Coulson took out the tranquilizer gun Fitz and Simmons had developed to prevent the Centipede Serum from exploding. "Get me a good angle, and I guarantee he'll wake up in a S.H.I.E.L.D. holding cell."
"Your guarantees aren't worth a thing." Aaron was unimpressed. "Personally, I'd rather put him out of his misery."
Coulson's face twitched before he turned to May. "Get us an angle."
"Whether we spare him depends on the situation."
May and Coulson split up. May leaped into the air and jumped out from behind the shipping containers.
Just as Chen Haoran was about to attack her, he caught sight of Coulson appearing from another direction and aiming his gun at him.
Chen Haoran immediately activated the energy within him. Crimson flames erupted behind his back, forming a wall of fire.
Coulson kept pulling the trigger, but every bullet melted in the flames, unable to breach the barrier.
A few seconds later, Coulson reluctantly lowered his pistol. "I'm out of bullets."
"No one can stop me." Chen Haoran sounded smug.
Coulson immediately moved out of his sight. He was only flesh and blood, after all—he couldn't withstand Chen Haoran's flames.
"Ha! Looking pretty miserable!" Aaron teased as he watched Coulson run back. "You may be out of bullets, but I'm not."
"If he can still be saved, we should save him. Your bullets will kill him."
"Agent Coulson, he's already been injected with Centipede Serum, and you've run out of the bullets that can suppress it. In other words, he could explode at any moment."
"Is there really no other way to save him?"
"Uh..." Aaron opened his mouth, just about to snuff out Coulson's last shred of hope, when the system notification sounded in his mind again.
"The host has temporarily triggered a new mission."
Keep Chen