No matter how many times they had told him, Francis Barton rarely went into any situation with a cool head, especially with his boyfriends, or anyone he considered family. Most of all, with his own father. The two had always been close and after Clint and Bobbi divorced, their bond only tightened. It had been a rough few years for the family. Francis and Bobbi were still rarely on talking terms.
When the jet landed on the Heliicarrier and the Barton kid jumped out, everyone on the landing pad knew something was going on. He had refused every invitation to join S.H.I.E.L.D and never made visits. Then they saw Ryan O'Hare and Nicole Coulson step off, followed by Blaine Banner, and they knew not to get in the group's way, immediately informing the director of their presence.
As they reached the door, the four of them turned in their weapons and searched. Blaine sat back and watched as Francis removed everything he had, which took longer than the others. As they stepped through, they were met by Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Phil Coulson and Bobbi Morse.
"You didn't call ahead." Nick told them, and Francis rolled his eyes. "If you have something to say, wait until we get to my office, Mr. Barton."
"Oh, don't worry, I don't plan on holding back, SIR." he said with distaste. Blaine looked at Francis in surprise but didn't say had volunteered to go because he had not liked the idea of staying inside for the next few days with nothing to do. He also had left a few items behind when he left the Hellicarrier previously, and planned to get them back.
Ryan was dreading the sound of the door shutting, because, as much as he loved his teammate, his temper was not fun to be around. He had watched him down a pot of coffee on the jet, something he no doubt had picked up from his father. Ryan picked up on the tension almost immediately in the room as Francis refused to make eye contact with his mother.
"As much as I want to hear what Francis has to say." Nicole spoke up before anyone could as the door clicked. "I know every single one of you is aware of what is happening out there. Why has S.H.I.E.L.D not stepped in to help?"
"Nicole, we are following our own orders. Just like everyone else. I think you to…" Phil Coulson spoke up.
"I don't think I need to do anything. We could have been attacked, but we weren't home. Do you understand the situation we have here? They were coming after Azari and Mara, probably Blaine because they don't understand the god damn different between a mutant and a mutate. Blaine is under YOUR protection and they were coming after him. I would have done exactly what I would have needed to do to protect him and those we care about. I hope you really understand the dire nature of this situation. Because if they had been aware of where we were more than just the west coast avengers would have been harmed."
"Yeah, nobody touches my Eliza. I wouldn't have held back." Blaine said before returning to the cookie he was munching on. "I just came here because you still have some of my books and they're my favorite."
"We can get them for you Blaine," Bobbi Morse told him. "I understand emotions are very high right now, but Francis, you know I would let nothing happen to you."
"But obviously you would, dad, because he was…"
"I'm right here kid." Clint said walking through the door bandaged up with Natasha at his side. "They sent someone to get us as soon as you arrived. S.H.I.E.L.D. pulled us from being detained by the U.S government, so we're their responsibility now."
"Why didn't you just say that?" Francis asked. "Of all the things for you to hold back from me, mom, this was not okay. You know…"
"I know how close you and your father are, and I knew you would come here before attacking any other agency that could have possibly held him, but we had to make sure that lines were secure and we believe you have a mole." Bobbi told them.
"Nobody was supposed to know how to kill Logan, so when that happened, we knew there was an insider giving information and I didn't want anyone overhearing a conversion you had over a radio. We don't know the exact location of the compound where they are hiding everyone, and we want to keep it that way." Nick Fury told the group.
"As far as anyone knows, you broke in here and took Clint and Natasha back with you. We didn't have the means to follow at the moment. We as S.H.I.E.L.D do not agree with the actions of the American government that have put innocent citizens at high risk of being killed. We may not have always been on the side of mutants in the past, and regulation is one thing, but breaking into homes and taking people from their beds." Phil told them. "A line needs to be drawn of what is too far."
"Too far? Do you know that Sue Storm died from injuries sustained when they entered the Baxter Building? We still don't know what they used. Also, whatever they used killed Karla Storm, you know Johnny's daughter? Are you aware that we have to figure out a way for the ones who lost their parents to actually get closure because of what a madhouse Xavier's School was when they entered? You weren't there when they were literally hunting all of us in L.A? Tommy Stark, a HUMAN had to run because they were going to arrest him for his association with Kielar, they DID arrest Steve and Tony, but I am sure you knew that. Your generation may be okay with this happening, and your generation may not step up to do anything, but I can tell you right now you are about to be on the wrong side of history. People are dying. We will not sit down and let this continue." Ryan snapped.
"Good." Nick told him. "I was hoping you would say that." he paused and slid a file across the desk. "We suspect that this is your mole. She's a shapeshifter and has very personal reasons for turning on mutants, and I believe you are housing those reasons."
Ryan and Nicole looked at the file together, both of them shaking their heads. "We've never seen or heard of her." Nicole told them. She passed the file to Blaine who shook his head and handed it to Francis, whose face immediately paled at the sight of who was on the papers.
"Are these all the different aliases you have on her?" He asked, flipping through and looking at them frantically. "And all the known locations she's been?"
"You know her?" Ryan asked his friend.
"Yeah, yeah I do. I've never actually met her, but I've been told about her. She's literally doing this because of Daken...Akihiro, the one helping lead the covert team?" Francis said, and Clint hobbled over to his son, looking over his shoulder at the files.
"We didn't have all this information on her before, but it would make sense. The way they specifically went after Logan, how they went after the Guthries. The known associations with the LeBeau's and Xavier's." Clint said. "This woman is going to be hard to find."
"Nina Darkholme has been on the top of our watch list for some time." Phil told them. "And we think she hid herself within one convoy that was taken down."
"She's not just after Akihiro then. She didn't know where he had Keegan." Francis said, shutting the file.
"Who is Keegan?" Bobbi asked.
"Her and Daken's son," Clint answered. "Francis and I recovered Keegan from this house." Clint opened the file again and pulled out a photo of a fun down cottage. "He wasn't in good shape when we found him. He was only three or four. She had him locked inside a closet for who knows how long, and we believe she did it because of how much she hates her ex."
"We need to get back." Francis told everyone. If she's already there, who knows what kind of information she's been giving out? Everyone there is at risk, and if she goes after Keegan, there will be a lot more bloodshed, because she doesn't realize how much a circle Akihiro has gained."
"If she makes a move before we get back, there won't be anyone to stop him."
"I can get a hold of Bucky through a secure line." Natasha said, speaking up for the first time. "If anyone can stop Akihiro, it will be him, but we should hurry." She told them, wrapping her arm around Clint as she led the group out."
"We put supplies on your jet. We hope it helps Blaine. The rest of your belongings are there as well. Nick informed them. ,"Just hurry. We don't need more bloodshed."
"It's going to happen. They killed Logan. You think Laura, Akihiro and James are going to stand by and let that slide? You think any member of the Howlett family is going to step aside now? They also killed Rogue, and the LeBeau's are not stepping aside either. They started this war, but I don't think they realized just what they were getting into." Natasha stated. "They came after my children, and I am sure as hell not standing down. Bloodshed will be inevitable." She said and left with Clint. The others followed behind her, Francis not even giving his mother a goodbye.
"You know she's right." Phil said to the other two. "We aren't even close to this ending."
"No, it isn't, but it will get there. They made a mistake when they alerted both the Avengers and the Fantastic 4. If they had gone under the radar, this situation would be very different right now. They didn't just make it a war on mutants. They made it a war against earth's mightiest." Nick said.