Chapter 10: T.R.A.C.K.S

And the story continues!!! Writing this chapter was one  of the most fun yet, since I loved the episode so much. Hope that translated into words, but who knows?  

Enjoy,

LittlePond

Chapter 10: T.R.A.C.K.S

Gasping, I woke in a grey chair glinting like gunmetal in the single light throughout the dark room. I didn't need to struggle to feel the restraints around my wrists and my ankles, but I had no gag. A decision that would turn in my favour. I could feel the vibrations of approaching footsteps, growing stronger in their severity.

And into the light strolled a clone of mine, fully decked in S.H.I.E.L.D tactical uniform.

"Aurelia," she cooed, "It's been a while since Whitehall let you get this far."

That was as far as my slumber stretched before I was awoken.

~~~

"Ian Quinn," Coulson stated, strolling into the Mission Room with purpose, Skye by his side. Ever since we left the Academy, she had rivalled me with her drive to become a S.H.I.E.L.D agent.

A race I didn't care for; a sentence I repeated over and over.

"You found him?" May asked. "No. But we think we know how we can."

Skye tracked an invoice from one of Quinn's companies; $10 million big. They didn't know what it was, only that it was from Cybertek- a firm dealing in advanced technology and research.

But where it got interesting was the method that the mysterious package was being transported; a train from Verona to Zagreb, accompanied by a unit of former military and ex mercs.

It was an undercover op, as much as I hated those, so if our plan went well, they wouldn't know we were there. Not to mention being 1 step closer to the Clairvoyant; a person who seemed to be backing Centipede, as well as exhibiting pre-recognition.

May and Ward were to locate and tag the package, while Skye and Fitz would be running communications. As for Coulson, Simmons and I, we were going under the pretence of family.

The comms blazed to life on the train, Fitz stating, "He's headed your way." I looked over to Coulson begging him to stop whatever shenanigans that Simmons was going to pull off for a distraction, but with white knuckles around the urn containing 'ashes', Simmons began.

"All mom ever wanted was your love, to be with you. At our 2-storey Victorian home at the Cotswolds! But could you even give her a moment? With your banking job requiring you to travel to the Americas from Tuesday to Saturday every other week, no!"

An elderly man bordered by young women stopped by our station, "I am terribly sorry about your loss. As for you," he scolded to Coulson, "now is your chance to do better, why don't you see you take it?"

As the man and his mistresses left our company, Simmons nodded in approval of his words, "He's right, you never had any time for her, but you made time for your work, and your prostitutes!"

The audience who had been listening in gasped as she dropped the urn, ashes spilling onto the floor.

"Prostitutes? Plural?" Coulson asked, as we gathered to pick up the 'ashes.' Our target, Vancini, left his seat, stepping into the the material and as he did so, Coulson pressed his comm, telling May so.

Once we cleaned the ashes, we sat down again, much more at ease than before. With an unoriginal chime, the PA system sounded, "As we round the bend, the passengers on the North side of the train can take in the views of the famous Tre cime di Lavaredo. Isn't it a wonder?"

"Look at that," Simmons sighed, "I haven't seen anything so beautiful since our family's trip to Koh Tao in south eastern Thailand."

Simmons was right when she said preparation was her strength.

Coulson, fed up, sighed, "Simmons, I appreciate all your appreciation,-" "Don't you want to know which marine life we encountered?"

Rolling my eyes, I looked over the aisle wishing I was one of the normal passengers. They had no idea what was going on, and I envied them for their ignorance. "Oh yes, I would love to hear about my cousin's adventures."

"Comms are down, are yours working?" Coulson asked.

I pressed my comm, an avalanche of anxiety flowing out when I heard only white noise. "Something's wrong," Coulson stated, "I'm going to make sure we don't lose the package."

Within moments, Ward joined us, dressed to fit the part as staff. "We've been made. Where's Coulson?" Simmons gave him the information, as Ward instructed, "Go to the luggage car, lock yourselves in, get Fitz and Skye, don't move until I get you. I'll get Coulson."

Simmons ran to obey his orders, as a trio of suited men rose to face us. It was too late for me to follow after Simmons, so instead I fled with Ward.

As we entered a new carriage, we met Coulson standing by a cup of coffee. "We've been made," Ward repeated. The man in the front of the pursuing crew pulled out a grenade, which was a great incentive to run faster. "Coulson, we got to jump!"

We did just that, rolling in the dust besides the train tracks.

Once I recovered from the fall, it took a while for me to fully process what I was seeing.

The train was gone, not even a whistle to mark it's passing.

"The train, it just-" "Vanished. Which I might add, not easy," Coulson finished. Silence fell for a few seconds, proving the train was completely out of earshot. "I told Simmons I'd come back for them," Ward sighed.

It was then a heavy weight fell, crushing my shoulders, "I just abandoned her." I hadn't my obeyed orders and joined her, I had more experience than she did, experience that could save her life. "May's there, they'll be ok," Coulson reassured, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"No she's not."

Ward held May's glasses, special ones given for the mission. So with May out of the equation, Skye, Fitz and Simmons had exactly no one to help them should trouble come knocking.

"I could've helped them." I shouldn't care about them, but my most basic morals told me that the loss of innocent life was something to prevent at all costs.

"They'll be fine," Coulson repeated, "Is your phone working?" Ward glanced at his phone, "No, Cybertech must've taken out our electronics." Using a spare handkerchief, Coulson lifted the machine, drawing me closer. "Not a grenade exactly, it might be some cloaking mechanism."

"Cybertech knew we were coming. How?" Ward speculated. Coulson suggested that it was the mysterious Clairvoyant, in the distance, the motors of trucks grumbled, making their way to us. "We have to get back to the plane. Come on!"

