Whumptober Day 23

You Break It, You Buy It

Prompts: auction/anxiety/pursuit

I haven't gone anywhere! I didn't know how I wanted this one to go, so I struggled a bit. I hope you enjoy it!

Fury had sent Natasha and Mikayla to infiltrate a sex trafficking ring. Clint had vehemently disagreed with Mikayla going on the mission, but Fury overruled him, insisting she would be fine. Sometimes, Clint hated to be right.

The two women knew it would be a deep undercover mission, Mikayla's first. She'd been on assignments gathering data, hacking into systems, typical spy stuff, but had never had to dive into becoming someone else for the length of time the mission would require. Nat, during her updates, remarked how well Mikayla had taken to the role. To outsiders and those running the ring, she came across as an Eastern European woman disillusioned and bored with her station in life. Natasha played off her roots, and her backstory was a Russian who'd run away from an orphanage when she was a child and had been homeless for most of her life. Both were exactly what the group was looking for, women who didn't have any ties to anyone, who wouldn't be missed if taken, and it didn't take long for the agents to go missing and fall off the radar.

After missing the first scheduled contact, no one was worried. It wasn't unusual for agents to miss an early check-in. After the second one, however, Clint started pacing. "Hill? What is being done to find them?"

Maria took a deep breath to steel herself before replying. "Nothing, Clint. It's too dangerous at this point to send in another infill team. We're doing everything we can." Hill ended the transmission.

"Clint," Steve had been in the room listening to the conversation, "we'll hear from them."

"I know, I keep telling myself that, Cap, but I've had a bad feeling about this job ever since the assignment." Steve nodded, remembering how upset Clint was. Steve knew Fury knew as well, which is why he'd dispatched them before telling the rest of the team. "Once a spy, always a spy," Clint muttered, "why should I be surprised he hid something?" Clint's phone rang, stopped, rang twice, stopped, then rang three times, and that's when Clint answered. "Tash?"

"She there?"

"No, why?"

"Damn it."

"Tasha, what's up?"

"Got split up, hoped she'd gotten away."

"Not that we've heard."

"Trace this call. Coo, coo." The call ended.

"Clint?"

Using an app on his phone, Clint traced the call to the Lake Geneva area in Switzerland. "Nat's in Switzerland."

"What about Mikayla?"

Clint bit his lip. "She doesn't know, said they got separated."

"I'll grab Bucky and Sam. Please meet us at the Quinjet in fifteen. Friday? Please update Stark."

"Consider it done, Captain."

The four men boarded the Quinjet. "Do you have a more exact location?" Sam asked.

"It's a cabin on the lake. I found a clearing in the woods where we can land the jet," Clint said. "Falcon, I sent the coordinates to Red Wing."

"Once we get closer, I'll send him out."

Quiet fell among the four the rest of the trip. Clint located the clearing and landed. As soon as the door was opened to lower the lamp, Sam dispatched Red Wing to survey the area. As the men were exiting the ramp, Sam spoke up. "There's a heat signature near a tree about 500 feet to our right." The group hurried over, quietly approaching the tree.

Steve took Sam and went one way, and Clint and Bucky went the other way. At the same time, Bucky and Steve lifted their hands to stop the others. Clint thought he heard a small animal and pointed. Bucky nodded and motioned Clint to go around him. As Clint did, he whistled and got a whistle in return. Clint nodded, then crept over to the tree and caught a glimpse of red hair. "Tash?"

"Yeah," she answered, sounding exhausted, sitting against the large tree trunk.

"Can you stand?" Clint asked, giving her a once over. Natasha was wearing a short skirt, barely covering her ass, and a blouse with places where buttons had once been. He noticed her hair was tangled and disheveled; her face had older bruises on them, arms and legs covered with cuts and bruises, along with a few needle marks.

Natasha nodded, standing up with help from Clint and Steve. "Thanks." She leaned against the tree, willing her strength to return, and, while doing so, explained how she was able to escape. "I tried to find her, but they had her too well hidden. She's never turned up?" The men shook their heads. "Damn, must mean she's headed for the auction."
"Auction?" Clint had to refrain from screaming the word.

"Yep. It's how they traffic the women. They make them compliant, drugging their food, and injecting them with hallucinogenic drugs, then being told if they eat and drink, whatever it is they're imagining will go away. The women then get dragged on stage and sold to the highest bidder. What time is it?"

Steve looked at his watch. "5:30."

"Auction starts at seven. She'll be there."

"How was she?" Clint asked.

"Last I saw her, barely functioning. She was one of their prized possessions. They figured out who she was after doing an internet search, found a picture that made it through the information dump, put two and two together, but I don't think they've realized she's an Avenger, just that she's Phil's niece. They've talked about how her technical skills will be in high demand and should bring them a record amount of money."

"I'll go," Sam immediately volunteered. Clint started to protest, but Sam put up his hand, interrupting him. "No one's seen my face, Barton. You and Cap are too recognizable and let's not even mention Bucky's arm would be a dead giveaway. So, it's got to be me."

The other men nodded. Clint looked toward Natasha, who also silently agreed. "We need to let Stark know."

"I'll take care of it," Steve said, strategizing in his head. After a couple of minutes, he spoke again. "First plan is to win her at the auction. Nat, do you know the layout of the auction building?" She nodded. "OK, we'll go over that in a minute to decide where the rest of us will be stationed to take out the gang. If that doesn't work, we'll skip directly to taking out the gang. Clint, if that happens, you'll get Mikayla." Clint nodded. "Now, let's hear about this place."

