Phelia walks into the cockpit of the bus, where May is flying and enjoying the solitude. "Hello May, mind if I keep you company? I promise I will not disturb you"
May: "Fine. Just stay out of my way and keep quiet."
"Thanks" Phelia says with a smile and sits down next to May. They both stare out into the distance without saying a word. May is flying the plane and Phelia is stuck in thoughts. After half an hour of silence May gets suspicious. She knows that Phelia normally talks a lot and the fact that she didn't say anything in a while indicates that she is troubled by something.
"What's on your mind, Phelia?" May asks with a hint of concern in her voice.
"Sorry?" Phelia says.
"You seem lost in thought. Is there something you want to talk about?" May asks again, still with a hint of concern.
Phelia raises an eyebrow. "Uhm, YOU want to talk about it?" she asks in disbelief. May normally doesn't like a lot of talking, but this time she really seems to care about Phelia
May takes a deep breath before responding. "I'm not much for small talk, but I care about the team. If there's something on your mind, it's better to talk about it than to let it fester."
"Well, you are right, I AM troubled. But somehow I find comfort in your present" Phelia says with a smirk. "Or it's the view, I can't tell" she adds with a laugh.
May cracks a small smile. "I'll take that as a compliment. So, what's been bothering you?"
"Ward has been acting strangely around me. I think he's been making romantic advances towards me, but I'm not sure...."
May's face darkens slightly. "If that's true, it's completely inappropriate. Have you told him to stop?"
"No, because honestly I have no idea what he wants."
May's expression softens a little. "I understand. It can be difficult to know how to handle these kinds of situations. But you shouldn't have to put up with any behavior that makes you uncomfortable. If you need my help, don't hesitate to ask."
"No, it's not that I'm uncomfortable. I'm just wondering what he's up to and I'm getting kinda suspicious. Yesterday night I couldn't sleep so I was wandering around in the bus to get some food and I think I caught him doing something. I don't know what he was doing, but I'm sure he tried to distract me from it by flirting with me."
May narrows her eyes. "That does sound suspicious. We'll have to keep an eye on him. If you catch him doing anything else, let me know right away."
Phelia nods. A few days later Phelia wakes up from a bad dream. It is 2 a.m. in the morning, but she feels thirsty. On her way to the kitchen she hears voices. Slowly she follows the sound of the voices and overhears a phonecall from Ward. She remembers her conversation with May the other day so she sneaks over to May's room. She knocks softly and a few seconds later May opens the door. She is wearing her pyjamas and looks tired.
May rubs her eyes and looks at Phelia. "What's going on, Phelia? It's the middle of the night."
"I was just on my way to the kitchen and heard Ward having a phonecall with someone called John. They were talking about coming out of the shadows soon. It sounded very suspicious"
May's expression turns serious. "Thank you for telling me. This is important information. Let's go investigate." She quickly grabs her gear and follows Phelia to where she overheard the conversation.
They reach the corner where Phelia had earlier overheard Ward's call.
May motions for Phelia to stay back while she approaches the corner cautiously, ready to engage if necessary. She peeks around the corner and sees Ward on the phone, talking in hushed tones. She recognizes the voice on the other end as John Garrett, a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who turned rogue.
May listens intently, trying to piece together what they're talking about. She hears phrases like "the Clairvoyant," "the weapon," and "our benefactor," but nothing that gives away their exact plan. May jots down notes on her phone and backs away slowly, motioning for Phelia to follow her.
Phelia sneaks behind May. When they are out of earshot, she wispers: "What are we doing now?"
"We need to find out more about what they're planning," May replies in a hushed tone. "I'll contact Coulson and see if he has any intel on John Garrett. In the meantime, keep an eye on Ward and try to gather any more information you can."
"Ok, Skye may be able to hack into his phone and find out what Ward and John Garret are texting..."
May nods. "Good idea. Let's head back and see if Skye can help us out. We need to move quickly before they make their move."
