|
  |
The plan had been orchestrated well. It had been reviewed. It'd been consistently considered. IT's been evaluated and reevaluated. And then it was time to execute said plan. Getting into SHIELD was easy enough. Wearing Director Weaver's face was easy enough — the woman's picture was displayed throughout different places in SHIELD. It was helpful.
The ear piece had been given to Teddy, and as much information as possible is fed through the ear piece. A pair of tick-framed glasses complete with a hidden camera could take photos. It was to be quick — in and out and then done.
The Director's office is relatively unassuming. There's nothing open on the desk; nothing obvious about the room. A photo of the Director's family including Weaver is sitting on the corner of the desk next to the phone.
Each of the desk drawers are closed. A filing cabinet dits adjacent to the door.
*
A photograph was sufficient to take on the appearance of the Director. Not great but good enough. Turning into a human woman though was very, very weird. Once they got into SHIELD, Teddy did want to go see the alien so he could turn into it in case things didn't go as planned. But that was easy enough since it didn't need to be in person.
Once in Weaver's office, he - she - takes a seat behind the desk and looks at the photo. A few minute adjustments are made to his appearance to make the likeness better and then he opens a desk drawer to see what he can find.
*
The first desk drawer is relatively empty. A pen. An empty pad of paper. But when Teddy goes to close the drawer, it emits a strange sound — high pitch, hollow, and nearly a squeal.
*
Teddy pauses at the sound and takes a closer look at the drawer. After a moment, he pulls it out completely to take a look behind it and under it. Or if there's nothing there, seeing if there's a false back or bottom or something like they have int he spy movies.
*
When Teddy removes the drawer from the desk in its entirety, he notices that the drawer from the side looks deeper than it actually is from the top. Sure enough, if he flips it over, there seems to be a latch. When Teddy opens the latch, another drawer is found. A large stack of papers, complete with blueprints can be found in the stack.
*
Teddy puts the drawer back in then starts going through the papers one at a time. Each gets photoed but he's also trying to figure out what they are in case they're something he needs to know.
*
The papers are varied. Some are notes that actually appear to be legitimate SHIELD documents with names of agents and postings. Others, however, seem to have been added to the stack. Large blueprints to some kind of containment facility display a long labyrinth kind of concrete fortress.
Another document contains a briefing about the state of the Director of SHIELD rather than the science and technology wing. Another document contains specifications about a purple-hued crystal that includes a long description of the crystal's features.
*
"You there, Fitz?" Teddy murmurs. "Bunch of papers here. Some are definitely from SHIELD but I don't know about the others. You know anything about a purple crystal? There's also blueprints here. Looks like some kind of prison."
*
Somewhere in the basement, a link feeds back to the earpiece and a similar signal. It's strange in many respects. "I am here," Fitz straightens in his spot. The notion of the papers prompts Fitz's nose to wrinkles, "SHIELD found a crystal that powers the prison on Governor's Island, yeah?" He emits a long breath. "Possible the blueprints are for the prison, but not sure why that'd be in the Director's desk." He hums softly. "The prison blueprints would have a large central power source in its centre." When Teddy looks at the blueprints, that doesn't exist. This doesn't seem to be what Fitz is describing.
*
"Nope, that's not it. I've got a picture though." Teddy says, continuing to photo the rest of the papers, front and back. Once he's through them, they'll go back in the hidden compartment.
*
At the bottom of the papers is a large manila file folder. When Teddy looks through it, it presents as a full dossier on Peggy Carter. It contains information about her mannerisms, her appearance, clothing choices, description of her gait, and full profiles about all of her family members. The drawer slides back into place easily enough. It makes that same noise as he returns it to its spot.
*
Teddy nods when he sees the dossier. Makes sense that they'd want to know everything possible. Shutting that drawer, he checks the others in the desk. "Okay, got that batch done. Put them back and looking for more."
*
"Roger," Fitz replies. "I'm here. I'll be here." He quiets as Teddy begins to explore the desk further. The set of three drawers on the side of the desk open easily enough. The first of the trio is relatively uninteresting, revealing little more than a stapler, tape dispenser, and some spare staples.
The second drawer contains a stack of paper clips, but little more.
The third drawer is completely empty.
*
Uh-huh. Makes sense there's only one secret compartment. Why have more? If the first is found, anyone would look for a second in the other drawers. Standing, Teddy moves over to the file cabinet but then looks back at the desk. Returning to it, he kneels down on the floor to check under the desk itself where he was sitting.
