chapter fic: [mcu/arrow/the flash/sanctuary crossover] there is justice in the end; chapter 5
Author:linesfade
Rating: T/PG-13
Chapter: 5 / ??
Summary: HYDRA hasn't been destroyed, they've only been sent running to the shadows. With no one currently at the helm, Grant Ward takes it upon himself to become the head of HYDRA. He proceeds with an old HYDRA plan to infiltrate the shadowy Sanctuary Network, which only serves to draw the Avengers, Phil Coulson and the other Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. into the mix. The only problem is that they're cutting in on someone else's turf; Starling City already has a protector, and Team Arrow isn't going to take kindly to the invasion. They can handle the goings-on in their own city, including taking down HYDRA, once and for all. Or, so Oliver Queen thinks. It might just end up being more complicated than any of the heroes and vigilantes could have ever imagined.
Spoilers: Arrow: AU post 3x01, minus Sara's death; The Flash: Season 1 finale; Agents of SHIELD: Season 2 finale; Avengers/MCU: post Age of Ultron, with the minor change that Barton has a farm, but no family; and Sanctuary: AU after S1 finale, minus Watson's death.
Disclaimer: I do not own or have anything to do with Disney, Marvel comics, the MCU, Sanctuary, DC comics, the DCCU, the CW, ABC, or Syfy networks. I'm just playing in the sandboxes, and OH BOY, is it fun! No harm is intended, and the only thing I claim are the original characters.
A/N:So, I'm basically taking on one HECK of an undertaking with this fic, meshing these huge 'verses together. I hope, hope, and HOPE this turns out as good as it sounded in our heads, but we'll see. The Sanctuary portion of this is based on an RP that
:x:
FIVE
FIVE
OCTOBER 9
CLUB VERDANT, "THE ARROW CAVE"
STARLING CITY; 8:58 PM
Sara Lance punched in the code to the basement and took a deep breath as the lock disengaged. She honestly wasn't sure if she was ready to blatantly lie to Oliver's face about what had happened with Felicity tonight, but if Felicity wanted a night to herself to relax after being mugged, Sara would do her best to give it to her. In all honesty, it was probably for the best that Oliver didn't find out tonight. He was itching for a fight, if the way he'd sounded on the phone while she was on her way over was any indication. News of Felicity being mugged roughly, and rescued by a trio of Avengers was not going to sit well with him. At best, his head wouldn't be in the game, and at worst...he'd hop on his Ducati and speed hellbent toward Felicity's apartment. Given that that's the part she was aiming to avoid tonight, Sara figured her best option was just to say nothing and hope he didn't press her for more.
She pulled the steel door open and headed down the steps with her typical cat-footed grace. Diggle only looked up when she flopped her leather jacket over the back of Felicity's chair and slid into it herself.
"Hey, Sara," Digg greeted as he continued cleaning his sidearm.
"Hey, Digg," she grinned at him. "How's Lyla doing?"
"Good," he shrugged. "I was tempted to stay home with her tonight, but she practically shoved me out the door. Guess it's a good thing she did."
Digg nodded to the salmon ladder on the far side of the mats where Sara saw Oliver, glistening with sweat, tiredly working his way to the top of the ladder.
"How many times has he done that tonight?" She asked quietly, and Digg started toward as she began typing to reboot the comms system.
"Six," Digg answered her quietly.
"Jesus," she murmured and cast another glance to Oliver. Sara shook her head and went back to typing. "He's not going to be any good tonight if he doesn't quit. Probably won't be, already."
"I've tried, believe me," Digg answered quietly as he started rebuilding his handgun. "Something new happen between he and Felicity?"
"She's not..," Sara paused and looked up again. "She's not feeling well."
Sara used a keyboard shortcut to pull up a text editor and typed in, ‘She was mugged tonight. Doesn't want Oliver to know.’
Diggle's eyebrows rose in complete surprise, and Sara deleted the text before closing the program with another key command.
"She okay?" Digg asked quietly, his concern for Felicity filling his features.
"She will be. She needs the night off, so I made her go home. Told her I'd handle all of this," Sara answered quickly, under her breath. "She wants you and Roy here to keep an eye on Oliver, but she needs tonight to herself."
"Okay, but who's watching out for her?"
"Oliver isn't going to like that part, either," Sara sighed as she watched him drop down from the top of the salmon ladder and start again. "Neither did I, really."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Digg looked at her, confused.
"We've got company in town," she told Digg quietly. "Something is about to go down, and it's not going to be good. Don't tell Oliver yet, though, I'm looking into it."
Digg's eyes narrowed, and he crouched down beside Felicity's chair to speak quieter.
"Tell me," Digg demanded, watching as Sara's fingers flew over the keys. She punched in the final code to complete the final reboot of the communications system, the computers powered down once more, and then started up again. While the startup noise played, Sara looked to Digg.
"The Avengers are here, Digg," she told him quietly. "At least three of them. They weren't in uniform, but it was Captain America that saved her tonight. Whatever is going down, we have to get a lead on it, and now."
