9.
2015
With Ultron having erased all the online files and data, the Avengers turned to the more old-fashioned method of research - paper files.
"Strucker had a lot of friends," remarked Cap. "If that's what you want to call them."
"Well, these people are all horrible," added Bruce.
"Yeah, they are," agreed Kass.
"You know them?"
"Crossed paths with some of them, yeah. Oh shit-" Kass held up a file. It was on her. There it was, all on paper.
Kazimiera Konstantin
Birthplace: Old City, Sokovia.
Languages: Russian, English, German, Italian
Threat Level: Medium to High
"Got my own paper copy. I suppose I should be flattered. Jesus..." She tossed the file aside. Tony gave her a sympathetic smile.
"Hey, wait, I know that guy." Kass stopped Bruce from setting aside another file.
"You do?"
"Yeah, from back in the day. Ulysses Klaue - He operates off the African coast. Black market arms." Everyone stared at her. "Like Bruce said, these people aren't great..."
"What's this?" asked Thor, pointing to a mark on Klaue's neck in the photograph.
"A tattoo, it looks like. He didn't have it before."
"No, these are tattoos. This looks like a brand."
"Yup, it's word in an African dialect meaning 'thief' in a much less friendly way." Bruce did a quick internet search.
"What dialect?"
"Wakandan."
"Well then we know what he was after," said Cap.
"I don't follow, what comes out of Wakanda?" asked Bruce.
Cap nodded to his shield. "The strongest metal in the world." He turned to Kass, "Do you know where this guy is now?"
"No, but I could probably find out."
The tracking down of Klaue led them all the way to the South African coast. However, Ultron and the twins had beat them there.
Tony, Thor, and Cap went for a full confrontation of Ultron and the twins. Natasha, Clint, and Kass all entered the ship from different points, ready to intervene if necessary - probably necessary. Bruce was waiting on the jet. Hopefully this confrontation didn't require the Hulk. But it just might.
Kass had tried talking down the twins in their native language, but that hadn't worked. It seemed that Ultron was doing most of the talking.
Kass could hear Klaue's yelling echoing throughout the ship - his voice sent chills down her spine.
While the others fought, she used the cover of the chaos to confront him. She found him at the base of a staircase, leaning against the wall.
Klaue chuckled. "Well, if it isn't my favourite little mercenary. A superhero now?" He laughed.
"You've definitely been better." She nodded to his loss of arm.
"It'll take more than this to stop me." He moved to stand.
She fired a warning shot - it struck the wall right beside his head. Just a few inches over and he would have a bullet in his brain.
The confrontation turned out to be a huge mess and the team took a really hard hit. The Maximoff girl had worked her 'magic' on them, leaving them beat up both physically and mentally.
"The internet is loving you guys - not many others are," updated Maria over a video call. "It would be wise to keep a low profile for now."
"So run a hide," sighed Tony.
"Until we can get a sense of where Ultron is, I don't really have any other options, I'm afraid."
"Will do," said Clint who was flying the jet. He had managed to evade the Maximoff girl's mind control.
"Where are we headed?" Tony asked him.
"Safe house."
"Honey, I'm home."
Clint's safe house was a farmhouse, pretty much in the middle of nowhere.
A pregnant woman stepped into the room, embracing Clint.
"This is an agent of some kind," decided Tony.
"Everyone, this is Laura," Clint introduced. "My wife."
Laura smiled. "I know all your names."
"Agent Laura..." Tony waved.
Footsteps signaled more people arriving. "Incoming-" Two kids ran into Clint's arms.
"Dad!"
"And those are smaller agents... Nice to meet you, we would have called ahead, but we were too busy having no idea you existed," Tony told them.
"Yeah, Fury helped me set this up when I joined," Clint explained. "Kept it off of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files and I'd like to keep it that way. Figured it's a good place for us to lay low for a little while."
"Make yourselves at home," said Laura. As the group dispersed, she turned to Clint. "If they're all going to be staying here, they'll have to double up - we don't have enough rooms."
"Oh, besides Tony and Kass, that's not going to go over well."
"What about Nat and Dr. Banner?"
"Huh?"
Kass found herself wandering around the house - everyone needed some time to themselves.
She was in the kitchen, admiring children's drawings on the fridge, when Laura came into the room, startling her. "Oh, sorry."
