A week went by in a blur of action that seemed to lead absolutely nowhere. Steve, at the request of Clint, met Phil Coulson (who had returned to HQ only days after Clint was locked away) and the duo worked on stalling the Triskillion's completion as much as possible without getting caught. Bucky and Clint both worked their own angles to try and learn about the stone though neither got very far. Pierce began getting tight lipped with the fact that the Triskillion's completion kept getting delayed. And Bucky was being watched more and more as the days went on. Even Steve was starting to get followed around at random intervals. Clint had a feeling that that might happen and no matter how much Steve and Bucky begged Clint, the archer refused to let Steve in on the stone. It was bad enough that he had to learn about the other reality.
"This isn't working. Let us come and help," Wanda urged in Clint's mind during a small break from visitors of any kind. Sitwell and Pierce seemed to trade off in tormenting him. Never mind the few Hydra agents that remembered their lost loved ones during the Battle of Manhattan. Clint still couldn't believe he was suffering from the events of Loki's mental rape in a reality that it had never happened in.
"Yeah! I can search the place in under an hour!" Pietro bragged as much as he tried to pressure Clint into letting him help. The teens had been getting twitchier waiting in the background. Clint couldn't help but roll his eyes at their antics. He knew what he was doing and while it was taking longer than he had hoped, he knew he'd get there. Hopefully sooner rather than later as he wasn't sure how much longer he could stall everyone.
"We don't even know if the stone is here and what it even looks like," Clint pointed out for what seemed to be the hundredth time.
"Maybe we should finally let Captain Rogers in on the stone and ask for his help," Stephen suggested. It had been discussed before, not just by the two assassins but through everyone. Steve had admitted to Bucky that Pierce and Sitwell liked to hang around him a lot and that Pierce, in particular, loved to discuss the events surrounding the Triskillion. It almost seemed like the Hydra leader trusted Steve even with the Hydra agents following him around. Clint half believed that Sitwell set them on the Captain considering how the duo ended things in the other reality.
"No! It's too dangerous," Bucky snapped. He of course was the main objector to using Steve's help for this. It was bad enough in his mind that Steve was working the Triskillion with Pierce all over him. Clint was on Bucky's side which while not surprising to anyone, made Bucky feel better about it. The assassin felt guilty for not using Steve's help in fixing the world but Bucky refused to lose his friend even if it was a reality that would be reset.
"We need to start doing something different," Stephen mentioned as if that wasn't the main reason for this discussion. Clint sighed deeply and went to reply when suddenly everyone felt a jolt like someone pushed them before they were suddenly seeing out Bucky's eyes. Steve was standing there with a highly worried expression on his face. Bucky let out an air of confusion through the link.
"Steve?" the assassin called, surprise leaking into his voice.
"Sorry, I just got worried about you for a minute," Steve replied, backing away to fully stare at Bucky. Still Bucky leaked confusion.
"Bucky, the link," Clint warned, remembering how during training he'd look over the others and see a glazed look before he joined in with them. That glazed look was something Wanda couldn't get rid of, no matter how much training she gave anyone. Hence why they didn't like doing this type of discussion before knowing everyone was safely alone. With only two people talking back and forth it wasn't too noticeable, but the more people you add, the worse it got. Seconds later, everyone was back in their own mind. Clint frowned before pushing back toward Bucky and glancing through the assassin's eyes.
"I'm fine Steve. Just talking with the others," Bucky informed, unable to tell that Clint had reentered his mind to watch their conversation. Thankfully none of the others followed the archer's lead. They seemed to understand the need for privacy. But then again, none of them were spies unlike both Bucky and Clint.
"Oh. I wish I could do that too," Steve muttered, almost sounding wishful. Bucky shuddered as he thought distantly about being in Steve's mind. Something about knowing everything about Steve bothered him more than it had knowing about Stephen, Wanda, Pietro and even Clint.
"No, you really don't. It's not just conversation that can come through the link. Thoughts, feelings, dreams... And if your mental shields aren't strong enough, you could lost yourself in the other person's mind, memories and everything that makes them... them," Bucky warned, having known now what it feels like to get pulled into someone's nightmare. He nearly lost himself in Clint's mind before he was able to focus. Steve grimaced, having not thought about the downsides before. Being linked to someone's mind didn't just mean surface thoughts passed back and forth. If you relax for just a moment, the other person could accidentally pull you into them.
"But with training," Steve started to argue. Clint felt Bucky's emotion spike with annoyance.
"No," Bucky said again. Steve sighed and nodded. Without the full warnings and a display from Wanda, Steve would always feel a bit left out. Rolling his eyes, Bucky went to move on. There was a reason Steve was in his room and it wasn't to get him to convince Wanda to join the Captain in on the link. "So, what's up? Learn anything?"
