Chapter 131: The Search for Coulson

Ward and May approached a dark warehouse, an obscure location on the outskirts of a coastal city. Their weapons were ready, and their senses were heightened. They were after Vanchat, a dangerous informant with direct connections to the Centipede group. He was the key to finding more clues about Coulson's whereabouts.

"Vanchat won't give himself up easily," May muttered, keeping alert as they approached the entrance.

Ward nodded, checking his weapon before placing his hands on the rusty doorknob.

"We have to catch him before he disappears."

Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from inside the warehouse. Without hesitation, Ward kicked the door open with a bang. The warehouse was a maze of metal containers and stacked boxes. Vanchat was at the back, already trying to escape through a side door.

"Stop right there!" Ward shouted, advancing at speed.

May moved like a shadow, fast and precise, dodging obstacles and intercepting Vanchat before he could reach the exit. With a quick strike, she knocked him to the ground, immobilizing him with an armlock.

"You're surrounded," she said calmly, without losing control of the situation. "There's no point in fighting."

Vanchat grunted in pain, but stopped struggling when he realized there was no escape. Ward approached, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him up to face him.

"We're going to have a talk," Ward said, looking him in the eyes. "And you're going to tell us everything you know about Centipede and where they're keeping Coulson."

Vanchat laughed, although clearly shaken by the situation.

"Do you think you can force me to talk? Centipede has eyes everywhere. I'm not crazy enough to betray them."

Ward took a step forward, keeping his tone cold and threatening.

— If you don't tell us, you'll end up in a much worse place than this. Trust me, we can make your life hell.

Vanchat seemed to hesitate for a moment, but he was still resisting. Ward and May decided to take him back to the plane to question him properly, hoping that in custody he would eventually relent.

Back on the plane, Vanchat was placed in a containment cell. Ward and May headed to the command center, where Victoria Hand was already waiting for them for a briefing. The room was tense, with Coulson's disappearance still fresh in everyone's minds. Hand, impassive as ever, stood his ground.

"We need all the information this man has," Hand said, crossing his arms as he watched the monitor. "The Centipede is ahead of us, and with every minute that passes, Coulson is at greater risk."

Ward and May were focused, but something caught their attention on the panel. An alert appeared on the screen, and Hand frowned, clicking quickly to check.

"Someone is trying to hack our systems," she announced irritably. "Who the hell is messing with our files?"

Ward and May exchanged quick glances, already wondering who it could be.

"Skye," May whispered.

Hand wasted no time in ordering action. "Find the person responsible and remove them immediately. We can't risk an information leak now."

Before anyone could react, Ward was already on his way to the communications room, where he knew he would find Skye. He entered the room and found her typing furiously on the computer, trying to trace information through Centipede's financial trail.

"Skye, what are you doing?" Ward asked, surprised, but with a mixture of frustration and admiration for his initiative.

Skye glanced at him quickly, not stopping her typing. "I'm trying to find Coulson! If we follow Centipede's money, we can find out where he is. They need a lot of resources to keep something this big a secret."

Before Ward could respond, Victoria Hand entered the room, visibly irritated.

"Stop it immediately!" — she ordered, her voice firm and authoritative. — Skye, you are violating SHIELD protocols. You are outside of our jurisdiction. I do not tolerate insubordination, and it jeopardizes the entire operation. Get off the plane, now!

Skye froze, looking to Ward for support, but before she could say anything, Ward stood up and stood between her and Hand.

"She stays," he said, with a firmness that surprised everyone. Hand stared at him in disbelief.

"What?"

Ward stepped forward, keeping his gaze steady.

"With Coulson out of the picture, I am the team leader. I am a level eight agent, which gives me the authority to decide what happens to my team."

The room was silent for a moment, as Hand stared at him coldly. May, who had been watching closely, gave a small nod of approval, acknowledging Ward's firm stance.

"Skye can continue with what she's doing," Ward continued. "She's our best chance of finding Coulson." If we can track Centipede's money, we can locate him before it's too late."

Hand narrowed her eyes, clearly not happy with the decision, but she knows that Ward was right about the hierarchy and its responsibilities.

"You're taking a huge risk, Agent Ward," Hand said, his voice icy. "If this goes wrong, the consequences will be severe." Ward nodded.

"I understand. But we're willing to take this risk to save Coulson."

Hand backed away slowly, giving Skye one last look before leaving the room. The tension lingered in the air, but Ward knew that Skye now had a chance to continue her mission.

Skye exhaled in relief, her fingers still shaking with adrenaline.

"Thank you, Ward," she said sincerely.

Ward just shook his head.

"Just make this work, Skye. We need a solid lead."

A few hours later, Skye finally found something. Her screen flashed with several large transfers of money, all linked to Centipede accounts in offshore tax havens. She followed the trail to a remote facility, hidden behind a corporate facade.

"I found something," Skye said, her eyes shining with excitement. — There's a facility that received an absurd amount of money. That's probably where they're keeping Coulson.

Ward, May, and the team gathered around the screen, looking at the coordinates.

"We have to act fast," Ward said. "If Skye is right, this is our best chance to rescue Coulson."

May was already ready to leave.

"I'll get the Shuttle ready. We'll leave in 10 minutes."

Victoria Hand, upon hearing the new information, approached again, with a serious expression.

"If this works, it will be a big step towards dismantling Centipede. But remember, we're still dealing with unpredictable enemies. They're dealing with powerful people."

Ward nodded, aware of the seriousness of the situation.

"We know. And we're ready."

With the mission ready to begin, Ward and May's team prepared for the rescue operation. Every move would be crucial, and Coulson's safety depended on their actions.

Coulson, trapped and at risk, was still unaware that his team was moving to save him, while Centipede continued its plans. But Ward's determination, Skye's intelligence and May's skill could be the combination needed to turn the tide.

Now, the race against time began, and the team knew that failure was not an option.