The Nine Tailed Foxx

Chapter 4

((A/N: No, I haven't forgotten about my other stories. Just waiting on one muse to step back and let others have some time.

A wonderful thanks to my friend Lady Moonhawke, who is also my co-writer, co-conspirator, Idea tester, plot hole finder, monkey wrench thrower, and ghost editor.))

Downfall

Early January…..

Johnny had been sub-contracted out again, this time the person was much more respectful than the last. It was an actual pleasure to do the job. A simple in and out, plant the evidence, snitch a few files and leave behind a rather nasty virus. Lucky for him all he had to do was put the thumb drive in and let the autorun go to work. But unlike last time, the baby had been left with his mother at the main location.

Upon arrival at the location, he paused, glancing around. Something was off but what he couldn't tell without exploring further. Shaking his head he would let the security detail know… maybe after he got both mother and child out of the area. The first two checkpoints he was waved through, the third actually stopped him. So did the fourth security checkpoint. When he reached the final one, they did a thorough job of searching and scanning him before being allowed into the boss's office.

"Ah, I see you've made it back Foxx. Early even," the man behind the desk said as he looked up from a report he was reading.

Flipping the hood back before unclasping the mask's straps and removing it, Johnny nodded. "It went smoothly Mr. Hopewell," he said as he examined the mask. Running a finger over the surface, he moved to the side of the office where there were other similar style masks on display. Placing his left thumb on the tiny scanner on the side of an empty display, he placed the mask gently on its stand after the case opened. "Mirela and Alexei?" he asked as he closed the case, his back still to the man.

"Hm, Mirela is in my private rooms. Alexei is currently in the medical labs. He was a little fussy this evening, more so than usual when you're not here to put him to bed," Jacob T. Hopewell commented as he looked up and over the top of a pair of glasses, leaning back in his chair. "Don't wear her out Foxx, I have plans."

Johnny nodded, shoulders tight with tension.

"It's too bad you can't sire children anymore," Hopewell said with a shark's smile. "I'm sure your offspring would have been exceptional if either yours or Mirela's mutations bred true." He went back to his papers. "You're dismissed."

Fingers clenched tight enough his knuckles were white under his gloves. "Yes sir," he bit out before turning with a flare of coat tails, stalking out of the room.

Outside the location…..

"That was close…"

"All groups are in position. Hold until further notice."

"Sir, should we alert the Avengers?"

"Not yet. Let's save the big guns until the end. When we go in, send the message to have them on standby until needed."

"Yes sir."

Two hours later…..

Bodies entwined on the bed, sweat long since dried on now cooled skin. Both dozing lightly in the post orgamsimic haze.

The door to the bedroom slammed open, followed by the lights coming on. "Get up! Something's- Son of a BITCH! You almost nailed my hand you asshole," the guard yelled, clutching his hand to his chest. A knife, half buried in the door frame next to the light still wobbling from impact.

Johnny sat up further, with a glare. "If I wanted to nail your hand I would have." He swung his legs over the side to bury his face in his hands with a groan. "Now, what is so bloody important you have to interrupt what little time I have with Mirela?" He never initiated sex, but he didn't refuse it either. It was the only escape he could give her right now.

The guard was still eyeing the knife. "Something's going on. Some of the cameras have gone out and the patrol sent to check is now missing. Boss wants you to check it out."

"Fine," came the muffled reply. "Now get the hell out of here." Johnny stood, ignoring the squawk of the guard as he gathered his clothes to get dressed. When the guard was out of range, he bent over Mirela to wake her. "Mirela… I need you to wake up. Mirela!"

A whine of protest, "It's too early for Jacob to be here…."

"Something's going on. I need you to get up and get dressed," Johnny ordered. "Traveling cloths, not the other crap. Be sure you grab the bag I packed for you."

The young woman sat up with a gasp, "Is it time?" she asked with wide eyes.

"I think so...Something is going on. I want to take advantage of it while we can." He double checked his gear to be sure everything was there before retrieving the one knife from the doorframe. "I'll go get Alexei, you head to the meeting point and hide. Ok?"

