Retrograde

Chapter five: Morris

They left early the next day, needing to stay moving and needing to get supplies.

"So we're just leaving the jet?" Skye asked, running to keep up with Coulson.

"Afraid so. But it'll be fine. Fitz put the cloaking on and without the key nothing short of a drone strike will get it open."

"So we're walking? Please don't say we're walking."

"We're walking. But only to the nearest car dealership. We have a few thousand in cash so it'll have to do."

"Only in shield could you hear the phrase 'a few thousand in cash will have to do' Honestly no wonder the government is after us guns blazing our budget must be through the roof." Hunter scoffed.

"The government is after us too?" Skye yelled a bit too loud "Seriously Coulson, I know this is a fast paced work environment but how much can you miss in two days?"

Coulson sent a disapproving glare to Hunter for mentioning the government.

He winced and mouthed "Sorry."

Coulson sighed. This would be harder to explain than the gifted's. It was more difficult to try and pass this development off as happening within the last two days.

"Remember Hydra yesterday? Turns out a few of them have been hiding in shield. The government now thinks we're all hydra and has labelled shield a terrorist organisation." Despite how often he had said it, the realisation that shield was all but black listed still hit him full force.

"What?!" She yelled again, spitting out the water she had been drinking.

"Bloody hell!" Fitz's hand flew to his head which was now wet thanks to Skye.

"Sorry Fitz!" She used her sleeve to dry his hair.

"So we're having some problems. We're working through them." Coulson shrugged.

Skye's mouth was still open at how casual Coulson was being about this. What she didn't know was that he'd had a few months to come to terms with it.

"Is that why Fury is gone? He's in hiding?"

"Yes. Which is why he tasked me with trying to fix shields status using the toolbox he gave me. Hence Gonzales coming after me, now us, and hence us walking in 102 degree heat in the middle of nowhere."

"At least you don't seem bitter about it." Hunter chimed in and Fitz snorted.

"Why would I be? It's not like being on the run isn't a career goal of mine."

"I kind of always wanted to be on the FBI'S most wanted." Skye blurted.

They all stopped walking and turned to look at her.

"What?" She stoped walking too.

"Why the hell would you want that?" Fitz asked.

"Because..." she paused, embarrassed at their staring "It would mean this big scary organisation thinks you're skilled enough to be a threat to them." She explained as they started walking again.

"And it's nice to be wanted."

They arrived at a car dealership after an hour and a half.

"If being on the run requires anymore walking I think I'll just turn myself in. Jail cells are cool right? And they give you water."

"Yeah you'll find it increasingly less cool the more time you spend in one." Ward huffed.

"You we're in jail?" Skye raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Ward.