~Flashback~
4 years ago
The heat shifted in waves from the arid ground. He narrowed his eyes, maintaining his visual on his target. The clock was ticking and there was no room for errors.
He was halfway across the globe and made his way to Pakistan to track down an arms dealer. The foreign land was bland and here he was in the middle of the desert. He reached for his canteen to quench his thirst, but it was dry. He tossed the object aside. It was now a battle of wits and will.
Why did he grab the file from Phil's hands in the first place? It was something about a favor that the twenty-one year old owed after he lost in a poker game, which was rare for him. A growl came from his abdomen, as he laid flat on the dusty ground. He ignored the bugs that crawled about and remained still with his finger around the trigger.
"Just one more kill," he mused, "And then home."
The sun continued its assault on him, and he felt the back of his neck starting to burn with the unrelenting rays. He shifted and tried to move his gear up. The comm had been quiet for the remainder of the day with the occasional static hiccups breaking up the mundane silence.
Dust devils formed in his peripheral vision. The spiraling columns wandered off aimlessly into nothing. His gaze remained on the outcropping that was several meters ahead of him. There was slight movement coming from the front door. Being the famed marksman he was, he took the shot.
His target fell across the footsteps, as the bullet pierced through his chest cavity.
"Target deceased."
"Copy that." Intermittent silence came through, "Return to base."
Clint got up from his position and stretched out the kinks in his knees and back. By now, the sun was lowering itself into the horizon line. He disarmed his long-range rifle and packed up his supplies.
His footfalls fell against the dried earth and he saw base camp. Phil was leaning against their tent with a smile that meant he had more shit to do. Inwardly, he groaned at the sight of his handler. "You're up to no good." The hawk placed his weapons down and sauntered into the temporary shelter.
"You did good back there."
"Spill." He reached into the cooler to grab a beer.
"I know what you're going to say," he shoved another folder across the table. "Just read it."
Barton swiped the manila folder off the desk, while drinking down his cold beer. Immediately, his gray eyes locked onto the photograph of a redhead with jade eyes. "Oh fuck."
Phil waited anxiously at the opposite side of the tent, wondering if his young charge's reactions were a good thing or not. Lately, he had to admit there was a lot of crap tossed their way, but the two always muddled through and finished the jobs. Though the outcomes could've been better.
"When does this start?"
"Not for another two weeks." Phil peered out through their tent's opening. "Mission specs are still coming in. We won't know the final location until at least two days prior."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. wants me to eliminate her?"
"Precisely." Phil walked up to him, "Well, kid, what's it going to be?"
He chucked the papers back onto the table, scattering the Black Widow's past indiscretions with S.H.I.E.L.D. He rubbed the back of his head, wondering how he was going to take down the infamous widow. Slowly, he got up from his seat and went to grab another beer.
In the background, a faint whistle intensified. His hands twitched at the sound and immediately he pounced to his handler, pushing him to the ground as an explosion rocked the outskirts of the base. The deafening boom shook the ground as the two sought refuge under the desk.
~End of Flashback~
The City of Canals neared as Stark closed the distance. JARVIS had already locked onto the hawk's last transmission from his cell phone. The winds whipped by his infamous suit as he punched in the last miles.
The old building stood off in the corner from the main canal. Lasers carved into the stone with Stark blasting his way through. "Activate heat signature recognition."
The A.I. scanned the dark recesses finding nothing on the current floor. "Scanning lower levels."
Tony took a few steps forward, checking to see if there was any sign of Barton. "This is the building?"
"Correct," the computer interjected. "It appears."
"Continue scan." He walked towards the rear part of the building, "Come on, where are you bastard?"
As if on command, JARVIS interjected into his monologue. "Lower basement…heat signature found."
Without moments to waste, Stark blasted through the concrete floors and slipped into the hole. His eyes locked onto the weary form that leaned against the wall. "Hang in there, Legolas." Tony unmasked himself as he took the primary survey of the scene. His eyes wandered over to the severe injury to his arm. The archer lay motionless against Tony's constant prodding. "I found him," he shouted into his comm, "Time critical."
"Copy that," Banner received the message at the other end. "We're three minutes out. Get him to the roof."
Tony put his mask back on and lifted the unconscious archer, "Don't you dare die on me, bird brain."
Her stomach lurched as she heard the ending of Bruce's conversation with Stark. She tasted the bile rising in the back of her throat, and she forced herself to swallow it back down. Everything was changing, and she didn't want to think of the worst possible outcome. As assassins, she knew she had a finite time with her specific skill set, but she didn't think it would be so soon. And nonetheless, the same thought teased her mind about Barton.
She leaned into her seat, trying to calm her nerves down. The three minutes felt like years to her. If only she could get there faster.
~Flashback~
Emerald eyes flashed into the crowd, while ruby lips were pressed against the martini glass. The hint of vodka mixed with pomegranate, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice ran down her throat. The drink came highly recommended from the bartender, but it was too fruity for her taste. She lowered the glass down back onto the coaster and waited. Coolly, she exposed her legs as she shifted in her seat.
"Is this seat taken?"
She tilted her head to the side and took another sip from the red tinged liquid.
"Fine night, we're having."
She picked up on the conversation and let out her pass-phrase, "There's a lunar eclipse tonight."
The stranger slid a small case towards her. "A night to remember." He tipped the bartender and took his martini in tow, leaving Natasha alone again.
Her fingers curved around the lipstick tube. Stealing a glance from the silver-plated napkin dispensers, she reapplied the ruby shade.
She snaked her way through the crowd, mingling with random strangers. It was a dance that she played so well. But, she couldn't help but feel a pair of eyes locking in on her. Being the master assassin she was, she knew when she was being followed. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she realized there was going to be a snag in her plan.
She looked for a distraction, anything to break the trail. A waiter walked by with a plate of hors d'oeuvres. She spun around in her chartreuse chiffon, spilling her drink on an innocent bystander, as all eyes turned towards to the charade.
She quickly excused herself as she found her target. She dug into her clutch and whipped out the benign object. With the flick of the wrist, the poison was being loaded. She was about to intercept her target until she felt someone restrain her wrist, making her drop the small tube.
"I wouldn't do that, sweetheart."
Not wanting to expose herself further, she played along with his game, "Aren't you late, dear?"
"Office work." He was playing with fire, as he placed his hand on the small of her back.
She led him outside in the pouring rain. The unlikely pair walked until they were in the shadows. She twisted out of his death grip and reached for her Glock that was concealed in her clutch. "You don't fool me, Agent Barton."
"You sure work fast."
"You're wasting my time." The barrel was trained on the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
"Let's make a deal."
"I don't think so." Green eyes hypnotized the hit man, as her finger punched a button. In a cloud of smoke, she disappeared into the rain.
Clint searched the surroundings but there were no traces of the elusive Black Widow, "Damn that woman."
~End of Flashback~
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