Hi, I'm making slow progress, but I'm making progress. Enjoy.

'And Bruce… We are coming to get you.. sit tight.' She hung up. And turned to Steve. 'Change of course. We're going to France.'

BruceBruceBruceBruceBruceBru ce

'Natasha said that if you don't stop antagonizing our captor she is personally going to train you in anti-interrogation.' Bruce sounded a bit smug. He had been telling Tony that same thing since they were taken. He erased Natasha's number from the phone.

Tony visibly swallowed. That didn't sound like something he would enjoy. He nodded. 'Did she say anything else? Like why Clint wasn't picking up?'

'No.' Bruce was hesitant. 'I don't think they know. She said we were their priority. Take away the leverage.'

Tony nodded again. 'Smart.' Bruce saw the billionaire wasn't really focused on the conversation. His mind was with Hawkeye and Bruce couldn't blame him.

ClintClintClintClintClintCli nt

Clint woke up with a groan. His head was killing him. He was thirsty as hell and his side throbbed with pain. It took a moment before he remembered what happened. He had been shot and he had crawled in his hotel room before he passed out. He peeled away the towel he had taped on the wound. The wound was still bleeding a little. He felt his back. No exit wound. He had passed out with the bullet still in his body. He cursed. He pulled himself up. He needed water and alcohol. He thought the latter was in the first aid kit he had brought. Clint took one of the bottles of waters from the hotel fridge.

The archer sat on the bed. This wasn't the first time he had to dig a bullet from a body. Usually it was Natasha's body, and she did it for him. He rummaged through the first aid kit and found the alcohol and tweezers. He took off his belt. He looked at his watch. He had more than fifteen hours left. He had time to do this and pass out again. He never checked his phone.

He cleaned the tweezers. Used his knife to open the wound slightly, to give him more room to work with. He took a pain killer and took a large gulp off water. He turned the bottle to the wound and cleaned away most of the blood. More blood flowed. He placed the leather belt in his mouth. It wouldn't help him if the entire hotel would hear him scream and call the police. He took a deep breath and forced the tweezers in the wound.

Immediately pain shot through him. The world turned. He clenched his teeth against the leather. It briefly crossed his mind that his teeth would be imprinted on the belt and he had to replace it. His vision grayed. He had to hold on just a little longer. The tweezers searched the wound until he felt the bullet. Very carefully he grabbed it and lifted it out. He couldn't afford to have the bullet slip from the tweezers. He didn't have the energy to try this again before he passed out.

With a sickening plop the bullet came free. Clint gave himself a moment to glare at the bullet before he started moving. He put the bullet in a bowl. He dapped a cloth with alcohol against his wound, which caused his to scream in his crude gag. He had the presence of mind to press the clean towel he had prepared against his wound, before the world turned black again and he fell unconscious.

BruceBruceBruceBruceBruceBru ceBruce

If they hoped that the missing phone would go unnoticed, it was too much to hope for. Bruce had hidden the phone shortly after the call footsteps were loud on the stairs. Somebody was angry. Bruce had to fight to keep his calm. If it showed that he was nervous, they would immediately assume something was wrong.

Tony had his eyes closed, but Bruce could see that the other scientist was on guard as well. The billionaire was breathing heavily from the beating and had every reason to look asleep. Not that that would last long.

The key was in the door again. The lock opened. The door swung open with force. A loud bang sounded where the door hit the wall. Bruce had to hide a small smile when the door shut again in that same motion. He doubted it was wise to laugh, but it was better that feeling anxious. The door opened again. With less force this time. Erikson came through with his trusted guards following.

'What are you laughing at?' He snarled at Bruce.

Bruce tried to wipe the smile from his face. It didn't quite work. It at least helped him hide his anxiety, he mused.

'Who of you has it?'

The scientist spared each other a glance. Of course they knew what Erikson was talking about. They weren't going to admit that though. Tony put his most puzzled look on. 'Who has what exactly?'

Bruce tried to copy Tony facial features. He was less of an expert in faking emotions. It was obvious to him that Tony was a master in it. He briefly wondered how much of Tony's interviews were normally real. His thoughts must have helped him in looking puzzled, because Erikson looked surprised for a moment. He doubted himself, before he shook himself and glared at Tony.

'You.' He pointed at the billionaire and glared. 'You… You must have it.'

Tony looked up surprised. 'What must I have? I have a lot of things.' He feigned ignorance and for a moment even Bruce believed him.

'You..You..' Erikson was stuttering again. 'You know what I am talking about. Search him.' He ordered his guards.

Bruce looked at Tony as he was pulled away from the wall and on his feet, only to be pushed face first against the wall again. A grunt of pain came from Tony, whose ribs were already bruised. It hadn't been necessary. They had nowhere to go. Tony would have had no choice but to cooperate. The guard gave a wicked smile and started patting Tony down.

When he was finished he shook his head. The billionaire didn't have the missing thing. Erikson looked at Bruce as if he just remembered that he had taking the alter ego of the hulk hostage as well. They wouldn't be able to repeat the rough treatment with Bruce. He looked puzzled for a moment. Confused about his game plan, before he pulled his gun and aimed it at Tony.

'Doctor…' He let the title hang for a moment. 'Give it to me.' He still refused to say what it was.

Bruce glanced at Tony. Tony stared at the gun. He knew that Bruce would do what they said. Time to stall. 'It would be useful to know what you're missing. Perhaps we can help looking.' The billionaire tried to get the attention back on him. Normally he liked being the centre of attention, while he knew Bruce hated it. He could suddenly understand why.

Erikson shot the wall next to Tony's ear. 'I will not ask again. Next shot goes through his eye.'

Tony didn't reply. He couldn't. He hadn't heard what was being said. All he heard at the moment was ringing. He ignored the gun pointed to his head to look at Bruce. Bruce who was doing all he could to prevent hulking out. After everything that happened, the gun shot had been the last straw. Bruce was very slowly growing. Tony could clearly see the green spreading in his friends face.

Tony, who knew he was as good as dead anyway at the moment, jumped at Bruce. He placed a hand on the scientist's shoulder and tried to get him to look him in the eyes. 'Bruce you can beat this. You're stronger than him. You're the one in control.' He didn't know how much of what he was saying was actually getting through to Bruce. But he had to try. He knew that Bruce would never forgive himself if he destroyed Paris. Or killed him.

He didn't notice Erikson leaving the room. Taking the guards with him, muttering about trying again next time.

Not completely what I was planning. But I go where the characters take me. I love writing Bruce. More doctor Banner in the next chapter.

Please let me know what you thought.