CHAPTER #30
Barton on Bird followed his tacker beacon to a mountain range. While they were cloaked he could see men working, hauling rock and dirt from within a cave. They were dressed in HYDRA gear.
"Bird report this location to Jarvis. I'm going in for a closer look. Stay cloaked. I'll be connected with the com link," Clint said. He then put the molar cap on and the ear piece in. "Do you have a sun roof by chance?"
The top part of the jet retracted, "will this do sir?"
"Perfect. Get as close to that mountain as you can, then I'm dropping down."
He wasn't going to take his bow and quiver, as it was too easily seen. He planned on taking out a HYDRA agent and then putting their suit and mask on. He'd pretend to be one of them. So he strapped on his throwing blades. When he was ready, Bird got into position and he jumped down. Barton rolled to absorb the impact. Then he climbed the mountain face and waited for an agent to bring out another load of rock. As the HYDRA man passed beneath him, he leaped on to the man. Even if the impact hadn't broken the man's neck, Barton's well placed foot would have finished him anyway. He dragged the body outside, behind a boulder and then quickly put the man's clothing on. Then the body he hid under the pile of rubble, that was dumped from the container, that had come out of the mountain's mouth. He slung the man's gun around his neck and shoulder, then pushed the container back inside, along the track. Once he was deeper into the mountain, he saw how much work had already been completed. In a few days their new compound would be done. First chance he got, he followed the tunnel further into the mountain. The place was huge and crawling with HYDRA personal. He felt like he was in an ant hill, there was so much going on. When he heard an agent talking about Natuska being in the mountain compound, receiving the last of the weapon shipments, he knew he was in the right place. His plan was not to take out this location, but to kidnap his ex-partner and force her to return to USA with him. He was convinced she was hypnotized or under some form of mind control. He'd take her to Stark's place and they'd help her together.
While Barton was infiltrating HYDRA's compound, Stark and Banner were making accidental discoveries with the Black Diamond. The incident occurred when Stark's chest arc reactor needed replacement. He put the used unit down near the diamond, where they were working. As he inserted the new one, the diamond's energy signature jumped. Then when they put the used reactor closer to the diamond, it divided itself and the new portion fused with the reactor. The energy read out of this fused reactor, was higher than when Thor would blast lightning right at Iron Man. The diamond rejuvenated the reactor's power and then some. When they put a fresh, unused arc reactor chest unit near the old one, the diamond jumped ship. Instantly if linked to the new reactor. Against Banner's warnings, Stark put the newly fused reactor into his chest. There was no bad reaction, so he put on his Iron Man suit to see if it would work with the new power source.
"Stand back Bruce, I'm going to try and blast that concrete block." Tony stood within his suit enjoying the power that flowed through him.
"I don't think this is a good idea, we need to run more tests. Analysis is not complete!" Bruce argued.
In answer Stark blasted the concrete. Not only did it disintegrate, but it opened a fist sized portal. Tony looked at his hand and back to the portal, "did you see that? Jarvis are you getting any readouts off the portal or from the diamond?"
"Yes Tony on both."
"Is it a universal portal or dimensional?" Bruce asked.
Jarvis answered, "universal."
Tony got worried, "how do we close it?"
His question was met with silence. So he said, "if anything tries to come through, while we figure it out, have the Hulk plug it with his fist. It's small enough, that should work."
"That's a temporary solution Tony," Bruce warned.
"I know, but it's all we've got. I'm going to take off the suit and change my chest piece. Maybe once it's disengaged the portal will close or time out."
To their relief it worked. The portal closed. The data that Jarvis had gathered during the whole discovery, they would analyze and dissect. Stark was careful to make sure the black diamond remained out of reach of the arc reactor.
"I wonder if we can duplicate that reaction, or if it was just accidental," Tony mused.
"Let's hold off on doing that again," Bruce reasoned. "We need a safer way to close the portal. If the diamond is trying to get home or call in re-enforcements, then we need to be ready."
"Why'd you have to take the fun out of it?" Tony sighed.
They were working on the portal data readouts, when Jarvis reported what Bird relayed from Barton. "Hawkeye found the new HYDRA compound in the Slovakian Mountains. He's put on a HYDRA uniform and entered the mountain. Bird has lost contact."
Bruce looked at Stark, "either the mountain or their technology is causing interference."
"He can handle himself. Jarvis just let us know when communications are re-established," Tony instructed.
They focused their attention on the data and the arc reactor. Then compared the energy fluctuations of the original diamond versus the new diamond that was created with the division. Both gave off the same energy readings. Banner worked with one diamond and the second one was worked on by Stark.
"At least we now know how to duplicate the diamond," Bruce said. "But what is it about the arc reactor that caused it to do so?"
"Maybe the clean energy," Tony hypothesized.
