Author's Note: Hi everyone! This is my third foray into the world of the Avengers, and it is my first really multi-chapter story. I want to thank Skysalla and Devin Bourdain for taking a look at the first section of the story. Their comments made it much more readable, and I am seriously thankful. Most of the story has not been actually beta'ed, and I apologize for any misspellings or crappy grammar that you find. If the characterizations seem off, let me know. Like every writer here, I live for reviews, and I do appreciate constructive criticism, so please, please, please, tell me what you think!
An Unexpected Mission
He was falling. Clint Barton's eyes flew open as consciousness returned. He was falling. His hand instinctively reached for the ripcord. He started the hard tug that would deploy his chute, then he dropped the handle, his memory flooding back. Orienting himself to the ice below, he checked frantically to see if the parachute was properly fastened around his body.
His hands, arms and face were frozen in the cold of his high altitude drop, and he could barely feel the straps. Looking down, he estimated he was less than three thousand feet above the ground. If he didn't pull the cord soon, he'd end up as polar bear kibble. If he did pull, and the straps weren't properly situated, he could end up parting ways with the chute. Polar bear kibble again. Worse, the straps themselves could cause him serious injury, something that would lead to a slow and painful death under the circumstances. And hopefully, he'd be dead when he was turned into polar bear kibble. Letting out a pent up breath, he threw his fate to the wind and pulled the ripcord.
When he was jerked upward by the billowing parachute, he hardly had the time to feel relieved. His eyes darted across the white landscape below, searching as far as he could see for any indication of civilization. As he dropped lower, he was rewarded with the sight of what appeared to be a small settlement at the edge of the horizon. His mind automatically estimated the distance. At least twenty-five miles across the winter ice. At least twenty-five miles without the appropriate clothing. Without survival gear. Without even his bow.