"Not really anything new going on. Without the plans I took, the Triskillion's completion is stalled and they're still looking on the wrong side of the base for it. Pierce is furious about the whole thing and keeps talking to Sitwell and a few others about some sort of restart," Steve dutifully reported, not knowing what he just revealed. But for one being so used to being in charge, Steve did well under Bucky's command. Almost as if he had waited for Bucky to show off his leadership skills.
"Wait! Restart?" Bucky asked, his mind slowly processing what Steve had just told him. Steve nodded, confused as to why that would be important. He had always thought the way Pierce brought it up was strange.
"Yeah. Sitwell suggested it first. Saying they should do something over and make only one change... Something about killing Clint Barton as a boy," Steve muttered, his inability to agree about the split reality still leaking through. It was a discussion that Bucky and Steve had had many times and Steve had even had with Clint. But neither assassin could fully convince Steve that there was a reality that aliens attacked New York, he led a team with Tony Stark in an iron suit, a god named Thor, Bruce Banner who turned into a hulking green giant, Black Widow and Hawkeye.
"Did he ever say how?" Bucky wondered, not fully sure if Pierce could actually be that stupid. But then again, with how Pierce had been acting these past few days, Bucky really wouldn't be surprised.
"Kinda... He showed me this red stone. Said it had a special power and he asked if there was anything I'd want," Steve said. It was clear to see that Steve was skeptical about the whole idea. Bucky couldn't blame him. He would be as well but with everything he remembered and had dealt with, now he almost expected the strangeness. Bucky's eyes widened. Did he hear Steve right? Pierce actually showed him the stone? It was here? Spinning to his desk, Bucky removed a notebook he had stashed there for plans. He opened to a blank page and shoved it and a pencil at Steve.
"Draw it, please!" Bucky half ordered and half begged of his friend. Steve frowned at the man's reaction but nodded and took the notebook from his friend. As Steve headed over to Bucky's desk to start drawing, Bucky shifted to focus on the link. Slowly, he called everyone and he had to admit, he wasn't surprised to find Clint was already focused on him. The archer had little to do other than stare at a wall or look through someone else eyes. Wanda, Pietro and Stephen had made mention that they were uncomfortable with this but Bucky didn't care and so Clint tended to follow him a lot. "The stone is here!"
"I heard," Clint replied more for the others benefits than Bucky's. His pleasure of things finally starting to turn his way was sent through the link. Wanda, who had known that Clint was following Bucky as well, sent a warm chuckle. "Now we just need to get it before Pierce uses it."
"I'll transport us into town so that we are nearby and ready," Stephen told the assassins. Clint sent an affirmation and then everyone felt Stephen's magic surge through them as he created the portal. The rush was split through all of them and apparently even the energy taken was split as Stephen commented; "Wow, that seemed much easier."
"Good. I'll see if maybe I can try to goad Pierce into bringing it out in front of me," Clint reported. Bucky suddenly felt a light tapping on his shoulder. Carefully, Bucky pulled out to focus on Steve. The man help up his notepad. It was opened to the drawing of a bright stone held in someone's hand. It was black and white due to the fact that there was only a pencil and black ink pen in Bucky's room. Steve tended to hoard all the colored pencils and pens on base that he could find. Thankfully Pierce didn't seem to care.
"This is what he showed me," Steve told his friend. Bucky nodded.
"Thanks," he replied.
"That the stone?" Wanda asked, neatly pulling the image forward into everyone's mind. Bucky sent back an affirmation.
"I've seen something like that before... In the ancient library. I think it's part of a set," Stephen commented, his mind a flurry as he tried to remember.
"Not important right now. Right now, it's all about that red stone," Clint retorted. He was right, details didn't matter at this point. All that mattered was creating a plan to get that stone out of Pierce's hands. "It's nearing time for my meal, I'll cut out before the alarm starts."
Everyone agreed to let Clint cut out but without Clint there, no one was able to take the lead and make a plan. Slowly, the link dissolved and everyone went back to their own minds. Bucky sighed and focused on Steve as he distantly heard Clint's alarm start before hardening his shield. The man was giving him a questioning look and suddenly Bucky realized that Steve had no idea about the stone. Well, this was going to be an issue. He mentally winced. While Wanda, Pietro and Stephen had suggested many times to bring Steve in on the stone mission, Bucky and Clint knew Steve well. Unknowingly, the soldier would blow the mission.
"Is this stone needed for the Triskillion?" Steve asked once he was certain that the assassin was focused on him. Bucky fought to keep emotion from appearing on his face but Steve knew him. Sadly, Steve knew him far too well. The Captain's eyes narrowed as he realized Bucky had been keeping something from him. "It doesn't. Is this what you've been looking for?"
"Uh," Bucky smartly answered even as he wished he was anywhere but standing before Steve. The assassin could almost feel Steve reading the truth off of him. Steve frowned, feeling hurt that Bucky wasn't willing to tell him what was really going on.
