Damon Keller

Agent **Damon Keller** was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. during Alphonso Mackenzie’s leadership. He served as a S.T.R.I.K.E. operative until his death by a Shrike.

## Biography

### Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

#### Romance with Yo-Yo Rodriguez

When S.H.I.E.L.D. returned to the public again under Alphonso mackenzie's leadership, he had Melinda Mayrecruit people for the organization, which included Damon Keller, who became one of their tactical members, going on field missions as apart of S.T.R.I.K.E.. Keller recommended to them his friend who lived in his town, Fox for S.H.I.E.L.D.. During his time in S.H.I.E.L.D., Keller had begun a relationship secretly with Elena Rodriguez, who had broken up with Mackenzie due to his position in S.H.I.E.L.D. They would continue to not tell anybody about their relationship, including Mackenzie, which Keller feared him finding out due to his intimidating stature.

#### Reality Distortions

In 2019, S.H.I.E.L.D. was searching for reality distortions that had occurred a few times in different locations. Sometime after, they had four S.T.R.I.K.E.teams in position when another started to emerge. Alpha team, which included Keller co-piloting a Quinjet with Melinda May, checked in with Alphonso mackenzie and waited for a signal. Fox traced the signal to Indiana and sent the coordinates to Keller, so the Alpha team headed to the location. They arrived in Indiana where they spotted an unknown man at the spot of the signal. Keller got a shot lined up while May asked him to surrender.

However, instead of surrendering, the man fired at the Quinjet, shooting it out of the sky, causing it to crash. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured by the crash, but the assailant got away. Keller noted that the electronics in the Quinjet were fired and then called HQ to get an extract, thinking that Mackenzie would be worried, which May corrected, saying he will be pissed. They were then picked up by an extraction team and brought back to the Lighthouse, where Mackenzie was unhappy with the results of the mission.

Keller informed him that he had a shot but was stopped by May, which Mackenzie told him was the right move, due to the kids in the potential crossfire. They then tried to figure out exactly what all these reality distortions were and how they could try and stop whatever it was. They were at least able to learn that it was a man that is causing these distortions. Mackenzie then opened the discussion for any theories that could help in the search, which Fox volunteer Keller for his idea.

Keller told them about his and Fox's theory: that the locations where all the distortions were formed sit on the Ley lines, which would help them narrow their search. Mackenzie then decided to follow up on this theory, ordering Keller and Fox to continue their research. Mackenzie then went to his office for his check-in, which caused Fox to be curious about who the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. would have to check in with. Keller told him that is was Phil Coulson who had left Mackenzie some records to help him.

Later, Keller caught up with Elena Rodriguez after her training session with May to ask for her permission as a unit commander for him and Fox to search through some data to follow up on their theory. She granted him access, and as he was leaving, she informed him that May was suspecting their relationship, causing him to turn back. He then asked about their what they should do about it, which Rodriguez suggested they take some time off from each other to draw away suspicion, not because she was afraid of Mackenzie finding out, something Keller was. However, Keller believed they should tell him rather than he finds out another way and it causes more problems.

#### Arrival of Sarge's Squad

When they discovered a device from a corpse melded into a wall, Fox located the coordinates set in it, which was on the Ley lines, and Alphonso mackenzie sent a team out to the location. Keller, along with Melinda May, Elena Rodriguez and Fox headed out to the location, which was the Museum of Natural History, where they surrounded the museum upon their arrival. They cleared all the civilians nearby and begun to approach the museum when a woman came out screaming about her son.

Keller signaled Fox to get the woman, as he continued to slowly approach the museum. However, he noticed two people leave the museum from the side, and when he turned back to Fox and the woman, he realized that it was a distraction and called for everyone to get down. An explosion then went off, destroying the museum, and causing the agents, along with Keller, to be knocked out by the blast. Shortly after the explosion, a truck emerged and a man who looked like Phil Coulson came out and killed Fox and left.

#### Mourning Fox

The S.H.I.E.L.D. team recovered and then returned to the Lighthouse, where Alphonso Mackenzie had honored Fox, as Keller mourned his friend. Mackenzie ordered that they continue in their search for the disturbances that had occurred, tasking Keller with going through the security feed from the Museum of Natural History to see if they missed anything, and signing Elena Rodriguez to help. Keller, still saddened by Fox's death, compiled and he and Rodriguez went to look through the footage, including footage of Fox's dead body. Rodriguez told him not to torture himself over it and went to comfort him.

Keller then talked about how he knew Fox before S.H.I.E.L.D., and how he resembled himself ten years earlier, which Rodriguez claimed that it was giving himself a lot of credit. She then assured him that she'll be there for him if need be, which confused Keller due to the conversation they had the day before on taking a break. However, Rodriguez disregarded that conversation as being then, and that things were different. They were interrupted when they received a message about a sighting at a shipping yard in Cincinnati, Ohio of the unknown people who mysteriously arrived on Earth.

#### Robbery of Charmont Jewelers

When Melinda May and Elena Rodriguez were sent to the location, back at the Lighthouse, they received another sighting, this time at a Charmont Jewelers. So, Alphonso mackenzie dispatched Keller with a STRIKE team to Cincinnati, Ohio, where they would meet up with May and Rodriguez to stop the man who looked like Phil Coulson. When they were joined by the other agents, the team entered the store, where Keller confirmed that the security guards were dead.

They then made their way to the vault, noting that they were still in there as no one could have left at any point. May then requested to see inside the vault, so Keller handed her an inferred device which allowed her to see more people then what was recorded going into the vault, leading to her belief that there was another point of entry, causing her to leave once she realized where they were entering from.

