"Q-J, Six-Two-Six to Lighthouse," Mick called out as the static faded.
"This is Lighthouse, Daisy, Mick, is that you?" Deke's voice came over the speaker, both bothering and bringing relief.
"It's us," Daisy responded. "Where's Coulson?"
"He flew out of here with Talbot to take on the Marauders that were attacking us," Deke said as Mick and Daisy exchanged their looks of deep concern.
"What the heck are you talking about?" Mick was distraught.
"There was a big attack, we lost a few of the returners," Patten's voice came over the radio. "We managed to hold our own, and once Talbot used the Gravitonium machine, he crushed the Marauders and then set off after their boss."
"Whoa, hold on a second," Daisy gasped. "Talbot used the machine too?
"Yeah, and somehow the voices didn't even phase him," Patten said. "Talbot iced Jemma, but she's recovering. Ruby is fine, we kept her in same containment Fitz was in before."
"We're about ten minutes out," Daisy said straightly.
"We'll be ready," Patten said, then disconnected.
"Why do things like this always happen when we're gone?" Daisy muttered followed by a heavy sigh.
"At least they were ok," Mick said as Daisy kept her eyes on the horizon.
Once they landed, Daisy grabbed the duffle bag filled with her mothers remains as well as the centipede shaped vial then heading straight for FitzSimmons lab. As they walked down the ramp, Yo-yo stood in the hanger, arms folded, glowering at the pair. She unfolded her arms as the hatch closed behind Mick and stepped forward.
"Where were you?" Yo-yo's anger was flaring wildly.
"We were on a mission?" Daisy said as Yo-yo rolled her eyes.
"Let me guess, you found a way to save Coulson didn't you?" Yo-yo pointed at the duffel bag on Daisy's shoulder.
"Hasn't that been the plan all along?" Daisy asked as Yo-yo shook her head furiously.
"I tried to tell all of you, but no one seems to listen at all," Yo-yo started, then clenched her fists. "We have to let Coulson die. That's what my future self said!"
"That's not an option," Daisy stated firmly as Yo-yo moved to stop her from leaving the room.
"Why can't you see that letting him die is a way to break the loop?" Yo-yo asked as Daisy clenched her fists. "If you won't see it, I'll make you see it!"
Yo-yo lunged, no powers, slamming her fist into Daisy's cheek. Daisy without consideration blasted Yo-yo backwards with powerful pulse. "You stand down, or I'll force you down!" Daisy growled rubbing her cheek.
"Elena stop!" Mick called at, knowing that using Yo-yo's real name usually got her attention. This backfired, rather than just catching her attention, she shot at Mick. He felt several blows in rapid succession before being launched backwards into the wall. Mick slumped down as Yo-yo shifted her feet. Mick shot several webs, only for them to fly through the air with a quake launching Yo-yo backwards and crashing into the ground.
"All of you stop this, now," May ordered as she walked into the hanger. She then helped Yo-yo up while Daisy helped Mick. "Anyone else throws a punch, quake, or a web is going to face me." May's fury wasn't anything to trifle with, and her fighting skills, even without powers, weren't easy to defeat, and everyone knew that. "Did you find what I sent you after?"
"Yeah," Daisy said as Yo-yo shook her head. "I need to get this to the lab so FitzSimmons can start working on it."
"You ok?" May asked as Mick nodded with a frown. "We don't have time for fighting our own. We've got to go after that ship that attacked us."
"Fine," Yo-yo snapped bitterly. "Don't cry when the world ends."
Deke stood outside the lab where Jemma and Fitz were breaking down the Gravitonium infusion machine when Daisy and Mick passed by. "I thought you were just dropping off the guy, what happened?" Deke asked as Mick shook his head.
"This didn't happen at our drop off," Mick said as he released Daisy's shoulder, then she left to speak with Jemma and Fitz.
"Daisy beat you up?" Deke almost seemed amused.
"No," Mick shook his head, then began to wonder how a fight between them would go based solely on their powers alone. "Yo-yo attacked us in the hanger."
"Really?" Deke seemed even more amused. "I mean I'm not surprised. From what I heard, you attacked her. That's how things would go down back in my time. Or forward in my time?"
