Finding herself walking down the halls of the Triskelion was something Theresa Stark would have never guessed herself doing. After all, she was prohibited to do so, orders by Pierce himself.

But sticking to the rules was boring, especially when the woman was unable to think rationally.

Having a couple of grams of morphine running through her system, the doctor is just barely sane. 

And since her body was digesting the drug too fast for her taste, she had to get the real thing soon.

And she could only do that with Alexander Pierce's permission.

Carfentanyl was expensive, but it did its job, wearing off after around a week, while morphine only helped for a couple of hours, one or two days even, depending the dosage.

Theresa knew it was only a matter of time, until the morphine in her body gave way to the total dosage of pain in her chest.

So, here she was, walking through the Triskelion, barely sane and hoping hard she would be able to find Pierce without any incidents.

It's been a day or two, maybe three or more, she wasn't sure, since she'd run out of Carfentanyl and straight up crumbled beneath the pain in front of James, Pierce and the other scientists and soldiers.

It could've come to Pierce's mind without her help, that he'd send her another dosage of Carfentanyl, but no, of course not. Apparently the Stark had to do everything herself in this place.

A STRIKE group walked down the halls, stopping mid-step when they noticed Theresa approaching.

"You shouldn't be here."

Jack Rollins, obvious as ever.

Her hand twitched, without her intending to, but the weapons were raised her way anyways.

"Careful," Rollins muttered to his men, his own weapon raised anyways. 

Theresa tilted her head, watching the agents before her with as much attention as she could muster. But, as the thrumming of their adrenaline and the hollow ache in her chest were both trying to battle each other for her attention, her concentration wasn't as sharp as she had hoped.

"They or me?"

Rollins frowned at her words, before understanding what she meant and responded "Perhaps both."

The Stark hummed softly.

"What are you doing here?"

She knew what they were trying. Trying to not call her by name, in hopes of not triggering her to perhaps go berserk.

"You can just say it. I know what you're trying."

As the confusion they tried to hide so hard still didn't leave their features, the doctor added "I'm too gone anyways."

"What are you doing here?", Rollins only repeated.

"I'm searching Pierce."

"What for?"

"I need my doses like you need your beloved weapons, Rollins. And he's got the money for it."

A smirk tugged at the other's lips as he possibly had a snarky retort already in mind.

"Is that why you don't use your powers on him? Because he's the only one who can satisfy you?"

Theresa's hand twitched again, this time on purpose, as she took hold of Jack Rollins' heart.

The male froze, noticing the presence of her grip on his systems and knew that he may've taken it a step too far.

"Where is he?"

Rollins was unable to answer, so, when neither of the other agents bothered to respond, she decided to take it a step further and slow down the beat of the male's heart.

"I'm not asking again."

"The World Security Council is here with him, up on their floor."

Satisfied with that answer and also unable to hold Rollins much longer, she let go of the male, watching him blink multiple times and inhale deeply, as oxygen was now finally able to flow freely through his systems again, the dizziness fading.

"Take me there."

And they didn't even hesitate, after Rollins' silent order to take the woman into their midst.

They knew, if she were to be seen by someone other than the STRIKE units or Pierce himself, the man at the top would give them hell. Theresa was too valuable to be presented to the world already, when Project Insight hadn't even been launched yet.

The group stepped into the elevator. 

Was that a good idea?

Not quite, but with Theresa looking like she was on the edge of bursting, the STRIKE team didn't want to waste any time.

"World Security Council," Rollins said as the doors closed.

"Dr. Stark does not have clearance for World Security Council."

"Then take us to the floor below that one."

And up the elevator went.

Theresa closed her eyes, focussing on the sound of the blood running through each STRIKE member's veins, in hopes of drowning out the thrumming of her own heart, aching in her chest.

The ride up to the top was silent, none of the agents daring to say a thing, none of them having the courage to. 

Apparently, they were aware of how much on edge the young doctor between them was and decided it was best to leave her be.

The elevator came to a stop on the level below the World Security Council and once the doors opened, the STRIKE team moved, Theresa in their midst, towards the stairway.

On the way up, the Stark said "I want to speak to him alone first."

"You do know the World Security Council is with him, right? You can't just barge in there, when they don't know you."

"They don't know a thing about what S.H.I.E.L.D. really is, so why bother about another agent like me?"

The doors of the World Security Council chamber got closer and the doctor's strides seemed to quicken, as if to make sure that no STRIKE agent could hold her back.

The woman couldn't bother knocking. 

She knew Pierce would most likely let her be tortured later on for this behavior, but, as already mentioned, she was barely sane, so she could honestly care less.

"I know the road hasn't exactly been smooth...and some of you would've gladly kicked me out of the car along the way. But finally we're here and the world-"

Alexander Pierce was interrupted mid-sentence when the attention of the World Security Council members turned towards the door behind the glass wall, Pierce turning to follow their gazes.

Only to find Theresa Stark walking into the room, like she owned the place.

The head of S.H.I.E.L.D. was about to open his mouth, but the woman was faster, coming to a stop in front of the group with a safe distance towards everyone but Pierce. A soft, though forced smile was on her lips.

"I apologize the interruption, but I have to address something to Mr. Pierce."

"Excuse me, may I ask who you are?"

Theresa turned her attention towards one of the Councilmen who had spoken. 

"You seem familiar, I thought we might have met before," he was quick to add.

Pierce, inwardly, was close to bursting. This was exactly why he didn't want the Stark walking around the Triskelion so freely, especially with the launch of Project Insight close before.

"Dr. Karen Nelson, I don't suppose we have met before though," Theresa spoke politely, before her attention was turned to Pierce, the look in her eyes clear enough.

"If you would excuse me, it seems like this matter can't wait a little longer."

With those words Theresa knew for sure he was very close to just killing her off.

The male approached her and laid his hand on her shoulder blade, motioning for her to follow him behind the glass wall, when a voice made them stop in their steps.

"Attention all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. This is Steve Rogers."