"Do you need help?" Steve wondered, wanting to be of some better use. Messing with the Triskillion's completion felt more like a childish prank than anything. He wanted to do something more.
"NO!" Bucky panic-ally called. Steve's eyes widened in surprise as the hurt began to surface more. Bucky winced.
"Whoa," Steve commented unsure how to respond to that outburst. Bucky sighed before slowly looking Steve over. The man just wanted to help his friend in whatever way possible. Steve could tell that Bucky was getting stressed over this and Steve naturally wanted to help. There was no changing that. Maybe he should give up a bit more information. If only to stop Steve from looking into the situation himself.
"This stone is about the fake reality," Bucky admitted, moving to sit down on the edge of his bed. Steve frowned and it was obvious that the captain still didn't believe.
"Really? I… I thought you were joking."
"No. I really wish I was, but no," Bucky replied, shaking his head and letting it fall into his hands to cover his face. A second later the bed dipped and Bucky peeked an eye out to see Steve sitting beside him.
"So, you need that?" Steve asked. Bucky slowly nodded.
"But, don't worry! We have a plan in place!" Bucky lied. Steve's frown deepened but he didn't argue. There wasn't much more to say after that. Either they fight about it or Steve just accepts that Bucky doesn't want his help.
"Okay," Steve said and Bucky got the idea that Steve didn't actually believe him. He frowned even as Steve stood. Bucky watched him start to leave the room.
"Steve," Bucky called as soon as the captain got to the door. Steve stopped and turned to look at him. "Don't do anything stupid."
Clint sighed as he finished downing his water that came with his meal. Sometimes he got the simple offering, other times it was a yellow substance that Clint didn't trust not to be piss. Thankfully, since the first day being jailed, the food that was delivered hadn't been drugged with anything to knock him out. Once there was a hallucinogenic drug there but when Clint refused to let it show that the drug bothered him, no one tried again. Typically, without the drugs, Clint tended to get a lot of Hydra agents visiting cause they wanted to 'teach him a lesson'. Most of those lessons were beatings from a team of three or more agents. Wussies. During the first one of these lessons, Bucky tried to come and help Clint out but Clint stopped him. This had always been the downside of his plan but then again, getting caught by anyone meant getting beaten at some point or another.
Sitwell's visits were the worst. The man knew much more personal information about Clint than many of the other agents that came to visit. Never mind the fact that all Clint could picture when he saw the man was the bodies of his family. Even though he'd only been here a week, Sitwell tended to visit at least once a day.
"Agent Barton," Pierce's voice called into the room. Clint looked up and saw Pierce entering the room with a team of men behind him. The archer ignored the men in favor of focusing his attention on Pierce. Subtly, his eyes scanned the man for the stone. It wasn't typical to have someone visit so soon after a meal so something happened. And judging by Pierce's highly pleased face, it wasn't in Clint's favor. "Do me a favor, go stand against the back wall."
"Why?" Clint hissed, settling himself further into the spot next to his doorway where the food always got dropped off. Pierce smiled.
"Do it," he commanded. Clint crossed his arms, waiting for a better reason even as he mentally questioned why Pierce seemed to enjoy his defiance. When Pierce realized they were at a stand still, he pulled a small device from his pocket. Clint's vision zeroed in on it and he was surprised to see it looked almost like a garage clicker. The archer tensed, wondering if at some point someone had done something to him that would make that clicker work on him. But when Pierce hit the button, Clint felt nothing. Instead, he heard a familiar voice cry out in pain. Clint jumped to his feet as the team of men behind Pierce shifted.
"STEVE!" Clint cried, slightly horrified at the sight of his friend. Steve was on his knees, eyes nearly bloodshot red. He looked like Iron Man and Thor had taken some potshots at him and Hulk decided the captain was his own personal teddy bear. Strapped to his neck was a silver band and Clint quickly recognized it as a shock collar. A shock collar that had at one point been just a design concept for Hulk (until Bruce got his hands on the design and told Fury it would never work on him). Steve slowly looked up at Clint and gave him a saddened look.
"Move to the wall or your captain will get shocked again," Pierce ordered again. This time, Clint complied. As soon as his back touched the wall, Pierce released the door lock to his cell and the team shoved a weakened Steve into the room. Clint went to go help his friend but stopped when Pierce raised his hand with the control for Steve's collar. The archer gritted his teeth and watched as the team not so carefully dragged Steve to the center of of the cell and leave him. Once they left and closed the cell door, Pierce put the remote away and Clint surged to Steve's side. He glared at Pierce.
"Why?" Clint growled at Pierce. "Thought you had him on your side."
