2x10 spoilers ahoy. Plus character voice testing.

[agent33]

[Except that her voice, for the record, sounds slightly robotic when she speaks. Oh sure it could sound maybe like a certain female agent in SHIELD.

It doesn't.

Instead between that and the scar that runs down one side of her face, she looks like she's been in some kind of accident.

This doesn't seem right, but what can you do?]

I am happy to comply.

[She's just glad to be following orders again. From someone.]

Comments

[busdriver]

[Sure, "accident", let's go with that.

It isn't generous of her, but May thinks 33 is siding with the enemy by choice this time. What's a choice, though, when you're programmed not to feel like you can make any yourself?

Her body language is a little defensive, a little confrontational, but if she wanted a fight she could've just started one.]

You think he's gonna help you?

[agent33]

[May can probably tell that her heart rate's quickened - but there's no real point in running.

And she doesn't have to fight.

Does she?]

I don't know.

[This is what she knows. Grant Ward is a survivor.

This is what she also knows....She has no choice.

May have you ever seen yourself look panic stricken?

She does manage a laugh of sorts however.]

I don't have much of a choice.

[busdriver]

[This woman is nothing like her. May doesn't even think she makes that face when she's distraught. If they're being honest, 33 is almost too expressive to have her face. The genuine article is all about smaller, more contained, more significant reactions.]

You have every choice.

[It's still unnerving, no matter how much she searches for differences or tries to concentrate on the scar. What if 33 showed up on May's mom's doorstep, looking like that? ... On second thought, if 33 wants kids, that could solve an old argument. It might mean fewer phonecalls about grandchildren, or that awful Phillip working her too hard, or when she'll get to meet this Skye girl.]

Which was it: Whitehall couldn't get the mask off, or he didn't try?

[agent33]

[I'm a murderer. I'm a murderer- that's what she says to herself while she closes her eyes]

When you electrocuted me it fused to my scalp.

[She stops.]

Agent Ward could help me.

[busdriver]

[That doesn't directly address her question, but May lets it go for now.]

The last person he tried to help shot him.

[Shouldn't she take something from that, about how helpful he is, and how valuable his well-meaning but misguided contributions tend to be?]

[agent33]

[Something twitches in her face.] And you all considered me an expendable asset. Something to be lost but HYDRA-

[God she's so confused. Her breathing comes hard and heavy for a moment.]

HYDRA is gone.

And he still tried.

[busdriver]

No one's expendable under Coulson.

[HYDRA's recruitment techniques are just more aggressive. HYDRA got there first with Agent 33. It wasn't as personal as she seems to want to make it, and she probably used to know that. May shouldn't have to spell it out. It was different with Fury; not different bad, just different. He was less economical with assets, sure, but his assets were well prepared for that. It's what they chose. And some lives, civilian lives, will always be more valuable than theirs, but that's as it should be.]

Ward's help is worse than useless. It's dangerous.

[agent33]

Your trainee didn't seem to understand that.

[She's bitter, hurt, angry and feeling abused.] If he hurts me I'll kill him.

[busdriver]

She was captured.

[And sometimes it's better not to let the other side know your value. The official SHIELD manual line and what Skye feels about her place on the team might be two different things. If she stuck to the official line, word for word, May's proud.

She would've been proud, anyway.

She knows how to be a mentor. If she really stretches herself, she can be a friend. She's aware and relieved that Skye isn't asking for anything else. There's not a lot of time for what May wants to give but isn't sure how.]

I think you're already hurting.

[Unlike some of the others, their pained expressions are the same. Makes sense, since it's involuntary.]

[agent33]

[She glares at her for a moment, then her expression softens.]

...What if he does help me?

[busdriver]

What if we do?

[See how not aggressive she can be? Look how much of a knock-down, drag-out fight they're not in right now. There are options.]

[anecdoting]

Jesus Christ. It's like The X-Files in the basement and The Bachelor upstairs. You and him wanna go on an awkward double date now? Me and Bob found this little coffee place, right round the corner.

[Weirdly doesn't sound like he's kidding.]

Oh my god I love you. I needed that laugh the finale hurt me bad.

[agent33]

[She blinks.

Double date-

With Grant ward.

Her voice is full of scorn.] You'll kill us.

[Or maybe kill him. And then try and fix her and they didn't do that well before so how does that work?

