CHAPTER #50
After Romanoff got the information she wanted, she came out of the room. In front of Barton she reported in to Director Fury. Barton could tell she wasn't telling everything she knew, but didn't say otherwise. Fury instructed them where to leave the twins for pick up. Then he told Romanoff he needed to speak to her privately. Barton rolled his eyes, but gave her space. When Fury was done giving her orders, Romanoff helped Barton move the men.
"So what's next?" Clint asked.
"We're going hunting for the next Council member." Natasha said calmly. "Director Fury said you're to continue the operation with me."
"Sure whatever," Clint grinned. "So are you going to tell me why you didn't report everything?" She gave him a look that told him not to go there, but he ignored it. "What are you hiding?"
Natasha didn't look at him, knowing he could read her eyes. "I'm not hiding anything. I'm doing my job."
He shook his head and pulled her to him, "are you ever going to trust me?"
She looked at him now, "I do trust you."
"I hear a 'but' in your voice. I'll wait Nat, but I'd rather you tell me."
Natasha pulled away, "come on we have work to do."
That was her M.O., when she didn't want to face herself or personal issues, she focused on business. Barton, Romanoff knew, would stay on the invisible trail until he found what he was looking for. Sooner than later she'd either have to ditch him or tell him the truth of what she wanted out of this operation. Maybe she could distract him another way. With that thought in mind, she smiled and joked with him as they prepared to leave the secret location.
They doubled up on BIRD in motorcycle mode, zigging and zagging through the city to a private airport hanger. That's where a quinjet awaited them. Barton took the pilot seat as usual. BIRD went to stealth mode in the sky and tailed them.
"We are going to Cairo, Egypt. That's where the next lead takes us," Natasha stated.
"Ugh, it's going to be disgustingly hot there."
"Be happy you're not on the helicarrier. After the Hulk's assistance, Fury is not too happy. "
Clint laughed, "I wish I could have been there to see his face."
Natasha shook her head, "always the antagonist aren't you."
Clint smirked but said nothing. He set the flight path and put it on auto pilot. "Got anything to eat in this tin bucket?"
"I saw a cooler in the back, go check it out. Get me a water while you're up?" She asked. "I'm booking us a two bed room at Ramses Hilton, in the heart of Cairo."
"Notice how we always start out in the nice hotels and usually end up in the slums?"
Her eyes twinkled, but she replied, "we go where the trail leads us."
"At least it's right on the Nile and tall enough to see most of the surrounding city," Clint said as he handed her a water.
She watched him eat a sandwich from a foil wrapper. "See I knew you'd approve."
"Just tell me we don't have to get all dressed up the first night we're here."
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Her voice was neutral.
"It's what you always make us do. For once I'd like to just check it out, before having to mingle with the uptight local business men."
Natasha punched his arm playfully. "Come on you know you love it; flirting with the ladies, pick pocketing the men."
Clint chuckled, "what's your plan Nat?"
"You can do what you want, I'm going out for some local cuisine."
"Bet you that Stark's going to be jealous when he hears we ate authentic shwarma sandwiches."
"I'm going to Abou El Sid, it's a little more classier. The native upper-class prefer it when looking for a taste of their roots. They also make a nice cane and tequila cocktail," Natasha advised.
He gave her a raised eyebrow, "and how do you know this?"
Dryly she replied, "do you really need to ask?"
"Okay so you're going out for drinks and dinner, then what?" Clint questioned.
She shrugged, "maybe dancing on the Blue Nile… who knows. It's our night off, before the real fun starts."
"Fury gave us a night off?" Clint said almost choking on his sandwich.
"No, but I am."
There was something that bothered him about the way she said that, but he buried the thought. "Maybe I'll join you for that tequila drink… maybe," he said as she smirked.
They slept in shifts, while the auto pilot took them to Cairo. Once the quinjet was parked, they went to the hotel and checked in. While Romanoff went clothing shopping for both of them, Barton first scoped out the area with BIRD's assistance and later by foot. He came back just as Romanoff was leaving, wearing a black dress. On her it was sexy, even though she didn't expose flesh.
"If you care to join me, your clothing is in the closet," she said as she departed.
After he showered, he went for shwarma at the local restaurant, but then returned to their room. He wanted sleep not dancing. Barton knew that would disappoint Romanoff, but he wasn't in the mood for her games.
