Little Games
Massachusetts – 15 years ago.
“You need some help, kid?”
Grant laid there on the ground, staring up at the man who saved his life from whatever the fuck just attacked him. The man stood tall above him, dressed in biker gear along with wearing a pair of sunglasses on his face. Grant looked between the man who was currently offering his hand to him and then to the body of the one-eyed monster he just stabbed. The long staff still lodged in its eye.
“C’mon Grant, my arm’s getting numb here.” The man grunted, leaning down and grabbing Grant’s arm in an iron vice and throwing him back to his feet like he weighed nothing but a bag of grapes.
Grant stumbled as he felt his feet meet the dirt. “What- What the fu—”
“Hey, Language!” The man interrupted, his eyes still blazing red behind his sunglasses. “You have a million words to use, no need to bring crudity into how you speak.” He reprimanded.
Grant gaped at the scolding, his brain still trying to process what had just happened. “Crud– Wha— Who are you? What is that thing? How do you know my name?” the questions started pouring out of Grant, still pointing at the body still lying on the ground.
The man let out a deep and disgusted growl, walking over to the body of the monster he had just slain, gripping the handle of the staff and yanking it out of the monster’s eye, revealing a metal spearhead on top of it. “Cyclops.” The man growled, spitting on the body. “Nasty beast, haven’t seen one in decades. He didn’t hurt you, did he?”” The man asked, looking at Grant head to toe with concern on his face, searching of signs of injuries.
Grant took a step back as the man looked at him, the blood red orbs piercing through him. “I’m- I’m fine.”
The man looked unsure, but seemed to let it slide, getting up and looked around him, scanning for any more attackers. Grant could then hear men and dogs barking. Grant paled as he remembered his predicament. “Oh shit, they’re getting closer!” Grant said, but the man didn’t seem worried, too preoccupied with cleaning the blood off his spear with a cloth.
“Ah we’ll be fine, I threw them off the trail, should give us at least another 10 minutes to talk. Also, what did I say about watching your language.” The man said, inspecting the spear for cleanliness, before stabbing the rear edge of it into the earth, the ground holding it upright and in place. Grant took a closer look at the spear, the weapon looked like nothing he had ever seen before, it was nearly as tall as Grant , the handle was decorated with what looked like ropes of gold, the grip was made with a smooth, black leather, the spearhead was made of a beautiful silver steel, it wasn’t just the design of the spear that drew Grant closer to it, it was the aura that surrounded it, the rage that began to spike within Grant as long as he stared at the spear.
“Don’t stare at it too long.” The man said, driving Grant out of his trance. “Damn thing’s been known to drive the most brutal of men into insanity with just a glance.” He said.
Grant then looked at the man. “Who the hell are you, man?”
“Take a breath, Grant.” Is all the man said, but this only made Grant even more pissed.
“I don’t even know you, guy! Who are you and how the hell do you know my name?” Grant demanded answers from his saviour.
“Because I know everything about you!” The man retorted in rage, the action was ferocious enough to make Grant lower his head and take a step back in fear. The man sighed, wiping his face in tiredness, speaking again.
“Your name is Grant Douglas Ward, you were born on January 7th, 1986. Your favourite dinner was cheeseburgers as a kid, but your all-time favourite food is pumpkin pancakes, you begged your grandmother to let you have it for dinner more than a hundred times, but she always said no.” The man told him. Grant’s eyes widened in shock as the man started listing everything about him. His favourite colour, favourite stuffed animal, who his favourite football team was AKA any team, but the Patriots. The list went on and on until the guy told Grant’s life story.
“Ho—How do know that stuff?” Was all Grant could say as he moved farther away from the man.
“Because I’ve known you all your life. My name is Ares, I’m your father.”
The bus- Present day
“That was the first time I ever met my dad.” Grant finished.
The team gathered in the lounge. Grant sat on the armchair, with his head down at the floor as he told his story. Coulson sat closest to him, listening intensively with a neutral expression, May was leaned against the wall, looking as stoic as normal, but Grant could still tell she was listening. Fitzsimmons and Skye sat on the couch, sending Grant looks of pity and sadness, which he despised most of all.
