53 53. Solving the Puzzel

"Coulson hasn't reached that stage yet" May stated

He met her eyes nodding his head, "He hasn't but if we don't find the cure it won't be long when Coulson reaches that stage. It was like watching the John I had known all those years slip away and there was nothing I could do." Grant hesitated for a moment then steeled to say what she was afraid he would. "You are going to have to watch him and if necessary, make sure he can't hurt others."

May started to say something but Grant said softly, "Melinda," to reached over and put his hands over hers. "I am sorry if it hurt you but I thought you should hear it. Though I will make sure it doesn't reach that stage. I already told Skye that those carvings are most likely a map instead of words and she has been scanning the earth to find anything regarding it."

"But they haven't found anything, even after searching for so many days," May said while shaking her head.

"Well, I did say to find the test subjects of the TAHITI project. It is clear that erasing their memory won't work for long so maybe one of them find something that Coulson or Skye didn't, after all, they would have been in this situation for much longer than Coulson." Grant said shrugging his shoulders.

"I will ask Skye to search for them," May said though she knew the chances of such were low but she was grasping at straws right now.

"Anyway, did Coulson gave something to you to pass on to me," said Grant while sipping from his drink.

May raised her eyebrow but still took something out of his pocket and passed it on to Grant.

"An untrackable phone made by Fitz. I don't know why Coulson wants me to pass on to you but it clearly isn't just for dealing with your family." May said

"Yes, you will find out what it is, when the next time you see me. Just don't attack me when you do" Grant said as he stood up and started to walk out of the hidden exit.

"What? What do you mean Ward?" asked May but she didn't get any reply as Grant walked out of the bar. May could almost guess what Grant's next mission was but she didn't want to make a guess, moreover, she didn't know if she would be able to stop herself from telling the truth to Skye and Fitz.

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Ward was in a motel packing his belongings, it has been decided that they will meet in the Ward family home in beacon hills. It had been some while since he took a commercial flight which he really enjoyed. Watching movies and few hours of reading helped him relax.

As he reached Beacon Hills he decided to make a call to someone who he knew was dying to talk to him.

"Hello" came a voice from the other side of the phone.

"Hello Skye, Did Coulson like my gift?" asked Grant as soon as he heard her voice.

"Ward! Where are you?" asked Skye standing up from her seat.

"Just on the way to meet my family. Thank you for worrying about me." Grant said with a teasing voice.

"I am not worried about you. I am worried about your family," said Skye with indignation.

"Don't worry I am not going to kill them. They are useful to Coulson alive than being dead that's why they will live." Grant said

"So that's the only reason they will live?" asked Skye.

"For the first half of my life, I hated every second I was with them Ske. The word family was one of the few words I hated, I was jealous of people with a good family. The only people I care about in that family are my sister Ruth and Thomas who thankfully are no more part of them. If Garret is the monster who created me then my family was the one who helped him by destroying me first. So yes if it wasn't for Coulson I am not sure whether I wouldn't have done anything to them." Grant stated.

Skye couldn't say anything to that as even though she understood some part of Grant's childhood having gone through the same. But the one who treated her badly wasn't her family by blood like Grant so it must have been more hurtful for him.

"Don't let this second chance go to waste Ward" in the end Skye couldn't say anything else than this.

"Don't worry Skye, I won't after all it's my last chance," Grant said as he disconnected the call next day he was going to meet his family so he needed a place to stay for the night.

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In upstate New York, Sebastian Derik is invited up to a young art teacher's apartment for a nightcap. He reveals the alien designs that adorn his chest. He assures the young woman that they have met before. Derik pulls out a knife to help her remember. The woman,  Janice Robbins, was a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Skye shows Phil Coulson crime scene photos of her body which has been carved disturbingly with the alien symbols.

Coulson and Skye search the apartment of Janice Robbins, aka Agent Rebecca Stevens. There are many images of the symbols. She has some pieces that are missing from Coulson's design. 

"Looks like Ward was right sir," Skye said as she looked at the symbols.

"Even we couldn't find the Former Agents of the Tahiti project so how did this guy do it," asked Coulson.

"Most likely because he is one of them. I am sure he remembers his real identity that's why he was able to find these people out with just their names and faces" said Skye.

Jemma Simmons performs an autopsy on the deceased agent. Both the victim and the killer had/have GH-325 in their blood. It eventually turned them into psychopaths. Coulson believes the only way to get the answers they seek is to torture him to the point where the memories that were taken from him return.

After being placed in the memory machine, Coulson sees himself in the interrogation room at the Guest House. Agent Stevens is across from him. Others agents are there, too. They are all in decent shape at first. Then everything changes. They all go mad save one, Derik. He just wants to know when he can get out of there. Coulson argues to shut down the rejuvenation program and destroy the host. The only hope is to erase the memories of the patients; that is what they do.

A struggling Coulson is able to reveal the names of the patients. The killer is targeting those who went to that magical place of Tahiti. His name was Sebastian Derik. He was an assassin from the dark side of S.H.I.E.L.D. The only Tahiti patient he has not killed yet is a man named Hank Thompson. Coulson tells Skye he wants to take care of him personally after trapping her in Ward's cell.

"Coulson you aren't making the right decisions,"