Digg nodded. "I'll have Lyla put out word to her contacts at A.R.G.U.S., see what she can find out. You keep working it from your end & we'll see what we come up with before we bring it to Oliver."
Sara watched him drop from a middle rung on the salmon ladder and nodded.
"Just between us, for now," she agreed. "Now go suit up; the comms will be up and running in less than ten."
Digg nodded and rose, eyeing the coffee pot. "Let's do this."
"Let's do this," she echoed as Oliver came over, wiping his face down with a towel.
"Good, you're here," he spoke gruffly, and Sara frowned at him.
"Good evening to you, too," she shot back saucily. Diggle tried to stifle a grin as he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee.
"I'm going to grab a quick shower, and then let's get out there. Roy is already out, keeping an eye on things. Digg, I want you here on comms. Sara, suit up. You're with me," Oliver barked out orders as he headed for the shower, and Sara exchanged a look with Digg.
"Yeah, we aren't telling him for a long time," Digg muttered as Oliver closed the door to the bathroom and started the shower.
"Agreed," she nodded and pushed away from the desk. "I guess I'd better get ready for tonight. The chair is yours, Digg. Just remember, no crumbs on the keyboard, or she'll kill us both."
"I hear that," Digg laughed, and nodded his agreement. "Watch yourself out there."
"Always, Digg," Sara grinned and retreated to the corner where she had stashed her bag of weapons and leathers. It was looking more and more like it was going to be a long night for all of them. If so, Sara was not looking forward to that in the least.
:x:
BIG BELLY BURGER, THE GLADES
STARLING CITY; 9:02 PM
Felicity emerged from the restroom before CSI Michaels a few minutes later. She hadn't realized that so many photos could be taken in such a short time, but apparently it was possible. She almost felt as if she'd been blinded by the flashbulb, and was rubbing her eyes as she exited the diner's restroom. She heard the telltale rustle of movement at the table she had been sitting at with Steve, Wanda, and Sam, and she held up a hand.
"I'm okay," she assured them. "Whoever invented the flashbulb should be shot. Or hung. Or shot, and then hung. I’m really not picky with the punishment there."
She heard Steve's chuckle and opened her eyes to see the table of Avengers smiling at her.
"What?" She asked, unable to stop the smile from stretching across her own face.
"I like her," Wanda grinned.
"Me, too," Sam added.
"What did I do?" Felicity asked as she raised her hands in confusion, the smile still on her face.
"You are cute," Wanda grinned at her. "That is all."
"Yeah," Sam nodded. "Funny, too. That helps."
Felicity's eyes narrowed a little in confusion, and she just shook her head as a breath of laughter escaped her. "Um, thanks, I guess?"
She looked to Steve and noticed him just watching her, a slight smile on his face.
"Ignore them," he told her gently. "They're a couple of meddlers."
She gave him a curious look as she drew nearer to the table and slid in beside him. Steve shook his head and changed the subject.
"All finished?" He asked Felicity quietly, and she nodded.
"Yep," she nodded. "At least, I hope so. And hopefully without permanent retinal damage from repeated flashbulb exposure. My eyes are already bad enough."
"Oh, speaking of..." Sam gave her an apologetic expression and pulled out a mangled pair of glasses. "I think...these might have been yours?"
“Aw, crap," she muttered as she picked up the plastic frames and twirled them around between two fingers. "I guess that means it'll be contacts tomorrow. I hate wearing those things all day, especially when I have to code..."
"All right, Miss Smoak," CSI Michaels spoke as she emerged from the restroom, camera and case of evidence collection equipment in hand. Felicity subconsciously made a fist with both of her hands and pulled them under the table; her fingers felt like they were on fire from having every bit of grime possible, and then some, scraped out from beneath them with a plastic stick. She would never look at the orange sticks in her manicure kit the same way again. "We're all done for tonight, so you are free to head home. I'm sure one of the officers will be in contact tomorrow, just to make sure we didn't miss anything tonight and check up on you. Is there anything else I can do for you tonight?"
"No," Felicity shook her head and tried to smile up at the CSI. "Thank you. I'm just ready to get home and sleep."
"I can imagine," Michaels nodded, and gave Felicity a sympathetic smile. "Be safe out there, okay? Get as much rest as you can. It helps."
Felicity watched the CSI walk away with her cases, and sank down into the seat at the sound of the door chime.
"It's over now, right?" She asked softly. "I mean, at least until tomorrow..?"
"Yeah," Sam nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "You did good."
"You did 'well,'" Wanda corrected him with a smirk and a nudge to his shoulder. Wanda turned her eyes to Felicity and gave the blonde a smile, as well. "And you did do well, Felicity."
Felicity blushed slightly, and looked down at her hands in her lap. She was intently caressing her fingernails, which only served to make them ache more as she released the pressure. She watched as Steve's hand came over to lay atop of hers, stilling her movements, then looked up at him.
"You did," Steve assured her gently. "And, yes, tonight is over. You can head home now and relax."
She gave a breathy, exasperated laugh and held up her mangled glasses.