"Ward can come back any moment. He cannot know that we suspect him to be a double agent"
May nods in agreement. "We need to be careful and not let him suspect anything. Let's keep this between us for now until we have more information. We don't want to make any false accusations."
"Ok. What do we do now? Sleep and wait for tomorrow? He could do something terrible in the meantime...."
May shakes her head. "No, we can't afford to wait. We need to keep investigating tonight. Skye should be able to help us, but we need to stay alert and ready in case something happens." She motions for Phelia to follow her. "Stay close and keep your eyes and ears open."
Together they wake Skye and Coulson and meet in Coulson's office.
Coulson and Skye listen intently as May and Phelia recount what they overheard from Ward's phone call. Coulson furrows his brow in concern as he hears the mention of John Garrett, knowing that he's a dangerous threat to S.H.I.E.L.D.
"We need to find out more about their plans," Coulson says thoughtfully. "Skye, can you try to hack into Ward's phone and see if you can find any texts or emails between him and Garrett?"
Skye nods and quickly gets to work on her computer, typing away at her keyboard with lightning-fast speed. The rest of the team waits anxiously as they watch her screen.
After a few tense minutes, Skye lets out a small gasp. "I found something," she says. "Ward and Garrett have been communicating about a weapon that could wipe out entire cities. They're planning to use it to hold the world hostage."
Coulson's face darkens with anger. "We can't let that happen," he says firmly. "May, Phelia, I want you two to tail Ward and see if you can find out more about where they're keeping this weapon. Skye, keep digging for any more information you can find."
The team nods in agreement, determined to stop Ward and Garrett's plans before it's too late.
Skye digs deeper and finds out: "the weapon is a girl..." The team investigates further and finds out that Hydra is in fact looking to fulfill a prophecy. It's a prophecy about a girl with immense Inhuman powers. A girl that can read minds. Hydra tries to find that girl, abduct her and make her go through Terrigenisis to give her these powers. The girl they are looking for is in fact Phelia...
May looks at Phelia with a concerned look on her face. "Phelia, do you have any idea how Hydra could have known about your powers?" she asks.
"How would I know? I didn't even know about them myself. I know that my parents were Inhumans, but I have not yet gone through Terrigenisis. I don't have any powers yet..."
Coulson looks at Phelia and says, "That's even more concerning. If Hydra is looking for someone who hasn't even gone through Terrigenisis yet, it means they have access to some serious intel. We need to find out how they got their hands on this information."
May nods in agreement. "And we need to keep Phelia safe. We can't let Hydra get their hands on her," she says firmly.
Skye pipes up. "I can keep running a search and see if I can find any more information about Hydra's plans. And we can beef up security around Phelia to make sure she's protected."
Coulson nods. "Good plan. And we'll need to figure out a way to get Phelia out of here and somewhere safe. Any suggestions?"
"But Ward... He knows that it's me they are looking for. He will try to abduct me and bring me to Garrett...." Phelia says in panic.
May steps in, "We won't let that happen. We'll increase security around you and make sure you're protected. We'll also gather more intel on Hydra's plans and how they plan to carry them out. We'll find a way to stop them and keep you safe."
"And what will we do with Ward? Just pretend we have no idea? He will ask what all the safety measures are for..."
Coulson speaks up, "We can't tip him off that we know what he's up to. We need to keep our suspicions hidden for now and continue to gather information. It's important that we maintain the element of surprise."
May nods in agreement, "We'll need to keep a close eye on him and try to figure out his next move. And in the meantime, we'll make sure you're safe and secure."
"Ok." Phelia nods. "So what is the plan?"
Coulson thinks for a moment and then says, "We'll set a trap for Ward. We'll have to make it look like we're letting our guard down, but in reality, we'll be ready for him." He looks at May and says, "You and I will lead the operation. Skye and Phelia will stay hidden until we need them."
May nods in agreement, "Sounds like a plan. We'll keep our eyes on Ward and make our move when the time is right."
