𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍|
— S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, The Pacific Ocean.
— January 2, 2015.

"𝐖𝐄𝐒." The voice was gentle at first when it spoke to him. Agent Davis slowly stirred. However, that gentle tone didn't last long as the individual trying to wake him lost patience. "Wesley."

He involuntarily winced at the use of his first name as he gained consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes to meet the worried expression of his mentor. Even though it was a frown, Davis knew his mentor was unable to hide his emotional state in his eyes.

"Good. You're awake."

"How long was I out?" Davis slowly sat up, but was gently lowered back down by his mentor.

"Careful!" His mentor then calmed himself after Davis frowned. "You just got out of surgery not that long ago."

"Pierce," Davis asked with a frown, "How long have I been out?"

"You were out for a couple of hours before the recall team found you with three cracked ribs, a broken leg, and a head wound," Pierce answered, "However, they would have found you much sooner had you not destroyed your commlink."

"Not entirely my fault—"

A voice clearing his throat interrupted Davis. Both Davis and Agent Pierce turned their heads toward the doorway. Davis raised an eyebrow as the Director himself stood before them.

"Director Fury," Davis noted, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You up for a walk?"

Davis raised an eyebrow, but Fury's intention became clearer as one of the attending medical staff members entered the room with a wheelchair. Davis frowned at the device, but nodded his head with the knowledge that once Fury had put his mind to something there was little that could be done to change it. After receiving help from his bed into the chair, Davis refused any additional help and wheeled himself from the room behind Fury. He hated the feeling of helplessness of any sort and he normally would have tried to walk off his injuries; however, in this case, the sooner he healed the sooner he could return to work.

"What's this about, Director?" Davis directly asked to get to the point.

"It came to my attention that Agent Williams had a difficult time contacting you during your assignment."

"I'll admit that I turned my commlink off, but only after I had completed the assignment—"

"An assignment isn't finished until you're either back at headquarters or you've handed the assignment off to the rendezvous team," Fury stated, "Besides, you know our agreement. I only allowed you to remain a solo act as long as you were maintaining communication since you didn't have a team to watch your back."

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind next time."

"There isn't going to be a next time, Agent Davis."

Davis released a bit of forced laughter. "I'm sorry, it sounded like you were taking me off active field duty."

Fury remained silent.

Davis immediately frowned and tried to wheel his chair in front of Fury. "I'm one of the top agents in this program! You can't just—"

"You were one of the top agents, but your injuries are going to take time to recover. Not to mention that I can just do that. It's sort of in my job description as your boss," Fury noted, "Besides, this is temporary. Once you've been cleared by the medical staff you can get back to work."

"Well what do you expect me to do until then?"

"Follow me."

Davis felt a pit form in his stomach in response to Fury's amused grin. He followed the director down several long corridors to the level two clearance training room. Davis frowned and raised an eyebrow; however, Fury's expression remained unwavering. He slid his ID and the doors responded accordingly as they opened. Davis looked inside the room then back at Fury with disbelief. A thin boy sheepishly waved as the two entered the room. His blond hair stuck straight up off his head but perhaps that's because he was upside-down... and tied up.

"Williams!" Fury barked, "What's the meaning of this?"

"I-I-I—um—I... Well, it's a long story, Director Fury, sir," Williams stammered.

"He asked if I could teach him a few knotting techniques," a feminine voice said as she stepped out from behind Williams.

"He could use some more lessons," Fury grumbled under his breath.

"What is all this?" Davis asked expectantly.

"What you'll be doing for the time being," Fury answered.

Davis looked back and forth between Fury and the others. "You don't—You couldn't possibly... You know I'm not a team player."

"You weren't a team player," Fury corrected, "I'll leave you to get acquainted with your new team."

Davis frowned as Fury left the room. He clenched his fists on the wheels of his chair before taking a deep breath. He then turned to face the others in the room. The room remained silent for another minute before Williams sheepishly broke the silence.

"Could—uh—could someone help me down?"

"Did somebody call for help?" a small robotic voice asked.

Davis raised an eyebrow as he looked around for the source before settling on a small metallic figure. Its glowing blue eyes focused on Davis as its hands rest on its hips forming a small heroic pose.

"Help is on the way!" the small robot announced as its feet transformed into small rockets that propelled it into the air.

Williams's eyes widened as the robot circled the rope that kept him aloft. "Wait a minute—"

Williams screamed as he fell after the robot cut the rope with a laser that emerged from its hand. Davis and the other agent in the room both winced as Williams hit the floor with a thud. Davis sighed and shook his head before looking up at the ceiling hoping to wake up from this nightmare any second now.

"I suppose we should introduce ourselves if we're going to be working together," the female agent noted.

