𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇
She held her pose like an ancient masterpiece Grandiose, fascinating, beautiful, and slowly falling apart

"HEY." Daisy looked up from the paper she was reading to see Coulson walking towards her, "How you holding up?"

"I'm pissed," she admitted, huffing in annoyance. "Not only did I get manhandled by Lash, and it messed up our chance to see the ATCU facility, I also went back to my home town for a fight to only get someone hurt in the process." She sighed, raising her eyebrows, "But, good news... I have a theory."

"I like theories."

"Lash was tracking us. He knew where our truck was. He needed inside info for that," Daisy informed Coulson, leaning on the table.

"You think he's got access to ATCU information?"

She shook her head, hesitating before speaking, "No, I—" She stood up, "I think he's in the ATCU. We know that he can transform himself into a regular-sized guy and back. What if he's hiding out as one of them?"

"That's a scary thought." He looked at her in concern, "I've got Rosalind giving me a tour of her operation today. Let me see what I find there."

"Good," she told him as he started to walk away, "I'll see what I can get on Lash's identity."

He turned to her, "And whatever you dig into, try to keep it off Rosalind's radar. I need her to trust me today."

He went to walk away, but Daisy stopped him by asking, "You're not having a hard time working her, are you?" He turned to her, confused. "Not getting too attached?"

He scoffed. "You do this long enough, you learn to cut yourself off from all that. Makes it easier to do the job."

He was halfway up the stairs when she stopped him again, "Sir?" He turned and gave her a look of slight frustration, "Is May really back for good?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted, "Right now, she's out for blood."

DAISY sped up a little as she saw Dr. Garner walking the halls, hospital outfit on, pushing along his stand full of liquids that he needs. "Dr. Garner, good to see you up." She walked side to side with him, "Do you have time for a consult?"

He turned to her, smiling. "Oh, god, yes, please." He sighed, his eyes slightly wide, "Came off more desperate than I intended." They both chuckled. "Being laid up is very boring. What's up?"

"It's Lash," she rushed out, swallowing thickly.

"Lash?"

She started doing weird hand gestures. "The Inhuman killer monster."

He nodded slightly as he looked down at her. "Oh, right. I heard you had a run-in with him. Glad you're okay."

Daisy turned around to stand in front of him, "That is what I don't understand. Why am I okay?" At his confused face, she continued, "He kills Inhumans. He killed Frye. Why spare me?"

He clicked his tongue. "That's a tough one. Still trying to put together an Inhuman psych profile. And you know... You're all different."

"Yeah, but he's..." She nodded her head along with her words, "Really different," she paused, clearing her throat. "He changed into a guy... a regular guy."

He looked slightly worried which confused her. "You saw him? Did you get a good look at him?"

Daisy shook her head. "No, just a shadow, but still..." She scoffed, shaking her head. "But someone that big and ugly... I mean, it makes sense. He's got to get around without being noticed somehow."

"Maybe Lincoln can help. You know where he is?"

She bit her lip. "No idea. He's been off the grid since the ATCU tried picking him up, but he calls sometimes."

"Hey, tremors." Daisy looked behind Dr. Garner to Mack who stood down the hallway, "You got a sec?"

"Yeah." She nodded before turning to Garner. "Um... Thank you. I'll keep you posted." He nodded so she made her way towards Mack, "What's up?"

"Been thinking about your ATCU theory. Now, who took off before the convoy left, and who knew the exact route we were going to take?"

Daisy stopped, realization dawning on her. "Banks."

Mack nodded, "He's got access to everything that ATCU learns about Inhumans." He handed her the tablet, showing her Banks profile.

She looked up to Mack. "We should tail him."

He nodded. "Already got a van ready to go, full surveillance package. Infrared scanners, one-way glass—"

"Perfect," Daisy interrupted him, "Let me get some things."

"I'll drive." They both turned to Hunter who stood at the doorway. "I mean... please," he begged, giving them the puppy eyes.

"NO one yet," Hunter informed them, staring at the computer that held the garage footage. "Banks still not back."

Daisy placed a chip in her mouth, chewing loudly which made both males turn to her. She looked to Hunter, annoyed, "He wasn't back 37 seconds ago, either, but thanks for the regular updates." She stuffed a handful of chips in her mouth, looking Hunter in the eyes. "This guy is bad news. Got discharged from the marines."

"With cause," Mack deadpaned.

"And Rosalind hired him anyway."

Mack spoke up, "He was part of an elite anti-alien task force after New York."

Daisy scoffed. "Of course he was."

"So what's the plan when he gets back?" Hunter asked, barely taking his eyes off the cameras. "Is this a grab-and-torture kind of deal? Chokehold might not work if he turns out to be Lash. But we could—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Daisy mused, "Slow down, gitmo. I thought you just wanted to drive."

