Previously on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D...
I'll take you to a place where you can be with people like us.
You can learn about yourself, your gift.
My name is Jiaying. I have chosen to be your Guide.
Forgot I was working with The Cavalry.
Don't ever call me that.
I've heard the stories. What went down in Bahrain.
She went in, crossed off the enemy force. Didn't say how.
Did she lose anyone in there?
Herself.
Mmm, you're up early.
Hey, we've got a family to make, and there's only one way to do that.
And I'm dedicated to the cause.
Hmm, so thoughtful.
When you get back, maybe you and I can take a trip.
Hmm.
- Somewhere warm. - Mmm.
Focus our efforts to expand.
He's gonna be a hell-raiser.
Uh, not in my house. My house has rules.
Oh, so you plan on being exactly like your own mother?
What...
With a few modifications, yes.
He's always early. Stall him.
Come on in! It's open.
- Andrew, good morning. - Hmm.
You really leave your front door unlocked?
Uh, I got the best security system in the world.
And you're early. This is my time.
SorfY-
So who you going after? Am I about to get a new patient?
Don't know yet. But, yeah, maybe.
Hey. No leaking operational secrets.
Come on, Coulson, we're going to be late.
I'm early.
Keep her safe out there.
She's supposed to keep me safe.
Yeah.
Hey. You be careful.
I will.
And when I come back, we've got work to do.
Come on, I gotta go.
O'Brien, thanks for the tunes.
Anytime. It's one dull flight.
This really a Gifted individual? What do we know?
Not much, yet. You know they're retiring this fleet?
About time. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s putting every dime into the Triskelion.
Well, not all the dimes.
Fury's quietly started a new initiative.
Instead of this catch-and-release with powered people, we form a team.
Take Earth's mightiest, find out if they're heroes.
And you mention this because you want my help?
Well, I know you've got the family planning thing going on...
I'm staying in the field.
Good. Because you'd be great.
And that way, we could keep working together.
Mmm-hmm.
Uh, one mission at a time. Look alive.
Agent Hart.
We've got her, Phil. Gather up!
Meet Eva Belyakov.
Thirty-five, Index candidate.
Russian intelligence has been pursuing her.
Agents Coulson and May
have been brought in to advise and make the approach.
Thank you.
We believe Ms. Belyakov possesses enhanced strength.
This is what happened
when a Russian officer tried to stop her with his car.
She fled Russia unharmed.
Looks pretty strong to me, so it's important we don't spook her.
Just a friendly chat to bring her in for evaluation,
and if all goes really well,
we could gain an asset before the Russians find her.
The approach will be public.
It's not ideal, but we go in now or we lose our window.
Local military's not used to standing down.
Welcome to Bahrain.
Let's hope Belyakov cooperates.
And if she doesn't?
Then I call in the cavalry.
Gonzales has Shanghai quieted down.
Agents will extract in two hours.
Are we having any issues following Agent Fitz?
You tailed him?
He resigned.
Fitz has a lot of ideas.
We're just making sure that he doesn't get any crazy ones.
Like seeking out Coulson?
We find answers where we can.
Perhaps you can fill in a few of the blanks.
Specifically about powered people.
What about Project Deathlok?
How long has Coulson been running Mike Peterson?
Their contact has been minimal. He wasn't an active asset.
Seems pretty active to me.
Do you expect us to believe he's not part of Theta Protocol?
You can at least tell us what you do know about it.
Coulson doesn't bore me with the details of every little operation.
May, we know this is massive.
We have evidence that Coulson has quietly been moving
alarming amounts of resources and manpower all over the globe.
The only thing we've found
linking all these activities is a code name, "Theta Protocol."
There's no more details he's shared with you?
Any director of S.H.I.E.L.D. has secrets.
We're not talking a few black bag operations.
Take your entire current budget and match it with this one program.
That's why we wanna open Fury's Toolbox. For answers.
Well, I'm sure there's a simple one.
Let me take charge of my base
and I'll talk Coulson in peacefully.
That's great.
But so we're on the same page, all our intel on Coulson.
You know him best.
Tell us, are we right to worry?
I know Coulson's not our enemy.
I want to know where you're from. Did you make friends there?
At S.H.I.E.L.D.? Yeah. They're like family. Or they were.
Until you changed.
They sent agents after you?
I don't know what happened.
I know I impaled a guy.
Who shot at you.
No, I lost control.
Do you understand your gift?
I make things shake.
Well, not really. Everything is shaking already.
