What If
When Daisy finally separated from Ward, she saw that he had his usual smirk fixed on his face.
“Not that I’m complaining but is there a reason for a greeting like this?” Ward asked.
“I just found myself wishing you were in the bathtub with me.” Daisy smirked.
“Well why don’t we fix that.” Ward grinned. He drew her back in for a kiss. Daisy leaned in for a moment before forcing them to separate and placing her head on his incredibly naked chest.
“God I would love that but we have to go in for work.” Daisy sighed. Ward dropped his head back on the cushions and groaned.
“Think they’ll buy it if we call in sick?” Ward said playfully.
“They knew you’d be asleep so I doubt it.” Daisy answered.
“Alright.” Ward nodded, dragging himself out of bed. “I’ll contact Mace and give him an update on what Hydra’s doing tonight.”
“Wait what do you mean?” Daisy asked as they both started getting dressed.
“Well the Resistance is gonna wanna know what Hydra’s been up to this week and I figured I’d make the dead drop while I pick up your antacids.” Ward answered.
“Right.” Daisy nodded. “Why was I asking you for antacids?”
“Because you’re three months pregnant and and you said the heartburn was driving you nuts?” Ward said with a confused look on his face. “Are you feeling alright?”
“Yeah I’m fine.” Daisy answered, a lie as inside she was panicking. In the Framework she was pregnant with Ward’s child?
“Alright.” Ward shrugged. “Promise me you’ll take it easy once you get further along.”
“I promise Grant.” Daisy smiled. Having finished getting dressed, she looked around the apartment and saw several pictures of her and Ward, including one that made her heart skip a beat. It was her in a white dress and Ward in a black tux. Standing next to Ward was Thomas, Trip, and Hunter. Next to Daisy was Rose, Bobbi, and Kara. Ward wrapped his arms around her as she stared at the picture.
“That was a good day.” Ward smiled as he pulled his tie over his neck and under the collar of his shirt. “I miss them too.”
“Yeah.” Daisy nodded. “It’s just hard sometimes.”
“Can’t imagine what it was like for Bobbi, losing her husband and her best friend in one day.” Ward sighed. “Maybe we could name the baby after them. Lance if it’s a boy, Kara if it’s a girl?”
“I think that’s a great idea.” Daisy smiled, turning around and grabbing Ward’s tie, tying it for him. “Have I told you how much I love you?”
“Not opposed to hearing it again.” Ward replied. “Come on. Let’s go.”
---
Donnie arrived in the Framework to find himself in a lab. He looked around to see what was going on and saw that he, along with everyone else in the lab, was wearing a lab coat with a Hydra symbol on it.”
“Oh shit.” Donnie muttered under his breath. He saw Fitz stalk into the lab wearing a black suit.
“Doctor Gill.” Fitz greeted. “How is the Deathlok Project coming along?”
“Good Doctor Fitz.” Donnie answered.
“I want specifics Doctor Gill.” Fitz stated.
“Oh well let me check my notes.” Donnie replied. He opened his computer and logged in with his thumb print. Accessing the notes, he found that the serum was nearly complete with a short list of candidates to test the serum listed: Melinda May and David Kebo. He also found that Deathlok himself was nearing completion. Mike Peterson’s cyberization was nearly complete as was the software that would make him absolutely compliant. “The serum is nearing the testing phase.” Donnie stated. “And the subject is being prepared to receive the serum.”
“Very good.” Fitz nodded. “I want Deathlok ready as soon as possible. He will be the perfect weapon to use against the Patriot. And if it is successful, we can make an army of soldiers just like him.”
“Of course sir.” Donnie said. Then Fitz stalked away and Donnie turned back to his computer. Maybe Hydra had intel on where the rest of the team ended up. His first searches were Daisy and Simmons. If he could find them, they could link up and discuss their next course of action. Daisy was pretty easy to find. Her Framework counterpart worked for Hydra too and was partnered with the Framework’s version of Grant Ward. Donnie chuckled a bit at that. He supposed some things never changed. Simmons on the other hand was a lot more complicated. According to Hydra’s database, she’d been arrested for attempting to assassinate Madame Hydra using stolen black market weapons, specifically the splinter bomb. She along with her fellow conspirators had been caught and sentenced to like in Hydra’s most high security prison located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean known as the Citadel. Rubbing a hand over his face, he decided to see if he could find the other members of SHIELD in her. So far he knew that May, Ward, and Fitz were all part of Hydra but Lincoln and Coulson were still unaccounted for.