"What about Fitzsimmons?" Phelia asks.
May responds, "We can't trust anyone outside of this team until we know more. They're both still recovering from the last mission, and we can't risk them being compromised. We'll have to handle this ourselves."
Phelia nods in agreement and straightens her shoulders confidently.
May nods approvingly at Phelia's newfound confidence. "Good. We'll need everyone at their best if we're going to stop Hydra from getting their hands on you. Let's get some rest, we have a big day ahead of us."
May escorts Phelia out of the room, making sure she gets back to her quarters safely. "Get some rest, Phelia. We'll need you at your best tomorrow. And don't worry, we'll have your back."
The next morning Phelia awakes early. She is nervous and excited for the upcoming day and quickly she gets ready. On her way to the briefing room Ward approaches her.
"Hey Phelia, Coulson told me to wait for you. The team already left for a mission, you and I are the only ones left in the bus. We have to rendezvous the team at an arranged meeting point."
Phelia freezes in horror. Ward was lying, that could not be true. He was trying to take her somewhere. But she couldn't let her mask slip, so she said:
"Oh yeah... Coulson already told me about todays mission. I didn't know we were splitting up. But ok, plans seem to have changed."
"Yes, plans have changed a bit" Ward goes on "but no worries, the rest is all as planned".
"Ok" Phelia says "In that case I need to get to the lab before we go, because Coulson told me to bring this device that Fitzsimmons were working on"
Phelia knew she needed to get to May and this might be her chance. Ward didn't like how this was going.
"We need to go immediately. We have to time" he says quick.
"I'll be right back" Phelia says and runs away. She doesn't go to the lab, but seeks for May, Coulson or Skye. In the briefing room she finally finds May. She quickly approaches her: "May we need to talk!!"
May turns her head towards Phelia, her expression serious. "What's going on? Is everything okay?" she asks, immediately picking up on the urgency in Phelia's tone.
"Ward told me you were all gone on a mission and he and I needed to go immediately to join the team at a meeting point. He is trying to lure me away".
May's expression darkens as she hears this. "I knew it," she mutters under her breath. "Phelia, we need to act fast. Ward knows we're onto him and he's trying to make his move. We can't let him get his hands on you." She quickly ushers Phelia towards the nearest exit.
"We're going to take you to a safe house we have set up. It's a bit out of the way, but it's secure and we can monitor the area for any signs of Hydra activity. We'll figure out what to do next once we know you're safe."
"But why don't we use me as bait for Ward. He will try to get me and you can use the moment to get him instead"
May considers the idea for a moment before responding. "It's a risky move, Phelia. We don't know exactly what Ward's intentions are, and using you as bait could put you in danger. However, if we plan this carefully and have a solid backup plan, it might just work. Let me talk to Coulson and Skye and see if we can come up with a plan."
"No, we need to act now. Ward is expecting me to return to him any moment. If I don't he will know that we are on to him and then he'll escape".
May nods in agreement. "Alright, let's move fast. We need to catch him before he escapes. Skye, can you track his phone and see where he is?"
Skye quickly gets to work on her computer and manages to locate Ward's phone. "He's not here anymore. I guess he already knows that we know. Right now he's heading towards an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town," she reports.
"Okay, let's go. Phelia, stay close to me," May says, leading the way out of the bus.
As they approach the warehouse, they see Ward's SUV parked outside. May signals for the team to spread out and take positions around the building.
"Phelia, stay behind me and follow my lead," May whispers to her.
They slowly make their way inside the warehouse, guns drawn. Ward is nowhere in sight. Suddenly, they hear a noise from one of the rooms.
"May, over here," Fitz calls out.
They rush towards the room and find Ward holding Fitz at gunpoint. Ward looks surprised to see them and tries to make a run for it, but May is quick to apprehend him.
"Nice work, May," Coulson says, as they handcuff Ward and take him into custody.
Phelia lets out a sigh of relief as they walk out of the warehouse. "I can't believe we actually caught him," she says.