Scrambling through the closet for the clothes indicated, Mirela answered back. "Travel clothes, the go bag and meeting point. Got it." She popped out long enough to give Johnny a parting kiss. "Whatever happens…safe travels…"

Johnny hugged her tightly. "Whatever happens, safe travels," he answered back before running out the door towards Hopewell's office. He would need his mask. Ten minutes later, he was slipping past various security posts, as quiet as a ghost. As much as he hated it, he was armed this time around with lethal weapons. A pair of guns strapped to his thighs in holsters, dual long blades next to them for close in combat if needed, which he hoped wouldn't come to that. He had his other tricks as well just in case.

Once outside the base, Johnny went full stealth mode. Footsteps silent across the snow covered grounds. Every so many feet, he'd pause and check, letting his gift sweep outwards around him.

"Damn…"

"Nat?"

"Half a click south east of the doors, sweeping in an east to west direction."

Hawkeye edged around the tree he was behind, looking in the direction indicated. "I see him. Take him out?" He nocked an arrow, drawing back the bowstring. He had half a dozen points picked out, from instant kill to disabled and out of the fight.

"No, it's him…"

"Shit," Hawkeye muttered.

"Who?" Captain America asked.

"Yeah girls and boys, share with the rest of the class," added in Iron Man from his position near the rear of the operation. FRIDAY was scanning the base for additional information.

Somewhere to the right of Hawkeye's position, wooden chimes rattled and clicked in the snow covered silence. "The guy's good. As in he's been trained type good. Hell I'd sponsor him if we could recruit him, he's that good." He watched as the figure brought up his left arm, their fingers curled around the grip of a...wrist rocket? "Seriously?" he uttered.

"'Seriously' what?" Nat asked.

"He's using a wrist rocket."

"A what?"

"It's a high powered slingshot."

The silence that followed was broken by Tony. "Oh my god, seriously? What is this, the stone age? First we got Katniss there with his bow and now we have…Biblical David with a slingshot?"

Anything else was cut off when a series of snap-hisses were closely followed by multiple flashes and thunderous explosions of high grade fireworks as they went off. The whole area was lit up as flares, mixed in with the fireworks, floated slowly downward.

On the FBI comm channel, agents were cursing as their night vision equipment was suddenly useless. Any chance of surprise, long gone now.

"Falcon, start taking out those flare!" Steve ordered.

Hawkeye resighted and let the string go. The arrow flew true pinning the tail of the coat to a tree as the person passed in front of it, jerking them to a sudden halt. "Sorry Johnny, can't have you getting in the way just yet," he nocked and fired a second arrow pinning the sleeve this time.

"Wait, did you say Johnny? As in our waiter from that Italian Restaurant. The one that said he had secrets. THAT Johnny?" Tony asked.

"Uh… yes?" Clint responded. "Sorry Nat," he added.

"Boy, when he said he had secrets he wasn't kidding!"

"No.. no, no..NO Not now damn it!" Johnny chanted as he tugged at the arrow pinning his coat to the tree. When the second arrow got his sleeve, he started cursing. The shafts were made of carbon fiber and refusing to break. They were also buried far enough into the tree that they wouldn't come out easy. He was forced to take precious time to work the leather of his coat down the shaft before he could yank it free. He took off at a sprint, dodging around trees, vaulting over fallen limbs or ducking under low hanging ones. He knew the front doors would be sealed tight, but he knew of several other ways to get in. He didn't give a damn if he was leading anyone straight into the heart of the base. All he cared about was getting to Alexei and getting to safety.

"Since you two decided to keep quiet about him, he's all yours to deal with. Tony, get into their system. Get the doors open and their security down. Falcon, watch for incoming support," Steve ordered.

"And what'll you be doing oh great leader?" Tony asked as his fingers danced over the holographic keyboard.

"I'll be with the FBI group, taking down HYDRA."

