Clint hurriedly opens the hospital window. He knows he doesn't have much time before Natasha exits the shower, or before Phil and Kate come back with breakfast. He also knows he needs to have at least a six block clearance by the time they know he's gone. Hobbling on his still broken ankle, he straddles the sill. All he has to take with him is the small backpack he had initially when he left for his mission almost five weeks prior. It contents are mostly useless, with the exception of his passport and other identification. He'd ditch the bag but it will look odd if he's traveling with no luggage of any kind and the last thing he needs is to be held up at the airport. He glances down the five story fall, he's fallen much further, but that doesn't mean this still won't hurt. Still he takes note that a few stories down there is a balcony that can break at least part of his fall. With a gulp and a silent prayer, he pushes himself away from the window and out into free fall. When he hits the balcony, he lands purposefully on his side, it cushions his fall slightly and allows him to roll out some of his momentum. It still hurts. He doesn't allow his brain to linger on the fact, instead he looks over the edge of the balcony, only one more story to go. This time he climbs over the railing and hangs off the lip of the balcony, much closer to the ground he's able to drop to his feet. His ankle protests slightly but he doesn't linger on the pain. Jogging as fast as he can with his injuries, Clint takes off down the street, knowing he doesn't have much time before someone comes looking for him. He finds the closest SHIELD car and climbs into it. A quick retinal scan allows him to power the engine without the key. He won't take the vehicle too far, he knows that they can track it. He'll only take it until he can find another one.
Clint drives five miles to the nearest gas station, there he finds an abandoned car with the key in the ignition. He "borrows" it, leaving a note on the SHIELD car he leaves in it's place. The car is a nicer sports car, an Audi, Clint thinks. He's never paid much attention to things as he hates to drive, but even he has to admit he sees the appeal. Slightly speeding, Clint makes good time through the sparsely populated streets. Grenwhich's citizens aren't early risers. He drives for hours until he hits the underwater bridge that connects France and England. After providing papers for a forged identity that SHIELD doesn't have on record as his, he's allowed to cross the tunnel. By now he knows SHIELD has to be looking for him, so using a baseball cap he tries to avoid all cameras.
Once at the airport, he secures his bow in his pack. The pack is made so security won't be able to pick up the weapon. Normally it would contain a more vast supply of weapons, but due to his abrupt departure he didn't have time to regain all his normal necessities such as a fire arm and knife.
Using cash he buys a plane ticket to one of the few places he knows SHIELD won't think to look for him, and won't be able to send Natasha to search for him, Russia. The earliest flight he can get out has a one hour wait, just enough time for him to pass security, but also just enough time that SHIELD may be able to figure out where he is. On high alert he monitors his surroundings. He passes through customs relatively easily despite being secretly armed.
As he boards his plane he sees men in SHIELD uniforms begin to sniff around the place. None notice him as he gets on the plane. Once inside the structure, he awaits take off dreading that SHIELD might delay the flight to check for him. Thankfully the flight takes off at it's scheduled time. As the plane begins down the runway, Clint looks out the window. In the cargo loading area are Coulson and Natasha. They were so close, yet so far.
Clint wakes up in a cold sweat and with a need to call Natasha to make sure she's alive. He's called her before, left messages on her voicemail even, but he's always made sure it was at times she'd never be able to answer the phone. Shortly after making the call, he'd vacate the area by thousands of miles to make sure SHIELD can't find him. His need to run is still greater than his need to see her, or at least it was, until tonight.
He finds the nearest connivance store they're a dime a dozen in Russia still so it's not that hard to find one. He buys a burner phone, it takes him only a minute to set it up. He knows Natasha's number by heart, so he dials. He waits for the phone to begin ringing. As it rings, his resolve in her answering wavers. He was certain she'd pick up thinking that its him but now he's not so sure. Just as he's about to end the call on the third ring, she picks up.
"Clint?" She says, knowing it has to be him. He wants to say something but doesn't know what so he stays silent. "Clint, is that you?" She asks, her voice desperate for him to speak. He knows that by now SHIELD is already tracking the call. They'll have a location on him in seconds, a team sent out in minutes, unless he hangs up now. Still not knowing what to say, but being comforted by knowing she's alright, he hangs up the phone. He knows on the other end Natasha is cussing his name, and he wishes like hell he could hear her. Instead he puts his gloves back on and adjusts his coat. Russia is too cold for his liking. Maybe he'll migrate south soon, anything has got to be better than the constant cold that has set into his very veins. They have better doctors in the south too, and god knows he needs a doctor. He pulls the collar of his jacket up to shield his neck from the wind that blows through the alley his apartment is off of. Yup, he's definitely going to move.
Two days later, he's in China. He's always liked Hong Kong, he doesn't have plans to stay long but while he's there he has the hospital do some tests. He's been feeling really bad for the last few months, and he wants to know why. The only flaw in his plan is that he has no place to send the results. After a moment of puzzling, he rights down his farm's address. He's not sure how he'll retrieve them from the building yet but he decides that'll be a problem for later.
After Hong Kong, he migrates for awhile. He calls Natasha twice more, leaving a voice message both times. Afterwards he ditches the phones in rubbish bins, then moves on. Three weeks after Hong Kong he finds himself in Athens. Kate always loved Greece, unlike him she actually had an education. Her degree was oddly in greek studies, it made her useful around the agency if something greek showed up he'd always wondered why she'd chosen to use her degree with SHIELD. While in a small cafe, he pays to use the internet. He logs onto his email that is separate from SHIELD. While digging through the junk mail, he finds an e-vite for one of his aliases to a party that happens to be in Athens. Under further inspection he finds it to be for Joseph Adler. After much internal debate he decides to go, he decides the likely hood of SHIELD being at the party, one of Stark's many charities to be highly low. If anything Kate may make an appearance, but it's not Kate he's running from.