“What happened after that?” Skye asked.
“Ares took me to an island off the coast of Greece, kept me hidden from the rest of the gods, while he trained me to fight monsters.” Grant explained, purposefully leaving out the part where he thought Ares was a lunatic and tried to hit him with a branch in a futile attempt to get away.
“How old were you?” Asked Skye concerningly.
“What was it like there?” Fitz quired curiously.
Grant began to feel very uncomfortable with the number of questions being thrown at him, feeling a little bit of sweat under his collar. Dear god, how much he hated talking about himself “Um, I was 16, I stayed there maybe a year and for the most part, it wasn’t that bad, it was hot, Ares would bring me food every day and if he couldn’t be there every day, he gave me enough food to last me for as long as he was gone with some tips on how to make sure it didn’t go rotten.”
“So, what happened to make you leave?” May perked up.
Grant sighed as the memoires started to flood back into his head. “A fight, a bad one. I got sick of being held a prisoner and my dad didn’t want me to leave, said it wouldn’t be long before all different kinds of threats would start coming for me, because of who I was.” The fight between them, nearly destroyed the entire campsite. Grant had never seen his father so angry. “He got pissed and dropped me back where he found me in Massachusetts with a backpack and this old thing.” Grant said, holding up the old switchblade.
“Okay, but that doesn’t explain how you got into Shield.” Coulson pointed out.
“Well soon enough, I was caught by police, I was only gone a year, so my face was still on the wanted pictures. I was about to be tried for arson and attempted murder on my older brother when Victoria Hand found me, she offered me the chance to be a better man, became my legal guardian let me join Shield, when I came of age.” Victoria was probably one of the important people in Grant’s life, she looked after him, kept him out of trouble most days and was the only person who told him he could be a good man.
“How could you not tell us?” Fitz questioned. “We’re meant to be a team, teammates don’t keep secrets, especially about something as big as this!”
“Fitz... This is my life, my burden to bear. I do not wish for any of you to be caught up in my family drama.” Grant said.
“But, what about you? What if they come after you, what if you get hurt or worse?” Skye retorted.
“I’ll deal with it.” Grant reassured. “This is my family to deal with, it wasn’t much, but Ares trained me to fight Gods.” He started, while fiddling with the button of the switchblade.
“No.” Coulson interjected. “You won’t have to fight them, Ward. We do.” Coulson looked to the rest of the team, before looking back to Ward. Ward began to protest, but Coulson quickly stopped him. “This isn’t a discussion, Ward. When the times comes, we’re all going to have to face this. However, we have other things to worry about. We’re being called to the Helicarrier, Deathlok attacked one of our safehouses. So, it’s all hands on deck until he’s found and contained, so all of this stays in-house, we don’t say anything until all this is over.”
All of them nodded their heads in compliance with Coulson’s orders. They all soon began to depart to get back to their stations, Fitzsimmons both gave Ward an encouraging side hug, whispering to him that everything is going to be okay, May walked out of the room without giving him a second thought, Coulson gave his shoulder, an encouraging squeeze before following May. Soon, it was just Skye and Grant in the lounge. The young hacker bit her lip as she looked at Grant, who only stared at the ground, as his hands fiddled with the other.
“Soo.... Ares....” Skye began to speak.
“We should get back to work.” Grant quickly stopped her with those words and preceded to stand from his seat, walking back to his bunk, leaving Skye alone in the lounge.
“Oh... Okay.” Skye said quietly, hurt written across her face.
They touched down on the Heli carrier 2 hours later, but didn’t not stay long, once the higher ups got on the bus, they took off immediate. It was the better meeting place in Grant’s opinion, less chance on anyone listening in.
Grant waited in the lounge along with Fitzsimmons and Skye, the three of them felt like they were walking on eggshells around him as they tried to start conversation with them, Grant just gave them one sentence answers or flat out ignored them at each attempt.
