Day Two, Sunday:
This mission couldn't be over fast enough. Spencer sat in the waiting room at the hospital where she and Natasha had arrived just ten minutes before, and she already wished she could find a bed somewhere. How on earth did people live with these kinds of illnesses? They had a strength that she'd never realized before. Spencer found herself admiring anyone who had to live with something chronic. To get up out of bed each and every day knowing that they were going to be feeling like this was amazing.
Currently she was slumped sideways a bit in her chair, her head resting on Natasha's shoulder. Her job was pretty much to sit here, look miserable, and pretend she didn't understand any of the language being spoken around her. That was simple enough.
In reality, she was listening carefully not just to the conversation around her, but also to the stray thoughts that were drifting around her. It was kind of like someone had multiple radio stations playing a bit too loud for comfort. The headache she had didn't make any of that any better. But touching Natasha helped her ground herself enough that she could tone those down, as well as block off the emotions that were battering at her shields. It would seem being sick made it hard for her shields to be up as strong as normal.
A cough tickled at her throat. It was the only warning before it tore out of her, shaking her body and making her chest feel like it was getting cut from the inside out. She curled one arm to her chest and bent forward as the cough ripped her apart. In a flash Natasha's arm was there to brace her up and keep her in place so she didn't end up falling forward. "I've got you." Natasha murmured right by her ear. "Breathe, Erin. I know it's hard but try and just breathe. You remember how this works. Don't fight it, just breathe."
Don't fight it. Yeah, sure, easier said than done. Spencer tried, though. She tried not to fight as the cough stole her air away. She just focused on Natasha's voice until, slowly but surely, the cough began to fade away.
As it faded, she became aware of the hand rubbing at her back. She leaned back into it and let the arm over her chest straighten her back up. People were staring at them now. Some had looked curious before but now most of the waiting room was staring. Spencer ignored it, though she made sure to make herself look just a bit uncomfortable with the attention. Her head went back to Natasha's shoulder; this time she turned her face in and pressed her cheek against the material of her friend's jacket.
The pounding in Spencer's head was stronger now, thanks to the coughing. As if it had needed any help. God, this was ridiculous! All her body wanted to do was sleep, and yet she wasn't sure she'd even be able to pass out. Not with how she felt. At the moment Spencer kind of wanted to puke. The fact that it would probably hurt more than the coughing was the only thing that kept her from giving in to the urge.
So naturally that was when a nurse came up to them. "Ms. Maurer?" It took a second for Spencer to look up at that; that was her undercover last name. When she met the eyes of the nurse in front of her, an elderly woman with friendly eyes and the kind of aura that just screamed good, the woman smiled. "My name is Joya, and if you'll follow me I'll take you back where you can wait more comfortably."
"Thank you." Spencer croaked out.
Natasha nodded beside her. "Yes, thank you. That would be wonderful."
With Natasha's help, Spencer rose slowly to her feet, grimacing as her stomach churned at the movement. She had to grip at Natasha's arm, and not just for show, to be able to keep her legs. When she finally straightened up, she saw that the nurse was offering her an arm as if she expected to help Spencer back there alone. Immediately Spencer tightened her grip on Natasha's arm. She was supposed to be playing sick, yet somewhat strong. Shy, she and Natasha had decided, and a bit nervous about this all, but also resigned to it and resigned to what she believed was a death sentence. Brave in the face of impending death. This whole thing was mainly to appease Nadine, the only person left in Erin's life, and Erin wasn't going to do a bit of it without Nadine there beside her. "She's coming with me." Spencer said. She made sure to let her voice waver a little, to make it clear how her hands tightened briefly on Natasha's arm.
Joya took it all in with a glance and then nodded. "Of course."
Keeping Natasha with her wasn't all for the role Spencer was playing. Having the presence of a friend at her side made being inside a hospital a bit easier. Hospitals were always full of strong emotions, and rarely ever good ones. She didn't like feeling them. That had her leaning a bit more than was probably necessary as the nurse took them back to the exam room.
When Joya got them in the room, she got a gown for Spencer and handed it over. The air with which Spencer got herself ready, the way she stripped out of her clothes and put on the dress without any hesitation or embarrassment, was a result of the time she'd spent in the labs growing up. However, it helped her cover here, too, playing up the part of a girl who had been in the hospital so much she'd just gotten used to it all. It honestly felt like one of the most natural things she'd done since she joined SHIELD, putting on that gown and sitting down on the table.
