BODY ARMOR [Currently Editing]

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 12 [ᴇᴅɪᴛᴇᴅ]

"ᴏɴʟʏ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪꜰᴇ, ɪ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ ꜰɪɴᴅ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴄᴀɴ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ ᴛᴜʀɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ.''

-ʙᴏʙ ᴍᴀʀʟᴇʏ

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Chapter 12

Scene One

[Avengers Base]

[10:14 am]

Sage was unaware of the precise hour at which the incident occurred. Perhaps it was midnight or later. A tremendous blast of flames shook her out of her reverie. She couldn't sleep that night, which seemed odd following the events of the day. Instead, she remained awake, contemplating not only her unusual conduct but also how to properly control it in the future. It was a miracle Wanda had found her this time, but what about the next time? What if it was vision? Or Natasha. In a worst-case scenario, Tony. Who knows how they'd all handle the circumstance? These thoughts kept her awake long enough for her to witness the events that followed the flaming flare-up.

Sage had rushed out of her room and into the gloomy and deserted hall of the base without any reasoning behind her panic. Her eyes, which had been anxiously scouring the black expanse, were not made aware of the entity creeping up behind her. Perhaps it was a startling perception of danger that aroused her instincts, pushing her into fight or flight mode. Sage, unfortunately for the perpetrator, was not one to back down from a challenge. Instead, she swung around, with a propulsive force driving her fist squarely in line with the perpetrator's face. Sage's abilities were still very much suppressed, which was fortunate for him. The fact that the stranger was Clint made the scenario much better.

"A guy retires, returns, and this is how he's treated," he quips as he carefully pushes the woman's hands away from his eye line. "Clint?" Sage exhales, visibly surprised by his unexpected appearance. "Oh, my goodness. "What are you doing here?" She gasps out, delight and bewilderment coloring her tone as she rushes toward him with a strong grip. He happily returns the gesture, embracing the woman briefly before they separate. "Disappointing my kids "I was supposed to go water-skiing," he admits, reaching behind him and drawing two identical arrows, directing them in separate directions.

Sage quickly connected the dots. "You set off the explosion," she accuses, perplexedly staring at him. "It's called a distraction. "I needed to get the floating security system out of here first," he says as he reaches out and grabs her hand. Suddenly leading her farther down the corridor. "Wait, Clint, what's going on?" Sage murmurs as she stumbles alongside him. No time for questions, Sage. "Captain needs you," he says as he continues down the corridor. That phrase alone forced the woman to come to a halt, withdrawing her hand away from Clint's.

"What's the matter?" In perplexity, he inquires. "You're here to break me out," she exasperates. "Yes. Don't you want to go? "Come on, we still need Wanda," he insists, extending out his hand for her again. Sage contemplates the proposition while staring at his palm. This was it. The opportunity she had been waiting for to flee. He was standing directly in front of her, arms wide. Ready to whisk her away from the place she didn't want to be. So why? Why is it that she can't seem to take the initial step? What's holding her back?

"I can't," she eventually decides. Clint's expression of shock matched precisely how she felt after saying that. "Sage, stop messing about, we don't have much time," Clint attempts to persuade her, but he is unsuccessful. "I'm serious, Clint," she insists again. "I can't just abandon you. What would I say to the others?"