Episode 22: Beginning of the End
Part One
Two men walked through a large office building.
"Sorry about the security red tape," the leader was saying. "Intellectual property, blah, blah, blah. You'll get used to it. So, basically, I've been here since day one. It started with me on my computer in a basement, and now look what we've grown into. We have twenty active systems, and we're growing fast."
The man trailing him, glanced in the direction of two guards.
"I was gonna asked about the construction next door."
"Ah, yes, we're planning on adding another one-hundred systems by the end of the month… That's Sally. Hey, Sally!" The man turned his attention back to his guest. "So, what—are you just really into this sort of thing or what brings you to the company?"
"Um… the incentives program?"
"Yeah. No one's turned that down yet."
Taking a breath, the leader continued on the tour.
"Anyway, so, every operator is in charge of one unit. You will receive an email twenty-four hours before it goes online. Now, some are volunteers, but some are here for the same reason that you're here—"
"Hey, Zeller!" The man turned, looking at a woman calling on him. "We're in position."
Zeller nodded, "Okay." He grinned at his guest. "This is good for you to learn on your first day."
He started off, causing the younger man to jog after him.
"What's going on?" Zeller pointed at a bank of computers.
"See these guys?" he asked. The younger man peered at the screen, noticing four people standing together, surrounded by a lot of soldiers. "We don't like these guys." Pulling out his cellphone, Zeller put it to his ear with a worried expression. "Yes, sir, we have them in sight," Zeller spoke into the phone. "Yes sir… Copy that." He pocketed his phone, addressing the room. "Okay, people. Let 'em have it!"
Zeller watched through the screen as the soldiers began to attack the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. He didn't have audio, but he could see the fighting. It was dark, a bit too dark for the screen to pick everything up, but he got the gist of it. Somehow, in the middle of fighting, the support beams got destroyed, sending the roof the basement falling on top of the soldiers while the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents escaped.
Sighing, Zeller pulled out his phone, dialing Garrett's number. He gave the man a brief report.
"Our men are still digging themselves out," he finished. "But it looks like Coulson and the others got away. Do you want to—" He rolled his eyes when Garrett hung up.
Garrett walked through the doors of the labs and when they closed, he studied it closely. He took the door in both of his hands and pulled it out as Ward and Mike watched.
"Are you okay?" Ward asked. Garrett moved the door off to the side.
"What does it look like?" Garrett asked. "Never better, son." He continued staring at the door. "I need a nail. Get me a nail! A big one!"
From inside the lab, Quinn and Raina watched as a soldier handed him a nail.
"What the hell is he doing?" Quinn asked.
"He's flexing his new muscles," Raina answered. "He has every ounce of our research coursing through his veins. He feels good."
"Because he took all of our miracle drug?" Quinn questioned. He shook his head in disappointment. "When we land at Cybertek military brass and investors are expecting a demonstration, and I promised them indestructible super soldiers—not disposable ones."
"Well, with HYDRA in the mix, we won't lack for volunteers. And if we run out, our incentives program should help fill the ranks."
Outside the lab, Ward stepped closer to Garrett as the older man began to scratch symbols into the glass of the door.
"Just getting some ideas down," Garrett said with a laugh. "I can't keep everything in my head."
"I gotta be honest with you, John—looks like you're kinda losing it," Ward said. Garrett laughed again.
"I'm alive for the first time, thanks to you. I took some hits along the way, but we did it." He grinned at Ward for a second then went back to scratching the glass. "We did it!"
"Can't believe it," Ward admitted. "This is everything we've been working towards, saving you. Our alliance with HYDRA was always a means to that end, right?"
"Symbiotic." Ward lowered his voice slightly.
"And here we are. I mean, it's not like we're true believers, right?"
He took a deep breath, then forced himself to keep talking.
"Don't get me wrong, I'll go where you go. Having our soldiers in key positions is great, but… then what? Are we really planning a coup?" Garrett shrugged, looking back at him.
"It's more of an uprising. It's become bigger than HYDRA." He turned, putting his hands on Ward's shoulders. "Ward, you've taken good care of me, gave me everything I wanted. It's time for you to decide what it is you want. I'll see that you get it, too, son." Ward gave him a warm smile that dropped when Garrett turned back to the glass.
"I can do anything now," Garrett grinned.
At the hanger bay where Fitz-Simmons were supposed to meet them, Skye had her phone out, grinning when she realized her hack had worked.
"The Trojan horse worked," she announced. "It gave us access to the system we wanted. Our secret weapon, we now have eyes on their operation right in the palm of my hand."
Trip sighed, "We'll need more than eyes to defeat Garrett."