Vibrating at its own natural frequency.
This stone.
The wood in the trees.
I believe you can learn to sense those frequencies around you
and resonate with them so that not everything is shaking,
only what you choose.
Sense a frequency? How do I do that?
I don't know. I'm not the one with the gift. I just work here.
You think I can hear the stone?
Whoa.
You've gotta be kidding me.
Can you hear it?
No. Not the stone, the mountain.
It's the loudest thing here.
Well, now, take that frequency and see if you can amplify it.
The last time I did something like this, a lot of people got hurt.
You can't hurt the mountain. And you're not gonna hurt me.
Don't be afraid.
I moved a mountain.
Remember that feeling. It's not something to be afraid of.
Faisal Ahmed, may I introduce Agents Coulson and May.
Faisal is with Bahraini National Security.
Pleasure, sir. Your people have been tracking her?
Yes. We followed Miss Belyakov to a café in this market.
This is a very dangerous area. Black market importers, thieves.
Not a place for tourists.
So she didn't come for falafel. She could be meeting with anyone.
Whatever she wants, it is not good.
Unless she leaves with you, our military will take her.
This is our window. Fury will have our asses
if an Index candidate ends up in government hands.
Okay. We'll make this work.
Hello. May I?
My name is Phil Coulson and I'm here to help.
My group specializes in helping people like you,
who have gifts.
And why should I trust you?
Because I can take you somewhere safe.
I know you've been on the run, but S.H.I.E.L.D. can protect you.
You're not alone in all this.
Locals incoming.
Gun. Blue shirt.
Agent O'Brien, make sure they don't interfere.
Why don't we go somewhere more secure?
Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?
No. I like it here.
Coulson, you're running out of time.
These men can't help you.
Let's talk somewhere calmer.
What is it you're looking for?
Pain.
Easy. Drop your weapons now.
- Easy. - Step back!
Drop the damn gun.
- No! - Easy!
Let her go!
Just put the girl down, and I'll come with you.
Let my men go, we can all walk away from this!
Stay back! Do not follow us!
So what happens next?
Eat like crazy, then rest up. This afternoon will be much harder.
Than the avalanche?
Now I need to take care of something else.
I'm very proud of your work today.
Wow, training go that well or that badly?
I caused an avalanche.
Is that a good thing?
Yeah. It's good.
You know, it's really impressive for Jiaying to take anyone under her wing.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I like her. I just...
I can't...
What's her role here?
Her role is "in charge." So really, she must like you.
What kind of contraband you got there?
I knew you'd be training.
- Hey, Lincoln? - Yeah?
If she's in charge, how often does she train people?
Since I've been here? Let me see...
Never.
Saw the look on your face when we mentioned Mike Peterson.
Tell me if I'm wrong,
but Coulson didn'tjust keep the specifics of Theta Protocol from you.
I get the feeling that, until we said it, you'd never heard it before.
That gut punch that you felt today?
That's how we've felt for months.
I swore to build S.H.I.E.L.D. back up the right way.
And I don't think Coulson is a bad guy.
But a secret as big as Theta Protocol?
I can't ignore that.
Whatever he's doing,
it needs to be out in the light of day.
You're worried that I don't understand your choice.
Well,
sometimes that's the price of doing the right thing.
No one will understand,
and it hurts like hell.
The warehouse connects directly to the market.
Once they holed up inside, my men cut off both exits,
the alley and the market entrance.
It's a rats' nest in there.
Coulson.
We ID'd Belyakov's friends.
Local militia, street gang, basically. That's their stronghold.
Okay.
I'm going to call Agent O'Brien, see if they'll negotiate.
O'Brien, is that you? You okay?
Leave us alone.
Can you talk? Are they making demands?
Put me on with Belyakov.
Just leave us alone.
"Leave us alone"?
Is he trying to warn us away or...
We tried it the nice way. It's time for my team to do its job.
- Let's move out! - Yes, sir.
I should go in.
Let them do their thing.
Now we find out what kind of monster we're dealing with.
Easy. This will help.
Unless you're removing them, you're not helping at all.
Once your gifts have revealed themselves,
we will train you how to use them.
I don't want to train, I want to leave.
My only gift is to be the scary monster under the bed.
You are not a monster.
I can't even look in the mirror.
My days are a pain.
Every night, I'm assaulted by constant nightmares.
You'll get through this.
Stay out of it, spark plug.
Don't get so wrapped up in your physical changes
that you miss out on the gifts layered below.
