[fun & games: season 5, episode 6]
*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*
Rose stomped throughout the level of the lighthouse, her bloodied pipe in her hand from earlier. If she wasn't careful, she would get caught with a 'weapon' and dragged off who knows where and tortured by the Kree. But that seemed to be the last thing on Rose's mind at the moment. "Rose, Rose!" Tess called from behind her. "Rose, what is that on your pipe?" she asked, running up to walk beside the girl.
"Uh, it's doesn't matter," Rose said quickly.
"Is that blood from one of the Blues?" Tess pressed.
"Okay, Tess, technically I didn't kill him," Rose said, spinning to face the brunette.
"Oh my god! Rose put that away!" she hissed, pointing to the bloodied pipe. "Do you want to get dragged off to Kasius?" she asked.
Rose sighed, slipping the pipe back into the pocket of her utility jumpsuit. "That wouldn't be such a bad thing at the moment," she admitted.
"Wha-" Tess sounded. This was totally out of character for Rose. "Do you have a death wish or something? Because that's the only explanation I can think of to explain how you're acting right now! Seriously Rose! You're lucky I'm the first person that saw you with the pipe."
"A death wish? No? But am I pretty fucking pissed off right now? Yeah, I am," Rose said shaking her head.
"Okay, well you wanna help me channel all that energy into something else?" Tess asked nervously.
Rose's face softened instantly, "Why, what's up?" she asked.
"Flint," Tess responded simply. "But we're gonna need their help too," she said pointing towards Coulson, May, Elena, and Mack, who were walking their way.
"Oh great, can't wait," Rose said sourly, not over how her last conversation with Coulson went.
"Hello, again," Coulson said looking at Rose. "We seemed to have left our last conversation on a sour note," he said.
Rose huffed, crossing her arms, "That's one way to put it," she said through gritted teeth.
"I've been looking for you guys everywhere," Tess said urgently.
"Tess, what is it?" Coulson questioned.
"It's the blues," she said solemnly. "They've come to harvest the children."
They began to walk once more, Rose frankly annoyed that she had to spend more time with the people she wanted to stay away from. But she liked Flint and didn't want to see him get hurt. "Every year, Kasius puts all the 18-year-olds through Terrigenesis," Tess explained.
"And that day's today?" Coulson asked.
"No, that was months ago," Tess said.
"For some reason, Kasius wants more Inhumans, so I guess he did the ceremony early?" Rose suggested.
Mack surveyed the room, "Most of these kids are barely teenagers," he observed.
"That's the one in charge," Tess said pointing to the large Kree stand on the platform in front of them. "Been working his way up from the lower floors. Good thing I had you put that pipe away," Tess whispered to Rose.
"Yeah, good thing," Rose responded absentmindedly.
"I'm guessing this has something to do with Kasius' big party," Coulson
"More products, more profit," Elena added.
Tess pointed over to a young boy leaning against the wall, "That's Flint," she told the agents.
Coulson's eyes followed Tess's finger, "He doesn't have anyone talking him through this?"
"His parents were killed in a Renewal," Tess explained. "Virgil had a soft spot for the kid, was even teaching him to fly. Gave him odds and ends to help him get by."
"He's a good kid," Rose added sincerely. "He would visit me down in Records sometimes when Deke wasn't around. He doesn't deserve to go through this at such a young age," she expressed.
Coulson looked over at Tess, "You should go say something," he told her.
Tess nodded, making her way over to the boy. Mack and Elena on her heels. Rose went to follow them but Coulson held her back. Rose looked up at him, "What is it?" she asked bitterly.
"I wanted to say I was sorry for how I treated you earlier," Coulson whispered. "No one deserves to lose their parents the way you did."
"So, you're saying you believe me now?" Rose asked cautiously.
"Yeah, I believe you. Sorry about your parents," he added.
Rose nodded curtly, "Thank you," she said, before walking off to reconvene with Tess and the others.
"Children it is time," The Kree called the Vicar at the front said in a deep voice.
Rose walked up to Flint and gave him a quick hug, "You'll do fine," she whispered in her ear, letting go of him.