After the nurse took her vitals and made a few notes, she informed them a doctor would be in shortly and the two were left alone in the room. Spencer did a check, scanning around her to see who was close and if there was anyone that might be trouble. Nothing. She relayed as much to Natasha. "We're clear."
"Nothing suspicious so far." Natasha murmured to her. She was perched against the edge of the table, right by Spencer's hip. One slender hand was still sitting in the small of Spencer's back. Pressing in just a bit, she turned her head to murmur to Spencer in her mother tongue, the Russian slipping easily past her lips. "How are you?"
Russian was one of many languages that Spencer knew. It was also one that Natasha used when really relaxed, or when she was showing a rare moment of concern that she didn't want someone else seeing. Hearing it had Spencer's lips twitching a little. "Well enough." She replied in the same language. "This is strange, but not unbearable."
"My little warrior." Affection brushed against Spencer like a gentle caress. Out of everyone that Spencer had ever known, Natasha was the absolute best at amplifying what she was feeling. She wasn't an empath so she couldn't actively reach out with it like Spencer could. However, she could concentrate on it, focus it on her thoughts of Spencer, and it made it a bit stronger for Spencer. Strong enough that it stood out from normal emotions, making it almost tangible to Spencer. She knew how Spencer liked it and she used it in special moments.
They didn't say anything more as they waited for the doctor to get there. Working with just Natasha was so different than working with Clint. Even when they were supposed to be quiet, the archer rarely shut up. If he wasn't talking with his mouth, he was talking with his hands, or he'd have Spencer set up a link and they'd talk with their minds. There was none of that with Natasha. The two of them sat there quietly and waited. It was nice in its own way. It wasn't strained or uncomfortable. Just… sort of relaxing. Spencer found herself tipping just a bit towards the older woman, and Natasha bore up her weight without complaint.
There was a faint wisp of something that caught Spencer's attention, right at the edge of her mind. It wasn't something that made her tense, though. No, it was something that made her want to relax. Clint. Wherever he was, he was close enough for her to feel his mind, his emotions.
She reached out and brushed against his mind with the lightest touch. It filled her with an emotion she couldn't describe when Clint didn't even flinch, but immediately relaxed against her touch and opened up just enough for her to slip in. His mind was already warm and open for her, an affectionate /Hey there, peanut!/ mixed in with all his other surface thoughts.
/Hey/ Spencer sent back. There was a sleepy sort of sound to her mind voice, she knew, and affection that he'd easily feel. She wasn't showing the best control right then. /I didn't expect to find you so close/
/You really think I'm going to be far away?/
At that, she had to smile a little. No, she hadn't expected him to get too far. Especially since she'd found out during their check-in last night that Clint did, in fact, know about the medicines that Spencer was taking. Apparently Natasha had been the one to explain it to him. He trusted Phil and he understood the logic of it, he just wasn't happy that Spencer was sick and vulnerable-especially without him right there next to her to protect her. /Natasha has my back/ she reminded him.
She felt the twist in his emotions and knew him well enough to know that he'd be both smiling and rolling his eyes right then. /And I have both your backs. So suck it up, buttercup/
She would've replied to that somehow, only the feel of someone coming towards their room had her pulling back from the mental conversation in preparation.
When the doctor finally came in, Spencer put on her best smile and sat up a little straighter. It was time to start putting on a show.
Their morning went by rather quickly at the hospital. SHIELD had faked records for Spencer to show how long she'd had this mystery illness-eight years, total-and what had been done so far. The doctor here, a Dr. Girard, seemed fascinated by Spencer's case. He certainly ordered a battery of tests for her to go through. All standard, Spencer knew. Even with her records there was a lot he'd still want to test for himself just to get his own understanding of things.
They took one break a few hours in for Natasha to give Spencer her next dosage of medicines. Of course, there were questions about those, too. But Natasha had it covered. She had papers proving that what was in the vials was simply prescribed medication. Vitamins and a bit of morphine to help make sure 'Erin' could get through the day. To be honest, Spencer had to admit a little morphine wouldn't be remiss. The body aches were starting to drive her up the wall. As was the nausea. The pain in her joints. The headache. The sore throat. Swollen lymph nodes. Exhaustion. Dizziness. Fever. And that didn't even begin to touch on the gastrointestinal issues. Whoever at SHIELD had cooked up this cocktail had done a damn good job.
"Your heart and lungs are a bit weaker than I'd like." The doctor told her, once he'd finished a few tests. "I'd like to keep you in here for the afternoon, keep you under observation."
