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It's been about a week since Teddy went to the SHIELD site and got checked out for radiation poisoning. He called the number on the card that Fitz gave him and told them to let Fitz know that he was going to be coming over like they talked about so don't try to shoot him down or anything. About a half hour later, Hulkling circles the island to see if he can spot Fitz and whether there's anyone with guns aiming at him in case the message didn't go through.
*
The message definitely made it through, and there are no guns pointed for Teddy when he circles back. Leo Fitz, however, paces alongside the nearest building. His paces increase and his hands tuck deeply into his khaki pockets. He eyes the sky above, and continues to run back and forth. His skin is pale. He has dark shadows under his eyes. He stops pacing when Teddy enters view, and he attempts a smile, but it's a very sad, not-at-all convincing attempt.
*
Reassured he's not going to be fired on, Hulkling flies down, aiming fir a point a dozen feet or so from Fitz before touching down. As he walks over, the bat wings shrink until they disappear. "Hi. Glad to see they gave you my message. Never can be sure if someone's going to pass it on or…" Pause. "What's wrong? Did something happen to the blood I left? Was I exposed after all? I'm not nauseous or anything and my hair's not falling out." As if to prove it, he reaches up to give a lock a tug.
*
Fitz shakes hi "N-no. It's … it's still secure." He swallows hard. Simmons was supposed to be here for this, but she got called into something else. Nervously, he motions for Teddy to follow him into the lab. Because, reasons. He shudders as she begins to descend the staircase. "Uh. So. You. Uh. Hi. Good that… it's good you're well." There. Totally casual.
*
Teddy starts following Fitz but the things Billy said echo in his memory and he stops. "Why are you acting so strange?" he asks, starting to look and sound suspicious. He even looks around to see if anyone's trying to sneak up on him.
*
"N-no… reason, " Fitz looks over his shoulder with his hands still tucked deeply into his pockets. He stops in his tracks as Teddy does and he stares at the other man a few beats. "What are you?" he lifts his hands openly in a forfeit move. "…Just… before … look… you said you were a mutant, yeah?" his eyebrows lift.
*
"Right." Teddy agrees, sounding a bit puzzled. What else could he be? Human and mutant are the only options and humans can't shapeshift. "Why? What's going on?" Again, he glances around him before looking back to Fitz. "I'm not going to let the government do any experiments on me and try to turn me into some kind of super assassin to go kill Khrushchev." he warns.
*
It takes a few seconds for the words to really register to Fitz — mostly because his mind is in a totally different zone. "….what?" he squints at Teddy, but keeps his hands lifted. "N…no. No one is … no one even knows. I didn't even write it in a report. Just explain to me what the plan is. Please. I… Jemma was supposed to…" his face pales.
"Look, I know you're not a mutant. I know you're not," his voice silences into a whisper, "of this earth."
*
"What are you talking about?" Hulkling demands. "Of course I'm a mutant. I was born in Brooklyn. Me and my mom live in Manhattan." Frowning, he eyes Fitz and looks around him again just in case. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
*
"Look, the jig is up," Fitz says, "but I didn't write it in a report. Neither did my lab mate, yeah? So no one knows your," again his voice drops to a whisper, "one of them." His body stiffens. "Your cells the two nuclei, they… we… I had another sample. From someone we think is not… not an earl thing." There. Done.
*
"I'm a mutant!" Hulkling insists, thumping himself on the chest. "I'm not one of anyone. Whatever it is you have, whoever it's from must be a mutant to. I took biology. I know not everyone has the same genes. So we just different mutants." So there.
*
"They aren't a mutant," Fitz insists. "They … could change their shape to look like anyone. They…" he frowns slightly. "…they are like little green men.. the way your genes look, it compares." His cheeks puff out irritably.
*
Well, that proves Teddy's point and he spreads his arms. Look at him! "Do I look little?" he asks. Hah, case closed. "Look, whatever you think you know, I'm a mutant and I was born here on Earth. And I'm going to leave now. Are there any government agents who are going to try to stop me? Cause I'd really rather not hurt anyone but I'm not going to be some experimental animal in a lab somewhere."
*
Fitz squints at Teddy. "Honestly, no one is going to bar anything or keep you from going anywhere. We don't…" he frowns. "I'm not making this up, and I've never seen mutant DNA that looks like yours. Based on structure I expect to see — well, the structure makes little sense as an evolution of human DNA."
*
Teddy doesn't really look like he believes Fitz but he doesn't immediately turn to leave either. "I am not from out space. That's ridiculous. I have the school records to prove it." Pause. "Not that I'm going to show you since you'd find out who I am but just take my word for it."
*
"It's not… your DNA tells me otherwise," Fitz returns. "Look, I believe you believe what you're saying," Leo actually lifts his hands. "And… logically… I don't think you would've willingly given a sample if you…" he shrugs. "Not when the subject we got the other sample from dodged medical appointments left and right. But, your DNA is… it's a meld. One like this subject. One we can't identify."
