Retnikopf: Widow Of Siberia (old Version)

PART 3: Chapter 1 - Surprise

Yelena and Vienna had split upon entering the apartment building, arriving together would give them away and knocking on the door was out of the question. Yelena had never met Clint and while Vienna had met him a few times they weren't on the best of terms.

Vienna had gone up the side of the building, coming into Clint's apartment through a side window. She could have wished for a better window, the kitchen windowsill was full of things, though it didn't look like anyone lived there permanently, there was a little plant and a dish on the ledge. Vienna stepped lightly, careful not to knock anything over, cursing softly as she placed her feet gently on the tiled floor.

--

There was barely any light in the apartment, the only source was a side lamp that partially illuminated the dining room, Clint was just finishing up before he went to bed. Pushing together the on the table as he stood up, Clint stepped back wearily. He was tired and his young prodegie had already gone to bed. Yawning as he turned to go to his bedroom, Clint stopped dead as he felt cold metal on his throat. He turned his head slowly to see the tired eyes of the woman that once showed him red skies, a faint glimmer of a smile on her lips.

"We need to talk," Vienna told him, looking him directly in the eye.

"This is a funny way to start a conversation," Clint said sarcastically.

He got a small shrug and a wider smile from Vienna, "apparently I'm a little stunted socially."

With a quick hit, Clint hit Vienna's hand away from his throat. On his best day, Vienna and Clint used to be pretty evenly matched, but Clint was tired and getting older and Vienna was had grown into someone a lot stronger and a lot more agile than he could handle. She hit back his attacks and pinned him against the table, knife sharp against his throat.

"You're funny," Clint chuckled a little against the blade, "just a bundle of joy you know, but could you not, this is really hurting my back."

"If I let go, are you going to attack me?" Vienna asked, lightening her grip slightly.

"Red Skies breaks into my place," Clint shrugged, looking up at her with a little pity in his eye, "I'm not gonna let her stay."

As they stood, Vienna felt something cold against her cheek. She didn't flinch as it cut her skin, only moving her eyes to see who had put the arrow against her face. A young woman with black hair stood with a bow draw to her own cheek, threatening Vienna with an arrow.

"Let him go," the woman hissed at Vienna as her foot rested against Vienna's heel.

"You might want to put that down," Vienna told her gently, "someone could get hurt."

"Yeah, that's kinda the point," the woman said sharply, pulling the string back a little more.

"Kate," Clint said shakily, watching a hand emerge from behind the wall, gun clasped tightly in its fingers, "listen to her."

Kate Bishop went to speak again but froze when she heard something click next to her ear.

"Hi," Yelena smiled at her, her hand gun rested directly in front of Kate's eye.