The Avenger's Soul

Shadows

"There's something fishy going on there," Trip said as we both stared at the monitor for a few beats. "You'll go crazy staring at this crap. What is it again?"

"Not sure. Something Garrett was messing with," I told him as I jumped down off the table and walked to stand in front of the monitor. "Coulson put me on it a month ago, searching deep web contacts, even Rising Tide, looking for a match. I've got nothing!"

Trip laughs as someone enters the room behind me.

"There he is! Happy to see you, sir," Trip said.

"Agent Triplett, Daisy," Coulson said as I smiled at his use of my new name. I was starting to like the sound of it.

During the time Garret, Ian Quinn and Ward had been on the loose, I had found out they had set up a false trail of documents and been spreading rumors about me being a Hydra operative worse then the Winter Soldier (which was ridiculous because it's not like I had ever killed anyone!) I was hoping that none of the Avengers were buying into the lies but it had been zero contact since my memorable first day of being a Shield agent so I didn't have any way of knowing.

Unfortunately for me, Garret and Ward had done an excellent job linking "Angel" to a ton of unsolved Hydra murders over the last decade or so and while I maintained hope that at least Natasha would be smart enough to see through Hydra lies, I had to admit that the evidence was pretty damning.

I had decided to change my name and appearance again when Coulson took over as the new Director of Shield. Deciding that "Angel" who was just Skye with wings, needed to disappear and become someone new again. I decided to keep the brown hair color but give myself bangs this time. Assuming the Avengers didn't believe the rumors though, I then had to hope they didn't try to attack me yet again, assuming we ran into each other anytime soon. I even gave myself a last name this time: Johnson.

I remembered the watery look Coulson had given me when I told him I chose the name as a way of nodding to him and his middle name; which he had confided in me was John, & what with Thor liking to call him "Son of Coul" I thought it would be appropriate to name myself an honorary "Son of John". It may not make the most sense but hey it made sense in mine and Coulson's mind and that was enough for me.

"Can you give us a moment?" Coulson asked, glancing over at Trip.

"Watch this," he turned and exited the room without another word.

"What? No hugs? He was really looking forward to it. I've cross checked the writing from the lab with the new images you've given me. Mostly the same, but the code breakers haven't found anything –" I started to tell him.

"That's not why I'm here," Coulson interrupted as he handed me the papers in his hand.

"The bulletproof assassin you encountered on the sting? We know who he is," I frowned as I remembered what had happened earlier.

I lifted up the paper and saw the sheet on Creel. I looked at it, then at Coulson, back down to the sheet then back up to Coulson.

"You want me to go down there, don't you?" I said nervously.

"You're the only one who can," Coulson replied though I could tell he wasn't happy about the idea.

"Is this really what it takes for you and I to get a one on one these days? He just gave me a small smile. "Why now?" I asked. I really didn't want to do what he wanted.