Once the higher ups entered the lounge, Victoria made a beeline right towards him, Grant winced slightly as he stood and prepared for Vicky’s endless list of questions she made him answer for years now, each time they saw each other, it had started right after she got him out of juvie, making him promise each time she would ask a question, he would truthfully and openly, it would mostly consist of questions about his solitary behaviour and if he was making attempts at being social.
“Agent Hand.” Grant greeted, putting his hand out for her to shake. Victoria returned the gesture, grasping his hand firmly. She then stared into his eyes, signalling through her stern and sharp silver eyes that said they were going to have a VERY long talk after this meeting before going back to her no-nonsense facade.
“Agent Ward. Good to see you in good health.” She told him, before looking back at Coulson. “I would like to have a talk with my rookie in private, Agent Coulson.” She requested.
Coulson shook his head. “With all due respect, It can wait.” He declined. Victoria narrowed her eyes at the other agent but relented. Turning back to Grant, mouthing ‘Later’ to him. They both then took their places, Victoria beside agent Blake and Grant beside May.
Coulson then briefed them about their plan to catch the Clairvoyant, how they were narrowing it down to 13 potential suspects, who have been suspected of being Clairvoyant. Coulson then told them that Skye would be the one to assign them their list of suspects, but in order to do that, she would need to be Shield agent. Grant couldn’t help but smile as his rookie was given her very own Shield badge. The light in her eyes shined brighter than the star as she opened the leather casing.
Coulson then ordered everyone to get back to work, as everyone cleared out of the room and offered their congrats to Skye. Grant held back, watching how she admired the medal, made him think back to the day he got his Shield badge, how much pride swelled within him as he brushed his finger against the medal.
“Couldn’t have done it without a great and patient SO.” Skye said, turning to him.
“Yeah, you could’ve.” Grant retorted. “I’m no clairvoyant, but the Fates definitely put you on this path, you were meant for this.” He reassured her. He then patted her on the shoulder and left for his bunk, only to find Victoria waiting there for him.
“Nice quarters.” She commented, looking around his bunk. “Bit tight though, isn’t it? You hate small spaces.”
Grant shrugged. “That’s why I only go here to sleep, can’t stand this place for more than an hour when I’m awake.”
Victoria nodded before moving over on the bed, patting a spot on the bed for Grant to sit down. Grant sighed in tiredness, knowing full well what was coming next. Sitting down beside Vick and placing his hands in front of her, Victoria then grasped his hand, holding it in her own. This is what they did every time they saw each other, her asking him questions about how he was holding up mentally and his temper. If he had any outburst of anger or blackouts.
“How are you?” She asked. Grant shrugged at the question. “Same as always.”
Victoria tilted her head at the dissatisfying answer. “Grant...”
Grant sighed in boredom once again, leaning against the wall of the bunk. “I’m doing okay.” He said honestly.
“Have you been social?” “Have game nights in the lounge every Friday night.”
“Anything strange happen recently?” “You do realise who we both work for right?”
Victoria chuckled at the last few words. “Smartass.” She mumbled. Before her expression turned back to serious and stoniness. “And blackouts? Have you had any blackouts recently?”
Grant sat still for a moment as he looked at the floor. He hadn’t had one of those in years. He remembered the last time he had a blackout, he was in the operation academy and he was sparring with this guy. The guy then started mouthing off to get in his head, he then brought up Grant’s sister and asked if she too liked it rough. The next Grant sees is the man being rushed to the medbay with five broken teeth and a concussion. Their instructor is tearing him down about taking it too far and restraining his emotions. He was lucky Victoria pulled some strings and got him off with just cleaning the boots of very cadet in the academy after hell week.
“No. Not for a long time.” Grant answered.
Victoria nodded. “What about the last mission. Coulson said you were under some sort of mind control, how are you feeling after that?” Victoria asked, Grant sighed, he knew it would come up eventually, but that didn’t mean he was looking forward to it.
