One down and four more to go... good, his plan was working just perfectly. He stood unnoticed by the water fountain. People walked on by not realizing that they were passing a very angry killer. He grinned as he started for the large glass doors. They hadn't caught him, he was still free and unknown to the authorities. Now he had a decision to make, strike again now or later? The killer knew that he stabbed them in the heart so he waited for the heat to cool down. Its been four weeks, and they were no closer than they had been three weeks ago.
His hands were in black leather gloves and he pulled his hat further down and stepped out of the shadows of the federal building. Who are they that they think they can ruin his life? They can't run his life! The man started toward the mailboxes, let's watch them squirm...
He was dead...gone forever and there was nothing... nothing that they could... do about it.
Missing one week, dead in two... was the common cliche that played over and over in Nick Fury's cranium. Its been four weeks today. What's wrong with you? The 6'4 foot broad shouldered director downed the remaining cold black coffee he had and stood to get another cup, but it has been four weeks...Nick he's your agent! He is your brother! He is your son! You can't lose hope...Hope was doing nothing but crumbling in his hands. A dreaded pain entered his chest. I can't lose hope.
The office door opened with a bang that echoed across the empty room. Nick spun around to see a young woman enter in. She gave him a hopeful smile,"morning Director."
He smiled and stole a glance at the clock, right on time, Hill was right on time as always. She came in every morning to learn if there had been any news. Fury made sure that she could see him force a smile before he spoke, "morning Hill."
She smiled and handed him paperwork, "have there been any news?"
Fury accepted the papers and slowly sat down, there were no words that he could verbalize. The news he had for her wasn't good.
Maria's smile faltered and she stiffly sat down in the brown leather chair across from him. "He's not dead Nick. He's not." Tears threaten to come but she withheld them.
Fury glanced at the whiteboard; his agent's name was written in red: Clint Barton a.k.a Hawkeye. Underneath his name was his profession, his birth date, and the date of his disappearance and all the details of the case. "They want to call the case off... its getting too cold."
Maria froze and her skin turned pale, she had read his lips perfectly. He knew how hard this was for her to hear this or. She and Barton were close, before her promotion anyway. They have gone on many missions together. They were partners, and as partners you became family. This was killing her, "Nick-"
He shot her a glare.
"Director..." she kept her face blank from the rising frustration in her blood, "we can't... how will the others react? Especailly Romanoff?"
"We haven't seen any progression in over a couple of weeks and the counsel is getting impatient," Fury remembered the hot discussion. He almost lost his job just fighting back the urge to punch a superior in the face. "They think that we should start making plans for a fune-"
Maria shot to her feet so fast that her chair almost toppled over, "what!" She shook with anger, "how dare you?"
"Hill, I-" he took a breath as he watch her head toward the door, "Agent Maria Hill!"
Maria force her self to stop and slowly turn around. Her face was stone hard her blue eyes flashing cold. "Sir, with all due respect I wish not to lose my job so I will step out of your office, Sir!" She shook with anger and her voice quivered with grief. Maria paused before taking a step. The air seemed to left the room and she felt so lightheaded. Maria needed to get out of there.
"The only hope I have is Thor. He may have the resources we lack," his voice was a strong calm.
"The last time I check there's no cellphone reception on Asgard." She fled before Fury could open his mouth.
Tears clouded Maria's vision, she didn't care what his reaction about her. Maria had to inform Natasha of the counsel decision. Furiously, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. A Shield agent don't cry. Maria looked down at the letters lying on his desk, determine to go on. She called Natasha's phone only to get the assassin's voice mail. "Nat you need to come in..." Maria's mind went blank, what was there to say?
A half hour later, while filling out paperwork, Maria's head snapped up to the eruption of her office door being thrown open and slamming into the wall. She immediately knew why, the famous Natasha Romanoff stormed in like an enraged twister; the fire in her green eyes didn't mean joy. When she was enraged it wasn't pretty.
"Guess who I just met and that wouldn't speak to me?" She glared at Maria, crossing her arms, ignoring the escaped strand of red hair that fell into her path of vision.
Maria stared back at the female assassin, knowing quite well that she too knew that he wasn't going to talk to Natasha. They were both just as stubborn when they wanted to be. "What did you say to Fury?"
