Worlds Apart | Leo Fitz Book Five

Chapter FortyOne

"Alright guys, looks like we're going to have to improvise here," Asia said, moving back further into the room and grabbing a crate, pulling it forward as a form of defensive wall. She glanced at Yoyo and nodded, the two communicating without even speaking. They were the two Inhumans here, the two agents who were truly battle ready, at all times. It was their job to make sure that Leo and Jemma got out just fine, got home safely. Even if it was at their own expense. But Asia felt a bit of worry stab into her gut. Her powers...they were back. In a sense. She felt like she was starting from ground zero again, like she couldn't truly trust herself, like she was a bomb about to go off at any moment.

She had spent a lot of nights, while Leo slept soundly beside her, trying to work through her old mental training she had given herself back when she had first undergone her transformation. She never seemed to be able to get it just right. She would wake up early, before Leo, and wipe the frost clinging to the frame of the bed away. No one had to be any the wiser as she worked herself through this process. She would be fine. She had to be fine. She always had to be fine.

After she had ushered the two scientists behind the block, she moved towards the door, grabbing the pallet that blocked it. She looked to Yoyo as she slid it out of the way, then reached for the door handle. Yoyo nodded, and Asia yanked the door open, stepping out of the way as she felt her hair breeze by her as Yoyo disappeared for a moment. When she felt the breeze again, the indication that Yoyo would surely appear behind her in a moment, she shut the door again, whirling to face her friend who should have the guns of whoever was out there sitting at her feet.

Instead, Yoyo began to scream. She fell to the ground, clutching her hands in front of her, the metal sparking. She could smell something a little like burning. Jemma rushed for her as Asia looked to Leo, eyes wide. She instantly turned to a shelf, grabbing and knocking it over, then moving to another and knocking that down too, putting as much as she could in front of the door. She had to slow them down as Jemma assessed what was happening.

"I was using my speed," Yoyo said, rocking back and forth as Jemma wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "It felt like my arms were being pulled out of their sockets."

"It's because the metal arms weren't built to go that fast," Leo said, one hand pressing against the side of his head in frustration. "They're transmitting every electrical signal that happened in that moment all at once. It's overloading your nervous system right now." He tried to explain as calmly as he could, but he was also frustrated this was something he hadn't accounted for previously. He should have thought of this. Of course she'd be using her speed.

"That's great science boy but I need a solution!" Yoyo growled back in frustration, still rocking back and forth. As she did, Asia started flipping tables over and making more defensive spaces.

"I won't be able to recalibrate them before they get through that doorway," Leo explained. "We won't have time until we're able to stop whoever is on the other side of that. If we can do that then we can fix you and make it stop."

Asia looked to Leo, then to Jemma. "Leo and I will draw them away from the exits. Jemma, Yoyo, you guys get to an exit and get to the Quinnjet. Call for backup. Make sure she's safe." She pulled her gun back out and looked to Leo and they locked eyes. He moved to stand by her, gun ready.

"Fitz..." Jemma said, about to protest, but he turned to her raising a finger to silence her.

"No," he said, shaking his head, looking to Asia and reaching out, taking her open hand in his. "We have a rule now."

"We're not leaving each other behind anymore," Asia said. "Too many times we have and entire universes have separated us. Not again." She squeezed Leo's hand as the door banged behind them. "Now get out of here. We've got this."

As the doors began to shove open, Jemma and Yoyo moved to duck behind some boxes beside it. The robots wouldn't even noticed them - they'd be focused on the two with the guns.

The doors burst open and a few guard filed in, black masks and all, guns raised and firing. Asia and Leo fired back in response, taking out one by one. Asia felt a breath release as she saw Yoyo and Jemma duck out, Yoyo still clutching her hands in pain.

Suddenly, behind them, they heard another wall open up, a sliding door they hadn't been able to see before suddenly revealing more guards pouring in. Leo turned, firing a couple shots, then both ducked down below the tables they were using as defense. "I'm sorry you never got the honeymoon you dreamed of, love," Leo said, giving her a sympathetic look.

"Don't be silly," Asia said, "We're overseas, and protecting the world while fighting robots, and I get to do it all with the man I love," she smiled at him, then leaned in and gave him a quick, tender kiss on the lips. Together, they reloaded their weapons then exchanged a knowing glass. Asia silently counted to three, then they bolted up, each firing opposite of the other, shoulders touching as they moved in tandem. If they could get to a side door, they could get out...As they started slowly moving, Asia stopped. "Gun jam!" she shouted, as Leo pushed her back towards the safety of the tables.

Shortly after, he had to fall down beside her. "Running low on my end," he said, as Asia still tried to fiddle with her gun. "Love...can you stop them? Can you do something?"

"Here," she said, tossing him her last magazine. "That's my last one. I..." she looked at her hands, and they were shaking. Get it together she thought, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. "Leo I can't freeze them, they're robots. They don't have blood, they won't stop."

"You're having control problems, aren't you?" he asked softly, stopping mid reload. She met his gaze and she didn't even have to speak. He leaned toward her, grabbing behind her head and pressing her forehead to his. "Look, I wish you had told me. But I'm not upset. You went through something incredibly traumatic. It makes sense that you're not 100%. I'm not bloody right either as things are. But you're my wife. This doesn't change anything, ok?" He pressed a kiss to her lips. "Makes our situation a little harder now, but we can still get out of here just fine."

"I hope you're right," she said, gripping his hand in hers and setting down her gun. She could hear the steps of the guards getting closer. Then suddenly...nothing.

The guards all fell to the ground.

Asia poked her head up, then looked at Leo. "They're all...down," she said, slowly standing up and pulling him up beside her.

Leo stepped forward to examine the closest one. "They're not damaged," he concluded. "They're offline for some reason. But...whatever that means, we're safe for now."

"Maybe Yoyo and Jemma did something," Asia said with a small smile. "Thought for certain we were goners there." She shrugged sheepishly.

"Well, time is fixed after all. Of course we're fine," Leo sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Though I'll admit, even I had my doubts there for a moment. I think you're rubbing off on me, love."

Asia opened her mouth to reply, when suddenly a blade wizzed through the air, slamming into the table between them. As it passed in front of Asia's eyes, it was as if the thing moved in slow motion, as if she could reach out and tap it and change it's trajectory forever. She knew that blade. She recognized that blade. It was the same one that took Yoyo's arms off.