"Only...I suppose that will be in a cab because I am not going to be driving anywhere without these," she murmured and tossed the plastic frames lightly onto the table.
"We could drive you," Sam offered, and Felicity smiled, but shook her head.
"I've got a Mini Cooper. There's no way all three of you, plus me, will fit in my car," Felicity answered. "But thank you. I really appreciate it."
Sam and Steve exchanged nervous glances, and then Steve shook his head beside her.
"I'll tell you what," Steve spoke quietly, "Sam, you and Wanda head back to meet with the rest of the team."
Felicity's eyes went wide as she looked to Steve. His admission that the rest of the team was in Starling was like confirming her worst fears. Something big was happening, and if the Avengers were in town, that something big was also something very bad.
"I'll escort Felicity home and meet you there," Steve finished, and Felicity attempted to school her face. She couldn't quite manage it, though, and she knew that Steve had seen her concern when he looked back to her. "I'll keep you safe; I promise."
Felicity tried to smile at him, but her inner panic at the thought of an impending threat kept it to a tight, worried smile.
"You sure, Cap?" Sam asked as he started gathering his gear. "It's a pretty small car..."
"I've got this," Steve nodded, silencing Sam with a look.
"All right, then," Sam shrugged, took one last drink of water and shrugged back into his coat. "Call if you need us."
"Well, a ride back might be nice. I'm sure Tony's picked up a car-"
"Or four," Sam cut in.
Steve smirked and let out a quiet chuckle. "Or four by now. Grab one and you guys can come and get me, once Felicity is home safely."
"I'll...ah, I'll have him text you the address," Felicity added, feeling Steve's hand squeeze hers again reassuringly before he released his gentle hold on her.
"Understood," Sam nodded. "Stay safe, you two."
"And you," Steve nodded. "Watch each other's backs, understand? That's an order."
"We will," Wanda nodded. "I promise it."
Steve nodded. "See you soon."
"See you," Wanda echoed, then looked to Felicity as she rose from the booth and shrugged into her coat, too. "And I hope to see you again, too, Felicity. Try to sleep well tonight."
"I'll try," Felicity nodded, giving Wanda a grateful smile. Wanda patted her on the shoulder and went to the counter to thank Carly for the meal. Sam shook hands with Steve, then with Felicity, and he was gone, too.
Felicity looked to Steve, saw him watching his teammates walk toward the shadows, and she looked down at her own, mostly untouched, plate. She should probably just wrap it up and take it home, eat it tomorrow.
"Will they be okay?" Felicity asked quietly as she looked back to see concern etched on Steve's face.
"They should be," he answered, turning back to her, "but I always worry. They're my responsibility. Whatever happens to them, it's on me."
"That's not true," she countered.
"They're my team. I'm their leader, so it does fall on me," he shook his head, refusing to listen.
"What is it with you hero types all thinking like that?" She muttered, and Steve quirked an eyebrow at her. She swallowed hard at what she'd almost let slip, and tried to cover quickly. "You, Captain Lance...all of you in authority seem to think that if someone that you work with falls or gets injured, then it must be your fault. Care to explain that logic? And before you start, let me give you a hint: said 'logic' is completely flawed."
He looked at her and gave a small, amused smile. "How do you figure?"
"Because you can't control the bad guys. You can't control who they are, or what they do any more than you could a roller coaster ride at a carnival. The tracks are set, and you can't change their course," she answered softly. "All that you can do is hang on tight, and try to be prepared for those times when you are going to fall. What matters is how quickly you can pick yourself back up afterwards, because that's what's going to help the people around you to do the same."
Steve gave her a curious look, his blue eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her intently. She stared back at him, in turn. She couldn't help but smile shyly as he studied her eyes, her face, and body language for something, but she wasn't sure what. Apparently, he didn't find the answer to whatever he had been looking for, and it left him to shake his head in bemusement. He smiled back at her slowly, as if he couldn't quite figure her out.
"You know, you remind me of someone I used to know," he spoke slowly, and the way he met her eyes made her cheeks warm. "She had the same spark, the same habit of telling me I was wrong and not sugar coating it."
She laughed softly. "Probably why I'm still single...or at least a part of it."
"Their loss," he answered quickly, and Felicity couldn't tear her gaze from his own. A moment later, though, he nodded to her plate. "What do you say we pack that up, and I'll drive you home?"
She nodded for fear of not being able to find her voice, and cleared her throat.
"I, ah," she started, "I hope you can fit in my car. It's really small and you, you know, aren't. At all...anywhere..."
She bit her lip to keep from going on, and Steve just smiled at her. He actually seemed amused by her awkwardness, which was a relief. "I'm sure I can manage."
Felicity nodded, and then turned to find Carly. She was standing at the end of the counter, untying her apron and rolling it around her pad of order tickets. The rest of the diner was empty; the other patrons had already filed out.
"Carly? What time is it?" Felicity glanced up at the clock. "Oh, crap. It's after nine?"
"Yeah," Carly shrugged. "I've got to head out and relieve the sitter, but you're both welcome to stay for a few more --"
"No, no," Felicity told her quickly. She rose and crossed the diner to pull Carly into a tight embrace. "Give A.J. a hug for me, okay?"