There was no need for Spencer to even try arguing that. Natasha took care of it for her. She reached out from her spot at Spencer's side, standing beside the table, and wrapped her arm around her, holding her close. As she did she focused on the doctor. "Are you sure that's necessary, Dr. Girard?" She looked down at Spencer, biting her bottom lip in worry before looking back up at the doctor. Damn, she was a good actress. "It's just… I promised Erin here that she wouldn't have to stay overnight or anything in a hospital, not unless it was absolutely necessary. She's spent most of the last eight years in a hospital."
"What's the point?" Spencer asked, her raspy voice catching their attention easily. She put on a smile, one that was both understanding and sad all at the same time. "I'll do your tests, Doctor, but I'm not going to stay at a hospital for a long period of time unless I have to. I don't… I don't believe there's anything you can do for me. I'd rather not spend the rest of my time inside a hospital."
"If you don't believe you can be cured, may I ask, why are you here?" Dr. Girard asked her. He was genuinely curious. The man actually cared about his patients, Spencer could sense. He really, truly cared. If he was involved in anything they were working against here, she imagined it would only be to help save those that couldn't be saved.
Spencer tilted her head to cast a shy smile up at Natasha, who was doing her best to look both heartbroken and yet brace in the face of it. "I made my friend a promise." Spencer said softly. "I promised her I'd try, one last time."
Whether it was something in her voice, or he realized that she wasn't going to be moved, or something else entirely, the doctor didn't press things after that. He just nodded his understanding. "If you feel up for it, I'd like you to come back tomorrow morning, then. We should have a few results back and a better idea of what else we need to be looking for."
"Absolutely." Spencer agreed.
Ten minutes later the two women were making their way towards the hospital pharmacy with a sheet of prescriptions in Natasha's hand. Spencer was once more curled up against Natasha's side as they walked, letting the older woman help to support her. It was getting a little bit easier to walk like this. Less awkward. That meant that Spencer was free to focus outwards a bit more. Which was good, because something was pinging on the edge of her senses. A faint hint of something that pulled her up on the inside and had her paying a bit more attention. She couldn't quite explain what it was-there was no real word for what she felt. Just, a feeling that she got sometimes. One that said she needed to pay close attention.
A test of the emotions around her showed someone who held the calm, controlled presence that Spencer often found with those who were in law enforcement, bodyguard work, or were agents-both the good ones and the bad ones. As she and Natasha moved up to the window where the pharmacist was at, Spencer pressed in enough that she could turn her head a little without looking suspicious.
It wasn't hard to find the man she was looking for. He was back by the far wall, sitting in a chair and ostensibly reading the newspaper that he held. The way his eyes kept slipping upwards, though, suggested that he was watching them more than the paper he held.
His attention stayed on her and Natasha as they worked through getting Spencer's new prescriptions. As the two left, Spencer could feel his gaze on them, feel how he watched them.
Only when they were outside and safely away from the risk of microphones did Spencer dare speak on it. "Well it looks like we caught someone's interest." She murmured as low as she could.
She felt Natasha nod next to her. "I noticed. It's a good sign."
It was. It really was. If they were catching notice at the hospital already, hopefully they'd be able to catch the notice of the man they were after as well. Maybe, if they were really lucky, this mission wouldn't have to take as long as they'd been thinking it might.
Day Four, Tuesday:
They didn't run into Dr. Totes until their fourth day there. They luckily had no hospital trip to make that day, but they did have other things to do. They had to play tourist a little. If they were really Erin and Nadine, they would want to see some things, explore a little bit. Especially since Erin firmly believed this was going to be her last trip anywhere. So with that in mind, the two gathered up their things, packed up a backpack to carry their supplies for the day-as well as a few weapons-and then set out from their room.
There was a cafe that wasn't far from their hotel. Spencer made sure to play it up carefully; she kept her steps careful as she and Natasha walked, and she let herself not quite catch her breath. There'd been no reason to give her the serum this morning. If possible, today needed to be spent as healthy as possible. Why waste the serum if Spencer could play her part?
In that cafe was their first sight of Dr. Totes. He was sitting at a table with two other gentlemen, talking over breakfast and coffee.
Unfortunately, the place was busy enough that sitting close to them wasn't a possibility. Nor was overhearing their conversation. However, as they went to sit down, Spencer made sure to slip into the seat that allowed her a view of them. If she couldn't be close enough to hear, she could do the next best thing.
Lip read.
With skill born of long practice, she kept up a light conversation with Natasha while at the same time trying to keep her eye on Dr. Totes, making sure she was able to see most of what he was saying. Most of it was dull, boring. At least right up until they finished their food and settled in for coffee. That's when things got interesting.
