Ten minutes later, in the corridor of the base.
"I've had someone investigate the identity of Ms. Catherine Jones — there's no problem. The staff at The Texas News also confirmed that Catherine Jones is indeed their new intern reporter," Coulson said, glancing toward the interrogation room where Skye sat quietly.
"I don't know," he continued, his tone skeptical. "Something still feels off."
Kai leaned back against the wall and asked, "New discovery?"
Coulson crossed his arms. "Remember when I asked her how she got to that farm? She said she hitched a ride. That place is thirteen miles from the nearest town, surrounded by nothing but a few abandoned houses. You really think a twenty-five-year-old intern reporter would wander out there alone, chasing a story about orcs?"
He spread his hands helplessly. "I just don't buy it. Sure, some reporters risk their lives for a headline, but a rookie intern? Not likely."
Kai smirked. "So what, you planning to keep her locked up until the orc problem's over, then send her back to New York?"
"Of course not."
Coulson shook his head, a slight grin forming. Through the one-way glass, he watched Skye fidget with the handcuffs on her wrists.
"I'm going to let her go — and have someone tail her. If she's clean, great. If not, maybe she'll lead us somewhere interesting."
With that, Coulson opened the door to the interrogation room.
He stepped inside, took out a key, and unlocked Skye's cuffs.
"I'm sorry for the delay, Ms. Catherine. Your credentials checked out. You're free to go. Of course, we'll return your camera — but the footage and phone data will be deleted."
Skye put on her best "relieved" face, though inside she was silently thanking her luck. She hadn't expected things to go this smoothly.
Still, she played the part of the frustrated reporter to the end, making sure to press Coulson about her lost footage before finally leaving "reluctantly."
Inside the base, Coulson watched Skye walk away and turned to Kai.
"I've got S.H.I.E.L.D.'s satellites sweeping every inch of Texas," he said. "If the orc shows up again, we'll be the first to know."
He glanced at his tablet and chuckled. "By the way, Fitz has been acting weird all day — nervous, tongue-tied around Simmons. I swear, that guy's been crushing on her for a year and still hasn't even held her hand."
Kai gave him a blank look. "Coulson… since when did you become this gossipy?"
"Hey, it's part of being a good team leader," Coulson replied defensively. "If one of my team's distracted by personal drama, I need to know. Work-life balance and all that."
Kai sighed. "Right. You're not helping."
But Coulson just shrugged. "Come on, don't tell me you're not at least a little curious. I mean — did Simmons make the first move and Fitz chickened out? The image alone keeps me entertained all day!"
Kai stared at him, unimpressed. "Something's wrong with you. Is this about your past?"
Coulson laughed awkwardly. "What? No. I mean… maybe if I'd been braver when I was younger, or hadn't broken up with that cello player before New York—"
"Wait, what kid?"
The voice came from the doorway.
Melinda May stood there with her arms crossed, eyebrow raised. "Coulson, you have a kid? Didn't you break up with your cello girlfriend before the Battle of New York?"
Across the room, Fitz and Simmons both froze mid-task, curious.
Coulson coughed. "Of course not! Anyway, the barbecue place is booked — let's move before the table's gone!"
He practically bolted for the exit.
After dinner, the team returned to the base.
Fitz dove back into call logs from the orc case. Simmons began testing the hair Coulson had recovered.
May and Coulson took turns monitoring the satellite feeds for new activity.
Kai, on the other hand, showered, grabbed his PSP, and went straight to bed — the picture of a man dedicated to slacking off.
The next morning.
Kai arrived at the base, greeted everyone, grabbed a newspaper, and settled into his seat — fully prepared for another easy day.
A few minutes later, Simmons came running in, face flushed with excitement.
"Coulson! Kai! The analysis results on that hair are in!"
Kai put down his paper and glanced up. "Let's hear it."
Simmons took a deep breath. "According to the genetic analysis, the follicle structure shows an extreme mutation — likely triggered by some kind of external stimulation."
"Based on the human genome, this individual may have transformed into a beast-like creature because of it."
She paused dramatically. "And here's the crazy part — I detected a substance matching the Super Soldier Serum used on Captain Steve Rogers!"
Coulson's eyes widened. "You're saying the orc was… what, a failed super soldier?"
"Possibly," Simmons said, nodding rapidly. "But there's more. I found unknown elements mixed with the serum compound — something unstable. My theory is that the combination caused the mutation, turning whoever it was into the creature we saw."
She frowned. "It's a shame it was just hair. If I had subcutaneous tissue, I could analyze the transformation mechanism further."
Before Coulson could respond, Melinda burst into the room, her expression sharp.
"Everyone, get ready — S.H.I.E.L.D. satellite just confirmed movement. The orc has appeared again!"