It's a tough change.
What do you know about changes?
Let her vent a little.
I've been through this.
It's hard. But I promise
our care is the best thing for you right now.
I'm tired of being caged.
I want to feel fresh air.
We'll discuss it later.
He means well.
You know, I might have something to help you sleep.
Sleep is easy.
It's the relentless nightmares.
I'm always being hunted like an animal,
tangled in thorns.
Or I dream of Skye.
Skye and her father at dinner, with champagne, a bouquet of daisies.
And she's so
happy-
She got everything and I got thorns.
I know this seems impossible,
but don't give up on us yet.
In position.
Thermal showing minimal activity.
Alpha set up.
Bravo, good to go.
All teams, this is Alpha. Go for breach.
Back entrance secure. Moving upstairs.
Contact, southwest corner!
Bravo, check in.
We're taking hits downstairs!
We've got civilians here! I see the little girl. She's alive.
Friendly fire! Friendly fire!
All agents, disengage! Disengage!
Hart, come in. Bravo, come in.
All operators, check in.
What was that? Were they taken out or did they take themselves out?
- What about the little girl? - I don't know. But I have to call it in.
That building just swallowed 12 agents in a minute.
We're alone on this.
Okay. I play a note, you hold it.
Okay.
Oh.
Your gift is quite destructive, but look at the music you can make.
That was amazing.
So what, we'll drink from wooden cups at dinner.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
That's just it. Everything is great here.
It feels like home.
Which never ends well.
Ends? We're not going anywhere.
You sure? 'Cause mistrust of "home" is my other superpower.
Where is this coming from?
Nothing, it's stupid.
I broke a crystal decanter once
at a foster family's house.
And now the glass, and...
They sent you back for that?
Well, I tried some of the scotch, too.
But, yes. Something bad happens every time I feel settled somewhere.
I'm 25 and I have never spent more than two years anywhere.
The second I made friends at the orphanage? Gone.
And God forbid I called a foster family home.
Just, "Pack your bags."
I got the news on my birthday once,
which was a complete farce because I don't even know when I was born.
I'm so sorry.
S.H.I.E.L.D. was the closest I ever came to having a family.
I belonged there. Saw what I could be.
Even that ended with agents hunting me through the woods.
We are not going to turn on you, or abandon you.
This is a safe place.
See, you say that, but I know you're not being straight with me.
Why do you care if I stay or go? And why are you...
July 2nd.
You were born on July 2nd.
It was, um, a hot night.
And for some reason,
I decided to clean the house before I woke your father.
Oh, my God!
He said you didn't age.
Cal, he, uh...
He ran over to the neighbor's house to borrow their car,
but didn't speak any Chinese.
So, um, it was a mess.
It's you. You're my...
Deep down, I think you knew.
I was too afraid to hope.
Are you okay?
I wanted to run to you
the second I saw you. Wrap you in my arms.
Why didn't you?
Because you were forced into going through the Mist.
Joining our people had to be your choice.
You deserved that.
At St. Agnes,
all the kids, they pray that their parents are out there,
looking for them.
You were?
For years.
After your father pieced me back together, we scoured the Earth.
We were ruthless in hunting for you.
One morning, I woke up and I barely recognized myself.
Your father was buried in the new, horrible man he had become.
He couldn't admit that our baby was gone.
I thought I had to accept it.
I'm so sorry.
My sweet angel.
I thought if I couldn't find you,
maybe I could help protect others. So I came here.
I'll make up for all of it, I swear.
But listen.
Right now, this has to be our secret.
What do you mean, secret? Why?
Our people have very strict rules, and they could perceive you as a threat.
Simmons.
Ah, May!
Mmm, thank God you're back.
Everybody keeps leaving.
They weren't too harsh on that awful ship?
No, they were very fair.
In fact, they gave me command of the base.
What does that mean?
It means that if our team makes contact, I answer the call.
And it means we've got work to do.
Were you aware that you've been working on Deathlok technology?
Oh, no, you're mistaken. That's a design for a hybrid capacitor.
No, it's Deathlok's supercharged battery pack.
And that may not be the only thing he kept from us.
Did Coulson ever talk to you about a project named "Theta Protocol"?
May, I have no idea what that is.
Is that why they took Coulson down?
Then what can I do?
We need to find out if they're telling the truth.
I've been through a lot with Coulson.
He doesn't go off the reservation without a good reason.
There are multiple hostages. Our whole damn tactical team.