"We had a good team and a good plan," May replies. "We'll make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else."
With Ward in custody, the team can now focus on finding the girl Hydra is after and stopping their plans.
After getting Ward into custody the team gets together in the briefing room. "So Hydra is looking for a girl with mind-reading powers and apparently that girl is me." Phelia summarises the situation.
Coulson nods and speaks up, "We need to keep you safe, Phelia. Hydra will stop at nothing to get their hands on you and activate your powers. We need to come up with a plan to keep you hidden and out of their reach."
"I wonder what they will do once they have their hands on me..."
Coulson speaks up. "We can't let that happen. We have to find a way to protect you and keep you out of their hands. I'll contact some of my contacts in S.H.I.E.L.D. and see if they can help us set up a safe house for you. In the meantime, we need to keep you close and keep a close eye on anyone who might try to abduct you."
Skye chimes in. "And we should keep digging to see if we can find out more about this prophecy they're talking about. Maybe there's a way to stop it from happening altogether."
Fitzsimmons nod in agreement. "And we should work on some kind of device or serum that can protect Phelia from Terrigenesis, just in case Hydra manages to get their hands on her and try to activate her powers."
May adds, "And we need to be ready to fight Hydra and anyone else who might try to come after Phelia. We'll need to beef up our security and stay on high alert."
The team nods in agreement, determined to keep Phelia safe and stop Hydra from carrying out their plans.
Phelia is sent to a safe house. She stays in contact with May once a day but does otherwise not know what's going on. After 4 days May pays her a visit and tells her what the team has found out about the prophecy.
"Phelia, we've made some progress on the prophecy that Hydra is trying to fulfill. We found out that the prophecy is about a girl with the power to read minds, who will bring about the downfall of Hydra. That's why they are so desperate to find you and make you go through Terrigenesis to activate your powers. We also discovered that the prophecy is not specific to you, but to any girl born to Inhuman parents with the potential for mind-reading powers. That's why they were targeting Inhumans with the potential for such powers, including your parents. We are working on a plan to use this knowledge to our advantage and turn the tables on Hydra. But for now, it's important that you stay safe and hidden until we have a solid plan in place."
"Will I ever be allowed to ge through Terrigenisis?" Phelia asks with a hint of sadness in her voice.
May takes a deep breath before answering. "Phelia, we need to be careful. You are being hunted by Hydra and we don't know how they will react once they find you. Right now, we cannot risk you going through Terrigenesis and gaining these powers. We need to ensure your safety and the safety of the team first. Once we have neutralized the Hydra threat, we can discuss your Inhuman abilities and the possibility of going through Terrigenesis."
Phelia nods sadly. "I understand... But as long as we don't know what powers I will have, it could be anyone. That makes anyone with Inhuman parents the target. Wouldn't it be easier to make me go through Terrigenisis so that Hydra has just one target - me?"
May thinks for a moment before responding. "It's not just about Hydra, Phelia. We have to think about the safety of the world. Inhumans with uncontrollable powers can pose a threat to society. That's why S.H.I.E.L.D. has protocols in place to ensure that Inhumans go through Terrigenesis under controlled circumstances, and only after being thoroughly tested and evaluated for potential risks."
She pauses and looks at Phelia sympathetically. "I know it's not easy, but please understand that we're doing this to protect you and everyone else."
"I know... What will we do now? Do I have to stay in this safe house alone?"
May sighs and looks at Phelia with a sympathetic expression. "I'm afraid so, for now. It's the safest place for you. But don't worry, we'll keep in contact and keep you updated on everything that's going on. And we'll figure out a plan to stop Hydra from fulfilling this prophecy."
She takes a deep breath before continuing. "But I need you to understand that this won't be easy. Hydra is a dangerous organization, and they won't stop until they find what they're looking for. You have to be strong, Phelia. We're counting on you."
"I can handle myself" Phelia says with new confidence.
