The Nikki Wolf Chronicles || Avengers

CHAPTER (8) EIGHT

Steve Rogers does a double take. Is that... No, it can't be. He turns up the volume on his radio and leans in to listen closer.

"--missing Hawkeye. Some claim he has been their waiter, and now that the pictures are out, those people recognize him as 'Clint Barton.' On other news, penguins are no longer a protected species, due to the decreasing heat and sudden surplus in penguin reproduc--"

Steve blinks. Switching the radio off, he picks up his house phone and dials Tony's number, waiting for someone, anyone, to pick up. In fact, if it ends up being a duck and that duck quacks at him, he'll probably report everything anyway.

After several long rings, a female voice says, "Hello?"

"Pepper! Can I talk to Tony for a minute?" Steve realizes that he probably wouldn't of told a duck after all, and really just wants to inform Tony.

There's a pause. "You mean, he's not with you?" Silence.

An icy chilling feel crawls over Steve's skin-- certainly not for the first time, but he has hoped being frozen for seventy years would be the only time he has this feeling. Sure, he's in a well heated room rather than swimming under tons of frigid water, but he might as well be doing the latter.

"No. He's not."

"Oh, my god."

There's a long silence that follows. Then, back at Stark Towers, someone else picks up the phone on a different floor.

"Howdy Cap, how's it going?"

Silence, again.

"Hello?"

Half a second before he hangs up, Pepper shouts, "Tony! Where are you?"

"In the kitchen! The one on the second floor. Am I not supposed to be?" Pepper hangs up, in pursuit of finding him.

"So before she gets down here, what's up?"

Steve thinks about how to tell Tony. It's big news that might not even be completely accurate. It's just a couple photos in Boston... But what if it really is ex-Agent Barton?

"Stark, I think I might know where..." He pauses, hearing a wrapper crinkle and lettuce crunching. "...Are you eating something?"

"Yeah! Left over shawarma. Great stuff. You want me to save you some?" All Steve can think about is Clint, and how frustrated Pepper will be when she sees him munching away. Had it only been last night that she offered it? "We're not having left overs, are we?" he recalls Tony asking.

"Ah, no, I'm good. Thanks. I know where Clint is."

There's a long pause, then there's some clacking noises, and Tony's voice is back on the line. He says, "Hey, sorry, what was that? I was talking to Pepper, getting some milk... Ah, one second."

"Tony!"

"Oh, guess what man? Ol' Hawkeye was spotted in Boston. Pepper is keeping a close eye on me, so maybe you should go get the bugger."

Steve sighs. "Good idea. I'll talk to you when I get him, alright? See you later." He hangs up first, so if Tony had anything to say, it's lost. Luckily, Stark is in a heated discussion with Pepper, which he somehow turns to his favorite food being the problem.

--- --- ---

"But, I don't, right?" I plead. I know my life is boring and all, but I would much rather not have super powers if it means the bad guys stop chasing me-- assuming that there are bad guys and I'm not having the best... I mean worst dream... uh, nightmare, of my life.