Clint manages to buy a tux from a small wedding shop. Remarkably he doesn't even need to have it tailored, it fits him perfectly. He then kills time. It won't seem odd for him to come in with a less then grand entrance, at least not when the event is in Athens. Many of the elite, are more laid back when in the tropics. No need for fancy limos or other cars when it's just as nice to walk. While walking around, he manages to convince two rather burly broke college kids to play the part of "body guard" tonight. He assures them they need no skills, then pays them four hundred dollars each for the night. He also buys them nicer looking clothes. While out, he thinks about how to explain away the absence of his wife. His cover of Joseph has been relatively unactive lately, he's still made stock trades under the name, actually gaining his own wealth and not SHIELD's in his bank accounts, but as for public appearance the Adlers have been more of home bodies lately. He thinks back through the last few times he's used the cover and quickly realizes he hasn't been out with Kate for almost three years. In fact, he's escorted Natasha, as a friend of his wife, more and more. It wouldn't be hard to explain Kate's absence as martial problems. He decides to use that as the excuse.
Around eight o'clock, he and his "bodyguards" arrive at the event center. In an old fashioned greek style, the event center looks more like a pavilion, the walls are open allowing the warm summer air to be a continued comfort at this late hour of the day. Clint gives his name at the door, while surprised that he's actually in attendance, the bouncer lets him into the VIP area of the event. Clint takes comfort in talking to old acquaintances. He's been mostly on his own for the past four months and it's nice to have familiar human contact.
Around nine, he spots Kate. She's only just arriving, with Natasha and Coulson as her escorts. He watches as the bouncer mentions his name, and he sees the three agents immediately begin to search the area for him. Ducking behind a waiter, he begins to plan his escape, but before he can, Tony Stark grabs his arm.
"Joseph." The man says, his breath reeking of scotch. Clint has half the mind to punch him, and probably would if it wouldn't draw any attention. "Nice to see you. You don't get out much anymore."
"I've focused on my work." He says, trying to hurry up Tony's small chat. He's honestly surprised the Tony knew who he was at all, and it's only when he sees his assistant a few steps away that he realized he didn't. Pepper must be making him be friendly.
"You're wife and you used to be so cute together. Where is she tonight?" Clint shoots Pepper a look, begging her to come and collect her boss. Either she doesn't see it or she ignores him grateful to be Tony free for a moment.
"I'm actually not all that sure." He says, still trying to escape Tony's iron grasp. "We've actually been growing apart."
"I'm sorry, mate. Didn't mean to bring up a sore subject, here let me buy you a drink." Tony motions to Pepper. He then instructs her to get both him and Clint drinks. Clint tries to insist that he doesn't need one but Tony will hear none of it. "Now listen." Tony says once Clint has taken the tiniest of sips off of his scotch. "Pepper has been trying to get ahold of you for months. You're not very responsive." He throws an arm over Clint's shoulders. "Anyways, I was hoping you'd show up tonight. Seemed like your kind of thing, that's why I came. You see I have a business proposition for you." While building Joseph's fortune, Clint had actually founded a well off business. His start up/ funding company is set to make billions this fiscal year. While the company makes large profits, Clint puts most back into the company or into charity funds only keeping a small portion for himself. "Stark Industries is set to launch a new energy development, it's more for show than anything else at this point… but that's business talk. I'll leave that kind of thing to Obie. Anyways, what I want to know is if you'd like to put your hand into the pot so to speak. The turn around for the investment won't be huge, and could honestly take years, but it will make your company look good. We'll do it with or without you, Obie just thought it would look good if this was a group effort, you know. Corporate America, saving the world, yadadada. So, you interested." While Tony's been forcing his presence onto himself, Coulson and team have been closing in. Now the only thing from keeping them from pouncing on top of him is Stark. Clint thinks fast, seeing a way out of the mess he's gotten himself into.
"I'd love to invest. In fact, why don't we put ink to paper in the morning. I'm kind of tired of this place, why don't you and I fly back to New York tonight. That way everything can be finalized as soon as possible."
"Excellent idea." Tony says, calling over his bodyguard he instructs him to both find Pepper and have the car pulled around. "Aster, isn't that your lovely wife standing over there?" Tony asks, unfortunately his eyes landing on Kate. Despite Clint kicking his shin, he waves the group over to them. Kate always one to fall into a roll, kisses Tony on both cheeks in greeting before moving to snake her arm around Clint's waist. Clint makes point of stepping out of the embrace closer, moving closer to Tony.
"Mrs. Aster, may I ask who your companions are?" Tony asks motioning to Natasha and Phil.
"My business associate Paul, and my personal friend Natalia." Kate doesn't miss a single beat.
"Your husband I were just talking business, he's a very hard man to get ahold of. I've been trying for months. Now that we've finally made contact, I have to beg you to allow me to steal him away to New York tonight." Kate sends a side glance to Phil who answers the question in her eyes silently before answering Stark.
"That's perfectly alright with me, Mr. Stark. Just keep track of him for me, alright. Like you said, my husband can be a terribly hard man to find."
As they walk toward the door, Coulson bumps against Clint, holding him up from Stark. The older man leans in to whisper into Clint's ear.
"We're not the bad guys, Clint."
"That's what you think." He breaths back, pushing past his superior to follow Stark out the door. He knows that by now Coulson has a tail on him, that he'll have one until they reach New York. Not that that concerns him, unless the tail is Natasha, he'll be able to slip them as soon as he leaves Stark's facilities. And if the tail is Natasha, he's been missing having a challenge in his life.