Chapter 379: Even Ghosts Get Shot

Agent Coulson followed Solomon into the ethereal boundary. According to Solomon, in this space, they were neither in the ethereal plane nor the material plane. Ahead lay the aurora-like shimmer marking the edge of the ethereal boundary and the deeper ethereal plane beyond.

They could see faint outlines of physical objects around them, including the Airbus and the figures waiting in the cargo bay. Coulson waved his hand experimentally but found that no one could see them. This realm resembled the eerie worlds depicted in horror novels, but Coulson doubted Stephen King had ever imagined something quite like this.

The mist seemed to conceal a pair of icy blue eyes that made the air feel colder. It was unsettling, especially knowing that this was where all the world's ghosts gathered.

"So much fog," Coulson remarked with practiced calm, attempting a bit of levity. "It's like that mission in Salem, but without the rancid-smelling monsters."

"If that mission were today, I'd still pick you as a teammate," Solomon replied, shaking his head. He led Coulson through the glass doors of the lab. Coulson hesitated briefly before following the mystic through. "You might not remember, but your performance in Salem was legendary—after all, you survived. Now, Coulson, remember what I told you: don't touch the aurora, and don't phase through living things. But like Tobias, we can now pass through physical barriers. That'll let us see him clearly."

"You sound awfully prepared," Coulson said, eyeing the M1911 in his hand with skepticism. "Does this thing even work?"

"This isn't just any gun—it has a custom, enchanted barrel," Solomon replied with a smile. His deep crimson robe stood out in the mist-shrouded world. "A caster must always be ready for any situation, Agent Coulson."

When Tobias, dressed in his work uniform and holding a wrench, finally appeared, Coulson got his first clear look at the ghost. Tobias looked just as he had in life, though his face was smudged with grime, as if he'd been rolling on the ground. He paced near Hannah Hutchins, agitated. Earlier, Tobias had attempted an attack but was struck by Wong's magic flames. The holy energy had burned part of his form, inflicting a soul-deep pain that made him even more irritable. Now, Tobias avoided any area with mystics, fearing another hit.

He was restless, emitting meaningless howls and swinging his red wrench wildly, though he couldn't make contact with anything. He resembled a tantrum-throwing toddler, his only real threat being his size.

Coulson asked Solomon for a chance to approach Tobias. The mystic agreed—it was just a ghost, after all. Moving carefully, Coulson approached the furious spirit and called out to him.

Tobias was clearly shocked to see Solomon and Coulson. It was the first time he had encountered anyone else in this realm. Realization quickly dawned on him, and he charged at them with his wrench raised.

Instinctively, Coulson raised the enchanted M1911 and pulled the trigger.

"Bang!"

The sound startled Skye, who turned around to check her surroundings. Finding nothing behind her, she relaxed, patting her chest. She resumed comforting Hannah Hutchins, who was still crying softly.

"Agent Coulson has been in there for over five minutes," Skye said uneasily. "I'm worried he might run into trouble." She glanced at Simmons, who was equally on edge, wracking her brain for a theory on the ethereal plane that might help in future scenarios.

The scene of Solomon and Coulson stepping through the portal had left her deeply unsettled. The view beyond the portal looked identical to the outside world, but as the two men walked deeper, they seemed to shrink, as if moving along an invisible axis, until they vanished into the mist.

"I wouldn't worry," Wong said nonchalantly. "Ghosts are no trouble for someone like him. What I'd like to know is when Melinda will get here. I still need to get that girl into the protective circle."

"She'll be here soon," Skye replied. "May is still looking for Ward and Fitz. They need to fix the plane first…"

"Take her down now," Wong said, motioning for the female apprentices to escort Hannah Hutchins off the plane. Below the cargo bay, a group of mystic apprentices was waiting. Skye wanted to object, but Wong ignored her entirely, convinced that sticking to the original plan was faster than S.H.I.E.L.D.'s sluggish methods.

"What's your plan?" Coulson asked.

"Plan? Why would I need a plan for a ghost?" Solomon said, dragging Tobias by the collar as if he were a misbehaving dog. The ghost thrashed and howled, but Solomon remained unimpressed. The fight had lasted mere seconds—Solomon had dealt with street thugs who put up more resistance than Tobias. This ghost couldn't even possess anyone; all he could do was swing his wrench and scream. Tobias certainly hadn't expected to be shot after becoming a ghost.

Solomon felt he'd wasted the Protection from Evil spell he'd cast earlier on everyone—it was overkill for such a pitiful opponent. He decided to keep this embarrassing fact to himself.

Back outside, Tobias's sudden appearance startled Skye. She nearly punched him, but the panicked ghost turned and fled. He didn't dare retreat into the plane or slip back into the ethereal plane, fearing another assault. His presence triggered a scream from Hannah Hutchins.

Moments later, a familiar portal opened beneath the cargo bay stairs. Solomon and Coulson stepped through, immediately calming Hannah's frazzled nerves.

"This is the culprit?" Skye pointed at Tobias, now surrounded by mystic apprentices. The ghostly man was too terrified to move, let alone approach Hannah Hutchins. He glanced at Solomon, who stood on the cargo bay steps, and was gripped by a fear no ghost should feel. Half-shrouded in shadow, Solomon looked like the true monster of this tale.

"Just as I suspected," Skye said. "It's like everyone's impression of Tobias. Coulson, he's the one who caused the explosion. His complaints against Hannah Hutchins were just to get her attention. He wanted to stay close to her. He didn't mean to hurt her—he scared off that creep at the gas station and used the cop car to crash into you because we were arresting her!"

"Tobias was trying to protect her," Coulson summarized.

"He likes her," Solomon said with disdain. "Is this some grade-school crush? This is even less effective than pulling a girl's pigtail."

"I used to have my pigtails pulled," Simmons said indignantly, her eyes wide. "And they called me a nerd."

"Trust me, those boys just liked you," Skye said confidently. "Men are that immature."

Before the conversation could fully derail into humor, Coulson coughed to redirect focus. "What's the plan now?"

"Tobias needs to atone for what he's done to Hannah Hutchins," Solomon said. "And then, he needs to die for good. We'll make sure of that."

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