Canada, northern Ontario, wilderness.
The blizzard howled as it tore through this forgotten coniferous forest.
The frigid wind carried ice crystals that sliced across exposed skin like blades.
Coulson's S.H.I.E.L.D. team trudged through the deep snow, sinking with every step.
Behind him, May and Ward followed closely, along with Fitz and Simmons, bundled up like two penguins.
Skye walked at the rear, wearing a knit cap with her hands shoved into her pockets, her face full of reluctance.
"Here."
Coulson stopped.
May stood beside him, scanning the surrounding woods warily.
Other than the wind, snow, and dead trees, there was nothing here. No cover, no buildings, not even any sign of human activity.
"Sir, are you sure this is the place?" Fitz said, clouds of white breath spilling from his mouth. "It looks like somewhere even bears wouldn't want to hibernate."
Skye tightened her thick down jacket, rolled her eyes, and nudged a frozen rock at her feet with her boot.
"So?"
"You defied Commander Rumlow's direct orders and dragged us halfway around the world just to bring us here for a snowy treasure hunt?"
She spread her hands and turned in a circle.
"Where's the treasure, Coulson? Or has Director Fury learned how to turn invisible and is hiding behind some tree, watching us freeze to death?"
Coulson ignored her sarcasm. He stepped forward a few paces and even reached out to feel the air ahead, trying to find the switch for some kind of optical camouflage.
There was nothing.
Only the bone-piercing wind.
"There has to be something here..." Coulson muttered. "He wouldn't have sent these coordinates for no reason."
"Coulson, face reality." Skye's voice was cold. "There is no Fury. Maybe it's just an automatically transmitted ghost signal, like the distress calls from shipwrecks. He might have