Escape

Tensions in the room were already high, with no one able to figure out how to escape. The remaining hope faded quickly when a man with long brown hair, a full beard, a very dark expression, and a thick Russian accent opened the large door and stepped into the pod room prepared for a fight. "Who the heck is this guy?" Agent May asked, as Mick looked just as confused as she was. She checked her pistol for remaining ammunition while Mick took point to deter the oncoming attacker. 

"Oh yeah," Coulson chuckled slightly. "Forgot, you missed quite a bit huh?"

"Clearly," Mick groaned as the man reared back, slamming Mick into an unused pod with incredible force. 

"Well, short version, he's pretty bad," Coulson remarked. "Hurry up and shoot him!" May fired two rounds nailing the man twice in the chest, yet the man didn't even flinch. His eyes narrowed as his focus was locked on Coulson. 

"Uh, I think we're going to need a little more explaination there boss!" Mick stammered as the man lunged for Coulson, Mick slinging webs as fast as he could to slow him down. 

The man tore through the webbing with ease, picked up Coulson, then threw him into the charging Mick and May. "I have been waiting so long for these restrictions to be lifted," the Russian accent of the man was thick. He smirked as he raised Coulson off the ground by his throat. "Now you have no shield to hide behind!" 

"Well, that's not exactly true," Coulson choked out, as an energy shield materialized from his bionic hand, slicing through half of the man's face. The Russian fell backwards revealing his robotic skull. It sparked and crackled as he shorted out, dropping Coulson in the process.

"Robots?" May asked, helping Mick up. 

"So an LMD is a freaking robot?" Mick rubbed the side of his head, thinking that LMD was some kind of computer jargon Daisy was speaking about when she explained it all to Coulson in the Framework. 

"Like I said, you guys missed a fair amount," Coulson stared at an army of the Russian man before just pressing the button to close the door. 

"Well that went from kind of bad to much worse," Mick sighed. 

"What a welcome home party," May's sarcasm was as dry as ever. 

"I don't know what's worse, dealing with Hydra and AIDA or this," Coulson groaned.

"Hydra easily, at least they die when you shoot them," Mick groaned as May nodded in agreement. 

"Yeah, but we have no idea what they were really after in there," Coulson snapped. "Well, you two might."

"Inhumans, tyrannical iron fist ruling, normal Hydra stuff really," Mick replied. "Outside of that, I've got nothing. I was just an agent." 

"Me either," May snorted.

Coulson began to explain how Mick and May had been replaced by Life Model Decoys, and how these decoys were quite good at pretending to be them, even able to replicate Mick's powers. Both Mick and May were in shock. Things sat quiet while Coulson began trying to short out the heavy steel automatic door so it couldn't open from the other side. 

"So how did things end with Robby Reyes?" May asked breaking the silence, as well as trying to ease the tension. "Last I remember we were chasing his uncle." 

"Well, his uncle tried to become a god, then Ghostrider drug him to another dimension with his fiery chain," Coulson sounded very nonchalant. 

"Huh, went that well?" May smirked. "That's nice." 

"I still can't believe it took you that long to figure out I was replaced by some robot," May teased as Coulson rubbed his head. 

"Yeah, like you've never been robotic before," Coulson teased back. He and May shared a very curious look before Coulson broke the silence. "There, now no one is getting in here." 

"So what's the plan then?" Mick asked with a frown, starting to feel like a bit of a third wheel to the awkward flirting between Coulson and May. 

"Well, we've got to protect Mack, and find a way to control this base," Coulson made it sound easy. 

"That wouldn't be so bad if we knew where we were or how to reach our team for assistance," Mick griped. Coulson smiled as he looked out of a small window as a fish passed by. "I mean, I know they're on the Zephyr because Jemma told me that in the Framework, but that means absolutely nothing for us here." 

"I think I know where we are," Coulson exclaimed. "Seems like a Soviet refueling station underneath an oil rig, one from the early nineteen fifties I'd bet." 

"How did you piece that together, from the one fish you just saw?" May asked as she dug through a few bags of supplies she found tucked away in a cabinet. 

"It's not just one fish. Back in the framework I was a history teacher, quite the Cold War buff," Coulson seemed quite proud of himself and his Framework memories for the moment. 

"You sound like that's good news or something," May sounded rather annoyed with her findings. "Oh, an emergency dose of Epinephrine, I could use that."

"No! Absolutely not," Coulson said as Mick stared at them curiously. They had a very tension filled relationship, almost akin to his own with Daisy. Except, they always gave Mick the mom and dad of the team vibes, even though they weren't really a couple. 