The team then proceeded to try and get into the vault, which was blasted shut from the outside, by burning through the door. However, this took some time, despite going their fastest, especially when hearing the terrified screams of the hostage. They were also unaware that May was on the other side already, fighting the enemies by herself. They finally were able to open the vault; but only found May in there, alone, confused on where everyone went, and how she got in there. They then returned back to the lighthouse, once again losing these new enemies, and still unaware of their intentions.

#### Addressing his Relationship

Wanting to tell Alphonso mackenzie of his relationship with Elena Rodriguez rather than he found out another way, Keller went to his office and began to tell him. However, before Keller could actually say anything, Mackenzie cut him off, subtly informing him that he was already aware, and then continued to formally and "theoretically" address the procedures that would take place if a relationship commenced. Mackenzie made it clear that relationships would always make things complicated, especially in missions, and that it would compromise agent in the relationship. Understanding what Mackenzie was telling him, Keller confirmed he was not compromised, and no longer needed to tell him of his relationship.

Rodriguez then entered, initially feeling awkward with both Mackenzie and Keller together, but they all remained professional. She informed him of some traces of statically charged particles at the area Marcus Benson analyzed. Rodriguez then added that there were reports from witnesses of what appeared to be a grid in the sky, making her believe Sarge's Squad were making a map, however, they were not sure what they were looking for. Later, a dead body, which had been murdered by Sarge, was brought to the Lighthouse, causing Mackenzie to call in Keller and Rodriguez to take a look at it. As Keller waited for the elevator, Rodriguez caught up with him and talked about the new arrival.

As they waited in the elevator, Rodriguez brought up him being in Mackenzie's office, asking why he told him before talking to her. However, he pointed out that Mackenzie didn't let him finish, which Rodriguez informed him that it was because he didn't want to know, as it would force him to move teams that work well together. But, Keller didn't believe that to be the only reason, stating that Mackenzie still had feelings for her. Keller then claimed that if that was true, he would fight for her, however, making it clear that it would be an emotional fight, as he was intimidated by Mackenzie.

#### Infected by a Shrike

Keller and Elena Rodriguez then entered the lab where Marcus Benson, Alphonso mackenzie, and May had inspected the corpse. Melinda May gave them a file that revealed it was Sarge and his squad that killed this man, as well as Keller pointing at that the man had bought a ticket to South Sioux City, which was a convergence spot for three different Ley lines. Mackenzie then ordered Keller, Rodriguez, and Benson to find out what happened to the man, as he departed with May to try and find Sarge.

As Benson commenced his autopsy, Keller discovered the man to be Harold Simcoe, which he claimed to be unremarkable, which didn't help in knowing why he was targeted. Benson addressed the absurd encounters he has had in his short time with S.H.I.E.L.D., stating that it would be something that they are used to at that point. He then asked for Keller to help open Simcoe up, where they discovered a Shrike inside the body. Keller then commented that this was definitely not something he was used to.

Benson then ran some tests on the Shrike, revealing it to be affecting the body and using it as a host, which Keller was not able to understand the scientific explanation. He simplified it as turning Simcoe into a zombie of sorts, as he took out the knife that was implanted in the Shrike. Suddenly, it regained consciousness and shot out of the corpse and flew around the lab, causing Keller to draw his gun, but they weren't able to see it as it was too fast. They then noticed that it had gone into the ventilation shaft, causing them to have to go find it.

In their hunt, they were then joined by Diaz, who Keller tried to describe the Shrike to Rodriguez, telling her she'd know what it when she would see it. They made their way through the Lighthouse, listening for the Shrike in the shafts and following the sound until they believed to have found its location. Rodriguez asked Keller for a boost to see inside the shaft, and as he held her up, he was attacked by the Shrike, which forced itself to enter his body through his mouth, not being able to do anything to stop it.

Keller was then brought back to the lab, where they informed Benson on what had happened. Keller became incredibly uncomfortable and was being affected by it being inside him. Noticing Simcoe's disfigured body, Keller was then scared about the same thing happening to him, but Benson assured him they will help him. However, Benson was limited in being able to help him, as the Shrike was growing and attaching itself to Keller's body, as well as running out of time. When Rodriguez checked on him, Keller tried to stay positive, joking about the situation, and she comforted him.

Benson then gave him a sedative, but, immediately after, he started to have a seizure and then flatline. When Benson went to check on his pulse, Keller regained consciousness and became influenced, aggressively grabbing onto Benson. Rodriguez then restrained Keller, tying him down to the bed and demanding Benson to operate on him. When Benson gave him an anesthetizer, it wouldn't work, so Rodriguez had to hold him down. However, when Benson went to cut into Keller, he was burned by his body, which was reaching incredibly high temperatures, which could take out the whole base.

They then went to get him out of the lab and into isolation in the containment unit, knowing they could not do anything else. As they quickly made their way though the Lighthouse, Keller broke free from the bed and fell off, as the accelerant began to take over, causing his body to transform. Being out of time, Benson demanded Rodriguez get as far away as possible, not sure what would happen, but as he expanded, she grabbed the knife from the lab and stabbed him, stopping the transforming and killing Keller.

## Facilities

* **Lighthouse**: Keller operated from the Lighthouse during his time working for S.H.I.E.L.D..

## Relationships

	+ Alphonso mackenzie - Director
	+ S.T.R.I.K.E.
		- Melinda May - Colleague
		- Elena Rodriguez - Colleague, Love Interest and Killer
		- Diaz - Colleague
	+ Fox † - Friend and Former Colleague
	+ More - Colleague
	+ Julian - Colleague
	+ Runco - Colleague
	+ Marcus Benson- Colleague