Half an hour later.
Sean was taken into a sealed room. Coulson did not restrict his movements; instead, he removed the Alloy Handcuffs and gestured that he was free to move around. The room was sparsely furnished: a metal table bolted to the floor, a dim desk lamp on top, and a one-way mirror along the side wall. It was easy to imagine quite a few people on the other side watching his every move.
Then came an hour of long waiting. No one entered to torture him, nor did anyone bark questions at him. It was as though they had forgotten him. The dull, tedious time crawled by. Sean took off his black trench coat and sat obediently in the chair, lightly tapping his fingers against the tabletop, without the slightest sign of impatience on his face.
"Your trick doesn't seem to be working, Coulson." Garrett, burly as a cowboy, teased his friend as they watched Sean through the one-way mirror.
"This guy's mental fortitude isn't as poor as you think. Even if we left him in there for an entire day, he wouldn't get restless." The seasoned agent shook his head and looked at the student beside him. "Let Grant have a try. He's good at interrogation."
Coulson looked hesitant. He glanced at the young agent, who was as cold and unfeeling as a machine. This was merely a simple test. Given Sean's current status, even S.H.I.E.L.D. could not act recklessly. If this turned into a scandal involving abuse or beatings, even Director Fury would be put in an awkward position.
"Keep it under control." After a moment, Coulson nodded.
The stern-faced young man pulled out a faint smile and strode away. Before long, he appeared behind the one-way mirror. Grant Ward pulled out a chair and sat