"We've got a few good candidates." Dr. Totes said to his companions. Spencer tilted her head, careful to keep her hair over her face while still being able to watch his lips. "There are two in the hospital right now that fit the parameters of our program, and I believe another has just arrived. We'll need to keep an eye for a while until we're sure about her, as well as the others."
Spencer had to hide the urge to smile in her cup of coffee. So, they had made an impression then. Good. That was really good.
Whatever his companion said wasn't at an angle for Spencer to lip read. However, Dr. Totes' response was. "We're keeping an eye on them. We'll likely know, one way or another, by the weekend. Let McKinley know I'll have information for him by Monday, and to be ready to move in some samples. If this works out, I'll need them by no later than Wednesday."
That was all that came from their conversation before the group was preparing to leave. It was enough, though. Enough for them to know what they were doing was working. They were being noticed. And, it appeared, they had a date to look forward towards. Dr. Totes was giving information to someone named McKinley on Monday, and if all was well he'd want his samples by Wednesday. That was just one week away.
Spencer smiled across the table at her companion and reached out mentally to share their new bit of information. Not only did they have dates to work with now, they also had a name, and the information that Totes didn't seem to have the serum with him as they'd thought. He was, however, going to have it with him, and that made it much easier to plan.
Day Six, Thursday:
It took until the sixth day before they finally noticed a tail. Spencer caught it first, with Natasha only moments behind her. They were on their way to go find some lunch when the two women noticed it. They shared a brief look and a small smile when they did. If they were being tailed, it was a good sign. They were one step closer to Dr. Totes approaching them.
Being followed meant that the doctor was really checking them out. It also meant they had to play their part and play it well.
Day Seven, Friday:
Natasha found the bugs in their room. When they came back from the hospital after more tests, she settled Spencer down on the bed like she always did and made her normal sweep of the room while covering it up as gathering supplies. When she came back with their medicine case, she gave Spencer a warning look. Then she sat down on the edge of Spencer's bed and brought a hand up to tuck a bit of hair behind her own ear, one finger tapping lightly at her temple as she did. At the same time she gave a fake smile and said "Let's get this in you and then you should rest, Er. Your body needs it."
"I'm not that tired." Spencer protested immediately, still using her 'Erin' voice. With her mind, she reached out to Natasha, just a small tendril of thought that was as noninvasive as possible. /What's going on?/
/We've got bugs. I'm not sure how many, but I found a camera up in the corner, to my right, as well as multiple mics already/ Natasha sent back. Her mind voice was a bit different than her usual one. There was a hint more of Russia to it. They might've trained it out of her physically but it hadn't been trained out of her thoughts. Out loud, her voice was calm, edged with teasing. "You always say that, and you always sleep." She reached out and brushed back a bit of Spencer's hair from her flushed face. "You've had a rough day so far, hon. A little rest won't hurt."
"I feel like it's all I do anymore." /Has our camera been tampered with?/ They had a camera of their own so that Clint could keep track of them.
Natasha gathered up the next dose of Spencer's serum with practiced movements. "We've only been here a few days. Your body's probably still adjusting to being in a new time zone. Give yourself some time." /It doesn't look like it. I'll check in with Barton about it when I call/
Watching her prepare the next dose had Spencer giving a grimace she didn't bother covering up. They were coming up close on their cutoff and it seemed like maybe keeping her sick a little longer was going to be a smart plan. If they were being watched, there was only so much she could fake. Spencer resigned herself to having to be mostly sick for the next little while. "I just…" Pausing, she sighed, trying to make it look like she was frustrated a bit, yet she put on a smile as well that was meant to be reassuring. "It's fine. You're probably right. I'm sure I'll feel better after a bit of sleep. Sorry, Nads."
"Don't apologize, hon. Just let me take care of you."
As Spencer settled herself down into the bed, eyes closing as if to go to sleep, she felt Natasha taking her arm to give her the next shot. She ignored it, not really concerned by the prick of a needle. She really was tired. As much as she hated to admit it, sleep sounded good. Really, really good.
Spencer was only vaguely aware as she lost the battle against exhaustion. Strong yet gentle hands fixed her sleeve and then were tucking a blanket around her. Then a kiss was being pressed against her warm forehead. "Sleep, little warrior." Natasha whispered in Russian, her voice so low Spencer barely picked up on it. It was the last thing she felt before she drifted off to sleep.
Day Ten, Monday:
They'd made it to the Monday mark without any sort of incident. Today was the day that, if they'd played all their cards right, Dr. Totes was going to speak with his contact and arrange for his samples to be brought out.
