Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Agents of Shield. I only own Alex and any other characters I may come up with while writing this story.
A/N: Hey, here is the latest chapter. Sorry it took so long to post this, I came down with a cold for a few days early in the month. I decide to take a few days away from writing to recover. It helped and I completed chapter 6 and part of chapter 7 for this story and other chapters for other things I am working on. I went on a bit a of writing spree you could say. The fews days of not writing really helped me. I hope you like this chapter. It's not what I had original planned, but it's where it went and I just followed. Some may dislike Ward in the later part of the chapter, but again it's where I went with the chapter. The thing between Ward and Alex will be brought up from time to time, but it will be resolved in later chapters. I have a plan to make them kind of buddies. But it will take some time.
Also, I would like to thank all of you for following, favouriting and commenting on this story. It's much appreciated and I'm glad you like the story enough to do so.
Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter and I hopefully won't take as long to post the next one.
The Hacker, The Biochemist & The Beast
Chapter 5
A Minor Set Back
Coulson's POV
I came down early after getting ready to find May already up doing her morning Tai Chi routine, but with a small difference. Alex is with her and doing it along with her. I stand at the bottom of the staircase with my arms crossed, watching them move in sync. After May put Alex in the black room for the night, she came back up to my office. She informed me that Alex has been learning to speak various languages and can already speak four, currently learning a fifth. Seeing Alex doing Tai Chi is not that surprising after learning that. I watch them a few more minutes before heading towards the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee.
"Your up early." May says from behind me as I finish pouring my cup of coffee. I turn around find her stand at the counter and Alex sitting at the small table.
"Not as early as you two. How long has she been awake?" I quietly ask May when she steps beside me to make her cup of coffee. I know Alex can hear us, but she makes no indication that she does.
"I'm not sure. She was already up when I went in to do my Tai Chi. I made a quick stop in the briefing room to check in on her and she was up and doing Tai Chi, so I asked if would like to join me." May quietly says back while stirring in a bit of cream into her coffee. I nod my head and walk over to join Alex at the table.
"Morning, Alex. Would you like a cup of coffee?" I ask sitting on the stool on the opposite side of the table.
"Morning, Coulson." She greets looking up from staring at her bandaged hand that rests on the table in front of her. "Unless you want me to act like five year old on a sugar rush, I'll pass on the coffee." She says and I hear a hint of amusement in her voice. I chuckle lightly as I take a sip of my coffee.
"Here, maybe this will be better for you." May says, place a mug of steaming liquid in front of Alex. "It's green tea, it's good for you and has very little caffeine in it." Answering Alex silent question. I watch in amusement as Alex takes a tentative sip of the tea.
"Not bad, thanks." She says, taking another sip of tea. May nods her head before turning back towards the small kitchen we have on the plane. I see her pull out a pack of bacon from the fridge and begin opening it. Probably will need to cook the whole thing for everyone to get at least two slices. I think, looking at Alex. She may look thin, but she can back away the food when she can.
"How did you sleep?" I ask to make conversation.
"Better then I thought I would after first seeing the bed you put in there." Alex says shrugging her shoulders. I nod my and we both take a sip of our beverages. That's when I notice for the first time a scar running down her left forearm. I know better then to ask, but I have a sick feeling I know how she got that. What did you go through, Alex. I think, setting my cup down on the table. "It's weird not seeing you in a suit." Alex comments, tilting her head to the side.
"I thought I would wear something more comfortable to track Yuri in." I say, looking down at my t-shirt and jeans. She nods her head, turning her head to the side when the smell of bacon fills the room. Her eyes flash quickly to yellow and her right hand balls into a fist. I know why she had that reaction, when I see Ward walk behind Alex's head to the coffee maker. May and Ward greet each other with head nods before walking over to the table and sits on the stool next me.
"Morning, Sir." He greets before taking a sip of his coffee. I look over at Alex and see she has relaxed slightly. Her fist no longer in a ball, but posture still stiff.
"Morning, Ward." I greet him back. "After breakfast I want you get your gear ready for when you, Alex and I go to track down Yuri." I tell him and he nods his head, eyes shifting over to Alex for moment. My next words are cut off by FitzSimmons making their presence known, or at least Simmons does.