They turned when Coulson walked towards them, a worried look on his face.
"What is it?" May asked. "Fitz-Simmons' tracker crossed the ocean. It's in New Mexico."
"They managed to tag the plane?" Skye questioned. "It appears so, but they're not answering."
Skye took a startled breath.
"No!" "We can't think about that right now. They may have been captured. Either way they risked everything to put a tracker on that plane for us. Now we know exactly where Garrett is, and Skye can see what he's doing." Coulson gave her a sad smile. "If Fitz and Simmons are still alive then catching Garrett is our only shot at finding them."
Fitz sat on the floor of the pod, his arm in a sling. He had managed to secure it himself when he awoke. Simmons was still asleep. She had hit her head pretty hard, he supposed. When she began to stir, he looked down at her.
"You looked very peaceful sleeping. Didn't want to wake you, but I'm glad that you're up."
"What's happening?" Simmons asked. She rubbed at her face, feeling the dried blood.
"I spent the last hour trying to figure out why we sank," Fitz sighed.
At her disbelieving look, he motioned to the window behind her.
"We're at the bottom of the ocean. In case you missed that bit." Simmons stared at the dark water outside, a fish swimming by. "These pods are built to be compatible with all S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft, submarines, spacecraft. On impact, the atmospheric adaption must have tried to compensate. We slowly sank as it increased in the density of the outer walls. I measured the rate the water rose on the glass. Did the math—we're at least ninety feet down."
Standing, Simmons got close to the window, looking around the water.
"You can't see the surface," Fitz murmured.
"How'd we survive the fall?" Simmons questioned.
"The plane must have been in vertical flight mode, flying low. I managed to strap us to one of the backboards before we hit. And, I broke my arm. Same two places I broke it in second grade… which is strange." Simmons gave him a slight smile.
"I thought we were dead for sure, Fitz. We're so lucky. Now we just need to figure a way out of here."
Her smile faltered when Fitz looked away from her.
"We'll find a way out of here, right?" Simmons asked. Fitz took a shuddering breath.
"And then we'd be in the middle of the ocean with the bends and no floatation and no one looking for us. I already spent an hour trying to rig a wireless signal on the EKG to send out a weak distress call before remembering that it's a S.H.I.E.L.D. frequency and no one's listening. And that's not the problem. The problem is that there aren't many supplies left in here, so I've already done the math—" Simmons stomped her foot.
"Enough with the math. What are you saying?" His sad look made her sober completely. "There is no way out," she realized. Her eyes began to fill with tears. "We're going to die down here."
The remaining team stood around Coulson, each of them getting ready for their new mission.
"We only get one shot at this," warned Coulson. "So, let's go over the plan one more time to make sure we're clear on exactly what we're doing, okay?" Everyone nodded as Trip began rummaging through his grandfather's suitcase. "Trip and I will crest the ridge, us a noisemaker to grab a three-wheel, maybe something with more fireworks and open a window for you two. Skye, you'll crawl in, grab the dealer, force his hand. He'll get us our ace in the hole and then Bob's your uncle."
"Roger that," Skye said. She loaded her gun with a loud cocking noise.
"Makes it sound easy," Trip shrugged.
"Coulson, it's a solid plan you've mapped out," May said. "But it hinges on a gamble, a big one."
"And backup isn't coming," Coulson said. "It'll be just the four of us. We'll be outmanned and outgunned. But Fury always said… a man can accomplish anything when he realizes he's a part of something bigger. A team of people who share that conviction can change the world. So, what do you say? You ready to change the world?"
Trip and Skye gave him a smile. Skye's smile dropped when she heard May.
"No." They all turned to look at her as she finished loading her gun. She gave them her usual stoic expression. "I'm ready to kick some ass." Coulson shook his head fondly.
"That works too."
Ward walked past the command center, speaking to Raina.
"I'm saying, just talk to him. He says everything's fine, but he's not acting that way. I don't know what's going on with him. And I don't like it." Raina shrugged but nodded. He began to branch off from her and she called out to him.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"Where do you think?" he shot back.
"Are you sure you need to continue talking with her? She made her alliances clear."
"She's still my fiancée," Ward snapped.
"For how much longer?" Raina questioned. Ward didn't answer as he ran his hand over his face.
"Fine." He turned in the opposite direction, heading to the cockpit. "Report to me after you talk to Garrett."
Smirking to herself, Raina walked down to the holding cell where Garrett was staring into a clear glass storage container. Inside was the Gravitonium.
"Captivating, isn't it?" she asked.
"First time I saw it, it reminded me of a lava lamp. Of course, that was before I could see through it."