*
Teddy frowns and folds his arms across his chest. "What do you mean a meld? I thought you said they were the same? Now you're saying they're not the same? Then whya re you saying I'm not from here?"
*
"Because neither strand seems to be human," Fitz replies in turn. "My lab mate agreed your DNA was .. peculiar, but more than that, it half-matched a sample from an impostor." He shrugs slightly. "The rest?" Fitz actually shrugs. "It's a match, but not wholly. I don't… know any more than that."
*
Teddy shakes his head at the entire situation. "This is just crazy and makes no sense at all. None. At all." Reaching up, he runs his fingers through his hair. "Why /aren't/ there a hundred soldiers trying to capture me?" he asks suddenly, frowning at Fitz. "If you really thought I was an alien, why are you just standing there talking to me?"
*
"Because my mate and I decided not to," Fitz replies before swallowing hard. His body stiffens considerably. "And maybe it was a bad idea, but… " he shrugs. "Jemma and I made a decision."
*
"Your mate? You're married?" Hulkling asks, brows rising. "Is that why? She's in trouble and you need my help? What were you going to say earlier? Something about 'Jemma was supposed to…' Supposed to what?"
*
Leo arches an eyebrow, "Oh! Right! Americans. Uh… mate… as in… my best mate. Er… friend," his eyebrows lift." There. "N-no. Jemma was supposed to be here." His lips twist to the side. "In case this went poorly somehow." His lips purse.
"
*
"Oh. Well, that still doesn't explain why. But I'm not going to argue about it." I demand you try to capture me! Nope, not going to happen. "So now what?" Teddy asks.
*
"Well…" Fitz's eyes narrow. "If you're not going to replace me," like the bodysnatchers are supposed to, "…then, maybe … you can help us." He chews his bottom lip. "These aliens can become anyone. We need a way to detect them. But live specimens willing to cooperate are," he rocks his hand uncertainly. "So. Maybe you and Simmons can work on that. She's the biochemist."
*
"Of course I'm not going to replace you." Teddy protests. "I don't even know what that means. I don't think I can spot aliens though so I'm not sure what help I can give your friend. I'm not going to beat up a prisoner till he cooperates."
*
"That's not…" Fitz stares at Teddy a few beats. "You really don't think well of us here, do you?" His head cants to the side and he emits a long breath. "Look, if I wanted you caught, I would've called int he brigade. I'm not a sodden' field agent. I'm a lab rat. I live in the lab." His lips purse. "This is all science. And not exactly on the books, yeah?" His eyes flit about the staircase. "I know you don't know the nitty gritty details because I can't exactly be forthcoming, but seems many people we work for have been taken over by actual bodysnatchers. And you have DNA that matches. We want to figure out who's who in the zoo. With science."
*
There's the realization. "Ooooh. You meant that literally!" Teddy exclaims. "They were /replacing/ you. Physically. Wow. That's scary." Pause. "What do they do with the ones they take?" Pause. "Wait. That woman. Your Director. Was she…?" Wow.
*
Fitz's head cants the side again and his eyebrows lift at the guess. It's not exactly a yes, but it's not a no either, and probably more telling than he intends. Leopold Fitz really makes a terrible spy. "So yeah, this isn't me trying to bring you in, this is me trying to find a way to figure out if the people I work for are all aliens. The count is ever-increasingly." His nose wrinkles.
*
It's not exactly a guess since it was a dead green alien and there's only so many coincidences allowed in one radiation disaster. "And I can help you with that how?" Teddy asks then kind of fidgets. "Ummm, look. You're still wrong but I can understand why you're wrong. And if these aliens really are taking the place of people and doing Gods knows what or why - trying to start World War III maybe so we kill ourselves off without them needing to so they have an easy supply of meat - I'm going to help. Which means I should probably let you know… I umm, can do that too." Beat. "Look like someone, not start World War III."
*
Fitz's eyes widen slightly. Yup. Definitely one of those aliens. He pinches the bridge of his nose, "We should… figure out ways to test it. I need… you need," he squares a look at Teddy, "to meet Jemma. She can brainstorm better. This is her wheelhouse. But maybe we can fix this. And avoid World War III, yeah? Seems ideal for everyone. But if we know how to detect it without blood tests — some kind of difference in temperature, acidity, pressure… something, then maybe we have a fighting chance of stopping it."
*
Teddy nods his agreement. "Alright. This is my home and I'll do what I can do keep it from being conquered by aliens. I know it's probably top top secret… but I should probably see this prisoner of yours and see if I can tell if he's an alien. Maybe since we have similar powers, I'll see something." Similar. Not the same.