Having it done that way worried all three of the spies. The fact that samples had to be brought out meant that there were more somewhere. That was information they were going to have to gather somehow so that, when they were done here, they could either have a target for SHIELD to hit, or somewhere to stop off on their way back home. They'd have to move fast once they were done here or risk word getting back to the main operation behind this. There was a lot hinging on the next couple of days.
Naturally, that was when the world decided to throw a giant wrench in their plans.
Spencer and Natasha were once more at the hospital, meeting with Dr. Girard-"Call me Tomas, please"-when the man suggested something they weren't expecting. "We have a guest at our hospital right now. Someone who has a bit of experience with disease both strange and foreign. If you don't mind, I'd love to have her take a look at your file and perhaps meet with you as well." Tomas told them. "Dr. Shirk is an amazing doctor and she's consulted with us before during her visits."
The two women exchanged a look that, to Tomas, probably seemed like them simply debating what to do here. Under that there was a whole lot more, though. Without once saying a word the two were checking with one another. Both were thinking along the same lines, that maybe this Dr. Shirk was one of the ones they were waiting for, someone working with Dr. Totes. If that was the case then there was no way they could refuse her.
Spencer put on a shy smile as she looked back at Tomas. "If you think it's best, Doctor."
The doctor's smile was wide and bright. "Wonderful! Give me just a moment and I'll bring her in."
Once the doctor was gone, Natasha turned her attention to Spencer. They didn't give up their charade-they had no way of knowing just how bugged the hospital rooms were-but she gave her a look that clearly asked are you sure about this?
Spencer smiled and nodded. Then she reached out and took hold of Natasha's hand, ignoring the small flinch there. These random touches were a part of their cover but they were also still uncomfortable for either woman sometimes. Neither was all that used to initiating or receiving so much contact. But Natasha hid her flinch and even scooted her chair closer to the bed Spencer was sitting in. Their room was more of an actual room this time, not a quick examination room, so Spencer had a real bed to sit on. She was towards the bottom of it, dressed in the pants and shirt the hospital had given her, with her legs crossed. Natasha's chair was right up against the side of the bed now, making it easier for her to keep hold of Spencer's hand and rest her own arms on the bed.
There was a small part of Spencer that she didn't want to admit to that was enjoying the anchor of her friend's touch. It helped to steady her and ground her a little bit.
The doctor was coming back towards their room and Spencer looked up just as the door handle turned. He came in first, smiling at them, and stepped to the side to introduce the woman behind him as he did. Spencer heard his words, heard the name-Laura Shirk-but the rest of her focus was on staring at the woman who walked in. It took every ounce of Spencer's control not to let the shock and, yes, the fear she felt show on the outside.
The analytical part of Spencer's mind took in immediate details. Short, in the range of five-foot-one to five-foot-four. Brown hair, braided down to about mid-back, and brown eyes that were set in a heart shaped face. Attractive, physically fit, but not the body of a fighter. No weapons. No threat coming off her, either. There was nothing in her mind or posture that posed a threat.
The rest of Spencer's mind was picking up on the more emotional and mental side of things-and that was the part of her that was freaking out. Because while this woman was introduced as Laura Shirk, it wasn't hard for Spencer to see what her real name was. Not when there was one person that sat easily in her mind. Laura Barton.
Son of a bitch. What was she doing here? Clint said she worked in a global outreach program, something medical, but what was she doing here of all places? Clint was going to absolutely panic over this. Not only was his wife in town, she was apparently being drawn right into the middle of this whole mess. Spencer stared at her as the woman came forward and she wished with everything she had that she'd denied having the other doctor come to look things over. Then again, if she'd said no for herself, Tomas might've had Laura consult on a different case, one that was still connected to the SHIELD mission, and Spencer might not have known until it was too late. She might not have been able to protect her. Because protecting her just climbed right to the top of Spencer's priority list. This was Clint's wife. His family. There was no way Spencer could let something happen to her.
For all that she was panicking and planning on the inside, not much of it showed on the outside. To anyone that didn't know her they wouldn't have thought anything of her brief pause after Laura greeted her. Tomas and Laura both probably thought it was just shyness, something she'd used in her cover so far. Only Natasha would know well enough to suspect anything was amiss.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Shirk." Spencer said politely.
Laura's answering smile softened her face and brought a warmth to her eyes that made an already pretty face even more so. It wasn't hard to see what Clint saw in her. Kindness and caring were right out there in the open, easy for anyone to see, and Spencer could feel it from her. Her emotions were strong and pure. Yet there was strength there as well. She wasn't some wilting flower. She had the strength a person would need to be married to someone with a lifestyle like Clint's.