When she realized he wasn't joining her, she had fun with the locals. She drank them under the table, but even though she had a buzz, relax she couldn't. Her mind wouldn't shut up. Their S.H.E.I.L.D. mission was not the source of the turmoil, but added to it. Her personal investigation, is what drove her to buy a bottle and take it back to the room. When she came inside, finding Barton sleeping, wasn't surprising. The dress came off and she put on the silk pyjamas. Then bottle in hand Romanoff sat down facing the window, leaning against her bed.
Barton was awake long before Romanoff had opened the door. He kept his eyes closed, but listened. He could sense her restlessness. When he heard the cap come off a bottle, a smirk passed over his lips.
"Want to share that bottle?" He asked the silence.
"If you want some," she replied.
Clint got up and opened the curtains further, then sat down beside her. "Have fun dancing?" He knew the answer, before she replied.
"Can't have fun, when my mind's on a mission." Natasha sighed, took a gulp of booze and passed the bottle to him.
"Any idea where you want to start tomorrow?"
She smiled and it transferred to her voice, "don't I always?"
He knew it was rhetorical, so he didn't reply. Barton realized too that he had to pace himself with the drinking, or end up with a bad hangover. Sensing she needed it, he put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Romanoff let her head lean against the bed, but her body leaned into his side.
"You know you can tell me anything… as you have in the past," Clint reminded.
She nodded and knew he saw the movement, even in the dark. They sat looking out at the night sky and the city lights, passing the bottle back and forth. When he next spoke, she wasn't surprised with his question.
"Does the council in some way have to do with your past?"
"Don't ask me to explain… not yet. Can you do that for me… just wait?" Natasha asked, her voice almost childlike with it's vulnerability in that moment.
"I will… for now," Clint said simply and left it at that.
CHAPTER #51
When the sun rose, was not when Barton and Romanoff were up. They'd been ready for the day much earlier, the night's drinking an after thought. Romanoff was her usual self. Under the long dress of the egyptian clothing, she had gear strapped to her legs. The head shawl, completed the look. Barton too was wearing the more traditional long robes and a head shawl, as they would be travelling into the desert. Apparently there was some kind of secret building below one of the pyramids and they were going to find out if that was truth or fiction. A cab took them to the Giza Pyramids tour guide area. From there they rented two camels. As she expected, Romanoff had to negotiate the price and prevent costume pieces from being placed on the camels. Barton found it all very amusing.
Barton had been on a camel before and knew it was not like riding a horse. So he wouldn't offend the beast, he made sure not to stand in front of it, nor make eye contact. But he had learned long ago that giving it an apple or carrot, made a friendlier camel. Once in the saddle, he had to scoot all the way up to the saddle horn, so it was flush against his abdomen. Next he placed his legs on the downward slope leading to the neck of the camel. To get more comfortable, he did as Romanoff and hooked his right leg upward a bit. Both of them leaned back in their saddles so the beasts could stand. Then as the camels began to straighten their front legs, they leaned forward.
"Their gate is so relaxing… when you're not running from gunmen," Natasha mused.
"Now there's a story you'll have to share some time," Clint chuckled.
The camels walked in single file, Romanoff in the lead. She was using the co-ordinates relayed by BIRD to locate the pyramid where the secret building was. Barton wondered why he hadn't just stayed in BIRD, in air conditioning and with stealth mode. But he had to admit, even in the heat, the ride was enjoyable. That was until Romanoff's camel farted.
"Your camel smells like it ate sewage," Clint complained.
"Sometimes so do you," Natasha replied.
Clint thought about it and then moved his head in agreement. "You got me there."
A wind passed across the desert, picking up sand, so they used the shawls to mask their faces. That protected from the sand blasting their faces, coating their ears and mouths. Visibility was limited, but the camels knew where to go. Their long eyelashes protecting them from the sand. BIRD had to watch the area to make sure no one tried to sneak up and steal the camels or try and rob them. The wind died down eventually without an incident. When Barton took off his shawl to shake out the sand, even wearing sunglasses, he caught a flash of light off in the distance. He put the shawl back on.
"We're being watched," Cling reported, before BIRD alerted Romanoff.
"Friendlies?" Natasha asked.
"Doubt it, the flash is from a rifle scope…. BIRD go investigate," Clint ordered, making sure his mouth was hidden behind the shawl when he spoke.
"Donkey mafia, extremists, or pyramid police?"