The fireworks distracted and delayed the FBI agents only for a few seconds. It was enough though for him to dive through the doors, pull a gun and fire at the controls. It wouldn't hold long but he didn't need it to. Reholstering on the run, he took a corner too sharply and sent sliding into the wall. 'Nothing broken, maybe bruised,' he thought to himself as he got to his feet again. Looking around, reorienting himself, he found himself near one of the smaller armory's scattered around the base. Taking precious few seconds he raided it, taking another pair of pistols and all the loaded clips of extra ammo. 'A deep breath, let it out, take another. Focus, center yourself, let the unimportant fall away.' He kept his original set of pistols in their holsters, the extras he had in hand. If he lost those it wouldn't matter. One last deep breath then he was out the door.

With a groan, he pried his eyes open, wincing as sparks danced along his nerves. It took him several tries before he could reach up and pry the mask off. Running a hand over his head, he hissed at the sparks of pain that ignited the low throb of a headache into an inferno gut churning agony. Gulping air down, he fought off the nausea as he managed to stand. His first step was almost his last as his left knee let him know quickly, it wouldn't tolerate much more abuse. Biting back a yelp of pain, he leaned against the wall, blinking away tears that had came about. Using what he could as a crutch, he made his way to a side hall and turned the corner. Just in time too as a group of FBI agents came around the corner that lead off to another part of the base.

Memory of the trip down to medical was spotty at best. Close calls and narrow escapes from being discovered. The sudden rise of panic, the need to turn and backtrack a few paces to duck behind some door. The desire to stop and lean against a cabinet that somehow hid him from view. The whispers that it was close, he only needed to go a few more steps, just a few more. He finally made it. Limping through the door, he hit the control panel, sealing the room for now. There, near the back was an infant's hospital bed. Sliding his coat off, he tossed it onto the bed next to it.

Leaning over, he reached down to brush Alexei's head but stopped. His hand was bloody. Drawing back sharply, he flipped his hand over, then palm side up again. Looking down, he spotted more blood soaked into the lower half of his shirt. He couldn't remember what had happened between the time he left the armory till he woke up near the secondary control center. Panic gave him a massive boost of adrenaline, overriding the throbbing in his knee and head as he staggered to the door controls and slamming the emergency override switch. There was a large bullet proof glass window allowing anyone to see or out as long as the curtain was open. He grabbed it quickly, sliding it closed just as movement touched the edge of his gifts range. The desk was shoved on to the door and stood on end, facing it. Three of the beds were shoved against the window, also turned on end, blocking most of the view should the curtain somehow be opened. The fourth he flipped on its side as another secondary barrier. He yanked drawers and cabinets open, searching for anything he could use. Hobbling over to his coat, he searched the pockets. His wrist rocket and a couple of bags of marbles. He also had a pistol still in its holster. Taking it out, he checked the clip. Two in the clip, one in the chamber. It will have to do. Taking the breaks off, he rolled Alexei's crib bed into the short hall that led to the bathroom and storage closet. For good measure, he covered it with his coat, leaving a corner uncovered for air. A dozen attempts later saw all the lights in the room shattered bathing the room in darkness. The strobing red emergency lights from the hall painting the curtain in strange shadows.

Everyone was doing a final search of the base, looking for any missed stragglers or hidden information when the report came back of a barricaded room.

"Shit, whoever it is, they're armed. Might need a medic."

"How bad?" Steve asked as he re-adjusted his cowl, heading back into the base. His shield already on his back

"Minor, grazed the skin is-" The sound of something pinging against the wall before shatting.

"Barton? Romanoff?"

"We're on it," Clint replied before muting his comm. "Think that's him?" he asked Nat as they turned around and headed in the direction indicated.

"Yeah," she had muted her comm earlier as well.

The pair rounded the corner to the final hallway in time to watch as first the snake camera being threaded through a small hole in the glass window, then the snooper bot get taken out. Whatever was being used, shattered sending fragments everywhere.

"God damn it, what the fuck is this guy using and how the hell is he hitting 100% of the time?!" bitched the tech in charge of the equipment. "That's the third snake camera he's busted."

"Then stop trying to send them in," Clint said sarcastically as he knelt down to pick up one of the fragments. The spherical edge and a small streak of color confirmed his suspicions. With a chuckle, he stood back up and handed the fragment to Nat. "He's using marbles. Probably ricocheting them off something a few times before they hit their targets."