“Angry, mostly at me. I was sloppy, allowed myself to be trapped in a position in where I could’ve hurt the team if Lorelai, the Asgardian asked me to.” He stated.
“It wasn’t your fault, Grant. You were exposed to something that could mess with the mind of any man.” She then reassured him.
“You don’t get it, Vic. I could’ve hurt them, hurt all of them. I am meant to protect this team from monsters, not become one.” He ranted, but Victoria cut him off by squeezing his hand tightly.
“What have I told you about that word? Hmm? I have told you before, you’re not a monster, Grant. Just a man with a lot on his shoulders and not willing to let others carry a bit of the weight. That’s why I gave you to Coulson, help you cut off those edges you’ve built around yourself.” She told him. Grant nodded, still not meeting her eyes. Victoria lets out a breath of exhaustion.
“I have been ordered to return to the Hub to help quarterback the mission, but I don’t want you on your own, okay? No, going lone wolf. Your hacker friend is putting field agents in pairs for a reason.” She requested. Grant looked at her for a moment, seeing how serious she was about that and nodded his head, knowing there wasn’t a point to arguing.
Victoria then let go of his hands, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve really gotten out of your shell since last time I saw you, don’t let that go away.” Her parting words before she left the bunk. Leaving Grant with more than a few things on his mind.
“So, Garrett says your family is the cable version of the Kennedys.” Tripp states as they walk up the street to their rendezvous.
Grant scoffs and rolls his eyes at the statement. “Yeah, well don’t listen to everything Garrett tells you, most of its horseshit.” He told him. No matter how true it was, the Wards were the last people he would ever consider family, they were on the same level of the Olympians. The team had become more of his family in the last year than either sides of his relatives had ever been.
“How can I not? You are half of what the guy talks about. Will never stop moping about how Agent Hand stole you as her rookie right under Garrett’s nose.” Tripp reminded him. Grant silently shivered at the thought of John Garrett as his SO, could only imagine what kind of shit Garrett would involve him in.
“Is there a point to this?” Grant questioned, already done with the conversation.
“Just trying to keep things light.” Tripp admitted.
“Cause, you really think that’s what we need right now?” Grant asked rhetorically.
“Maybe it is.” Tripp retorted with just as much attitude.
“You want to keep it light?” Grant then stopped in tracks to look at Tripp. “The Clairvoyant almost killed Skye.” Grant stated.
“Yeah well, he did kill my partner, Dan Munroe.” Tripp bit back. “Great guy, had a son. You know what it’s like telling a six-year-old that his dad isn’t coming home? So if we do find the Clairvoyant? You might want to stay out of my way.” Tripp warned.
“We all got axes to grind. The Clairvoyant has killed many innocents. So tell me Agent Triplett, does your partner deserve to be avenged more than the lives of the others he’s killed?” Grant asked him, not believing the nerve of this guy, letting his emotions get in the way of the missions. “We are here to take The Clairvoyant in, not out and bring him to justice.” He then reminded Tripp.
Tripp’s eyes flared in rage at Grant. “No, you tell me, Agent Ward. If Skye hadn’t made it, what would you be thinking right now?” Grant’s anger roared at the thought of it, he didn’t know what he would do, he was cut between his duty and his emotions. Would he be the same as Tripp, hungry for revenge?
The tense conversation was cut off by Grant’s phone going off. Grant then dug it out to see the file he had just gotten. “Elijah Fordham, 32, military background. Here.” Grant said, sending the file to Tripp.
“Serving 18 life sentences for a killing spree in the 90s.” Tripp added, giving the impression of exactly who they were dealing with.
Once they got into the prison, Grant instantly got a bad feeling in his gut, the guard slammed the entrance door behind them, locking them in. The feeling only worsened when he saw no one was at the front desk. His switchblade began to burn in his pocket as he started getting suspicious.
“Nobody home, odd.” He commented.
“Agent down!” May screamed to the comm. Both Grant and Tripp looked each other before they heard May through the comms again. “Agent Blake is down, Deathlok’s here!”