BIRD reported back, "two men, carrying police issued rifles, but no police insignia or artillery shields. Possible threat."
"We'll ride on, I'm ready if they attack," Clint said, his hands under his robes.
"They are on the move, in a jeep." BIRD reported to Barton.
Barton moved his camel to take the lead, letting Romanoff know that they were about to be confronted. When the Jeep stopped a few yards away, a man called out to them with broken english. He wanted to offer protection from the locals.
Clint shouted back, " La Shukran," which meant 'no thanks'.
The man's rifle remained hidden and he tried again. When Romanoff replied with the same words, the two men in the Jeep talked heatedly between each other. As the passenger of the Jeep raised his gun, Barton shot his arrows; one into the gunman's hand, another into the gun and a third at the Jeep's grill. The gun fell to the sand, the man screamed in pain and the Jeep's radiator grill hissed as steam escaped.
Romanoff spoke and warned the remaining man that he should leave them alone or his punishment would be worse than that of his friend's. The man begged and pleaded for his life. She got annoyed, shot him with her taser and they travelled on ward after Barton retrieved his arrows. Once they neared the pyramids, she reported the incident to the pyramid police and gave them a large tip to make sure those men didn't bother them on the return trip. The problem with tipping the police, was that they kept wanting to assist Romanoff. So she had to distract them, while Barton searched for a passage way into the secret building. He located it, but there was no way to enter without being seen. They'd have to return in the evening. Then he could easily disable a spot light or shift it, so that the darkness would hide their entry. He took a picture of Romanoff with the police, acting like a typical tourist. They then said good-bye and remounted their camels, before leaving.
"We'll return with BIRD tonight. You'll go in, while I keep watch." Clint advised as they rode back.
"You're sure it's the right place?" Natasha asked.
He turned his head and looked at her, sunglasses shielding the expression in his eyes. He didn't have to say a word.
"Forget I asked," she replied.
They had no problem returning the camels and getting a taxi back to the hotel. Both needed a shower, but Romanoff let Barton go first. He came out towelling his hair, wearing another around his waist. She was not immune to his excellent physique, but she pretended she was. He on the other hand was oblivious to her admiration. While she was in the shower he ordered room service for dinner.
"Food's on it's way up. I ordered a bottle of white wine and two large bottles of water," Clint said as she came out of the bathroom in her robe.
"Nice. So tell me about the entrance of that secret building."
"BIRD send the photos to her lap top," he directed into the wrist com.
Natasha looked at it and smiled, "it's almost too easy."
"What do you hope to find?"
"Answers," she replied vaguely.
Before he could grill her, a knock at the door announced the food had arrived. After tipping the staff, Barton rolled in the cart. He first drank half a bottle of water, before taking a bite and sip of wine.
"Do you think the next council member will be revealed?" Clint asked eventually.
"No, but a clue as to where he or she might be," Natasha said.
He looked at her, "this isn't just about HYDRA planting spies among the council members, is it? That's Fury's mission, but you have another agenda and his mission just helps you. Am I right?"
"Yes," she replied simply. Then to discourage any further questioning, she ordered a movie and focused on the TV as they waited for Cairo's night to fall.
After the wine and food, Barton lay on his bed, hands behind his head and relaxed. He dozed, but was not in a deep sleep. He felt when Romanoff moved around the room, including putting the food cart with their empty dishes, outside their door. She knew he wasn't fully asleep.
"I'm going to take a nap, if I don't wake in an hour…." she didn't need to finish.
"You take a nap, now that's a first," Clint teased.
"Fine, I'm going to rest my eyes, just like you were."
He grinned and said nothing further. His internal clock, or BIRD would wake them when it was time to suit up and leave. Barton listened to her breathing, she was doing a four count usually used by snipers. Maybe she would sleep. After resting a while, Barton got up and checked his gear. Then he checked in with BIRD to see if there was any news worth knowing about Banner and Stark. He didn't mention the black diamond, incase Romanoff was listening. She had her secrets and he had his.
Shortly after midnight, Natasha got up and checked her gear. "Tonight we are the Black Widow and Hawkeye."
"Try not to kill anyone," Clint said jokingly.
"They're not going to know what happened. I have my little flash bombs and I'll use the widow bites. No death, just unconsciousness."
"That's smart and keeps Fury happy," Clint noted.
Natasha nodded, "ready?"
"Always."