See, I didn't make you wait long for the next part of the story! We'll find out shortly what all the clues meant. Katie, you were getting close, so have a virtual cookie! Clint thanks you for your help. Because I wanted to get this chapter out, it's shorter than the ones I've posted lately. Now, let's go get Mikayla!
"Get Fury back on the line. We've got to find out where they're holding Eric so we can beat it out of him where Mikayla is.
"And that is the reason Fury won't tell us, Tony," Natasha said. "Fury knows if we know, we'll take him out."
"What's wrong with that?"
"He won't be able to give up what he knows about my asshole of a brother if he's dead, Stark," Clint growled.
"Point taken," Tony acquiesced. "Okay, let's look at the latest clues. Waterloo, Elgin, Volga, and You'll know where to find her. Friday? Bring up the previous texts on the screen, please."
"At once, boss." Shortly, the rest of the cities appeared on the screen.
Tony read them off. "Littlerock, Arlington, Rome, and a phrase. So far, the only connection has been they're all names of cities."
"There's got to be another connection," Sam said.
The group thought about it, going over the ideas in their heads. After about 15 minutes of staring, Clint found a notepad and pen, then began scribbling and mumbling to himself. "Find something?" Natasha asked.
"Maybe." Another 5-10 minutes went by, then Clint stood. "I've got it." There was a whiteboard on the wall. Clint went to it, picked up the marker, and wrote:
Waterloo
Arlington
Volga
Elgin
Rome
Littlerock
You'll know where to find her
"Son of a bitch," Clint and Natasha said in unison.
"Um, what's Waverly?" Misty asked, confused.
"Where I grew up. Bastard took her back to our old farm. That has to be where he has her."
"But we flew there, Clint, and didn't find anything."
"One of two possibilities. One, we didn't search for heat signatures, and two, he may not have been there when we went." Clint closed his eyes and took deep breaths to center himself. He knew he needed to be on top of his game for Mikayla, and he had to prepare for dealing with his brother in person, in front of his teammates.
Steve, Sam, and Bucky realized what he was doing. They'd all seen enough soldiers using the same technique to focus on the task. After a few minutes, Steve looked at Clint. "How do you want to handle this?"
"I know everyone wants to come along." He looked around the room. Thor looked as if he were about to hold up Mjolnir and fly to Iowa. Bruce was about to head to the hulk out room as he pictured himself smashing Barney. Tony started to summon one of his suits. "He's expecting me, and probably Nat, hence the last text that I'll know where to find her. I think we need to split up because we don't know how many of his people he's got there. Nat, Sam, Bucky, and I will go on one jet. Cap, Tony, Thor, and Bruce, you'll go on the second and be stationed around the perimeter. There's not a lot of places to hide. It's been abandoned for decades, but there was a root cellar and a storm shelter, obviously both underground."
"Why a storm shelter, Barton?" Thor asked.
Clint realized on Asgard there were probably no such things as tornadoes, so he found himself explaining what a tornado was to the God of Thunder.
"Like the movie with the flying monkeys!"
Steve replied, "Yes, like The Wizard of Oz, but without flying monkeys, or dancing scarecrows, tin men, and lions."
"Now I understand the need for a storm shelter."
"Friday? Please pull up satellite images of Waverly, Iowa." Once the photos were displayed on the screen, Steve motioned to Clint.
"Here's the farm," Clint pointed to an area on the outskirts of town. There are woods over here that the other team can be stationed. You'll be able to land here," he motioned toward a clearing. "We'll land over here and approach from the other direction. As I said, there's not much of the house and barn left. The root cellar is at the back of the house, and the storm cellar is between the house and the barn." He pointed to both places on the screen. "Sam and Bucky? You'll inspect the root cellar. Nat and I will take the storm shelter. Both places are large enough to accommodate several people, so it wouldn't surprise me if he had people in both places." Clint looked around the room. "I only have one request. Leave the bastard for me."
After a brief silence, Steve spoke. "OK, everyone, get what you need. You've got 15 minutes."
Misty, having composed herself after seeing Mikayla's photo, said to Sam. "Bring her back."
"Never one to argue with my woman," he replied, then kissed her and went to gather his gear and make sure he had enough ammo.
"Tony," Pepper said, putting a hand on his chest, "take care of our girl."
"Always," he said, stroking her hair, trying to imagine how he would be reacting if that was Pepper in the photo. "Have Happy take you and Misty to the plane so you can be in New York when we get back. The medical staff is more equipped there." She nodded and went to talk to Misty.