~~~

"Holotable, on."

Back at the Bus, Ward swiped a hand over the holographic table, clearly baffled as to how to use it. He spread both arms across, as if smoothing the air, "Holotable, activate." After finding the on button, however, he managed to bring up the images of several machines. "Really?"

Ward turned to me, "Don't you know how to do this?" I scoffed, "Oh no, they never let me touch the thing. And your tie isn't tied right."

Truthfully, his tie was tied impeccably, but I needed the excuse to get close enough in order to whisper those famed words. "Yes it is." I shook my head, making my way towards him. "It's missing a woman's touch."

Clutching my hands on the dark material, I leaned forward, "Hail HYDRA."

Ward smiled.

"You're the agent they sent?" I playfully punched his chest, not surprised at the hardness that met me. "You're the agent undercover?" We kept our voices low, but we managed to have the same childish excitement.

"How did you figure me out?"

"Your hair." Ward's hands flew to his own hair, inspecting it to find some HYDRA sign, "My hair?" I checked the doorway- clear- "Long story."

An hour later, Signoro Russo, the man from which Coulson took the mission's information from, stopped his car at our cargo ramp. His arrival was expected, so we stood waiting, since he claimed to know the train's location.

Exiting the car, the middle aged man walked toward us, "Agent Coulson, we found your people. The train it's-" blood sputtered from his open mouth, eyes wide in terror, and he slumped to the ground, revealing a knife in his back, and May.

Her face was scratched and gory, but despite her haggard appearance, she looked blatantly pissed off, and ready to take down anyone.

"That's my SO."

"Wheels up in 5."

She strutted up the ramp, purpose radiating off her like the tail of a comet. "You ok? You were on the train when it disappeared," Ward asked, though May just kept walking until Coulson gripped her arm. "May, Russo was- explain yourself, please."

May turned to face us, the blood glinting underneath the clinical lights of the Bus. "The train didn't disappear, Russo sold us out. Get the plane ready; I need a shower."

Hours later, we found Simmons in the train, and after following leads, found Quinn's house, where we hoped to find Skye and Fitz. We managed to save Fitz from being shot in the house's courtyard, courtesy of Ward. "Where's Skye?"

"She didn't want to let Quinn get away."

The infiltration of the building was easy enough; Ward eliminated the soldiers, and Coulson held a loaded gun to Quinn's head, who'd come out at the night-night gun's rumpus.

We brought him to the centre of the room, gun migrating from his temple to the bottom of his jaw, Coulson repeating, "Where's Skye?"

The gun seemed to have no effect; he smirked, arrogance lining his eyes like blood, "You know, it's dangerous to send her in like that, all alone, when she means so much to you." In retaliation, Coulson whacked the gun across Quinn's face.

Of course, I would've loved to end him right then, but the man had information on the Clairvoyant, information we needed.

"Search the house, now!"

The search was frantic, and careless of the property's glamour.

And, though I wouldn't admit it to my superiors, I was frantic too, and not as any act, because I genuinely cared. Skye was new, untainted, and easily bought over to the right side. Hopefully when my mission was completed I'd be able to persuade her, but she needed to be alive.

"Simmons! Get down here!" Coulson yelled from the basement.

As a team, we raced to Coulson's voice, and the sight to which we were greeted stopped my footfalls.

Coulson cradled Skye's bloody body, her skin tainted mauve and blood spilling out her intestines.

"She's been shot."

Simmons burst into action, ordering the agents around, looking upon the nearby hyberbaric chamber as if it were a lifeboat. And it was of sorts, just not one to keep her afloat in the long term.

The Bus was silent.

The team stood around Skye in vigil, unsure of where to go, what to do. The mission, which was supposed to be simple, had failed. As a consequence, Skye's life was in the balance.

It didn't matter if you were one to save lives, or take them, it was easy to see Skye was on the brink of death.

After reporting Skye's status; temperature and pressure stable, possible brain damage if she didn't get to a hospital, Simmons left and Fitz followed. Ward stormed out, fists clenched, followed by May, leaving Coulson and I.

Immediately, the awkwardness and sadness combined to create a noxious poison, which choked me and forced me to leave. Coulson called out, "Kennedy, stay here."

I turned back, trying to keep my features neutral in the face of my friend's possible demise. "You and Skye are the new kids. And neither of us should be alone right now."

"How did you know I was going to be alone?"

Coulson's eyes flicked towards Skye, afraid he was going to miss a second. "My guess, you were going to your cabin and read one of Simmons' books" Actually, I was going to go to my cabin, contact HYDRA and then read Simmons' books.

I stood beside the chamber, looking down at perhaps my closest ally on the Bus. "She'll be ok. She's got to be."

"For everyone's sakes, I hope she will be."