"I could use it to help take on the tin cans," May said sharply.

"No, I'll do it, or Mick can use his powers," Coulson replied harshly. 

"I need to take one for the team," May urged as Coulson continued to reject the notion.

"Who knows what will happen when it wears off! You could be unconscious, unresponsive, you name it!" Coulson barked.

"Then you can just give me mouth to mouth!" May barked back, Coulson paces around before pausing, then staring at the ground uncomfortably. Mick felt even more awkward than before wondering now about if there was more to the LMD's, then May spoke exactly what he was thinking.

"Did something weird happen between you and my LMD?" Coulson stayed uncomfortably quiet, as May walked closer to him. "Did it make a move on you? Or tried to kill you?" 

"Kill me," Coulson almost sounded like he was questioning before nodding. "Yup, you tried to kill me, that's what happened." He looked quiet uncomfortable as May shook her head. 

"Well, I'm sorry, let's just add it to the list," she turned away. 

"This just can't get any more awkward," Mick muttered to himself, as he walked to the window staring into the endless depths. He began to wonder if anything weird happened with his own LMD and Daisy, which could've prompted her reaction to him in the Framework.

"You might want to get ready, Web's, because this isn't going to be an easy fight," May smirked as Mick shook his head. 

"Really? At least go with Recluse," Mick shook his head with a smile. 

"At least your smiling. If I calculated right, the Russian and his LMD army are probably working on getting through that door as we speak," Coulson said as Mick nodded. 

"Probably," Mick agreed. 

"How do you want to do this?" Coulson asked as May drank the bottle of epinephrine. "Seriously?" 

"I'll be fine with the two of you here," May smirked as Coulson couldn't protest. "Doors moving, brace yourself." 

Three LMD's of the Russian walked in, only to be ambushed by May, Coulson and Mick. May used a pry-bar bashing the LMD relentlessly, it's metal bones clanging with each hit. Coulson used his robotic hand and energy shield to keep them at bay, while Mick used a metal rod as if it were a sword. 

"Keep them away from Mack!" Coulson called out as May jumped on the back of her assailant slamming its head repeatedly as it's metallic skull peaked through the faux skin. 

Mick exchanged blows with his foe, a few of the Russians landing right in his chest. Mick growled as his frustration swelled with his pain, before he gave up on not using his powers. He kicked the LMD backwards, then webbed his face, causing it to stagger slightly. He then used his strength to jam the rod through the head of the LMD, causing it to fall lifelessly to the ground. He turned to see May and Coulson finishing their foes as well. "Yeah, don't like robots," Mick groaned. 

May then collapsed, Coulson and Mick rushed to her side, pulling her up on their shoulders. "Me either kid," May sighed. 

"Something feels off," Coulson started as Mick and May both stared at him. "If they wanted us dead, why not just flood the place?"

"You're right," Mick said suspiciously.

"It's like they were stalling," May huffed, she was becoming quite fatigued due to the epinephrine. 

"But why?" Mick asked aloud as they went searching for a way out. 

"Here, let me take May, you check over there. There's got to be some kind of elevator to get to the surface," Coulson said, Mick nodded. 

Mick then walked around the corner opposite of Coulson and May, before feeling the facility shake wildly. He noticed the elevator, then went running back to Coulson and May, seeing water rushing into the facility. "Found an elevator," he huffed. 

"Good, we need to get May up top," Coulson said firmly.

"You go, I'll see if maybe Mack is awake, or if I can just move his pod," Mick said as Coulson seemed to want to argue while Mick lead them to the elevator.

"Be careful, that water is coming in fast," Coulson warned as Mick nodded. 

"You guys be careful too," Mick smiled. He rushed back to the room, sloshing through the frigid water. His muscles trembled as he tried to adjust to the temperature to no avail. He reached Mack, two of the other pods already shorted out, and the water was still rising quickly. 

"Dang it Mack, why couldn't you just freaking jump?" Mick groaned as he tried pulling up on the pod, the water now coming up to his waist. "No, no, no!" Mick splashed the water, carefully pulling Mack without taking off his headgear. 

The water was now up to their necks as Mick used the pod to pull Mack slightly higher. "Well, so much for getting out," he sighed. "What a crappy way to go. Least you won't realize it." Mick's body trembled wildly. 

Black smoke appeared, as AIDA and Fitz grabbed hold of Mick and Mack. Before Mick could respond, they vanished in another tuft. The smoke cleared, and Mick felt the cold familiar floor of the Zephyr. His body shivered as he tried to make sense of how he arrived here. 