"There has been some enlightening video coverage of our dear Captain doing some very bad things," Pierce scoffed, not fully admitting what Steve did. Steve grimaced and looked up at Clint with sorrowful eyes. Clint gently shook his head, he really didn't want Steve to reveal anything right now. Especially not of the link. "Apparently he isn't as godly as the comic portray him to be."
"Fuck you," Clint snarled, nearly jumping to his feet as if it threatened Pierce.
"Language," Steve softly gasped out. Clint's head nearly cracked at he looked back down at him. He knew for a fact that Bucky had sworn in front of him before and Steve never said that. In fact, Steve typically only said it to Tony. Pierce laughed.
"Oh yeah. I did you both a favor and restored his memory of our old reality," Pierce informed, still laughing. Clint sagged, half in relief and half in resignation that Steve would have to suffer this as well. Steve was himself, or at least the 'himself' that Clint knew best. He wasn't the only Avenger in this anymore. "Have fun watching the Triskillion be completed. I think I even know the first target. One Anthony Edward Stark."
Pierce gave off a maniacal laugh as he and the men from before left the cell area. Clint snorted at the man but didn't comment. He needed to get that stone and fast. Thankfully, he knew where the stone way, Pietro, Wanda, and Stephen were nearby and Bucky was available to help. There wasn't much that Pierce could do. The Triskillion would never be completed.
"Clint," Steve started to say before stopping. Clint looked down at the man again. Steve was focused on him. "I'm... I'm sorry."
"For what?" Clint mumbled, careful of the cameras that were still watching. Steve frowned for a moment before understanding dawned on his face. His tactics changed. No need to let Pierce know that Steve was stalling the Triskillion at Clint's words.
"Laura and the kids," Steve gasped out. Clint shook his head, trying to keep the memories away.
"Ain't your fault," the archer muttered, trying to hold back how much it hurt to have his family mentioned. He couldn't wait until the realities were fixed and he'd be able to hold Laura and his kids again. There was no way he'd release them for like a week. No matter how sick of him they'd get, he'd never let them out of his sight. Suddenly, Steve jerked up, nearly slamming his head into Clint's, and stared at the archer.
"Bucky! They found out about him!" Steve called. Clint frowned wondering why Pierce hadn't mentioned that. Heck, why hadn't anyone from the link done it?
"Steve, calm down," Clint soothed before opening the link to try and call out to Bucky. But was he shocked to feel that Bucky wasn't connected to him anymore. Clint focused on Wanda instead who felt like she was distantly watching. "Wanda! What happened?"
"I'm sorry. We couldn't reach you with Pierce there and by the time anything was going on, it was too late. We had to act," Wanda nearly sobbed. Clint tensed, feeling her horror, grief and guilt over the situation. "I had to un-link him to the rest of us."
"Why?" Clint nearly screamed. His hands tightened their grip on Steve and the soldier shifted Clint so his back was to the cameras.
"They started his programming again. We feared it would hit us all through the link," Wanda explained, trying to keep her voice level even though Clint could tell she must be crying. Clint grit his teeth so hard he began to nearly hear them crack. Wanda had warned them before that once the link was broken, she couldn't fix it unless she was within sight of the person. And right now, there was not a single sight line to Bucky. "What should we do?"
Clint didn't reply. He had no answer at this point. Without Bucky and Steve freely exploring the base, Clint had no idea what to do. Pietro could easily speed through the building and do what needed to be done to stop the Triskillion but the more important thing was the stone. And now that Pierce used it on Steve and knew about Bucky's defection, he would be more on guard. In fact, Clint wouldn't be surprised if he was going to start looking for Stephen, Wanda and Pietro. But before Clint could send out a warning, the link suddenly fully cut from everyone. The blow back actually knocked Clint out.
"CLINT!" Steve cried as the archer fell backwards suddenly. It took the captain an extra moment to realize that Clint was unconscious. He grimaced and looked to the cameras. Something had to have happened in the link and there was no way he could cover this. Pierce was gonna know. "Clint..."
Uh oh... What did I do? How will they get out of this one? Hee hee.
For those keeping up to date with my boys, not much has happened this week or so. Darius is speaking a few more words but isn't near where he should be. Most people seem satisfied with his progress but I just feel like something is going on with him. Clint is okay. Giving me tons of attitude and yelling at me a lot. But that is the life of a mother. Gonna have to get used to it. Hopefully sooner or later I can get him to stop. I know that I need to find some help for me soon or I'm gonna break. Hope to get a lot of reviews. They are lovely to read.
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Katie MacAlpine - Hee hee. Pretty sure they got through.
Ravenclawdiadem16 (Clint is Whom?) - Ironically, you actually found the sequel all by yourself. This is Clint is Whom's sequel. While it doesn't always seem like it, it is. In fact, I am even working on the next in the series; Clint is Dead. Can't wait to start posting that. It has a slower start, but oh, so fun right now. Just started writing Chapter 17 and no where near done with it yet.