Out Of Time

seventy-six

"Well, all this protocol crap matters to me," Hand said. "You're a distraction, and you're gone."

"Agent Hand, who put you in charge of this?" Y/N asked.

"You guys called, so I'm in charge."

"We're both level 8, and this is my team. That puts me in charge. You can't just kick someone off my team without asking me."

"Agent Hand, I know Skye's methods are unorthodox," Ward said. "But she's a member of this team. She can help."

Hand turned to May. "Agent May," she called. "Your professional opinion, will this girl be of any use to us on this plane?"

"No," May replied.

"What?!" Y/N exclaimed.

"Increase her restriction level," Hand turned and told the agents behind her. "Confiscate her laptop and phone, then have her delivered to debrief."

"You can't! This is not your team!" Y/N fought back.

"You can Fury on me then, just see what he'll do... you lost a member of your own team. A member who, if my knowledge is correct, you witnessed die the first time. This might be a little too personal for you Agent Rogers. You might want to think about stepping back."

The two women glared each other down as Ward stepped up.

"I'll do it," Ward offered, "I'm her SO."

Hand nodded before leaving with the other agents. The three of you looked at May before Ward and Skye walked away.

"What was that?" Y/N spat, through gritted teeth. "She can help."

"Agent Hand asked if Skye is any use to us on the plane," May replied, hushed tones. "I gave her my answer."

Then she walked away. Leaving Y/N to realize what May had meant by her answer. She still wanted Skye to help. Just not with all the SHIELD agents around. Y/N quickly went down to Fitz-Simmons, warning them what was about to happen and that they needed to give Skye a way to contact them. She was still with them when Skye came down with Ward. Fitz-Simmons, who were trying too hard to look normal, and Y/N walked up to Skye and Ward.

"Hang on, hang on," Fitz muttered.

"We have something for you," Simmons said, holding up a paper bag.

"You made me a sandwich?" Skye asked, taking the bag.

"Yes, it is that."

"It's a satellite phone," Fitz explained. "Damper resistant. You get one shot before your bracelet shuts it down."

"So only call in case of emergency."

"What do I even need this for?" Skye questioned. "I'm gonna be spending the next three days in a SHIELD broom closet getting debriefed."

"That's right," Ward said. "A few agents are coming here to pick you up for debriefing, in exactly 12 minutes."

"Good luck," Y/N said, leaving with a wink. The others followed, leaving Skye to figure out the rest.

~~~

Y/N and Ward were watching Vanchat being interrogated from the lab, while Fitz-Simmons prepped night-night guns. Y/N was trying to stay as far away from Agent Hand as possible. That woman was getting on her nerves.

"No, that's too much!" Simmons exclaimed, quickly stopping the other agent who was working with her. "I know the night-night rounds no longer affect the Centipede soldiers, but all we want to do is disable them, not kill them."