"Thanks, Rose," Flint said with a quick smile, before going up to join the rest of the children at the front of the room. Once all the kids were lined up, the Vicar began to speak once more.
"We seek a great bounty," he started. "Hoping one of the young here today ascends to something greater." The Vicar then took a Terrigenesis crystal out of the case next to him and placed it in the crusher. "Prepare to receive your gift from Kasius!" he announced, placing his hand down on the crusher so that it would smash the crystal.
A faint mist began to rise from above the four kids, enveloping each of them in it. But nothing happen, Rose breathed a sigh of relief, which meant Flint was safe. She glanced over at Tess, who had the same look on her face.
But the was a crackling noise and Rose turned her head to the front. Little bits of stone began to cover Flint's body, working from the feet up. "Oh my god," Rose said placing her hand over her mouth. "No." It wasn't long before Flint's whole body was covered in the Terrigenesis shell.
"Flint!" Tess cried out. Rose looked over at her and placed a comforting hand on the women's shoulder.
The shell began to crack and then shatter completely in a loud boom, pieces of the shell exploding everywhere. Rose looked up but Flint was nowhere to be seen. "What just happened?" Rose asked, looking around for any sign of Flint in the crowd, but her search turned up no results.
"Is he dead?" Tess asked instantly. "How does someone just disappear like that?"
"I'm not really sure," Coulson said looking back at Mack. "Though, I may have a theory."
In a flash of light Rose was no longer in the Exchange room, but outside of a steel door. The other three right by her side. "What the hell," she expressed.
Tess instantly opened up the door in front of them. "Tess," he started as she ran up to meet the boy. "Rose," he added as Rose approached them both.
"Are you okay?" Tess asked him.
"No," Flint said, shaking his head. "I was just kidnapped by a crazy woman."
"Yeah, the kid ain't wrong about that," Mack said looking over at Elena.
"Don't worry, she's with us," Tess said, gesturing between herself and Rose. "Flint, this is Yo-Yo. She's inhuman too," Tess explained.
Flint looked at Elena, "Yeah, I kind of figured that. Why aren't you living down on the Kree levels?" he asked.
"I'm not really from around here," Elena answered.
"None of us are," Coulson added. "And she's not the only Inhuman with us."
Flint looked over at Mack and laughed slightly, "You mean this guy?" he asked, pointing a thumb at Mack.
"No, he's just cool," Elena answered.
"He does give out fun nicknames though," Rose added, remembering how Mack called her sunshine when they first met.
"Look, we can't hind in here forever," Coulson started. "Kasius's men will be looking for Flint as we speak."
"And Grill's reporting to his station boss," Mack added. "He'll be back by end of day."
"We need to disappear long before that," Elena decided.
Tess took a deep breath in, "Look, I could put in for a Trawler run. We hide Flint in the brig and head out. Could buy us a couple days."
"Yeah, but without May, we don't have a pilot," Mack pointed out. "Unless you know how to fly?" he asked Rose.
She shook her head vigorously, "Hell no. I don't trust myself with that thing."
"Even if we don't have a pilot, that's the least of our worries," Tess said.
"Want any help?" Coulson asked her.
"More people, more questions," Tess said. "Best I go on my own." She walked over to Flint and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Stay right here," she instructed. "Be back in a few."
"Hey Tess, wait a sec," Rose said pulling her to the side. "Can you do me a favor?" she asked.
Tess looked confused but nodded, "Yeah, sure. Why? Is there anything wrong?"
"No, it's just. I haven't seen Deke in a bit. I know I said we weren't on speaking terms yesterday but shit happened and everything. I just, I left him with Coulson but they didn't come back together. So, just, if you see him, will you tell me? Or better yet just have him meet up with us," Rose said in a low voice.
"Yeah, I can do that," Tess said.
"Thanks, I appreciate it, good luck," Rose told her, giving Tess a quick hug, before Tess abruptly left the room, closing the door behind her.
After a few minutes of silence, Flint began to pace up and down the room. "How come I don't have my powers yet?" he asked.
