The phone connected.
But the person answering wasn't Skye.
"Natasha?"
Herman recognized the distinct voice on the other end. He was puzzled—why would a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent be holding Skye's phone? Had they captured her, planning to use her as leverage against him? Fury wouldn't make such a foolish move.
Herman had no idea what was really going on.
"Hello… Director, this is Natasha. We happened to be on that same road earlier, heading to an audition for a new TV series."
"We ran into Skye on the way. She seemed to have symptoms of hypoglycemia, so we're here with her now while she's on an IV."
Natasha continued playing her cover. Since neither side had torn off the mask yet, she was still posing as a Hollywood actress.
"Hypoglycemia?"
Herman was taken aback.
He thought for a moment. Skye hadn't eaten much that morning, and after being frightened by the traffic accident, a hypoglycemic episode wasn't impossible.
"Yes." Natasha wasn't lying. She studied the test report in her hand, still finding it hard to believe the girl beside her had simply collapsed from low blood sugar.
That dangerous Object 084 really hadn't harmed her at all? Natasha cast a doubtful glance at Skye.
By then, Skye was already waking up. In truth, she had regained consciousness not long after arriving at the hospital, but she'd dozed off again during the IV.
"Is that my evil boss?"
Her voice came faintly through the phone, sounding weary, with a touch of just-woken drowsiness.
"Tell him I'm taking the day off!"
Skye's tone didn't carry the slightest hint of coercion; she actually sounded quite relaxed.
"Of course."
Herman agreed to her leave without hesitation. After such a frightening accident, she certainly deserved a break.
"Don't worry, we'll take good care of her."
Natasha gave her assurance.
"I hope so."
Herman's reply came with a faint smile. He trusted that S.H.I.E.L.D. agents wouldn't miss the meaning behind even that subtle remark.
"Your boss seems to care about you."
After hanging up, Natasha smiled warmly at Skye and handed back her phone.
"He probably just thinks I'm cheap and useful!"
Skye's happiness was obvious, though her prideful nature showed through.
"I'll check with your doctor to see if you'll need another IV later." Natasha patted the blanket on Skye's hospital bed.
"Thank you, Natasha! You're so nice!"
Skye offered the compliment brightly, and Natasha responded with a gentle smile.
But…
As soon as she stepped out of the room, Natasha's smile vanished, replaced by a grave expression.
"She doesn't seem to remember what happened out on the street earlier?"
Outside, Agent Hill had been standing at the door the whole time, listening to their conversation.
"Could it be temporary amnesia, a protective response? Based on her records, this girl has never encountered danger like that before."
Natasha, who had memorized Skye's file thoroughly, offered her reasoning.
"She wasn't even in the zone where the modified humans appeared. It was just a tire that flew off and smashed the hood of the Porsche she was in."
Agent Hill wasn't convinced. "I'm more inclined to believe her memory loss is connected to that unknown Object 084 she was holding."
Her eyes met Natasha's.
"Sorry, but you know there's information I can't share with you." Natasha shrugged, keeping her voice low and her lips sealed.
"I know you won't tell me, which is why I went straight to the Director. Don't forget, I'm still a Level 9 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."
Hill chuckled softly, lowering her voice. "Her background isn't simple. She might be connected to that group."
The so-called group, of course, meant the Inhumans. Both Natasha and Hill understood that.
"Even if she is, what can we do? Lock her up in a lab for study?" Natasha recalled Herman's warning earlier. She was certain he already knew Skye's true background.
"Don't forget who stands behind her—the very Homeland that the Director himself has said must never be made an enemy of."
Natasha's voice was firm. Hill's expression grew equally serious. Both women understood just how high Herman's danger rating was inside S.H.I.E.L.D.
"I was only pointing it out, not proposing action."
Through the glass, Hill looked in at Skye, who was lying in bed playing with her phone.
A sigh stirred in her heart. Yes, having the right leader made all the difference. Without Herman's connection, Natasha would probably have been the first to drag Skye into custody.
Veteran agents who had survived since World War II weren't known for their sentimentality.
...
"Is that your girlfriend?"
Wanda sat beside Herman, eating, and when she heard a woman's voice through the phone, she couldn't help but ask curiously.
"It's an old lady."
Herman picked up his chopsticks and went back to eating.
"I don't believe you… she sounded pretty young."
Wanda suspected he was lying, and for some reason, she suddenly felt a little down.
Over the course of the meal, the siblings grew much closer to Herman, and Wanda began showing the adorable side expected of a young girl.
"Hahaha, you'll find out soon enough."
Herman ruffled Wanda's hair without explaining further. Having long played the part of a scoundrel, he understood the kind of dependence a young girl might develop.
At Wanda's age, he couldn't bring himself to think of her in any other way.
The tableful of dishes was quickly devoured by the three of them. The staff and owner weren't surprised—Herman's company was a regular at this Chinese restaurant.
The owner even regretted not seeing Carrie today, lamenting the loss of what could have been a bigger payday.
Once they were full, Herman called Aunt May, asking the woman with plenty of "child-rearing experience" to take Wanda and Quicksilver back to the company and get them settled.
The large office building, once meant to accommodate hundreds of employees, now housed only a few. Setting aside a few rooms as bedrooms was no trouble at all.
As for Herman, he hadn't forgotten the contract he still needed to sign that day regarding the "Super Soldier Serum."
After warning the siblings not to reveal their identities, he watched the three leave, then took a taxi back to the company.
"Perhaps this is fate," Herman thought to himself in the cab, reflecting on how many surprises the day had already brought.
Little did he know, back at the new company, another "shock" was still waiting for him.