Ten minutes later, the team was gathered. All eyes were on Steve and Clint for last-minute preparations. "OK, our main mission is to get Mikayla. If we happen to take out any of his team while doing that, so be it. If you find Barney, let Clint know. We don't know what we're walking into, so always keep your guard up. We don't have any intel on his group. We don't know what their skill sets are, so be prepared for anything. Wilson will send out Red Wing for a quick overview of the area while also searching for heat signatures. Barnes will be our eyes up high for this one." Clint and Bucky looked at each other and nodded. The two had struck up a friendship based on their abilities as snipers, especially after Clint realized he didn't mean Natasha any harm. He wasn't fully aware of what Bucky remembered from his time in the Red Room or his time as the Winter Soldier, but since Nat didn't hold any ill will against Bucky, Clint felt he couldn't, either. "Barton and Romanoff will be our eyes and ears on the ground. Once we get a lay of the land from Wilson, he'll come down and help them in their search, to be joined by Barnes if and when he feels it's right. The four of us will surround the perimeter until we're needed. Everyone understand?" They all nodded. "OK. Avengers, assemble."
The trip to Iowa was quiet. Each person was going over their part of the battle in their head, all of them with the lasting image of Mikayla's bloodied back in the forefront of their minds. Natasha took glances over at Clint during the flight. She swore she could see guilt washing over him. It didn't matter how many times he'd heard it; Clint still thought this was all his fault somehow. He was shelving those feelings, for the time being, making sure his focus was rescuing Mikayla and taking down his brother. Natasha felt a tad sorry for Barney. She thought she had to ask, though, to help prepare them for the fight ahead. "Do you think he's hurt or tortured her anymore?"
"You mean, did our dad do anything else to us?" Clint said, trying not to sound bitter, and Natasha knew that. "She'll probably have some burns from cigars or cigarettes. He's already beaten her. That was always in dad's repertoire. He's probably yelled at her, told her she was no good, insulted her in every way possible."
"Do you think -?"
"I hope not. It's possible since it's considered an act of control. She's just recovered from the last time."
"She's strong, Barton, probably stronger than all of us. There's no way she's not going to make it through this."
Clint nodded. 'But in what condition?' Thankfully, he saw the clearing ahead. "We're here." They landed the jet and got out of their seats. Clint and Natasha met Sam and Bucky at the back. Clint grabbed his bow and quivers and made sure his guns were holstered. Natasha tightened up her widow's bites bracelets and patted herself down, tightening the sheaths for her knives.
"Red Wing's up," Sam said. A few minutes later, they were getting readings of heat signatures from both cellars and, surprisingly, the barn. "Sam? Stay with the root cellar. Nat? Stay with the storm cellar. I'll take the barn." He relayed the information to the other half of the team. "Let's go."
Bucky found the tallest tree and climbed up, finding a strong branch to perch on. "No movement yet."
"I'm at the root cellar," Sam reported. "Locks been broken, I'm going in." He listened through the wooden doors. "There's a lot of chatter going on in there, might be helpful to have backup."
"On my way," Cap said over the comm. He met up shortly with Sam. They quietly opened the doors and went down the stairs.
Natasha couldn't hear anything through the steel doors of the storm cellar. She pulled out a device, put it to the door, and listened. "Hearing at least ten voices." Natasha saw a vent sticking out of the ground, so she made her way inside using the vent.
Clint knew Nat wouldn't ask for backup. Hell, 10 to 1 was nothing for Black Widow. He headed toward the barn. Looking down, he saw one set of footprints and a trail showing something or someone had been dragged. Clint knelt and saw a fresh blood trail in the grass. 'Good,' he thought. 'Mikayla's in the barn, and the blood shows she's still alive.' He sniffed and smelled the air, detecting a faint odor. 'He's here, can't help but drench himself in Drakkar.' He could hear the others taking out Barney's crew in the cellars. He noted Bucky was taking care of stragglers who were trying to escape. Since Clint knew he could handle his brother, he didn't bother calling for backup. The barn door was open. Clint silently nocked an arrow, took a deep breath, and looked around the corner into the barn, pulling his head back as soon as he heard the gunshot.
"About time you got here, little bro. Did you like my clues? Thought we'd come back to where it all started." Clint didn't say a word, deciding to let Barney hang himself. "Remember the times we used to have in here, Clint? Playing cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians. You know, the things brothers do."
"I remember." As Barney was talking, Clint entered the barn and ducked behind an old, rusted-out tractor. Clint was able to see Barney in the loft. He scanned the area looking for Mikayla but couldn't see her from his vantage point. "Stark," Clint whispered, "need the location of heat signatures in the barn." In response, Tony tapped three times. "Barney's in the loft. I'm at the door. Where's the third?"
"Against the wall in the loft."
'So, either her back wasn't as severely damaged as the picture showed and she was able to climb up the ladder, or Barney dragged her up there, causing additional damage. Does he not have any limits?' He decided to play dumb. No need to give Barney notice that anyone else was there. "Where's Mikayla, Barney?"
"Clint?" Mikayla asked in a soft voice.
"Mikayla, where are you?"
"I'm – "
Clint heard a slap. "Shut up. Did I say you could talk? Why do you have to be so obstinate?" After every question, he heard moans coming from Mikayla as Barney struck her. "Remember, this is your fault. If you hadn't been so stubborn, I wouldn't have to correct you." Barney turned his attention to Clint. "Isn't that right, little bro? Isn't that what dad always told mom? All she had to do was follow instructions, and he wouldn't have to discipline her. It didn't take us long to learn that lesson, did it? Oh, wait a minute, it took one of us a bit longer to learn it. In fact," Clint could hear someone scrambling around in the loft, "I think I found some of his teaching implements."