"You have your power," Elena told him. "It just hasn't revealed itself."
Flint looked back at her. "How long did yours take?"
Elena chuckled, "Oh, it was a total disaster," she began. "I crusted over three weeks earlier, after eating fish soup and tacos."
Rose and Flint both exchanged curious glances, confused by the words she just used. "What are tacos?" Flint asked finally.
Coulson scoffed in disbelief.
"What the hell kind of future is this?" Mack remarked.
Flint and Rose still looked confused. "Tacos are a food," Elena explained.
"Oh," Rose sounded.
"Anyways, I had told myself this was just a dream," Elena continued. "And then my cousin Francisco calls with bad news about his mom. I was upset, so I went to get a beer, and, whoosh! I'm back on my couch, beer in one hand. I realize I need a bottle opener, and whoosh again! I'm back on my couch, bottle opener in the other hand."
"What did you think was happening?" Flint asked, completely enthralled with her story.
"My heart was beating so fast, I thought someone had put cocaine in my beer," Elena expressed.
Rose clapped her hands together, "See, I know what that word is. Those are drugs. Which you should never take because they are bad for you," she added looking at Flint. "Not saying taken I've snorted cocaine, I'm just saying in general, drugs are bad. Even weed, which I have-" Rose closed her mouth, realizing she might have said too much. "I'm gonna stop talking now," she decided.
Elena laughed slightly but continued on with her story. "I got so worried, I told my cousin Franciso to come over. He spent countless hours talking me out of an exorcism."
The S.H.I.E.L.D agents' metrics beeped quickly as their hands shot against the nearest metal surfacing, trapping them in their sports. "That is a great story," Grill said looking down at the five of them. "Pretty sure Kasius is gonna want to hear that for himself."
"You're home early," Coulson commented as Grill walked down the steps to be on the same level as the five of them.
"Thought I was getting called up for another damn report," Grill complained. "But it turns out, my manager just wanted to let me know that a Trawler pilot was fighting in The Crater."
"May?" Coulson asked suddenly. "Is she alright?"
"'Alright's' not a word I would use for someone who was chucked out as Roach food," Grill said as if the whole situation was amusing to him. "'Morsel' maybe," he said walking closer to Coulson with his cane. "Now it's time you tell me why the three of you didn't have any Metrics."
Coulson huffed, "We came from the past to save the world."
"Are you speaking of, the Prophecy?" Grill said in a low voice. The room went silent for a few seconds until Grill burst into a fit of hearty laughter. "Hey, look. I may be a rube, but only dumb rubes believe in that prophecy nonsense."
Rose narrowed her eyes at the man, finding about a dozen more reasons to dislike him at that moment.
"Though I will be a rich rube once I turn you five in to Kasius, even Pretty over here," he said, tapping his cane into Rose's chest harshly, causing her to lose her footing for a second. But she regained her balance.
Rose shook her head, "Asshole," she cursed under her breath.
"What was that sweetheart?" Grill asked her.
Rose plastered on a fake smile, "Nothing," she said sweetly.
"You turn us in, we're all dead," Mack said harshly.
"Listen. Once that creepy son of a bitch pays me off, he can do whatever he wants," Grill informed them. "Now being dead, might be your best option."
"Why does Kasius have people fighting downstairs, Grill?" Flint asked him.
"All part of the fun and games," Grill said, walking around in a circle. "Let's just hope he doesn't choose you."
Flint tried to run off, but Grill hit him over the face with his cane, causing Flint to fall onto the ground.
"Oh no, you don't!" Rose said, running up to him with the bloodied pipe from before. But she couldn't lay a punch on him because he knocked her onto the ground. A sharp pain erupted in her side, as the pipe clattered and rolled out of her hand. The smallest bit of blood oozed from her wound. "Fuck," Rose whispered, holding her hand over the place she got cut.
"Hey! Leave them alone!" Mack yelled.
Grill whipped around and clicked a little button on his remote. The agents' metrics began to beep as electricity passed through their veins. "I'm starting to think that Zav didn't deserve to die. That maybe your girlfriend set him up!" Grill laughed at their pain. "Nothing says that I gotta turn you in cherry. So, you know, maybe I will just watch you sizzle." He turned up the dial on his remote.
