Holes

Skye would never tell anyone. After years of living mostly in a van, crashing on the couches of friends, using the Y to shower and then getting cramped quarters on the bus, the king size hotel bed was heavenly. She didn’t want to check out. She wanted to order everything from room service and scarf it down with a gallon of over sweetened coffee.

But she promised Fitz and Simmons they would have breakfast in the café downstairs before returning to the cramped bus. They had no new mission yet, but they had to drop items off at the Fridge.

She looked at her bracelet. How could she been so stupid? Allowing Miles to betray her like that. She thought she could trust him. She would have done anything for him, for the cause, even betraying her team but it turned out Miles’ ideals was making money.

She was beginning trusted her SHIELD team more. She already loved Fitz and Simmons. She respected Coulson. She hoped that May would warm up to her. At least Ward wasn’t angry with her anymore but the closest they were beginning to share seemed to have fizzled. Now he seemed embarrassed he even brought up his brother.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. She looked at the clock. It was only 7. She was meeting Fitz and Simmons at 8. She needed another hour in this giant bed.

“Skye,” said May’s cold voice. “Open up.”

She could never read May’s emotions. Her tone was the same whether it was dire or only a mission.

Skye had fallen asleep in a t-shirt, so she tossed on her pants quickly and went to the door. May looked at her and then into the room.

“What?” she asked, a little defensively.

“Have you seen Ward?”

“Why? Do you think we got it on last night?”

May looked at her with annoyance but Skye also thought she saw concern in her normally emotionless face.

“Why? What’s happened?”

“I went to check up on him this morning,” she explained. “I was worried.”

Skye almost burst into laughter because May checking up on a grown man or anyone seemed unlike her.

“He didn’t answer his door or his comm. I had them open the door. The bed was never slept in.”

“Maybe he made it.”

“The hotel said he didn’t use his keycard last night either. He never went to his room.”

Okay, now Skye got worried. He seemed his usually aloof self last night.

“He could be hurt—or that staff could have had side effects. How do you feel?” Concerned filled her voice. She should have pressed harder last night.

“I’m fine. A little pumped but that’s it. I’m sure Ward felt the same way.”

Skye shook her head. “It affected him worse than you.”

“When was the last time you saw him?”

“I asked him for a drink. He turned me down. Said he was going for a walk.”

May didn’t look happy. “I’m going to wake Coulson. I need to get back to the bus and see if I can pick up his comm.”

Skye lifted up her wrist. “I can help if I’m freed.”

May looked a little pissed. Skye didn’t know what she had done to elicit the response. May didn’t say why she was angry, instead she said. “Get dressed and be downstairs in 10 minutes.”

May was annoyed Skye used Ward’s disappearance as an excuse to get the bracelet off. The one thing she didn’t like about her and she wanted to like her is that Skye helped as long as there was something in it for her. She hadn’t learned yet what it was like to be a SHIELD agent. You were supposed to be selfless.

But May didn’t worry about Skye now. Her mind focused on Ward. When she grabbed the staff, she saw killing the child. The same image she had every time she woke up. She had no idea what he saw and why it caused him to fall apart.

She only assumed Ward saw something he didn’t want to see. He was back to his stoic self later. She thought about inviting him into her room. It’s been a while since she’d been with someone and she almost felt like they bonded.

She worried sometimes about Ward because she saw herself in him and she wanted to make sure the young man never experienced what she did. But she also knew that Ward had been a loner and his record indicated he was the go to guy for hard decisions regarding taking out a target.

It was two-fold why she wanted to lure Ward. She didn’t want him too close to Coulson in case he had to take the shot. And she didn’t want to the younger agents to get close to him either, although it might be too late for that. They already adored Coulson. How would they feel about Ward if killed him?

So far, Coulson didn’t seem affected by what happened to him. May was glad. She already suffered from bad memories; she didn’t want him to suffer either. Ironically he was much kinder than the Coulson she used to know. He would have taken out Amador and Peterson rather than helped them. After Skye betrayal, in the past Coulson would have never let her stay in SHIELD.

May tapped lightly on his door. Coulson answered already dressed wearing a dark blue suit.

“We may have a problem. Ward vanished sometime last night.”

“Vanished?”

“Skye saw him in the bar but he never went to his room. She said he was going for a walk. He’s not answering his comm. Phil, I’m a little worried.”