"He's a coward to be pushed around like some pet. They don't care! Wouldn't surprise me if some were even dirty!" Ice dripped off every word, she was completely in the assassin mode now. She flex her fingers around a small dagger. "He won't talk to me. Clint is missing, Maria! And Fury won't help." Tears of anguish fell from her eyes. "Clint saved my ass. He was with me-" She froze almost started pouring out her guts to another agent was not what she wanted to do. Natasha didn't care if it was Hill or Pepper Pots. The only person she trusted with her whole heart was Clint. He was now gone. "Fury brought me into Shield. He gave me a reason to redeem my past and he won't talk to me."
Maria saw the pain in the assassin's eyes and she sighed, "Today the counsel is going to drop the case. They want to declare him a deserter and move on."
The Black Widow gasped as it felt like her heart had stopped beating. "They can't do that..." it was a forced whisper.
Maria folded her hands together, "think about it Nat, you know they can.."
"How dare they turn on one of their own!" Natasha grabbed her knife.
"Stop, and sit down," said Maria firmly.
For the first time since entering Natasha noticed how unorganized Maria's desk was, which was always rare for her to have anything unorganized. Maria was hurting just like the rest of them and it was easy for them, the Avengers, to forget and that was quite heartless on their side. Nat didn't say a word; had no voice to. It felt as if Maria had thrown a bucket of icy water on her. Then it hit her, "Fury is just as worried. He is going to have a side investigation?"
Maria took a deep breath, "he gave us one more week." She handed her co-worker a sheet of paper which Nat read silently.
"Fury thinks Thor is Clint's only hope? He wants Stark to find a way to contact a future king of Asgard." Nat sighed. That wasn't going to be easy... or possible.
Maria shook her head, "I called Pepper, he's spending some time at the tower." Maria chuckled, "Pep's still pissed about their house."
Natasha shrugged, "Tony should have asked for help, instead faced that creep alone. Then again I was with Banner and Steve while Clint was..." Her voice trailed off.
Maria stood up straightening her skirt, "we'll meet at the tower tonight. I am going to contact Jane."
Natasha nod.
Natasha was the first to be at the Avengers' Tower. Tony was behind the bar going through the different bottles of spirits he owned. He was becoming more irritated by the on going moments.
"What are you doing?" asked Natasha quickly getting annoyed.
"I can't find it!"
"What?" She asked walking to the bar.
"My booze."
Her brow rose, "Tony, uh its right in front of you."
He glared at her, "no, my non-alcoholic drinks..." He stood and sighed, "I'm trying to cut back..." his face burned, "Pep thinks. You know what? Forget it."
She stood there stunned. The great and powerful Tony Stark was replaced with an open almost worried man. Natasha had to fix it, "Where is the real Stark and what have you done with him."
He grumbled, "You know I see you as a man, right? Not feminine enough to wear your hair up."
Nat smiled, "ouch. So how's your house again? Oh, and Pepper told me about the giant rabbit or bear. What was that again?"
He smiled back. Tony grabbed a glass, "want something?"
"Yeah. It's strange not seeing the glow in your chest. You look human."
He quickly handed her a glass half fulled with amber colored liquid. Tony raised his glass and she tap it.
"Clint, you sick bastard better show up soon."
"I'm going to kick you ass, Hawk," smiled Nat as they took a sip.
The door open and Steve, Maria, and Fury walked in. Steve went up to Natasha giving her a consoling pat on the shoulder. Their eyes locked. She saw that some how he knew exactly how she felt. How? She didn't know but the shared moment lifted the heaviness on her heart.
"Party getting started?" asked Tony trying to smile.
Fury lifted a brow and in his booming voice asked everyone to sit down.
"Banner is overseas. I tried Jane and Dr. Selvig but no luck..." Maria bit her lip, "we know that Jane is in London but from what Darcy Lewis had informed us, they have been working on some interruptions in the the physic world..." She shrugged. It was evident that the scientific world were loss to half the room.
Tony rolled his eyes.
Natasha took another sip before speaking, "maybe I am a little on the very upset side of things but... we saved the world." She looked around the room, "we chose to fight crappy ass aliens and had no help. We didn't fight just for ourselves, we fought for others and these others that we don't care about or love!" She took a breath, "when we need help people are too busy? Clint helped Selvig. We all did and the doctor is too busy?"
"Nat-" began Steve.
The assassin stood the air getting to thick for her to stay in the room.
Maria and Fury shared a look.
Steve caught it, "what was that?"
