Ward and Fitz were running through the winding streets of the Caucasus Mountains, still feeling the adrenaline of what had just happened. Behind them, armed guards began to surround them. Even with the diversion Fitz had created, the Separatists were determined not to let the two escape.
"Ward, we're running out of options here!" Fitz shouted, panting, as they tried to hide behind a pile of boxes.
Ward remained calm, listening to the footsteps and voices approaching. Looking up at the sky, he narrowed his eyes and said:
"Don't worry, our exit is on its way."
Suddenly, the familiar sound of the Shuttle's engines cut through the air, growing louder and louder. The massive SHIELD plane appeared over the tree line, descending rapidly towards the open field. Before the guards could react, May, in command, dove the Shuttle, opening fire and eliminating the enemies with surgical precision.
— I knew she wouldn't let us down — Ward smiled at Fitz.
"I hope you never get on the wrong side of May," Fitz muttered as they ran toward the Shuttle's boarding ramp.
As soon as they entered, Ward patted Fitz on the shoulder and then looked at May, who was now in the hallway.
"Good timing, May," Ward said with a relieved smile.
"I always know when to bail you out of trouble," May replied dryly as she returned to the cockpit.
Back at the Hub, Victoria Hand, in her usual commanding manner, was reviewing the mission report. She glanced at the screens, pleased to see that the Overkill device had been successfully disabled. The mission had been accomplished without any major problems, despite the circumstances.
"Excellent work, Agent Ward," Hand said in his cool voice as he read the mission details. "And congratulations to Fitz, too. He's adapting to the field better than I expected."
As Hand finished his assessment, Ward and Fitz were already aboard the Shuttle, ready for the return. They knew there were more questions to come, but for now, there was a sense of relief at having completed the mission and returned alive.
Back at the Shuttle, Ward and Fitz were greeted with relief and congratulations from the other members of the team. Skye, Simmons, Coulson, and May were waiting on the ramp.
"You did it!" Skye exclaimed, visibly relieved to see Fitz safely back.
Simmons, in turn, ran straight to Fitz, his eyes shining with emotion and concern.
"Fitz, are you okay?" she asked, almost breathless. "I was so worried."
Fitz smiled, clearly exhausted but relieved.
"Yes, Simmons, I'm fine. It was… intense, but Ward took care of me."
Ward just nodded, accepting Simmons' silent thanks. He knew it hadn't been easy for Fitz, but he was also proud of the way the young engineer had handled the pressure.
Coulson nodded to Ward, indicating mutual respect for a job well done.
"Good job, Ward. Congratulations to both of you," Coulson said.
Ward looked at Coulson and replied, with his typical formality:
"Thanks, boss. We did what we had to do."
May, who was a little further away, silently watched the interaction. There was an almost imperceptible expression of pride on her face, especially regarding Fitz. She knew how much the engineer had evolved.
Later that night, Coulson and Skye met in the Shuttle's communications room. The mission was over, but something still weighed on Coulson's mind: Skye's search for answers about her parents.
"Skye," he began, his voice soft but serious, "I have something you need to know."
Skye, who was relaxing on the living room couch, felt his tone and immediately sat up straight, her eyes fixed on Coulson's.
"I did some more research on that classified file you found. And I managed to find out something." — He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. — It was a SHIELD agent who took you to an orphanage when you were a baby.
Skye's eyes widened, emotion taking over her. She had spent so much time searching for any clues about her parents, and now Coulson had given her a crucial piece of that puzzle.
"A SHIELD agent?" she repeated, barely able to believe it.
Coulson nodded.
"Yes. And it was done to protect you, Skye. They were keeping you away from something… or someone."
Skye felt tears start to well up, but she held them back, taking a deep breath.
"I don't even know how to thank you, Coulson. You gave me something I've waited my whole life for."
Coulson, seeing the emotion in her eyes, gave her a small smile.
"I knew how much this meant to you. It's the least I could do."
Skye walked over and hugged him briefly, letting her gratitude be conveyed without words. After a moment, she pulled away, wiping her eyes.
"Thank you, Coulson"
Coulson watched as Skye left the room, knowing that this small revelation meant the world to her.
Later that night, Coulson met with May in one of the more private areas of the Bus. They were alone, the low sound of the engines filling the silence.
"There's something I don't understand, May," Coulson began, his expression thoughtful. "The agent who left Skye at the orphanage… her death was classified."
May raised an eyebrow, surprised by this revelation.
"Classified?" she repeated, crossing her arms. "What does that mean?"
Coulson shook his head thoughtfully.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out. There's something more to this story, something that's not in the records."
May was silent for a moment, considering.
"What about your own death, Coulson? Have you found out anything else?"
Coulson sighed, hesitating.
"Actually, I made one more call to try to find out what happened to me…" he said slowly. — But the case is classified. They said I could contact Director Fury directly, but... I refused.
May looked at him, trying to understand his decision.
— Why refuse?
Coulson was silent for a moment, before answering.
— Because if Fury wanted me to know, he would have told me already. I'm not going to chase after something he wants to keep secret.
May nodded, understanding his logic, but still having her own doubts about what had really happened.