Oceans Away || Leo Fitz Book Three

Chapter FiftyThree

Daisy was going to go. She had to. While May tried to object, they all knew there was no way that she could leave Andrew, not when he would never really be himself again. Asia wanted the chance to pull Leo aside and ask him more about his time theory. Because he was right...even if she didn't want to believe it. There had to be something you could do, some conscious decision, that switched the path you were on. Asia refused to believe otherwise. She would have to do some reading, too. Educate herself a little more on the different principles.

Of course, with this change in the plan, they had to adjust everything else too. Make sure that the end of Daisy's vision still didn't come into play. Daisy would go in alone and the assault team would wait in the Quinnjet. Asia would stay in the van with Leo, serving as a security force for him, but no powers allowed (despite the fact that Leo was certain she would be using them anyways, if Daisy saw them in the snow). From the van, Leo would tap into the security system so they could have eyes on Daisy and the situation as it played out. The van would play as Daisy's exit strategy. If anything bad happened, Asia would get them the hell out of Dodge.

"So," Asia said, reclining in the driver's seat and glancing back at Leo, who was tapping away at his tablet and bringing the security feed up, sending it to the base. He looked cute doing it, as always. "Want to go over this whole time theory thing with me again?"

"You're trying to get into a debate with me again," He said, grinning up at her cheekily, his fingers still moving over the tablet screen, not even needing to look. "You know I always win the science debates, Asia. Just like you always win politics and the arts."

Asia rolled her eyes playfully. "Just wait until I start hitting the books, buddy. Then you won't win any of the debates."

Leo shook his head, but the smile never left his lips. "We can definitely go over it again if you want. But, first, want a glimpse inside the building before Daisy goes in? About to pull the feed up."

Asia sighed, "Fine, fine, fine, we can focus on the work first." She shifted, rolling on to her stomach so she could see the screen set up in the back of the van where Leo had set up their little viewing party.

The feed was black and white, a little grainy, but it was a hallway, with two figures. One, she thought she recognized. The same Inhuman who attacked Bobbi and Hunter a while back when they infiltrated the ATCU. The other figure was facing away from the camera, and wearing what looked like a long, black trench coat. Classic Hydra, always looking sinister. Slowly, the figure facing away from them rotated, glancing directly at the camera.

Asia froze. That face. The strong jaw line, black stubble, coiffed hair. The feed cut out, leaving them in darkness inside the van. Her heart was beating so loud she was certain everyone in a two mile radius could hear it. But she didn't care. Because the man on that screen....it was Grant Ward.

"No," Asia said, shaking her head. "No that's not possible. My eyes are playing tricks on me. There is no way that that was Grant Ward. It's not possible."

"No," Leo said, shaking his head, brows furrowed as he stared at the now dark screen. "It's not possible. That, I think. Was something worse, entirely." Asia's stomach sank as she thought back to that alien planet, and what Leo had killed there. Maybe it hadn't been so dead, after all.

Suddenly, the radio squawked, cutting through the silence in the air. "We're coming to you." It was Coulson, and that was all that he said. The two agents looked at one another and Asia reached out, resting her hand on top of Leo's. This was going to be a long night.

"Daisy is in there," Asia said, nodding towards the building, sliding out of her seat until she was in the back with Leo. "I need to do something." She couldn't sit there and let Daisy walk into the worst case scenario, not when she could stop it.

"You can't go in there, not till the team gets here at least," Leo said, shaking his head. "That would be just as bad. Let me get the security feed up and running again." He grabbed his tablet and began typing, as Asia pushed open the back doors of the van, stepping outside into the night. Leo let out a groan of frustration and set down his tablet, which was now monitoring the feed again, following her.

"I'm not going in," She said when she saw him climb out after her. "I just want to try something." The brunette looked up at the building, thinking about all the different training she had been doing, all the work she had done on her powers. She had an idea. And it might be crazy, but she thought it could help.

Leo glanced up at the sky, then back towards her. "Sky's clear. Maybe I was wrong...but..." he muttered to himself, glancing over at Asia. The source, in his mind, had always been her. "Alright. How can I help you?" Were his next words, which was exactly what she needed to hear as the black Shield SUVs started to roll up down the block, signaling the strike team was arriving.

Asia smiled over at him, because that was exactly what she had needed to hear. It was as if he could read her mind. Maybe that was his superpower, reading her mind. It felt as if he had always been able to. "I just need you to come over here, with me," she said, extending her hand out towards him. Leo walked over to join her, lacing her hand through his.

Asia gave his hand a squeeze, before turning to look back up at the building. If she took a deep breath, shaking out her shoulders and rolling her neck. As she breathed in, she could feel all of the water in the building, flowing through the pipes, inside the people. It was everywhere, and all at her disposal.

"I just need you to hold my hand. And wake me if things start to get bad," she said, turning to look at him and waiting for him to nod in affirmation. He nodded back, of course, and she turned back to look at the building.

Leo opened his mouth to ask her what was about to happen, when he no longer needed to ask. Her mouth was slightly open, and her eyes were glowing an icy, bright blue. "Asia?" he asked, squeezing her hand ever so slightly. But there was no response. She was already gone, even if he wasn't quite sure where to.