Chapter 30: 30. Cloaking Tech
"We both know how important this mission is Fitz, only its success will allow SHIELD to survive right now," Grant said
"But it's only because I am unable to get the cloaking tech to work. Even though I stopped stuttering like before... I am still useless" Fitz said
"Fitz! You have overcome a lot in the last few months, you don't stumble with your words, your right hand has also started to improve and you even helped me to get a second chance even after what I did to you and the team. I am not sure about the others but I know that you have not only improved but are going to be better than before so please stop tormenting yourself as whatever is happening to you right now is all my fault and not yours" Grant said as he grabbed Fitz's shoulders.
"I-I am sorry, I feel that I am not bringing enough on the table," said Fitz
"You bring the most to the table and most importantly! You bring hope to the table, Fitz. I know that Coulson knows that and so does Skye, May, and even Trip. They went on this mission because they knew you would be here cursing yourself like that if you continued to fail to get the cloaking technology to work, believe in your friends there isn't a need for me to tell you how good they are." Grant explained.
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Skye and Trip hijack one of the quinjet and take it with them while May decides to follow Hunter and Hartley only to see their car wrecked in the middle of the road.
May got off her bike and ran towards the car to check for the three agents only to see Hartley and Idaho dead with Hunter being the only survivor.
"What happened?" asked May
"Carl Creel came out of nowhere, Idaho didn't have the time to swerve around it but when we crashed into him our car flipped while he remained unscratched, Hartley and Idaho died and I pretended to be dead as I saw him grab the Obelisk without any problem. You should go, he shouldn't have gone too far" said Hunter
May passed him an ICER gun and walked back to her bike to follow, Creel.
Hunter uses the mouse hole to free himself. Upon release, he is surrounded by the United States Armed Forces.
"May where are you?" asked Coulson
"Currently in pursuit of Absorbing Man" replied May
"May do not engage with him, it's an order we currently have no way to deal with him so stay and watch from a distance" Coulson ordered
May couldn't go against Coulson's order so when she tracks him to a restaurant she stays out of sight and just watches over him.
In the restaurant, Creel is accidentally touched by a waitress and she turns to stone as May watches unable to help her while Creel escapes.
At the Playground, Skye and Antoine Triplett deliver the Quinjet and learn of the deaths of Hartley and Idaho. As Alphonso Mackenzie looks over the jet's cloaking technology so it can be duplicated for the Bus, Leo Fitz begins to feel jealous that his role was being taken over by Mack.
"Hey Fitz, why don't you help with this?" asked Mack somehow knowing what Fitz was thinking about.
"Umm... yeah sure," Fitz said as he walked inside to help Mack.
Outside the Bus, Grant was standing in a corner out of sight of every agent and smiled as Fitz was called inside by Mack for help. He himself liked Mack in the series and his friendship with Fitz had helped him a lot but now that he was here, he thought he may end up destroying that friendship before it begins thankfully it still has a chance. Though he was worried about what might happen when Mack and Bobbi decide to betray Coulson as he will be there to help him this time around.
Hunter is collected by Glenn Talbot and is asked to betray Phil Coulson because there is a senator who wants his arrest. Hunter wants Hartley to have an honorable funeral, citing that since S.H.I.E.L.D. is labeled a terrorist organization, she is a labeled terrorist and will get a pauper's grave. Hunter tells Talbot that for a proper burial for Hartley and two million dollars, he will give him Coulson in two days.
When Hunter returns to the Playground, Coulson already knows that Hunter has talked to Talbot.
"Will 2 million dollars be enough though," asked Coulson
"Enough for me for some time I think," said Hunter as he shrugged his shoulders.
After talking with Hunter, Coulson sends Skye to packed the deceased possession.
As Skye was packing Hartley's belongings, Hunter entered the room and said "I will give the medal
to her sister, she didn't really know her work and I would like to keep it that way"
Skye nodded her head as she passed Hartley and her sister's photo frame along with her medal to Hunter, "Hartley was a big loss, but unfortunately that's the risk we all take with this life."
Hunter didn't even seem to hear her him. His eyes were unfocused for a second then landed on Skye and sharpened. "I have been watching you on missions. You have got skills the type that could earn you real money in the private sector"
"You mean mercenary, yeah I don't think so," Skye said as she thought, 'As if I would do this kind of work for anybody just for a paycheck.'
Hunter didn't seem the least bit fazed by Skye's disinterest, "We prefer the term 'private military contractors.' Don't knock it everyone needs an exit strategy eventually."
"Not me SHIELD is my life" Skye stated
Hunter scoffed, "SHIELD is a life mate. It's just a job a means to an end, remember that."
"Thanks, Hunter but to me, it's more than just a job SHIELD is my family" Skye replied
To that Hunter couldn't say anything and just shook his head as he walked out of the room.
The metal shard that Skye had picked in Alexandria turned into human skin allowing Fitz to find the DNA file on the Absorbing Man and decides that he will help in his capture.
Coulson was having a meet g with his agents when someone called him.
"Hello Agent Coulson it's been a while, how have you been"
Weekly Power Status
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