"You did it," Fitz said standing beside a very pleased looking AIDA. Before she could reply, she collapsed to the ground with a blue hue flashing through her eyes. Jemma and Piper stood with ICERS pointed at AIDA and Fitz. "Jemma?" Fitz started before collapsing to the ground himself. 

"I have Mick and Mack, bring the others home," Jemma said touching her ear, refusing to take her aim off of AIDA.

After being dried off and warm, Daisy walked over to Mick's bunk. "How are you feeling?" 

"Slightly disoriented," Mick smirked "Still trying to figure out exactly what's going on, and you?" 

"Oh I'm great, finally have our team back together, even though Mack and Fitz are unconscious. We've got the psycho murder bot that for some reason saved you and Mack locked up," Daisy replied as Mick stared at her for a brief moment. "What? Is there something on my face?" 

"No, it's nothing," Mick lied. He had so many questions; what was his LMD like, did they have awkward moments, did she actually kiss him when they fell through the portal, but he couldn't bring himself to start the conversation. The timing just didn't seem right. 

"We're heading back to base, I'm going to go check on May," Daisy said with a smile. 

"I'll head that way shortly," Mick smiled back. Something happened for sure, Daisy wasn't normally that nice to him. Maybe it was all in his head, or maybe Jemma was right, Daisy actually had some kind of feelings for him? He didn't want to get his hopes up, nor could he focus on this. They still had to figure out what was going on with AIDA, or Ophelia, whatever she was calling herself now. They also had to figure out how to save the Framework and get Mack out. 

They landed in the ruins of their base, Piper and Davis working on getting the Zephyr restocked and refueled, while Coulson and May went to set up the holding container. Mick walked with Jemma down the dark corridors as he could see through the light mounts on their pistols just how much pain she was in.

"Can I ask you something?" Jemma finally spoke. 

"Sure," Mick paused.

"Do you think Fitz is in love with AIDA?" 

"Not a chance!" 

"Even when he was in the Framework?" That question was much harder to process. Everything felt real in there, but in the end his true memories won out. 

"I don't think anyone could take your place Jemma," Mick said with a smile 

"I want to believe that, but what about you and Samantha?" Mick couldn't respond. It was true, he loved Sam in the Framework, but she wasn't the real Sam, who he did love as well. 

"It's a little different with Sam," Mick said as Jemma reached for a switch pressing the button so lights came on. "You know I loved Sam in the real world, and I think that's what really brought on a lot of how I felt for Framework Sam. It was hard to leave her, but in the end, I knew it wasn't really my Sam."

"But did your feelings for her effect how you feel about Daisy?" Mick sighed as he realized just how concerned Jemma was. 

"No, I still care about Daisy. Those feelings were just locked away with my memories of this world. If anything, my feelings for Daisy made me a whole lot more confused in the Framework, because they'd just slip through from time to time. Then it went crazy after you showed up," he said softly. "I imagine it's the same for Fitz. Once he's got his head all sorted out, things are going to go back to normal."

"I guess we'll see," she frowned, finishing up preparations to the containment room. 

They returned to Zephyr One, and lowered the containment unit into the room. "So what's the plan for AIDA?" Daisy asked as Coulson paced on the loading dock. 

"Well, it's complicated," Coulson sighed. 

"No it's not, we cut her head off just like last time, and be done with it," Yo-yo said bitterly. 

"We can't just kill her!" Mick exclaimed as Yo-yo stared at him skeptically.

"Mick's right, she's not just a robot anymore," May said.

"She still looks like that robot," Yo-yo huffed. 

"Let's just take a moment there Sweeney Todd. She's a human now, apparently everything she did was to escape Radcliffe's programming," Coulson said almost sympathetically. 

"She saved Mack and Mick," Daisy added, only for Jemma to roll her eyes. 

"That doesn't matter! Look at everyone she's killed!" Yo-yo argued.

"We're not taking any more lives, and that's that," May barked. 

"Okay, well then, next question," Coulson said solemnly. 

"What do we do with Fitz?" Daisy sighed. No one wanted to answer, nor could they even look up at Jemma. 

"I spoke with Mick already, but what do you two remember of your Framework lives?" Jemma looked at Coulson and May, who both wore the same agonized expression.

"Everything, it's like both sets of memories are just a part of me," Coulson said.

"But none of it was me," May finished the sentence for Coulson.

"So it's not like a vivid dream?" Jemma asked. 

"It wasn't a dream Simmons. It was a life," May said softly.

