𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐒𝐄𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐒 raced through the entrance of the tunnel before abruptly pulling to a stop. Fury and Jarvis stood still, same as they had been for the past twenty minutes as they waited for their back-up to arrive.

Director Keller stepped out of the passenger side of the first vehicle. "Still here?"

"She's co-operating with the investigation sir," Fury replied.

"You men stay here," the director gestured to his own men. He then motioned for Fury and Richard to follow. The two glanced at one another. Richard shrugged and Fury rolled his eyes at his partner before they caught up with the director as he stepped foot inside the elevator.

"I want to question her alone," Director Keller said, "Excellent work Nicholas."

Richard shot Fury a look as he raised an eyebrow. In turn, Fury looked over at the director questioningly. Obviously something wasn't right as the man had never once referred to him as Nicholas, as he mentioned earlier: no one did.

Fury pressed the button once the doors had closed. However, it didn't go unnoticed by Richard that Fury had pressed a button that would take them to the wrong floor. Richard raised an eyebrow; however, Fury shot him a look that said 'be quiet' as he offered an explanation to the director. "She's on sub-level 6. Jarvis and I'll get off on 5, take the stairs in case she runs for it. Do a pincer move, like we did in Havana."

"Right." The director nodded his head. "Like we did in Havana."

Jarvis silently mouthed 'oh'. They'd pulled a "Havana" on more than one occasion. It was Fury's go to move when they were dealing with an enemy agent undercover. The first time, it had caught Richard off guard since it had been entirely improvised. Now, it had only taken a second to click because as much as they annoyed one another—and they'd never admit it out loud—but they were more synced as partners than they let on.

The elevator dinged as the doors opened. Fury and Richard stepped off while the director stayed in the elevator, none the wiser to their plan. Both Fury and Richard shared a fake smile of confirmation with the director as the doors closed. As soon as they were shut, a more serious look flattened Fury's features as Richard released a sigh of relief.

Fury quickly walked through the aisle of cabinets calling out Vers's name. "Vers!... Vers!"

Richard joined in, every other beat, calling out for the other alien. "Ze-Los! Z!"

However, Vers was no where in sight. They did run into Z as they turned the corner, practically running into the Kree spy. Z looked just as shaken, but as they noticed the cat at his heels, they understood.

"Where's Vers?" Fury asked.

"Looking for you," Zaksolx replied. "Where'd you guys go?"

"Fury heard back from his contact," Richard replied. "We were supposed to be getting back-up."

Zaksolx peered over their shoulders then glanced over his own. He paused then blinked. "And where is this back-up?"

In reply, the lights at the end of the corridor flipped on. Richard's eyes widened, but Fury moved without hesitation, pulling both Jarvis and Z into the closest aisle. At the end of the corridor, a SWAT-like team of agents followed the director into the room. The team quickly began searching through each aisle looking for either Fury, Richard, Vers, or Zaksolx.

Slowly, Fury peeked his head around the corner of the aisle of cabinets. He kept one hand held up to prevent Richard from following his example before tossing an empty cab across the room. The team of agents hunting them down turned in the direction of the distraction, running after the noise. Fury then motioned for the two to follow as he took the lead, walking down the now clear aisle.

However, as they stepped out into the open, Director Keller pressed his gun to the agent's head. "Is it something I said?"

Richard quickly raised his hands as he glared at Fury, "Would now be a good time to point out that this is the second time you've almost gotten me killed today Fury—"

"Almost?" Keller's brow raised, but Richard proceeded to ignore him. As if he were merely an inconvenience, Richard batted the gun away from his head. However, the director acted with speed, wrapping an arm around his throat.

"I've got a wife and kid to look out for," Richard choked as he tried to fight against the other man's grip. "The least you could do is watch my back."

Fury quickly stepped in, and as the Director needed both hands to defend himself, he released Richard. Although just one man, he quickly proved to be much stronger than either of them had anticipated. It wasn't long until Keller had bested them both. The agents both groaned as they were tossed into the filing cabinets that lined the hallway. Taking his time, Keller bent down and picked up his glasses which had been knocked to the ground during the fight then he turned toward Zaksolx.

"Now you know, I don't really need these to see. But, they do kinda complete the look." Keller's voice morphed into one that only Zaksolx recognized. The supposed Kree felt his face pale as his uncle stared at him, a look that implied his cover had been blown. "Don't you think?"

Zaksolx could feel his breath growing more shallow with each passing second. His uncles eyes narrowed as if accusing him of committing a terrible crime. And considering it was treason... he wasn't without reason. However, as his uncle advanced toward them, a golden energy blast connected with his chest and sent "Keller" flying backward.

