Under or Over: Hawkeye & Black Widow

CHAPTER #24

Romanoff's compound gave Barton none of the answers he was seeking. He took the plane back to the hanger and went back to Stark's place. There he took the modified sport's bike and rode through the city, until he reached an old house. He'd used this place to stay off S.H.E.I.L.D. radar before. Barton parked the bike in the house, so it was not visible from air or road. The wristband showed that the HYDRA vehicle's tracker was still active and it was in the city. On his way to his safe house, Barton had rode the motorcycle down the street that the HYDRA SUV was parked on. It was in a public parking complex, so the agent using the vehicle could be any where. For now he'd wait until the unit beeped at him, to signal movement. He needed to eat. Out of the storage unit on the bike, Barton pulled out a bag of fast food he'd bought earlier. It was now cold, but he didn't notice. It was food and it killed the hunger pains in his stomach.

The house had running water, so he could take a shower. The hot water was off, so it was cold and therefore a short shower. Refreshed and changed out of his uniform, he checked what he had in his back pack and his gear. Barton had a car parked at an underground garage, from a building that was under renovation. That car had cash hidden in the door panels, as well as new bow strings and modified tips for his arrows. These were tips that were not sanctioned by the agency. Before going to his safe house, he'd stopped at the car to add to his pack. Cash, S.H.E.I.L.D. couldn't trace. It wasn't often Barton had to go off radar to do his thing. Usually he did it when Romanoff needed help. Even if she had gone over to the enemy's side, he had to find out for himself. He couldn't sit around and do nothing. Something didn't add up with her sudden betrayal of the agency.

"Damn it Natasha, what did you get yourself into this time?" Clint asked the silent room.

He opened a map he had been given by Stark, of known HYDRA locations. Jarvis had hacked the S.H.E.I.L.D. data base to compile the information they had. Two locations were in this country and the rest were spread world wide. Barton hoped that she wasn't in another country, otherwise things could get really complicated.

The burner cell phone that Stark had given him, rang. "Barton," Clint answered.

"S.H.E.I.L.D. put a bulletin out, that you are no longer with their agency and are not an Avenger," Tony explained.

"Probably because I told Fury to shove his orders up his ass. I don't care if he say's I'm not an Avenger. If you need me, I'll be there. It's not his life on the line when we fight aliens or bad guys."

Tony chuckled, "yup that would get his panties in a twist. I knew there was a reason I liked you on our side. You're an Avenger as long as you want to be."

"Thanks Tony. I knew if anyone would understand, it would be you."

"Find anything out?"

Clint sighed, "the tracker I put on the HYDRA SUV when Reeser was killed, is still active, but the vehicle hasn't moved. I'm going to watch the location and follow the first HYDRA agent I see."

"Keep me posted. You know how to reach me if you need anything," Tony said.

"Back at you."

The call ended and Barton put the phone back in his pocket. So Fury had black balled him again. He'd done it before and then he would need Barton for something and ask him to come back. Even if Fury didn't ask him to come back, there was always security companies and freelance work. At one time Romanoff had even joked that he could return to performing at the circus.

Barton had to find her, for his own piece of mind. If she had gone bad of her own free will, he wanted her to tell him why to his face. He'd know if she was lying. If she was forced into it, he'd bring her back. Anyone who knew him, understood that. Barton would do whatever he had to, for Romanoff.