Chapter 11: Definitely Not the Bomb Squad

Pietro and Clint took the elevator down to the basement, taking advantage of the wait to make out against the wall. Not exactly professional superhero behavior, but who was going to stop them? They'd just professed their love for each other and now they were going off to disable a bomb and assassinate a terrorist, it was only fair they got a little time in just in case they got blown up. Finally, the elevator came to a halt and they broke apart.

"Time to go save the world," said Clint breathlessly.

"Or just the hotel," Pietro said.

"You guys do realize I could hear all your little happy noises for the last three minutes, right?" Tony said into the comms.

Pietro and Clint exchanged an embarrassed look.

"Sorry," said Clint.

"I'm not," said Pietro.

"Whatever, just go find that bomb," said Tony.

They got out of the elevator and started down the narrow corridor. Soon they reached a short flight of stairs leading to a heavy metal door. Pietro tried the doorknob and found it surprisingly unlocked. As they stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind them, followed by a loud click. Clint checked the knob again.

"It locked itself," he said. "We're locked in."

"Fantastic," said Pietro.

"Well, let's find that bomb, I guess. Stark, you with us?" Clint said. "Stark?"

There was no answer.

"Stark?" Pietro said.

Still nothing.

"Dammit, the comms are down. Must be some interference or something..." said Clint.

"What are we going to do now once we find it? Neither of us knows how to disable a bomb."

"Maybe there's an off switch..."

They searched the room and quickly found the bomb, hidden behind some crates. There was a digital countdown clock on the front and it was already running. There were three minutes left.

"Shit," said Clint, frantically inspecting the bomb. "Shit shit shit... there's no off switch. Stark? Stark!?"

Still no answer. Pietro felt sick to his stomach, his heart racing in panic.

"This was a bad idea..." he said.

"Getting locked in a basement with a bomb? No shit," said Clint.

"No, I mean... me. And a bomb. I don't do well with bombs."

Pietro's panic was escalating.

"Does anyone?" Clint said.

"Clint, I hid under a bed for two days waiting to get killed by a bomb when I was ten," Pietro said. "I really do not do well with bombs."

"Oh."

"And now it's happening again... how many times do I have to sit around waiting to die because of Tony fucking Stark?"

"You called?"

The comms were back up.

"Oh thank God!" said Clint. "Stark, the bomb is gonna go off in one minute and Pietro's having a panic attack, tell me how to disable this fucking thing right now."

"Okay, okay," said Tony. "You see the panel in the front? Take that off."

"Okay, now what?"

"There should be a red button. Just push it and you're good."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, why, is something wrong?"

"No, I just thought it would be more complicated than that."

Clint pushed the button. Pietro let out a sigh of relief.

"Shit," said Clint.

"What?" said Pietro.

"It didn't work. It didn't fucking work."

Pietro looked at the countdown timer. Twenty seconds.

"That should have worked," said Tony. "Why didn't it work?"

"Clint..."

Pietro grabbed Clint's arm, and Clint pulled him close. Fifteen seconds.

"I love you," Pietro whispered.

"I love you too."

Ten seconds.

"I'm sorry..." Tony said, his voice cracking.

"It's not your fault, Stark," said Clint.

Five seconds.

Pietro buried his face in Clint's shoulder, bracing himself for the explosion. But it never came. Slowly, Pietro lifted his head and turned to look at the timer. It had gone blank.

"How...?"

"Did you do something?" Clint asked.

"I haven't touched it. Did you?" said Pietro.

"No."

"Then how the hell...?"

"I have no idea."

"Y-you're alive?" said Tony. "You didn't blow up?"

"Surprisingly, no," said Pietro.

Tony laughed in relief.

"Let's get the hell out of this basement," said Clint.

They turned to leave and found themselves face to face with Charles.

"Shit," said Pietro.

"Dumbwaiter," said Clint.

"What?"

"Dumbwaiter, come on!"

Pietro turned to Clint but he was gone, already clear across the room and climbing into the service elevator.

"Pietro, come on!" he shouted.

Pietro made to run forward but Charles grabbed him by the throat and threw him to the floor. He looked up just in time to see Charles slam the button next to the service elevator.

"Pietro!" Clint shouted again.

Then the doors slammed shut. Pietro scrambled to his feet and was there in a flash, trying to pry the doors open again as Clint's muffled voice, screaming his name, faded farther and farther away. He noticed a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye and turned just in time to see Charles raising a metal pipe in his hand before everything went black.