Revamped!


Chapter 101: All Together Part Two

SHIELD Training Facility - 12:04 PM

What was once a training session for the SHIELD rookies that was supposed to contain running laps and target practice ended up being a full-on sparring session of Merida and eventually Iqadi versus all the rookies. It all started like this:

("Agent Barton, your hair isn't appropriate for battle."

Others egged that one comment and Merida, who was once unwillingly on simmer, just exploded to a full-on boil. They had a point that her giant red curls weren't efficient but if she was still alive, then Merida considered it to be fine. She just didn't like that someone insulted her hair.

"Do you really want to know what else, other than my hair, I inherited from my mother, The Black Widow?" Merida asked.

Nobody had time to respond because Merida started throwing her punches, starting at the one who spoke and then everyone else joined in. At first, Iqadi just stood to the side and observed how powerful Merida is against a majority, but then someone stupidly said that anyone can easily take down Wakanda, and she joined in).

"Agent Barton!"

Merida suddenly pauses at the sound of her name being yelled. She throws one more punch before wiping her hands on her uniform. Merida looks to see an agent at the door and suddenly, everyone stops fighting. As Merida jogs over to her, she and everyone else comes to the verdict that she won that.

"You're wanted in interrogation," she tells Merida. "It's urgent."

Merida doesn't question why and just leaves in a sprint. Iqadi runs after her. Merida rejoices in the fact that she can leave and not have to continue training the rookies and to be honest, the rookies were glad she left too since she beat them all senseless.

Merida runs up to the interrogation sector and starts speed-walking when she enters the deep hallways surrounded by agents with higher clearance levels than her. Iqadi walks by her side and they stop when they see a group of armed uniformed men huddled in a circle. Merida knows that's why she was called up here and she's just curious to know why.

"SHIELD officers?" Merida questions to get the attention.

"More like agents but close enough," one of them responds.

"My bad…" Merida tries to peek at what's in the centre of their circle. "What do you have here? Please don't say my parents."

The circle opens and it's something Merida never expected: all the weapons from the SHIELD agents point at Ivory Gates. Ivory has been missing ever since she escaped from prison so long ago. Back then, she was this elusive and cunning spy who wore a bold front and was on the run from them. Now, all Merida sees is a frightened and weak woman who's shaking like a freezing chihuahua. She had Ivory's face but it definitely wasn't her and Merida doubts it.

Merida laughs at the ridiculousness of this and when she sees nobody else laughing, she stops.

"Help, Agent Barton, help me," Ivory begs before crashing to her knees.

The guns point downwards at Ivory until Merida steps forward and makes them stand down. She grabs Ivory by the tricep and pulls her up, dragging her away as she dismisses the other agents.

"Merida, she's asking for help," Iqadi tells her. Merida gives Iqadi a break on that one since this is her first time seeing Ivory.

"She literally tried to kill us the first time we met!" Merida exclaims. "She isn't trustworthy!"

Merida shoves Ivory into a vacant interrogation room and lets her fall to the floor. Merida instantly pulls out her gun and points it at Ivory, forcing her to sit down in the chair. Ivory scurries into it and Merida searches her for any weapons or threats; nothing comes up. Merida stands back, keeping the gun in her hand as Iqadi remains on the side, keeping her hands folded in front of her.

"Now tell me this, Miss. Ivory Gates," Merida says to her, "why the actual fuck would I help you?"

Iqadi straightens. "Merida…"

"Don't baby me now. Cursing out loud makes me feel better."

"Listen to me," Ivory states. "She showed up on my doorstep. I tried to stop her but failed, and now she's coming after you."

"Who?" Iqadi asks.

Ivory's face suddenly looks utterly horrified. "Sigyn!"

Merida groans in disbelief. "Dear god, that girl is visiting everyone now, isn't she?"

"You have to believe me!"

Merida pops her lips as she walks towards Iqadi, turning towards Iqadi but still keeping an eye on Ivory from over her shoulder. Iqadi still has full vision on Ivory, though.

"What if this is a trap?" Merida whispers to Iqadi, turning her back away from Ivory while still keeping an eye on her. "Ivory tried to use Sigyn to get Xavier to crack, it almost worked. Also, she has been on SHIELD's radar for months ever since she escaped. And not to mention that her bringing up Sigyn after Xavier's mental trip to Hel seems a little fishy."

"In reality," Iqadi starts, "people are too busy worrying about themselves to devise some master plan to destroy you. Besides, you didn't cuff her to the chair and if she wanted to kill us, she would've jumped the table to steal your weapon and shoot one of us while the other takes her down. She seems preoccupied with Sigyn to be concerned about your status. Also, the timing about Sigyn seems too coincidental just to be another trap."

Merida wishes that someone else besides Iqadi was here since she wasn't there when they first encountered Ivory so someone who was familiar would have an idea of what to do. She needed help with this although Iqadi gave her some good points.

"You're in danger…" Ivory starts spilling, rocking back and forth in her seat. "She says that she can end all of you and she said to warn you about the end. She's free and reckless and full of power."