"Sounds like you admire this freak," the tech muttered as he was packing away what was left of the snooper bot. He found himself being pinned to the wall by the front of his uniform by a very calm, utterly serious Black Widow.

"Agent, I would advise you to keep your mouth shut on things you don't know about," Agent Barton said calmly from where he leaned against the glass window. "Now, everyone pack their gear and leave. That wasn't a request."

"Think he'd make a good sniper?" Nat asked as they waited for the agents to pack and leave.

Shaking his head, Clint propped one foot against the wall, crossing his arms. "No. He might have the skills to be a damned good marksman, but he doesn't have the heart for it. He reacts to the situation, he doesn't take action before hand."

"Hmmm…" Nat nodded. "Yeah, he does tend to roll with it, doesn't he?" She thought about it for a moment. "So you were serious when you said you'd sponsor him if he was recruited?"

"Yeah." Clint smiled nostalgically, "I bet if Phil was here, he'd have the kid under his wing so fast even Fury's head would spin."

Less than ten minutes later, the hall was clear of everyone but Nat and Clint.

"-mnit Barton. Romanoff. Will one of you answer me!"

"Gees… sorry.. don't get your star spangled panties in a twist there Rogers," Nat snarked back. "We were just taking care of the situation. Everything's fine."

"That's NOT what the agent reporting had to say," Steve returned, moving away from the group of FBI agents and speaking lower. "What's going on?"

"He's been backed into a corner. Probably injured from the way he's reacting," Nat explained as she moved trying to see in but not getting much of a view. "Give us a few." She clicked her comm off. Exchanging looks with Clint, she nodded then knocked against the door frame. "Johnny?" she called out.

When he heard his name called, he jerked in surprise, fingers losing their grip on the leather pad of the slingshot. The marble ricocheted against the wall to thump harmlessly against one of the beds. "..." God if his head would just stop throbbing so he could think. He pressed the heel of his hand into his right eye with a groan. "... Ms. Romanoff…."

Nat raised an eyebrow as she looked back at Clint. "I think we're on friendly enough terms you can call me by my name Johnny."

"... I can't… He's crying and I can't…. so tired, I just want to sleep.. .but he won't stop crying…."

"Who's crying Johnny?" Nat asked, her tone shifting as she used her interrogation skills to keep him talking.

"Alexei… Alexei's crying and I can't pick him up…. he won't stop until I do.. but I can't…."

Clint moved closer to Nat, a look of grim concern as he listened for the infant. A couple of pings then a sudden sting on the top of his shoulder, like he'd gotten hit by a pissed off wasp or an over-pressurized paintball.

"Who's with you!... I know there's someone else there with you….."

"It's just me Johnny," Clint answered rubbing his shoulder. A bruise was likely to form there. "You remember me right? Clint Barton, Hawkeye. From the Zoo last month. I'm Nat's partner." He mentally crossed his fingers that Johnny remembered him, even in the state he was currently in.

Pain laced through Johnny's head as sparks danced before his eyes. Alexei's shrill whine cutting into his ears like nails on a chalkboard. "Partner… lover?" He looked up, shifting and nearly falling to the side as his left knee twinged dangerously. "No… wrong… the.. the interaction's wrong. Siblings… yeah.. partners… ok…" He slid down the wall, head tilted back as he tried to quell the feeling that he was going to be sick.. again. He closed his eyes, promising himself it would be for just a moment.

"Johnny?" Nat called out. "Johnny… If you don't answer we'll be forced to come in Johnny."

Clint motioned for Nat to move then he placed himself in the doorway. Bracing his feet, he put his shoulder to the desk and pushed. The desk was heavier than it looked, only moving a few inches. But it was enough to let him shift and he braced his feet again. This time, the desk shifted enough that they could slip through. Looking around, he spotted Johnny first. "There," he said. He had also spotted the covered crib in the short hallway just past Johnny. "I'll check Alexei."

Nat nodded before crouching down next to Johnny. Lightly she laid her fingers against the side of his neck. "Hey, you still with us?" she asked, using his reactions as a means to gauge what shape he was in. His pulse under her fingertips was not too fast nor too slow, nice and steady. "Come on, open those gorgeous green eyes of yours," she gently patted his cheek.

