Drabbles, Dribbles, Fanfic Scribbles

A Fail-Safe to Apocalypse [Agents of SHIELD]

"There was always a fail safe."

Lincoln stared at The Hive in disbelief. All this sacrifice for nothing? He watched in horrified resignation as the parasites engulfed him. Maybe this was for the best. Maybe this was his final purpose in life.

Already he was beginning to feel whole. This was for the best. This was his final purpose in life. He wondered how he hadn't seen it before. The Hive was the only entity worth serving. He summoned up all his power and with a harsh, drawn-out yell, he forced the aircraft machinery into submission and propelled it down, towards the Earth.

The Hive simply watched with a proud smirk on his face.

***

"Lincoln! Lincoln! Someone get that aircraft online! Fitz!" Daisy was screaming at her team. Everyone was in a state of panic. The Hive was supposed to be gone by now. Why was the small plane careering downwards, surrounded by a halo of crackling blue electricity?

The mission had failed. As they watched the Hive's plan fall into place, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. prayed that the future was not as dismal as the events that unfurled before their eyes promised it would be.

***

The world watched as Europe fell. The seat of the Old World, the heart of the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution, was reduced to nothingness as its inhabitants were swallowed in the mist of Doctor Radcliffe's human-to-Inhuman formula. The beings that emerged were mere shadows of themselves and their grand past. The streets of London were drowned in primitive growling, as their counterparts in Italy tore down works of art. Within a couple of hours, nothing of man's greatness in art, literature, science remained unscathed.

***

Shanghai, China.

The Watchdog-Inhuman hybrids had run over the entire city, converting all who came in their way into their own kind. The few humans that managed to escape were in a stronghold underground. But it was only a matter of time before they would be discovered.

There were Inhumans in their midst. The last of those from Afterlife, who had heard stories from Jaiying about the terror hiding within a Monolith. This was what they had been warned against.

The Hive.

They knew he was coming for them.

Some of their friends had heard what the immortal had said, and had been influenced by him. They had left to fulfil their 'true purpose'. Those that stayed behind knew that no matter how tempting the offer of a world of freedom sounded, the Hive was not a means to it. They knew that the humans were the residents of Earth. They were the outsiders. The only way to live in harmony, and with a clean conscience, was to fight by their human brothers and sisters, no matter what the cost.

Mumbai, India.

The financial capital of the nation was perhaps one of the only safe havens for humans in the world. The primitive Inhumans hadn't adapted to the tropical, year-round heat as yet. The city was frequented by dignitaries from all over the world, conducting conferences and seminars, safe from the watchful eyes of the Hive. There was no talk of rebellion, no attempt to take back their world. The humans knew they were up against an adversary they had no hope of defeating.

Sydney, Australia.

The humans were calling them the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

They named the Hive 'Pestilence'.

His Inhuman armour was made of the rest- Lincoln was 'War', Quake was 'Conquest', and James was 'Famine'.

Daisy Johnson, former Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, was now the rogue known as Quake, Hive's most trusted and worthy subordinate. It was rather fitting that she was Conquest and Lincoln was War. After all, the two were never seen without each other, him always following her lead.

James was Famine, not because he had powers related to it. He was a strange creature, burning crops for fun, making people's lives miserable.

Wherever the Hive went, plague followed. Humans turned to primitive horrors, or went through Terrigenesis. Inhumans that emerged from their shells were immediately under the Hive's parasitic influence. There seemed to be no scenario in which the humans could win.

North Ice, Greenland.

"May, what at your coordinates?"

The screen beeped as it monitored Agent May's vitals. She was on a cloaked jet, flying to a conference in Mumbai. The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. had to know what allies they had left. Despite Daisy's betrayal, the world had to be saved, and he was probably the only one with the large reserves of hope to be able to do it.

"Should be there in another fifteen minutes," May's voice crackled with static.

"Okay. Keep the communications on. Fitz will monitor your progress."

"Copy that."

The remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D. had set up headquarters in the coldest location in Greenland. Very few operatives knew of this base, hence they were safe. For now.

They had all heard of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It truly seemed like the end of the world. Everything had changed so drastically when that jet had returned to Earth and launched the missile with the 'Armageddon gas'. It was like all the zombie stories one read about. This time, however, the zombies were primitive Inhumans, capable of evolving into individual weapons of mass destruction. The Hive himself had become stronger than ever, with his growing influence. There seemed to be no hope left.

***

It would be completely out of character for Phil Coulson to give up. No matter what happened, he always fought on. No matter what the odds, he always looked for ways to do the right thing. Daisy's betrayal had shattered him. She was, after all, like the daughter he never had. But he never let that influence his decisions as Director of a shattered S.H.I.E.L.D. Despite his constant worry for May, Bobbi, Hunter, Mack, Fitz-Simmons, and everyone else on the team, he was a sea of calm. He knew that if he let his anxiety and panic show, he would not be able to lead a competent organisation, however crippled.

He knew that no matter what happened, he had to keep fighting. He knew that despite all the odds being against him, he could never give up. He would be the world's shield.