40

It’s another few minutes before you manage it, but finally, you get a clear spot long enough to gasp into your comms unit, “Coulson - need backup - quick, if you can,” and you start to thank him, but end up taking a fist to the mouth for your trouble and have to drop the end of the word to swallow a mouthful of blood and knock out the guy who thought it was a good idea to hit you.

Coulson delivers, though; a S.H.I.E.L.D. combat team shows up as reinforcements not long after. You’re relieved - for a few minutes. It doesn’t last, because having the combat team there only increases the chaos and confusion. Thor reports that there are prisoners fleeing into the surrounding forest, Sitwell is bleeding from somewhere under his hairline, and finally, Coulson says, “There’s nothing else you can do. I’m declaring this mission aborted. Get out of there.”