CHAPTER #32
While Banner patched him up, Clint reported what he'd seen in the HYDRA compound. "Tony almost all the technology they had, or some component of it, was from Stark Industries. You must have a leak or one of their agents working for you."
"Damn it, I've had a suspicion of that myself and you just confirmed it."
"I recognized one guy's voice, but can't place him or remember the face that goes with the voice," Clint added.
"I guess I'll have to stop playing with the black diamond and focus on my own problems for a while," Tony sighed.
"That reminds me," Clint said, "I saw Reeser's portal machine and no where in their technology wing did they have another black diamond."
Bruce finally spoke up, as he finished sewing the stiches in Barton's leg. "We managed to get it to duplicate itself. While you were away having your own version of fun in the bars, we made a lot of progress."
"Now there's two of them?" Clint asked in wonder.
"Try five. And it likes my chest reactor," Tony tapped his chest.
"What did you mean, when you said it 'likes' it?" Clint questioned.
Tony brought him one of the diamond fused reactors, "it re-energizes my spent ones. The power kick it gives off is nuts. Oh and if I use a blaster it opens a universal portal."
Clint swore. "Wow that's crazy."
Jarvis interrupted, "Hawkeye, Director Fury is on the line."
"What do you want Fury?" Clint asked.
"I wanted to thank you for rescuing our agent and finding the new HYRDA compound," Fury's voice said. "I would like you to rethink joining S.H.E.I.L.D. again."
"I'll sleep on it," Clint replied.
He waited until Director Fury disconnected, then Clint asked, "does Fury know about the diamond yet?"
"No and he's not going to. We all know that in the wrong hands this black diamond could be a powerful weapon," Bruce said and Stark nodded in agreement.
"Thanks for sewing me back up Bruce," Clint said. "It's been a long day. Can I crash in one of your guest rooms?"
Tony nodded, "are you hungry?"
Clint replied, "nothing that can't wait until morning. Sleep is more important. I've got some jet lag too."
"In the morning then," Tony said.
"Good night Barton." Once he was gone, Bruce then added, "he's still upset about Romanoff."
"Maybe meeting with Fury is a good idea. He could get some answers finally," Tony suggested.
"At least he can't fight them, or he'll pull his stitches."
"Do you think I should go with him?"
"I think Director Fury will ask him to come back. Both of them can be stubborn hot heads, but Barton's one of the best agents they have," Bruce said.
Tony agreed, "sure, but will Barton go back to S.H.E.I.L.D?"
Jarvis put in his two cents by explaining the probability statistics.
"I'm with Jarvis on that one," Bruce chuckled.
"I guess we'll find out tomorrow," Tony sighed. "At least if Barton does go back, they'll keep him busy. Not to mention that he'll keep an eye out for anything more to do with the black diamond."
In the morning Barton, was taken by Iron Man to the airship. He wore his usual uniform and gear, same as when he had left S.H.E.I.L.D. Once on board, agent Hill met him. She was cold, but professional. She was led to one of their interrogation rooms and he sat down to wait for Director Fury.
"Agent Barton," Nick Fury said in greeting. "I understand we have you to thank for the safe return of our agent."
Barton nodded, but said nothing.
Director Fury cleared his throat, " it seems I was a little too hasty in firing you."
"The way I remember it, I quit," Clint said calmly. "When I'm ready to return, I'll look you up."
"Do that and see agent Hill to get re-instated as a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent before you leave."
Barton could tell that there was no room to argue. So he got up and went to the observation deck. Since he'd been gone, nothing had really changed. It looked the same.
"Hello Agent Hill, miss me?" Clint asked.
She ignored his comment. "When you return, we'll discuss your order disobedience."
"Woof," Clint barked. "Think of it as creative problem solving. You're man is alive thanks to me. Didn't see you or your agents at the new HYDRA location…. oh that's right, you didn't know where the new location was."
She shut up and looked at him with eyes narrowed. Then she tapped a few keys on the keypad and Barton was once again a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent. "You're active again."
"Agent Hill, I need you to sign for the supply list."
Barton turned his head to look at the agent interrupting them. His voice was familiar, but he didn't know why.
"Give me a minute agent Goldman," Maria said. To Barton she nodded, "you're dismissed."
He gave her a smart-ass salute and left. He used his com link and called to Bird to pick him up. Once on board, he told her to go super sonic back to Stark's place. Barton just recalled why agent Goldman's voice bugged him.
"You're back," Bruce said in greeting.
"Tony the leak might not be just at Stark Industries. When I was in the HYRDA mountain, I recognized a voice from one of their agents, I didn't know where back then. Today on the hellicarrier, I heard it again. The guy's name is agent Goldman."
"Jarvis pull up everything we know on agent Goldman," Tony said immediately.
"He's a new member of S.H.E.I.L.D. His first name is Herrick. His parents were from East Germany."
Clint nodded, "communist side… his history points in the direction of why he'd be first a HYDRA agent and then a good spy."
"So he's passing on S.H.E.I.L.D. secrets, but that doesn't explain why my name is on HYDRA weapons. I still have a spy in my company," Tony stated.