Thirty minutes later, everyone knew what to do. Sam had changed clothes and left for the auction hall to get registered. Tony had told them not to spare any amount to 'get their girl back.' Natasha stayed at the Quinjet to monitor everyone. Steve, Bucky, and Clint crept through the woods and picked out their vantage points.

The auction started and, for the most part, went quickly. While waiting for Mikayla to appear, the men made sure to notice who the high bidders were for the other women to ensure they would get rescued as well. "My friends," the emcee boisterously announced, "the apex of our evening. Our last exhibit will be our finest. She is not only gorgeous, or will be once you've taken care of her, she also has a beneficial skill of being able to hack into any computer system without anyone noticing. Her mind is more beautiful than her body as she has resisted our efforts to this point to demonstrate her skills with any regularity, but we're sure the right owner will be able to tame her and train her." Clint's grip on his bow tightened, listening to this asshole talk about Mikayla as if she was an inanimate object. "Please, bring her out." The curtains opened, and Clint almost gasped. Mikayla's hair, which had always been so full and thick, had been chopped even shorter than it was after Barney had kidnapped her. Her arms were bound in front of her, attached to a chain that was so heavy, she couldn't stand up straight. Mikayla was dressed in a similar style as Natasha had been, her entire body on display with her clothes barely covering her chest and rear. The emcee grabbed her chin and held it up so the crowd could see her face. Clint wanted to cry at how lifeless his wife looked. He felt like she'd given up on life and had resigned herself to her fate.

"The bidding will start at $100,000." Several people held up their paddles. The amount went higher and higher, and Mikayla seemed to sink a little further with each bid. During a fierce bidding war, Clint took a chance and let out a bob-white call. Clint saw her rapidly blink three times in recognition, swearing he saw a flicker of light in her eyes.

"She saw that, Barton," Nat said in his earpiece. "Liveliest I've seen her look. She's even standing up straighter." Clint looked again and saw Mikayla looking around the room, signaling to him when she saw Sam, Steve, and Bucky.

"Three million dollars." Sam decided he'd had enough and wanted to get this over with. These guys were making his skin crawl. The crowd went quiet.

"Going once, going twice, sold to number 489 for three million dollars! Sir, thank you for your generous offer, and I know you won't be disappointed. Winning bidders, please make your way over to the table to process your payment, then you can obtain your prizes."

Thankfully, due to Sam's winning bid, the crowd parted and arranged his payment first. Sam filled out the paperwork, providing the fake bank account information Tony had given him. Once that was completed, another made escorted him over to the stage. "Here you are," the man said, handing him the end of the chain and the key to the lock binding her hands, "may you get many years of service from her."

"I know I will," Sam said through gritted teeth, yanking the key and end of the chain from the man. "Come with me," he ordered to Mikayla, who meekly followed, playing along. Once outside, he quickly unbound her and hugged her. "Are you OK? What do you need?"

"Clint," she said, the strength of her voice not matching her looks. "Get the bastards first. I'll be fine." She hugged Sam. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"We got your six. Natasha's on the Quinjet."

"She's OK? They told me they killed her."

"Not a chance, MB." Mikayla turned around to see Natasha. The two women hugged and held each other. "Let's get back to the Quinjet. Our portion of the battle is over. They've got it from here."

Mikayla nodded. "Sam?" He looked at her. "Get in some good licks for us, would you?"

Sam grinned broadly. "You know it."

Natasha and Mikayla leaned on each other as they returned to the Quinjet, cleaning themselves up and changing into more suitable clothing. Natasha then called the local SHIELD office, arranging to have the other women picked up and transported to a safe shelter. "I'll let you make this call." Natasha had Mikayla sit in front of the display.

"Hill here."

"Hey."

"That's a voice to soothe the savage beast," Maria said, smiling. "Romanoff there, too?"

"Yep." Mikayla moved aside so Natasha could get in the picture.

"Where's the rescue crew?"

Natasha answered. "They're taking care of the bad guys and getting the other women to safety." She filled Maria in on the auction.

"Glad to have both of you back. I'll let Fury know."

"We'll have you over for drinks."

"Count me in, MB. Hill out."

"Welcome home, Agents MB and Romanoff."

"Thanks, Friday," the two said in unison.

"Shall I alert Boss?"

"Please."

"Of course, Agent Romanoff."

As Friday was relaying the information to the tower, Mikayla walked to the back of the plane and laid down. "Are you OK?" Natasha asked.

"Nothing a little rest and a soaking in a nice hot tub won't cure."

"I know something else that'll help." The two women looked up to see Clint and the others coming up the ramp. "Hey, babe." Clint sat down next to Mikayla as she sat up, throwing her arms around him. "I should've known you were more alert than what you let on."

Mikayla leaned against him. "I learned that from you. If they think you're compliant, they'll let their guard down."

Clint kissed her temple. "That's my kick-ass woman. Now, let's get your injuries taken care of." The day's adrenaline was leaving her, and she didn't have the energy to fight, so she gave in and let him treat her. "Better?" Clint asked her after he finished.

"You're here, so, yes." The two sat, holding each other. "Clint?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"I never heard. How much did Sam pay for me?"

"Three million."

Mikayla smiled. "You all should know by now. I'm priceless, and don't you forget it."

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