"Quinn's expecting the Gravitonium as payment," Raina said. "When he's done. I think it would be wise to let him have it."
"Don't be coy," Garrett scolded. "I know you have plans for the stuff. I understand it now. I can see its soul." He looked up from the box to her. "I can see yours too."
"Ward's concerned you're going mad."
"The drug didn't just strengthen my body; it gave me clarity of mind. It gave me a vision of the world that's waiting beneath the surface of this world. You don't think that's mad, do you?" She shook her head at him. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, you always have."
Giving him a sly smile, she waked around the box to stand opposite him.
"I have no allegiance to HYDRA, Centipede, Cybertek… you. I was only ever interested in—"
"Evolution," he finished for her. "You know we're prehistoric creatures oozing out of the swamps, through the mist, clawing our way onto land so we can finally stand or plant roots… or fly."
"Exactly. I was saddened to learn you weren't clairvoyant. I had a question I didn't get to ask, but now…"
"The truth is written on the back of my eyes, so… go ahead, Flowers. Ask."
"What will I become?"
Simmons stared out the window, watching the occasional fish swim by.
"Are you scared?" she asked.
"Yeah," Fitz nodded. "And I'm hungry, too."
"Me too, scared, and hungry. What do you think it's like?"
"Death?" She nodded and turned to him. "Well, depends on the method, really. Drowning's supposed to be quite pleasant in the end. Apparently once the water fills up your lungs—"
"I mean after."
Fitz shrugged, leaning back against the pod wall.
"Ah, yeah. Well, my mum always said that you shouldn't be afraid because it's just like thew ay life was before you were born… which wasn't that bad, was it?" They gave each other small smiles.
"That's sweet… though, apparently, I was miserable before I was born—upside down, umbilical cord all wrapped around my head."
"Yeah, well, she meant pre-conception, of course—"
"I know, I'm joking."
"Yeah, I know you're joking, that's fine."
"I like to think about the First Law of Thermodynamics, that no energy in the universe is created. None is destroyed. That means that every bit of energy inside us, every particle—" She took a deep breath, looking back out the window. "—will go on to be a part of something else. Maybe live as a dragonfish, a microbe, maybe burn in a supernova ten billion years from now. And every part of us now was once a paort of some other thing—a moon, a storm cloud, a mammoth—"
"A monkey," Fitz suggested. She gave him a warm smile.
"A monkey. Thousands and thousands of other beautiful things that were just as terrified to die as we are. We gave them a new life—a good one, I hope. It's fitting we're down here together, Fitz. This is where all life began on our planet, anyway. Just outside that glass."
As she placed her hand against the glass, lost in thought, Fitz took a deep breath.
"Jemma…" She didn't answer him, putting her other hand on the glass. "What?"
"The glass. Fitz, the glass." She turned her head to look at him.
"Yeah, it's bulletproof, pressure-resistant." He shook his head, not understanding him. "But the seal is four-hydroxy-four-methyl-two-pentanone, surely."
"Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but the flash point is too high for it to burn." "But medical ethanol has a low flash point, and it burns—"
"Hotter. If we could use the defibrillator as an ignition source…"
"And build a compressed explosive…"
They both jumped to their feet, excited by their new possibility.
"To ignite the seal and the outside pressure will…"
"Blow the window in!" they finished together. They started laughing, jumping up and down.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Fitz said. Then he doubled over, wincing at the pain from his arm. "This really hurts my arm." Simmons pressed a hand to her forehead, trying to calm herself.
"Okay. Well, now we know that, there's a whole new set of problems, but where do we start?"
Quinn led a group of Military personal around Cybertek Manufacturing Facility.
"Welcome to our Cybernetics subsection," he said. "This is where we design, manufacture, and, with this, install our most advanced systems." He gestured to a chair with a long mechanical arm device above it. "Ladies and gentlemen, this prototype can replace the severed limb of a soldier in minutes. With one ten times stronger, fully networked to the soldier's biometrics and to his optical targeting system." A marine crossed his arms.
"If you want me to open up Uncle Sam's checkbook, I'm gonna need specifics."
Snapping his fingers, Quinn grinned at the officer.
"Specifics. Specifically, I'd like to build dozens of these machines." He stood at the head of the chair and the military people walked in closer "Increase the scale of our surgery wing," Quinn continued, "crank out one-hundred soldiers a day."
"To join our special ops units?" the Marine asked.
"No, to replace them," Quinn answered. "Navy SEALs, Secret Service. No, gentleman, we know the world's a dangerous place, now. What we're offering you is… security."
