Elsewhere-
Coulson, May, Ward, and Garrett approached the surveillance room.
Coulson and May were disguised as captives, with Ward and Garrett donning hats to obscure their faces as much as possible.
Inside, agents monitoring the hallway feed exclaimed, "Whoa, we've got Agent Coulson and 'The Cavalry'!"
"Get on the line with upstairs. They'll want backup—they're headed this way."
At that moment, the surveillance room door opened. Garrett, pretending to drag the two prisoners, announced, "We caught these sneaky bastards. May was shot—she's bleeding out."
"Coulson's too sentimental to let her die."
Garrett hunched over, feigning injury as he moved closer to the nearest agent.
The agent offered a hand, "Do you need medical assistance?"
Garrett looked up and smirked, "Your sidearm will do."
A split second later, he attacked.
Garrett, Ward, and Coulson simultaneously fired their icer pistols.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
The three surveillance agents collapsed, unconscious.
May immediately began scanning the monitors, "Agent Hand is here—outside the East Wing status room."
Garrett, observing the chaos on the screen, remarked, "Yeah, this definitely qualifies as a battle situation."
Coulson asked, "Do you see Simmons?"
"And what about Triplett?"
Garrett pointed to the overhead ventilation ducts, "I'm telling you, the best way to get to her is through the vents—reach the room from above."
"Fitz's little rodent tricks will get us there. Then we drop in and put two bullets in Victoria Hand's chest."
Coulson turned to him, "Didn't we agree to interrogate her?"
Garrett retorted, "Interrogate her for what?"
"Whether she wants to kill us quickly or make us suffer?"
Coulson reminded, "Last time we took that route, we killed an innocent person."
Garrett countered, "Because she wanted us to do that!"
"Phil, this is about fighting for the soul of S.H.I.E.L.D."
"We are on the front lines, and today, we will be remembered in history."
Garrett was doing everything in his power to manipulate Coulson into action.
Coulson nodded, "Yes, fighting for the soul of S.H.I.E.L.D."
"But killing without thinking is absolutely..."
Garrett, frustrated, interrupted, "Thinking?"
"Think about this."
"She rigged the gas pedal on one of my men's cars with a bomb—killed him."
"And there were two more floating in a hotel pool—they weren't doing backstrokes."
May offered a suggestion, "But we could just freeze her."
Garrett scoffed, "You don't freeze someone like her. She put a bullet in Fitz's gut."
"Right through his abdominal cavity—just because she was curious."
"She turned the Deathlok project into a monster."
"And she tortured you with the same brainwashing machine she used on that floral-dress psycho."
"Right now, she's probably doing the same thing to Agent Simmons."
"I've thought about this plenty, my friend."
Coulson's eyes widened, his face now expressionless as he stared at Garrett.
Then he spoke, "I never mentioned it."
Garrett continued to rant, "I'm telling you, putting her down quickly would be merciful."
Coulson's voice turned hoarse, "I never said anything about Raina being in that machine."
"I never told anyone about it."
Garrett's mind spun, but he replied, "Well, I must've read it in a report somewhere."
Coulson pressed on, "You weren't with me."
Garrett shifted the topic, "The point is—how many more people have to get hurt before you take action against Hand?"
Coulson scrutinized Garrett, "You showed up right after."
Garrett raised his voice, "What are you trying to say?"
Coulson continued, "After Fitz got shot, Quinn said that's how the Clairvoyant would find a cure."
"And that's what I did."
"I walked in there with you..."
May's gaze toward Garrett grew increasingly wary.
Garrett, incredulous, muttered, "Phil, it's been a tough day—I get it."
"But you need to calm down."
Seeing the mistrust on Coulson's face, Garrett sighed deeply.
"Sigh~"
"Damn."
Just then, the door burst open, and a dozen heavily armed strike team members stormed in, weapons aimed squarely at the group.
"Don't move!"
"Hands in the air!"
Seeing this, Garrett, Coulson, Ward, and May all raised their hands.
Coulson immediately spoke up, "Everybody stay calm. Arrest Agent Garrett right now."
"He's the murderer known as the Clairvoyant. He's the traitor."
Garrett glanced at the strike team members, recognized their faces, and calmly said, "Gentlemen, I know Agent Sitwell recruited you."
"So, some of you know exactly what to do."
Coulson's eyes widened in shock. What did he mean? Garrett wasn't just the Clairvoyant—he was Hydra. And Sitwell too?
"Been waiting for you."
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Suddenly, strike team members in the second row opened fire on those in front, killing several instantly.
Coulson watched in horror as the scene unfolded. Garrett, with a triumphant grin, lifted his head and declared, "Hail Hydra."
The strike team echoed in unison, "Hail Hydra."