The sudden knock at the door caught Ray off guard.
What was going on?
He had just stepped into his room, and someone was already knocking? That timing felt far too convenient.
"Could it be David following me?" Ray frowned slightly.
If it really was David, that meant he'd been discovered after all.
"I knew I shouldn't have let curiosity get the better of me… Curiosity really does kill the cat…" he muttered to himself.
But not answering the door would be just as suspicious. That wouldn't be wise either.
With that thought, he steeled himself and asked, "Who is it?"
To his surprise, a woman's voice answered from the other side — slightly strained, speaking in heavily accented Mandarin:
"Dr Raymond, it's me, Agent May."
Agent May?
As soon as he heard that voice, a flood of memories belonging to the body's original owner surfaced — images of past interactions between that personality and this Agent May.
"It's really her… Melinda May, the legendary S.H.I.E.L.D. agent?"
Combining those memories, Ray quickly connected the name to the famous Asian agent he already knew about.
In the original timeline, Coulson was soon to assemble a special task force, and Agent May was one of its core members.
During Raina's visit, Ray had seen glimpses of the past tied to the "Tahiti Project," and Agent May had appeared in some of those scenes as well.
Realising that it wasn't David but an old acquaintance instead, Ray exhaled in relief — though he remained curious.
Nick Fury's people really moved fast…
He had barely caused a stir; the bodies downstairs weren't even cold yet, and Agent May was already here?
Still curious, Ray quickly stepped to the door and opened it—
To find not only Agent May but another familiar face from the original owner's memory.
"Miss Hill?"
The name slipped out instinctively.
As he spoke, the related memories finished uploading in his mind. There weren't many, so they processed quickly.
He had to admit — the Vice Director looked even better in person. Though Ray had known many attractive women in his former life, this poised and striking woman still managed to catch him off guard.
Hill, however, didn't notice — or didn't have the time to care. Upon seeing Ray, she immediately got to the point:
"Dr Raymond, your life is currently in danger. Remaining here puts you at serious risk. We're here under Director Fury's orders to escort you back to HQ."
"I understand."
Ray nodded firmly, but then asked,
"So we're leaving immediately? What about the hospital—won't…"
Hill interrupted, "Don't worry. We'll take care of everything here."
"All right. Thank you, then," Ray replied politely.
"We should move. We can talk on the way," May said from the side.
"Dr Raymond, this way please," Hill added, already leading the way.
---
Half an hour later.
The trio were aboard a small S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft — a compact combat model typically reserved for high-tier agent missions.
But for May and Hill, requisitioning such a vehicle was a matter of routine.
One was a legendary field agent, the other the deputy director. If they had asked for one of the agency's custom Airbuses, no one would've batted an eye.
Still, for this kind of extraction mission, a smaller aircraft was more practical.
Finally.
As the plane lifted off, May and Hill were able to relax, their nerves easing slightly.
With a hint of hesitation, May asked,
"Dr Raymond… how have you been lately?"
Ray smiled.
"You mean, how's my condition?"
"You don't miss a thing, do you?" May chuckled, not embarrassed in the slightest at being found out.
"Honestly, I'm almost fully recovered. I've been undergoing some rehab assessments. If you'd come just a few days later, you might not have found me at all," Ray said smoothly, without skipping a beat.
If Dr Beth had heard him, she'd probably be ashamed she had once admired such a blatant liar.
But neither of the two women knew that. And neither doubted him for a moment.
May even let out a small breath of relief.
"That's good to hear… To be honest, ever since your accident, we've carried a lot of guilt. If you hadn't agreed to work with us back then, none of this would have happened…"
She trailed off, not wanting to stir painful memories — afraid it might trigger something.
But she needn't have worried. Even though Ray had seen the memories of the "Tahiti Project," they felt to him like flipping through a slideshow — distant, detached.
And more importantly, Ray's nerves were much tougher than the original Raymond's.
Even if their roles were reversed, he was confident he wouldn't have lost his mind.
"The past is the past, May. There's no need to blame yourself. I made my own choices, and I don't hold it against anyone."
"I'm just glad you've been able to move on."
"Let's leave it at that," Ray said with a smile, then changed the subject:
"How's that guy Coulson doing? Has he recovered well?"
"He's doing great. Back to how he was, more or less."
"I'm glad. Everything we endured back then wasn't for nothing. Even if the project couldn't be generalised, at least it had meaning."
Hearing that, Hill — still piloting — cut in:
"Dr Raymond, due to what happened, Coulson no longer remembers anything about the Tahiti Project. He probably won't recognise you."
"If you see him again, please avoid mentioning anything related to the project. It could trigger harmful memories."
"Of course. Don't worry," Ray said with a small smile.