Coulson and Trip hiked through the desert and came to a high hill. They came to a stop, looking down. They could see the Cybertek facility a short distance away.
"All right, what do we want?" Coulson asked."There's a three-wheel over there."
"Mmmmmm…" mused Trip. "Here comes a Humvee, that has better fireworks."
Lifting the binoculars to his eyes, Coulson grinned when he saw a huge black military vehicle. He grinned at Trip.
"That better?"
Trip nodded, "That's what I'm talking about." The black military vehicle came to a stop in front of the SUV parked just a short distance away.
"You bring a noisemaker?" Coulson asked.
"Sir, I bring the noise and the funk wherever I go."
At Coulson's amused smile, Trip pulled out a noise-maker. He twisted it a few times and threw it at the vehicles. It landed on the group between the SUV and the military vehicle.
"Hey ho, friends!" the noisemaker buzzed. "The enemy approaches! Careful now, or they'll win the day!" The men around the vehicles jumped into action. Using the distraction, Trip moved up behind a motorcycle where a guard was standing next to it.
"Hey!" he called. The guard spun around and was met with Trip punching him across the face.
The two snuck into the truck and took off. Men rushed at the truck, firing at it with no avail. Trip hit a button labeled "launch" and it fired behind them at the guards. It knocked them off their feet and then caused the vehicle to start bouncing around.
"You know where to put this next one," Coulson told him. Trip nodded and hit the button again, launching another missile. This one hit the side of the building, blowing a huge hole in it.
"Nice work, guys," buzzed May. "The window's open."
Inside the base, Quinn raised his arms, trying to calm the men in the room that were beginning to panic.
"Relax. Practice drills," he said. "The compound's secure. You have nothing to worry about."
"Tell us what the hell is going on out there or you can kiss a government contract goodbye," thundered the Marine.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen, please I beg you—"
"Don't beg them, Quinn," came Garrett's voice from across the room. "You're not a Rottweiler." Quinn's head shot over to him, looking confused, but he backed away. "We don't need their scraps," Garrett continued.
"Who the hell is this?" the Marine questioned.
"This is our strategy consultant, John Garrett," Quinn answered.
"I want full disclosure right now or our boys will come in and shut you down… Why do I hear gunfire?"
Shrugging, Garrett crossed his arms, walking in closer to the Marine.
"You hear the dying breath of an old world, General, and a new world is coming. I've tasted it on my tongue." The Marine looked at him for a moment, then over to Quinn.
"This is your strategy consultant?"
"He's… part time."
"New strategy—you shut your mouth," Garrett snapped.
The men around the room began to stand slightly straighter at the order, their eyes narrowing and following Garrett.
"And give us everything we want." Ward cleared his throat quietly, eyeing the personnel around the room.
"You threaten a United States General and there are consequences," the Marine warned.
"Oh, you feel powerful now, don't you? But you're all just slaves who will serve our future."
"Listen, you crazy son of a b—"
"Gentlemen!" interceded Quinn. "Perhaps a small demonstration will—"
"Yes. Oh, yes," agreed Garrett. "A demonstration."
Turning, Garrett glanced at Ward, who gave him a brief nod. Garrett turned back to the Marine and flung out his fist, hitting the Marine's chest. His hand went through the man's chest and Garrett lifted him up into the air. A nearby Naval Officer flinched as a gun was pressed against the back of his head.
"I've seen the future," Garrett said. "I've glimpsed it through the eyes of every creature—dead, living, or yet to be. This is the beginning."
Quinn covered his mouth in disgust as Garrett lowered the Marine down to the floor. He yank his hand out of the man's chest, a long bone still in his hand.
Ward gulped, "The beginning of what, John?"
"The end." He stabbed the Marine with the bone, making Ward flinch.
Back inside The Bus, Ward grabbed Raina's arm as she walked down the spiral staircase into the cargo hold.
"You're not going anywhere," he said. He took her bag and set it aside. "You think you can steal the Gravitonium?"
"It was given to us," Raina answered.
"What the hell did you say to Garrett?"
"I listened."
"He's psychotic. Did you notice that? I just had to lock up six government officials because he butchered the seventh one. He completely lost it in there!"
"You're wrong," she said. "Garrett's not lost. Far from it—he's connected now."
The man scoffed, shaking his head.
"Don't tell me you're following him into this madness. His talk of evolution—"
"I agree with him. You're the one who follows him." She gave him a sly smile at his hurt expression. "But in this case, you should."
"What are you talking about? I need him to get his head on straight."
"Skye—we need Skye. And all you ever wanted was Sara. You help us get her and Garrett understands. He'll let you escape with her."