Davis shook his head. "Obviously this is some sort of mistake. Don't worry I'll have it corrected right away."

Before another word could be said, Davis wheeled himself out of the room and down the corridor away from the individuals inside the training room. He began muttering under his breath when he determined that he was far enough away not to be heard. He was so preoccupied within his own thoughts that he almost flattened Agent Pierce.

"Wesley!"

He quickly picked his head up and stopped inches away. He then grumbled an apology, "Sorry, Pierce. I was busy thinking."

"This isn't the end of the world you know, Wes," Pierce tried to explain.

"You knew about this?"

"I may have suggested the idea, so yes."

"You suggested this?!"

"Come now, Wes—"

"Would you stop doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Referring to me by my first name," Davis replied, "I'm not some kid that you have to look after anymore. I can take care of myself."

"Ah yes," Pierce frowned, "that wheelchair just resonates with self-reliance."

"Nevermind," Davis tried to move past Pierce, "I've got to fix this—"

"There's nothing to fix." Pierce blocked his path. "So I suggest you either get used to it or make the most of the team... It's for your own good."

Davis's expression hardened and he managed to push past. "Don't act like you care about me."

"Agent Davis!"

Davis stopped and whirled around with frustration. "What?!"

He halted as he then realized that he was facing the three initiates from the training room rather than his former mentor. He looked beyond them to see Pierce shake his head ever so slightly before walking down the hall away from him. Davis then focused on those in front of him once Pierce had passed from his view. Williams had been tense since the outburst, but Davis was quite familiar with his timid behavior. The robot was... well robotic. There'd be no reading its expression. However, the third seemed amused. Irritatingly so. Almost as if she knew how much he hated the idea of being put on a team (Not that he had, in any way, hidden his feelings on the matter). He decided to regain a calm composure and deal with the situation at hand.

"It seems that I was wrong about the mistake after all."

"Ouch," the female agent mockingly winced, "That sounded like it hurt."

"If he is hurt, should I fetch ice?" the robot "whispered" loudly to Williams.

"No, he's fine," Williams hushed the robot.

"Now, I know Williams from previous missions," Davis ignored the pair and focused on the female agent, "But the rest of you are new faces... or metal plates."

"Agent Rhodes, Sam," she introduced herself abruptly, "level five clearance."

"Last name will do just fine, Agent Rhodes."

She placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow that accented her growing smirk. "Intimacy problems?"

"No," Davis answered a bit too quickly as Williams nodded his head from behind, "This is work. I find it best to keep things professional... Moving on!"

"I am Q-T."

"Cutie?" Davis raised an eyebrow at the small robot.

The small bot's eyes glowed red momentarily assuming Davis had made a snide remark. However, before the robot could reply, Williams quickly grabbed it and tried to explain the miscommunication.

"Despite his adorable stature—I mean-fun-size—er—although compact, Q-T provides many beneficial services," Williams stumbled over his words, "The initials actually stand for Quantum-Theory Technology."

Davis consciously whispered to Williams, "Why's he so small?"

Williams lowered his voice beneath a whisper, "He's travel-sized for efficiency, but he's also very sensitive about his size for some reason so avoid mentioning it."

"Got it." Davis nodded. "Don't tell the robot that he's small."

"Perhaps we could return to the training room and provide a demonstration of our skill sets as Director Fury had instructed," Agent Rhodes interrupted the conversation between Davis and Williams.

Davis sighed and nodded his head, "I don't have anywhere else to go..."

"JOY!" Davis jumped at the volume of Q-T's voice and the fact that the robot's feet had once again turned into rockets as he flew down the hall with great speed.

Agent Rhodes stifled a bit of laughter but also walked down the hall back toward the training room; however, Agent Williams made an effort to escort Davis down the hall. He stepped behind the wheelchair and started to push which Davis found amusing in the least.

"Don't touch me," he snapped.

Williams quickly backed off. "Y-yes, Sir."

Davis grumbled as he wheeled himself back down the hall past Agent Rhodes. Noticing that Williams had once again assumed his timid position, she made an effort to go and speak with him. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder. She frowned slightly as he flinched at her touch. However, she kept the thought to herself as she addressed him.

"Hey." She offered him a soft smile. "Don't take it personally. I'm sure he's just having a rough day. He'll adjust."

"I—I don't think so." Williams shook his head. "He—um—He's never really been much of a team player."

"We'll just have to change that." She playfully nudged him. "Don't you think?"

"I—I'm not sure people really change like that."

"Oh, you'd be surprised." She then turned and walked down the hall as she had originally done before.

"That—well um—That's not ominous at all." Williams stood there a moment longer before joining the others. "I'm sure it will all be fine... right?"