"Will do," Carly nodded, then looked back to the table. "Do you want a doggie bag for your burger? You hardly touched it."
"Yeah," Felicity nodded sheepishly. "Sorry..."
"Don't be," Carly told her as she stepped behind the counter to pick up a styrofoam container and white paper bag. She held it out for Felicity, who took it with a grateful smile. "You've had a shock. You just get yourself home and rest, okay? Call me, if you need something. Or call John. Promise me that much."
"I promise," Felicity nodded. "I'll be okay."
Steve rose behind her, and she heard him step closer to the two of them.
"Ms. Diggle, if you're leaving, please let me walk you out," he offered. "It's the least I could do after the free meals."
"If you're sure..." Carly murmured, glancing up at him.
"It's not a problem at all," he shook his head, and smiled warmly, then turned to Felicity. "I'll be back in a jiffy."
"I'll be here," Felicity couldn't help but smile brightly at the old-fashioned phrase as he escorted Carly to her car and made sure that she was safely locked inside. While Steve saw to Carly's safety, Felicity went back to the table to place her leftovers in the take-out packaging.
She slipped the burger in first, poured the cold french fries in beside it, then closed the lid. She glanced out the window as she slipped the styrofoam container into the bag, and saw Steve holding a hand up in farewell to Carly as she drove off. When he turned, he caught her watching him and smiled. Felicity gave a small smile in return as she shouldered her purse, picked up her bag of leftovers, then dropped her broken phone and mangled glasses into her purse. By the time she had her car keys in hand and was ready to head toward the door, Steve was re-entering the diner. She stopped short and met his eyes as he entered.
"Ready?" He asked, holding a hand out to her. Felicity smiled and nodded as she took his hand and let him help her out of the diner.
"So ready," she breathed, her mouth curving up into a genuine smile. "I cannot tell you how ready I am to just go home, sit on my couch, and just pretend that this never, ever happened. Although, I would actually be kind of sad if I hadn't met you guys, because I kind of like you. And by that, I don't mean just you-you. I mean, yeah, I like you, too, but I meant 'you' as in the group of you, and oh my gosh, I'm doing it again...I am so sorry...I'll stop."
Felicity pressed her lips together in a tight line to stop herself from rambling further, but Steve - Steve Rogers, the man who was actually Captain America - simply held onto her hand and laid it over his arm with a chuckle. It was accompanied by a wide smile, this time, and a look of genuine amusement and understanding on his face as he walked her to her car.
"Don't apologize," he smiled at her. "You have nothing to apologize for."
"Only for rambling like a total idiot," she muttered and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Not like an idiot," he assured her. "'Refreshing' would probably be where I'd go with that."
Felicity's eyes shot up to his face, even with her cheeks burning, only to see him looking down at her with that same wide smile on his face.
"Why on earth would you call that refreshing?!" She questioned, dumbfounded. "That's just..."
"It's not every day you meet a dame -- ah, sorry," he cut himself off and tried again, "a woman like you, Felicity Smoak. Like I said earlier, you remind me a bit of someone I used to know."
Felicity looked stunned as they came up to her car. He took the keys from her and unlocked the vehicle, then opened the passenger door for her before she could even come back to her senses. She wondered for a brief moment if he had meant that the way it had sounded, then decided there was no way he possibly could have.
"Thank you," she answered softly, unsure of what else to say as she lowered herself into the passenger seat.
"You're welcome," Steve nodded. He started to close the door, but paused for a moment before he closed it completely. He looked down at her and gave her that same, wide smile. It was contagious, making him look even younger than he appeared, and Felicity returned the bright smile with one of her own.
"Besides," he added, fingers flexing around the frame of the door to rap on the window. "We like you, too. I'm glad we did meet, even if I am sorry for the circumstances."
"Am I going to have to keep saying 'thank you'?" She grinned, and he chuckled.
"Only if you want to," he smiled back at her before closing the door and walking around to the driver's side of the car. She reached across, slid the seat all the way back on its track to hopefully accommodate his six-foot-plus frame, and waited for him to slide in next to her. Maybe her night wouldn't turn out to be the worst ever, after all.
:x:
OUTSIDE OF BIG BELLY BURGER
STARLING CITY, THE GLADES; 8:57 PM
May, Daisy, and Lincoln blended well into the shadows, given that they were all wearing mostly dark colors. Even Lincoln's maroon shirt looked black in the inky light from the moon that barely filtered into the alleyway access across the street from the diner. The neon sign referred to it as "Big Belly Burger," and Daisy might have laughed at the ridiculous name, if only she hadn't been so hungry. A burger actually sounded outstanding.
They had arrived in the same moment that a red-headed woman had, and had opted to tuck themselves into the shadows across the street, instead of entering the diner behind her. They had watched as the diner's patrons seemed to be filing out rapidly, too, which had led Lincoln to posit that perhaps it had been nearly closing time.
May had remained silent, and pulled out a pair of binoculars from her pack, while Daisy had pulled out her tablet and searched the diner's hours.
