{Chapter: 020 - Phil Coulson - Premonitions and Invitations}
It had been a full week since Aiden returned from the Push Plane—a chaotic world filled with danger, power, and inner turmoil. His body, once overwhelmed by the number of foreign abilities he had absorbed in rapid succession, had finally settled into a state of equilibrium. The sensations of power no longer clashed within him like a storm trapped inside a bottle. His system reported that the devouring ability, previously sealed due to instability, was now fully reactivated.
Though Aiden was capable of tapping into a wide array of supernatural abilities, he'd deliberately refrained from doing so. The only power he had truly tested since his return was the "Watcher" ability—an eerie skill that occasionally granted him glimpses of the future. At times, those glimpses came in cryptic flashes, short and disjointed, like pieces of a dream he couldn't quite remember upon waking. Other times, they hit him with a sense of clarity so profound it felt like déjà vu bleeding into prophecy.
On this particular day, one of those visions gripped him again—unexpected, yet vivid.
He was in a car.
Daisy sat beside him, her presence calm and comforting. The car door was ajar, and outside stood a man in a dark suit, smiling warmly with a mix of charm and familiarity. Aiden recognized him immediately. Phil Coulson. The man extended a hand, clearly mid-conversation, though the vision provided no audio—only moving images frozen in time.
Aiden furrowed his brow. The moment had felt real, like something on the verge of occurring. Coulson's presence could mean only one thing: S.H.I.E.L.D.
He slowly exhaled. So, it's finally time.
Though Aiden hadn't watched every event of this world unfold, he was still aware of its key players and their usual timelines. Daisy's encounter with S.H.I.E.L.D. shouldn't have happened for another two or three months based on the original plot. Clearly, things had shifted. His actions—or perhaps even his very presence—had altered the sequence of events.
A soft voice broke through his thoughts.
"What are you thinking about?" Daisy asked, her tone casual but filled with subtle curiosity. She reached over to lightly touch his hand, her eyes narrowing with concern.
Aiden blinked and looked at her. Her hair was tied up in a loose ponytail today, and the sunlight streaming through the windshield framed her face in a golden glow. For a brief second, the surreal beauty of the moment made him pause.
"I was just... thinking. I had a strange feeling—like someone important is about to find us," he replied cryptically.
Daisy tilted her head. "A premonition? Wait, do you have an ability for that too?"
"Something like that," Aiden admitted. "It's unreliable. Sometimes it shows me important things. Other times, it floods me with useless junk—like someone sneezing on the other side of the world."
Daisy laughed softly, then playfully nudged his shoulder. "So... did this unreliable ability also predict us being together?"
Aiden turned to face her fully. His expression softened.
"No," he said gently, "I didn't need an ability to predict that. It wasn't about fate or a system prompt. Being with you… it just feels right. Like the universe corrected itself the moment we met."
Daisy blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice. Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, she didn't know what to say. Then, she gave him a smile that reached her eyes.
"I don't know if what you're saying is real or just something out of a cheesy romance movie... but either way, I'm happy."
"Knock knock knock—"
The knock on the car door was sudden, yet Aiden wasn't surprised. He chuckled under his breath and shrugged as Daisy looked toward the window.
"It seems," he said with a smirk, "that my unreliable ability got it right this time."
He opened the door.
Standing outside, just as in the vision, was Phil Coulson—sharp suit, calm demeanor, and that disarming smile.
"Aiden Graves. Daisy Johnson," Coulson greeted them politely. "My name is Phil Coulson. I'm an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D."
There was a brief silence as Aiden sized him up. He'd seen enough of Coulson's actions in the other world to know the man was trustworthy, resourceful, and far from ordinary despite his modest appearance.
"What's this about?" Aiden asked plainly.
"Nothing urgent, I assure you," Coulson replied. "But I'd prefer we continue this conversation somewhere more... secure."
Aiden looked to Daisy. She nodded. Her instincts told her Coulson wasn't a threat—at least not today.
He expected Coulson to guide them to a discreet location, maybe a small café or a hidden room in a local hotel. What he didn't expect was to be led directly to a plane.
Not just any plane, either. It was the CXD-23 Airborne Mobile Command Station—a highly modified Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft. Fans of the original universe called it "The Bus." A flying base of operations, outfitted with advanced technology, tactical weapons, and secret labs.
As Aiden stepped inside, he couldn't help but glance at the red classic convertible parked near the entrance.
"LOLA," he muttered under his breath.
Phil grinned. "She still flies, by the way."
They were soon ushered into the central meeting room. Screens lit the walls, data feeds blinking with classified information, and agents walked briskly past them with purpose.
Aiden took it all in silently.
Then, his gaze landed on two familiar faces—Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons. The young science duo looked slightly younger than he remembered from the series. Fitz was nervously adjusting a wrist device, while Simmons was immersed in a tablet, analyzing something complicated.
But in person… Jemma was stunning. Far more vibrant and expressive than the character portrayed on screen. Her presence filled the room like a warm breeze, balancing out the otherwise sterile environment.
Coulson gestured toward the couch at the end of the conference area. "Please, sit down."
Aiden and Daisy exchanged another glance and followed suit.
The air inside the plane buzzed with quiet energy. Aiden knew this moment marked the beginning of something bigger. The gears were turning faster now. The timeline had already changed—and he was a variable he hadn't accounted for but was not unexpected.
But he was here. Ready.
And this time, he wasn't alone.
Once they were settled into the cushioned seats aboard the aircraft, Agent Phil Coulson wasted no time getting to the point. He stood before them, hands clasped behind his back with an air of measured calm and determination.
