3
"Roman," Jemma said curtly.
The man in the suit continued smiling and extended an arm to hold Jemma's waist as she came close to him.
"Ms. Simmons!" he exclaimed. Jemma tried to shift out of his light grip but with all her luggage she couldn't move easily. Discomfort splashed across her face.
"It's Dr. Simmons, actually, Roman," she interjected.
With the hand not on her waist, the one with the sign still in its clutch, Roman extended it to the exit of the airport. Jemma turned away from looking at him and made her way to the exit. Roman followed next to her and took a few of her bags.
"I thought someone else was picking me up," Jemma said as she crossed through the open sliding door.
"Well you thought wrong," he replied, they were crossing the streets to the parking lot.
Jemma was exhausted. Leaving the Playground had been taxing on her body and mind. She couldn't look back now. There were people that needed her more than Fitz needed her and now she needed to look towards that direction.
"Well, Ms. Simmons, plans changed. You will see the people you came here to see. Eventually. Today I have a much more important agenda for you to comply with. Here's the first lesson: from now on don't be caught without a smile on your face," Roman said. Jemma shuddered at the incorrect title he was becoming consistent on using.
"It's Doct-," Jemma began to huff.
"Ah-uh-uh, you're not smiling," Roman interjected this time.
Roman unlocked a black SUV and started to load Jemma's luggage into the trunk. Jemma stood to the side watching with her arms folded. She defied Roman's instructions by scowling.
Roman slammed the trunk door particularly hard. He snuck his hand into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone to which he tapped on the screen. He swiftly moved right in front of Jemma, inches from her face but with just enough room to show the screen of the phone to her.
"This, this is why you will be smiling, Ms. Simmons. Because the life of these two people depend on it," Roman sneered. His voice was abrasive, the professional and cool manner he had before had been replaced with mania.
After staring into Roman's eyes as he delivered his chilling message, she focused her eyes on to the screen. Two older people were blindfolded and hog-tied. An agent dressed in black head to toe held a rather large weapon at attention. It was a livestream video. Jemma knew immediately who they were, and fighting back the tears pinching at the sides of her eyes in reaction, Jemma upturned the corners of her mouth into a shaky and superficial smile.
Recoiling and softening up his tough gaze, Roman nudged Simmons to the passenger side of the vehicle while he climbed into the driver's side.
"See? Smiling isn't so hard, you'll get used to it," Roman said calmly.
"I thought the conditions of this arrangement were based upon them remaining unharmed," Jemma said alluding to the couple in the video.
"Hydra has to ensure that you are with them, and now you know if you step out of line there are consequences that won't just affect you," he responded.
Other than the radio it was a quiet drive after that brief conversation. For some time Jemma watched the trees and little towns fly past the window. Every time she'd see her smile fading in the windows reflection she corrected herself. It was a cycle until she eventually passed out from exhaustion.
When she awoke, Roman was pulling the SUV into a quiet suburban apartment complex.
"Welcome to your new home, Ms. Simmons."
With a smile resurfacing on her face from her nap, Jemma corrected Roman's misspeak in her head, Doctor Simmons.