"No, that's alright. You have a beautiful home."
Laura smiled. "Thank you. I'm afraid I don't know your name, but I know the rest of the team's."
"Kass, and I'm not really one of the team. I'm just along for the ride. Clint's a cool guy, by the way. It's nice to see an Avenger has a 'normal' side to their life."
"Yeah, he's great." Laura smiled warmly. "Mr. Stark seems like a cool guy too," she then added knowingly.
"Yeah, he is."
A little while later, Kass was out in the front yard with Tony and Cap chopping wood.
"You seemed to walk away okay," Tony remarked to Cap.
"Tony," hissed Kass.
"What?"
"Just cause he's not showing it doesn't mean he's not upset."
"Thank you. And that a problem?" asked Cap.
"I don't trust a man without a dark side."
"Well maybe you just haven't seen it yet."
"I'm pretty sure he's threatening you now, well done," said Kass.
The two continued to argue.
"You know Ultron's trying to tear us apart, right?"
"I guess you'd know. But whether or not you tell us is a bit of a question."
"We were doing research-"
"That would affect the team."
"That would end the team!"
"Every time someone tries to end a war before it starts innocent people die, every time."
"Isn't that the 'why' we fight, so we can end the fight and go home!"
Cap's muscles rippled as he pulled a tree stump clean in half. Kass stared.
Laura walked up then. "Mr. Stark, sorry, our tractor doesn't seem to want to start. Clint said you might be able to help."
"Yup. Don't take from my pile."
When he returned, his pile was significantly smaller. Cap was gone, so he looked at Kass who only grinned innocently.
That night, Kass was watching TV in the Barton's living room. Tony came to join her.
"Couldn't sleep?"
"No." Tony had been sleeping a lot better since all the business with the Mandarin and getting rid of the shrapnel in his chest. But now, Ultron and the Maximoffs had stirred up something in him again. "What are you doing?"
"Watching American TV. It's funny. Come join me." He came and sat next to her on the couch, she stretching her legs out into his lap. "Here, eat-" She shoved the half-eaten bowl of popcorn into his hands. "Makes me feel better." He appeared distant. "There's something you're not saying. Tell me, please. I think you need to get it off your chest."
He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I haven't even told the team..."
"Well, luckily, I'm not technically one of the team."
He chuckled. "Yet." Then he sighed again. "I'm the man who killed the Avengers. How could I tell the others? I saw them all dead, Kass, I felt it. Whole world too. Cause of me. " He sighed. "Wasn't ready - didn't do all I could. And I wasn't just tricked, I was shown. It wasn't just a nightmare, it was my legacy. It was the end of the path I started us on. I started it, I finished it. Darkly poetic, almost." He scoffed. "Watching all my friends die, you think that'd be as bad as it gets, but no. That wasn't even the worst part."
"The worst part was that you didn't," she finished.
"Yeah..."
"Just cause that's how it is now, doesn't mean it will turn out that way."
"Seemed pretty legit." He shook his head. "You okay?"
"Eh..." She shrugged. "I didn't even need the witch in my head. Being there on that ship, seeing Klaue again, those kids being Sokovians - it was all a little too close for comfort. It also made me wonder - are you embarrassed by me?"
"You do make fun of me, like, all the time."
She chuckled, then turned serious. "I mean my past, who I am. I mean, it doesn't help with all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files on me now out in the open after Natasha exposed them. And you've been doing a good job covering them up but Tony Stark dating a ex-con is not going to make good press."
"I don't care about that. You're a good person who's gotten mixed up in some bad stuff in the past. Happens."
"Not only that - years ago, a rumour reached me that Klaue and I were possibly - related..."
"How so?"
"As in he could be my biological father. I did lots of jobs, many of which led back to him. It was like fate almost - if you believe in that."
"Do you think he knows?"
"I don't know. I don't want to be related to him."
"Who your parents are doesn't define who you are. And the past doesn't define you."
"Maybe. But it sure can creep up on you."
"Yeah, it sure can." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him.
They sat that way in silence for a little while - until the light flicked on in the kitchen, starling them.
It was Clint. "Hungry, midnight snack."
Haha Kass loves checking out the other Avengers in front of Tony! ;) Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)
