The Attack on Deke Shaw was an unsuccessful attempt by Sarge's Squad to kill Deke Shaw as they were under the impression that he was infected by a Shrike, although they thwarted by S.H.I.E.L.D.

Background[]

Sarge's Squad arrived on Earth in order to hunt the Shrike, which were parasitic creatures controlling human bodies. The SHrike were given a mission to assemble at a certain place before the arrival of their creator, who would cause the destruction of Earth like they did with Chronyca-2. Sarge's Squad tried to eliminate every Shrike by finding their hosts, such as Harold Simcoe, and killing them by planting a knife in their bodies.

Their scans accidentally locked onto Deke Shaw, who they mistook for a Shrike host due to the fact that their system registered him as someone not native to this dimension; this reading was actually due to Shaw being from an alternate timeline.^[3]

Attack[]

Sarge's Arrival[]

Sarge arrived at Deke Shaw's office, pretending to be visiting for a professional rendezvous with Shaw. Trevor Khan warned Shaw that Sarge was waiting in the conference room, even though it was not time for the rendezvous and Shaw was not ready. Shaw entered the conference room and was surprised to see the spitting image of Phil Coulson standing in front of him with a darker style. Shaw asked about how he was still alive and realized that the man didn't know. Shaw theorized that Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons wiped out his memories but when he asked about how Agent Doug was doing, who did not exist, Sarge answered positively, making it clear to Shaw that he wasn't talking to Coulson. Shaw then attempted to flee, although Sarge grabbed his arm and threatened him, adding that Shaw should not be here. Shaw took a piece of glass off the conference table and pierced Sarge's left hand with it, which confirmed once and for all that he was not Coulson.^[3]

Chase of Deke Shaw[]

Shaw left the conference room and he ran into Jaco, falling on the ground. Impressed and afraid, Shaw ordered Ray, the security guard, to eliminate Jaco. However, Pax killed Ray before he could successfully kill Jaco, creating panic among Shaw's employees. As Shaw witnessed Ray being killed by Pax, he got up and continued to run away, but faced Snowflake in a corridor, who threatened him with her knives. Shaw turned around and tried to block the way to Snowflake by making some boxes fall on the ground, although they had no effect. Sarge left the conference room and put a bandage around his hand to protect the injury Shaw had done to it. He joined Pax and Jaco, the latter saying that Shaw indeed came from another world but that his signature was different from the Shrike. Sarge replied that it was strange and Jaco responded that maybe strange was the norm considering the infinite complexity of nature. Pax said that Shaw was still a target and Sarge added that it was a talker too, asking his crew members to kill him slowly to make him talk.

Shaw, now hiding in a computer room, listened to Sarge's speech saying that it was useless to hide because he will always find him. He also asked him to make things easier to his old friend Coulson, with Shaw retorting that he was not Coulson. He then added that if Sarge was upset that he stole things from S.H.I.E.L.D., they stole them from aliens in the first place. However, Shaw had communicated his reply from his smart watch to a connected speaker to trick Sarge. Trevor Khan then arrived discreetly behind Shaw and put his hand over his mouth so he would not make any noise. Khan informed Shaw that at his signal, he would have to go to the northwest exit and advised that he not look back, clarifyinf that an extraction team was coming for him. Surprised of his friend's behavior, he asked him who he really as, and Khan informed him that he was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., triggering the signal by throwing a blinding grenade to Sarge.^[3]

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Assault[]

Deke Shaw and Trevor Khan left the building, and Shaw seized the opportunity to ask if Khan was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. the entire time, and Khan responded that he was assigned to observe Shaw because he was stealing their technology. Shocked, Shaw asked if he was acting during several events, with Khan just telling him to keep moving. A S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet then arrived, with Shaw still remaining disappointed, as he believed him and Khan were genuine friends.

Shaw was reunited with Alphonso Mackenzie and Melinda May while they were briefed by Khan on the ongoing situation. They then went to fight Sarge's crew leaving Shaw alone inside the Quinjet. While the battle ensued inside the building, Sequoia called Shaw to let him know she had not left the building. Shaw then put on a Bulletproof Vest and went back in order to rescue her. As they were trying to make their way out, Pax attacked them, hurting Shaw, although they saved by Mackenzie who knocked him unconscious. As Khan approached them, Jaco entered the room and got ready to confront them. Shaw tried to shoot at him with an I.C.E.R. but he realized he had unloaded the entire mag on Pax. In order to defeat Jaco, Shaw took Mackenzie to the VR room where he activated Remorath Rumble. When Jaco entered the room, he was trapped inside the simulation, leaving him unconscious in the real world. Mackenzie and Shaw then proceeded to watch how inside the game Jaco was approached by the sexualized recreation of Daisy Johnson. Not wanting him to reveal his creation, Shaw offered Mackenzie 2% of his company in exchange for his silence.

Meanwhile, May led another strike team to take on Sarge and Snowflake. May fought Snowflake who managed to match May's fighting skills, but she was eventually subdued by May. However, Sarge ambushed May and held her at gunpoint. May was then taken hostage by Sarge.^[3]

Aftermath[]

Learning of Leo Fitz's Death[]

While S.H.I.E.L.D. apprehended Jaco and Pax, Alphonso Mackenzie and Deke Shaw left the building getting into a heated argument about Johnson's recreation in the VR game and Khan being a mole for S.H.I.E.L.D.^[3] Shaw was taken back to the Lighthouse where he got medical attention from his injury.^[4] When Daisy Johnson returned from space, Shaw was then told of Leo Fitz's death in the aftermath of the Battle of Chicago and how a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had been in outer space searching for Fitz. He confronted Mackenzie about keeping Fitz's death a secret from him. Mackenzie excused himself saying that Shaw left shortly before the battle and he did not show any sign of being willing to help S.H.I.E.L.D., he then assured him that once they solve the Shrike situation on Earth then he would be able to join Johnson on rescuing both Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons.^[5]

Capture of Sarge[]

Melinda May woke up inside Sarge's Truck. She was confronted by Sarge who told her how he had been to other worlds, but never to one where people recognized his face. He then commented how May seemed to hate him the most and was determined to understand why. Sarge asked her questions about Phil Coulson and realized that May was in love with him, and hated him because he was carrying his face.

Wanting May to learn of the Shrike's threat and believing her to be a valuable asset for his team, Sarge brought May to a room for her initiation. Sarge showed him a man with a gag on and then killed him much to May's shock. Sarge then advised May to stab the man with one of the Shrike Daggers. The man was reanimated and tried to attack May, she fought him off and realized that the only way to stop him was killing him, which she did thanks to the dagger.

Sarge then entered the room and explained her how the Shrike jumped between worlds, infected hosts and then caused the planets to perish. May then noticed that Sarge was trying to stop the Shrike. He explained that he tracked down beings that did not belong to this world and that is how he was able to locate the Shrike, he then said that that is how they tracked Deke Shaw being unaware that he was a being from a dystopian future rather than a man infected by the Shrike.

Hours later, May managed to subdue Snowflake. She then made her way to Sarge and after a brief fight Sarge was defeated. May then drove Sarge's Truck to the Lighthouse not before informing Alphonso Mackenzie she managed to capture Sarge.^[4]

References[]