Mick shook his head as Deke babble to himself trying to figure out how to word his thoughts. "It's because we're all on edge, we're mentally exhausted, stressed beyond reason, and we just need a break."
"That's how we lived. The only break we had was when we died," Deke said as Mick felt so much sympathy for the boy.
"I'm glad I never saw that future," Mick sighed. "Here's to hoping we never will." Mick rubbed his face trying to calm himself as Deke seemed a little distraught.
"You don't think I'll disappear if things change, do you?" Deke's tone was clearly distraught.
"Honestly man," Mick took a deep breath, his real thoughts on the matter he'd never tell Deke. Who would want to hear that the only way they'd know for sure things changed is if that person vanished from existence? "I don't know. I'd like to think you'd be around to cheer with us, but I just don't know how that stuff works."
"Thanks for being honest," Deke said tapping Mick's wounded shoulder, only to see him wince. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"It's fine Deke," Mick said as he and Deke shook hands. Mick almost admitted, he would be slightly sad if Deke did vanish. As annoying as he could be, Deke had a good heart. "I'll let Jemma look at it to make sure nothing is messed up."
"Sorry again," Deke said as Mick walked into the lab.
Daisy brushed Mick's shoulder as she left, the somber undertones of the moment were only magnified by the expressions on both Jemma and Fitz's faces. "I'm glad you're both ok," Mick said as Jemma stayed silent.
"I don't think you can classify any of this as ok," Fitz said as he knelt down beside the bag on the floor.
"It's not ideal, that's for sure," Mick said as he slipped his suit down over his shoulders, holding it just over his abdomen with his right arm.
"If it saves lives, then I suppose it will be good for something," Jemma said as she carefully removed the bandage on his shoulder. She gave it a quick once over, then began to apply some medicine to it before applying a new bandage.
"Any clues on how to fix Ruby, and Talbot for that matter?" Mick asked, pulling his suit top back on as both Fitz and Jemma glared at him.
"If we weren't immediately pulled off of that project to whip up another miracle drug using extremely questionable means," Fitz groaned as he drilled a hole into one of the bones to extract marrow. "Then maybe we could make progress."
"To actually answer your question," Jemma glanced at Fitz as he gagged while sliding the needle into the bone. "A true treatment no, but from my understanding, Talbot had silenced the voices and gained control over the gravitonium, so maybe that's possible for Ruby as well. Patten has been trying to coach her and keep her calm."
"Yeah, I bet it helps that he's ogling her as well," Fitz grimace as he pulled the needle out, handing the vial to Jemma.
"He's what?" Mick asked with a chuckle.
"He fancies her," Fitz said plainly.
"He's just being friendly," Jemma said as Fitz rolled his eyes.
"You thought I was just friendly to you too," Fitz teased as Jemma rolled her eyes.
"I'll just let you two enjoy each other's company," Mick said a Fitz smiled at him.
Mick passed by Mission Control to see it empty, minus the large hole with sunlight filtering down. He then made his way across the facility to the holding cell where Patten was laughing with Ruby. He noticed that the two of them seemed surprisingly happy together. This brought so many questions to Mick's mind; Why hadn't Patten contacted Millie and brought her to the Lighthouse, where was Patten's ring, why were they so happy together?
He then set off to Mission control, he would get answers to at least one of those questions without having to ask. He quickly researched Millie Brent on the database, only for his heart to break. Patten was listed as MIA after an assault from HYDRA drones, while Millie was listed as KIA. Her obituary was dated just before Mick had been broken out of prison. Now he felt even worse for Patten's involvement. He wasn't just locked in a prison for refusing to join Hale and HYDRA, he was punished. Guilt then began to cloud Mick's mind, seeing that he never thought to ask with everything happening so quickly. How could he have been so cruel to Patten? How could Patten not even think to tell him? Was he too focused on Daisy that he neglected his friends pain?
His thoughts were broken by May voicing an all call for a meeting in Mission Control. Mick then watched as everyone filed in, pulling up the camera's on Ruby's cell so they could keep an eye on her. No one seemed remotely happy to be around one another. Even Jemma and Fitz seemed distant. Yo-yo began bickering as Jemma shook her head, Daisy sulked in the corner by her laptop, Deke stood beside Fitz, while Mack stood in the other corner. A few of the Damage Control agents, including Agent Davis and Piper joined them as well. Mick's eyes were focused on Patten, who looked right through him. May then stepped into the center of the room, clenching her fists tightly.