"Yeah," she announced finally. "They close at 9:00. So much for getting something to-go."
Lincoln grinned, and crouched down beside her. Daisy tucked the tablet back into her backpack, and looked to him for a brief moment. He gave her a silent nod. Daisy knew that he was still nervous. Sure, he could defend himself when the time arose, but he hadn't been trained tactically. That was new to him, and while he had taken to the training she and May had been giving him, he still looked unsure of himself. Daisy supposed maybe that could be to their advantage during a fight. Lincoln was slight, and quite unassuming. He didn't look like anything special, and that had been why she'd wanted him on her team. He had been her first choice, and she had lobbied Coulson for a week about it. Lincoln's power had been the thing to win Coulson over, and once he had started picking up the subtleties of hand-to-hand combat, rather than the bar room brawling style he had favored before, Coulson had nodded and smiled at her proudly. Coulson was the only paternal figure she had left, and she absolutely wanted that sort of recognition.
"You okay?" She asked Lincoln softly, and he nodded.
"I'm fine," he answered, fingers flexing slightly as if he were itching to let a bolt of electricity loose. "I promise."
"Quiet back there," May scolded in a whisper. "This is still a stakeout."
Daisy grinned and looked down, then glanced back up at the diner. "Is that...?"
"Captain America, Falcon, and Scarlet Witch," May supplied, keeping her eyes locked on the table with her binoculars. "A fourth, too, but she's an unknown."
"No chance of danger since she's apparently with the team," Daisy muttered and watched as the blonde rose from the table, only to lead the red-headed woman into the diner's restroom. The redhead had a camera and an extra case that she towed behind her, which made Daisy chew on her lip thoughtfully. Outside the building, the diner's sign suddenly shut off, the last vestiges of excitement in the particles of neon gas fading away into complete darkness. Daisy hecked her watch. "Nine P.M., on the dot."
"Cook is clearing down the grill," May supplied. "It's definitely closing time. Get the tracker ready, just in case we need it. Rogers might know me, but I doubt he'll know you, Daisy. He certainly won't know Campbell."
Lincoln perked up at the sound of his last name. "Me?"
"You may have to plant a tracker on the team, if Hill doesn't find the rest of the Avengers," May clarified, turning her head back to the table as the last of the diner's patrons exited. That left only the two women in the restroom, the waitress, plus the trio of Avengers at the table. "Be prepared, if we need to make a move."
Daisy’s cell beeped softly from inside of her pocket, and she pulled it out carefully.
"It's Hill," she announced before picking up the phone with a whispered, "This is Daisy."
"Johnson, where the hell are you?" Hill demanded, and Daisy rolled her eyes.
"Surveilling," Daisy whispered. "Why?"
"You didn't check in with Coulson," Hill answered, and Daisy could hear her frown over the phone.
"Sorry," Skye spoke quietly. "We were trying to run silent. We've got eyes on Cap, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, and an unknown blonde woman. We're hanging back until we can figure out who she is, and whether or not she's a threat."
"Understood" Hill replied, and Daisy heard a rustling in the background. "Does everything appear all right with the team?"
"Yeah, they all look fine. They appear to have had dinner at a diner, and they've just been sitting with this woman until now. She just got up and went to the restroom with a redhead. The redhead had a camera and a kit that she took with her, so...a CSI, maybe?"
"A CSI?" Hill echoed. "What's happened out there?"
"No clue," Daisy frowned. "When we got here, they were all seated at a table together at the diner. No cops in sight."
"All right," Hill sighed. "Keep an eye on them. I've got the rest of the Avengers at the old Queen Mansion, and Mack and I are with them now. They've been worried about Cap and the others; he was supposed to have rendezvoused here a couple of hours ago."
"Let them know that everything appears fine," Daisy assured her. "If anything, it appears as though the Avengers are protecting this blonde."
"She looks rather shaken," May tossed over her shoulder. "On the verge of shock. Red marks on her neck, like she'd been attacked."
"You get that?" Daisy asked, and put the phone on speaker.
"Affirmative," Hill answered. "So it's reasonable to assume that Cap and company rescued this woman?"
"I'd say so," May nodded, keeping her eyes on the diner through the binoculars.
"And knowing him..," Hill started.
"Knowing him? He's not leaving her until he's sure she's all right. At least it doesn't appear that he's gone off-book already," May finished.
"My thoughts exactly," Hill agreed. "All right, maintain your tail on them, if you can, and make sure they stay out of trouble. Mack and I will meet up with you here."
"Understood," May nodded, then sat up straighter. "Wait one. I've got movement."
Daisy, May, and Lincoln watched as the bathroom door swung open, and the blonde emerged rubbing her eyes. She held up a hand as Cap started to rise, and he eased back into his seat.
"Report," Hill commanded.
"Nothing major," May replied, watching as the blonde sank back into the booth beside Rogers. "The blonde is out of the restroom, and she's back sitting with our team."
"Threat level?"
"Minimal," May answered shortly. "She shouldn't be a threat to a trio of Avengers."