Maria didn't speak.
"What are you two hiding?" asked Tony.
"Dr. Selvig can't help us because..." Fury looked around the room at every Avenger. "After the incident in New York... Dr. Selvig has been institutionalized due to mental trauma he suffered..."
Natasha took a step back paling white as marble, "Clint... Loki..."
"From Loki?" muttered Tony angrily. Could Clint have mentally broke down like the good doctor? He wasn't quite his self after the battle of New York but Tony really didn't know the guy. Natasha spent more time with the man during the aftermath.
Fury didn't answer, "the counsel thinks that Clint is gone... for good."
Natasha balled her fists and Steve grabbed her wrist. Natasha was as hardheaded as she was beautiful. It gave her an extra punch of toughness that helped her stand her ground as a special agent, but killing the Director of Shield wouldn't look good on her resume.
"I am as angry as all of you."
"Really?" asked Tony crossing his arm, "worried? About losing a friend? Or losing a damn good special agent which will tarnish your dirty record as warlord? Or-"
"Hey I am not the enemy. I am worried. Clint Barton was a great man. He was an Avenger."
"Was?" questioned Natasha eyes blazing.
"We're not Avengers," said Steve, "some of us are just soldiers or geniuses. We are people that stood up when no one else did. What flows in our veins just makes us different. Clint IS a man that can use a bow. If anything he is the best of all of us because of that and that goes for you too Natasha."
"Geniuses or soldiers, we got to calm down and come together," said Maria.
Fury nod, "I'm giving you all a week. Then there is nothing I can do. If we can get a hold of Thor we may be able to find Clint in matter of hours, but it's like trying to hold air."
"Why Thor?" questioned Tony, "I'm just wondering. You know that he isn't a real god right?"
"Thor told me of a man called Heimdall. He is a man that can locate any being on any planet."
Steve didn't look convinced and Tony just rolled his eyes, "I have seen the weirdest crap so I'll bite. I might be able to figure something out, but I would love Banner's help."
Fury nod, "I'll have my men find him." He glanced at Natasha then to Hill, "I've got to be getting back."
"Meeting?" asked Steve.
"With Alexander Pierce."
Tony bit his grin, just last month he was to stop by for his kid or someone. A fly by is what the man got. Tony was no birthday clown that entertains children. He loved parties. Parties for 21 and older groups... grant it he hasn't been to many lately. Pepper was more than enough woman for crazy brilliant billionaire Iron Man.
"I see that smile Stark," Fury said firmly. "You're a pain in the ass." The director smiled and took his leave.
"I'm leaving too but keep me in the loop. Clint was my partner once upon a time and pulled my butt out of many fires," she said fondly.
Steve stood. He looked around the room, "Clint is fine. I know it."
A whisper escaped Natasha, "Loki gave Selvig mental trauma." Her heart broke at the thought that Clint could be hurting.
Steve crossed the room and hugged her, "Clint is strong."
"We can assume that someone took him, because I disagree with mental breaks or death," said Tony.
Natasha hid a smile and secretly cherished the concern and care these boys showed. See, Clint? You are important. She took a step back from the handsome and perfectly shaped blond hair baby blue eyed man. Romanoff was tough and sharp as iron when it came to her mental and physical attributes... emotional... well standing next to someone that fine... it took a little more work. Tony was quite handsome but his ego...
"Nat?" asked Steve concerned.
"Um... thinking," she said blinking, "you're a hazard Cap."
Steve looked puzzled.
"Tony, I'm spending the night here," Natasha told him watching him fill another glass. "Pepper won't be happy with you drinking too much."
Tony looked down at the glass, "runs in the family..." He dumped the glass in the sink.
"I'm staying too," said Steve, "I'm going anywhere till Hawkeye is back."
Natasha poked him, "I call shotgun on rooms."
"The one with the balcony," said Steve, "just place your name on the door and its yours." He never forgot the shiner Banner took for moving in that room before her after the battle. The doll had heart he gave her that. Steve actually believed there was more to what had happen. You usually don't punch a man that can turn into an incredible... well an incredible hulk.
She laughed for the first time in forever. "I got the vibe that I am not going to be here long, I think I am going to be one of the 'men' he sends to find Banner."
"Good, only the best for the best," smiled Tony.
Let's hope, she thinks to her self.
Super nervous and excited first story lol! More to come soon!