Chapter 7

The Plan

Bruce crouched down behind some rock formations as he waited for Natasha who had climbed on top to look at the small town not far from where they were. The town was completely fake housing the S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel who worked in the base under it. Natasha had been watching the guards carefully trying to remember anything she could about them that could give them an advantage. She needed to get one of them away, knock them out and strip their uniform for Bruce. Meanwhile Bruce was setting up his device to block communications. Natasha continued to watch the workers and observed everything, including noting where the security cameras were. Considering how they hadn't been found yet she was confident Bruce anti-tracking device he had thrown together was working or there was some sort of trap inside. Natasha smirked when she finally caught a break, as she watched an agent set down a cellphone out of the way of the cameras. She slipped down and moved silently towards the town keeping herself out of sight until she was able to grab the cell. She quickly returned to Bruce who seemed completely confused.

"Really just needed to make a call? Going to order them some pizza or something?" Bruce rolled his eyes as he questioned and finished working before sitting down beside Natahsa. He kept the device off but was ready to start it up at a moment's notice.

"Shut up," Natasha replied, "One of the agents down there loves to sext with people. He's the only chance I've seen and we need some way to lure him out."

"Yeah somehow, I didn't imagine going into the base in the armor of a guy who seems to like sexting with everyone, I fear what state his suit will be in," Bruce replied but watched over Natasha's shoulder as she started to text. Natasha kept a smirk on her face as she worked and it grew wider each time Bruce made a comment of "Didn't know that was possible." Generally Natasha's replies to these comments were, "Then you haven't spent enough time in the underground world.", "Would you like to see?" or "Nor did I until a target asked me to try it while I was undercover. Turns out it works if you balance yourself carefully."

Natasha glanced out of their hiding spot to see the agent she had been texting slip away from the group and towards the rocks. Bruce didn't want to imagine what he was thinking of doing so he just waited for Natasha to do what she was good at. Within moments the agent was unconscious on the ground. Natasha started to strip him down and toss the clothes at Bruce, "Go get changed." It looked like Bruce was about to make a comment that couldn't go anywhere good however Natasha stopped him by whipping the boots at his face. "Don't even start, this was your idea." Once done she started to tie the agent up as Bruce got the armor on, it was a bit baggy on him and awkward to move in but as long as no one looked closely it would work.

Bruce's face was hidden behind a helmet so it was hard to tell how he felt about this idea, if he was having second thoughts but he offered a pill to Natasha, "It'll give your body similar reaction to if you're drugged but shouldn't sedate you, really it just causes your eyes to make you look like you're drugged."

"That can still be problematic," Natasha was hesitant to take the pill considering where they were going.

"It'll alter your vision a bit since you'll react to light slower but shouldn't be too bad," Bruce replied.

"This will bug me," Natasha replied taking the pill. Within a few minutes she could tell it was working, she maintained control of her body but nothing looked right, as if there was just a light fog over everything. "I don't know how well I can fight like this."

"Well the idea is we shouldn't need you at your best as long as they think you're sedated and really the chemical will wear off soon," Bruce replied as he moved behind her to cuff her, "Just stick to the plan, we'll figure this out. Besides you have a Hulk behind you."

"Not as reassuring as you think," Natasha replied with a slight nervous laugh. She could feel that Bruce left the cuffs rather loose on her, they were easy for her to get out of. They had been able to bring the cuffs with them after altering it so that if they did tighten Natasha could easily break them with a strong tug.

"Well, it's hard for them to pay attention to you with a giant green monster in their base," Bruce replied placing a hand on her shoulder and gripping the cuffs with his other hand.

"Point taken doesn't mean everything will work out," Natasha replied, "You know how to act and what to say right?"

"I've been to enough military bases, I think I remember," Bruce replied, "at least what's important to know. We'll fake the rest. You ready?" Natasha nodded, not convinced but not having any real choice in the matter. She let her body go limp and forced herself to trip over her feet as Bruce led the way from where they were hiding towards the base. She was in a position to elbow him if he said anything stupid and he knew it, probably wasn't going to stop him though. As some of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents came into view she heard Bruce mutter, "Here goes nothing…" He took a depp breath in, nerves building quickly as he questioned how he could possibly have ever thought that this was a good idea. He decided he had come too far to turn back now and called out to the agents, "Get over here! I need back up. We've got Widow."

Within moment the agents piled over to Bruce's location surrounding him and ordering him to stop. What could only be the team leader stepped forward looking at Bruce, unable to see his face behind the helmet. Bruce could tell by the body shape the leader was female and his thought was confirmed when he spoke, her voice familiar but Bruce couldn't pin it, "You single handily drugged the Black Widow and brought her here?" She looked at Natasha then back at Bruce seeming to assess the situation and Natasha's state.

Bruce figured that would come out, "I was doing a wide patrol. Noticed something odd and circled around some rock formations, I spotted her scouting the area and got off a lucky shot while her back was turned."