"Maybe we should listen to her," Iqadi says.

"There are so many things wrong with all this," Merida responds. "If Sigyn wanted to end us, why would she send a warning? And through her of all people. She could've just warned Xavier in Hel or flat-out ended him there. Ivory's just rambling nonsense and surrendered to us. She's nuts. I'd rather go back with the rookies and have them kill me because I'm tired of listening to whatever crap she's giving."

"Merida -"

"You stay here," Merida tell Iqadi as she pulls out her phone. "I'm calling a third opinion because I want to put a bullet in her head while you want to hold her hand."

Iqadi gives Merida a look of disappointment to mimic a parent and Merida rolls her eyes in response. Merida dismisses herself as she dials a number and holds the phone to her ear. Iqadi goes over to close the interrogation room's door and when she turns back to Ivory, she sees her constantly bowing until Iqadi holds up a hand to stop her.

"I apologize, Princess," Ivory says frantically.

Iqadi stares at her silently, waiting for Ivory to continue talking so she'll know what she means. She starts to stand in more of a fighting stance just in case Merida was right this whole time and this was a trap.

"I stole your contingency plans," Ivory confesses.

Iqadi immediately tenses now that she knew she was facing the thief who broke into Wakanda and stole her deepest secrets. She isn't sure how to react at first, whether or not to leave her palms out or ball them into fists. Iqadi just keeps her gaze on her but this time, it's sharper.

"I was hired to do so and paid millions -!"

"There are times in life when those excuses don't cut it anymore," Iqadi interrupts. "That was a situation where I no longer care whether you were suited for the crime or not."

Ivory takes a shaky breath. Iqadi's face loses all the sympathy it had before as she crosses her arms over her chest. Ivory sinks back into her interrogation chair, looking at Iqadi with full fear.

"Stop staring at me as if I will murder you," Iqadi tells her.

"I wasn't -"

Iqadi slams her hands on the table causing Ivory to jump a little. "Because if you meet my eyes again, I will murder you."

-o-

Moments later, Apollo shuffles into SHIELD. After asking a couple of agents where Merida was and he got escorted down to the interrogation room and then when he was told which room she was in, he said he would handle it on his own from there forwards. Apollo walks down the hallway with that Sigyn dream still ringing fresh in his mind. It didn't feel like a dream at all - it felt haunting and surreal. In fact, his mind was so warped by it, that he almost collides with Merida.

"Hey," Merida says, stopping Apollo. "Something on your mind?"

Apollo nods. "Some weird dream with -"

"Sigyn?"

Apollo freezes a little. "How did you -?"

Merida takes a breath. "Just follow me."

Merida takes Apollo to an interrogation room and swipes her SHIELD ID card but before she opens the door, she quickly informs Apollo on who's in there and who she was to them. When Apollo understands enough, Merida opens the door. She steps in first and nods at Iqadi who seems more angered to be with Ivory. Merida makes more room for Apollo to walk in. Apollo closes the door behind him and when his eyes lock with Ivory's, she stands up and screams. Merida's hand grips her gun and Iqadi prepares to pounce on her.

"She's coming for you!" Ivory screams in a panic, pointing right at Apollo.

Apollo holds his arms out in front of Merida and Iqadi. The two girls look at him hesitantly, but they back down still ready to attack if necessary.

"Sigyn, right?" Apollo questions. "You speak of Sigyn?"

Ivory nods.

"So that means she's alive?"

Ivory nods again, this time more scared.

Apollo laughs a little out of disbelief. To think that he thought he murdered her already. Merida and Iqadi sigh out of relief. Then, Apollo focuses back on Ivory.

"Why is she coming?" Apollo asks.

"The prophecy is true!" Ivory yells at him. "The final battle will change everything. Gods and a monster will fight and the whole world will begin anew. The words of all those around you have brought you terror and confusion. I cannot agree with them, nor can I speak against them. I don't know what to say. You waver in hope and fear -"

"- unable to see forward or back," Apollo finishes.

"How did you know that?" Iqadi asks him.

"Sigyn told me that in a hallucination. I don't know what it means but we have to stop her either way. She's a threat to us all."

"Hold on," Merida says, "let's talk this through."

"Ivory, what else did Sigyn tell you?" Iqadi asks her. "Did she have a plan in mind?"

Ivory shrugs. "Her words are magical and she's using that to her advantage."

Iqadi turns towards Apollo. "What monster is Sigyn speaking of?"

Apollo shrugs, but then he looks up in realization and horror. "Where is Daniel?"

Merida takes a deep breath. "Okay, here's the plan: you and Iqadi, suit up and get a quinjet ready for takeoff. I'm going to call for Ivory to get placed in a holding cell until she can be dealt with, call Xavier again since he's already on his way here to go make sure that Daniel's fine, and then inform Angela and James on the way. Got it?"

Apollo and Iqadi nod as they run out.


[If anyone is interested, I have a new Wonder Woman one-shot titled, No Man's The Godkiller ready to read].