Birds of a Feather | | Leo Fitz Book One

Chapter 54

When Skye came to find her, she was sitting in a swivel chair, reading a copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. It was probably her 5th time through the series, but she never seemed to tire of the books.

"Hey," Skye said, hands tucked in the pockets of her jeans. "Coulson has a request....he's having me scrub identities. And...I need your badge." She looked uncomfortable as she requested this.

"My badge?" Asia asked, placing her bookmark and setting her book down, before standing up and staring Skye in the eyes. "He's really taking our badges?"

She thought back to what her badge symbolized. The missions she had gone on. The time she dropped it in the snow and Clint spent hours searching for it for her. The day she was given it at the academy. Her graduation. The countless times she had pulled it out to show her authority. All her memories, gone. Any chance of her long lost sister, America, Mer, gone.

It made her heart clench inside her chest. But instead of saying anything, instead of crying, or putting up a fight, she grabbed her badge out of her pocket and set it on the desk in front of her.

"I'm really sorry, Asia. I get it, its hard...we're losing ourselves." Skye apologized, frowning, looking on the brink of tears herself.

"I just hope he knows what he's doing," Asia said as she turned and walked away. Her favourite punching bag was calling her name.

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Asia had her headphones jammed in, jabbing at the bag hanging in the storage area, when she felt a timid tap on her shoulder. She stopped, pulling her headphones out and turned around. It was Simmons. "Can I help you Jemma?" She said, coming off more hostile than intended.

"Coulson wants us to meet him in command center....apparently theres been an update in plans," Jemma said, lips pressed together.

"Okay, lets go then," she said, slinging her workout bag over her shoulder and looping her arm through Jemma's. She really did need to try and make better friends with her, and she felt bad about it sometimes.

Jemma looked at her strangely, but followed along anyways, not sure of what other option she really had.

When they reached the Command Center, Skye was already there, typing away at the holotable. Trip and Leo were talking in hushed tones, and May stood in a corner, not speaking.

When Coulson entered the room moments later, everyone straightened to attention. "So!" Simmons said, clapping her hands together, "Director Fury is alive?"

"It seems that way, yes," Coulson replied with a nod.

At this comment, May stepped forward and out of the shadows, staring intently at Coulson. If Fury was alive, that would change everything.

A look of hope crossed Leo's soft face. "He's still out there? What did he tell you?" He asked, trying to hold back looks of enthusiasm.

"Nothing specific," Coulson said grimly, "But he sent us coordinates. I believe its a message."

Skye typed rapidly at the holotable, pulling up an image of a cold tundra, covered in snow and dotted with towering pine trees.

"The coordinates lead us to the Canadian wilderness, near the Rockies," Skye said, putting a beacon over the exact drop point.

"Am I supposed to see something here?" Asia asked, studying the bleak white for some hidden symbol, but there was none.

"I believe its a beacon, a way point, if you will. Possibly a place for SHIELD agents to meet and find safety," Coulson explained calmly. "I know Agent Fury, and this is something he would do."

"Sir..." Jemma propositioned cautiously. "Have you used this method of communication with the Director previously? How do you know for sure its even him?"

"It could Definitely be a trap," Trip agreed with a quick nod. "Wouldn't be surprised, what with everything we've seen recently."

No one spoke at this, all thinking solemnly how this could easily be true.

Coulson sighed and took out his badge, showing it to all of his teammates so they could see the numbers flashing. "Nick Fury gave me this badge himself. And when he did, I took an oath, the same as you. We all swore to be humanities last line of defense. We swore to be the shield." He sighed and put his badge on the desk, frustrated. "I know these numbers mean something, and I intend to find out. If you dont agree with me, parachutes are in the bay and you can help yourself whenever you please, but at that point, your on your own."

With that, Coulson headed back for his office, and for a moment, no one moved.

"Well," Asia said finally, "Guess we're going to Canada."