It isn’t long before Grant and Tripp scram from the lobby and out the door back to the quinjet. Hoping to make it there before anyone got hurt or worse.
They were too late, Deathlok escaped, and Agent Blake was in a coma, due to his injuries. He and the rest of the senior agents stood on the bus’s ground level as they watched the medics carry Blake away on a trolley.
“Lucky the med team got to him, when they did.” Grant commented as Blake was carried out of the plane and into the ambulance.
“I wouldn’t call anyone in critical conditions lucky.” May retorted, her eyes still on Blake.
“It’s better than being dead, at least then you have a chance of coming back to a world you know, rather than a one you don’t.” He stated. Grant always heard rumours about what the Underworld was truly like, none of it good.
“Deathlok’s more dangerous than we thought. Blake fired six shots, didn’t even faze him.” May informed them.
“Any word on Thomas Nash?” Garrett asked, from his relaxed position, leaning on the railing of the stairs to the lounge.
“No, he’s a ghost.” May answered. “The facility has him listed as a resident, but it’s all a cover up.” Grant had to admit, it was the perfect cover for someone wanting tyo get off the grid, how often do people visit a person in comatose.
“Nash is probably off fishing in Bora Bora right now, laughing at us.” Garrett said sarcastically.
“And yet Mr Peterson was waiting for you and Blake at the facility. Why?” Coulson questioned, trying to get at something.
“Probably the same reason he went after Garrett. We’re getting too close and now he’s trying to take us out, one by one.” Grant guessed.
“This shouldn’t have happened.” Hand snapped. “Backup should’ve been there alongside Agents Blake and May.”
“The Clairvoyant would’ve seen us coming.” Garrett retorted.
“it appears he did anyway. The plan was flawed from the start!” She said loudly.
“Come on, Vic, the plan was solid.” Garrett tried to tell her. Grant winced at the use of Victoria’s nickname, that was reserved for only family and close friends, something Garrett definitely wasn’t.
“We have an agent down, because we weren’t prepared.” Hand rebuked.
“Blake knew the risks!”
“And don’t call me Vic, it’s condescending.” Victoria then scolded Garrett. Grant then smiled at the clenched jaw of Garrett, leave it to Victoria Hand to out a man in his place.
“Any one of us could’ve been ambushed.” Garrett commented.
“The point is, Blake’s alive. And, we have a suspect, Thomas Nash.” Coulson told her.
Victoria looked in thought for a moment, looking to be weighing out the odds in her head. She then looked back at Coulson with stoicism.
“I’m headed inside to prep the field teams.” She stated, looking at May and Grant expectantly. May and Grant then both took this as a sign to gear up, walking back into the lab to get ready for what’s to come.
Pensacola Florida
Turns out Blake was able to sneak one of Fitz’s tracer rounds on Deathlok, meaning they could track him. They arrive at the warehouse with 4 vehicles, packed with armed agents. Grant steps out of the van to talk strategy with Coulson and the team, he looks at Skye and feels a weight on his shoulder that she’s out in the open, so close to the man who got her shot.
“Fitz, you got a signal on the guy?” Coulson asked Fitz.
Fitz nodded, looking at his tablet. “94%, sir. Deathlok must be inside somewhere.”
“Possible civilians inside?” May piped up.
“Highly doubtful.” Fitz answered. “This racetrack has been shut down for months.”
May nodded her head, nodding to the other agents. Ordering them to move out, to which they do without hesitation.
“Skye.” Grant turns to the hacker. “Run a backend from the tactical van.” Then turning to one of the nearby agents. “You, I want you six feet from Skye at all times, weapons hot.”
“Ward.” Skye pleaded. “It’s ok, I’m ready.”
“Ward’s right.” Coulson agreed. “I feel bad enough you’re already back in the field. We’re not taking any chances with your safety.”
Skye rolled her eyes at the two protective men, before looking back at Ward who just nodded toward the van. “Go.” He said quietly.
