Chapter Eighteen (Time is a Fragile Thing)

The Bus touched down near the Fort McLane SHIELD base. Fitzsimmons and Skye took their places in the lab while Coulson, May, and Ward geared up, grabbing every ICER they could find.

"Remember, you three need to stay here." Coulson said. "Do not leave the lab. We can't risk anybody getting hurt."

The three agents nodded as Coulson led May and Ward down the cargo ramp. They froze, hearing the gunfire and the screams. It was obvious that there was a massive fight going on.

"It sounds like hell down there." Ward whispered. "Coulson, you sure that you want to do this? We don't even know if the Clairvoyant is there. It's a suicide mission."

Coulson sighed and thought for a minute, "Ward, I know that this is a risky mission, but this could be one of our only chances."

"Coulson, Ward is right." May said. "We don't even actually know that the Clairvoyant is here. We never saw anything that actually told us that he was here. You're just guessing because you think that this is something that the Clairvoyant would do himself."

"You're right. But remember that Fury ordered us here, so don't go blaming me in the end. Fury ordered it."

The two agents looked at Coulson and looked in the direction of the fighting.

"Coulson," May began. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"It's too late to turn back now." Coulson said, running into the tree line.

Coulson carefully led May and Ward around a couple of Centipede soldiers, trying not to attract their attention. "Get inside," he whispered. "Quietly."

The three agents found a side door and Ward tested it.

"Damn," he cussed. "Locked. They probably have this facility on complete lockdown."

"That's why I always carry these." Coulson pulled out of his pocket a small, round device.

"Uh, what is that?" Ward asked.

"It blows the lock." Coulson replied, sticking the device on the door's lock. "You may want to step back a little bit."

The three agents took a couple steps back as the device blew and the door came open a little bit.

Coulson smiled, "It never fails to work."

May sighed.

"Alright," Coulson began. "Get inside, now."

They checked their surroundings and went inside, only to find themselves face to face with several gun-wielding men.

"Halt!" one of the men yelled. "Drop your weapons! NOW!"

Coulson noticed that the men had SHIELD logos on their uniforms. "We're good!" he exclaimed, holding his hands up. "We're SHIELD as well!"

The main man frowned and walked over to them, "Yeah? Prove it."

Coulson sighed and dug around in his jacket for his badge, he pulled it out, "I'm Agent Phil Coulson. That's Agents Grant Ward and Melinda May. Director Fury sent us."

The agent inspected the badge a little more, "Ok. Good. I'm Agent Thomas Roth, one of the head agents here at this base. Sorry for that, making sure that you weren't Centipede."

"I assure you we're not." Coulson responded.

"You said that the Director sent you?" Roth asked.

"Yes. He called me and my team. Our plane is parked just near here with three other agents onboard."

Roth turned around, "Well then, follow me."

"I don't see what we could find here." Fitz complained.

"And you're complaining that we're in here, and not getting shot at?" Skye asked. "That isn't you."

"No, I mean. What I mean is, remember what happened last time me and Simmons stayed behind on the Bus? We almost got killed. It was a stroke of luck that the soldiers didn't find us in that closet."

"You two were right on top of each other." Skye remarked. "I'm surprised that they didn't here you screaming."

"Shut it." Fitz grumbled. "I couldn't help that I thought that we were all going to die."

Simmons looked at Skye, "Oh, are you feeling any better? I forgot to check because you immediately went to bed after you got back, then we were drug into this mess."

"Just a little fuzzy, that's all." Skye replied. "It's not everyday that your energy is drained by healing somebody. But trust me, I'm completely fine."

"I hope so." Simmons said.

Sudden beeping filled the lab.

"Wait, what? Fitz, what is that?" Skye asked, looking at the engineer.

Fitz panicked and looked at his computer, "T-There's heavy Centipede movement, heading straight for us and the base. We're stuck out here."

Tick tock, the clock strikes ten

Author's Note: I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Coulson, May, and Ward get inside the base and meet a team of agents, with a little trouble. But even worse, Fitzsimmons and Skye are in the Bus, right in the crossroads of a group of soldiers' path. Marvel's Agents of SHIELD will return in a chapter. (Losing motivation for this because of 1x17 last night, it ruined everything for this story and I cant think for it.) Keep reading and please review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.