Under or Over: Hawkeye & Black Widow

CHAPTER #49

It didn't take agent Romanoff long to get to Fury's old secret hideout, but that didn't keep Barton from teasing her.

"Took your sweet time getting here," Clint complained.

She raised a perfect eyebrow at him. "What's with all the secrecy?"

He nodded towards the holding room, "take a look at the complication I discovered."

Natasha looked in the room and did a double take.  "What the... twins?"

"Don't ask me.  Either the Council member has a secret compartment in that elevator to hide his twin or he's some kind of mutant."

"Why are they unconscious?" She asked.

Clint grinned, "well first I had to taser them and then I hit them with tranq darts.  They'll be sleeping a while, the tranquilizer is what Dr. Pym developed to sooth our green giant."

"Great, how am I supposed to interrogate them?" Natasha didn't wait for an answer, "let's separate them.  I want at them when they can't see each other."

"We can leave one in there and the other we can lock in the room Fury used for sleeping in," Clint suggested.

"That'll work.  I need to contact Director Fury," she said and went outside to use Bird.

By the time she returned Barton was sitting with his feet up and his hands behind his head, completely relaxed. Romanoff looked at him and then went to check on the two men.  Something was nagging her and she finally realized what it was.

"How did you get two men and yourself here, without Bird?"

"Using magic of course," Clint smirked.  

Natasha rolled her eyes, "let me guess.  It's some trade secret or a new gadget from Stark."

"Sure that's as good as an explanation as any.  It doesn't really matter anyway.  What you should be wondering about is how come Director Fury didn't realize this Council member was actually two people.  I know he's blind in one eye and all...." 

"I spoke to the Council too and I didn't notice either," she replied.  "This one here is coming to, get a bottle of water please.  It's time for me to get to work."

Barton did as she asked and then went to check on the other guy.  He was still sleeping.  He knew it would take Romanoff a while to get the information she wanted.  Bird connected him to Director Fury. That's when he found out that agent Romanoff had not reported to the Director at all, when she went outside.  Barton wondered who she had called.  Fury seemed distracted and didn't really take interest that she was interrogating a council member.

"Do you want me to stay here or return to the airship?" Clint asked.

"Watch Black Widow's back Hawkeye, Captain America and I can handle things here."

"Handle what? What's going on?" Clint was alarmed, because Director Fury was using their alias names.

"Nothing we can't resolve.  Stay on your mission."

"What exactly is my mission sir?  I thought having the subject under interrogation was the mission!"

"Your mission didn't stop with the one man, you need to find all of them.  And Hawkeye I meant it when I said you watch her back."  Fury ended the call.

Clint didn't like being kept in the dark and wondered why everyone was doing that to him.  "Bird connect me to Stark, I want to know what's going on at S.H.E.I.L.D. headquarters."

"Barton we have great news, the portal is closed.  Bad news is we don't know how we did it," Tony started.

"I don't care about all that, what's happening on the airship?" Clint asked impatiently.

Tony looked at Banner, then replied, "we haven't heard... give me a second.... Jarvis?"

Jarvis answered, "the ship is in red alert.... the cameras are down and so is communication."

Clint swore, "Fury told me to stay with Romanoff and not leave our operation. He said the Cap would  handle it.... Tony can you suit up and go see what the hell is going on?"

"The Hulk and I will go help, we owe you one anyway.  Do what Fury wants, I'll check in later." Tony nodded at his fellow Avenger.  "If I drop you on to the carrier, will you be ready?"

"Stupid question... now let's go already," Bruce replied taking his shoes and shirt off in the process.

Bird reported that Stark and Banner were on their way to assist S.H.E.I.L.D.  and finally Barton began to breath easier.  He checked what Romanoff was up to and saw that she was with the second man.  Turning on the intercom, he could hear her working.  This is what she was best at and truly seemed to enjoy herself.  As he listened and watched her do her thing, Barton almost forgot about the situation on the hellicarrier.

"Barton are you there?"  Tony asked.

"Here, what news?"

"HYDRA attacked the hellicarrier again.  Everything's been resolved, but Fury isn't as grateful for our assistance as he should be."

Clint groaned, "Hulk smash too much?"

Tony chuckled, "they have a little remodelling to do again.  But honestly it would have been worse had we not assisted.  Even Steve agrees on that.  Fury's just pissed cause his ship got a few new air holes."

"Thanks Tony and tell Hulk too.  Sounds like you had fun, wish I could've been there," Clint sighed.

"Next time buddy," Tony replied and then ended the communication.

"Everyone's having fun and I'm sitting here babysitting twins," Clint grumbled.  

Something caught his eye and then he began to watch Romanoff a little more closely.  Her control wasn't as it should be.  It wasn't her eyes or voice that gave her away.  But he knew her well and read her body language.  He didn't understand why she was agitated. Barton began to listen a little more closely to her questions.  She was still weaving her web, fishing for information.  What was it she wanted?  Why hadn't she given her usual report to Fury?  There was more to all this than anyone was supposed to know, but he'd find out.