---
Daisy and Ward strode into Triskelion and Daisy was greeted by the sight of dozens of agents milling about the entrance hall and by a statue of a giant octopus skull, the symbol of Hydra. Her distaste for it was clearly visible on her face cause Ward grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together. When she looked up at him with a quizzical look, he just shrugged
“I know you don’t like seeing that thing right when you walk into work given what Hydra does to the inhumans.” Ward murmured under his breath. “And what Doctor Whitehall did to your mother.” Daisy nodded, her blood starting to boil. If what happened to Jiaying in the Framework was the same as in the real world then getting the second chance to kill Whitehall would not be unappreciated. They made their way up to a floor of cubicles and walked into the conference room where, to Daisy’s surprise, May was sitting at the table. Also present in the room were two other familiar faces. Faces that filled Daisy with a feeling of immense fury.
“Agent Skye. Agent Ward.” David Kebo greeted, leaning back in his chair. “So nice of you to grace us with your presence.” On a good day Daisy would have very little patience for any words coming out of Kebo’s mouth. But given the current situation and what she’d just gone through with him dragging himself out of Hell, Daisy was at this point a hundred and ten percent done with David Kebo. Clearly her desire to repeatedly slam Kebo’s head through the glass table was extremely visible on her face because Ward placed a hand on her thigh to settle her while John Garrett interjected, requesting that he get the meeting started.
“Go ahead Agent Garrett.” Ward said as Daisy gritted her teeth.
“Alright.” Garrett nodded. “So we got a potential inhuman detained right now that might have ties to subversive groups. SHIELD, SWORD, those types. The Doctor wants this interrogation fast tracked. Guy’s name is Jason Rajan. We think he’s funneling terrigen to subversives.” Garrett showed a picture of who Daisy immediately recognized a Vijay Nadeer which caused her to sit up at attention, something Garrett noticed. “You seem interested in this guy. Why don’t you and Ward take point on Mr. Rajan. Do whatever you need to to get the intel.” Ward nodded and he and Daisy made their way to the interrogation room. As they did, Daisy pulled Ward aside.
“I know that guy.” Daisy said. “He’s Vijay Nadeer.”
“Yeah I know he’s one of our informants.” Ward frowned. “Is everything okay with you cause you seem a bit off. I mean you’re telling me stuff about a guy who I told you about.”
“Sorry I’m just a bit out of it today.” Daisy said sheepishly. “So what’s our play?”
“We don’t let him say anything and we get him transferred.” Ward answered. “I already paged Trip to get a team to spring him en route. Now that he’s been burned Mace’ll offer him the choice to go through terrigenesis so he can continue the fight that way.”
“Okay.” Daisy nodded and they entered the interrogation room where Vijay was strapped to the lie detector chair.
“You're in a very precarious position Mr. Rajan.” Ward stated, fiddling with the headset on Vijay’s head. “Inhuman status isn't a crime. But lying about it is.”
“I never lied.” Vijay insisted.
“We'll see about that.” Ward said. Daisy couldn’t say she was surprised how well Ward played the Hydra agent. He was one of the best. “Hydra cares more about what you've done than what you are. So when my partner here asks you about smuggling charges, I highly suggest you cooperate.” Ward turned to look at Daisy and handed her the file which she took and opened.
“Your name is Jason Rajan, born in Edison, New Jersey?” Daisy asked.
“Yes.” Vijay answered. Ward looked up from the reader and nodded that Vijay was telling the “truth.”
“Did you know that you were an Inhuman before today?” Daisy asked.
“Yes.” Vijay sighed.
“And it says that you own an import business, but Hydra surveillance says one of your trucks is missing.” Daisy stated. “Where is it?”
“I don't know.” Vijay answered. “It was stolen.”
“Was stolen, but you didn't file a police report.” Daisy frowned, playing her role as a loyal Hydra agent.
“I'm an Inhuman.” Vijay snapped. “I was afraid to talk to the authorities.”
“What was stored in the truck, Mr. Rajan?” Ward asked.
“I don't know.” Vijay insisted. “I don't deal directly with those kinds of shipments.”
“Bull.” Ward scowled. “Where is the truck?”
“I don’t know!” Vijay shouted. “But even if I did I wouldn’t tell you.”
“Look.” Daisy sighed. “I am trying to save your life here.”
“You’ve never saved anyone you bitch!” Vijay snarled. “My DNA’s not a crime! I am not a criminal! The real criminals are you jackboot fascist fu-” he didn’t get to finish his statement because Ward had stalked over to him and punched him in the face, knocking him out. Garrett entered the interrogation room shaking his head.
“I expected better from you two.” Garrett sighed.
“This idiot’s probably never seen terrigen in his life.” Daisy shrugged.
“Maybe but we need to make sure.” Ward said. “Maybe Agent May can help us get something out of him.”
“Alright.” Garrett nodded. “Stay with him. I’ll have Agent May join the interrogation. If she can’t get anything I’ll have him transferred to a separate facility where they specialize in making people talk.” As soon as Garrett left Daisy turned to Ward.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Daisy asked.