Skye then begrudgingly did so, walking back to the van, slamming the door closed behind her. Grant winced at the bang of the door being shut closed.
“She’ll get over it.” Coulson tried to reassure him, but Grant couldn’t help but think otherwise.
They sweeped through the racetrack, searching for Deathlok, but it was not long before he showed himself, the cyborg took two of Ward’s men out with a rocket with his new cybernetic arm. Grant cursed under his breath as he took cover from the explosion.
“Ward, are you okay?” Skye asked through his comm. Grant nodded his head, even if Skye couldn’t see him.
“I’m fine, but I got two men down.” He grunted. Grant looked back to Deathlok gone. Grant gritted his teeth as he gripped his gun tightly. “Shit, Deathlok’s gone!”
“I got him!” May shouted through comms.
Grant took off to meet up with May. Rushing through the building, finding May along with her men.
“Where’d he go?” Grant asked as he ran up to the petite woman.
“Sub-basement. Coulson’s in pursuit.” She told him, then looking at the other agents. “Let’s move.” She orders, the other agents comply with her orders, following her and Grant to the sub basements. They then tacked their position to a room in the sub-basement, Grant walked, aiming his weapon, scanning for threats, but what he found was so much weirder.
Computers positioned side by side took up nearly the whole room. Generators stood at the side, powering the technology. The floor was littered with wires of all colours, red, blue, white, even a few yellows. In the middle stood a person in a wheelchair. The man looked to be on the verge of a meeting with Thanatos, he was hooked up to all kinds of machinery, hell the guy had a tube, stick in his mouth.
“Sir, we have a lot of wires back here.” He said over his shoulder to Coulson.
“Don’t touch anything. We need to sweep this room for explosives.” Coulson ordered him to be cautious.
“There are no traps here, Agent Coulson.” The man in the wheelchair spoke through a computer, with a very creepy voice. “You’re here because we are destined to meet.”
“You’re the Clairvoyant?” Garrick asked in scepticism.
“I’m Thomas Nash, Mr Po gave me that other name.” Nash clarified. “A bit dramatic for my taste.” He then commented.
“Eyes open, everybody. We don’t know where Deathlok is, or who else is down here.” Coulson warned them.
“Mr Peterson is gone.” Nash reassures him, thought Grant chose to remain sceptical. “I cut his feed, so you won’t find him.”
“But you had him lead us here.” Coulson stated. “Why?”
“So, I could see you with my own eyes instead of his. Now, I understand why I couldn’t see you after you died.” Nash said. “”Because you yourself could not see.”
‘How very philosophic of him.’ Grant thought as he kept aiming his gun at Nash.
“You were simply a broken man. Who did not know he was broken.”
“You’re one to talk.” Coulson replied, his voice now void of emotion.
“Let’s pack this freak off to the Fridge where he belongs.” Garrett offers.
“Agent Garrett, look at me. Do you believe you can confine me any more than this chair has.” Nash said.
Grant couldn’t believe, but he actually agreed with the man, at this rate, they might as well put Nash out of his misery.
“Can somebody please tell me, how we can turn tat stupid voice thing off?” Garrett said in irritation.
“I will join Raina in your prison, Agent Coulson. But I will see wherever you go. Just as I saw you holding Skye in your arms.”
Grant clenched his teeth at the mention of Skye, his mind going back to the memory of seeing her in Coulson, looking bloody and pale at the face, looking so helpless and knowing there was nothing he could do to help her. A voice at the back of his mind was is whispering at him, telling him to get this revenge against this bastard.
“Bleeding.”
The voice starts to get louder...
“Dying.”
Louder...
“Knowing it was all your fault.”
Killlll Granttt....
“Go to hell.” Coulson sneers at him, but the voice starts to overpower the conversation before him. The voice keeps repeating the same thing, repeatedly in his head. Up until the point, it starts sounding like a mantra in his mind. As if his body was overtaken by another, Grant feels his arm start to reach for his side weapon.
“Skye has something we want.”
