, Maya." Coulson whispered, nodding respectfully before walking off to let her rest begin. She was home.
…
"Well, I better get going. You'd want me to enjoy my holiday when I rarely had one." Coulson smiled as he stood at the resting place of Melinda May.
"I'll see you again soon. Don't think you can get rid of me that easily." He added with a chuckle as he placed a new bouquet of flowers by the gravestone.
"I won't let you down, May. I'll never stop fighting. And I'll never forget. I promise."
He looked up at the sky, thinking of what Andrew had told him about the book May loved. The memories he had of her could never be taken from him.
"I'll see you again."
He let a tear fall as he respectfully laid his hand on top of the headstone.
"Goodnight, Melinda."
Slowly, he lifted his hand up to his forehead and gave a salute. After a moment of silence, he lowered his hand, smiled and walked off into the distance.
Melinda May's story was over, but her legacy was just beginning.
…
Coulson stared out the window happily as the plane to Tahiti took off. With the radiation out of his system, he could finally let go of the horrors S.H.I.E.L.D.'s latest mission had thrust upon him and his team.
Despite all they'd been through, however, Coulson knew that when they all came back together, they'd be better men and women, better agents and better people. S.H.I.E.L.D. will never have been stronger, and Coulson was proud to be leading his team into whatever faced them next.
It didn't matter if it was to be a bomb threat or an alien invasion or galactic catastrophe; Coulson knew his team could take it. As long as they remember what they'd been through together, they'd made it. And they would never forget; their memories were waiting for them whenever they looked up at the sky.
And you can't take the sky from them.