"You're crazy," he snapped. "Sara detests me now. She thinks I'm a monster."
"Are you? Is that your true nature or is that what Garrett made you to be?"
"I—I don't know."
"Well, maybe you should figure it out."
May and Skye walked through the building, May shooting down two of the guards. They walked into the main computer room as Skye lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips.
"Coulson, we've found the dealer." May took her spot behind the guard counter just inside the door as Skye entered the room filled with cubital and workers. She held up her backpack so everyone could see it.
"This is a bomb. You know hat those do." Everyone got out of her way, some ducking behind their desks. A man walked to his large command center in the back, freezing as Skye neared him. "And you've seen Agent May here through the eyes of your super soldiers you know what she does. You don't want to mess with us, is my point." May pointed her gun around the room as Skye looked to the guy, she was close to.
"You're not going to be able to highjack our soldiers. We've thought through every emergency scenario, including this one."
"Don't tell me you just switched the soldiers to default directive?" May questioned.
"Yeah, I did… and how did you know about that?"
Walking into the holding cells, Ward tossed a backpack onto the table including a set of keys. Sara looked up as they hit the metal surface, eyeing Ward closely.
"What's this?" she asked. Ward leaned against the wall, watching her.
"I'm letting you out."
"What's the catch?"
"You get out of here. You find Fitz-Simmons, and you disappear forever."
"Ward—"
"Do you understand, Sara?"
"Why are you doing this?" Sara asked.
"Letting you go? I don't know."
"No," she shook her head. "Why are you letting him treat you like a dog?"
"Garrett is all I have."
"You had me! You had a whole team of people who trusted you!"
"Had, Sara? Past tense?"
With a sigh, Sara rubbed at her head as she stood. She grabbed the bag, swinging it over her shoulder. She picked up the keys, passing them back and forth between her hands.
"You could come with me," she murmured. "We can rescue Fitz-Simmons. Make sure they are safe and then we disappear together." She didn't flinch as he came close to her, pulling her into a hug.
"I can't," he mumbled into her hair. She pulled away slightly, searching his eyes.
"I won't give you another chance," she warned.
"I don't expect you too." He kissed her softly, then shoved her away. "Get out of here," he said. "You've got minutes before anyone realizes your gone."
"Where did you drop Fitz-Simmons?"
"Coordinates are in your bag. They've set off a beacon. No one's noticed it yet."
"Goodbye Grant Ward."
She was gone without another word, leaving him alone in the holding cells. His shoulders dropped momentarily before straightening. He had to get out before someone knew he was in here. Though, he suspected Raina already did. He glanced around the cell once more before noticing Sara's engagement ring sitting on the table. He went to pick it up, then shook his head. Better to leave things where they were.
Sneaking off The Bus wasn't a problem, Sara decided, in fact, it was rather easy. The hard part came with stealing an SUV. An SUV surrounded by Centipede soldiers. Then again, she didn't have to hardwire it, so that made it slightly easier.
Sneaking around to the side of the SUV, she climbed in through the backseat. She wasn't going to take it. Even if Ward had given her the keys. She thought momentarily about what to do before rigging a heavy object to start to gas. The car took off and she flung herself out of the car, ducking behind some crates.
"Hey!" voices yelled. She heard gunshots and tires squeal as SUV's followed after
As the soldiers took off after the vehicle, Sara took off through the desert on foot. She had to get away from here, get to a safe airport, charter a plane, then get Fitz-Simmons. She fumbled with a walkie-talkie that Ward had stashed in her bag. She changed the channel several times before speaking into it.
"Clint. Zoë!" There came no reply. "Please, Z! Clint, Zoë, someone on in."
Waiting a few minutes, Sara nearly cried when a voice came through.
"Sara, are you okay?"
"I need help. Please."
"Where are you? I can't just leave the kids." Zoë asked.
"Please!" she begged. "It's Fitz-Simmons. I can't do it alone."
"Tell me your coordinates. Get as far away from danger as possible so we can pick you up."
Trip's eyes were wide as a soldier pounded on the window.
"Time for the guns?" he asked. Coulson upholsters his gun, checking the clip.
"Time for the guns." He lifted the gun to point at the soldier, but the soldier suddenly stopped moving. "They did it," Coulson said as the soldiers took off away from them.
"They're off to defend Garrett," said Trip.
"And lead me right to him. Now that we're inside, go contact armed forces, make some noise on the way out." He began to climb out of the trip, then leaned back in. "Trip, if the rest of us don't make it, I still want this place to burn."
"I prefer you make it, sir."
"Me, too." Coulson climbed out of the truck and walked into the building while Trip drove away.
