Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers...only the characters I put in my stories to play with them and knock them around a little (evil laugh)
Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews for the second chapter, JRBarton, Kimbee, Bookdancer, DesignedByFate. Really glad your enjoying it!
On to the next...enjoy!
Texas State Penitentiary – Huntsville aka. Walls Unit
Clint and three other men were marched into a shower room, made to strip out of their clothes, hosed down with freezing cold water, thrown their orange jump suit and told to change. He glanced at the other men next to him, one was shaking like a leaf and Clint was fairly certain he wouldn't last very long in this place. The other two men stood with confidence, they had either been in prison before or just weren't easily intimidated by the guards.
The first thing he had noticed was that he was the youngest. The man who would now be known as Shaky looked around thirty something while the other two looked to be in their forties. They eyed Clint carefully before giving him a brief nod, they didn't bother acknowledging the other man.
Two guards stood in front of them, both with their batons in hand. Clint knew for a fact he could take those two out in the blink of an eye but he was here for a reason and he had been told to try not to bring too much attention to himself. He was supposed to be invisible, they didn't need him getting injured fighting other inmates before he even got to Dexter.
"Lie on your stomachs!" One of the guards suddenly commanded.
Clint looked at the other two men, he was now convinced they'd been in prison before as they were already dropping to the floor to comply with the order, against everything screaming inside him, Clint followed suit. The third man, still shaking, was looking at the guards in full-blown fear, the guard that had spoken was now stepping up to the man, a gleam in his eye. Clint knew that look and looked away, the guy obviously wasn't moving quickly enough for them. He was hit across the head, then had his legs swiped out from under him. Shaky landed on his back with a thud and was then kicked in the side, effectively flipping him over onto his stomach.
He lay there groaning as the guard growled at him. "I don't ask twice! You do as you're told, as soon as you're told and we won't have any problems here. Alright ladies?"
He didn't expect an answer, and grinned back at the other guard who stood watching with his own smirk plastered on his face.
The Warden was a Walter Myers, Clint had read the brief on the man. He was ex-Military, didn't like anyone that disrespected him and anyone who did quickly found out why that was a bad idea. He had been running the Texas State Penitentiary for the past five years.
Walter walked in and didn't even glance at the four men lying face down on the floor, he just started talking. He'd obviously given this speech hundreds of times before. Clint started to tune him out within 3 seconds, the guy had the most boring voice he had ever heard and it would have put him to sleep if he'd been paying much attention. When he finally finished they were ordered to stand and he looked each one of them in the eye and told them if they so much as put a toe out of line, their life would be made unbearable.
Clint wasn't sure but he thought that Myers seemed to stare at him a little longer than the others, it was as if he knew what a pain in the ass Clint could be.
They were guided to their cells shortly after. Clint took in all the faces he could see on the way, he had Dexter's image imprinted in his brain, and he wouldn't forget it anytime soon. Once they stopped in front of the cell he would be occupying, he was nudged in with the baton in his back. Clint turned to glare at the guard but didn't say anything. Shaky was pushed into the cell two doors down, and was already crying to be let out. Clint shook his head and turned to face his cell mate. The man towered over him by about six inches, he didn't worry about that too much though, he had put taller guys than that down without a second thought.
"Hello cutie." The man greeted and moved closer, when he reached to touch Clint, the man found himself on his knees with the younger man standing over him. He had grabbed the larger man's hand, bending it back while applying a downward pressure, folding his hand and arm back till his knuckles touched his shoulder and pushed down.
The man let out a groan.
"Don't even try it big guy." Clint warned, and the man must have seen the darkness in the kid's eyes because he quickly pulled away and headed to the bottom bunk, muttering about just trying to be friendly.
Clint smirked and hopped up onto the top bunk. Well now the fun really starts.
Clint spent the next two days just trying to find out where Dexter was, he hadn't seen him in the yard, the mess hall or just heading back to his cell. He only found out by eavesdropping on two other inmates' conversation that Loran was in solitary for the next three days for fighting, he had broken one man's arm and given him a concussion, and the other he had stabbed in the side with a plastic knife after eating his food.
