A/N: Greeting everyone an early Merry Christmas! I think I might update until Chapter 11 (if I can) because I won't be updating until next week or maybe next year. Anyway, here's Chapter 8!
The two are honestly unsurprised when they found out that they would be working on a combat op together. Even they themselves have to admit that they work best when they're together, with Phil as the strategist and Melinda as the executioner on the field. That's why when they were told that they will have to extract intel from a Hydra base, they never hesitated to accept the mission.
"May, I want you to get in the base and extract the intel, you'll be with Hand," Maria instructs. Melinda nods at her supervising officer who gives her a small smile in return. "Barton, you and Romanoff will be backup for them. Coulson, you and I will oversee the whole op. It's just a simple op, people, extract intel and get out. Understand?" The team nods. "ETA is seven minutes. Everyone, move."
With that, Melinda and Victoria prepare their respective gears and arms as they review the whole structure of the base, their entrance and exit points, and to where the intel might be found. Melinda has to close her eyes as she feels her surroundings spinning.
"May? Are you alright?" Victoria asks her student. Melinda breathes slowly and exhales and nods at her S.O. "Are you sure? Romanoff can take your place." Melinda shakes her head.
"I can do this, Hand, trust me." she replies. Victoria does not look convinced but she let the situation go and pats Melinda on her shoulder.
"I trust you. But if it's too much on the field, just tell me and I'm calling backup." Victoria says. Melinda nods and gives her a small smile.
When they got to the base, Melinda and Victoria enter the point where they planned to enter. Melinda took out Hydra guards easily with her own hands without noises, paving a way for Victoria to enter to the site where the intel is located. Melinda follows her swiftly after taking out the guards.
Victoria is able to locate the intel to be one of the many drawers. She opens one of the drawers, and closes it, not finding the file there. As soon as Victoria closes the drawer, however, alarms start to ring.
"Hand." Melinda calls out from the far end of the room.
"I'm getting there, May, I'm getting there." Victoria hisses, opening and closing various drawers.
"Hand." Her tone is more alarmed, louder and more worried.
"May, please—I found—" The moment she finds the file and grabs it, is also the moment she hears a loud thud from the far end of the room. Her eyes widen when she turns to see Melinda lying on the floor unconscious. "Jesus." she mutters under her breath as she walks over to check Melinda's pulse. She tucks the file under her arm to get her talkie. "Hand here, I got the file, May's unconscious on the floor. We need backup and extraction. Hydra guards are coming."
"Copy that, Agent Hand." She hears Natasha Romanoff's voice through the talkie. She puts back the talkie in her belt and carefully drags Melinda away from the entrance of the room. Victoria hears loud and heavy footsteps getting nearer and nearer the room. She gets hold of her gun, preparing to take it out when she hears punches and guns and heavy thuds outside the room. Clint and Natasha appear a few moments later.
"Is she hurt?" Natasha asks, feeling for Melinda's pulse and checking carefully for any serious wounds.
"No, she just fell." Victoria explains. Clint lifts Melinda's body and carries it.
"Did someone shoot her or anything?" Clint asks. Victoria shakes her head.
"Anything, I don't know, she just fell on the floor." she says. "Barton, behind us, Romanoff, we'll take lead." Natasha nods and the three exit the room, with Clint carrying Melinda behind the two women.
The four got out of the base unscathed, except for a few cuts. They find the extraction helicopter and the three climb in, with Clint first, then Natasha, then Victoria, who fires a few more shots before completely getting in the helicopter.
"What the hell happened?" Maria asks from the front seat beside the pilot. Clint is carrying Melinda's unconscious body in his arms.
"She didn't feel well before the op, but she kept on assuring me that she was fine so we went through the op and she just fell on the ground." Victoria explains, looking at Melinda's small unconscious body.
"We need to get her to the infirmary to get her checked," Maria says. "Barton, gun wounds on May?"
"No, ma'am." Clint answers.
"Good. ETA two minutes, quickly wheel her in the infirmary and get her checked." Maria instructs. The three chorus a "Yes, ma'am" before Maria turns back.
"What happened?" Phil asks as soon as the three walk in, looking at Clint who is carrying Melinda's body.
"Passed out." Clint answers when Melinda is lifted off from him and wheeled inside the infirmary. The four watch her until the doors to the infirmary close.
"Will she be alright?" Phil asks quietly. Clint looks at him and pats him on the back.
"She's strong, Coulson, she'll be fine."
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