While they continued to work with the diamond and on the portal information, Barton was deep in the HYDRA mountain. He was making his way to the area where their weapons were, because that's where he'd find Romanoff. Since the HYDRA uniform covered his face, no one bother him, as they believed he was one of them. He made multiple excisions to various areas of the compound, before he got to the technology area. From the guys there, they said the weapons depot was up a level from there. Barton noticed that some of the things they were working on, he recognized from Stark Industries. Stark was going to be pissed to find out that little piece of information. The upper level was on lock down, so he couldn't get up there that day. Instead he was told that tomorrow all levels were expected to be operational. He back tracked the way he had come and left the compound. Bird picked him up and Barton returned to his hotel. He'd go back late that night, after paying his tab and eating. He'd return as the HYDRA agent and get Romanoff out of there the next day. That was his plan.
CHAPTER #31
It was easy for Barton to get back into the HYDRA mountain at night. Even once inside, there were the darkest shadows where the lights didn't reach, to hide his presence. He went back to the technology wing to gather as much intel as possible. Stark would have to figure out where the leak was in his company, so that he stopped unknowingly supplying the enemy with weapons. He saw the portal device that Reeser had been working on and notice the black diamond had not been replaced yet. That was some good news at least. What he wanted to do was sneak into the weapons area, before he had to track down Romanoff. One HYDRA guy ordered him to stop and when he didn't, they fought. The guy fired his gun, but emptied the chamber without hitting him. Before he could reload with another clip, Barton came in fast and close, flicking his blade. The man he was attacking, knew his hand to hand combat, but made the fatal mistake of getting in front of his blade when fighting. Barton dispatched him, with a quick slash to his neck. He hid the body behind some empty containers. That was the only interruption he had, until he got to the weapons area. It had some kind of coding device on the outside, which meant he couldn't gain access. So it was time to go find Romanoff.
He couldn't find her at all that night. In the morning he got rounded up with a bunch of other HYDRA agents, to set up a few of the rooms. They carried containers into the rooms and then agents took it apart, directing them where to put what.
"That doesn't belong in this room, it's the next one over," said some guy.
"Hey I'm just taking it where I was told to. You wan't to relocate it, tell that to Natuska."
"Alright leave it here for now," the other relented, not wanting to confront HER.
Other than hearing his ex-partner's alias name, Barton's ears heard something else that was interesting. One of those guys and he was pretty sure it wasn't the organizer, he knew. He couldn't quite place the voice where. The longer he was around the guy, the more if bugged him. He was 100% sure he knew the voice, so why couldn't he remember who the person was or where he'd heard him before? All thoughts about the guy were pushed to the back of his mind when he saw Romanoff. He couldn't take her here, too many HYDRA agents would get involved. He'd have to shadow her until he found a chance. It wasn't hard for him to do so, with all the activity going on around her. Anywhere she went, he was there to be directed.
Romanoff noticed one HYDRA agent was always under foot. Either he had a crush on her or he was just overly eager to prove himself. Whatever it was, he was getting annoying. No matter what errand she sent him on, he always returned to her side. She'd have to school him on giving her space later, but for now it had to wait. Baron Von Strucker would be arriving soon and his office needed to be ready. She was personally setting up the computer monitors. She liked having that alone time with his system, but it was interrupted by that damn pestering agent.
"Go take our S.H.E.I.L.D. hostage his rations," Natasha said.
Clint had forgotten about that agent. He asked one of the other guys to tell him where to find the food rations and the hostage. Maybe if he got the S.H.E.I.L.D. agent out of the mountain, Romanoff would be forced to pursue him. They could then fight without HYDRA interference. He like that idea and then Fury would owe him one for the rescue. Barton got the food rations and then hunted down the holding cell for the hostage. While the guy ate, he constructed an escape plan. Two machine gun armed guards patrolled the cells. He didn't care whom else HYDRA had captured, he just wanted this one guy. Barton made sure both guards were too close in range to use their guns, when he attacked. The first guy he gave a head kick to, knocking him unconscious to the ground. The second one was a little more skilled in his defence, using his knife to keep his attacker away. Barton noticed the way the guard held his knife was not that of a professional. A quick slash and smash with the butt of his blade, numbed the knife hand. The guard dropped the knife. As he went to pick it up, Baton darted in and slashed the femoral artery on the outside of the man's leg. The guard would bleed out quickly. To ensure he couldn't yell for help, Barton choked the downed guard until he went to sleep. It seemed a little too easy.
"I'm here to get you out and up top of the mountain. Don't fall behind," Clint said as he picked the prisoner's lock.
"Who are you? Did Agent Hill or Directory Fury send you?" The hostage asked.
"No time for questions, grab his knife and let's go!" Clint stayed low and hugged the shadows, leading the guy out.
Another HYDRA man saw the escapee and sounded alarm, the whole place erupted. Time and time again, Barton had to push the hostage out of the way, before a HYDRA bullet murdered him. The guy was definitely not well trained and probably a S.H.E.I.L.D. rookie.