He gave her a look. "Just offering helpful suggestions."

"Helpful in what way, exactly?"

"Um... stopping bad guys?"

"How about professionalism?" Mack asked him, also amused. "Doing your job smart, not getting people killed?"

Hunter had to 'think' about it, "Hmm. Wild guess... this isn't about following Banks."

"Hunter, come on." Daisy gave him a look. "Andrew almost died."

"And there we have it." He threw his hands up. "Look, it's not like I just handed over Andrew and said, "hey, please kill our friend"."

"Right. "I had no choice"."

Hunter gave Mack a frustrated look. "I had no choice. I—"

"Guys," Daisy interrupted their banter. "Guys."

They all looked at the camera's. Banks was getting in his car, and it looked like he was going home.

"Looks like we're following him home." Hunter got up and sat in the drivers seat. "At a safe distance!" Mack reminded Hunter.

THEY pulled up —?at a safe distance —?behind where Banks parked. they watched as he got out of his car, answering his phone. "He's gonna go back inside when he finishes his call."

"What's our next move?" Mack asked before continuing, "He goes in his house, we're done for the day."

Daisy shook her head. "I don't want to give up on him yet."

"I could break into his car, drop a spot cam in his speedometer," Mack told her, excited about the thought.

"We have to be stealthy," she informed him, watching as Banks started pacing. "If he catches you, we're toast. Coulson is in the belly of the beast. We can't tip off the ATCU that we're on to them."

"There must be some way we can keep—"

The van door closed and the duo watched as Hunter approached Banks, a handkerchief on his face. Daisy jumped in shock as Hunter shot Banks with an icer who then faced them and held up an okay sign with his fingers.

Mack threw up a hand. "So much for stealthy."

Hunter then proceeded to drag Banks over to them, and threw him in front of Mack and Daisy. "And this is a good idea how?"

Hunter shrugged. "I didn't kill him, I — I just iced him."

"And screwed Coulson," Daisy reminded him. "He's working Rosalind, and you just shot her number two. When she finds out—"

"She won't," Hunter interrupted her, shaking his head. "That's what the bandana's for." He then looked to both Mack and Daisy. "Lash is an Inhuman. Inhumans have markers in their DNA. If we test Banks' blood for markers, we'll know if he's Inhuman or not."

Daisy looked to Banks, to Hunter, to Mack, and then back to Hunter, "That's actually kind of smart."

Hunter smiled at her. "Thank you."

She looked down at Hunter. "But I still think you need to talk about your anger issues."

"And this isn't the med lab," Mack reminded him. "We don't have the equipment to draw banks' blood."

Hunter looked down at Banks before raising his fist, and then brought it down onto Banks' nose.

Daisy flinched. "Oh. Okay."

"There you go..." Hunter looked at Mack and Daisy, "Blood." Daisy gave Hunter a look which made him sigh, "Okay, there might be a small anger issue."

She scoffed before looking to Mack. "Just pass me the swab."

While Mack swabbed Banks' blood, she called Jemma, "Jemma, I know you haven't been in the lab and I hate to ask you to do work, but if—"

She interrupted her, "In fact, I can handle it, actually. Whatever it is."

"Do you have time to run a blood analysis? I want to see if Banks has Inhuman markers."

"I have plenty of time. Send away."

Daisy smiled. "Thank you, Jemma."

"I'll call when I know."

"Okay." She hung up on her before facing her boys. "Anything?"

"Guy shops at Costco," Mack informed her and she sighed in frustration.

"Anything useful?" She asked with an eye roll.

"There's not even any selfies." Daisy turned to Hunter, amused. "Banks, you are boring. Well, apart from the fact that he might be a giant beast who blows holes in people's chests, but—" The phone in his hand chimed, he threw it down on Banks' chest. He held up his hands, looking up at Daisy like a child would if they got caught doing something they weren't suppose to be doing. "I — I didn't do it. I —It wasn't me. I—"

"We know." Mack gave him a look, talking to him as if he was a baby. "It's a phone." He then sited what it said, "Subject en route to Endotex." No caller I.D."

Daisy quickly searched it up. "Something called Endotex Labs in Gaithersburg? We could check it out. What do you think?"

Mack was looking at Hunter as he spoke, "Well, we've got time before Simmons comes back with results."

"What about him?" Hunter pointed to Banks.

Daisy shrugged. "We could take him with us."

Mack stuttered out a response, "I've been trapped in a moving vehicle with Lash before. Don't love the idea of it happening again."

She nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, if he has the DNA markers, we know where to find him. Let's go."

