Retrograde

Chapter three: Cup of Teaception

After half an hour of the sound of keys tapping, Skye spoke "Simmons is now in her room at this playground place, reading a book and drinking a nice cup of tea," she said in a horrible British accent "Or at least there's footage playing of her doing that," she whipped her head up and asked Ward, appalled, "Why the hell does this place have cameras in the bedrooms anyway?"

"Don't ask me. Probably a security protocol." He told her.

"They didn't tell us about them when we moved in?" She seemed shocked.

Shit. Ward forgot he was supposed to have been living there with them, in the actual rooms and not in the vault he had been put in.

"Yeah," he coughed, struggling to come up with a lie "Coulson said the place had been used during the nineties, the bedrooms we're in now used to be conference rooms and storage facilities things like that." He spoke out of his ass, not even believing himself.

"Oh," she frowned but suddenly scoffed, "That was why it was so easy to hack. Nineties technology is a walk in the park."

He felt himself relax, having not nearly blown it like an idiot and tried to distract her from follow up questions.

"Have you sent her our location?"

"Doing it now, Mr impatient."

He ignored the comment and closed his eyes, feeling guilty for rushing her but needing her mind on other things.

"Weird," she mumbled, tearing open a packet of Reece's peanut butter cups.

"What is?" Ward asked, eyes still closed.

"The date on this laptop is screwed. It's set to next year."

His eyes flew open and he jumped to his feet in a blur.

He snatched the laptop, knocking the chocolates out of Skye's hands sending them all over the bed and confirmed what she had said, cursing whoever had invented timekeeping.

"What the hell?" She snapped, hands in the air from when he took the laptop, looking around at the sudden mess surrounding her.

"Have you finished? Did you send it?" He asked quickly, near desperately.

"Yes! Chill!" Her eyes were wide and bewildered "It's sent. Does this place have a spa you can take advantage of while we're here? Cause you really need to relax Ward."

Her nose scrunched "On second thought, stay edgy. If a place like this had a spa you'd be coming out of it with more than a facial." She fake gagged.

"Ok. Good. I'll tell Coulson." Leaving the door open so he could see Skye he knocked on Coulson's door.

Coulson opened it revealing Fitz and Hunter behind him.

"It's done. Skye set up the video loop and sent our location." He told them.

"Good," he searched his former specialists face and saw that he seemed unsettled.

"What is it?" Coulson asked.

Ward looked back at skye who was still sitting on the bed trying to collect the little chocolates but was very much within hearing distance.

"Fitz can you go stay with Skye for a minute?" He asked, still looking at Coulson as he knew the younger agent didn't like when he made eye contact with him.

He couldn't blame him.

Fitz walked out of the room wordlessly, most likely because he didn't want to say anything to Ward ever again.

Hunter followed him and Ward shut the door behind the two agents.

"What is it?" Coulson repeated.