"Look," she said sternly as everyone fell silent. "I know half of you don't agree with what we're doing, honestly, I don't care." May then looked directly at Mack. "Is Zephyr ready for space travel?"
"Yeah," Mack said heavily. "Might be a little bumpy, but it should be fine."
"Then I need a team of volunteers, both to stay and go. We need a team down here just in case something goes wrong, and I need a team to help bring Coulson home."
"I'm in," Daisy said quickly as Yo-yo scoffed.
"Me too," Mick stepped forward.
"I'll go," Deke shrugged. "Anything is better than being stuck here."
"Count me in," Agent Davis said as he smirked. "I've always wanted to go to space."
"Anyone else?" May asked as a few new agents raised their hands. "Good, Davis, take them and go get the Zephyr set up, we'll be right behind you."
"This is a terrible idea," Yo-yo growled. "We need to focus on the real problem, saving the world."
"We are focusing on the real problem," Daisy barked.
"Robin told us that Coulson would put the pieces together," May stated firmly.
"The girl speaks in riddles!" Yo-yo snapped. "I've tried to tell all of you, my future self told me clearly, we have to let Coulson die."
"And we've told you several times," Mick bellowed. "That's not an option."
"All of you need to chill," Mack belted. "How can we function as a team if we keep attacking each other?" Everyone turned to him quite surprised to see him speaking out. "How are we supposed to save the world if we can't even talk to each other without fighting?"
"He's right," Patten stepped forward. "We can't stop the world from breaking apart when the shield is already broken."
"That's what I'm saying," Mack nodded at Patten. "If we don't fix us, we're never going to fix the future."
"What makes you think this can be fixed?" Mick asked as Mack shook his head.
"Just takes a little faith," Mack said with a smile. "I trust that with all of my being. We can get past this. I don't think God wants the world to end just yet, that's why we were given the chance to save it."
"I wish I had your kind of faith," Daisy said glumly. "Every time I try to believe in something someone dies, and this time, it looks like it's not just one but the world."
"Then you're putting your faith in the wrong things," Mack said as Daisy quietly chuckled.
"You should've been a preacher with that kind of faith," Mick said as Mack seemed quite pleased with that statement.
"We need to hurry," May said breaking up the brief smiles in the room. "Coulson might not have that much time left."
"She's right," Daisy said as she started off leaving Mick and the others behind.
"Patten," Mick said as his friend looked at him. "I'm sorry about all of this. Even Millie."
Patten bore a very confused expression, then looked at Mick curiously, then Mick pointed at the screen showing Millie's obituary. "You looked her up?" Patten frowned. "I didn't want anything to get in the way of this mission, especially not when I learned just how grave it was."
"You still should've told me," Mick said bitterly.
"We can talk about it when you guys get back," Patten said with a heavy tone.
Mack wasn't wrong, it was very rough as they left the atmosphere. The Zephyr shook so violently both Mick and Deke doubted they'd make it. Daisy and May on the other hand, didn't cower at all. Daisy held Mick's hand to keep him calm, while also keeping a hand on Deke's shoulder. Once they breached the atmosphere, everything felt as smooth as flying normally. May then called everyone to Mission Control again to go over her plan on breaking into the Qovas ship.
"So we'll have a small strike team, Daisy, Mick and myself. The rest of you will guard the Zephyr," May said firmly.
"If I had to bet, that ship is going to be crawling with Marauders," Deke said as May seemed unfazed.
"We'll be ready for them this time," Daisy said cracking her knuckles.
"I could use a good fight myself," Mick said popping his neck.
"We're going to make our way in, break anything that gets in our way, and come back with Coulson," May said firmly. "Any questions?"
"Nope," Daisy said.
"We'll be docking momentarily," Agent Davis said over the speaker. "Brace yourself, it's going to get bumpy for a minute."
"That's our cue," May said as Mick and Daisy nodded. "No turning back now."
They raced across the Zephyr as it shook violently. "If they weren't on guard before, they will be now," May said as they stood on the edge ramp.