MACK was looking through binoculars at the place they had gotten a text about. Mack was informing them on the things he saw, "This is the place. Matches the Endotex location. High-voltage, zinc-coated razor wire, iris recognition? Staggered perimeter patrols. They don't want any visitors. It's got to be a front, don't you think?"

Hunter sighed. "So what now?"

"Now we use the new dwarf Fitz crafted." Daisy held up the small airplane like thing that had a camera on it. "He doesn't think it's ready yet, but that's stupid because it's awesome, so... I stole it." She cleared her throat, Hunter was giving her a look. "What? I didn't say you were the only one with issues." She grabbed her three-screen tablet, and set the dwarf on the floor. " All right." She pushed a couple button on her tablet, and the dwarf came to life, beeping and whiring. It then flew off.

Her phone beeped, so she answered it, "Simmons, what do you got?"

"It's negative. Banks has no Inhuman markers. He's not Inhuman."

Daisy huffed. "So, he's not Lash." She shook her head. "Really? I was so sure..." She sighed. "Okay. Thanks."

"I don't care what the blood work says. That guy Banks is shifty," Hunter admitted to them and Daisy nodded in agreement. "You know he once held me prisoner on a train. Didn't care for that."

"Banks was still on his way here. Endotex is obviously a front for ATCU," Mack suggested.

"No, there's something here. Maybe the dwarf will find something so today won't have been pointless," Daisy paused, "Banks wanted to be here for a delivery of something. I wonder what it is." She flew the dwarf into the place a truck and car just pulled into.

"But won't they see the dwarf?" Mack questioned, wordied.

"They will not. That's the 2.0," Daisy mused, smirking as she touched a button, and the dwarf turned invisible.

Mack chuckled. "Fitz should not be keeping that locked up." They watched as the group brought out a box looking thing, but it was covered by a sheet. "Uh... Wait, what is that?"

"I don't..." They watched as they uncovered it, revealing a person in a yellow/orange substance. "It's a person."

"Oh, god."

"Is he dead?"

Daisy shook her head, disgusted by this. "No, they're monitoring him. He's alive."

"But in some kind of what? A coma?"

"This is ATCU," she stated, her lips curling in distaste. "This is where they're storing Inhumans they find. Like animals in cages." They watched as a machine picked up the glass container that the inhuman was in. "We need a better shot."

She saw something that shocked her to her core. "Oh, god." Coulson was there talking with the dragon lady known as Rosalind.

"Can we turn it up? I can't hear a thing."

"It's up," Daisy informed him. "This is as close as we can get without giving ourselves away. There's noise in the background..."

Mack looked to her, concerned, "I know how it looks."

She stopped him from saying anything else. "He should be freaking out. This is the sort of thing that should freak a person out. Why is he not burning this place to the ground?"

"He — He's telling her what he thinks," Mack stuttered out.

Hunter gave Daisy a soft look, "He's horrified, like we are." His blue eyes glanced over her features.

She shook her head. "It doesn't look like it."

"Look, bring back that dwarf. Make sure we're not discovered."

Daisy shook her head, ignoring Mack. "There's no way we're working with the ATCU now."

"Tremors... Daisy!" She looked to Mack. "The dwarf! Bring it back."

"All right." She huffed and did as told.

"I told you, you don't have to worry about me." Daisy reminded him, smiling. "Are you all right? Staying safe?" She leaned up against the wall, biting her lip as he answered.

"Safe as houses."

"What?" She chuckled.

"It's an expression," He told her, chuckling. "People say that."

She scoffed. "Sure. And someday, you can tell me how you survived the dust bowl and the Hoover administration, grandpa."

He chuckled and she can imagine him shaking his head."That's an ugly side of you, Daisy."

"That's too bad," she mused, "You know the deal. I stop making fun of you when you tell me where you are."

"Yeah."

"Just..." She sighed, worried for him. "Keep your head down, okay? I don't want this thing to find you." She sighed. "Do you have any friends out there, at least?"

"Not as many as I used to. How much longer till the call is traceable?"

Dais took the phone away from her ear to look at it. "Fifteen seconds," she mumbled sadly.

"I'll reach out soon."

"Hope so." She hung up on him, putting her face in her hand. She smiled before turning around, finding Dr. Garner there. "Dr. Garner, hey."

"Was that Lincoln?" He immediately asked, getting to the point. "He have anything to help us with Lash?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Nope. Back to square one."

He nodded. "Mm. Well, don't worry. You'll figure it out soon." She went to walk away, but he stopped her, "Hey, did Lincoln tell you where he is? I mean, he'd be safer here, under our protection."

"I know, but he doesn't believe me. He won't tell me. But I'll let you know when he does."

He chuckled and smiled down at her. "Great."