25. Result

"This is disconcerting don't you think?" Trip whispered to Skye who nodded her head.

"The enforcement of the conditioning only reinforces the manipulation, but I believe that if his subject ever lapsed in their devotion, John Garrett probably employed a trigger phrase to reset or spur the individual into action"

Fitz's words breezed around him and while Ward could think of many things that John used to repeat but the only one he thinks that would have worked was when he called him Son. Someone like Ward who doesn't have a family would along to any form of it if he gets it so Garret used that as a trigger phrase.

"You figured it out didn't you Ward?" Fitz said as he looked at him.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him Grant replied by nodding his head.

"What is it?" Skye couldn't stop herself from asking.

"It's not important since it won't work anymore" Grant replied

"I am not sure about that, even if it has been quite some time since you were freed from Garrett's control that trigger phrase may really affect you" Fitz stated

"Even then it's fine because no one will use that phrase, Garrett knew that that's why he made it the trigger phrase" Grant replied

"Ward, we need to know what that phrase is, only then will Fitz be able to help you, and only then will you be able to be truly free from Garrett's control," Coulson said

Grant took a deep breath and said "Son"

"Son?" asked Fitz

"Yes, whenever Garrett called me som, I would do whatever he asked me to do, in any phrase he used son I will make sure to follow his orders like 'I need you to kill him son', 'Don't disappoint me son' and so on. My parents didn't call me son that often you see, only during parties when we had to be introduced and even then when it was an important guest who has brought his family as well otherwise I would be sitting in a corner. Christian was the eldest son so it was necessary for them to call him and my little brother was loved by our mother so she called him son as well. Garret knew about that hence he used that word knowing there isn't anyone other than him who would call me Son" explained Grant.

Everyone became silent, no word came out from anyone's mouth after they heard the phrase Garret used for Ward and the reason behind it. Even Trip who usually tries to lighten the mood with jokes didn't have anything to say.

Skye knew that Ward had a bad childhood just like her and that was also the reason they connected but right now she felt really sorry for him. The ones who treated her badly were just strangers to her but the people who hurt Ward were his real parents, how could they do that to him she couldn't understand.

Coulson and May were silent with expressions that were hard to read but it was clear that they were pissed off. If they hadn't killed off Garrett months ago then Coulson and May would have peeled his skin off by now.

Fitz on the other hand clearly expressed his emotion by dropping some tears for Ward but then quickly controlled himself.

Grant looked around the room and seeing the expression on everyone's face knew this story of his earned him some points.

'See that's how you tell your pitiful past. If you want sympathy you can't tell everything at once and only when someone asks you should you tell them. If you always speak about your past then people will get irritated by you instead of pitying you' thought Grant in his mind.

Trip silently went through the file on his hand and reached the page from which Fitz was speaking just now and asked a question as he quoted "'The conditioning only reinforces the manipulation.' What does that mean exactly?"

"It means Garret used Ward's survivalist training to promote and encourage a certain mindset," Fitz answered gesturing towards the blotchy irregular scan that mirrored the scan of the brainwashed on that Skye found in the dark web. "He would reward that behavior, pushing it farther and farther." A finger jab at the escalating steps until he stopped at the best. patterns most similar to the mass murderer. "It would have altered Ward until the very act of completing missions and taking orders would strengthen the dependency and commitment to Garrett... or whoever met the requirements."

Fitz let the others soak that information then continued "Like an... addiction, he would feel the need to please whoever he felt a connection or debt to, which is why he was able to, at times, deviate from Garrett's orders."

"So have his conditioned improved then," asked Coulson

"Yes, it has improved after all it was hard for Ward to tell me anything about his last if Skye didn't insist on it but this time he told us some without the need of Skye's pressing him" Fitz stated.

"And how can his conditioned be improved further?" asked Coulson.

"Umm... Well... there is actually.... something-"

"Why have you suddenly started to stumble again? What is it?" asked Coulson knowing that his stumbling wasn't because of his injury but because it was uncomfortable for him to say.

"Well, it will he'll if Ward doesn't have to stay in Vault D anymore. Even if we put a tracker on him and don't allow him to move much if he can stay in a room instead of a cell then our sessions will be much more helpful" Fitz stated

"There is no need for that Fitz. Now that I know there is an improvement in my condition I will try to be more active in our session but you will have to be patient with me" Grant stated

"Oh don't worry I have time in my hand so I will be patient and if Skye continues to help then I am sure much patience won't be needed," Fitz said with a smile

"I will inform the rest of the SHIELD tomorrow about it, then you can bring Ward out of Vault D but Fitz he is your and Skye's responsibility make sure that he doesn't creates a problem am I clear"