Chapter 1: The Black Shadow

Grant Ward sat motionless on the plane with his head bowed. He didn't look at the bodies of Agent Victoria Hand or the two guards. He also ignored the sounds of John Garrett telling his buddies stories (most likely lies and exaggerations) about his past exploits. One of the reasons Grant was looking down was so that no one could see him roll his eyes. Would the man never shut up? He'd always known that this day would come but it had arrived much sooner than he was prepared for. Or maybe he never would have been prepared. But, regardless of his wishes, Hydra had come out into the open and now he had to play his part and play it well.

A lot was riding on Grant's ability to execute espionage as flawlessly as Agent Natasha Romanoff, otherwise known as the Black Widow, and he intended to live up to his promise. As he continued to ignore Garrett's war stories, he idly wondered what his descriptive name should be. All the Avengers had one. He sneered at a few of their alter-ego names (Ironman sounded too cold, Captain America too cheesy) and Grant knew he could never pull off God of Thunder or the Hulk. However, a few of their names, like Hawkeye and the Black Widow, were pretty cool.

Of course, Grant was no superhero, but he still wanted a moniker. The Black Whisper might be appropriate – a scary voice, a frightening rumor, but one that was never truly there. That was a possibility but it made Grant uncomfortable. He didn't like the idea of not existing; it was too close to the truth. Maybe the Black Shadow, someone who was lurking around the corner, always mysterious but not fully known. Yeah, that could work.

As Garrett's voice droned on, Grant's thoughts turned to the mission that lay ahead. He dreaded what he was going to have to do once they reached the Icebox and then the Fridge. Garrett expected that they would release the prisoners at the Icebox and then, later, lay waste to the Fridge facility, taking all the toys that were there and releasing all the inmates back into society. The mission parameters stated that they would merely incapacitate the guards who were loyal to SHIELD (which made sense as they could possibly turn some of them) but, knowing Garrett, there would be a body count. Grant was no stranger to killing – no specialist was – but he liked to avoid it whenever possible and today he would really like to keep from killing anyone if he could. But he couldn't back down now. Too much was at stake.

When their pilot, Agent Simpon, notified them that they were almost to the Icebox, he set the plane on autopilot and met up with everyone else in the conference area where Garrett was going over last minute details. When there was a break in the conversation, Simpson asked, "What am I supposed to do with the bodies?" He gestured to where Victoria Hand and the two agents Grant had shot were lying off to the side.

Garrett sneered dismissively, "Dump them into the ocean."

"Sir?" Grant spoke up. "What if we use those bodies to send a message? Simpson could drop them off at the Hub and, just when SHIELD thinks they have another plane at their disposal, he could take off again. It sends the message that no one, not even a high level operative like Hand, is untouchable and that Hydra is not afraid of SHIELD, not when we're willing to drop into the middle of their power base and then take off again."

Garrett took a moment to consider and then a slow smile spread across his face. "Damn, you're bad! I like the way you think, son!" He threw an arm around Grant's shoulder. "Of course, you think like I do since I taught you everything you know."

Grant nodded and smiled coldly at the assembled agents. Their faces reflected envy, awe and some even managed professional blankness. Grant was grateful for his ability to quickly memorize all of their faces and names (which he had done automatically when everyone first boarded the plane) because now that they had noted Garrett's preference, he would have to be wary of them. Hydra agents were all about power and how to get more of it for themselves.

Garrett faced Simpson directly. "You can do that, can't you?" he asked in a genial tone.

Simpson swallowed hard. "Of course sir. Nothing to it!" Grant knew there was no way the guy would ever admit that he couldn't do it even if such a maneuver was beyond his abilities. Hydra did not accept weakness.

Once at the Icebox, Grant was tasked with releasing Raina, or Flowers as Garrett insisted upon calling her. Grant entered her cell and had to admit that he got a small kick out of the way she backed up, clearly scared of him. After what she had done to Mike Peterson, that Scorch guy and Coulson, she deserved to be frightened. At first, he could see why Garrett got off on the power trip but then Grant's usual disgust with the use of fear as a means of control took over. He'd experienced too much of being scared as a child to like doing that to others. So, he gave Raina her gift, collected her, and together they made their way to the barber shop in Cuba.

Although they talked little along the journey, Grant realized from their minimal conversation that Raina wasn't a true believer in Hydra. It was obvious that she was searching for a higher purpose for herself and that Hydra – really just the Clairvoyant – was only a waystation for her. She waxed poetic about the Clairvoyant's abilities, that he was gifted and could help with the evolution of the human race. Grant knew that the Clairvoyant's identity was Garrett's secret to tell, so he kept quiet during her words of praise, but he wondered just how Raina would react. He imagined that she wouldn't be overjoyed but, like him, she would be stuck.

Grant would have liked to be the one to tell her what was truly going on – he thought he would relish watching her be disappointed – but John absolutely put his foot down. Grant could tell her nothing and that was infuriating to him. Garrett always had to be in control, always had to micro-manage things. He never trusted that others were competent. Grant admitted that this could be a reason that Garrett was still alive but he, Grant, had more than proven himself. Surely, after everything he had accomplished and all they had been through together, Garrett could trust him. Except that he couldn't. Not anymore.