Several agents rushed toward the commotion, coming to the director's aid. Their guns were drawn, prepared to take on any threat; however, Vers had already blasted a hole through the ceiling. The group of escapees sprinted down the corridor on the level above.

Vers shot a dark look over her shoulder as her expression grew incredulous. "You called them in?"

"My bad!" Fury panted as he ran just behind her.

From the back of the group, Richard wheezed as he tried to collect his breath while running. "This is why I wanted Rogers as backup!"

The group turned the corner, continuing up the flight of stairs directly ahead of them; however, Agent Coulson waited on the flight directly above them with his gun drawn. Vers's hands began to glow, but Coulson lowered his weapon without being asked. He nodded over his shoulder, allowing them to pass through the door behind.

"Coulson, you have eyes on them?" an agent located on the flight of stairs above asked, calling down to Coulson. Evidently the group was at just the right angle so they remained unseen.

"They're not down here," Coulson lied, shaking his head as he called up to her. "Let's try up there."

With a brief look of appreciation, the group sprinted out of the corridor before barricading the door. They easily slipped the metal bars through the door handles, preventing anyone from following. Expectantly, Vers immediately turned around and extended a hand as if Fury had something that belong to her. His brow furrowed as he silently asked for more information, only to be smacked. Vers then held out her hand again, more emphatically this time.

"What?" Fury asked.

"Your communicator," she replied. "You obviously can't be trusted with it."

Fury rolled his eyes, but handed over his pager without a verbal argument. The team of agents from downstairs caught up quicker than any of them anticipated as the door shook from the impact. The agents slammed the door harder, struggling to push past the obstruction; however, as they eventually managed to break into the room, the group had already taken cover behind a tower of crates.

Vers quickly looked around the room, searching for an escape route. A look of satisfaction gleamed in her eyes as she tapped Fury on the shoulder and gestured toward one of the planes. Without waiting for a reply, she took the lead with the belief that the others would follow.

Once they had each taken a seat inside, Fury quickly looked over at Vers with an anxious expression plastered to his face. "Do you know how to fly this thing?"

"Uh..." Vers's eyes frantically glanced around the controls, trying to familiarize herself with a place that presented a heavy sense of deja vu. "We'll see."

Fury frowned. "That's a yes or no question."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Richard muttered under his breath.

Vers flicked a few switches, instinct taking over as the engine roared to life. She grinned with self-satisfaction as she turned back to Fury. "Yes."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Fury laughed.

However, they quickly lost the element of surprise as the team of agents that had stormed the room turned in their direction. It was far too late though. Their shots were meaningless as the plane lifted from the hangar ground and flew out from the underground tarmac area.

As the plane gradually gained altitude, the sound of meowing could be heard from the back of the plane. Slowly, the group turned around in unison to see Goose pressed up against a crate.

Fury's expression softer with an amused smirk. "We've got a stowaway."

"Hang on Goose," Vers said as she leveled off the plane. Goose pushed himself off the crate and back onto his four legs. As Goose tried to climb into Vers's lap, she placed him on the console where he decided it was satisfactory to lie down.

Fury immediately began to fawn over the car once more. "Who's a good kitty huh? Huh Goose? Yes, that's right. Who's a good kitty Goose? You're a good kitty."

"Um, speaking of cats..." Richard glanced around the plane's interior. "Where's our ailurophobic?"

Fury's brow furrowed. "What are you going on about now?"

"Z," Richard reminded them. "The last time I remember seeing him was down in the archives."

"You lost my spy?!" Vers whipped her head around, threatening to turn the plane around in the process. "We have to go back for him!"

Fury quickly shook his head. "It's too late for that now."

Richard interrupted with a whistle of disbelief. "That's just cold, man."

Fury frowned as he defended his decision. "If he's not with us, that means the Skrulls have him. By the time we got back, we wouldn't even be able to tell which one he was because his memory is so squirrelly."

Vers's lips tightened, but she didn't argue. She knew he was right, no matter how much she wanted to claim otherwise. She'd made a promise that they both would escape, yet he was already back in the green hands of the changelings. She took a breath then handed Fury the set of photos that she'd taken from the files.

"See anyone you know?" she asked. As Fury looked at her expectantly, waiting on a follow-up explanation, she took another deep breath before proceeding. "Funny story... I arrived on Hala, near dead, no memory... That was six years ago."

"So you think you're the pilot that went down with Dr. Lawson?" Fury asked.

"I'm saying that the last person to see them alive can probably tell us," Vers replied. "Especially since you two lost the one connection I had. He might have been fried but he was still my only link."

