Chapter 6
Skye stares out the window as the car drives on. Part of it is because she doesn’t want to meet Hill’s stare and the other is that she simply does not want to speak at the moment. She can feel the SAT phone Coulson gave her press against her through her jacket pocket.
“Fury told me everything.” Hill breaks the silence. “About the Hydra development. And you.”
Skye nods. The only reason Hill knows that she had responded is because of the faint reflection the window had cast.
“I must say, you must be really committed to be doing all of this. From what Fury tells me, you are still training to be an agent.”
“Committed isn’t the word I would use.”
“What would it be?”
“Desperate.”
“And why is that?”
Skye turns to face Hill. “I’m desperate to keep my team safe. To make sure that Hydra doesn’t gain power again. Desperate to make sure that innocent people don’t have to pay for other people’s mistakes.”
“Whose mistakes would they be paying for exactly?” Hill’s voice turns steely.
“SHIELD’s. How is it that Hydra has been able to stay within us all these years? It’s our mistake for not noticing that there was something going on.”
Hill opens her mouth to give a retort but finds none.
“Fury said that I would be continuing my training.” Skye says after another pregnant silence. “Who’s going to be my S.O?”
“Fury will debrief you on everything you need to now once we get to the Triskelion. It will be a couple more minutes until we get there because he didn’t want your team to arrive on the landing roof.” Skye cocks an eyebrow. “That would have led to too many questions. We can’t take any risks on this.” Skye nods in understanding and averts her gaze back to the window.
Soon the view of the main road gives way to a smaller road with two lanes going across the river to meet a small island. Sitting atop the island is a large building.
“Welcome to the Triskelion.”
“This is where I’m going to be staying?” Skye asks in awe.
“Not quite.” Skye’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. “Fury will explain everything during the debrief.”
Giving a small huff of annoyance at the constant secrecy, Skye gives a nod.
When they enter the main floor of the Triskelion, a small gasp escapes her. Instead of being dark and mysterious like she had expected, Skye is surprised to find that it was actually sort of normal looking. If she didn’t know any better she would have thought she had stepped into a bustling bank or business building. All the walls were white and the floors gleamed of white tile while the skylight and various windows made the inside open and inviting. A shiny sculpture of SHIELD’s symbol was placed in the middle of the room as if it served as a reminder that this was indeed not a bank.
In and out walked people dressed in suits with the occasional person dressed in Kevlar. However, Skye noticed, everyone seemed to have the slight bulge of a concealed gun on their person.
“This way.” Hill calls out to her over the throng. Skye quickly follows her to a set of elevators nestled in an alcove. Once inside, Hill presses the button labelled with a “50”.
“State your name and clearance level.” A female, monotone voice rings through the speaker.
“Commander Maria Hill, deputy director, level nine.”
“What was that for?” Skye asks as the elevator gives a sudden lurch and begins to rise skyward.
“We’re on our way to Fury’s office.” Hill answers as if that itself was an explanation. At Skye’s raised eyebrow she continues, “All the higher ups’ offices are up there so sensitive intel is often discussed and given so only level eight and up are allowed up there.”
“But I’m not level eight, why am I allowed?”
“You will find that you will be the exception of a great number of protocols here.”
“Floor 50.” Announces the same monotone voice.
Hill and Skye step out of the elevator and into a brightly lit room. The walls are made up of glass that reveal the view of the Potomac. The room itself is spacious and furnished with a holotable similar to the one on the BUS, some chairs, and a mahogany desk. Behind the desk sits Director Nick Fury staring at the large screen on the wall.
“You’re here.” He rises from his seat. Fury’s voice is just as booming and authoritative as Skye remembers.
“Hill, I assume that all went smoothly.” Skye bristles. Smoothly was a word for it.
“Yes, sir,” Hill responds. “Coulson and his team did not give any trouble.”
“And do they suspect anything?”
“I believe that they probably have their suspicions as to how we found out about Skye,” She nods over to Skye, “But apart from that, no they do not.”