"The pleasure's all mine." Laura assured her. She moved towards the bed, a chart in hand, but her eyes stayed on Spencer. "I appreciate you letting me come in and speak with you, Ms. Maurer. I imagine you're probably quite done with doctors and hospitals."
Spencer shrugged one shoulder, never letting go of Natasha's hands. "You get used to it, ma'am."
"Oh, Laura, please."
"Erin." Spencer said, gesturing towards herself with one hand.
The smile it got her was a beautiful one. "Erin, then. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions, Erin?"
What came next was a familiar sort of examination. There wasn't much physical to it. Laura was obviously trying to build on what she saw on the chart, or verify some of it. Some of the questions she asked were good ones; different than the ones the people here had asked so far. They showed a sharp, quick mind and a skill that Spencer could tell Clint hadn't exaggerated on. Laura was a good doctor. A smart one. She was also kind and friendly, and she never once made Spencer feel more like an object than a person. She kept conversation going between questions and even had Natasha giving one of her real smiles once or twice. Laura's bedside manner was excellent.
When she was done, she thanked Spencer politely for allowing her in. "I'd like to take a look at a few of the test results Tomas has before I start to suggest anything, if that's all right with you, Erin."
"Whatever you think is best, ma'am."
"I'll try to get back to you as quickly as I can." Laura reassured her. "In the meantime, would you mind staying here for a while? I know you can't be that big a fan of hospitals. I don't really blame you. But it'd be a lot easier to deal with any questions or such that crop up if you're already here, and it would allow us to observe you for a while. Any observations we can add to your file will definitely help us."
Any other circumstance and Spencer would've agreed with her. However, there was something important she needed to do. Something that she couldn't do while here. That in mind, she bit her lip and tried to give her best 'feel sorry for me I'm sick and pitiful' look. "I, um, I was actually hoping to, well, to maybe go out to get something to eat, first. I'm actually feeling a bit hungry today, and hospital food…"
Her act must've worked because both doctors were smiling at her. Tomas was actually grinning. "Hospital food is horrible, no matter what country you're in." He said jokingly.
"Why don't we compromise?" Laura suggested. "You two go ahead, head out and get something to eat, and when you're done we'll still have this room waiting for you and you can rest here for a while. How does that sound?"
"Perfect." Spencer agreed.
No sooner had Tomas and Laura left the room than Natasha was looking sharply in Spencer's direction. The young genius shook her head. Not here. Not yet.
She was grateful when Natasha didn't push it. She started up some aimless chatter about where they should go for lunch while she gathered up the jeans and baggy shirt and sweater that Spencer had worn there that morning.
It wasn't until they were in the car, and Natasha had turned on the small device in her pocket that made absolutely sure the car wasn't bugged, that the woman finally gave in and asked "What happened?" She wasted no time with other questions, just cut straight to the point.
Spencer licked her dry, slightly cracked lips, and tried to ignore the way her stomach was churning. She was about midway through her dose and that was usually when she felt the absolute worst. That wasn't important at the moment, though. Not as important as this. "I know her." Spencer finally said, choosing her words carefully. This wasn't her secret to give away. She couldn't say who Laura was. Not without Clint's permission. But she had to say something. "She doesn't know who I am, but I know her. She's not involved in this, but she's at risk. Her and the group she's involved in."
"What group?"
"She's part of a charity group that travels the globe, offering medical assistance to those that either can't reach it or can't afford it. They do good, Nat. But…" But something didn't feel right here. Was it just a coincidence that Laura and her group was here at the time that Dr. Totes was? At a time where he was supposed to be getting samples delivered to him? "Hand me our phone, would you?"
Natasha handed over their secure SHIELD phone. The one that couldn't be bugged or tracked or anything like that, except by SHIELD. While Natasha drove them to one of the restaurants they'd made a point to be seen enjoying-one that was a bit out of the way, which gave them plenty of secure time to talk in the car on the way there and back, the whole reason they'd chosen the place-Spencer used the phone to look up a few things. What she found only made her worry grow. Quite a few of the trips that Laura's group, Helping Hands, took coincided with trips from people that SHIELD had labeled as connected to this group 'the Coming'. Spencer absolutely refused to believe the woman Clint had married, the one whose mind had seemed so open and sweet, was in any way involved in this. But someone else in her group? That was looking like a distinct possibility.