"Climb up that way and keep going. You'll find an air vent, follow it to the mountain's outside surface. Do you have a com unit?" Clint asked.
The guy was in shock, but replied, "yes it just hasn't been working."
Clint looked at him to see if he was for real. "It'll work when you get out of the mountain trust me."
"What about you?"
"My mission isn't done yet. Tell Fury he owes me one. Now GO!" Clint yelled and watched the rookie scramble away. He rolled his eyes.
"Leave the escapee to me. Everyone else get back to work," Natasha directed the HYDRA agents, her voice held venom. She was mad as hell. There was only one person stupid enough to come into a HYDRA hive without back up. Now she knew who the pestering guy had been. "Hawkeye," she spit out the name, like it was poison in her mouth.
As she pursued him through the HYDRA compound, she saw that he wasn't killing every man that tried to stop him, some were just unconscious. Him and his stupid code. She needed to stop him once and for all. Noticing he was heading for the outside, she went to cut him off. He made it out, before she got there. The sun was behind the mountain, but it had not yet set, giving them enough light to fight.
"I don't want to have to fight you Natasha, just come with me."
"No. You need to leave me alone and go home, or I'll send you home," Natasha snarled.
He taunted her, but she reigned in her temper and became as cold as ice. She was well trained in controlling her emotions and now was no exception. She swung her short blade at him, using pakal knife fighting method. It had a backward thrust motion for the initial attack, to try to keep his knife away so she could kick him or use her bite. If Barton pulled back, he'd move into the power of her strike. If he didn't pull back the strike still pulled him forward into her. In a pakal fight it was all about speed, feints and ferocity, using tactics to end the confrontation as fast as possible. Barton used a hammer grip on his blade and it was double edged, so it could cut with both sides. Just like her's it was a fixed blade, so stronger than one that would fold. The handled was slightly longer than the width of his hand and could be used for striking. His wrist was kept flexible, but he could lock it when needed. He was trained in Filipino knife fighting, thanks to the Cap. But he didn't want to sever the sciatic nerve on the back of Romanoff's thigh. He was careful not to slash high up on the thigh where it comes down through the pelvic bone. If he severed the nerve there, her leg would become useless.
Their uniforms protected them, but his HYDRA suit was quickly becoming tatters and he was glad he wore his normal suit underneath it. Fighting Romaoff was very personal and the less damage he did to her the better. Not so for her, she was all business.
"You are so stupid, how you ever became a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent," she said shaking her head negatively. "You should've obeyed orders. You're just going to get killed," Natasha said coldly.
"Promises, promises," Clint teased. He saw her eyebrow twitch, but he should have paid attention to what her left hand was doing.
The problem with tasers and why Black Widow loved them, was that you couldn't block it. So she zapped Barton and when he fell to the ground, she stabbed him once in each leg. "That should keep you down. I hope someone comes for you, or you'll eventually bleed out." She smiled at him.
"Why are you doing this?" Clint asked.
"To make you stay out of my business, leave me alone and send you home," Natasha said calmly before wiping her knife on her leg and walking away.
"That's not what I meant and you know it!" He yelled after her, his voice bouncing off the mountain and echoing. "Bird get me out of here, or the HYDRA agents will finish me off."
"I'm here sir," Bird uncloaked and waited until he hauled himself inside the jet.
"Did the S.H.E.I.L.D. agent get away?"
"Yes sir. I'm going super sonic. You're bleeding badly, but no arteries were hit, no tendons either."
"I know Bird, her blades made clean stabs. She could have killed me, but she didn't. Natasha earned her privacy for now. I can't fight her until these wounds heal. Take me to Stark's Bird."
"Right away sir," Bird announced and went super sonic. When they were over the ocean, she added "Tony Stark is on the line sir."
"Barton you still alive?" Tony asked.
"I'm fine, just stabbed in the legs."
Tony's smile could be heard in his voice, "she went easy on you then?"
"Apparently. Damn those pesky tasers of hers," Clint groaned. "She got her point across, I'll leave her alone for a while. I got news, but it can wait until I get there."
Jarvis cut in, "Director Fury would like to know if it was you Hawkeye that rescued his agent from HYDRA. How would you like me to reply?"
Clint grinned, "tell him he owes me one."
Tony came back on, "we've got everything here needed to patch you up. Mission accomplished though, you found their new compound."
"Sure Tony," Clint said with less enthusiasm than his friend.
Knowing that Barton didn't want to talk anymore, Tony ended the call with him and turned to Banner. "Maybe Clint was right Bruce. She's had plenty of chances to kill him, like a normal HYDRA agent would and Romanoff still hasn't done so. Something is up with that."
"You want her to kill him?" Bruce teased.
"Not what I'm saying. Romanoff might be on a secret mission for Director Fury," Tony mused.
Bruce shrugged, "or she's in love with Barton. One of those love/hate relationships."