“Absolutely.” Ward answered as Vijay woke up. “Don’t worry Vijay it’s just us here.“
“So what should we do?” Vijay asked.
“May is very good at making people talk and Hydra knows this.” Ward stated. “But inhumans are a sore subject for her. When she gets here, push as many buttons as possible so she’ll blow the interrogation and force Garrett to make the transfer. I’ve already got a team on standby ready to make the extraction.” Vijay nodded just as May entered the room.
“This is him?” May asked.
“Agent May, meet Jason Rajan, our potential inhuman.” Ward introduced. Vijay’s eyes went wide.
“You’re her.” he gasped. “I know you.”
“I doubt it.” May scowled.
“All inhumans know you.” Vijay smirked. By the look on his face Daisy could tell he was enjoying this. “Bahrain.” May’s eyes darkened as she fixed Vijay with a cold glare. He just smirked as he continued. “It’s funny cause the world blames inhumans for what happened. But it was you who got it wrong.” May said nothing as she drew her gun and aimed it at Vijay’s head.
“May!” Daisy spoke up. “May. Don’t do this. This isn’t you.” May didn’t seem to listen as she kept her gun fixed on Vijay. “May!” Daisy shouted. “Wake up!” May turned her glare towards Daisy now. “He’s valuable to us.” Daisy stammered as an explanation.
“Garrett said that if you couldn’t get anything from him to transfer him to a separate facility.” Ward stated.
“Fine.” May spat. “Get him on the next bus to the Fridge.” Daisy nodded and unhooked Vijay from his chair. She and Ward took Vijay down to prisoner transport and put him on the bus.
---
Phil Coulson sat at his desk in his classroom and pulled out a file of things he’d collected. Newspaper clippings, fliers, and other things. The most recent was a clipping from the paper about an anti-inhuman activist named Felix Blake being given a parade. Another was about a Massachusetts Senator being arrested for child abuse. One about a pro-inhuman advocate with several scars on her face speaking out for the inhumans. Then there was a flier about a cellist in Portland. Doodles of the SHIELD logo. A postcard from Tahiti. Several pages of the words “It’s a magical place” written several times over.
“It’s a magical place…” Phil murmured.
---
“Trip and his team should be intercepting the bus en route.” Ward said to Daisy as they sat on their couch and Ward poured himself a scotch.
“Great.” Daisy nodded. “What was Vijay talking about with May? Have you told me about that?”
“I never told you anything about that no.” Ward said. “I don’t know all the details but there was a mission in Bahrain involving an inhuman. A kid. May rescued the kid and despite SHIELD knowing that the kid was inhuman, they put her in a classroom. This led to the Cambridge Incident where a lot of people died.”
“My god…” Daisy murmured. “No wonder it’s a touchy subject.”
“Yeah.” Ward nodded. “Now I have a question for you. What’s going on with you? Cause you were the one who told me about all that with Agent May. You told me your mother told you all about that stuff when she sent you into Hydra. Skye please tell me what’s going on.” Daisy saw the look of concern on her boyfriend-no husband’s face and sighed,
“Do you trust me?” Daisy asked Ward.
“With everything I’ve got.” Ward answered.
“This is gonna be hard to believe, hell it’s probably gonna sound absolutely insane but this world? It’s not real.” Daisy admitted.
“What do you mean?” Ward frowned.
“It’s a computer simulation kinda like the Matrix.” Daisy explained. “All of this is a fake world.”
“Are you saying that what I’m not real?” Ward asked.
“No no you are.” Daisy insisted. “I swear to you Grant you are real. You are being held prisoner in this fake world but you are real.”
“And what about us?” Ward asked, rubbing his hand over his face. “Is that real or just something the computer made up?” Daisy took a deep breath before she answered.
“In the real world, you and I are in a relationship.” Daisy answered. We aren’t married and we aren’t having a baby but we are together.” She took Ward’s right hand in both of hers as she spoke. “And we are happy. God you make me happier than I ever thought possible. This whole fucked up Hydra world around us is just a bunch of ones and zeros but this, right here, you and me.” She placed her hand on Ward’s chest, feeling his heartbeat under her palm. “This is real.” Ward held her gaze for what felt like an eternity before nodding.
“Okay.” Ward nodded. “I trust you. So how do we get outta here?”
“We programmed an exit into the code.” Daisy answered. “If you and I can get it, you can get out and find Doctor Radcliffe and he can remove the others from the Framework.”
“Doctor Radcliffe?” Ward frowned. “He was a Hydra scientist who went into seclusion a few months ago. Nobody knows where he is.”