The leader shook her head, "Then she wanted to be caught. Oh well, sedated and here is certainly better than completely lost even if this is some sort of plan. Let's head inside and send a call back to HQ. Keep constant guard on her, if she even opens her mouth to speak shoot her. I will not have chaos on my base."

"Charming woman," Bruce muttered when they started to walk away towards the entrance of the base. The other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents formed a circle around Bruce and Natasha to lead them inside. "So far so good…" Bruce was hoping beyond anything that this would work out as he planned.

They stepped inside what seemed to be a warehouse thought it was full of old crates no one would ever care about, for the most part it seemed run down but the group walked to the center for the room. As it seemed standard in all secret organizations the floor opened up to an elevator and lowered them down into the actual base. Bruce looked at Natasha trying to read anything on her while they waited but she was keeping her expression blank as she looked at the ground. Bruce continued to walk with the group trying to appear as soldier like as he could manage, he had been on a base long enough and had watched other soldiers he figured he could imitate them even if it was awkward in the baggy armor. He followed directions to their holding cells, down the long hallways and paths, passed the armory. The leader of the group pointed to one of the cells at that far end. "Keep her in there and keep her sedated. No one talks to her at all; no one gets within arm's reach of the cell, shoot the drugs into her from a distance. We'll only need to hold her for a few minutes. I'll put a call in for a pick up. You, the one who brought her in, come with me. You should be rewarded. The others will handle the rest."

Bruce reluctantly let the other agents take over his position and followed the squad leader away so as not to raise suspicion. He shot a glance over his shoulder at Natasha, his heart starting to race. He wasn't expecting this; really he hadn't even considered something like this happening. He went with it though thinking quickly trying to figure out a new plan.

Natasha forced herself not to react though she wanted to yell at Bruce for going. Idiot now they've got the upper hand. Why the hell didn't you make an excuse not to go? Why did I agree to this? She heard the cell in front of her open, knowing Bruce had already rounded the corner with the leader of the base. She felt an agent put his hand on her shoulder and could feel him standing too close. Forgot S.H.I.E.L.D. had these idiots just like every group. She could basically sense that demented smile that constantly popped up around her when she was cuffed and supposedly drugged. She felt the agent step closer and with that she threw her head back hitting him hard to knock him away. She slipped out of the cuffs with no effort and used the shock of the agents to her advantage. Tossing the cuffs at one agent as a short distraction she started to disarm the group tossing some into each other, hitting them wherever she could. She got a hold of one of their guns, refusing to shoot the agents she just used it as a melee weapon. It wasn't just that she didn't want to kill her former co-workers who were following orders but also that gun shots would actually probably attract attention. She hit one agent in the throat to silence him before knocking him out so he couldn't call for help. Quickly knocking the others out she spent less than a minute gathering up their ammo and any equipment she wanted. Handguns, very basic pieces of armor, their tranqs, anything she thought could help her. She moved down the hallway quickly after Bruce but didn't see him anywhere. Genius my ass. You idiot why didn't you stall her? You could have asked for a short break to catch your breath or something, just a quick lie to slow her down. You know I'd catch up if you just stalled for a moment. You're a bloody idiot. Natasha started to pick up speed her mind flashing back to the day when she and Clint couldn't find Bruce. She looked down the hallways, listening to what was around her trying to figure out what path they had taken. Come on. You must have seen the layout of this place a few times. Where would they go? That familiar feeling of being completely lost and separated crept into her again. Not again… I should have said no, should have made him stay back.

"I know all of my agents," Natasha ran past a door hearing the voice, stopping to move back and listening. Her heart slowed and the feelings started to leave to be replaced by anger. Checking the guns she had picked up making sure that they would work though she wouldn't fire any lethal shot. "Now who are you?" Bruce didn't answer her at all as Natasha glared at the door in front of her. "Tell me before I shoot you down." Natasha quickly thought about what the room could possibly have inside it that could cause her trouble. She didn't want to go in blind but she also needed to make sure Bruce didn't get a shot since that wouldn't end well for anyone.

"You really wouldn't want to do that," Bruce replied finally, Natasha could tell her was going to be arrogant and a jerk, "it really wouldn't end well for you."

"I've put a call in to the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. they'll be here to arrest you soon enough if you don't tell me who you are and what you're up to," the female voice replied, "they could persuade you into talking."

"Wow you go right to torture now? S.H.I.E.L.D.'s certainly fallen a long way," Natasha put her hand on the handle ready to go in, she was guessing no one else was in the room otherwise Bruce wouldn't go this far. "Either way you're bluffing. None of your calls went through, I could tell by the look on your face. You also wouldn't want to torture me; really you'd be too afraid to punch me. Never know what might be lurking under the skin after all."

"…Banner. She went and got you?" With that Natasha opened the door pointing her gun right at the agent. Natasha kept her face blank as she realized who was in front of her, Maria Hill.

((I do not own the characters used.))