April, 9, 2000
Victoria Hand sat across from an angry teenage boy with handsome features. He looked like a star quarterback for a high school football team. The glass separating them from each other and the heavy chains that wrapped around his wrist and ankles like a spider web alarmed her. This kid should sorting through his dozens of options for Junior Prom dates not thinking about how many years he would be locked up.
Grant Ward was only 16 but he was being treated like a serial killer.
Hand knew Ward was the son of a prominent United Republic Senator from Massachusetts/Correlia named Christian Ward Senior. She smiled because she knew from rumors that his wife Leslie Ward was the one that was in charge. Officially she was Senator Ward's chief of staff and advisor but secretly she was the one who truly controlled Massachusetts/Correlia. Hand had a feeling her controlling and abusive nature over himself and his siblings caused Grant to snap. Ward attempted to kill his mother in her sleep by burning the house down with her in it while the rest of the family went to visit a family friend.
"I'm not here to make your life difficult Grant. I want to give you a second chance. Your traumatic experience could be the beginning of the ability to stomach being in the same room as a horrible person and then turning the tables on them when they least expect it. That could make a huge difference in the world."
Hand sat in her seat relaxed as if she was a cool Aunt trying to reassure Grant that he'd overcome his fear of stage fright. Ward angered by this approach treated Hand with distrust.
"Does that apply to you?" Ward asked sarcastically
"Funny. I like that. No. It applies to people like your mother Leslie." Hand observed
"What do you know about my mom?" Ward questioned
"That she's a nasty piece of work like some people I know. That she has the skill of getting under someone's skin through abuse but the talent to make the outside observer think she's a kind soul who loves to smile." Hand said with a sardonic grin
"Are you a lawyer like she was? You here to try to convince me that you have a way to get me out of prison?" Ward asked
Hand laughed, "No. Not even close. I work for the government."
"Are you recruiting me to join some special forces military group? You want me to be a grunt?" Ward asked annoyed
"No. I represent an organization more powerful than the Judicials in the United Republic Military. I'm a high ranking member of Shield and I see potential in you Grant Ward. You can see past people's hyperspit. People like your mother exist within Shield. They act friendly and dedicated to the idea of justice but they are corrupt and up to no good. I need someone to root these people out while giving them the impression that you want to partake in their corruption."
"I haven't even finished high school. How am I supposed to do all of that?" Ward asked skeptical
"This plan will take years and it will require rigorous training and instruction. I will be your secret SO or supervising officer. I will equip you with the same infiltration skills as the famous Black Widow...Natasha Romanov. You will be my secret triple agent and you will exorcise your demons. You'll root out the bullies who take advantage of the weak." Agent Hand demanded
"You're serious about this. If it gets me out of this facility I'll take it. My family especially my mother think I'll be stuck in a place like this forever. They hate me and I feel the same way about them. Being a hero and saving the day would be sweet. The look on their faces when it's me whose done more for the innocents of the world than they can from the United Senate will be sweet." Ward boasted
"I love your attitude but we need to work on your approach. You're going to have to be more subtle and less emotional. You can't allow people to read too much into your emotions. You need to act professionally and only focus on completing your mission. You have to do whatever it takes to complete your mission even if it means doing something evil. Do you understand?"
Ward nodded.
"Good let's get to work." Agent Hand said
****
"It's close. The coordinates to the secret base that Fury gave May...we just need to walk a little further." Coulson called out to the group
"Are you sure about this Coulson? It looks like we are just in the middle of the woods. My master needed me on Ryloth/Algeria but I convinced him to let me join you. If we are at the wrong location than this would have been a waste and we could have just joined Anakin at Ryloth. My mastercould figure out a way to sneak you guys onto one of the shuttles in his airship fleet." Ahsoka insisted
"We are not turning around. Fury discussed contingency plans with May behind my back in case my health deteriorated. It's clear that there is a base here. We have no choice. Palpatine has declared all Shield Agents who don't surrender to questioning from the United Republic military criminals." Coulson argued
"Perhaps we surrender and get Anakin to back us up when we tell the Supreme Chancellor and his inner circle what we know. Rumor has it Skywalker is good friends with Chancellor Palpatine.
Prior to today Shield improved it's relationship with the Jedi, Skye used to train with them and Ahsoka is with us. We don't have to risk everything on a plan with little chance of success when we have powerful allies with connections." Agent Hand argued
"As far as I'm concerned you aren't a real Shield Agent. You're a liar who decided to take on Dooku with your right hand woman Agent Hartley whose your secret wife. You preach about following protocol but this whole time you've violated it and put my team at risk to challenge Dooku by yourself. So don't talk to me like I'm your friend Victoria." Coulson criticized
"I get it Phil. You gave your life for Shield and Shield has let you down. But we have a chance to win. To accomplish the mission. That's preventing the Separatist from getting the intel Skye has hidden in the encrypted data pad of hers as well as taking down Garrett's secret superhuman lab project. Project Centipede." Hand urged
Coulson shook his head dismissively and walked away from Hand. The rest of the team walked past Hand ignoring her shivering in the bitter cold. After a few more minutes of walking the group reached the coordinates and there was nothing but trees and snow. Everyone started to worry and Coulson's frustration grew to anger. Shield couldn't just cease to exist. It'd be just as crazy for the Jedi Order to disappear. Yet Coulson was confronted with the grim possibility that there was no way to stop Project Centipede or avoid capture by the United Republic military.
"There's gotta be something here. Stay alert team and keep your eyes open."
"What's the plan if we don't find anything? Do we just head back to the Bus and just find a safe place to hide it?" Skye asked
"We're not going back. We need to utilize the resources Fury has set up for us." Coulson replied
"What about satellite tracking systems. They're monitoring the skies for unregistered airships. We can't outmanevuer those things forever." Fitz said
"It doesn't matter. We used up all the Bus's fuel just to get to this location." Coulson said
"Are you insane! You didn't think about the risks of what to do in case you couldn't find Fury's secret base?" Simmons interjected alarmed by Coulson's answer
"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.