"All right," Hill answered. "Be careful out there. Let us know when they head our way."
"Will do," May answered. "May, out."
She motioned for Daisy to hang up the phone, and Daisy disconnected as ordered. She pocketed the device, and lounged against the wall behind May. Daisy exchanged looks with Lincoln, and he came to stand beside her, too, only to wait in silence for something to happen.
A few minutes later, May's stance shifted slightly, to something a bit more attentive, and Daisy pushed away from the wall.
"Movement," May alerted them.
"What is it?" Daisy asked as she edged around May slowly to get a look, too.
"The redhead is heading out," May answered. "Hopefully that means we can narrow down the vehicles that are left. If the Avengers didn't drive, we should be able to tail them on foot."
Daisy nodded and watched as the red-headed woman loaded her various cases in the trunk of her car, then slid into the driver's seat. She sent off a quick text message, buckled her seat belt, then left the parking lot.
"She's gone," Daisy spoke quietly. That just left the table of Avengers, the blonde, the cook, and the waitress. "We in agreement that she was a CSI?"
May nodded. "I'm convinced."
Lincoln just shrugged. "I haven't had much experience with them, outside of television and attending biology classes with a few people who wanted their forensic science degree, so I'll take your word for it."
The group lapsed into silence for a few more moments, watching as the group of Avengers conversed together. Skye turned to Lincoln and gave him an encouraging smile; he was doing well with them, given that this was his first true field mission. She just hoped he was picking up some of the things that he needed to as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
"Eyes up. Falcon and Scarlet Witch are on the move," May spoke, breaking into Daisy’s thoughts. Daisy’s eyes snapped up to see Falcon and the Scarlet Witch seeming to say their goodbyes while slipping into their coats.
"I suppose we don't need the tracker, since we know where they're staying?" Daisy queried, readying the tech to be slipped back into her bag.
May nodded. "Stow your tech. Be ready to move. We may have to split up."
Daisy had already started slipping the case into her bag, when May held up a hand. "Wait. Give me one."
May's hand stuck out behind her, toward Daisy, and Daisy eased a tracking disc out of the zippered book. She placed a single tracker carefully into May's palm, and zipped the case back up before slipping it back into her pack. The discs were one of Fitz's many designs, and one that he and Mack had perfected together. The thought of Fitz alone, back at the Playground mourning Jemma, made Daisy’s heart ache all over again, but she knew that she had to push her grief aside during the mission. She could try to talk to Fitz once they had returned to the base. They had to get Jemma back, or the Avengers wouldn't be the only fractured team in existence.
"What are you going to do with the tracker, May?" Lincoln asked quietly from behind them. He had been quietly absorbing everything from behind them, watching how Daisy and May worked in tandem. Daisy and May had become a good team together, and they knew each other's strengths and weaknesses. Hopefully it wouldn't be long before Daisy and Lincoln could say the same about each other.
"We're going to plant it on the blonde's car," May replied, rolling the disc end over end between her index finger and thumb for a moment, trying to learn the lines and patterns of the new tech. She stilled and pulled it back into her palm without taking her eyes off of the diner. "She's an unknown, who seems to be getting close to our team. We need to know who she is, and what she's up to."
"I'm on it," Daisy nodded and started to go for her bag, only to be stopped by May again.
"Not here. Just make sure the tracker is powered up and recording," May countered.
"Understood," Daisy nodded, slipped her tablet out of her backpack, and powered up the app she had helped Mack and Fitz code. She tapped the screen a few times, and the tracker came to life in May's hand with a soft whir. Her app set to record the GPS data, Daisy turned the screen off and slipped the tablet back into her pack. "All set."
May nodded, then passed the binoculars to Daisy.
"I'll tail Falcon and Scarlet Witch," May told them. "You two be ready to set the tracker on the blonde's car, and we will rendezvous back at the mansion as Hill requested. Understand?"
"Understood," Daisy nodded, and May handed the tracker over to Daisy. "Stay safe."
May looked directly at Daisy for a moment, then nodded. "You, too."
Before anyone could get out another word, May was gone. Daisy let out a sigh and fixed her eyes on the diner through the binoculars.
"So," Lincoln started. He sounded unsure of himself, and Daisy had to resist the urge to turn and look at him. "She do that often?"
"What, take off like that?"
"Yeah," he answered. Daisy heard the crumple of his jacket and assumed he had shrugged. "Go all secret-agent-intense and just go for it?"
"It's her job, Lincoln. She's good at the whole 'secret agent' thing...really good at it. The best, actually," Daisy replied quietly as two of the three Avengers left the diner and headed out on foot. She caught the slightest glimpse of May's dark hair reflecting light from the streetlamps in the darkness, just for a split-second, before it was gone again. "You have to trust her. You're S.H.I.E.L.D. now, too."
"I trust you," he answered. "I spent too long questioning the motives of S.H.I.E.L.D. to just blindly accept them."
"And that was Jiaying's fault," Daisy countered, almost feeling sick again at the thought of her mother, and the all-out war she had nearly started. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is full of good people, Lincoln. May is one of them, trust me."