Bruce said, "do you think Director Fury knows that agent Goldman is a HYDRA spy?"
"He might, but no one else would." Clint said. "Want me to report it to agent Hill?"
"We have no proof and she won't believe you anyway. That woman is hard headed and even more stubborn."
"Narrow minded," Bruce added.
"Tunnel vision," Clint agreed. "Alright I'll leave it alone."
"I'm sure agent Hill gave you a hard time about sticking your nose into matters that don't involve you. So let her sleep in the bed she made," Tony said. "When do they want you back?"
"I told Fury, I'll come back when I'm ready," Clint grinned.
"How many times have you quit or been fired from S.H.E.I.L.D.?" Bruce asked.
Clint shrugged, "enough times to know how to manipulate them."
"Good, because I have another assignment for you." Tony grinned and took a sip of his whiskey on the rocks.
CHAPTER #33
Barton paid the hairstylist and left. He had walked in with dark hair and walked out as a blond. Why he'd agreed to this, he wasn't so sure any more. Against his better judgement, he had let Stark and Banner convince him to do it. He was going under cover at Stark Industries. First he'd go in and install some cameras that only they knew about. Then during the day he'd be an employee in shipping and receiving. At night, he'd watch the activity using the cover of darkness. Eventually he'd find out who was selling Stark secrets or stealing from the company. His legs were now healed and he was glad to be active again. While he'd been healing, Barton had studied the floor plans and layout of Stark Industries. He also knew where every camera and security sensor was.
When he returned to Stark's place, the first person he ran into was Pepper. She did a double take and then said in surprise, "is that you Clint?"
"Yes. Tony and Bruce thought I should have a different hair colour. I think they said it would make recognizing me harder…. So how do I look?"
Pepper smiled, "if you had gone any blonder, then it would look dumb. But I think you make a handsome sandy blond haired guy."
"Make sure you tell that to Tony," Clint grinned.
She laughed and winked at him. They rode the elevator together, but stopped on different floors. Barton was going to pick up the cameras he'd be installing that night. The cameras were small and round, swivelling like an eyeball, so there were no blind spots like conventional cameras had. It still amazed Barton the tech that Stark came up with. The man was brilliant, but he'd never tell him that. The cameras sent their video to an armband he'd be wearing and a link straight to Jarvis.
Clint asked Jarvis, "do you monitor activity on Stark Industries computer network?"
"Yes Hawkeye."
"So if someone hacks a computer at Stark Industries, you'd be notified?" Clint questioned.
"That is correct."
"Is it possible for the hacker that gets into the Stark Industries computer system, to compromise you also?"
Jarvis replied, "in theory it is possible. But I have defence programs in place to prevent that."
"Do all the computer systems in the building link up to the mainframe? Or do the units used for the shipping information run separate systems?"
"It's all linked together Hawkeye."
"Thank you Jarvis." Clint wondered if it was weird that he thought he had just hurt Jarvis's feelings. He'd check with Stark and see if he had any reason to believe someone had hacked into his system.
Barton also reviewed how Stark's shipping and receiving was run, so that he'd know what was going on as soon as he began his undercover job. Stark had hand held devices used for scanning packages. Then it was time to go to Start Industries and get set up. The cameras were mounted and linked to Jarvis.
"All set. Bird stay cloaked," Clint said. He leaned on the side of the building, waiting for the morning crew to get there.
He was kept busy all day and got to know all the guys and gals in shipping and receiving. He hadn't worked so steadily in a while, but he didn't think once about Romanoff all day. When his shift changed with the night crew, he waited until no one was looking and went onto the roof. His night shift began and from his pack that he'd left there earlier, he ate his rations. Barton watched all activity and nothing happened. He reported in, once daylight crested the horizon. Bird picked him up, he went home had a shower, an hour nap and back to Start Industries for his day shift. This continued all week, until Stark himself told him he didn't have to work there anymore, just watch the building at night. It was tedious and boring, but that's how Barton liked it… usually. It was Natasha Romanoff, his ex-partner who liked the exciting jobs, where her life was always on the edge.
'Dammit why am I thinking about her. She made it clear she doesn't need me or want me around. Does she have to shoot me or kill me, before I give up on her?' Clint asked himself, already knowing the answer.
"Hawkeye are you there?" Jarvis asked.
"Yes," Clint answered simply.
"Agent Hill from S.H.E.I.L.D. is creating a team to kill ex-agent Romanoff. The team leaves in two days for Slovakia."
"Then agent Hill is an idiot. She'll get her team killed by HYDRA agents. Romanoff can save herself," Clint replied.
"Not this time. They're taking jets equipped with full weaponry and some new gadgets, we were kept in the dark about," Tony said in his ear via the com unit.
"She told me to stay out of it," Clint protested.
Tony snorted, "since when do you listen to anything she says?"
Clint was silent a few moments, knowing deep down that Stark was right. "What about our undercover work here?"
"It can wait."
Clint disconnected the com, there was nothing left to say.