Agents of The Clone Wars (Book 1): The Clairvoyant Conspiracy

Purpose

"This is the right play! Fury sent us these coordinates for a reason." Coulson argued

"What reason could that be?" May asked exasperated

"I don't know May! There's gotta be something here. This has to mean something. We are not Agents of nothing! We are Agents of Shield! We have a purpose and that's to protect the weak. We have to stop Garrett or else Hydra helps the Seperatist win the Clone Wars. That's why we have to keep fighting! We can't give up! It can't just be for nothing! There's too much at stake for it to be for nothing!" Coulson screamed in frustration

Everyone stared at Coulson with a mixture of sympathy and fear and sadness. Ahsoka went over to him and gently said, "You're right sir. I still believe in you. So does Anakin. That's why I'm here."

Coulson patted Ahsoka on the shoulder and nodded breathing a little heavily.

"Congratulations to you all. You've passed the first test. Welcome to the secret base known as Providence. You're screening will begin shortly." A mysterious person said through a loudspeaker that startled the group

****

May 2007

Agent Hand slapped Ward in the face.

"Why did you do that?" Ward questioned angrily

"You have talent and skill Ward but you lack technique and discipline. If you're going to earn Agent Garrett's trust to let you in on his secret plan you need to not react. You need to not show any emotion even involuntary emotion. You can't allow any distractions from completing your objective. There's too much at stake for you to fail. You have to do whatever it takes to succeed." Agent Hand demanded pointing at the TV screen in her office

"We need to challenge the United Republic to do better! Even if it means potentially taking up arms against them. The world's stability and peace has lead to your poverty while the politicians within the Republic get rich. They use Shield and the Jedi Order as guard dogs to protect their secrets while you suffer! That cannot stand any longer! There's needs to be transparency about what the Jedi and Shield are hiding. There needs to be more laws that give opportunities to nations that don't have Senators in the pockets of corporations!" Count Dooku shouted to a crowd from a podium

The crowd applauded and shouted we want justice, no more Shield, and no more Jedi. We want justice, no more Shield and no more Jedi. Dooku basked in the applause and after a minute continued his speech.

"He's causing choas specifically in Sokovia and Garrett is involved with it. You need to be opaque emotionally to let Garrett's guard down. If not then Dooku wins and so does Garrett." Agent Hand reiterated

"He breaks Shield protocols. He's even killed defenseless unarmed suspects. I can't just shoot and kill a defenseless person even if they're a violent suspect. It's not just about protocols. It's not the right thing to do ma'am." Ward said sheepishly

Ward felt uncomfortable like a teenager admitting to his mother about having a girlfriend. In a lot of ways Ward was still that teenage boy that Hand got out of a detention facility. Hand was essentially his mother as much as his secret SO.

"I'm sorry Ward. I just...you need to be strong. I've been where you you've been as a kid. My family...when they found out about my dating relationships with other women they were just like your family. They smiled in my face and acted as if everything was fine but it wasn't. There was veiled insults and awkward stares and lots of emotional abuse. Anytime I brought it up they acted as if nothing was wrong.
Shield saw more in me than my family ever did but...there is another side to Shield. A darker side and you have to embrace your dark side if you hope to destroy the darkness within Shield. I know you don't want to be the monster your family thinks you are but you have to become a monster in order to defeat other monsters." Hand explained

"How do you do it? How do you keep your emotions down in high pressure situations? Situations where you have to make impossible choices?" Ward asked

"Training and discipline." Hand replied before slapping Ward across the face

This time Ward didn't react as she immediately slapped Ward again. Smiling with a tear coming down her eye Hand was full of pride in Ward's progress. It was like watching her own son graduate from college.

"There's hope for you yet Agent Ward...Grant. I'm proud of you. Just remember that men like Garrett aren't your friend. They are charismatic for a reason. To get you to like them. To get you to let your guard down. No matter what Garrett makes you do, you have to stay focused on the mission. Remember who you are and what your purpose is." Hand said

Days later Ward murdered an innocent man on Garrett's orders. A man who was asking too many questions about what Garrett was doing. A fellow Shield Agent who found out about Garrett's dark deeds and wanted to report him to Director Fury. Ward's shame, guilt and fear was buried beneath his desperation for Garrett's acceptance and ultimately Hand's acceptance. Acceptance he never got from his mother or his family. Acceptance that he hoped Hand would give him now that Garret trusted him.

"There's hope for you yet son." Garrett said with an approving smile

****

"Now Agent Ward I want to know why your heart rate is spiking?" Agent Erik Koenig asked

"Shield doesn't exist anymore. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has declared any Shield Agent who hasn't turned themselves into United Republic authorities a terrorist. Hydra is still out there and doing galaxy's knows what and we are stuck in this base powerless to stop it." Ward answered grumpy with gritted teeth

"That was a great answer. A measured answer. This base is secret for a reason and it's because it's only avaliable to those that pass my tests. You pass the test and you get a lanyard that gets you through that blast proof door. Jedi can't even get through that thing. But you're failing all of my tests based on how you answer my questions. What are you hiding Ward? Why are you really here?" Agent Keonig questioned suspicious

"My team are behind those blast doors. You let them into your secret base. Let me in. I have nothing to hide." Ward protested

"As you pointed out Ward things are chaotic out there. That means I have more reason to be skeptical of you. My readings indicate that you're hiding something. If I let you in without you passing the test then I could be putting people on your team in danger as well as all the remaining Shield Agents." Keonig protested

"Skye. I love her and we're dating. It's against Shield protocol because I'm supposed to be her SO." Ward falsely admitted

What Ward said was true from a certain point of view. He did feel bad about keeping this secret. His head was down in shame as a result of this breach of protocol. Yet deep down Ward's true shame was from being Garrett's mole. In that moment Ward remembered what Hand taught him about burying his feelings and remaining emotionally neutral.

"Congratulations Agent Grant Ward. You passed the screening test. Here's your lanyard. With this you'll get full access to Providence base."

When the blast doors opened Ward saw Agent Hand with a lanyard on her neck giving him an apprehensive look. Ward remembered his mission wasn't finished yet. Garrett needed Skye for his next scheme. As Agent Hand taught Ward you have to do whatever it takes for the mission to succeed. Right now, Ward needed to do whatever it took to kidnap Skye from this base and bring her to Garrett. Ward smiled as satisfied with his plan to accomplish this mission.