Silence reigned inside the bus, each member of the team immersed in their own thoughts. Ward's disappearance had been a hard blow to everyone. He was one of the pillars of the team, the agent always ready for any situation, but now, after his disappearance, everything seemed unstable. It was as if the ground had been ripped out from under everyone's feet.
May was in front, firm and determined, controlling the bus that took them to the Triskelion, the headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D. There was a mixture of relief and tension in the air. Finally, they had found Ward. Coulson had received confirmation that he was in the Triskelion, apparently safe, but the fact that they didn't know who captured him still made everyone suspicious.
Skye was sitting next to Simmons, her face reflecting the concern she felt. Fitz, silent, clenched his fists, his scientific mind already formulating theories about what could have happened to Ward. May kept her focus on controlling the ship, but her expression was hard and impenetrable. Coulson, on the other hand, tried to remain calm.
"We're almost there," May announced, as the Quinjet began to descend towards the Triskelion's helipad.
Coulson stood up and looked at his team.
"Ward is back, but we don't know what condition he's in. We need to keep a cool head. We'll find out what happened, but first and foremost, he's our teammate, and the most important thing right now is that he's safe."
Everyone nodded, aware of what they were about to face.
The team disembarked from the shuttle with quick steps, crossing the Triskelion's corridors. The shiny metal walls, the sound of hurried footsteps and agents moving around the complex, all of this seemed normal. But the tension between them was palpable. Ward, after all, had disappeared on a secret mission. And now, he was back, but with many unanswered questions.
They reached the medical wing where Ward was being held. As they approached the door, they heard low voices coming from inside the room. Coulson signaled for everyone to stop before pushing the door open slightly.
Inside, Ward lay on the bed, his eyes half-closed, clearly exhausted. Beside him sat Maria Hill, in a nearby chair, gently stroking his hair as they spoke in low voices.
"You've been through a lot, Ward," Maria said, her voice soft but with a firmness that was typical of hers. "But you're safe now. Let's find out who did this to you."
Ward nodded, though his expression was one of confusion and frustration.
"I… I wish I could remember, Maria. But it's all so confusing. They were organized, I know that. They were well trained, as if they had years of experience."
Before Maria could respond, Coulson knocked lightly on the door and entered the room. The others followed close behind, their looks of concern and curiosity on their faces.
"Ward," Coulson began, keeping his tone neutral but with obvious concern. "How are you?"
Ward looked at the team, his expression a mix of relief and discomfort. He tried to straighten up in bed, and Maria stood up, making room for the team to approach.
"Better, I think," Ward said, his voice a little hoarse. "Still trying to figure it all out."
Skye, who had been standing next to Simmons, stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Ward's face.
"What happened?" she asked, trying to control the emotion in her voice. "Who got you?"
Ward looked down, his hands fiddling with the bed sheet. He seemed to be searching for the right words.
"I… I really don't know," he began. "It all happened so fast. I was taken by surprise. A highly trained group. They captured me as I was coming back from the Centipede facility. They were ready to take me on, as if they knew every move I would make."
May narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms.
"And what did they want from you?"
Ward paused, taking a deep breath before answering.
"They injected me with something," he said finally, his voice low.
"I don't know what it was. They were talking about an experimental serum, something they called 'enhancement.' After that, everything went haywire. I blacked out, and when I woke up, I had no idea where I was. All I remember was being much stronger… more agile. And I managed to escape."
There was a tense silence in the room as everyone processed this information. Coulson was the first to speak.
"A super soldier serum? Like the one they created for Captain America?"
Ward shrugged, his expression tense.
"Maybe. I don't know. All I know is that since I woke up, my strength, my agility… everything feels different. More intense. I've run, I've fought, and it seemed like nothing could stop me."
Fitz, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke up.
"We can run some tests, Ward. See what really happened to your body. That could be crucial."
Ward shook his head, but looked directly at Coulson.
"I need to ask you something. What happened to me… it needs to stay between us. We can't let it get out of here. Not until we know what's really going on."
Coulson crossed his arms and nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.
"No one else will know," he said firmly. "For now, this stays between us."
Maria, who had been silent until then, came back to Ward, gently touching his shoulder.
"This is serious, Ward. We need to make sure you're okay. This organization, whoever they are, knew what they were doing. They might come after you again."
Ward looked at her, his expression softening for a moment.
"I know. But I'll be ready next time."
The conversation continued, as Ward revealed more details about his capture. He described the men who had arrested him, how they moved with military precision, and the procedures they used to inject the serum. But the scariest thing was what he couldn't remember. Whole swaths of his memory were gone.
"It's like someone messed with my head," he said, rubbing his temple with his fingers. "There are gaps. Things I should remember, but I can't."
Simmons approached the bed, her eyes curious as a scientist.
"We can try to do a neurological exam. Maybe we can figure out if there was some kind of mental manipulation. S.H.I.E.L.D. has the technology to do that."
Ward nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. As he spoke to the team, he glanced at Maria, who was watching him with genuine concern.
"What about the serum?" May asked, interrupting Ward's thoughts. "We have to figure out what exactly they did to you."
Ward took a deep breath before answering.
"The serum… it changed my body. I can feel it. I'm stronger, faster. But it also means that whoever took me has access to something very dangerous. They can create more… people like me."
The tension in the room rose at this revelation. Everyone knew what the possibility of a super soldier serum in the wrong hands meant.
At the end of the conversation, Coulson gathered the team to discuss the next steps. Although everyone wanted to investigate more about what had happened to Ward, the priority was to keep everything confidential.
"For now, no one outside this room should know what happened to Ward," Coulson said firmly. "This is an internal matter, until we understand better what we are dealing with."
Everyone agreed, knowing that confidentiality was essential. Ward, still sitting on the bed, looked at Maria and then at Coulson.
"Thank you for trusting me," he said sincerely.
Maria approached him once more, looking into Ward's eyes.
"We will get through this, together."
And with that silent promise between them, the team left the room, leaving Ward and Maria alone. Doubts and uncertainties still hung in the air, but one thing was certain: the fight was just beginning, and Grant Ward would never be the same again.
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