We need emergency backup 10 minutes ago.
Tell them to send me in. I can fix the problem.
I strongly advise sending our specialist inside, Agent May.
No, there are agents inside. There's no time to wait.
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
- Yay for red tape. They want us to wait. - For how long?
The Bahrainis are pissed. I think they're about two inches
from bombing the building and calling it a night.
If they go in, it's going to be an assault. People will die. I can do this.
It's all about slipping in and pulling them out.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is not authorized for any action.
Go.
Oh, what are we saying this time? Nuclear? Bio?
Eh, bio always works.
My name is Phil Coulson.
I represent the Strategic Homeland Intervention,
Enforcement and Logistics Division!
And you are about to enter a quarantine site!
Colonel, you can't send your men in there.
A biological weapon was set off.
Nasty stuff. Flesh-eating.
Weapons sale gone bad with the Russians.
Give my team time to assess.
Did you say biological weapon?
Yes, I did.
Hon. What's wrong?
We're going off-book here. Hostage situation.
Our guys inside.
You going in alone? Babe...
Drew, they have a little girl.
Okay.
You've done this before. You always come home.
Hey. She's gonna be scared.
Take a knee, get down to her level. It'll help.
If not, then just grab her and run like hell.
Thanks.
Do good, Melinda. But come home.
I love you.
Love you, too.
Coulson? You read?
Damn.
Agent Hart.
Hart, it's Agent May. We need to go now.
It's dangerous out there.
Are you okay?
No. I need your pain.
What the hell are you doing, sir? We have to go.
I need your pain.
Belyakov is controlling you! Hart!
That woman is controlling you!
I want your pain.
I've got to take her out.
If we keep digging,
I'm afraid of what we're going to find.
Coulson's reported trips, cross-referenced it with Bobbi's intel.
Most were covers.
If he said London, he was meeting in Milan.
Or Belgrade, Cairo,
buying God-knows-what.
My findings aren't much better.
Evidence of construction, I can't even count the shell companies.
Coulson's burning through money. Bobbi wasn't lying, May.
It's a whole other life.
And, um...
What is it?
Coulson met with your ex-husband.
They've been consulting for a while.
Okay. Put it on the map.
What's Coulson even need with 100 bunk beds?
We think he's building another base,
for powered people.
In my opinion, Coulson's determined to explore people with powers.
He's been on the front lines of it his whole career.
Avengers Initiative, T.A.H.I.T.I.
Everything he's done since restarting S.H.I.E.L.D.
Tells me he's continuing that work.
He wouldn't. Why blow up the alien city?
But why go there at all?
We can debate all day,
but if you're planning on training super-powered people,
you're going to need a lot of bunks.
And scientists and money.
And you're definitely going to find a very good psychologist.
Simmons, I need you to get me into Fury's Toolbox.
Coulson could have good reason for keeping this quiet.
Open the box.
Best intentions aside,
underestimating powers is playing with fire.
Am I free to go?
Skye had a choice. Are you telling me I can't leave?
No, I'm telling you...
I can never leave.
I can take you to beautiful places.
The pyramids by moonlight,
an island untouched by man.
But it is too dangerous in public right now.
You don't know that. I'm a survivor.
I know you are. And you're too good to pity yourself.
I know isolation. Pain.
Think this face didn't take some getting used to?
You can teleport. That's amazing.
But first I was blind, lost in the world.
These gifts are deeply layered for people like us.
Now I can go anywhere, find our people.
Well, what was the good in finding me? If I have a use, I don't know it.
Yet. I will be your Guide.
Your beauty will be reflected in a wonderful gift.
People like us have to live differently.
But it doesn't mean it can't be an amazing world.
As long as I have you to show it to me.
Ethan. Hey.
I hear you're headed away.
Uh, yeah, I'm taking some time to backpack.
Gordon is dropping me off in Prague, so...
Well, have a good trip.
Thanks.
There are good people here. He hasn't been through the Mist yet.
You don't want to tell them
because you're responsible for deciding what to do with me.
It's complicated. Come with me.
I'm responsible for everyone here. Favoritism undermines trust.
Don't you want to tell people?
I don't get that luxury.
My rules must be enforced.
People have died
when the process for selection and training has been ignored.
But I already skipped that process.
And I protected you from the swift response that usually brings.
It's happened before.
There was a woman once.
She didn't trust my judgment.
So she stole a batch of Terrigen Crystals and fled.
Got caught up with some criminals in Bahrain.