It was perfect, too. The more she thought about it the more perfect it became, because they were traveling doctors, people who would be able to give medicine to people in remote locations, people who didn't have money, who were desperate. People who it wouldn't surprise anyone if they died from whatever was wrong with them. It was the perfect pool of test subjects.
The nausea Spencer had already been feeling only grew worse.
She needed to speak with Clint. She really, really needed to speak with Clint. Spencer's fingers moved quickly to send off a text. 'MRM 10m'.
He'd already be watching where they were going, she knew. He followed them pretty much everywhere. He'd know which place she meant and he'd understand the shorthand. MRM - men's restroom.
Now she just had to think of something to tell Natasha. Lying wasn't going to work. She was way too smart for that. She already knew something was going on and this was only going to make her more suspicious. That meant that Spencer was going to have to stick as close to the truth as possible. With that in mind, she closed the phone and passed it back over. "When we get to the restaurant, I need to speak with Clint. He… knows who Dr. Shirk is as well, and he'll know what it is we need to do here."
"You're not going to tell me who she is." Natasha said it like a statement, not a question.
Spencer hesitated only briefly before answering. "Not yet. But if this conversation happens the way I think it will, I'll explain on the drive back over."
The car went silent for a moment. She was asking for a lot of trust from Natasha, she knew. A whole lot from someone who had trust issues. The fact that Natasha eventually nodded, though she radiated her displeasure about it, was a big thing. Spencer didn't treat it lightly. She nodded and thanked her, softly and sincerely.
This restaurant was a perfect place for them to go not only because the distance of it gave them time to talk privately, but because the setup of the bathrooms made it easy for meetings. The public bathrooms there were pretty easy to set up so that they could have a private conversation, but Clint had gotten to the owners and bribed them to open up their staff bathroom for Spencer and Clint to use. Then Natasha and Spencer had made a scene one day in the restaurant-in front of their shadows, that was important-where Spencer felt ill and the public bathroom was full, so the woman who ran the place took her to the staff bathroom. When Spencer came back out, the woman made sure to clearly tell her in front of everyone that she was welcome to use that bathroom whenever she was there instead of waiting for the public one. To those watching, it looked like a woman taking pity on a sick young woman. For Spencer, Natasha, and Clint, it helped them to set up a perfect cover for private conversations.
No one, not even their shadow, showed any signs of suspicions when the two arrived and Spencer told Natasha "Why don't you go order our meal? I'm just going to go use the restroom first."
"You want me to come with you?" Natasha offered, voice gentle. Her sharp eyes gave the question a whole other layer to it.
Spencer gave a small shake of her head. "No, it's fine. I'll be okay."
Her steps were a bit shaky as she made her way through the restaurant. When she reached the back, no staff stopped her. One of the kitchen girls even gave her a small wave. Spencer waved back, wincing only a little at the ache in her arm when she lifted it. Then she was around the corner, down the hallway, and the bathroom was right there. There was no sign of anyone when she stepped inside the room and shut the door behind her. She could sense him, though. It was no real surprise when he got closer and the door handle started to shift. Spencer stepped back, making room for Clint to step in. he had to have been watching the room from somewhere to know when to come out. Not that she really cared. All she cared about was that he was right there, shutting and locking the door, and then he was turning to her with that big grin of his that always eased some of her tension. "Hey there, brat."
This time, it made her stomach clench worse. She didn't want to have this conversation. She didn't want to have to say this to him. How was she supposed to say this to him?
Clint's brow furrowed a little as he took in whatever he was seeing on her face. He stepped away from the door, one hand already reaching out for her. "What is it?" His hand caught her at the side of her neck, calloused fingers curling around the back of her neck while his thumb came up to stroke her jawline. "What's going on?"
The fact that he could read her so easily was disturbing. She'd once prided herself on being able to keep her emotions hidden. How had he come to read her so well? She needed to be more careful. Slipping up could get her killed.
Spencer pushed aside those thoughts, recognizing them for the distraction they were. She had to do this. She had to do this now. They didn't have a lot of time in here before it started to become suspicious. "They… the hospital brought in a new doctor to talk with me today. A guest that they wanted to consult on my case."
"That's convenient timing." Clint said, his thoughts obviously the same ones that she'd had earlier.
Lifting one annoyingly shaky hand, Spencer curled her fingers around Clint's wrist, holding him in place as she turned her face a bit into the touch. He liked touch, she knew. Was grounded by it. Sometimes it was still hard for her but she would've done anything right then to make what she was about to say any easier. "Clint, I, I recognized the doctor. The minute she came in, I saw her mind and I knew who she was." She had to do this fast. Just rip the band aid right off. With a mental apology, Spencer lifted her eyes to lock on his. "It was Laura. Dr. Laura Shirk."
