Under or Over: Hawkeye & Black Widow

CHAPTER #43

"Jarvis are the suits ready for S.H.E.I.L.D.'s attack?"

"Yes sir and the black diamond and all related applications are locked under the secret vault.  I have sent the unlock code to Bird and purged the information from my system."

"Good, that means only Barton can get at it.  He better appreciate that I'm keeping this secret, once this attack is over."

"Multiple quinjets are approaching, some equipped with guns and missiles."

Stark looked at the screens, when Romanoff wanted to attack someone, she went all out.  The sky was filled with S.H.E.I.L.D. jets.  They had the tower surrounded.  The agents on the ground, looked like a swarming ant hive. "Did they send everyone they had to come and attack me?"  Tony asked Jarvis.

"Apparently. Other than agents on current operations and the few that are required to keep the helicarrier flying, they're all here."

"Now that's interesting.  S.H.E.I.L.D. could have a hostile take over and no one could stop it," Tony said as his suit assembled on him.  "Jarvis I want you to transfer to Bird, even if that means they breach the tower.  No one is to have access to you, other than Barton.... Where is he anyway?"

"He is apparently on the neighbouring building watching."

"What? When you get to Bird patch him into the suit." Tony's suit was fully assembled, so he went outside and spoke to the swarming S.H.E.I.L.D. agents.  "I don't want to have to hurt you, but my tech is just that... MINE."

"Stand down and we will not attack," came the reply from one of the quinjets.

Tony sighed and mumbled to himself. "Sometimes this agency is a bunch of imbeciles." He then spoke to the swarm, "have it your way, but just remember I warned you."

The battle began and Iron Man took to the sky.  He tried not to kill the agents, shooting out engines, so that the quinjet that was effected, could still land. Unfortunately when their fire power became more advanced, then so too did his.  By sheer volume, S.H.E.I.L.D. was getting the upper hand.  That's when Stark called his other suits into action.  They weren't just statues on display, they were his backup.  The suit he was wearing was taking a beating, but still functioned.  At one point in the battle, multiple jets surrounded him in the sky and fired with everything they had.  His other suits were in the same predicament.

"Do I need to rescue you too?"  Clint asked in Tony's ear.

"It's about time you showed up!" Tony said with disgust.

"Better late than never.  I was enjoying the light show,"  Clint chuckled.

"A little help here!"  Tony demanded.

"On my count, dive down."

Barton readied three arrows at once and fired, just as Iron Man dived.  The engines in three quinjets exploded and as they careened in the sky, the disabled jets took out their fellow agents.  Then he let loose multiple shots, freeing up two of the suits.

"Natasha's going to be furious you intervened," Tony said.

"When isn't she mad at me?  And so what if I get fired again, they always crawl back," Clint said confidently.

"Is the helicarrier safe?" Tony asked.

Jarvis and Bird answered in unison, "yes. All communications indicate so sir."

"Wow that sounded weird.  What are you thinking Tony?"  Clint asked.

"Attacking me is just a distraction, my bet is that HYDRA is going to attack the helicarrier."

"Do you want me to go back to it?" 

"No, I'll take the fight there. So if any HYDRA agents try to attack, S.H.E.I.L.D. can defend themselves. Can you open up the airspace a little for me, so I can head that way?"

"Sure, bank left."  

Barton was running out of arrows, so instead he used Bird's fire power to clear a path for Iron Man.  The main group of S.H.E.I.L.D. agents followed Stark, the ones on the ground, were busy taking what they could from his tower.  Bird re-cloaked and they watched and waited until the last of the S.H.E.I.L.D. agents left.  Then he landed on the tower and went in.  They had taken the entire computer system, no component was left untouched.  The place was gutted. Even Stark's cars and motorized toys had been confiscated.

"I was right, HYDRA is here.  Funny how when S.H.E.I.L.D. is under siege, they want the help of the man they were just attacking.  Barton you should get here," Tony reported.

"Did you make a deal with them to get your stuff back and only then you'd help them?"  Clint asked, a smile in his voice.

"Of course I did.  I love sticking it to the Council.  But don't send Jarvis back yet."

"No problem, I think Bird has a crush on Jarvis anyway," Clint commented.

Bird replied, "I do not sir. I am an AI unit, we don't have human emotions."

Unconvinced Clint said, "call it what you want, a crush is a crush."

"Stop messing around and get over here, HYDRA is on the carrier and they're winning."

Bird went super sonic and was at the helicarrier in seconds.  Together Iron Man, Bird and Hawkeye defended S.H.E.I.L.D. from the HYDRA invasion.  Director Romanoff used everything and everyone they had, to keep HYDRA at bay.  The combined effort won out and HYDRA retreated.  

After the fight was over, the wounded were tended to and repairs were underway.

"Return everything we took from Stark's tower back to it's original location," Natasha ordered.  Then she said to Tony, "on behalf of the Council, we apologize for attacking such a loyal ally. S.H.E.I.L.D. hopes that Stark Industries will continue to share technological advances with us."

Tony chuckled, "we'll draw up a new agreement and the Council can stick that in their...."

Natasha cut him off, "thank you Tony."

Iron Man flew away and returned to the tower, overseeing the return of his stuff by the S.H.E.I.L.D. agents.  Romanoff had another meeting with the Council, while Barton had his quiver reloaded.  He'd been grazed by a bullet during the battle and was in the process of being patched up in the infirmary, when Romanoff joined him.

"Exactly what side were you fighting on today?" Natasha asked.

"The right side," Clint grinned.

When the medics left the room, she looked at his medical chart.  His shirt was off and she couldn't help admiring his abs.  It wasn't often she let herself be distracted, especially by physical needs.  Unable to stop herself, Romanoff touched his arm.

"Nat, are you okay?" Clint asked, sensing a change in her mood.  Then before she could answer, he stood up and pulled her closer.

Her breathing caught and her eyes flew up to his, as her hands landed on his chest. "I... I just wanted to make sure you were okay."  Natasha kicked herself for being caught off guard.

Clint kissed her full red lips, "I'm always better when you're around."

"I'm the Director of S.H.E.I.L.D. you can't do that," Natasha protested.

"Then stop me," Clint challenged softly, kissing her again.

"We have work to do, let go agent Barton," she said, her tone cold and business like.

He winked and let her go. "I'll be at the Stark Tower if you need me, Director." 

Barton was teasing her and she knew it.  He watched her leave the infirmary, then put his shirt back on.  After getting his quiver, he returned to Bird and left.  It had been an interesting day and he hoped Romanoff had obtained the results she needed to put her next phase into effect.