Her name was Eva. Russian.
Strong-willed, like you.
I will feel your pain.
I feel all their pain.
And I grow stronger.
May... The Cavalry... I know this story.
An agent went in and killed her?
I wish it had been that simple.
Stay back, honey. I'll get you out of here. It's gonna be all right.
I've had their pain.
Now give me yours.
Come on. I've got plenty to share.
With so much strength, Eva was bound to be noticed out in the world.
You feel enough pain yet? Let everyone go and this can end.
No. I want more.
Ahhh!
She's dead.
Snap out of it!
I like the pain.
She didn't steal the crystals for herself.
She stole them for her daughter.
Katya.
I saw a darkness in the girl.
I didn't think she should go through the Mist.
But Eva wanted Katya to receive her birthright.
She trusted her judgment over mine.
You killed Mother.
And now there is so much pain.
I like all their pain.
I'm scared.
I want 110 leave.
Please take my hand.
Katya was too young.
She went insane.
With one touch, she leeched off emotions like a parasite.
No! Not them! Let them go!
We can fix you.
We can help.
Just don't.
Take my hand.
Give me your pain.
I need a new mother.
I can take your pain.
Stop.
Just put your hand down and stop!
Everything is going to be all right.
Just, please...
Katya had to be stopped.
But not by S.H.I.E.L.D.
She was my responsibility.
You made the rules,
and now you're afraid they'll think you broke them for me.
Our people know too well
what a woman will do for her daughter.
So we keep our secret.
No one will ever know.
Did you see that room?
How did she take out that many people?
I must have been knocked out. I can't remember anything.
Had to have been 30 guys.
But got our whole team out.
The cavalry went in after all.
Hey. Every agent who walked out of that building is alive because of you.
The girl. I couldn't save her.
She didn't understand.
I tried.
It's all right.
You have to let the girl go, Melinda.
You did good.
Let the girl go.
Okay. Okay.
We'll get through this.
Are you sure it's the right thing?
If this is some weird lesson...
It's not a lesson.
This is personal. A debt I owe to your father.
And if you'll trust me in this, I'll be eternally grateful.
He's a monster.
He was good once.
Cal lost himself to a promise he made me.
Out of love. Now he's made good.
That shouldn't mean all is forgiven.
No. But he never gave up on you.
He deserves something for that.
Just one dinner.
Then you never have to see him again.
I'll have him taken away from here.
You promise?
Oh.
I had wanted so badly to make everything perfect for tonight,
and suddenly it is.
Uh... These are for you.
I want to thank you, both of you,
for giving me another shot.
I know that my actions...
I learned who my mother was today.
And she taught me things.
I've never had that before.
That was possible because of you.
That's all I really wanted for you.
Cal, uh, Skye doesn't know when her birthday is.
I do! July 2nd!
It... It was a gorgeous summer night. Beautiful, big moon in the sky.
1988.
Huh?
You know, your mother,
she actually cleaned before she told me.
You see, there was only one car in the village,
and we didn't own it.
So I had to negotiate with the man.
He didn't speak English, and my Chinese...
...was terrible.
- Wait, '88? - Mmm-hmm.
I'm 26?
That's so messed up.
Uh, sorry.
To 26.
Yes. Here's to...
Twenty-six.
Mmm.
Anyway, once we figured out the car situation...
Did I tell you it was the Year of the Dragon?
I dream of Skye and her father at dinner,
a bouquet of daisies.
And she's so happy.
Then we had to get you to the hospital.
Your mother was all fine and calm. I, of course, wasn't.
It's not a dream.
It's been 20 minutes. Sure there's no window in there?
Mmm-hmm.
All right.
Hey, buddy, you gonna be all day in there?
Just a minute!
Jeez, let a man think in peace!
Whoa.
Uh...
Okay.
Hunter?
How did you ring Coulson's tablet?
Are you watching Mexican football? Where are you?
Uh, undisclosed secure location?
Fitz?
How did you open Fury's Toolbox?
Don't worry, it's safe! I stole it first.
- You stole it? - Yeah.
Fitz, you're amazing. Can we meet up?
You're killing me, man. Still in there?
I'm being followed. They won't grab me.
I think they're hoping I'll lead them to you first.
Thing is, would it still be okay if I came and hung out with you?
Maybe you could show me how to shake a tail.
Maybe you could start, like, now?
You in a bathroom? With one of those electric hand dryers?
Uh... Oh, yes.
You're gonna be okay, mate.