Slowly it lowered them down into the hatch on the Qovas ship. The interior was glossy, bright white walls and ceiling with a silver shining floor. Several of the lights began flashing as May cracked her knuckles. "Here comes the welcoming committee."
Several barely visible soldiers ran across both the floor and wall.
"I've got this!" Daisy raised her right hand, blasting them back down the hall with ease.
Daisy would blast the incoming Marauders, while Mick would web them down. They followed this trend as they forced their way toward the head of the ship, eventually reaching Qovas, Talbot, Coulson and Hale in the what they could only assume was the cockpit. "What are you guys doing here?" Talbot asked in a much sharper, demanding voice than Mick ever remembered him having. He was also wearing a kingly, all black body suit with a flowing cape.
"We're here for Coulson," Daisy replied.
"You called in backup?" Talbot asked, his tone shifted from casual to furious, as Coulson shook his head nervously.
"I begged him not to," Hale stepped forward.
"You don't trust me, Coulson?" Talbot asked.
"No, I didn't call them, they just showed up," Coulson said as May stood in front of Mick and May cautiously.
"He called them, saying you were a threat Glenn," Hale said as Talbot shot his eyes to her. "He said you had become unhinged, that you needed to be taken down. That's why they called their out Daisy and Mick to bring you down."
"You'd betray me like that Coulson?" Talbot seemed extremely unhinged. "Why doesn't that surprise me? Every time I try to trust SHIELD, they always betray me!"
The ship shook with the pulse of power that expelled from Talbot as he clenched his fists.
"Talbot let him go!" Daisy called out as she raised her hands.
"Put those down or I'll snap his neck right now," Talbot said as Coulson coughed and gasped forcing the team to stand down.
"That's right," Hale said as Coulson started to argue, but was once again silenced into a choke by Talbot. "I tried to tell you before Glenn, I just wanted to help. Now, are you ready to let me help? Are you ready to comply?"
"Ready to comply?" Talbot seemed as if he were calming down, staring curiously at Hale. A cruel and vicious smile then crept across his face. "Ready to comply."
For a moment, everyone was preparing for a fight, facing down Talbot with his incredible powers as he was ordered around by Hale and her brainwashing. That moment was shattered when Coulson gasped, being released from Talbot's powers, only replaced by the screaming gasp of Katherine Hale. "Did you really think that would work? That you could betray me as well?"
"Glenn don't!" Coulson called out, but it was too late. The sound of bones snapping, and Hale's gurgling echoed through the room as Talbot used his powers to crush her, and fold her into nothing but a pool of blood that dropped to the floor.
"You monster!" Mick called out, drawing Talbot's attention.
Daisy then blasted him, which didn't even phase him. He then chuckled darkly catching everyone off guard. He raised his hand as Mick tried to get between Talbot at Daisy, only it was for naught. Daisy was lifted into the air choking and gasping for air. Mick then quickly drew his blade and started to charge at Talbot.
"One more step and I'll snap her pretty little neck," the vicious tone froze Mick in his tracks. "Put down your weapons, and kneel before me."
Mick's hands trembled as he eyed Coulson who simply nodded for Mick to comply. Mick knelt down, setting his blade down his fury boiling as he listened to Daisy gasping for air. "Let her go now, I did what you asked."
"Good boy," Talbot taunted, then waved his hand, as Mick saw Daisy crash into the wall beside him, falling unconscious. "Now for the rest of you. Kneel before me. Accept me as the one who will save you from Thanos." Mick felt tears of fury falling from his face as he watched Coulson once again nod. "I said bow to me!" Talbot bellowed as Mick watched Coulson struggle to hold himself up as waves of power pulsed out of Talbot. "Say it Coulson! Say I'm the one who can save us all!"
"You're the one who can save us all," Coulson said in a defeated tone.
"Very good," Talbot said darkly. "Do what you want with Johnson, I want the others to suffer for their betrayal."
"As you wish," Qovas stated in a dark tone as Marauders appeared at his sides, then quickly surrounded Coulson, Mick, and May.
"Now all I need is a little more gravitonium so I can be strong enough to take down Thanos," Talbot said as he left the room.