"I'd say that's not our fault since he was with you when we left," Fury countered. "So you want to track down this Maria Rambeau?"

"Mmhmm." Vers nodded. She did shoot a warning glare as Fury tried to shift the blame on her; however, she ignored most of the comment as she moved on to her next task. "So how do we get to Louisianna?"

"Due East." Fury gestured in the given direction with a quick motion of his hand. "Hang a right at Memphis."

Vers nodded. There was an uncomfortable silence that lingered until Vers asked another question. "That agent, that stopped the Skrulls from fighting us..."

"Coulson," Fury interrupted with a nod. "New guy. Guess he doesn't hate me yet."

Richard scoffed. "That's a first."

"Yeah well, give him time," Vers added playfully.

"I guess he had a feeling," Fury chuckled as he reflected on the moment. "Went with his gut against orders. It's a really hard thing to do. That's what keeps us human."

"I get in trouble for that," Vers admitted. "A lot."

"Oh, I see that about you," Fury quickly agreed. "Saving a lost amnesiac with no proof he's not a Skrull, encouraging the insane theories about life on other worlds, not to mention rescuing the guy who sold you out to the Skrulls. I'm guessing that's not standard Kree operating procedure."

"Well, I won't tell your boss if you don't tell mine," Vers suggested. The two shared a knowing glance before breaking down into a fit of short laugher.

"So..." Richard broke the silence that followed. "If we're keeping up the space analogy. Aliens and all... I'm totally Han Solo."

Fury raised an eyebrow as he turned his head toward Richard with an unamused expression neutralizing his features. His eyes looked him up and down before he quickly shook his head. "No, you're the robot that doesn't ever shut up."

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𝐙𝐀𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐗 𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐃 to let his fear rule him. In fact, once he'd gotten over the initial terror, he recognized the anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach. He'd been so close to answers, so close to truth, and so close to freedom, only to have it all locked away out of reach.

As Vers blasted a hole in the ceiling, his uncle had taken advantage of the chaos, grabbing him before he could escape. He wasn't even sure the others noticed his absence, not until it was too late anyway.

"They're not coming back for you," Talos broke the silence between them. The last thirty minutes had been a staring contest as Zaksolx refused to speak. "You weren't ever truly one of them. You can try to hide and wear their faces, but the facade only lasts so long."

Zaksolx blinked. He looked away from the wall and finally met his uncle's gaze. "Who is Ze-Los?"

Zaksolx knew he'd caught his uncle off-guard as the general stumbled to find his next words. "Where did you hear this name?"

"It's the one that belongs to the face I've worn all these years," Zaksolx replied. "I know he was a Kree spy. I know he was involved in the invention of the light-speed engine. What I want to know... Why do I have his face? Why does he haunt my reflection?"

"It's not your reflection," Talos contradicted. "It's an illusion."

Zaksolx scoffed, shaking his head. "I won't tell you where she is. I won't let you destroy her. Because no matter what you say, I choose to stand behind her."

"This is treason," Talos hissed. "You've abandoned your heritage!"

"I've abandoned half of my heritage!" Zaksolx countered at the same volume. "You've lied to me about the other half my entire life." As if to prove himself, Zaksolx bit his own hand to the point that he drew blood: blue not green. "I'm not like you—any of you! I'm a mongrel, remember? Remember those awful things the others would say the second this blue ichor flowed from my veins? Do you remember? You tried to cover it up, ignore the truth, but I refuse to be ignorant anymore. I need to know: who was Ze-Los to me?"

Talos didn't bat an eye. "I won't indulge this dark obsession... come home."

"I have no home," Zaksolx whispered, turning his eyes to the ground.

Talos released a bitter chuckle. "And what would she say if she knew what you really are? I'm assuming you didn't tell her. I'll tell you what she'd do. She'd slaughter you like the Kree savage she is. You'd be another forgotten smear on the pages of Skrull history."

"Like my mother?" Zaksolx asked as he looked up with renewed defiance. "Like my father?"

Talos turned toward the door as if fearful that someone else was listening in on their conversation. He opened his mouth and a brief light of hope peered through the dark. Zaksolx could feel the answers on the verge of spilling from his tongue, however, they were held back just as easily. Talos's lips pursed as his eyes hardened.. "Nothing in this world is free boy. So if you want answers... you're going to play by my rules."

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𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞| After an extremely long delay, I'm back with another update. I don't know how anyone else feels about him, but I'm so interested in exploring Zaksolx as a character. Obviously I plan to keep him around for a while and his ancestry is going to be so much fun to play with further down the line for projects like Secret Invasion. Anyways, let me know what you think. As always, don't forget to vote and comment. Thanks for reading!