Part 1
“Good morning recruits!”
Charlie was awoken with a start, launching straight to her feet, reading to fight whoever was yelling and banging on doors. She had managed to crash fairly easily after writing her daily report the night before so she slept for just over four hours. Which is more than she has gotten since she arrived just over a week ago.
“Let’s go! Out of your rooms! Let’s go!” The booming voice of Maxwell Young only served to irritate Charlie in her half-asleep state. “No time for coffee or to make yourselves pretty! Move it!”
Charlie quickly grabbed her sweater, which she used as a make-shift pillow last night, and rushed out of her suite’s door. In her rush, she came face-to-face with Young, almost crashing right into the man.
“Watch where you’re going Wyatt, you could take someone out like that,” Young’s voice was unusually soft and directed solely at her, which was something she never expected from the usually grouchy man.
Young’s sudden softness struck a chord with Wyatt. Her mind raced over the reasons for the sudden change in his tone. Could he be the person who is converting S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to HYDRA? She knew that no one other than Clint, Natasha, and Fury knew about her mission. She was too busy studying the situation to notice that Young was also studying her.
“I hope you're all here,” Young began, “This week you will be tested on your ability to make your way around a firewall.”
Charlie smirked, this will be a walk in the park for her.
“Your ability to hack may not be essential for every mission you go on as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. but it may also mean life or death,” Young continued.
“Sir, why are we all together? Aren’t we supposed to complete these tasks in our teams?” Alex Manson, a nerdy little man that Charlie made quick friends with, spoke up.
“That is correct. It has been brought to my attention that you are not working together as a team,” Young explained, “So your teams will be going head to head against all of the other teams. Instead of the lowest scoring recruit in each team being sent home, the lowest scoring team will be sent home. The winners will take over the leaving teams suite. You will make a tone of enemies in this line of work, but you need to learn to work together and trust each other or it could mean the death of us all.”
Chatter broke out amongst the various teams.
“You will train with your team every day. Your team is a s week as its weakest member, spend the time to strengthen your team. We are leaving you alone on this one, teach each other everything you know. Your senior agents will only be available to you the hour before the test in two weeks time,” Young explained, “You do not want to be the bottom team. You do not want to be sent home. Good luck recruits and may the best team win.”
“Guys,” the small voice of Marissa Haynes, the smallest and youngest of Charlie’s team, spoke up just loud enough for their team to hear, “I don’t know how to hack.”
“Of course you don’t,” Rachel hissed as she shoved past Marissa, almost knocking the poor woman to the ground.
Anger spiked in Charlie, “McKinley!” she shouted practically shoving Rachel back into their suite in order to keep away from straying eyes.
Rachel puffed her chest, getting right into Charlie’s face, “what are you going to do, Wyatt, huh?”
Charlie shoved Rachel back with two hands, “we are a team. This whole exercise is to make us work like one. Berating and belittling our teammates will only serve to send us home,” she growled, “Stop acting like a child.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Charlie swung for Rachel, stopping meer inches from the other woman’s face. Charlie smirked at the terrified woman. She turned to Marissa, who was standing a few feet behind her, “We’ll go down to the computer lab and I’ll teach you the basics. If there is anyone else interested in working as a team may join us. If not,” she turned to look at Rachel, “I hope you’re prepared to go home in two weeks.”