He's just as broken as she is but she's worse and he could use that and without Whitehall to protect her...

She puts her face (May's face) in her hands and shakes her head]

i know. ugh. i have every feeling.

[anecdoting]

I could probably kill you, yeah. Bobbi sure could. But I don't like either of our chances up against him, so. [He shrugs.] Nothing to worry about.

[Hunter's either very honest, or an earnest type of manipulative. Ward's not an easy man to beat in single combat, and the Cavalry (the real one) isn't available to do it right now.]

We're not against them, but who can say if we're with them, eh? Like you, I'm waiting to see what someone else wants me to do.

[Albeit for much nicer reasons. He hopes that what his ex has up her sleeve is nothing that'll piss Coulson off, but even if it is, he knows where he stands.]

Should note I'm also the Grant Ward mun

[agent33]

[She sniffs for a moment] You'd be surprised. You'd be surprised with what I'm capable of. And Grant Ward-

Agent Ward-

[She stares at him] He said he'd help me.

[anecdoting]

I might be surprised. Anything's possible. But I know you're not as good as the woman you look like.

[He wasn't actually looking for a hypothetical pissing contest. She was SHIELD, she's got SHIELD moves. He doesn't, whether that's to his benefit or detriment. He turns out his palms in an appeasing gesture.]

I'm not threatening you. [Moving on:] Does he have the technology to help? Could he get it? These are questions you should be asking.

[agent33]

[Her eyes widen and there's something incredibly feral in her features. Then she straightens.]

If he doesn't I'll just kill him and save you all the effort.

[anecdoting]

[Which is a drastic shift. His shoulders tense but his tone's still breezy.]

Is that like a "no" to coffee, then?

[agent33]

I don't want to date him.

[Does she? She doesn't know. And some part of her remembers Barnes and twitches visibly.]

I don't date.

Anymore. [She gestures at her face]

[anecdoting]

Don't go blaming Agent May for the fact that you can't pull. She's pretty hot and - you actually meant the scar, didn't you? [It's a realization he has halfway through the sentence that gives it a run-on quality. He shakes his head, dismissively.]

At least you've got an opinion. That's not a bad sign.

[agent33]

[Her expression is impassive]

Yes.

But there's a chance that Agent Ward will help me.

[anecdoting]

In the meantime, you're the only one grieving for Whitehall. That might make you a target for people like Skye's mental dad; I don't think he knows what a favor Coulson did him.

[mr_dominic]

[Also for the record, he doesn't want to be here.]

When they can do this, it is every single day that I count the few blessings I have that Hydra doesn't have Dollhouse tech.

[agent33]

[Her heart's pounding. Her mouth dries.]

Of course sir.

[She doesn't love him. She loves her purpose. And that's...not...Daniel. Whitehall.

She makes a frustrated noise and glares at him, before straightening and keeping her eyes forward. that's what he would have wanted.]

[mr_dominic]

...I can wear a paper bag over my head if that would be easier. I may even draw a smiley face on it.

[agent33]

[She doesn't shrink back. Her lip does twitch]

If you want sir. It'd be...[funny. That's funny.] It's your choice.

[mr_dominic]

Don't call me sir. [Even if he's used to respect. Well, some respect. Some small modicum of respect before he was fridged. From people who are not Topher.] It's okay to speak your mind. It'd be funny, right? You can laugh at the mental image. [He's not the only one with choice. But that might be difficult for her to see.]

[agent33]

[Her mouth quirks into a sort of smile. a smirk. But it's only because he said it was okay.

If she's honest with myself.

She tries a laugh even.] You have experience with what happened to me.

[mr_dominic]

[The static effect just makes that radically creepy.] Something like that. Not exactly brainwashing. He forced his way into your head. We just...they took you out of your head instead. Replaced it with something else, and chances were okay that you'd never know. [Composites happen. Accidents happen. With, in more recent times, more alarming frequency. But before that? Before Echo, before Alpha? The science is horrible, yes, but artful.]

[agent33]

[She frowns] I complied.

I obeyed.

I...He didn't do anything. He didn't force anything.

[battleshipping]

...god, that's creepy.

[agent33]

[She just stares at her. Of course it is. So instead she'll just keep her hand on her gun and keep staring at her. Last time she fought you you nearly killed her.]

[battleshipping]

[yep remember that.]

Chill. I'm not wasting time on trying to put you down in the metaverse.