“Good. We cannot let them know any of this.”
“Remind me,” Skye’s looming frustrations boil over. Having to leave the people she thought of as her family, the knowledge that she will be going up against Hydra and Grant’s biggest demon, Grant, and just the secrecy of it all. “Just why exactly can’t my team know about this? At the very least, why can’t Coulson? And how the hell did you even find out that I’m an 0-8-4?”
That last question had been burning in the back of her mind ever since Fury had recruited her.
“If I told Coulson, do you honestly think he would leave it alone? This takes the utmost precedence and discretion. You are the only one who has the best chance at succeeding and is the least at risk, do you think Phil Coulson would have let you take this on?”
“No, he wouldn’t.” Skye says grudgingly. Coulson, along with the rest of her team, had become fiercely protective of her. Being the youngest of the team and the one with the least amount of experience made her, well, it made her a rookie. Fitzsimmons, one could argue, were just as inexperienced as Skye but they had been at SHIELD for a number of years and were privy to the things that SHIELD and others were capable of. Imagining them finding out that she was currently at the Triskelion about to plan her undercover-op within Hydra gave her a headache and was a topic she wished to avoid for the time being.
“As for finding out about your 0-8-4 status,” Fury continues, “The redacted file that you found has an alarm system of sorts on it. The second Coulson started looking through the database for the un-redacted version, we were instantly alerted. That file had not been opened in years and we knew that Coulson had a new consultant who was part of the Rising Tide so we put two and two together.”
“Can I see the file?” Skye perks up. Coulson promised that he would help her find answers and here are the people with them right in front of her. All her life she’s wondered about who she is and now she might finally get the chance.
“No.” Skye can feel her face fall. She doesn’t notice that Agent Hill purses her lips and sends a look to Fury. “I’m afraid that the file contains extremely sensitive information that no one can see, at least right now.”
“But they’re my parents.” She says indignantly. “I should have every right to see it.”
“I’m afraid you don’t. Like I said, it contains sensitive information that no one can know about right now. In the future when the time is right you can see it.”
When the time is right, Skye thinks, what the hell does that mean?
Knowing that she will not win, she gives a stiff, “Fine.” in response. Besides, I can always hack into it later.
“We can, however, tell you your last name.” Hill interjects. “If anything, we need to. You need a last name and aliases in this case will be far too risky.”
Skye fidgets impatiently.
“Johnson. Your last name is Johnson.” Hill holds out a file to her.
Johnson, Johnson, Skye Johnson, Johnson, Skye twirls the name around in her mind. Of all the names that Skye had thought about this hadn’t been one of them. But it fits in a way that she can’t explain. Johnson, Johnson, Johnson, I have a name!
“This,” Hill indicates the file. “Is the basics of your cover story. You will notice that we’ve tried to keep as close to the truth as possible.”
Name: Johnson, Skye
Age: 24
DOB: 4/18/1989 estimated, exact date is unknown
Family: Unknown
Affiliation: SHIELD, Rising Tide (previously)
Level: 1
Current position: Operations Analyst, training for field
Previous position(s): Consultant and rookie under Agent Phil Coulson
SO: Agent Grant Ward
Notes: Orphan, grew up at St. Agnes Orphanage.
Joined Rising Tide at age 16
Was recruited by Agent Philip J. Coulson as consultant, later rookie
Transferred to Triskelion as result of breach in Fraternization Protocol with Agent Grant Ward (see subsection C, clause 2)
“You are also technically a Level 8 agent as of now but for the sake of your cover everyone will be under the impression that you are Level 2.” Hill adds. “As for your training, it will be overseen by Agent Romanoff.”
“Black Widow?!” The Black Widow as in one of the Avengers?” Skye’s mouth gapes open.
“Yes. She is aware that you are to be an important undercover operative but the circumstances and mission are unknown to her.”
“What exactly is my mission? I know I have to infiltrate Hydra and whatnot, but exactly is it that I have to do?”
Fury walks over to the holotable and Skye and Hill follow.
