𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍|
— S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, The Pacific Ocean.
— January 9, 2015.

𝐀 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 had passed and yet no progress had been made with the team. Agent Davis pinched the bridge of his nose as Williams fell onto his face once again. Agent Rhodes offered him a hand up even though she'd been the one to put him there in the first place.

"I think I was closer that time," Williams said as he stood.

"Um, yeah, sure," Rhodes agreed despite looking toward Q-T and quickly shaking her head.

The android didn't disagree as he walked over to Williams and slapped an icepack over the bruise forming on his knee and the one forming across his nose. "It would be wise to visit the infirmary after this session."

"Let's go again." Davis rolled back in his wheelchair as he gestured for Rhodes and Williams to take their places back on the sparring mat.

"He needs a break," Rhodes crossed her arms and protested his instruction, "We've been going at this for hours."

"Then a few more shouldn't hurt," Davis retorted and tapped the side of his head, "It's all mental now."

"It feels pretty physical to me," Williams muttered under his breath as he held the icepack against his face.

"We are currently two hours past the recommended training duration period," Q-T said.

Davis was silent and sucked air through his teeth in frustration before pointing toward the door. Williams didn't hesitate to limp out of the room and head down the corridor toward the infirmary. Q-T activated his booster jets and flew down the hall after Williams. Davis muttered some complaints under his breath as he started to roll himself from the room; however, he about fell out of the chair as it abruptly stopped. He turned his head to see Rhodes holding the handle of the chair, a deep frown on her face.

"Let go."

"We need to talk."

"I'd rather not."

"You really don't have a choice." He quickly learned that she was right as he had no control over the chair as she directed him out of the room and down the hall.

"Rhodes! Rhodes! Put me back!"

He received a few looks from the passing agents, but Rhodes simply offered them a smile and continued to push him down the hall. He had no control over where he was going, nor could he stop her from doing as she pleased. He quickly lost track of where she was taking him as she moved forward with a mission. Nothing he said or threatened deterred her. She finally stopped once she rolled him into a room that he was unfamiliar with.

He groaned as she didn't stop him from running into the first desk within the room. He turned his head as far as he could to glare at her as she stood behind him. He spoke with animosity. "Ow."

She shrugged, clearly unbothered, before thrusting a pointed finger toward him accusingly. "You're too hard on him. He's trying his best, but he can't improve if you don't give him a break every now and then."

"Yeah, well 'his best' isn't going to keep him alive." Davis crossed his arms.

"Then teach him how to be crafty," Rhodes threw up her arms in exasperation, "Strength and brutality is clearly not the way to go with this kid. He's spent his entire life looking at a computer screen, working with his mind rather than his fists."

"As a field agent, he needs to defend himself."

"Not every agent is an expert hand-to-hand combatant." She rolled her eyes. "There are other avenues of self-defense... That is unless you were trying to scrape by doing the bare minimum when it came to putting this team together."

Davis was silent.

"That's what I thought," she muttered under her breath. She straightened her posture and turned to walk toward the door but cast a glance over her shoulder. "Let me know when you're ready to start taking this seriously."

Davis was left alone in the room, and as if to carry across the point that she was mad at him she turned off the lights before she left. "Thank you!" he called after her sarcastically and rolled his eyes.

He brooded in the dark complaining under his breath for a few minutes before finally rolling back down the hall. Although he wanted to be left alone, he was met with the company of his mentor.

Noting his sour mood, Pierce's expression was slightly smug as he asked, "So, how's the team?"

"Perfect," Davis rolled his eyes, "Can't think of one thing that I'd change."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you say that," Pierce replied and held out a datapad for Davis to accept, "Because we could use some perfect right about now."

"What's this?"

"I know you're perfectly capable of reading it."

Davis scanned the information displayed on the screen. He looked back up at Pierce and raised an eyebrow. "Is this an assignment?"

"For the team," Pierce clarified, "In no way are you meant to do it on your own, do I make myself clear?"

"Couldn't even if I wanted to," Davis bitterly retorted.

"I know you better than that to assume you wouldn't try it at least once."

Davis didn't deny his statement. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning. O-five-hundred hours sharp."

"Tomorrow?!" Davis immediately looked back down at the screen to confirm what he'd heard.

"Yes," Pierce nodded his head and raised an eyebrow, "It's just a recon assignment. It really shouldn't be too much for your team to handle. They are ready for this, aren't they?"

"Of course," Davis lied, "What sort of team leader would I be if they weren't?"

"I suppose we'll see in the next few days, won't we."

"Can't wait." Davis spoke between grit teeth as Pierce walked away.

He looked back down at the digital file in his hand. It was just a reconnaissance assignment, and one with a team that had barely been put together more than a week. Fury couldn't have possibly sent them on an assignment that required much skill. Sokovia. Nothing immediately came to mind when he read the name of the country. Sure, it was out of the states, but it shouldn't have been anything that he needed to worry about. He'd debrief the team, send them off to get some rest, and they'd be off to the insignificant country located somewhere in eastern Europe. What could possibly go wrong?