*
"The prisoner is… deceased," Fitz's eyes narrow. "At least the one I have access to, yeah?" His eyebrows lift and he studies Teddy's face. "But we may be able to get you access. I may have to smuggle you into the building. Security has gotten tighter, not looser." And for good reason, it seems. "But if you won't break anything in the lab…" or reveal secrets "…we can probably make it work."
*
"I don't know if seeing a dead one will help but I'm willing to look. And I'll be careful." Teddy assures Fitz. "I'll just change into something smaller and less likely to bump into things. Which will probably be the easiest way to get me in with you. Umm, don't freak, okay?" Glancing over his shoulder to make sure they're alone, he shrinks down and shifts into one of the soldiers wearing a SHIELD uniform that he saw during the explosions.
*
Fitz gapes at Teddy and his transformation. And as he gapes, he forgets how to breathe. Of course, he has no idea he's holding his breath until he begins to see spots. His head grows light, and then, out of nowhere, he gasps for breath as he reaches out to clutch the railing. "…I just need to live in the lab…" he mutters to himself as he leads the way down the stairs and into the building using the access codes he knows so well.
Unlike last time the pair were in the lab, this time, it's a hub of activity. People are running around engaging in, presumably, science.
*
"Umm, careful." Teddy warns and half reaches out but stops since it's like to make Fitz freak even more. Instead, he tugs his jacket down and follows the scientist, trying to look soldierly. Nothing to see here, just another government warrior drone. "You redecorated." he murmurs.
*
"Yeah, people have been busy," Fitz returns. His hands return to his pockets. But as he moves through the lab, one of the other fellows stops him.
"Agent Fitz," the young man passes Leo a large weapon. "You left this lying around. We were under the impression it was experimental and you'd wanted to have it to — "
Fitz sets the weapon back on the lab bench. His face pales, and he madly shakes his head, " — no. Just… bringing Agent Thompson here to the cooler." he motions towards the back wall. "Couple things I need to walk him through. Uh.. take this and put it in the hold, yeah?"
His paces increase as he leads Teddy to the cooler, the less questions they get the better.
Once the pair are inside the very cold fridge, Fitz begins looking at the different cabinets. He strolls alongside the wall, mentally taking a catalogue of each. His fingers slide over the serial numbers until they reach one of the end. He inhales a sharp breath, and punches a few numbers into the access panel before giving the drawer a tug.
The green alien on the slab, with its wrinkled appearance, really doesn't look at thing like the former director, but there she is, in all her glory. Fitz motions to her, "Not… human." He shrugs.
*
Teddy follows Fitz then comes to a stop when the other scientists halt them. The weapon gets a curious look but he doesn't say anything and merely waits till they set off again. Inside the… morgue? he looks around curiously while Fitz inspects the various drawers then walks over when one gets pulled out. "No." he agrees. "And ugly. Do they all look like this? Can they do anything besides look like someone?"
*
"Nothing we can tell," Fitz replies as he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Pretty hard to test when we have them like," he splays his hands in front of him towards the body. "And yes, very ugly. Not at all like the Director. Not that… I'm not… people don't… I'm not attracted to — " he pinches the bridge of his nose again. He's flustered. With a sharp sniff he shrugs. "Any thoughts?"
*
Teddy shakes his head, opening his mouth to say something then stops and scratches at an ear. "Well, it… I… No, it's kind of stupid. But… Well, what if we replaced their replacer?"
*
Fitz snaps and points at Teddy, "That is," his eyes turn downwards and he thinks around the words. "No. That could work. But not the Director," he motions to the dead alien. "The Director of SHIELD Science and Technology was one of them. We don't know where the real Director is, yeah? But! If we can replace their replacer… Doctor Weaver… then maybe we can find Director Carter." His nostrils flare. "We need Simmons. And this has to be a covert operation. I don't know who out there is one. Or if anyone is one. But we can't just tell people — "
*
"I'd need to know what he looks like." Teddy points out. "And I should probably know what the alien looks like in case I need to change into it. And…" He takes a deep breath and lets it out noisily. "This will never work. Do they have their own language? I don't know what their plans are. I don't know their names. How can I fake being an alien faking being a person?"
*
Fitz clucks his tongue. "Well… maybe you can fake it just long enough, yeah? If you act as Weaver maybe someone will get in touch and then we can follow it up the line. It's not about the long-term blend. It's the short-term intel we need. Just enough to get our people back and to figure out the scope of the problem."
*
Teddy nods. "It's worth a shot. And if it doesn't work, we tried. And if they have similar powers to me, I'll be ready for it. I can hold them off till you arrive with the cavalry." Looking over at Fitz, he asks "There will be cavalry right?"
*
"Yeah, there will be cavalry. I just need to figure out who we can trust. But count on the science for that." Because Fitz can always trust science. "For now, I need a way to get in touch with you. I'm going to talk to some Agents, and have them submit to some tests. We can run comparisons of your DNA with theirs. And then we can get this done."