“Your mission,” Fury types in a series of numbers into the key pad of the table, “Is to gain Alexander Pierce’s trust and get close to him.” A picture of a middle aged man appears on the screen.
“Pierce is the top Hydra agent within SHIELD. Once you gain his trust he will undoubtedly take you under his wing and will introduce you to Hydra.” Hill says.
“How are you sure he will do that?”
“Hydra is still recruiting SHIELD agents every day. They mainly try to recruit those who have been injured on missions or those unhappy with the system.” I’m already unhappy with the system, Skye flashbacks to the mission Fitz and Ward went on in South Ossetia. “Make them doubt SHIELD and then swoop in with reassurances that Hydra will care for them.” Fury spits out bitterly.
“You will gain Pierce’s trust by working under Brock Rumlow.” Hill answers the question lying at the tip of Skye’s tongue. A picture of Rumlow appears on the screen next to that of Pierce. “Rumlow is another Hydra agent in SHIELD. He works directly under Pierce so once Rumlow trusts you Pierce will, too.”
Great, one more person to crawl into their good graces.
“Just how many Hydra agents are in SHIELD exactly and how many of them do I have to get to trust me?”
“We have a whole file on all the known Hydra agents. Hill will give it to you once this debrief is complete. As for how many of them you need to win their trust, the answer is all of them. No one can suspect you.” Skye gulps. “Once you get into Hydra, you will undoubtedly meet Christian Ward. Your main job is to find out what his agenda is and gain intel on Hydra. Bases, important locations, their resources, ops, the identities of other agents.”
With a breath of determination Skye nods. Refocussing her attention to her cover story still in her hand she frowns.
“Is it safe to mention so much of the team? Particularly the part about Gr—Agent Ward.” If she was ever found out Skye worries that they, specifically him, would be targeted.
“I’m afraid it’s necessary. But don’t worry, they’ll be fine. While you’re here with us we are making sure that the team is safe. We’re going to be giving them various missions across the world so they’re always on the move. If the worst is to happen they’ll be hard to track down.”
“What would the worst be?” She asks warily.
“That you get in too deep and you become compromised. We might not be able to extract you.”
Skye sucks in a breath. She’s known this since the second the debrief had started but hearing it out loud…..The reality of it all made it scary.
“But since we are giving you carte blanche on this it may not have to happen.”
Another deep breath. It seems I’ve been doing a lot of those lately.
“How do you even know that Pierce, Rumlow, and Christian will gain an interest in me?”
“Because you’re the one that will hurt everyone else the most. Pierce and Rumlow will have the satisfaction of converting Coulson’s protégé. And Christian, well he will love the fact that you were in a relationship with his little brother and betrayed him for Hydra.” Fury says.
“Fury, its almost ten, we have to wrap this up.” Hill looks up from her watch.
“That concludes all for today,” Fury turns off the holotable, “Hill, if you could give Johnson the file of all the Hydra agents?”
“Of course.” Hill hands her a thick manila folder. “Skye, if you could wait outside for a minute, I have something to discuss the new recruits with Fury. Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”
With a hesitant nod, Skye steps out of the room, clutching the file with white knuckles.
Once the door shuts, Hill rounds on Fury.
“Remind me exactly why we aren’t telling her the real reason why Hydra is going to be so very interested in her!”
“Hill, I’ve already discussed this with you she—“
“Yet I never agreed! She has a right to know!” Hill takes a deep breath to calm herself.
“Sir,” She says in a calmer voice, “If what the intel we gathered is true and her father really is involved we need to tell her. If she does manage to get undercover, she will definitely run into him and there will be questions that she won’t have the answer to. We cannot send her in blind like this.”
“We can and we will.” Fury’s voice is firm with no room for objections. “I have said this before and I will say it again, I know what I’m doing. She signed up for this willingly and she knows that there are secrets that come with the job even if they are being kept from her.”
Hill bites her tongue to stop herself from making another objection.
“Yes, sir.” She says stiffly.