19. Faustus Method

"What are we waiting for let's go? I don't know where we have to go so one of you have to least point me in the direction I have to walk" Grant said but neither Coulson nor Skye relaxed their ICER's

"Just follow me," said Fitz as he started to walk in front of Ward.

Ward stared at Fitz's back then shrugged his shoulders as he started to follow him.

Coulson signalled Skye as the two followed behind Ward with their Guns trained at him.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Skye in a low tone to Coulson still not okay with the fact that Ward was out of his cage.

"I have heard some of Fitz's theories. I have given him permission to see if any of his theories stick," replied Coulson in the same low tone.

"Why?" asked Sky again

"Hubris. Probably" he said in a self-deprecating sort of smile, "But mostly I got to thinking about something like that happening to anyone else on this team. I would sure as hell do everything I could to find answers and help them if I could" he climbed the stairs with Skye right behind him as the two stares at Ward's back, "For better or for worse Ward was a member of this team, he saved each of us at least once. I am not saying that he did that without any ulterior motives but I am willing to admit the debt's still there"

"You seriously want this to work?" asked Skye

"Skye if I was willing to wash my hands of Ward I would have let him bleed to death in his cell" stated Coulson.

"Hmm... isn't it because you need information from him that he is alive" Skye started

"Yeah that too," said Coulson with a smirk, "But there is another reason for all of this and it's helpful to Fitz you will see"

After Coulson said that Skye didn't ask anything else if this could help Fitz then that's all the reason she needs.

"So even you think I was brainwashed, Skye?" asked Grant as they started walking towards the Hangar.

"No, but Fitz wants to test his theory and he asked my help so here I am" Skye replied from behind him.

"Then let me help you with that theory of yours, I wasn't brainwashed, not because I think it's not possible which is true but another reason is that I know how Hydra does brainwashing," Grant said making Fitz who was walking in front of him stop abruptly as he turned his head and looked at Ward.

"You know their brainwashing method?" asked Fitz in surprise such that he didn't even stutter making Skye and Coulson behind Ward stare at him in surprise.

"Well I know one of their brainwashing method which is used when they want one of the highly skilled people in their ranks it's called the Faustus Method" Grant stated

"What is this Faustus method?" asked Fitz while he once again started to walk.

Grant turned his head over his shoulders to see that Skye and Coulson were within the earshot and would probably hear him, he started "The technique is able to put people into a hypnotic trance through which they become pliable to the master's suggestions. Outwardly the victims seem normal, although they are compelled to answer all of the master's questions truthfully, and can be compelled to follow his directives, even to the point where they will kill themselves if so directed. The extent of his control is limited by the willpower of the victim, but the method is such that even strong-willed individuals have had little resistance to falling under the user's sway."

"So does the person under this know that they are.... um.. brainwashed?" asked Fitz his stuttering almost gone now that his experiment has begun.

"Of course not, the person under this method can be turned loyal to Hydra or one of the Head's of Hydra, and whenever they doubt the mission or there will try to resist, the Hydra has made a failsafe command to make them follow Hydra's orders again" Grant explained

"What is the failsafe command?" asked Skye from behind Grant who most likely asked him on Coulson's signal.

"Take a deep breath. Calm your mind. You know what is best. What is best is you comply. Compliance will be rewarded." Grant stated then turned his head to look at Coulson and Skye behind him and said, "If I was brainwashed I wouldn't have known about this sentence"

"So what happens... to the brainwashed person if the Hydra head they are loyal to through this Faustus method dies" asked Fitz

"Someone else uses the failsafe command and takes control of that person" replied Grant.

"But what if... the person doesn't get captured by Hydra and instead SHIELD's finds them," Fitz asked

"Dammit, Fitz I was not brainwashed I wasn't forced to comply, everything I did it was all me," said Grant in an agitated tone which made Coulson and Skye point their gun at him, they were ready to shoot him when they saw Fitz signalling them to stop.

"How would you know that?" asked Fitz with a smirk on his face happy that he was able to make Ward agitate meaning he was pressing the right buttons.

"Because whenever Hydra forces a specialist like me to comply they make sure that he or she won't be able to get out of it and for that, all their memories have to be removed they would retain their skills but forget their past including their own name, I remember all of it everything from my childhood to now I remember it all. So it doesn't matter what you say I haven't been brainwashed" Grant stated.

"How do you know that Ward? How do you know so much about it?" asked Coulson

Ward turned his head and looked over his shoulder to see Coulson while thinking whether he should answer this question or not.

Coulson also understood what Ward was thinking and couldn't help but sigh and looked at Skye but before Skye could ask the question again Ward answered it on his own.

"Daniel Whitehall uses this a lot so when I was researching him, I found out about it."