Seriously, thank you so much for all the favourites, follows and reviews, they're all really inspiring and I'm really grateful.
24 MAY 2003
"So what does working for S.H.I.E.L.D. mean you do exactly?" It's been almost a moth since I stopped a mugger for stealing my sister's purse, and it's been great. I crash at her place a lot, but not too often, because, believe it or not, S.H.I.E.L.D. actually needs me. Her boyfriend's alright, I guess, and he trembles every time he sees me, mainly because I haven't pulled him aside and given him the big brother talk yet. I like to keep people in suspense.
Getting Phil to meet Laura might have been one of the worst things I've ever done. They get on so well and gang up on me. Its hell, but it's also the best feeling in the world because it's my best friend and my sister getting along.
"I do whatever Phil tells me to do." I say carefully. I don't particularly like to talk about it, but dong it does sometimes feel good. It's like I'm redeeming myself for my past sins.
"And that is..?" She asks.
"A bit of paperwork here and there but usually missions." She raises her eyebrow, asking me perfectly what I do on mission so I sigh in defeat. "Usually its taking down targets, drug-lords, mass murderers, people who dabble in a bit of human trafficking, bad guys, Laura."
"And taking down means..?"
"Whatever S.H.I.E.L.D. wants. Either bring them in for questioning or kill them. I've taken lives from a lot of people." For some reason she doesn't even look shocked. I think she'd guessed.
"I guess you're well-travelled then." That's all she took from "I've killed a lot of people"? "I mean there's not only bad people in America, right?"
"I haven't even been with S.H.I.E.L.D. for a year. But yeah, I've seen a few countries."
"So how often do you have missions? How long do they last?"
"Depends. Usually I have about a week or two between them, but they can last anywhere from three days to years."
"Years?!"
"If it's deep undercover, then yeah. But undercovers not really my thing. And I don't like working with other people, so they don't really like putting me in it. But I'm going on one day after tomorrow. Should last about a week if everything goes well."
"How often does everything go well?"
"About once every blue moon."
"I guessed as much." We sit in silence for a few minutes before she asks, "Have you ever been shot?"
"Nope," I reply, popping the p. "I've never been shot and I've never missed a shot.
"Show off" She mutters.
27 MAY 2003
God, being shot really hurts.
I'm in S.H.I.E.L.D. hospital. I can tell by the massive eagle on the wall.
Phil's there.
"Idiot." He tells me.
I don't have the energy to reply.
28 MAY 2003
When I next come to, I'm a lot more with it.
"Hey," I rasp at Phil.
"You're still an idiot." Phil replies. "What happened?"
"They were waiting for me, some of them had guns, I called for backup and took out as many as I could, got shot. Have you told…?"
"I thought you could break that titbit of news to her. Plus she'd want to see you, and I don't think you'd like that."
"No I wouldn't."
2 JUNE 2003
"Hi Munchkin."
"Hey Clint. Why do you have a sling?"
"I got shot."
"Really, Mr. I've never been shot?"
"Yes."
She cackles at me.
5 FEBRUARY 2004
I've been boosted up the S.H.I.E.L.D. ranks a lot over the last year. I'm now level five, and that's after a year and a half. Broke another record.
I've also been tasked with a mission.
It's going to be bloody difficult, given that we don't even have a picture of the target.
I've been tasked to kill the Black Widow.
One of the most deadly assassins in the world.
She's a master assassin who's left a bloody trail all over the world, mainly concentrated in Europe, but some other continents too. Her work was last seen this morning, so I'm moving fast to try and get her, as S.H.I.E.L.D. thinks they know who she's most likely to go after next. It looks like I'm off to Serbia.
Haven't been there before.
11 MARCH 2004
Can she hurry up and just take this guy out?
I've been following him for weeks now and I can feel her presence, just never see her.
I want to take this guy out because his voice is so annoying and I am hearing it all the time.
He's going to a party tomorrow night. I'm going to the vents of the venue. I hope she's there.
12 MARCH 2004
I know she's going to kill him today. I can feel it in my bones.
I'm thinking like the Black Widow today. She'll want to get her target alone, so she'll seduce him, maybe take him upstairs? She'll want it to be a private killing, so I just simply have to not take my eyes off her target.
He leaves with a blonde woman, who I can tell is not naturally blonde. That's a wig she's wearing.
I follow them quietly and wait for her to kill him before I shoot.
I forget the breeze.
It's the only time I've ever missed.
I aim my bow again, surprised she hasn't attacked me yet.
Our eyes lock and I see myself. Scared, frightened and doing what I need to do to survive. She wants to die. I lower my bow. "I'd like to talk to you about doing some good in the world." I say in Russian.