The young archer had almost groaned right then, great now that made his life more difficult. He had to stay out of trouble for the next three days and for Clint, that was definitely going to be a challenge.
As if just to prove his own point, Clint found himself surrounded by four very threatening looking guys. They obviously wanted to show off that they were the bosses around here. He took a fist to the face, which made him stagger back a few steps, two of the men started moving in from each side. He knew they were trying to subdue him while the other two could have their fun but Clint wasn't just going to stand back and let them.
He kicked the one in front of him in the stomach, causing him to double over. Then he focussed on the one on his left, he punched the guy in the face and ducked the punch aimed at his head from the guy on the right, Clint then kicked the guy in the knee making him cry out and fall clutching his injury. The guy on the left managed to grab Clint from behind in a bear hug but the young archer was used to this type of tactic, he threw his head back and smirked at the satisfying crunch of bone he felt and was quickly released as the man cradled his bloody nose.
"Little bastard broke my nose!" He grunted.
Clint smirked at the two who were left and arched an eyebrow at them.
They both looked at one another and seemed to come to a decision, unfortunately for Clint it wasn't the one he was hoping for. The both charged at him, one getting a lucky hit to his head while the other punched him in the stomach, probably getting him back for the kick to the stomach Clint thought.
Clint knew he was losing to these idiots but he still couldn't draw attention to himself by using his acrobatic skills and breaking their necks, then he'd be the one in solitary. So he realised he would have to take a bit of a beating, not that he'd make it easy for them.
He struck the one on his left with a quick jab to the throat, the man stumbled back holding his throat in pain, the other guy grabbed Clint by the throat and smacked his head back against the iron bars of one of the cells. Clint's vision whited out for a second and he felt another fist hit his face causing it to snap to the left.
Then suddenly the hands gripping him were gone and the only thing keeping him upright was the bars he was leaning against. He opened his eyes and was shocked to see the two guys that had come in to prison at the same time as him standing over the four guys, who all seemed to be groaning in pain on the floor. Clint frowned at them.
"Why?" Was all he could think to ask?
One stood over the other men while the other walked over and put Clint's arm around his shoulder and helped him back to his cell. It was slow going but the man never complained, just kept going until they were inside Clint's cell and helped him over to the bed.
"They won't come near you again, but for your own safety try not to go anywhere alone." He stood and glanced around the cell before his eyes locked back onto Clint's.
"You didn't answer my question." Clint eyed the man in confusion.
The guy smiled. "I'm Lucas, my cousin is the one downstairs with the other guys, he's Fredrik. And as for the why, you remind me of my nephew, he's just a kid too and I would hope that if anyone ever tried to attack him that someone would help."
Clint just nodded as if that explained it all. "Is he in prison too?"
Lucas nodded looking guilty. "Yeah, but not this one. He's in a minimum security prison, should be out in a year."
"He'll be fine, as long as he keeps his head down, he should be fine." Clint told him, he wasn't sure why he was trying to make the guy feel better, maybe it was because he just saved your ass. Clint shook his head, man that sounded like Phil inside his head.
Lucas cocked his head to the side. "How old are you kid?"
"I'm twenty-two and yeah I know, I don't look it." Clint reached up to touch his head and his fingers came away bloody. Damn. He looked back up at Lucas who was actually looking concerned for him. "Clint." He held his other hand out, since his right was now red.
Lucas smiled. "Well Clint, try and take it easy. I really hope I don't have to help you out of any more fights. But you did seem to be handling yourself pretty well."
Clint chuckled and stood, he wavered for a second before righting himself. "Thanks Lucas, and I hope you don't either." He didn't bother to comment on the fact he could have taken those guys but he needed people here to believe that he was just some kid that was doing time for a crime, and not a trained assassin here to take out a target.
Lucas gave him a nod and headed back out. "See you around kid."
Clint sat back on the bed with a groan, man he hurt all over. What had he been saying to himself before about staying out of trouble?
Impossible.