His fingers wrap around the gun. Kiiillllllllll.
“And she will die giving it to us.”
He feels himself pull it out from its holster. Killl....
“I have seen it.”
Wrapping his finger around the trigger. Kill!.... Kill!.... KILL!
“No matter where I go, or what you do to me.”
He cocks the hammer back.
KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!
KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!
“I will always—
BANG!
Grant blinks, he hears a gunshot go off, he startles as he feels something bounce in his hand. The sound of a heartrate machine going dead, the smell of gun powder in his nose, then just dead silence. He looks up to find everyone else staring at him, or more particularly the gun in his hand, the barrel still omitting smoke from the end. He then looks at the now dead body of Thomas Nash, only now with a large hole right in the centre of his forehead.
“What did you do?” Coulson questions him causing Grant to look at his team leader. Coulson face is bewildered, holding confusion and caution in his eyes, every so often taking small glances at the pistol still in his hand. Grant lowers the gun, seeing May aim her weapons at him, looking at him as a threat.
“He’s dead, it’s over.” Garrett says, still looking at Grant with wariness.
Grant couldn’t help, but stare at the dead body of Thomas Nash, asking himself over and over the same question Coulson had asked him in his head.
‘what has he done?’
The Hub- Current time- Victoria Hand
“Oh my god, I can’t believe it.”
Victoria ignored Simmons as she looked on at the camera footage of what had just happened, the sound of the gunshot still fresh in the ears of every person in the conference room, they just stared at the image of the now deceased Thomas Nash. Everyone else stared up in shock at the screen, Victoria on the other hand, appeared to be in deep thought, gripping the biceps of her crossed arms tightly.
“I need the room.” Victoria said, to the rest of the agents, who just turned to stare at her. Victoria breathed in a deep breath, before turning to glare coldly at the people in the room.
“Do I need to repeat myself? Everyone out, Now!” She yelled, within minutes, people started flooding out of the room, leaving Victoria alone, accompanied by only the shadows that covered the corners of the room.
Now that she was alone, Victoria marched over to the long table in the room and slammed her fist against the surface of the table with a bang! The Shield agent hanged her head down in tiredness, resting her palms against the table.
“Damn it, Grant.” She muttered under her breath, she stayed like that for a few minutes, before pushing herself off the table. Taking a deep breathe and recomposing herself, fixing her hair and wiping her hands against the fabric of her dress shirt.
Victoria stood alone in the conference room, only silence occupied the dark room as she scanned the room with eyes, appearing to be looking for something, something out of the ordinary.
“I know you’re there. Come on out.” She said, only to be answered with silence. She stood for another few minutes, waiting for an answer before groaning to herself.
“Don’t think for a minute, I can’t smell that god’s awful cologne you always wear! So, for the sake of Kaos, brother. Stop acting like a child for once and step out from the shadows or I swear I will send you straight to Tartarus.” She said loudly and frustratedly.
Nothing happened for a moment, however from the shadows came a tall and slender body. A young man, looking in his early twenties was dressed in denim jeans and a white shirt, along with a checkered flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The man also sported a pair of beat up, red converse. The shoes looked ancient, but they also had a design of white wings on each side. The man had a slim, angular face, which only complimented his sly grin and defined jawline. His short brown hair was styled to be swept to the side of his face. His sky-blue eyes were filled with mischief and excitement as he looks and simply smiled in amusement at his sister’s pissed expression. The man held only a small black hat in his hands, which he ten stuffed into his jean pocket.
“My cologne is not that bad; I’ll have you know.” The young ‘man’ stated matter of factly, leaning against the table, next to Victoria. “It has actually helped win over many lovely bed partners over the years.”
Victoria helped up a hand at the man, silencing him wearing a look of disgust. “Hermes, if you ever say the words ‘bed’ and ‘partners’ to me again. I’ll throw your ass into the River Styx.” She threatened with complete seriousness, but Hermes just laughed.
“Damn, good to see you too, Th—.” Hermes could barely get the first letter out of his mouth, before being shot with an icy glare by Victoria.