"Like I said," he replied softly, "I do trust you. It's the others that I'm not so sure about. I mean, what happens to us if we mess up? If we let someone get the better of us, or slip past us on a mission?"
Daisy pulled the binoculars from her eyes and fixed Lincoln with a hard look. "Would you do that, Lincoln? Just 'let' someone slip past you on a mission?"
"Of course not," he frowned. "Not on purpose."
"Because you promised to have my back," she continued. "And just like with my mother, not all of us with abilities fall strictly in the 'good guy' column. The ones that pose a threat to the world, they have to be addressed."
"Yeah, but the whole fish oil debacle? S.H.I.E.L.D. can't just put everyone who ingested it on the Index and hope for the best."
"No," Daisy agreed. "We can't. We've just got to take things one day at a time, and it starts with you and me. Can you handle that?"
Lincoln stared at her for a long moment, then nodded. "Yeah. I can handle that."
"Good," she nodded, looking back to the parking lot. Her eyes going to the pair of late-model cars in the lot. They were dirty, one of them a bit more beat up than the other, and she pulled the binoculars back up to her eyes to get a better look. Skye frowned, then looked to the red Mini Cooper S in the lot. It was clean, shining even in the dim lights from the street lamps. She shifted her gaze back inside where the waitress appeared to be readying herself to leave, as well. There was a key on the counter, and it looked old and beat up, as well. If she let her deductive reasoning skills take the reins for a moment... "The blonde drives the Mini."
"What?" Lincoln's head snapped to her. "How do you know?"
"If you lived or worked on this side of town, would you drive something that you take care of that well? Washed, shiny, and red? In a neighborhood rife with gang violence?" She asked. "Besides, one vehicle is parked almost behind the building, and I would assume it to be the owner's or the cook's, since he has to be there early...and the cook may be the owner, for all we know. Either way, that crosses off that vehicle and leaves us with the Mini and the other late-model vehicle. The late model is black, dirty, a subtle choice if you work out here. Besides, there's a key next to the waitress' hand that might match the age and condition of that vehicle, so my guess is that it belongs to her and not the blonde."
"Wow," Lincoln spoke softly. "Nicely done."
"Thanks," Daisy’s mouth quirked up into a small smile at his praise, but she never took her eyes off of the diner. "I think the waitress is leaving. Keep your eyes sharp."
Lincoln nodded, and turned his eyes to the parking lot. They watched on in silence as Cap rose from the booth and escorted the waitress toward the door. Daisy passed the binoculars to Lincoln and let out a breath.
"I have to do this," she breathed, and opened her hand to stare at the tracking disc. "I can do this."
"You can do this," Lincoln reassured her softly and blindly reached out a hand to rest on Daisy’s shoulder.
She took a deep breath and let his touch ground her. She had been studying scientific articles on moving objects with vibrations, and had been working on moving things herself, just to test the hypothesis that she could make it happen. So far, she had moved a pencil and a quarter a very short distance, but nothing like this, and nothing with the weight of Fitz's tracker. Its size was the same, but its weight was twice that of a quarter, and Daisy was nervous.
She laid the tracker on the ground, then placed her hand beside it, so that the little device fit within the angle created by her thumb and index fingers. Daisy closed her eyes and sent out a small sampling of her ability and directed it at the device. She could feel it rippling from the space between her fingers, and turned up the power that flowed from her. The device rattled slightly against the asphalt, and then slid forward about an inch. Daisy let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and then picked up the device.
"They're coming outside," Lincoln told her quietly.
"Run silent," she whispered to him, and retook her place by Lincoln's side. Her eyes took in everything, watching as Cap thanked the waitress for her help, bid her goodnight, and held up a hand in a goodbye gesture as she drove off in the black late model car. She smirked at being proven right, and saw Lincoln's lips curve upward, as well. She had called it.
When the Captain turned and made to go back inside, Daisy rose from her crouch and readied herself to toss the tracker toward the Mini. She would try to direct it the rest of the way with her ability. She watched as Cap pulled the door open and slipped inside, then tossed the tiny disc toward the vehicle. It sailed through the air silently, then sank and hit the ground roughly three feet from the car. Daisy cursed inwardly; May would have landed it right beneath the car.
She didn't have time to berate herself, so she sank back down into her crouching position and pressed both palms to the ground. Daisy took a deep breath, and focused all of her energy on the tracker. It rattled slightly, and she leaned forward, urging it onward with everything she had.
"Come on," she whispered. "Move..."
Daisy could feel a light sheen of perspiration break out on her forehead and throat; she'd not tried to move objects from so far away before. She added more power, her hands trembling where they met the pavement as she tried to will the device to slide across the blacktop. She took a deep breath and held it, using more focus to urge the tracker to slide, but only succeeded in making it jump. She let out her breath, pulled her hands from the pavement, and shook them out. That attempt had nearly felt like a boot heel pressing into the backs of her hands, and she had to stop, or else face breaking her own hands.
