After the journey had begun, Grace spoke up, her voice breaking through the dull light of the van's back, "You could have just asked. I'm sure S.H.I.E.L.D-"
"S.H.I.E.L.D isn't the kind of organisation that you can 'just ask'." He shrugged, "They would have put a bullet through my head as soon as I stepped inside that building.
Her ocean-blue eyes widened in surprise, "What do you mean?"
Suddenly, his head snapped up and the van jolted to a stop. He looked at the back door and Grace squinted as it opened and bright light spilling into the space. Zach pulled her to her feet, still holding her hand as they were met by two agents that Grace assumed had been in the front of the van.
They had emotionless, stern expressions on their faces as they nodded at Zach. The young man steeped forward and only then did Grace see where they were. A large building stood in front of them, simple but studious as it emerged from a forested area. She turned her head, seeing no other signs of life or buildings, just towering evergreen trees. She was about to say something when the two agents roughly grabbed her arms, holding them tightly. She was alarmed, struggling in their grip which was unwavering, and she looked at Zach helplessly. He gestured to the men and their hold loosened slightly, though they did not let go. Zach began to walk towards the building and the two other men guided Grace after him.
Every head turned as they walked to the front desk, Zach placing his finger of a key pad and then in another machine which pricked his finger for a blood sample. He barley winced, obviously used to it by now, and walked on through the building until they reached a central room. A smart-looking man turned to face them as they entered the buzzing room, smiling as he saw Grace.
"Zach. I see you've delivered as always," his eyes didn't leave Grace for a moment as he spoke, and it made the girl shudder. What was she even doing here? S.H.I.E.L.D had taken her in, and had done their upmost to help her, running tests and keeping her safe. Suddenly a handsome man tells her she is trying to protect her and she has to trust him? Maybe there more to S.H.I.E.L.D than she knew? Maybe they were the ones she should be running from.
"I've done the job, you do the rest," Zach shrugged, his expression that had once seemed kind and inviting was now cold and uninterested.
"You may go," The man nodded to him, and the young man turned and walked towards the doors that they had come through. On his was out he caught Grace's eyes which were filled with confusion and almost betrayal. He had brought her here for a reason she did not know, and now he was leaving her with these mysterious people. He quickly looked away from her hurt expression and hurried himself out of the door.
Grace's eyes followed Zach then she turned back to the man, glaring at the two agents who were still roughly holding her arms.
"I'm sure you're very confused, Grace." The man's smile continued until it was almost sickening.
She creased her eyebrows at him, "Why am I here?" She spat, jerking her arms away from the two agents, "How do you know my name? And about...what I can do?"
"I have my sources," he answered cryptically, "We are only trying to keep you safe."
"From S.H.I.E.L.D?"
He nodded, "Yes. They are dangerous and all they want to do is keep you locked away, hidden from the outside world." He shook his head in disgust, "They want to cage you like an animal."
Grace too shook her head, "No they said they would never do that-"
"What S.H.I.E.L.D promise," he walked towards her, "And what they really do are very different things." He paused, "You shouldn't have to be ashamed of what you can do. We want to help you."
"And who are you?"
"We have been called many things over the years. But we are the remains of an ancient brotherhood formed to protect the people of the world by any means necessary."
"Like S.H.I.E.L.D does?" Grace asked, thinking back to the 'History of S.H.I.E.L.D' book she had read the week before. If they were formed with the same aims, why were they at war?
The man slammed his hand down on a table, "We are nothing like S.H.I.E.L.D." He shouted, causing Grace to flinch and step back.
"The Circle of Cavanaugh eliminates the world's threats, creates order, maintains the balance." He said as if he had repeated those words a thousand times. Cavanaugh? The word sounded familiar to Grace.
"What do you have against S.H.I.E.L.D?" She asked, noticing the man clench his jaw as she said it.
"S.H.I.E.L.D," he spat angrily, "and the Circle have been at war since the former's formation. There was a time when the best and the brightest joined our ranks. Then, SHIELD became the secret organisation that the government just couldn't live without They keep secrets, they withhold the truth and claim that they are protecting the world through negotiation...talking. That means people die. And as for the Director…"
Grace's eyes widened, "Fury?"
"Yeah, a name that fits him well. His rage and self-righteousness has made him blind," He spoke firmly.
"Who are you?" She asked and his icy-blue eyes met her's causing a shiver to run down her spine.
He smiled, "My name is Stanis Meyer. Head of our ancient brotherhood." He bowed slightly as he introduced himself.
Grace smirked, sitting down in a swivel chair, "Sounds a lot like a cult to me." She commented skeptically, spinning slightly in the office chair.
Stanis scoffed slightly, "Nothing of the sorts. We only wish to destroy the corrupt organisation known as S.H.I.E.L.D."
She shook her head, "If there is going to be a fight, I want no part in it. I didn't want to wake up and be surrounded by death and conflict." She sighed, "I want to start a new life, a calm normal life."
"Surely you want to start that life in a world with order." He walked closer to her once more, "A world without S.H.I.E.L.D constantly watching you."