"The baby's fine. Asleep even," Clint said when he came back, crouching on the other side of Johnny.

"No.. he's not.. he's crying again…." Johnny groaned, a hand going to his left ear.

The only sound either heard at the moment besides Johnny's shifting on the floor was the normal sound of a sleeping infant as it shifted, making those tiny noises they made.

Looking back and forth between Johnny and the crib, an idea came to Clint. "Nat, you have a penlight on you?" he asked as he reached out, pushing Johnny's hand away before turning his head. He noticed the dried blood but didn't say anything. "Thanks," he muttered as he took the light. Turning it on, he shined it into Johnny's ear. "Can you find me a pair of tweezers? Fine tip if possible…. damn kid, how'd you manage this?" A few moments later, he glanced up, accepting the tweezers. "Hold his head stead… yeah… almost…. got it." He pulled a small ear bud out of Johnny's ear. Looking at it, he could see that it was missing a piece.

It was so hard to keep his eyes from closing, he was that tired. With a sigh, he turned his head to look at the older man next to him. "He's finally fallen asleep…"

"Come on Johnny, time to go," Nat said, once more standing, as she reached for his hand.

"Go where?" Johnny asked in confusion, drawing his hand away. "No.. don't.. there's blood…" he turned looking towards the crib. "I can't… I can't hold him.. blood…"

Standing, Clint headed to the bathroom he'd seen. Rummaging through the cabinet, he found stacks of clean towels. Soaking two in the sink, he threw a dry one over his shoulder. When he returned, Johnny was on his feet, though leaning against the wall and favoring his left leg, and Nat was working his shirt off. He handed her one of the wet towels after the shirt was off. Taking his, he firmly grasp Johnny's chin, turning his face towards him. Already he could see the line of bruising forming. From the bottom of the right cheek, up across the bridge of his nose and up into his hairline at the left temple. He tisked softly, switching to cleaning most of the blood off his left arm and hand. Once finished, he retrieved Johnny's coat and helped him put it on as Nat located some blankets to wrap Alexei in.

When the group finally made it out of the base, dawn had broken bathing the area in soft light. With the information obtained, it was decided that the baby would go with the Avengers and everyone else would be taken by the FBI to be turned over to the Military.

Johnny made no protests, didn't struggle or fight against it as he was placed in cuffs designed for enhanced humans. He was, however, allowed a few moments to say goodbye to Alexei. "He's use to Enfamil formula. Six ounces, sometimes eight per feeding. He's only three months…. All his medical information was in the base records. Oh… he'll need a bath tonight too."

Nat nodded, then headed to where the Avenger's jet was parked. She was softly singing a lullaby in Russian.

"We'll take care of him," Clint assured Johnny as he escorted him to one of the FBI's Helos and personally strapped him in. "Behave and don't cause any trouble," he said.

Johnny just laid his head back against the seat rest. "A little late for that…" he said with a chuckle that turned into a groan as a medic brusquely pried an eye open and shined a light into it.

"No, you're concussed," the medic said, poking Johnny in the shoulder. "So stay awake."

Over an hour after the Avengers made it back to the tower, Fury called. "I figured I'd give you the heads up," he said in his usual clipped tone. "Agent Barton, Agent Romanoff, it seems Doom decided to liberate your boy from the FBI's custody while en route to the detainment center. Luckily, the pilot was able to put down with no more than minor injuries to everyone on board. You should be receiving the video footage now."

"Why are we just now being informed?" Steve asked.

"Because we only just found out ourselves," Fury snapped back. "First thing his bots did was scramble their communications. I'll contact you when there's more information. Fury out." The screen went dark.

Tony was bring it up, each camera feed had its own screen.

Everyone watched as the side doors were ripped off and several Doombots climbed in. The first firing blasts at the communications panel then the navigation system. The second bot went directly to where Johnny was strapped in, ripped the restraints off the seat and picked him up by the front of his coat before throwing him out the door. The first bot joined the second, as they bailed out of after him.

Tony manipulated the footage, pausing each display at a different scene. "Well, one things for certain. He wasn't expecting this," he said pointing out the shocked, almost fearful expression on Johnny's face.