"Good Morning everyone." Simmons greats happily as she walks into the little kitchen area followed by Fitz, who quickly glances at Alex. Still afraid of her. I think, taking another sip of coffee. I turn my attention to Alex and notice she has perked up slightly and is looking at something over my right shoulder. Or should I say someone.
"Why are all of you morning people?" Skye grumbles, not really expecting an answer from anyone, while making her way over to the little table. "Seriously, even you." She directs to Alex as she slides into the booth and over to sit next to her in order to make room for FitzSimmons who have gotten their cups of coffee. Simmons slides a cup of coffee over to Skye when she sits next to her in the booth, Fitz probably trying to be as far away as Alex as he can. "Thank you, Jemma." Flashing a grateful smile towards the scientist before taking the first sip of her coffee.
The tension Alex had because of Wards presence has now disappeared since Skye sat next to her. It's the most relaxed I have seen her, even though I have not seen her before today for over a year. Even with me Alex seemed to be on edge, not completely comfortable or able to let her guard down. Skye seems to be able to do that by just sitting next to her and Skye doesn't even know. Alex is probably very awry of that fact and will most likely fight it for how ever long she is on the plane. May comes over with a plate full of bacon and eggs and places in front of Alex, who's eyes light up at food in front of her.
"Looks good. Thank you, May." Alex thanks her with a grateful smile. May nods her head before walking back over to get the plates of food for the other to serve themselves. Fitz gets up quickly to help her and out of the corner of my eye see Skye slowly reaching over to grab a piece of bacon from Alex's plate. Just when she is about to grab one, Alex taps her hand lightly. Skye withdraws her hand and pouts, giving Alex puppy dog eyes. For a second I think it won't work on Alex, when I hear her sigh and hand over a piece of bacon with out taking eyes off her food. Skye smiles widely and happily takes the bacon, immediately taking a bite. I look at Alex until she looks up from her food and give her an amused smile, to which she rolls her eyes.
We all eat the breakfast May cooked at the little table, a rarity on both counts. FitzSimmons chat away with Skye, with Ward occasionally making a comment. For her part, Alex just eats her breakfast in silence and gets up when she is finished to bring her plate to the sink. Her quick motion causes Fitz to dart behind Ward, who sits to his left. Everyone stops what they are doing to look at him cowering behind Ward. I look across at Alex, who is half in the booth, to see a quick flash of hurt in her eyes. With out saying anything, Alex just continues with what she was going to do before. As soon as Fitz sits back in the booth next to Simmons, she slaps him on the arm and gives him a stern look. Skye also gives him a stern look and shaking her head disapprovingly at his actions.
"I'm going to get ready to head out." Alex tells me once she returns from putting her plate in the sink. It's clear the little incident has caused Alex to revert back to being on edge, which makes me a little sad. I nod my and watch her head to the interrogation room. I turn around and notice May sitting where Alex had been. She gives me a knowing look.
"I'm going to get my gear ready." Ward announces before getting up and bringing his plate to the sink as well. Skye and FitzSimmons turn towards me with confused expressions.
"Ward, Alex and I are going out to track the other guy, who's name we learned is Yuri." I inform them of the plan of action and the information Alex provided us with, but haven't yet told them.
"How'd we get his name?" Skye asks after digesting the information.
"Alex recognized him from her time where she was." I answer, not using the name Alex does occasionally when we talk.
"I thought she didn't remember her time where she was. Thats what her file says, anyway." Fitz chimes in, brow scrunched up.
"I don't. At least not the important things S.H.I.E.L.D. wants to know." Alex says from my left, not hearing her come up behind me. "I remember fully the last year and half before I escaped and bits from before that, but not the answers S.H.I.E.L.D. are looking for." Alex clarifies, looking down at me.
"Maybe with time those memories will return." Simmons says optimistically and Alex just shrugs her shoulders. She may be acting casual about the whole thing, but she wants those answers just as badly as S.H.I.E.L.D. does. Probably even more then we do. You'll get those answers, Alex. I think, getting up from the stool.
"Alright, briefing room. We'll get a game plan together before Ward, Alex and I head out." I inform the team before heading towards the briefing room. I stand on my side of the large sreen table and the other stand around it as well. FitzSimmons and Skye across from me and May and Ward on either side. I look over to my left and see Alex leaning on the wall with her arms crossed.