“Sonofabitch.” Daisy groaned. “Could mean he’s being held prisoner here too. We gotta find him and get him out otherwise you won’t have anyone with you who knows how to safely remove the others from the Framework without frying their brains.”
“Who are the others anyway?” Ward asked. “Any way we could get them to help us?”
“There’s four others plus two that came in with me.” Daisy answered. “Donnie Gill and Jemma Simmons came in with me. They remember the real world.”
“That’s gonna be an issue.” Ward sighed. “The Donnie Gill I know is The Doctor’s top scientist. As for Jemma Simmons she’s locked up in the Citadel for an attempted assassination of Madam Hydra.”
“The Citadel?” Daisy frowned. “What’s that?”
“A prison built from Vibranium that sits inside a large volcano.” Ward answered. “The volcano is about twenty square miles and contains large lava lakes inside. It’s considered to be Hydra’s most fortified prison because even if you managed to get out of the prison, which would be a miracle in it of itself it’s nearly impossible to actually escape the volcano.”
“So there’s no way to get her out?” Daisy asked.
“It’s not likely no.” Ward shook his head. “The only people I’ve ever heard of actually getting out of that place have been reeducated into loyal soldiers for Hydra.”
“They use the Faustus Method there?” Daisy asked.
“Worse.” Ward sighed. “The Faustus Method works like hypnosis. Trigger phrases are implanted in your brain and you’re essentially turned into a mindless soldier. This usually takes a couple weeks and can be undone through a lot of work. Reeducation is done through a combination of things like torture and drugging. Over the course of months they break down your identity and remake you into a Hydra loyalist essentially. Then they send you back out to hunt down your former friends.”
“Oh my god.” Daisy gasped.
“Yeah.” Ward nodded. “And given the fact that Jemma Simmons was a high ranking member of SWORD, they’ll probably do it to her just to obtain intel even if they can’t send her back out as a sleeper agent. Course it’s also possible the Doctor keeps her as a pet to torture since she tried to kill his wife.”
“Damnit.” Daisy groaned.
“Who were the four trapped in here with me?” Ward asked. “Maybe we can talk to them.”
“I don’t know.” Daisy sighed. “I wouldn’t know where to even start with them or if they’d even be willing to help us.”
“Why don’t we cross that bridge when we get there.” Ward suggested.
“Okay.” Daisy nodded. “Let’s start with Phil Coulson.”
---
Simmons lay sprawled against the wall of a cell as a bucket of water was splashed in her face. She coughed and spat on the floor, groaning at the pain in her side. All day had been nothing but torture and interrogation, demanding answers to questions she knew nothing about. Though she supposed her counterpart did. Suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps clacking down the hallway and into her cell. She looked up and to her horror saw Fitz standing above her. His hair was slicked to the side and he wore a suit and tie. His demeanor was decidedly un-Fitzlike.
“I apologize for not being able to visit as much recently.” Fitz stated, shrugging off his jacket, revealing a black vest, and rolling up his sleeves. “I’ve just been incredibly busy with work. Important projects that need to be completed. I thought we’d try something new today.” He placed a case on the table and opened it up, removing a syringe and a bottle. “This is a brand new nerve toxin that will make you feel as if you were in… truly excruciating agony.”
“Fitz…” Simmons groaned. “Don’t you know who I am?”
“Yes.” Leopold nodded. “You’re the woman who tried to kill my wife. Now. Shall we begin?”
---
Ward lay awake in bed with Daisy next to him, contemplating everything she’d told him. How this world was all fake. It was hard to believe to say the least considering he had memories of his whole life living in what was supposedly a computer. He remembered the day he’d been in prison when Vic got him out of prison. His training at SHIELD. The day he met Skye. And now Daisy was telling him none of it had really happened, that none of it was real. It was a lot to process to say the least and Ward wasn’t sure if he believed it. At least he could take comfort in knowing that according to Daisy their relationship wasn’t fabricated. He climbed out of bed and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water when he suddenly felt a searing pain piercing through his skull, causing him to drop to the floor. Images flashed though his mind. He was sitting in prison at the age of seventeen but instead of Vic across from him it was John Garrett.
“I’m here to make you a one time offer so listen up.” Garrett said. “You can spend the next few years locked up in a cage blaming mommy and daddy and mean older brother for your problems. Or I can get you outta here and teach you how to be a man. Going with me will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. But on the other hand, no one’ll ever screw with you again. Say yes.”
“Yes.” the younger Grant said. A second later several men burst in with guns and began threatening everyone. The memory cut out as Ward was shaken out of his stupor by Daisy.
“Grant are you alright?” Daisy asked in a worried voice.
“Yeah…” Ward panted, feeling out of breath. “Yeah it’s just… I saw something, a memory except…”
“What?” Daisy asked.
“It’s not what I remember.” Ward murmured.