Line of Fire

2x03; making friends and influencing people

"Wow, that's an impressive face you have on there, Mara," Mack's wary voice said, breaking Mara's concentration. The brunette looked up to see Mack and Fitz staring at her from across the break room. "What are you working on?"

In the week or so that Mara had been at the Playground, Mara hadn't exactly gotten along with Mack. At least, at first. He was one of the only people at the HQ that didn't seem to trust Mara - something that scared her. However, she'd slowly grown to get along with him better. It probably had something to do with the fact that he and Fitz always hung around the break room when they had free time, which was where Mara had more or less taken up shop for her own work.

The room was tense and quiet for the first few days, but now there was occasional conversation. Mara also noticed that she was moving closer towards where the pair would always sit on the couch. Instead of secluding herself in the corner every time they walked into the room, now she sat at the table, her body angled towards them.

"Oh, this is just the Times crossword puzzle," Mara replied finally, letting out a small laugh.

While her response may have sounded casual and offhanded, her hands told a different story. From the moment Mack asked his question, Mara's fingers tightened instinctively around her tablet. Even though the only other occupants of the room were several yards away, Mara tilted the screen up to face her, just in case they could somehow read the material on it. The project she was working on was far from the Times crossword puzzle - or any kind of crossword puzzle for that matter. It was the only thing that had been on her tablet ever since she had arrived at the Playground; the markings.

Trouble was, Mara still had no idea what they were. Every code-breaking algorithm and etymological assessment came back with crap all and nothing could make Mara angrier. That, and Coulson had just flooded her with new images and markings not hours ago. He continued to refuse to tell her just where they were coming from, which made deciphering that that much harder.

"Well, what's the question then?" Mack prompted and Mara made a confused face. Just what was he asking and why did his tone sound so...accusatory?

"I'm sorry?" Mara raised an eyebrow. She tried to release the tension in her hands, but her fingers remained locked in place.

"The question you're having trouble with," Mack explained. He turned to Fitz and shrugged. "Maybe we could help."

Ah, yes, Mara saw what he was trying to do here. Thinking quickly, Mara tried to remember the most recent question she'd actually had a problem with. "Um..." Mara trailed off, throwing a glance at her tablet in an attempt to make her cover look convincing. "Five down; author of Disquisitiones Arithmetica'."

"Gauss," Fitz spoke up, surprising both Mara and Mack. When they turned to him, he added a mumbled, "He's a mathematics...It's a book about, um, about math." Before Mack could utter the compliment on his lips, Trip walked into the room.

"Hey, Mara. Working on another crossword?" He teased, causing her to laugh.

"Am I that predictable?" She asked, grinning.

"Man, I wish I knew what you did so that you got to work with crosswords all day," Trip said, mirroring her smile. However, his smile slowly began to fade. "Hey, do any of you guys know about Agent 33?"

When both Mack and Fitz shook their heads, Mara spoke up. "You mean /the/ Agent 33?" She asked. "Wasn't she one of our top agents?" Her words trailed off as a look of worry crossed her face. "W-what happened to her?"

"I just overheard May and the Director out in the hallway," Trip began and Mara could already feel her heart begin to sink. "Looks like Hydra got to her before we could."

"Dammit," Mack cursed. "We've been losing people left and right out there. And just when you thought things couldn't get any worse..."

"From what I heard, there are still some agents that are still out there. Anyone know what happened to Crossfire?" Trip asked, trying hard not to sound hopeful.

After a brief pause, Mara ventured, "Do you mean Agent Salomon?" She cocked her to the side. "I thought I heard he died."

"Really? I heard he was still out there somewhere," Trip replied, his tone disappointed. "Going on a field op with him would've been something."

At the tail end of his words, Hunter walked into the room. He sauntered over to the fridge, grabbing a drink out of it. Mara had to resist the urge to glare at him. She may not have gone on the mission he betrayed, but that doesn't mean he didn't anger her. Betrayal was not something Mara took lightly and she had no idea why Coulson decided to keep him on the team.

"Hunter," Mara called, almost before she realized what was coming out of her mouth. He looked up, raising an eyebrow at her. "You were on SHIELD's dark side, right? Ever work with Agent Salomon?"

"Like Crossfire, you mean?" Hunter asked, eyebrows now skyrocketing. "Not a chance. I never even got to meet the guy. Why?"

"We've been trying to figure out where some of the agents have gone," Mack supplied. "Know anything about that?"

"Well, he's dead, isn't he?" Hunter made a face like that was supposedly all old news. The rest of the room's occupants let out a chorus of disappointed noises. "What, you mean you didn't know that?"

"Hey, everyone?" Skye's voice called, her head popped around the corner a moment later. "Coulson's calling a meeting to go over mission plans. Briefing room in five, guys."

~x~

Once everyone had more or less left the room, Mara took her chance. She stood quickly, heading over to the corner where Coulson was standing, looking him directly in the eye.

"I already know what you're going to say," Coulson began, his expression unchanging.

"Please," Mara implored. She was already skipping straight to the begging. "I know it might be too early, but I want to go back into the field. I think I can do this."

"You're right, it is too early," Coulson agreed, completely ignoring the rest of what Mara was going to say. "You shouldn't be back in the field until you're sure."

"Well, I'm pretty sure," Mara repeated, wincing at the timidity in her voice. She leaned closer, dropping her words to a whisper. "Director, this man has ice powers, yes?"

Coulson sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "Yes, he does," He said, finally looking up. "But that doesn't mean-"

"I know I've only been here for a week or so, but I worry about the team," Mara attempted.

"So do I," Coulson replied, his tone even. "And, like me, you can worry about them from here. They're a capable group. They can handle themselves."

"I don't even need to be part of the field team," Mara was getting desperate. "I can just be support - watch from the quinjet."

"Mara," Coulson said, his voice warning.

"Director, this guy has ice powers," Mara began, changing the tone of her voice. "And I used to be a field agent."

"And I said you're not going. That's an order, Agent Arany," Coulson cut her off. The strength behind his words stopped Mara immediately. "You're needed here."

A heavy kind of silence filled the room and for several long moments, Mara found herself unable to respond. "Understood," She said eventually. There was a split second pause before she added a cold, "Director" and left the room.