"I'm building a team," Coulson stated plainly, the hum of the engines beneath them adding a low, steady rhythm to his words. "This plane will serve as our mobile base of operations. It's fast, flexible, and almost invisible to radar. There are very few like it in the world—technologically advanced, off-the-grid, and built for mobility."
Aiden's eyes slowly scanned the interior—sleek consoles, reinforced steel plating, soundproofed walls, and the low murmur of encrypted communications. He could already feel the atmosphere of purpose in the air, the pressure of something larger unfolding.
"Impressive," Aiden admitted with a nod, adjusting slightly in his seat. "But before we go any further, I'd like to understand your real intentions. Why us? And shouldn't there be a proper tour of your so-called base? Or is this all there is?"
Coulson smiled thinly, the corners of his mouth lifting in the calm, practiced way of a man who had handled dozens of potential allies—and enemies. He turned slightly, shifting his focus to Daisy.
"Truthfully, my main interest today is her," he said, his tone neither accusatory nor warm—simply direct. "Daisy Johnson. A known member of the Rising Tide collective. One of the best hackers we've ever seen. Your group has repeatedly breached S.H.I.E.L.D systems, stolen classified intelligence, and leaked that information to the public. Dangerous information. Information that could destabilize trust in global defense efforts. That's not something we can allow to continue."
Daisy tensed beside Aiden. Her lips curled with defiance, but her voice remained level. "So, you've come to recruit me… or threaten me?"
"Neither," Phil replied, folding his arms. "I came to give you a chance."
"A chance to work for the people who tried to keep the public blind for decades?" Daisy snapped back. "The world already knows about the Avengers, about aliens, about the fact that people calling themselves gods walk among us. You think you're protecting the public by hiding more of the truth? Or is it really just about control?"
Coulson's expression didn't waver. "There's a difference between giving people hope and making them afraid. The Avengers? They're icons. Symbols of security in the face of the unknown. But the things we're dealing with now? They're not heroes. They're unstable, artificial creations—some of them weaponized human experiments. Serums, injections, cybernetic enhancements, gene tampering… most of them don't survive. And those who do sometimes wish they hadn't."
He paused, his tone darkening. "You may have heard of Extremis. The program failed catastrophically just months ago, but someone has recovered traces of it—built something new, a viral strain that turns ordinary people into ticking time bombs."
Aiden's brow furrowed. "So let me guess—someone's replicating Extremis. Playing god. And now you think this new wave of human torches might lead to another Manhattan-level disaster."
Coulson's gaze shifted sharply to Aiden. "Exactly. And I believe your unique… background could help us understand the scale of this threat."
When Phil mentioned Extremis, Aiden noticed something odd. The agent's stare lingered on him a second too long, as if sizing him up for more than just a conversation. Aiden raised a brow.
"You keep looking at me when you mention that word," Aiden said coolly. "Do I look like I light up from the inside?"
Phil raised a hand apologetically. "No accusation. Just observation. We know you're not responsible. But with your power set—especially that swallowing ability—you might be able to identify or counteract elements of the virus if it mutates."
Daisy's voice cut through. "Wait… virus? You're saying these people with powers are carriers?"
"In a way," Coulson nodded. "Unwilling ones. The effects are similar to a drug overdose with explosive consequences. And the people behind it? Hidden. Shielded. We've hit dead ends at every turn. Which is why… I was hoping you might help us trace them."
Daisy leaned back in her seat, processing the information. "And you think I'd just help SHIELD? After everything?"
"Because I'm offering a trade," Coulson said plainly. "Help us, and your criminal record disappears. I have that authority. You become clean. Free."
Daisy glanced at Aiden, uncertainty in her eyes. "So if I don't help…?"
"I have the right to arrest you. Right now," Coulson said, voice steady. "You are on a SHIELD aircraft, 6,000 meters in the sky. I doubt either of you can fly. But I didn't come here to make enemies."
Aiden's eyes narrowed as he casually pulled out a small, ornate lighter and flipped it open. A spark flared to life. He smiled with a slow, almost dangerous ease. "Are you sure about that?"
Coulson didn't flinch, but Aiden could see the tension in his jaw, the faint pulse in his neck. The man was bluffing calm, but deep down, he wasn't certain what Aiden was capable of.
"You're threatening me?" Coulson asked.
"Not at all," Aiden said, extinguishing the flame. "Just expressing my… opinion."
Phil exhaled and met Aiden's gaze. "I'm not here to fight you, Graves. I just want to stop innocent people from blowing up on street corners. That's all."
There was a long silence.
Then Daisy stood up.
"I'll do it," she said softly. "I'll help."
Aiden turned toward her, his eyes intense. "You don't have to. No one can force you, Daisy. If you're doing this because of pressure—"
"I'm doing it because people are dying," she said firmly. "And because maybe—just maybe—we can stop it. Even if I don't trust S.H.I.E.L.D, I trust you. And you believe we can make a difference."
Aiden looked at her for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Then I'm with you."
The tension in the room lifted slightly. Coulson allowed himself the faintest smile of relief.
"Well," Aiden added with a smirk, "I suppose the plan to blow up the plane can wait, huh?"
Coulson's smile vanished.
"That's not funny," he said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Aiden chuckled. "Come on, a little humor. You need it. You look like you sleep with your boots on."
Coulson muttered something under his breath and turned to signal the pilot. "Get us moving. We've got work to do."
As the engines roared louder and the plane turned in the sky, Daisy glanced at Aiden and slipped her hand into his.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Aiden looked out the window, watching the clouds drift by like ghosts.
"We're not heroes," he murmured.
"Maybe not," she replied. "But we're all the world's got."