"I spoke with HQ last night and updated them on what happened at the park." I start off, remembering the long conversation with Assistant Director Hill. "With the information Alex has given about the subject Yuri, our mission has changed from capture to kill." I inform them and watch everyone but May and Alex react to my news. May knew of the change of orders, but Alex just knew it should be done.
"Are you sure that is a good idea, sir? He could know valuable information about those that made him like this." Ward says after coming out of his shock.
"He most likely does, but is not in the right frame of mind to give it." Alex tells Ward has if she was telling him about the weather. "He would prefer to kill you then talk." She adds, looking directly at Ward.
"A few days locked up could return him to normal." Ward argues, looking to me to back him up. Alex scoffs, but doesn't saying anything on the matter.
"That won't work either." I tell him and watch him frown at my words.
"Because she says it won't." Ward bites out, pointing an accusing finger at Alex.
"Yes, because I say it won't. What do you do when an animal gets out of control?" Alex says. Her posture relays calm, but her voice saying something different. "You put it down. Thats basically what we are doing here. He is out of control, so we are putting him down." Glaring at Ward as she does.
"You think your an expert just because your like him?" Ward forcefully questions her and I see Alex's eye flash yellow and she straightens to her full height of 5'11''.
"Yes, it does." Alex growls out and eyes flashing yellow quickly. I discreetly reach into my jacket pocket for the remote to the chip in Alex's shoulder. "The last of my teen years and early twenties was spent around those like me and some of those times weren't all that pleasant, Agent Ward. This is why they brought me here, to help you track him down because I'm like him." She bites out Ward's name and one of her hands balls into a fist.
"How do we know you really here to help? Maybe your just saying all this stuff about him losing control and putting him down to help him stay free, because you can't. Help him 'fake' his death in someway while he disappears to someplace else." Ward says a mildly smug tone and uncharacteristically using air quotes. "Got to help out those of your kind, right?" And with that Alex quickly dashes towards Ward, but a few steps away she drops to her knees with a loud cry of pain.
I look down at Alex on her knees to my right and I know what happened to her, but it wasn't me that activated her chip. I snap my head to look at May to my left and she shakes her head, showing me her hands. Turning my attention back to Ward, who stopped Simmons from checking on Alex and see a remote similar to the ones May and I have in his left hand.
"Let her pass, Agent Ward." I tell him in a stern voice. His head snaps in my direction from glaring at a still kneeling Alex, who is trying to get her breathing under control. Seeing the look on my face, he lets Simmons go check on Alex. "Where did you that?" I say forcefully, pointing to the remote in his hand.
"I read about the chip she had in her shoulder, Fitz modify a remote to activate her chip and clearly I did the right thing, sir." Gesturing to Alex, who is now sitting on the floor with her back leaning on the table and Simmons kneeling beside her. Fitz rushes into the room, not realizing he had left, kneels beside Simmons and hands her a few sensors to take Alex's vitals.
"She wasn't going to attack you." Skye states matter-of-factly and a bit of edge to her voice. She has her eyes narrowed at Ward and her stance clearly reads she is unhappy with what happened. "Her eyes weren't yellow. Yeah, sure they flashed a few times, but I don't think her intent was to hurt you. Maybe intimidate you a little." She explains her reasoning.
"She's right." Alex's strangled voices floats up from the floor. She let's out a breath before continuing. "I just wanted to show him the difference between control and out of control." She explains, voice filled with pain. "Didn't think he had a remote." She mutters under her breath.
"If you don't mind me ask, sir. What does the chip in her shoulder do?" Simmons asks, looking up from looking over Alex's vitals on the tablet Fitz holds in his hands.
"It sends an electric current through out her body. We placed it in her for the reason you just saw, to stop her incase she got out of control." I explain and frown down at Alex sitting on the floor still in clear pain from the shock to her system. "It doesn't normal cause this much pain though…" I trail off, snapping my head up to Ward. There are different levels of shock that can be sent to the chip, the lowest level always able to stop her. "You used a high level didn't you?" I ask Ward, though it sounded more like a statement. He nods his head in answer. I hold out my hand for him to hand me the remote and he reluctantly hands it over. Taking one last glance at Alex still being fussed over by Simmons before stocking off to the cargo bay.
"How do you feel, Alex?" I ask, crouching down next to her.
"Like I was fried from the inside out." She answers in a pained filled voice. Her eyes are closed and her right fist is clenched at her side.