'Shit, not that. Please not that. Clint realized his silent prayers were going unanswered as he heard the sizzle of the cattle prod coming from the loft. "Mikayla? Focus on me, focus on my voice. You've got this. You're my kick-ass fiancée."
"Brother, shut the hell up." Clint heard Mikayla scream and smelled the burning flesh as Barney applied the cattle prod. "Now, you two will be truly bonded with matching scars. Consider it a wedding present from me to you."
An arrow came flying across the barn, knocking the prod out of Barney's hands. "One more step, and I'll kill you, Barney. You know I can do it."
"Now, why would you want to do that, Clinton? I'm just giving your woman a little character-building lesson. It worked so well for us. Don't you think?"
Before Clint could draw back the bow, he heard Mikayla cry out. "Shut up, you son of a bitch!" The next sound he heard was a thud. Clint ran into the barn's interior and saw Barney on the ground, a knife sticking out of his abdomen, and Mikayla collapsed against the wall of the barn.
"You…bitch!" With as much strength as he could muster, Barney lifted his leg and kicked Mikayla in the head, causing her to fall out of the loft.
To Clint, it was as if time slowed to a crawl. He flung his bow across the barn. As he ran toward Mikayla, he swore he'd never make it in time. Clint felt he had lead weights attached to his legs. "Barn, now!" He screamed into his comm. A cacophony of voices erupted in his ear in response. Clint looked and saw Mikayla still hadn't reached the floor, so he forced himself to run even faster. Just before she hit the ground, Clint slid underneath her so she would land on him. "Oomph." He huffed as Mikayla's head hit him in the stomach. "Mikayla? Mikayla!"
"You found me and caught me, RH." Those were the last words she said before losing consciousness.
"Barton, we are here." Thor and Tony came flying into the barn. "How is our fair Mikayla?"
"She's alive, Thor." Clint looked up to Tony.
Tony knelt and ran a scanner over her. "She is. Vitals are stable." The rest of the team showed up, even Bruce, who Tony had calmed down enough to keep the other guy at bay. "Where's -?" Clint nodded up to the loft.
Natasha climbed up the ladder and knelt next to Barney. "Dead. Nice shot, Barton."
"Wasn't me. It was her." Clint stroked Mikayla's hair, wishing he could take all her pain away.
"Damn."
"Do we know her injuries?"
"The full extent? No. We know her back was beaten. She's been hit in the face – "
"And that?"
"That, Cap, is the damage an electrical cattle prod will do," Clint replied. He looked up to the loft, and Natasha nodded, knowing his history with his brother.
"Let's get her back to the Quinjet," Tony said. "Columbia has a room waiting. Thor?" Thor nodded and picked her up, then Tony grabbed Clint, and they flew back to the jet. The rest made their way to the other plane, and both jets flew back to New York.
When they arrived, Mikayla was immediately placed on a stretcher and raced back by a team of doctors and nurses. Nick, Maria, Pepper, and Misty were already in the waiting room. Clint gave them a rundown of what occurred.
"And the suspect?" Fury asked.
"Taken out by Agent Fitzgerald, sir," Clint replied.
"How?"
"Stabbed in the abdomen."
Fury nodded. "And his crew?"
"Neutralized by Romanoff, Wilson, Barnes, and Rogers."
"Good deal."
Clint stepped away from the group and stared out the window, his way of decompressing. He knew he'd have to have the ultimate focus to deal with the news about Mikayla. 'She was at least awake and alert. That has to be a good sign.'
He was trying to hope for the best when it came to her other injuries; she'd been through so much, and this would be a real test of how much her body could handle. Whatever the injuries were, Clint knew he and the team would be there to support her.
"Director Fury? Agent Barton?" The two men approached the doctor with the rest of the group right behind them. "I'm Dr. Sullivan. Agent Fitzgerald has compression fractures in her back that will require surgery. However, we can't perform surgery until her infection is under control. She had several lacerations on her back, arms, and legs, which were left untreated and became infected. We're giving her IV antibiotics to flush the infection out of her system. We've also treated the burn on her stomach. From the tests we've done, she should make a full recovery in 8-12 weeks after the surgery."
"Can we see her now?" Clint asked.
"In a few moments. There are some additional injuries I need to go over with you."
"A broken back isn't enough?" Misty said to Sam, who clasped her hands.
"Due to the fresh bruising on her head, we performed a scan and there is damage to her retinas which will also require surgery. She received one or more blows to her head that detached the retinas, possibly causing blindness until we can reattach them. Hopefully, if there is blindness, it will only be temporary."
"You keep saying possibly and hopefully, Dr. Sullivan," Bruce stated.
"Because of the trauma to her head, Agent Fitzgerald is in a coma."