Suddenly, a rock flew the sky and hit the side of Grill's head. Grill looked around as another one hit the box that Coulson was stuck to. "Hey, knock it off, Junior," Grill warned Flint.
"I don't know how.." he said wearily.
"Well, you figure it out," Grill commanded.
"Flint, look at me," Elena said. "This is your gift. You can control it," she told Flint.
Grill turned his dial on once more and the room was filled with Elena's screams.
Another rock flew through the air and hit Grill square in the head. Grill shoved his hand in his holster and took out a loaded gun, pointing it at Flint's head. "You stop it, or I will stop you."
"No! You can't shoot him!" Rose exclaimed.
But Rose was rendered speechless by the next actions. A huge cluster of rocks began to form above Grill's head, it grew to the size of a boulder before crashing down onto Grill's body, killing him instantly. Flint watched in horror as he had contemplated what he had done.
There was a quick bristling behind the door and the group shot up. 'Kree guards,' Rose thought instantly, as she used her left arm to push her off the ground. Her right arm still clutching her side. Rose grabbed her pipe off the ground and ran into a side room with the other four. The guard passed quickly through the room, not noticing the five people huddled in the corner.
Once the coast was clear, they filled back into the main room. Flint instantly walked over to the boulder he created, Grill's body still lodged underneath it. "No," he said quietly. "I can't be here."
"Hold on," Mack said. "It's too dangerous out there."
"It's better than staring at the guy I just killed!" Flint argued. "I knew him! He was one of my best customers! Even gave me spare tokens from time to time."
"What happened to Grill is not your fault," Elena insisted.
"You had no choice," Coulson said. "He was gonna kill us."
"He actually stabbed me," Rose said still clutching her side.
Coulson made a split-second decision, "Now, Mack and I, we're gonna go find Tess, and we're gonna get you on a Trawler, okay?"
"I'm coming with!" Rose added.
"No, you're injured," Coulson said.
"I can still walk, plus it's just a flesh wound, I'm fine," Rose said, walking over to them. "Plus, If Tess hasn't been back yet, that's a bad sign," she added in a low whisper so only the two of them could hear. "Trust me, the halls will be swimming with Kree. You'll need me there with you guys."
Coulson and Mack looked back at Elena, waiting for her input, "Go!" she told them.
The two nodded, walking their way out into the hallway, Rose right behind them.
"Kid should be playing ball, or running for student council," Coulson said as they swiftly made their way through the hallway.
"Or class treasurer," Mack added.
"That's pretty specific," Coulson responded.
Mack shrugged, "Ah, served three terms. I'm a pretty financially responsible dude."
"Quick question, what's a treasurer-" But Rose's question was cut off by the dry sob that left her mouth.
Only ten feet in front of them hung Tess's dead body. A knife in the middle of her chest with a note that read: 'BRING US THE INHUMAN.'
"Tess," Coulson said softly. "They killed her because she wouldn't give up Flint."
Rose felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. "This can't be happening," she mumbled, taking a step forward.
"She's already dead," Mack whispered to the both of them. "The only thing we can do now is try to keep Flint from meeting that same end. Come on," Mack whisked them away from the scene, leaving Rose no time to mourn her now dead friend.
loving you's the anecdote,
golden ☼
Grace talks ig : Not Tess literally dying -oop. Poor Rose, we are all so sad for her because her friends keep dying. Also sorry there was no Deke in this chapter given he was locked in that room Coulson left him in at the end of the last chapter, soo, yeah. But we will get a little Shalia reunion next chapter and it's very cute and shit. I really don't know what to say, except Rose and this pipe man, she's just like attached to this thing now, so we will keep seeing her and her signature pipe in future chapters. It's her little weapon of choice until she gets a proper one. ALSO, aos will be on Disney + on March 16th! YAY, we are saved aos fandom. I will try to post chapter 7 next week because I already have it written, yeah. BYE! Also vote and comment if you feel like it, I appreciate you all <3