Chapter 135: Train Hunt

Coulson gathered his team in the bus's briefing room. Their eyes were fixed on the information projected on the screen as he explained the mission ahead. Ian Quinn's name was ringing in everyone's minds, especially after the recent events involving Donnie and the ice device.

"We've received a hot tip about Quinn," Coulson began, gesturing to the map of Italy. "He's transporting a highly classified package through the interior of the country. It will be a discreet delivery, and the transport will be done by train. Our job is to intercept it and make sure the package doesn't reach its destination."

Ward, Skye, Fitz, Simmons, and May were attentive, processing the information quickly.

"What's the plan?" Ward asked, already anticipating the action that was to come.

Coulson nodded and opened a diagram of the train.

"We'll go undercover. May and Ward will secure a room for monitoring. Skye and Fitz will pretend to be a couple, and Simmons will be my daughter." — He gave a small smile, despite the tension. — "We'll blend in with the passengers and, once we identify the package, we'll intervene."

Skye looked at Fitz with a raised eyebrow.

"A couple, huh?" she said, joking to ease the tension.

Fitz swallowed, clearly uncomfortable with the idea.

"Yeah... this should be interesting," he replied, without much confidence.

Coulson continued.

"We have to be quick and subtle. Once on the train, we establish communication and monitor Ian Quinn for any suspicious movements. We'll get this package before he can deliver it. Understood?"

The team agreed, and within minutes, they were on their way.

The train wound through the green fields and mountains of the Italian countryside. The ride was peaceful, and the passengers seemed immersed in their travel routines. Disguised, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents began to settle in.

May and Ward had secured a reserved room in the middle of the train, with a good view of the hallways and people coming and going from the compartments.

"I'll position myself at the end of the hallway and monitor the passengers," Ward said as he stood up. "If Quinn is here, he'll move."

May nodded, her gaze scanning the window.

"Stay alert," she replied. "Something about this train seems off to me."

In the next car, Skye and Fitz sat at a dining table, pretending to be a couple of tourists. Skye, more relaxed, tried to lighten the mood between them, while Fitz looked around nervously.

"Relax, Fitz," Skye said, smiling. "Just enjoy the ride. Do you think they'll serve us wine?"

Fitz looked at her in disbelief.

"Skye, we're on a mission."

"I know," she replied, still smiling. "But we also have to look casual."

Across the car, Coulson and Simmons sat together, with Simmons trying to keep up her disguise as his daughter. Simmons was clearly trying hard to look at ease.

"Dad," she began, a little forced, "don't you think this trip to Italy is beautiful?"

Coulson smiled slightly, amused by Simmons' attempt to come across as a normal teenager.

"Sure, honey," he replied, playing along.

Meanwhile, the plan seemed to be working. The crew watched the passengers discreetly, waiting for any sign of Quinn or the mysterious package.

But suddenly, a sharp sound interrupted the comms. Everyone looked at their earpieces simultaneously. Communication had been cut off.

"We've lost contact," May said, her voice calm but alert.

Ward frowned, trying to adjust the comm.

"Something's interfering. That's not a good sign."

Suddenly, the train gave a sharp jolt, almost as if it had been hit by something. Before they could react, a dull explosion was heard in the distance. May and Ward exchanged a quick glance.

"That was a grenade," Ward said, drawing his weapon.

"We need to investigate," May replied, already on her way.

The agents ran through the train's corridors, but soon noticed something strange: the train seemed to be slowing down. When they reached the window, they looked outside and saw that the train had... disappeared. Or at least, that's what it seemed like.

"The train's gone!" Fitz exclaimed over the communicator.

"What do you mean, gone?" Coulson asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"I'm looking outside the carriage and I see nothing but fog," Fitz explained. "It's like... the train has left the track of reality."

"That's impossible," Simmons replied, his eyes wide.

Coulson, however, knew that with Ian Quinn and his connections, nothing was impossible.

While Ward and Coulson tried to figure out what had happened to the train, May, always in the lead, decided to follow the trail that she believed was the package's path. Her experience told her that Ian Quinn was not far away, and she needed to get to him.

May followed a corridor until she reached a more secluded area of ​​the train, but before she could entering, she was ambushed by a group of heavily armed men. Among them was Russo, a well-known mercenary who often worked with Quinn.

"Agent May, it's nice to see you," Russo said with a cruel smile. "I hope you're ready for a little interrogation."

May was disarmed and tied to a chair in one of the train's more remote compartments. Russo's smile remained as he looked at her with a mixture of amusement and cruelty.

"Did you really think you could stop us?" he asked sarcastically. "You S.H.I.E.L.D. always underestimate our intelligence."

May, despite her situation, showed no fear. She stared coldly at Russo and his men, silently assessing her options for escape. The interrogation was brutal, but May refused to speak, enduring the physical and mental torture without breaking.

When Russo finally became distracted for a moment, May seized the opportunity. With incredible dexterity, she freed herself from her restraints, grabbed one of the guards' weapons, and in one swift movement, eliminated Russo and his henchmen in a deadly sequence of precise and silent blows.

Covered with blood and adrenaline, May left the compartment. She knew that time was of the essence. She needed to reconnect with Coulson and Ward as quickly as possible.

May finally found Coulson and Ward in one of the carriages closest to the center of the train. They were both visibly relieved to see her, especially Coulson.

"May, are you okay?" Coulson asked, concerned at seeing her condition.

"Yes. Russo and his men won't be a problem anymore," she replied in a firm but tired tone.

Ward, with his sharp gaze, noticed the blood on her hands, but knew that this was not the time to ask for details.

"We need to continue," he said, focused. "The package is still somewhere on this train, and Quinn may have it."

With communication still cut off and the train seemingly stuck in some sort of vanishing state, the team knew time was running out.

May took a deep breath and gathered herself, ready for the next step.

"Let's get this over with," she said.

And with that, the three agents moved on, determined to finish the mission.