"Her heart beat is erratic and pulse is slightly racing. I gave her a painkiller, which should be kicking in at any moment." Simmons informs me, looking up from the tablet that show Alex's vitals. "I recommend she get's some rest to let her recover." Running her hand up and down Alex's forearm, most likely unconsciously.
"The electric current Ward sent through her body was just below what is use for the electric chair." Fitz says, looking over read outs on his tablet. "So, her assessment of being fried from the inside out is pretty close." Adds in amused voice, which gets Alex to crack open one of her eyes to look at him. "Sorry, to soon." He mumbles quietly, going back to looking at her tablet.
"You think, Fitz" Skye says sarcastically from behind him, looking at Alex worriedly and fiddling with the sleeve of her shirt.
"Can you walk?" I ask Alex, thinking it best to get her off the floor and laying on the bed in the interrogation room. Alex slowly opens her eyes to look at me, slightly cloudy from the painkiller Simmons gave her.
"Yeah, with a bit of help I should." She answers slowly, the painkiller already taking effect and it won't be long before it makes her fall asleep.
Without saying anything, I gently wrap her right arm around my shoulder to help lift her and look over to see Simmons has done the same. Together we gently lift her to her feet, Alex leaning more on me then Simmons as we slowly walk her to the interrogation room. We gently lay her back on the bed and I take off her boots to make her more comfortable.
"If it's alright with you, sir. I would like to stay in the room to keep an eye on her." Simmons timidly asks, fiddling with her hands in front of her. I look over to May, standing in the doorway and she nods her head in agreement.
"Thats fine, Simmons. We'll keep the door open and May won't be to far way." I inform her and nods her head quickly, pulling out the chair from the table and facing it towards Alex lay on the bed.
I take one last glance at an unconscious Alex before leaving the interrogation room. Coming to a stop just outside when I notice Fitz stand beside the door in clear debate on whether to join Simmons in the room to keep her company. Throwing one last glance at the door, he shakes his head and stocks off towards the lab. I sigh as I watch him leave.
"Mind letting me by, AC." Skye says from my left and turn to see her standing there with her laptop under her arm. I raise my eyebrow in question and she shrugs before answering. "Thought I would keep Jemma company in there while she monitors Alex." I nod head my head, glad Simmons won't be alone in the room with Alex and that she is not afraid to be in the room like Fitz seems to still be. I move out of her way, but before she steps into the room I have to ask one question.
"She really wasn't going to attack him, right?" I ask her, still unsure of if Alex wasn't or not. Skye turns to me and leans against the door.
"You say I'm good at reading people. Well, that's what I read from her." Skye explains, looking me straight in the eye. "She wanted to show Ward the difference between her and this Yuri. That she has control over whatever she is and can stop herself from attacking others. Maybe she went about it the wrong way, but I think it's something Ward needs to learn." She explains further and I'm impressed with her assessment of what happened.
"Good work, Skye." I tell her, giving her a rare smile. Skye smiles widely at my praise before nodding her head and heading in the room to join Simmons.
With a heavy sigh, I head for my office to report in with HQ. Maria is not going to be happy about this. I think, slowly making my way to my office, not looking forward to explaining what happened. Maria Hill and I have known each other a long time and have been through a number of close calls, becoming close friends. To others in the Agency, she is though, strict, and emotionless woman, but I know otherwise. I'm one of a small number that gets to see her without her walls up. It's through our odd friendship that I know, like me, she has taken an interest in Alex and is the reason she has most of the privileges she does, which she told me last night.
I take a seat behind me desk and decide to check in on the video in the interrogation room. Alex has shifted position from her back to her right side. Simmons is sitting on the chair with her tablet in hand, most likely reading a medical journal while occasional looking at Alex's vitals. Skye is sitting crossed legs on the table behind her, back leaning against the wall and doing what ever she does on her laptop. Won't Alex be in for a surprise when she sees these two sitting vigil at her bed. I think, watching them for a few more minutes before switch it off and pulling up the video call and pressing Agent Hill's name. I'm not waiting long before her face pops up on my screen.
I hope she is in a somewhat good mood. I think before I greet A.D. Hill and get on with explaining the delay in the mission.
A/N2: Hope you enjoyed this chapter and not hate me to much for what Ward did to Alex. As I said up top, it's where the chapter took me. See you all next chapter.