Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Episode 1.20 Nothing Personal

Agent Melinda May makes contact with Agent Maria Hill (guest star Cobie Smulders). The two of them chat about Coulson. The information as to who gave Director Fury the orders to save him remains a mystery. The conversation is cut short when the feds arrive. May had taken out the surveillance team assigned to tail Hill, who chastises the FBI for their lackluster response time. They'd never make it as agents under her command.

Coulson and the team try to figure out why the Providence base is suddenly empty. It doesn't take long before Simmons finds Agent Koenig's dead body. This happens just as Fitz uncovers a chilling message left by Skye. It reads: Ward is Hydra. Fitz takes this especially hard. Coulson wants him to focus on the matter at hand. They need to track the plane. They need save Skye before Ward figures out her plan.Skye leads Ward to the diner where she first met Mike Peterson. She convinces him it'll take at least an hour to break through the encryption to access all those top secret files. Coulson knows Skye will stall as long as possible. They need to get to Los Angeles to save her. Too bad the perimeter defenses at the Providence have just been tripped. Colonel Talbot (guest star Adrian Pasdar) enters the base will a small force of armed troops. Coulson wants to know how he found them. Agent Maria Hill provides the answer. She told them where to go.

Colonel Talbot tries to intimidate the team into giving up information while Agent Hill argues with Coulson in a separate location. The subject of Tahiti comes up. It's one of many secrets that are still being kept. Coulson reveals one that totally floors Hill. Once she learns that Ward is Hydra her priorities shift. She helps Coulson overpower Colonel Talbot and his men. The team has a new member for the mission to rescue Skye. Agent Maria Hill is all in.

Ward is getting antsy at the diner. There are two cops at the counter. They keep staring. Skye says they're just checking out the waitress. She tries to distract him with a conversation about leading a double life. Skye eventually reveals that she tipped off the police. The cops try to take in Ward. That doesn't happen. Skye attempts to escape in a police car. She leaves Ward in her rearview mirror. Unfortunately, Mike Peterson is waiting in front of her in full Deathlok mode. He captures Skye.

Ward tells Skye he was on a mission. It was nothing personal. His feelings for her are real. They always have been. This doesn't matter to Skye. She will never give Ward what he wants. Garrett is tired of waiting. Deathlok gets the order to go to Plan B. He won't hurt Skye. He will, however, stop Ward's heart until he gets what he wants. Plan B works. Skye caves. She says the hack can only take place if they are airborne.

Mike helps Ward recover to fly the plane. Maria Hill and Triplett are waiting out front to stop him. Actually, they're just stalling so Coulson can climb aboard to find Skye. The cargo door is lowered. There's no time for parachutes. That's fine. Lola is ready to roll. Coulson and Skye hop into the car. Deathlok and Ward open fire. Coulson goes full reverse. Lola plunges into the sky. After a few frantic moments, Coulson is able to gain control. The car lands downtown where he must cough up 20 bucks for parking. L.A. can be quite pricey.

Once things settle down, Hill lets Coulson know that there is no S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore. After he fulfills his vendetta against Ward, he should let his people go. He promises Skye that they'll get Ward. She already knows this. She left him a little present when she encrypted the drive. That should help. Elsewhere, May literally digs up an item that was buried in a cemetery. It was inside the gravesite for one Phillip Coulson. The flash drive she retrieved contains Level 10 classified intel on the Tahiti project. She returns to the team to show the video message to Coulson, who is surprised to see himself telling Director Fury to terminate the Tahiti project.