He shook his head. “Don’t be. Ward can take care of himself.” He didn’t sound concerned but most of the time Coulson had kept the same demeanor. He almost always wore a poker face so no one could read him.

May didn’t respond right away. Finally she said. “Ward’s reaction to the staff was different than me. It could cause problems. We should at least find him. Skye and I are going back to bus to located him.”

“Probably a good idea if we all go back. Let’s get that stupid staff locked away before it hurts anyone else.”

“Do you think he’s okay?” Simmons asked, concern filled her voice. “He hasn’t been himself for the last few days.”

May was driving with Coulson in the front seat. Skye, Simmons and Fitz were in the back.

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Coulson said, his voice didn’t sound worried.

Skye was worried. She had known Ward for a few months. He was a boy scout and not responding to his comm was unlike him. She worried the staff might have had a side effect they weren’t aware of. Even though, May seemed fine. Or maybe he got hurt in the fight and didn’t let on he was in pain.

“AC,” she said. “Maybe we should check hospitals too.”

“Do you think he could be hurt?” Simmons asked, her voice grew even more worried. “He wouldn’t let me check him over for injuries afterwards.”

“Maybe. Ward thinks he can’t admit he’s in pain to any of us.”

“I should have checked him afterwards for injuries. I should have been more forceful.” Skye heard guilt in her voice.

“Don’t blame yourself,” Fitz said and took her hand. Skye didn’t blame her. Ward had refused treatment when Simmons offered it.

It didn’t take them long to get to where the bus was parked. May pulled up to where the guard was waiting. She flashed her badge at the guard.

“We need to know if anyone from SHIELD come in since 10pm last night.”

“Sure,” he said. “About 1am, one of your agents checked in.” He hit a few keys on his computer. “Agent Ward?”

Skye felt some relief. It was close to 8am. Ward had only been missing for 7 hours.

“Did he check out?”

The guard shook his head.

Skye was confused. If Ward was on the bus, then why didn’t he respond to his comm?

Coulson saw the worried look on her face. “At least we have a narrow window. Maybe it isn’t Ward, maybe it’s the bus?”

Still Skye felt dread. They drove the SVU up the ramp. The cargo and docking bay looked fine.

Skye got out of the car just as it stopped. She walked through the docking bay and headed up the stairs.

She saw him first.

“What the hell?” May’s voice said behind her. Skye didn’t think. In the lounge area, Ward was lying crumbled on the ground, scrunched up almost in a ball on the floor with his back towards her.

“Ward!” she yelled. She rushed over to him. When she turned him over, the berserker staff rolled out of his hand. Skye ignored it for the moment. His nose gushed blood and his body had a twitch but he was still breathing. “Ward?” she said, her voice lower.

His eyes flicked open but only slightly and he didn’t jump up like he had before, instead he said: “Everything’s wrong,” before his eyes shut again.

Skye hadn’t seen Simmons come in, but now she was leaning next to Ward. The others were behind her. She felt his wrist while looking at her watch. “It’s very rapid,” she said after 15 seconds. The panic had left and Simmons was in pure treatment mode.

“Let’s get him into the medbay,” Coulson said. Skye grabbed one arm while May got the other. They pulled him into a standing position but he felt like a sack of cement. They walked him to the medbay and plunked him down on the bed.

“Help me remove his jacket and his shirt,” Simmons said, calmly. May and Skye pulled Ward up and May pulled the shirt over his head. Simmons started putting on various biometric sensors. One caused a trill alarm to go off.

“What’s that?” Skye asked. She had grabbed some gauze and used it to clean off his nose.

“He’s blood pressure is too high,” Simmons said, keeping her voice calm. “It’s probably caused the nose bleed.” She went to a cabinet and pulled out two vials and two hypodermic needles. She administrated them both. Coulson came in the room, while Fitz stood by the door looking disturbed.

“What are you giving him?” Coulson asked. His voice also remained calm.

“Something to bring his pressure down and to calm him. He needs an actual medical doctor to make sure the high blood pressure didn’t causes any organ damage.”

“May,” Coulson said. “Get us to the Fridge on the double. They have an infirmary and I want that goddamn staff under lock and key. Fitz, get some gloves and lock the staff back up.”

May or Fitz didn’t respond. She left the room quickly.

Coulson moved closer. Skye could see he was mad.

“Skye,” he said. “I need you to contact Dr. Randolph and see if has disappeared yet. I need a few more answers.”

“But—“ she was worried about Ward.

“He’ll be fine with Simmons. On your way.”