Disclaimer: I do not own S.H.I.E.L.D or any of its wonderful agents. However my OC is mine!
Again
Chapter 1: The Mission
Russia, January 31, 2008
"You okay, Tasha?" Clint asked. Natasha nodded without turning to look at him. He'd been worried about his partner ever since it they were told they were going on a mission in Russia. The new leader of the Red Room had issued a threat directed at S.H.I.E.L.D. It was decided that Natasha would be the one sent to Russia to deal with him since she knew the most about their target. After hearing about the target Clint had refused to let Natasha go alone and volunteered himself to go with her. They were immediately briefed on the details and once the location of the Red Room's safe house was identified, they were on a quinjet heading there.
Natasha had been silent the entire ride there, lost in her own thoughts. The last time she had been in Russia, she had killed the last head of the Red Room. The man that had taught her to kill, who took away her childhood. The man who had turned her into a monster. She wondered if Clint hadn't been sent to kill her when he had, if she would be the one who S.H.I.E.L.D had sent agents to kill.
She felt Clint place a hand on her shoulder. If anyone knew what was running through her mind, it was Clint. He had heard about all that had happened before she came to S.H.I.E.L.D. He knew that she'd rather be anyplace but here. That is why he made sure he came on this mission with her. He wanted to be there to support and comfort her. She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed.
The pilot announced that they were five minutes away from their landing site. Clint and Natasha mentally prepared themselves to kill like they did before every mission. They cleared themselves of all emotions as every good agent did. Clint picked his sheath of arrows and bow up from the floor as they began their descent. Hopefully this would be quick, neither of them wanted to be in Russia for very long.
The jet landed and Clint and Natasha exited before it took off again. They saw the building where their target was thought to be living and began to make their way to it, walking in the shadows of the buildings surrounding it. As they approached the back entrance, they saw that the building was surrounded men who were heavily armed. Clint raised his bow and sent an arrow through ones heart, alerting the rest to their presence. Natasha shot the two closest to them in the head while Clint sent arrows through the two behind them. Within minutes, they were all taken down. The prepares themselves to enter when a voice sounded from the window of the building.
"That was a great performance but I'm afraid that is as far as I can let you two get," their target spoke. Natasha raised her gun to take care of him but she then noticed what he was holding.
"Clint, he's got a detonator," she said under her breath drawing his attention to the device he was holding as well.
"That's right, I have this whole building wired to explode if you try to continue your mission, one push of this button and you'll be dead," he said calmly. "So, I suggest you get out of here."
Natasha contemplated the amount of time it would take for head bullet to implant itself in his head versus the amount of time it would take for him to react and press the button. She came up with a plan to catch him off guard and communicated it to Clint in the nonverbal way only he'd understand. She lowered her gun and Clint lowed his bow.
"Good choice," the man said. Natasha quickly raised her gun and took the shot but not before the button was pressed. They were blown off their feet with the force of the explosion. They landed roughly against the cold ground below them. Neither felt any substantial injuries and Clint called S.H.I.E.L.D to report their mission successful and was told the quinjet would be there to pick them up in 30 minutes. He helped Natasha to her feet and they began to head to where they would be picked up and then a bloodcurdling scream sounded from the building that was burning to the ground. Clint turned to look at Natasha and was greeted with his partners fearful expression.
"What's wrong, Nat?" Clint asked worriedly.
"There's a kid still in that house," she answered before running towards the burning building. Clint watched her go with a shocked expression before coming to his senses and running after her.
She didn't know what had possessed to run but didn't stop to think about it as she heard another agonizing cry come from near the window closest to her. She carefully climbed through the flaming window and saw a young girl fighting to make her way to the window but failing miserably. Natasha skillfully avoided the large flames while making her way over to the girl. The girl looked at her pitifully before falling to her knees. Natasha caught her around the waist before she hit the ground. She picked the girl up and carried her back towards the window where Clint was waiting. He saw the girl in Natasha's arms and held out his arms to take her. Natasha carefully passed her to Clint and climbed out after them. Clint placed the child on the ground as she began to wheeze from smoke inhalation. He looked at Natasha and the look she gave him back told him everything. They were going to take in this girl.