"I know you can, Phelia. But we don't want to take any risks. We have arranged for a team to keep watch over you and the safe house. You can also contact us anytime if you need anything," May replies.
She hands Phelia a phone. "This is a direct line to me and the team. Use it if you need to talk to us or if there's an emergency. We will be keeping a close eye on the situation and will update you if anything changes."
May then takes her leave, reminding Phelia to be careful and to stay alert.
Phelia stays in the safe house for a few more days until she hears a loud noise from outside. It couldn't be Shield, because they would've told her when they came. Did Hydra find her? Phelia quickly picks up her phone and calls May.
"May, there are loud noises outside. Who is coming for me?"
"Phelia, stay calm. We will get someone there to help you immediately. Do you have any place in the house to hide or secure yourself?" May responds.
"Yes, I will hide under the stairs. Hurry up, they are coming closer." Phelia answers nervously.
May replies with a calm and reassuring voice, "Alright, Phelia. Stay calm and don't make a sound. We are sending a team to extract you right now. Keep your phone on and stay on the line with me until they arrive."
Phelia quickly follows May's instructions and hides under the stairs, heart racing as she hears the sound of footsteps approaching.
"Ok..." Phelia whispers. "I could escape through the window, but they've probably surrounded the safe house"
"Stay put, Phelia. We'll get there as soon as we can. Just keep quiet and stay hidden. We have a team on their way to extract you," May says in a calm and reassuring tone.
Phelia can hear the sound of footsteps approaching the safe house, and her heart races with fear. She takes a deep breath and tries to stay calm, hoping that Shield will arrive in time to save her.
The first one to enter the save house is Garrett. Phelia can see him from her hiding spot. "May, Garrett's here" she whispers into the phone.
"Stay hidden and don't make any noise," May responds. "I'm sending backup right now. Just hold on a little longer, Phelia."
May ends the call and contacts Coulson, informing him of the situation. Coulson immediately mobilizes a team to Phelia's location, but warns May that they might not make it in time. May decides to go to the safe house herself to provide backup for Phelia.
Meanwhile, Garrett and his team are scouring the house, looking for Phelia. They are getting closer and closer to her hiding spot. Phelia can feel her heart racing as they approach.
Phelia looks around her in her hiding spot, trying to find something she could use as weapon. She finds a dustpan and holds on to it tight. Garrett comes closer to her hiding spot and finally finds her under the stairs. Phelia raises the dustpan and with all the strength she has hits it against Garrets head. Right in this moment May enters the scene. She sees Phelia with the dustpan and helps her knock out Garret. She takes the rest of Garrets team down and then looks after Phelia who is still in shock about what happened.
"Phelia, are you okay?" May asks as she checks on her. "You did well, you defended yourself. You're safe now," she reassures her.
May helps Phelia to her feet and guides her to the couch. "Do you need anything? Water, a blanket?" May asks, making sure Phelia is comfortable.
"I'll call for backup to get these guys out of here and secure the perimeter," May informs Phelia. "But for now, just take some deep breaths and try to relax. You're going to be okay."
"Thanks, that just was a rescue in the last minute. But now we have Garrett and his men."
May nods. "We need to get them back to the Bus and interrogate them to find out how they found you and who else knows about your location."
She approaches Phelia, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay? That was a brave move back there, but I know it must have been terrifying for you."
"Thanks, May. It was indeed terrifying." But she gives May a brave smile.
May nods, impressed by Phelia's bravery. "You did good, Phelia. But we still have work to do. Let's get out of here and regroup with the team."
May helps Phelia up and they both leave the safe house. Once outside, May contacts Coulson and informs him of what happened. They arrange to meet up with the rest of the team at a nearby location.
Phelia is still shaken by the experience, but May tries to reassure her. "You were very brave back there. You saved yourself and gave us the opportunity to take down Ward, Garrett and his team. We'll make sure you're safe from now on."
Phelia nods, grateful for May's words. She knows she can count on her and the rest of the team to protect her from Hydra.