"S.H.I.E.L.D has done nothing but help me. How can I trust you and what you say?"
"Have they given you a reason to trust them?" Grace remained silent, "Be stronger. Fight back."
"Oh I'm plenty strong as it is." She got up from her seat and almost every agent in the room stopped what they were doing to watch her.
Meyer looked cautiously at her, "We are not going to hurt you. Just don't make any irrational decisions." He said calmly as lights began to form in the girl's balled up fists. Slowly, they flickered out and she took a deep breath. Blinking a few time she unclenched her fists; she had no control, what was she hoping to achieve? She didn't want anyone to get hurt and maybe this was for the best.
"Good, now I know you're on board we can get you started. Zach will be with you in the training room in a moment." He said and the two agents that had been by her side escorted her out of the room.
"Sir," an agent walked over to Meyer, "She's a risk. How do we know she believes us? Or that she will help us?"
"We don't", he said simply, placing his hands behind his back, "But she wont have a choice." He smiled darkly.
/
Coulson sat with his head in his hands in a chair in the control room, tuning out the rush of Agents around him. He only looked up when Fury leaned on the table next to him.
"It's not your fault," The Director began, and Coulson creased his eyebrows and looked up at him.
He shook his head, "No it is. She should have been safer. I promised that I would protect her." A heavy sigh came from his mouth.
"We didn't anticipate this. The Circle is good," He nodded, thinking back to the numerous near misses they had had with the brotherhood of assassins and killers, "but we are better."
/
Grace watched Zach as he beat the hell out of a punching bag, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. He turned sharply as he felt Grace's presence behind him.
"You know you don't have to be so cryptic. I can't trust a person with as many secrets as you have," She shrugged, stepping towards him as he undid the Velcro on his punching gloves.
"S.H.I.E.L.D has secrets too, you know," He reasoned, raising his eyebrows and handing the gloves to her.
She sighed, strapping them on, "Respect is earned. Honesty is appreciated. Trust is gained. Loyalty is returned." She took a punch after each statement, "That's just the way things work." She punched the bag a few more times as Zach held it, "I respect S.H.I.E.L.D for what they did for me, that leads to trust."
"All this talk about trust and honesty makes me want to be violently sick," Zach shook his head, scoffing, "When you are in our...my line of work, everybody has secrets. We are agents, spies. It's what we do. You've been brought into this world, so you're going to have to get used to it," He nodded towards her apologetically, "Everyone lies."
She grinned, laughing slightly, "Then how can you sort out the liars for good from the liars for bad." She hit the bag with a great deal of force and Zach jolted backward marginally.
"You look for the ones who lie for you, not to hurt you," He shrugged, "You don't get that a lot around here." He stepped away, turning towards a rack of knives and spears.
Before Grace could question why he had said that, he threw a knife at her directly and she sharply pulled up a forcefield and the metal clattered to the ground.
"I'm new to all of this, you could have killed me," She yelled, causing the boy to smirk.
"But I didn't. I wouldn't be giving you more than I know you can handle." He threw a few more in her direction and each time she protected herself.
She shook her head, still angered by his impulsive actions, "You really don't wait around."
"Quick action, quick results." He grinned.
Grace creased her eyebrows, tightening her blonde ponytail, "And what makes you think you know what I can handle?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
His forest green eyes flickered to the clock and then to the doorway as a group of agents filtered into the training room, "It's five o'clock. We need to go, there's a training session in here now," he smirked, picking up the knives and placing them on the table. As he turned back around, Grace grabbed his wrist, stopping time so the agents that had just entered the room became motionless. Only her and Zach were animated, and he looked around in wonder.
"We've got time," now it was Grace's turn to smirk.
He walked towards the immobile agents, poking one in the shoulder. He didn't move, "I thought you didn't know how to control this power."
She smiled, shaking her, "Being stuck in that room with a bunch of books that you've already read…It gives you the time and place to practice." She raised her hands once more and the agents moved again, causing Zach to swiftly dodge out of their way. He looked over at Grace, "I guess I'm still learning." She looked towards the door and he nodded in response, letting her follow him out of the training room.
As they walked through the quiet corridors, Grace spoke up, "What does Stanis want with me?" She asked. Zach shrugged, seemingly deep in concentration as they turned numerous bends.
"You know shrugging is a very noncommittal gesture." She scoffed, causing him to turn with a grin and shrug as her once more. She sighed, "Please, I deserve to know."
He kept looking forward but nodded, "You know why. To fight S.H.I.E.L.D. He wants their reign of terror to end and thinks that you are the key to that."
"And what do you think?"
He shook his head, "I just take orders and do what I'm paid for." His smile was half-hearted as he walked her to a small room with a bed, a cupboard and an en-suite bathroom, "Meyer told me this was your room, you should get some rest."
"Better than S.H.I.E.L.D I guess." She raised an eyebrow, turning to look at Zach. However, she only turned to see the door shutting behind him and Grace was, once again, alone. She slowly sat on the edge of the dark grey covers of the bed, wrapping her arms around her body.