Hermes put his hands up in surrender at the glare. “Sorry, I forgot, ‘Victoria Hand’. That’s the mortal name you’re going with this century, right?” He asked rhetorically, crossing his arms in boredom.
Victoria nodded her head. “What are doing here then, little brother? Did Zeus send you here to spy on me?” She asked in suspicion, narrowing her eyes at Hermes.
Hermes’s grin only widens to the point of impossibility at the accusation. “Spy? On you?” He scoffed. “Μαlaka, you really have gotten paranoid since you started this spy shit. No, I haven’t been sent here to spy on you.” He answered, looking somewhat honest, but with Hermes, you never know a truth from a lie.
Victoria still remained suspicious. “Then, why are you here, bothering me?”
Hermes’ wide smile sombered up, into a small smirk as he turned serious. “We need to talk.”
“About what exactly?” Victoria questioned.
Hermes then pointed at the screen of the still live camera footage. “You said you could keep Ares’ kid under control, but here he is. Blacking out and killing mortals doesn’t exactly scream under control, dear sister.” He told her.
Victoria brushed him off. “I said I could help him with the black out, I never said I control him, like he’s one of Hephaestus’ machines.” She snapped.
Hermes shrugged his shoulders. “Either way, it won’t be long before Father notices. Hades, you were lucky he didn’t find out about him nearly killing Apollo in Vegas, how long will it be till we’re given orders to drag the boy to Olympus in chains to be tried and executed?” He asked in complete seriousness.
Victoria slammed her hand down onto the table, right beside Hermes’, fire burning brightly in her steel eyes. “That’s why the plan must work! Bring the boy into the fold slowly, will be better for everyone involved. That’s why you and the others will leave our king to me!” She ordered.
Hermes raised his hands in surrender again. “Woah, don’t go shooting the messenger!” He jokes, showing off his signature smile again. “Get it? Because I’m literally the messenger of the Gods? Huh?” He flashes a smile.
Victoria however, remains unamused by the play on words. “Hermes, you’ve been telling that joke since the 1500s, and guess what? It wasn’t funny then and it’s still not funny now.”
Hermes shrugged. “Agree to disagree, wise head, besides that was all they wanted to hear.” He said, pushing himself off the table and walking back into the centre of the conference room.
“They?” Victoria inquired,
Hermes nodded, retrieving the black hat from his pocket. “Yeah, Hephaestus has been freaking out about the kid since Vegas, saying the best thing we can do is to send him to Hades.”
“That doesn’t sound like Hephaestus.” Victoria stated. Hephaestus wouldn’t be one to wish death upon anyone really. Maybe Hera or Ares, but that’s the end of the list.
“Yeah well, I think he’s pissed over that thing Ares has going on with Aphie.” Hermes guessed.
“That ‘thing’ has been going on for the past 3 millennia.” Victoria reminded him.
“You can’t say we gods can’t hold a grudge.” Hermes said cheekily, slipping the black cap on his head, as soon as he put it on, darkness started to swirl around the room, all coming for Hermes. The darkness starting to wrap around him as if they trying to pull him back to the shadows.
“I on the other hand, have some faith that you will not manage to fuck this up.” Hermes said as he walked backward towards the corner of shadows.
“Some faith?” Victoria arched an eyebrow.
Hermes just tilted his head, flashing her a sly looking grin. “I gotta keep my options open, who knows, maybe you will win this little game you have going with Father.... Or maybe you won’t.” He trailed off, batting her a wink before being enveloped back into the darkness. “Cya, Sis!”
Victoria watches the shadows begin to disperse around where Hermes once stood, leaving her alone in the conference room once again. Victoria then turned around to face the screen, leaning on the table as she watches the still dead Thomas Nash being dragged away, her eyes showing the wheels in her head beginning to turn as she comes up with her next move.
“That’s where you’re wrong, little brother.” Victoria said aloud to nobody. “It never matters who I’m playing the game with.”
“I always win.”