"You're trying too hard," Lincoln spoke softly. He spared one last glance to the diner and then set the binoculars aside. Kneeling beside her, Lincoln placed both hands on her shoulders, and then ran them gently down her arms until he had her hands in his. He guided her hands back to the pavement, and laid them down gently. His fingers tapped at the hollow between her thumb and index finger, and he met her eyes. "You can do this. Let it flow from you, don't force it. It won't work when you force it."
Daisy nodded, her hands trembling slightly.
"Relax," he coached her with a soft breath, nodding back at her, "and focus. I know you can do this."
His eyes flicked between hers, and Daisy held his gaze. Lincoln was her friend, her guide, and he had been helping Inhumans transition for years. He was her greatest asset and ally, when it came to her powers, and she trusted him to coach her in this, implicitly.
"I can do this," she repeated softly, and let her power funnel through the space Lincoln had tapped on her hand. She felt it leaving her, this time, and it wasn't as painful as it had been a moment ago; this was almost peaceful, natural, easy.
"Close your eyes," Lincoln took her wrist in his hand and lifted her right hand from the ground gently, letting it hover an inch or two from the ground. "I'll help you guide it. Just focus your power, and envision the tracker moving smoothly."
She looked at him for a moment, then did what he asked. Her eyes slid closed, and she let out a deep sigh, focusing on letting her power issue from her in a smooth arc.
Lincoln watched as the tracker began to move jerkily at first, but then smoothed out. He lifted her hand a bit more, and the movement began to be flawless. He smiled out of pure pride, and looked back to Daisy.
"That's it," he whispered. "You're doing it."
She smiled slightly, but kept her concentration up. The tracker moved slowly, one foot gone, then two, and she felt Lincoln raise her hand again. The tracker slid the third foot, and then it disappeared beneath the car.
"Now," he spoke softly. "It's under the car. You have to make it jump up so that the magnet adheres to the chassis. Are you ready?"
Daisy nodded, and took another deep breath.
"Don't hold your breath," he reminded her, and she let it out in a rush.
Daisy held out her thumb, index, and middle fingers, and curved the others into her palm. She knew how to do this at a distance. Or, she hoped she did.
Her hand dipped down slightly, and she tried to envision her power sliding beneath the tracker, embracing it. She took a deep breath and flicked her hand up, only to be rewarded with a series of bounces. It hadn't worked.
"Damn," she breathed.
"Try again," Lincoln spoke quietly, his hand steady around her wrist.
She sighed and tried to settle back in. She let her power flow outward again, toward the tracker, and imagined herself finding it. She let her power cover the device and, after a moment, she flicked her hand upward again. This time, she heard a single, faint metallic clang, as if a magnet had engaged.
"Did I do it?" She opened her eyes and looked to Lincoln.
He released her wrist to pick up the binoculars, and glanced through them. With a smile, he handed them to Daisy.
"You got it," he beamed at her as she pulled the binoculars to her eyes, and watched as her shoulders sagged in relief.
"Thank God," she breathed, and sank back to the ground. She took a moment to rest, and then turned to her backpack. Daisy pulled her tablet out, and consulted the tracking app once more, just to make sure the tracker was working properly. Even the screen before her read, 'ENGAGED,' and Daisy felt relief wash over her. "I really did it."
She made sure that the app was recording the tracker's data once more, and then stowed her tablet.
"You really did it," Lincoln smiled at her. "I'm proud of you."
"Thank you, Lincoln," she beamed back at him.
"You don't have to thank me, Daisy," he replied, shaking his head. "I didn't do a thing."
"You did more than you think," Daisy grinned at him, then picked up the binoculars again as Captain America and the blonde headed for the Mini. Lincoln set about making sure their gear was ready to leave while Daisy kept watch. When they bypassed the driver's side of the car, Daisy’s eyebrows flew upwards. "They're on the move...and Cap is tucking the blonde into the passenger seat? What?"
"Seriously?" Lincoln smirked and looked up from his gear.
Daisy looked the woman over, her eyes stopping on the darkening welts around the blonde's throat.
"She really was attacked," Daisy murmured and passed the binoculars back to Lincoln. "Her throat, look."
"Wow," he breathed. "That is going to look nasty in a few hours."
"Yeah, but we can at least safely say that the most likely option is that Cap, Falcon, and Scarlet Witch saved her from whatever happened here tonight," Daisy answered. "We'll wait for them to leave the lot, and then we'll head uptown to meet up with May and Hill."
"All right, then," Lincoln nodded, watching in amusement as Captain America attempted to fold himself into the Mini Cooper S. He let out a quiet chuckle, and even Daisy had a hard time suppressing a smile of her own as they waited for the pair to leave.
There was, however, another set of eyes in the darkness; eyes that were watching the pair of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents from his own darkened alleyway in the Glades.
Grant Ward had frowned and fought the pangs of jealousy in his chest as he had watched Skye with the other man, the man who would have been him, once upon a lie. At least she was here, along with May; Ward had seen her, too. That meant that Coulson and the rest of the team wouldn't be too far off. With the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. making an appearance in Starling City, he supposed it was time to start putting his plan into action. Yes, he would start making his movements tomorrow. It was time.