"But," Jemma began to break down. "Does it all still feel real?" She didn't stay for a response, instead she left, wiping her eyes. 

"We should go after her," Daisy said as Mick stepped forward. 

"I'll go," he said as Coulson nodded, almost as if he gave him permission. 

Mick caught up to Jemma leaning against the lab doors, holding the monitor for the Containment room, tears streaming down her face, sobbing slightly. "Jemma," Mick tried to console her, as she leaned on his shoulder. 

"She's in love with him," Jemma moaned. 

"But he doesn't love her," Mick said as Jemma picked up the device as the screen began to flicker and AIDA screamed. 

"We need to get him out of there!" Jemma said as she ran back to the loading ramp. 

"I'll find Agent Davis, he has the key!" Mick ran toward the bunks. 

"AIDA is flipping out, we need to get Fitz out now!" Mick called over the radio, before following Jemma into the loading bay, only to be met by General Talbot and a few soldiers pointing their guns at them. Forcing them to freeze in compliance.

"We're not robots Glenn," Coulson said as calm as he could be. 

"Every one of you will be considered a C3PO unless I give the command!" Talbot barked as he walked over toward Daisy, who Mick had eased his way over toward. "If she so much as freaking blinks I want her put down." Talbot smiled coldly as Mick sneered furiously, almost daring Mick to test his order. "Just go ahead and try me Webhead." 

"Is all of this necessary?" Coulson asked as Talbot turned to him so full of rage, his veins were pulsing. 

"It's essential!" He yelled. "Unless you can explain to me in fifty words or less why I found Jeffery Mace's body washed up on the beach with his bones quaked apart just days after I found this base burned and in shambles, full of robots with their faces melted off!" He continued to yell louder as he paced about. "There were twelve wounded Shield agents, three dead from two shots each in the chest and their freaking skulls crushed!" Talbot seemed to feel slightly better about all of his yelling, before turning back to Coulson. "Think you can explain all of that?"

Coulson looked at Talbot for a moment, then smiled impishly. "I can try." 

Talbot glared at Coulson while he tried to explain everything that had happened over the last few days. Coulson finished up by telling him about the oil rig, the Talbot shook his head. "You expect me to believe any of that crap?" He asked bitterly. His radio then began crackling as soldiers cried out about something attacking from everywhere. "What does that mean?" Talbot looked around to see who would be missing from the group. 

"Where's your Speedy Gonzales girl? Who the heck is attacking us?"

Coulson shook his head as May gasped. "AIDA got out." 

"That's what I was coming to tell you, before someone pointed guns so rudely silenced me with a gun," Mick frowned as Talbot turned to him and glared. 

"What the heck is an AIDA?" Talbot growled, pointing their guns at the team.

Gunshots echoed through the halls as the containment pod lifted back into the Zephyr, the a frantically screaming Fitz as well as Piper locked inside. "They won't listen to me!" Fitz screamed, his voice barely sounding muffled by the unit. "She's going to kill us all!" 

"What is he talking about?" Talbot growled.

"May! You're the only one who knows the truth about the Inhumans we captured!" Fitz cried out as May's concern colored her face. She then took off towards the cockpit to take off, as the guards lifted their guns towards her. Daisy then lifted her hands toward Talbot, ready to blast him with a quake. 

"Go ahead and try it, let's see what happens," Daisy threatened as Talbot motioned for his soldiers to put their guns down. The Zephyr engines roared to life, as Coulson took control of the situation. 

"Put the guns down and you can come with us. But you better know, the Zephyr is leaving with or without you," Coulson was firm, his expression completely serious. 

"Fall back," Talbot said as the soldiers adhered quickly. They all turned to leave the Zephyr, as Coulson shrugged. 

"Your loss," he said as he closed the hatch. "Hey, did anyone have eyes on Yo-yo durning all of that?" 

"Oh no!" Daisy gasped as her and Coulson ran to the lab. 

Mick walked into the containment unit shaken up. Now not only was Mack still in the Framework, Yo-yo had dove in as well. He looked to see Fitz clearly upset in the containment pod. He opened the door and walked in, sitting beside his distraught friend, with Jemma following behind sitting on Fitz's other side. The barrier holding back Fitz's tears shattered as he leaned on Jemma, almost instinctively. Mick sat beside him, with an arm rubbing his back, hearing the sobs, and seeing the same look of tear filled pain on Jemma's face as well. 

"We're going to make this right, it's what we do." Mick wanted to believe his words, he hoped that this was the case. Maybe one day things could be okay, but that day seemed so very far away, almost always out of reach.