Chapter 71

"Dammit." I'm super pissed. "Goddammit, Hunter. Fitz, is Coulson back? Have you found him?"

"No. Calm down, Ward. What is going on? What do I not know?" It surprises me that I don't hear the scared little boy in Fitz any more. He sounds like he's matured.

I pinched the top of my nose. "Look, Fitz. I need you to steer clear from Mack and Bobbi. They're up to no good and I don't think for a second that Hunter bailed. I called Coulson and he's not answering. Where's May?"

"I don't know but I can find her. I don't know where Coulson is but he took Skye. I went to go see her like I told you I would but she's gone too. May said Skye and Coulson were together. Look, let me look for May and I'll have her call you."

"Ok. Thanks Fitz."

I hang up and as soon as I do, my phone rings. It's a number I don't recognize. I hope it's Hunter.

"Yea?"

"I hear you want Sunil Bakshi."

"Who is this?" I make my voice sound threatening.

"Relax. It's Fox, Hunter's contact. I heard through the grapevine you wanted Bakshi."

I relax. I remember Fox now. "Yea, last I heard the Air Force had him." The reason I didn't went there myself with Kara to break him out was simple, I didn't wanted to be in military's radar when I m not wanted.

"They did. Some people went in to bust him out. Killed a couple of people but on the way out, some people who heard you wanted him cut in. They're asking for a reward."

I sigh. "I bet they do. How much?"

Fox takes a second and then answers, "50."

I roll my eyes. That's it? "Send me the info. I'll pick him up."

I exit the room to find Kara in a robe. I frown, confused. What the hell?

"Surprise." She turns and she is wearing Skye's face.

I gasp and take a small step back.

She comes forward and I'm so stunned I don't think about stopping her when she starts kissing me. It takes me longer to stop her than I'd like to admit because part of me wants to believe she's Skye. But she tastes nothing like her. I've memorized Skye's scent and her lips and this isn't her.

I step back and push Kara off me gently.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to repay you…for…for helping me." Her voice is so soft and she looks humiliated.

I feel pity. She's so broken. "Kara, why would you do this? Why would you turn yourself into her?"

"You love her." The way she says it makes it seems like she's adding a "Duh" in the end.

"So you decided that you need to do this to thank me? You don't have to do that Kara. Me and Skye are still in an ambiguous relationship but it's definitely not a couple mostly because everything that has happened till now" I explained in a gentle tone.

"I'm sorry. I just thought we could be together." She looks down ashamed but she doesn't change her face.

"Do me a favor and change your face back. Kara, I just want you to be you."

"There is no me. Whitehall erased me." Well, at least now she admits what he did to her.

"Look, I think I have a way to get some of who you are back. I got word that some contacts of mine picked up Bakshi. I want to pick him up and question him."

"Bakshi?" She looks up at me stunned. "He dragged me out of my safe house."

I nod. "Well, maybe he can tell us more about you."

She nods. "When can we pick him up?"

"I'm just waiting for the information."

She smiles and she changes her face to someone I've never seen. "I'll go get dressed. Thank you, Grant." She goes into her room.

My phone rings. "Yea?"

"Ward?" It's May. "What the hell is going on? Fitz is losing his mind and Hunter is MIA. I just spoke to Mack who says Hunter is out at some bar."

"I bet he did." I grumble. Hunter is a pain in the ass but he's a friend. I'm not opposed to taking a swing at this Mack guy. "May, I need to talk to Coulson."

"Sorry. He's off base. Now, tell me what is going on?"

May is like Coulson's right -and man, so I don't hesitate to tell her what Hunter talked to me about and my worries about Bobbi and Mack.

"I'll take care of it. Coulson is off with Skye but as soon as he's back, I'll let him know what's going on. I don't think Morse would do anything against SHIELD. Maybe Hunter heard wrong." I can hear May is doubting my info.

"May, he said they mentioned backup when Skye's powers went haywire."

May was silent for a while. "I'll keep an eye on them."

"Thanks" I replied

"But what about you?" asked May

"Huh!? What do you mean?" I asked

"Ward! I know you enough to know that you won't deliberately stay away when you can be here, We know that you were there in with Skye and Raina so we know you must be different as well and right now are trying to control it yourself." May stated

"You are right but don't worry, I have some semblance of control over it and will return after making sure I won't endanger you guys" I explained

The days pass quickly. I enjoy Kara's company. She's easy to like and joke with. I let my guard down with her like I haven't with anybody else. Skye comes to mind but even with her, I held back because of my mission. I want Kara to like me, so I have to make her feel at ease with me.

Kara asks about Andrew and I tell her how he's helped me. I tell her that he could help her and she agrees with a smile on her face. She tells me how she got captured by Hydra. She was in a SHIELD safe house and they found her there. She asks if I know Bobbi Morse. I ask why and she tells me that Bobbi is the one who gave her up.

My body freezes. Damn. Whatever Bobbi is into, I don't believe she meant any harm and maybe didn't even know Kara was at the safe house. At the end of the day, Kara was captured because of Bobbi's intel and Kara can't forgive that.

So, she calls Andrew and they talk on the phone for a while.

I try not to worry about the mess going in with SHIELD. I focus on the task in front of me. Get Bakshi. Get all the info out of him about Kara. Get all the info he has on the remainder of Hydra and then turn him back over to SHIELD.

I get the info from FOX and tell Kara it's time to go. I have to give it to her. She looks like she's ready to face him.

Bakshi looks relieved when he sees Kara (as May) but he isn't too excited to see me and I have to give him a smile.

When he asks who we're working for and Kara says "nobody" he gets that panic in his eyes again and tries to have Kara focus with all the brain washing bullshit. This prompts her to knock him out which again, makes me smile. I keep telling myself this, but I like Kara.

The men holding him, wait for payment and don't make a fuss when we try to leave.

My phone dings and what I see makes no sense. It's from a crazy number. Not a regular number. I play the message and a cold wave hits down my spine. It's Hunter. "Ward, it's another SHIELD. They—" and the message cuts out.

"Shit!"