Redback Widow III | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. [12]

Ascension

"No, it's hot as hell in here. I'm sweating like a horse," Mack countered.

"It is. I thought the power was off," Coulson said.

"Uh, the heating system's old school. It doesn't need electricity. What? They crank up the heat? Why would they do that?" he asked.

"Trying to flush us out? Why else?" Coulson said.

"She's blinding them. Simmons. Genius, you say? She must've figured it out. Their eyes were damaged, clouded over. I suspected they could see somehow, but it must be--" Radcliffe started.

"Infrared," Coulson finished, Radcliffe parroting him.

"Clever girl. Crank the heating up to one-hundred-ten degrees Fahrenheit, and we're free to move around as we please," he said.

"So you want us to go out there on a hunch and hope those things don't rip us apart?" Mack questioned.

"It's not a hunch. It's science," the bolt clicked open, footsteps and gunfire in the distance.

"Well, we better follow him. He has no idea where he's going," Coulson said.

-

"I sealed off the stairs. Not sure how long it'll hold, but, hey," the door clicked open, and something flew by Coulson's head. 

"Oh. Thank god," Jemma sighed.

"Thank god you missed," Coulson replied.

"Is she okay?" Simmons asked. Lincoln and Mack had refused to let me walk up here on my own, and now I was being reduced to a chair. At least it was a comfy chair. 

"She's stable for now," Lincoln said.

"Have you seen the others?" I croaked.

"I checked the Containment room. By the looks of it, Fitz and May climbed up into the Zephyr," Jemma said.

"Then there's hope they'll stop them," Mack said.

"Or they'll be blown to bits. Did you notice the heat? I increased the temperature because--" she asked.

"We figured it out, yeah," Coulson said.

"I did. Picked up on it straight away. We make a pretty good team here at the Strategic Homeland--" Radcliffe claimed. "What comes after 'Homeland'?"

"Just say S.H.I.E.L.D.," I said, grunting as I shifted and feeling the wound spike again.

"Are you alright?" Mack asked.

"What happened?" Jemma asked.

"Mack lit me on fire," I joked.

"Long story," Mack countered.

"She needs a hospital," Lincoln said.

"There's no way out. Took me a while to open the lock-down window, but it's a forty-foot drop," Jemma said.

"What about the underground tunnels?" he countered.

"Sealed shut," she said.

"I have a way," Coulson said.

"Hey. Who came up with--" Radcliffe started.

"Fitz was inspired by your work, but a few new tricks up my sleeve," Coulson said.

"Remote Quinjet," Jemma realized.

"Hell yeah," Mack said.

"It's on its way, but let's be clear. I'll get you to medical, to safety, we'll contact Talbot, have him authorize military force to take back our base, but then I take the Quinjet to intercept the Zephyr One on my own," Coulson said.

"Sir, I have to get to Fitz," Jemma said.

"You can't expect us to just--" Mack started.

"It's not up for discussion. You're agents, I'm the Director. I brought Hive to this planet. It's on me to stop it," Coulson said, cutting off the objections.

"If May were here--" Mack started.

"She'd give me a very dirty look, yeah. I'll get them out, get them home, but I'm not gonna lose anyone else," the Quinjet's engines roared outside the window.

"I have to say, I really enjoy the way you do things,"

-

I watched the laser cutter as it danced along the metal, carving the words in. I picked it up when it was done, hanging it on a blank wall in the hallway, stepping back to take in the inscription.

The Wall of Valor. In honor of the members of S.H.I.E.L.D. that have given their lives for the greater good. "Wars may be fought with weapons, but are won or lost by men." - General George S. Patton.

My eyes floated down to the names inscribed.

Commander R. Gonzales.

Agent K. Palmers.

Agent I. Hartley.

Agent E. Koenig.

Dr. A. Garner.

Agent G. Ward.

Agent A. Triplett.

Agent L. Campbell.

I could only hope I wouldn't have to add any more names.

Asya Anatolievna will return in Redback Widow IV.