496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkUJu5NAH3
April 15, 2001
A fire flickered in the wide stone hearth, casting shadows across the dimly lit room. The faint echoes that were coming from the radio in the other room was nearly drowned out by the patter of rain.
A brown haired woman sat at the desk by the window, bent over a paper. Her crystal blue eyes were fixed on the words she was writing.
She looked up sighed. “There are approximately 34 different ways to sneak in and out of here, Agent Coulson. I’m pretty sure you would’ve thought that I know them already.” After no response, she leaned back in her chair.
“I know you’re here.” She called, and then paused before adding “I won’t fight you.”
A small group of agents, lead by Coulson, stepped out from behind a doorway. Two of the agents were heavily armed, the third holding a box of devices. Coulson cast a wary gaze across the room.
“Where is she, 67?”
She stood up, scribbling a few more words on the paper, before setting down his pen. “That’s not my name.” She said. Coulson looked at her.
“Rorie, where is she?”
Rorie looked around at the other agents, her face falling when she saw one. “Jake?” She whispered. Jake kept his mouth in a tight line. Rorie looked away from her former friend.
“She’s safe, I’ll guarantee that. But she’s somewhere you’ll never find her” She finally said. “Ash has been gone for four… almost five and a half years now.”
Coulson narrowed his eyes at her and turned to Jake. “Your friend will tell you I’m not lying.” Rorie said bitterly. Jake looked at Coulson, and back down at the screen. “She’s… she’s telling the truth.”
Coulson turned to the other men. “Search the entire building. I want every inch searched and accounted for. Jake, go downstairs and send a wire to HQ.” He said and the men nodded, Jake casting a look of regret to Rorie. Her eyes remained cold.
Once they were alone, Coulson turned to Rorie. “Alright, Rorie. The truth. Where is she?”
“Coulson, you know the pain of watching someone you came to think of as your child have to leave you. You were like a father to me, and thank you. But if S.H.I.E.L.D. gets their hands on her…” Rorie shook her head.
“Is she here?” Coulson repeated.
“No.”
Rorie sighed and sat back down at the desk. “She’s safe, I trust my brother.” She looked back up at him. “You should go. And not come back.” She said sadly.
“Rorie, it doesn’t have to be like this.” Coulson said. “Phil, you were the one who trained me to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. You were the closest thing Jimmie and I had to family. Thank you. But you’re still an agent and my daughter is an 0-8-4. I don’t want to, but we have to be enemies.” Rorie said and looked at the paper.
Coulson turned to leave. “Rorie. Who is her father?” He called behind him. She sighed.
“I don’t regret anything about what we did, only that it didn’t last.” She said. “I loved him.”
“Rorie, they’re not going to stop until they find her.” Coulson warned. Rorie leaned back as the door closed and heard a voice, soft, and so painfully familier whisper in her ear.
Don’t worry, Rorie. I am proud of my daughter. She has a bigger role to play in the future than any of us can imagine and she is safe. I will look after her forever. I promise.
