"Hell no!" Fury exclaimed, recognising the voice as the man who had beaten Ward the previous year.
Back on the 'bus Fitz and Simmons both paled, also recognising the voice.
The four agents turned to look at the man with the voice. Ward stepped forward.
"Congratulations you know my name!"
"Yes. That isn't all I know about you, or Agent Romanov. Where is she by the way?"
"Busy."
A small squadron of Covenant members surrounded the team.
"I have something I would like to show you Agent Ward. If you would like to follow me?" Ward didn't want to follow but with a rifle tip to the back of the head he didn't really have a choice.
Their hands were tied behind their backs and they were taken to a small room with a large monitor covering the entire of one wall. On the video feed they saw someone running. A young woman, with long brown hair tied up into a neat ponytail. Ward and Skye recognised her instantly. Tilly.
"I want my weapon back or, what's her name? Matilda? She pays us a visit until we get it back."
"I don't have it" Ward told him.
"Go get her" Deep voice said into the microphone.
They saw the camera move closer to Tilly. All anyone could do was watch what was about to unfold, including Director Fury.
"Excuse me, Miss."
Tilly stopped running and removed one of her earphones.
"Can I help you?"
"Agent Danson of S.H.I.E.L.D"
"ID?"
The pretend agent showed her forged ID. Tilly still didn't seem to relax.
"What can I do for you?"
"We have received a threat on your life. We would like to take you into protective custody."
"I need to speak to him."
"Certainly."
Deep voice's phone rang.
"Tell her that it's ok" he raised a gun at Skye "or she dies."
Deep voice answered the phone and passed it to Ward.
"Tilly. It's me. S.H.I.E.L.D protocol 987. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
The room watched as Tilly crossed the park with her fake guard. In the middle she seemed to stop and tie her shoelace. Then all hell broke loose. The group in the room, Fitz, Simmons, Amber and Kain on the 'bus and Director Fury at the Hub saw Tilly use expert martial arts skills to take out three of her five escorts. They could see one creeping up behind her with a syringe of what they assumed to be sedative. She used a move that they had seen Romanov use many times before. She grabbed his hand and twisted it the wrong direction. She then used her other hand to deliver a blow to his stomach. For good measure she injected him with the syringe, before shooting the last one. Once all of her escorts were on the floor she ran.
When she started fighting Deep Voice actually lowered his gun and stared at the screen. Clearly he had underestimated this girl. He pointed his gun at Ward. Ward simply stood there laughing. Deep voice hadn't realised that they had all escaped their bonds, or that May had crept into the shadows. She shot deep voice in the back and between her and Ward they eliminated the rest of the guards in the room. Coulson was keeping Skye safe. She might have progressed in martial arts training but she still wasn't up to this level.
"Right. Let's get out of here." Ward said as the last guard fell.
Back on the 'bus Amber and Kain were sat watching the feed with their mouths open. They had never seen May or Ward fight. They were amazing, far better than they were. They understood why there were Legends about Ward and why no one had even come close to his scores and times. As for May, they were now pretty sure that everyone was having them on when they told them she was from Administration.
"Who is closest to Moscow?" Fury demanded
"Romanov, Sir."
"Get me onto the 'bus now"
The team made it back to the bus without further incident. The second the cargo door closed Fitz took to the air. May went to join him. Ward was managing to remain calm.
"S.H.I.E.L.D protocol 987?" Coulson asked him, having never heard of such a protocol.
"There are, well were, only four people who know about it. Fury installed it as an escape mechanism in case someone went after her. We had a passport, money and hair dye in a safe. If we told Tilly to follow that protocol she was to raid the safe and head for Moscow."
The communications line suddenly went live.
"Director." Coulson answered.
"Coulson, welcome back. Is Ward there?"
"I'm here."
"Romanov is closest. She's in Cheboksary. It's a nine hour drive, hour and 15 by plane."
"Does she know?"
"We are trying to reach her but she's in the field."
"If you don't mind, Sir. I would like to do it."
"I'm coming to you. We need to talk."
"Yes, Sir."
Ward dialled the emergency number for Romanov. A man answered in Russian.
"Put her on" Ward replied also in Russian.
"No."
"I will come to that building and kill you and all of your men if you don't put the girl on right now." Ward told him simply.
As none of the others spoke Russian they had no idea what he said to him. He hit the loudspeaker button.
"Hello?" A woman said is Russian.
"Nat?" Ward transferred to English.
"Ward? I can't talk. I'm working"
"I realised that when gumbo answered your phone. Put me on hold, we need to talk."
"Fine, hold on. It better be worth it.
They heard a lot of crashing and grunts of pain. Suddenly the line became clear again.
"So talk." She said.
"S.H.I.E.L.D protocol 987." Was all Ward said to her. The line went quiet.
"How much of a head start does she have?"
"About five hours. You're the closest agent we have. Flight is an hour and 15. You're booked on the next one in two hours. We have a stop to make before we can meet you. Rendezvous at Phys Acc."
"Copy that." Then she hung up.