Attack on Andrew Garner

"Hey professor, where you been? You know you're a tough guy to track down."

- Werner von Strucker

The Attack on Andrew Garner was a failed assassination attempt on Andrew Garner's life orchestrated by Werner von Strucker and HYDRA thugs sent by Grant Ward.

Background
"Sorry, this coming from a guy who shot his own girlfriend by mistake."

- Lance Hunter

The HYDRA operative Grant Ward joined Coulson's Team and eventually developed a sexual relationship with Melinda May. Ultimately, Ward's true loyalty was discovered, causing his former teammates to hate him.

Through the efforts of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers, HYDRA was decimated and leaderless.

Ward eventually found love in Kara Palamas, a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was brainwashed into service for HYDRA. Ward convinced Palamas to take revenge on all of those who had a hand in her captivity; Bobbi Morse became a target and was kidnapped and tortured. Since Morse was unapologetic and unremorseful toward the circumstances that lead to Palamas' capture, Ward and Palamas decided that Morse should see another die in front of her. Ward set up a gun to kill Morse's rescuer; however, when Lance Hunter, Morse's lover, arrived, Morse took the round instead, nearly dying. Meanwhile, May tricked Grant Ward into killing Palamas. Ward held her as she drowned on her own blood. Ward decided that he would lead HYDRA. He added Werner von Strucker to his campaign for closure, and sent him to join the class of Andrew Garner, a Culver University psychology professor and the ex-husband of Melinda May.

Hunter decided that he wanted revenge on Ward for hurting his lover and recruited May to assist him since Morse was not ready for field work. Working his way up the ranks, Hunter attacked Ward upon finally seeing him.

Attack
At Aaron's Market, Andrew Garner grew suspicious of someone filming him. Soon, Werner von Strucker confronted Garner with a cigarette lighter. A third person arrived with a jerry can of gasoline and locked the door. The clerk managed to run away.

As he was nearing his death, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, pretending to be a shopper but assigned by Coulson to tail Garner, intervened and managed to kill one of the HYDRA thugs threatening Garner. In the subsequent gunfire, the agent and a HYDRA thug were killed.

However, Garner decided to kill von Strucker and transformed into Lash. He blasted a HYDRA thug, giving Strucker the chance to escape. Garner transformed back into a human being, furthermore setting the building up on fire and seemingly perished as von Strucker overheard the resulting explosion behind a car. Andrew was rescued by Phil Coulson after the ensuing chaos. Concurrently, Lance Hunter and Melinda May witnessed this on a cell phone during a gunfight with Grant Ward. Ward told Hunter that he would spare Garner's life if he had him escape. Hunter believed that it was a trick and refused. May found out that it was completely real and was left angry, believing he died.

Aftermath
"We had him. But I didn't know he'd change into that thing."

- Werner von Strucker

To be added