*
The bottom of the desk is empty. Evidently there's nothing else to see here.
The filing cabinet, however, has a number of agent case-files as well as personnel files. Several, however, are empty. Completely empty. A file for Phil Coulson is nothing beyond a folder. A file for Bobbi Morse is nothing more than a folder. Similar circumstances are seen for both Jemma Simmons and Leopold Fitz.
*
"Fitz?" Teddy says quietly. "Looks like they're studying a bunch of agents to replace. Your friend Simmons. Also some guys named Coulson and Morse. And you. All the paperwork is gone so the aliens who are supposed to replace them must have them. They could already be replaced." So could Fitz.
*
The words don't exactly process and there's a quiet pregnant pause. "…that's… just… great," the sarcasm and exasperation lines each of Fitz's words. "They're skilled. You have to give them that." He inhales a sharp breath.
*
Teddy closes the file cabinet and leans back against it for a moment. "I think I'm done here. Nothing else in the desk or file cabinet." Pause. "Fitz, why did I come by the island the second time I was there and what did I give you?"
*
There's a pause on the other end of the radio. "You came to give me a blood sample to ensure you didn't have gamma radiation, yeah? I was going to compare it overtime." He sucks on the inside of his cheek. "I decided your exposure wasn't a problem."
*
"Okay, good. You're you." Unless they tortured the information out of the real Fitz but there's not a lot Teddy can do about that. "You should stay where you are and I'll come get you. Keep talking till I get there so I know you're not being kidnapped while I'm on the way."
*
"Reasonable," Fitz replies easily. "Uh… " there's another pause. "Soooo… things to talk about…" that don't include him or any of his colleagues getting replaced by aliens. "I… so I'm from across the pond, yeah? But not.. I'm not British. Scottish. Just mom and me. And. Uh. Football. And… the Beatles. You hear of these Beatles. Great music, really top-notch. Don't think the've made it this far yet, yeah?"
*
Teddy makes sure the room looks pretty much like it did before he got here then leaves. "No, never heard of them." A quick glance in either direction then he heads down the hall to where the stairs are.
*
"Good music… good lyrics… just the best. Simmons… Jemma, she would argue her beloved Doctor Who is spades better. But don't believe her, mate. Beatles are still the best. Good tunes," now Fitz has taken to rambling about nothing. "Like. Love love me do," he's not remotely musical. He doesn't do the song justice. At all.
*
"Doctor Who? Never heard of them either." Strange name for a band but then again, so are insects. "Was I supposed to do that second ting today too? Or do you just want to get out of here?" Teddy asks.
*
There's a pause and then Fitz says, "Let's regroup. Jemma is going to be easier to replace. We know where she is," for real, anyways. He emits a long sigh. "We need to touch base with… Agent Morse." Hopefully she's still Agent Morse. "I'll get a blood sample before we move on with plans."
*
"Sounds like a plan." Teddy agrees. "Maybe you should try to get the others too and make sure they're okay. If not, I should be able to stop them." He's nothing if not confident. "They need to be warned."
*
"Yeah… might be important to move things on." Fitz allows that thought to linger. Regardless one thing is clear: "We need to keep moving forward with the plan."
*
"And find out what those blueprints are to." Teddy points out. "And that crystal. Most of the stuff were SHIELD papers so why were they mixed together?" Shutting up, he nods curtly to someone he passes before continuing softly. "You know, this would be fun if it wasn't so…" He just trails off, not finding the right word.
*
"Horrifying?" is the word Fitz suggests which probably tells his state of mind. It takes just a bit longer, but when Teddy is visible, he tugs the ear piece out of his ear. "We should move, yeah?" because regrouping requires actually leaving.
*
Well, no. That wasn't the word Teddy would have picked but it's good enough. "Yeah, let's get you out of here before something happens. And I want to see your blood too once we do. This could be some kind of weird, twisty plan." He removes his earbud and places it in his pocket.
*
"Reasonable," Fitz offers in return. "I'll need a kit, yeah?" And.. probably more than one. He nabs each of the things he'll need to test blood. "We can check in my flat. Or. Somewhere else. With a microscope." Evidently Leo has a microscope in his home. No one is surprised.
*
"If we get stopped by them, pretend I captured you." Teddy suggests. "And it was come along quietly or else." After a moment, he says "I don't know why they haven't replaced you already. Have you been going home to sleep at all? Or the others? Cause none of you should."