She saw the shock hit Clint like a blow. He reeled back, eyes going wide, and his emotions made Spencer's stomach churn even more. The shock was quickly replaced by fear and a hint of panic. "Son of a bitch."
"It gets worse." Spencer hated the way his gaze snapped back towards hers with such fear already in it. She was only going to make that worse. "I looked into it on the drive over. The group she's in… a lot of their trips coincide with trips of people we believe associated with The Coming."
"Laura's not working with them!" Clint snapped immediately. He yanked away from her, stalking back a few furious steps.
Spencer didn't bother trying to chase him. "I know she's not." Of that, she had no doubt. "I got the feel of her while she talked with me. She's a good person, and nothing about her suggested any sort of trouble. She fits the profile of the people we'd look for in no way, shape, or form. I wasn't trying to imply I suspect her. But, either this group is using them, or someone in her group is dirty."
"Shit." Clint's hands balled into fists and she knew he was resisting the urge to slam a fist into the wall. For all that he was feeling at the moment, he was a spy, one of the best, and he knew how to control himself somewhat. He knew better than to risk blowing a mission just because of his own personal emotions. It was a lesson every spy had to learn. Especially snipers like him. They had to know how to shut down, keep in control, and wait. "What the hell am I going to do? She can't be in the middle of this. I can't…"
Here was where Spencer knew she could step forward. She closed the small distance between them and made herself reach out and lightly touch his arm. "We can't pull her out." She hated to say it, but it was true. "We can't risk that. It'd look too suspicious for her to suddenly become my doctor and then disappear. But we can watch her. I can watch her." She curled her fingers around Clint's arm and gave a small squeeze. "I won't let anything happen to her, Clint. You have my word on that. I'll make sure she stays as safe as I can make her."
Clint let out a shuddery breath. He didn't smile at her, wasn't quite there yet, but he did bring his hand up to pat at hers. "I know you will, sprout. I just… hell. This is a shit mission for her to stumble into." He blew out a breath and shook his head. "I'll find out where she's staying. If I'm lucky, I can slip in tonight and talk to her while you guys are sleeping."
"What do you want to do about Natasha?"
That had Clint grimacing. So few people knew about Laura. Telling someone else, someone they were still learning to trust, that was a big step. A big risk. Was there any real choice here, though? "We've got to tell her."
Spencer nodded her agreement. She tried to reassure him, though. "She'll keep your secret. And she'll help to keep her safe." Spencer believed both those completely. Natasha was many things, but she wasn't the type to betray someone important to her, and Clint had become one of the most important people to her. They had a friendship that really was like the brother-sister one that Clint and Spencer joked about having.
A swell of nausea interrupted Spencer's thoughts and had her closing her eyes. She swallowed a few times, trying to stave it off. Throwing up was never fun.
That was enough to distract Clint from their conversation. One of his hands found the back of her neck and rubbed there while his other one came up to cup her cheek. "Looks like it's been a rough morning for you, kiddo."
"I've had worse." Spencer licked her lips and worked on steadying herself. Don't throw up, don't throw up, don't throw up. "This whole… sick thing… I really wasn't missing out on much."
That surprised a laugh out of Clint. "Aw, you're telling me you're not enjoying yourself? But being sick is so fun."
"Your sarcasm is duly noted and not entirely appreciated at the moment."
The bastard just laughed again. HIs touch stayed gentle, though. The hand on her neck pulled her in a little and a kiss was dropped on her forehead. "We'll get this wrapped up soon. Then you won't have to take this stuff again."
"Amen, Abbu." Spencer said fervently.
The use of that name had Clint mock growling and giving her neck a playful squeeze. "Little brat."
"You like it."
"I plead the fifth." He let go of her and, when she opened her eyes again, smiled down at her. "Get on out there before people start to notice how long you've been gone. I'll get a hold of you guys in the morning and let you know how things go."
"I'll handle Natasha." Spencer reassured him.
There was still so much worry coming from Clint, but he covered it all with that cocky smile of his that very few people ever seemed to see through. "I know you will." He pulled her in for a quick hug, squeezing gently enough to not make her feel sicker, and then he ruffled her hair. "Go on, you go out first."
Spencer carried the comfort of that embrace with her as she made her way back out into the main part of the restaurant. The sooner this mission was done with, the better for them all. It'd just become even more important than it had been. They needed to get this done and keep Laura safe.
Something told her it wasn't going to be easy.