Chapter 19- the truth won't set you free

Clint had found the room swirling around him as Will said the word 'father'. His chest was tight and he was finding it hard to breath. He knew he was hyperventilating but could not make himself stop. Memories from boyhood were swirling around him his head, making him feel uneasy . He stumbled and would have fallen to the floor if Gideon Killian had not grabbed him and gently eased him down. "It's alright Agent Barton just breathe", the doctor told him. Ethan moved in to offer support leaving Fury alone by Will.

Perhaps this was it Fury thought, the beginning of the end of Clints relationship with SHIELD. Already Gideon Killian is acting more caring than I have been. Yeah and if you start thinking like it is still a competition then he's already won, he told himself firmly. He had to admit to himself that he was still smarting about being out maneuvered by IMFs secretary. Quickly grabbing a blanket off Will Brandt's bed he covered Clint up. Looking over at Will, he could see that that his eyes were firmly closed and he looked unconscious . It was time to suggest a break. "Why don't we all go for coffee and give these two awhile to recover", he suggested.

"Yes good idea", Ethan hurriedly seconded. It had become a little too tense in the room and they all needed to shake off the feeling of having the walls close in around them. "No", that voice was weak but it clearly belonged to Will. "He needs to hear the rest, know that I did not give up on him".

Clint could feel his breathing begin to even out as he regained control. Hearing that comment made him climb to his feet, despite the dizzy sensation it gave him. With Ethan's arm on his he moved over to Will's side and took up his hand again. "No Will, I do not believe it could be your fault. I know what it's like to be controlled by others. Remind me to tell you about someone called Loki sometime", he smiled down at Will and used his other hand to stroke his head gently. "We are all involved in things we regret and some of them hurt more than others. I think the secret to getting over them is having people you care about around you. We are both lucky in that". He knew that was an emotional speech for him but did not care. Will opened his eyes and smiled softly at Clint. "You've gone mushy ', he managed to tease. Clint grinned, 'have not', he replied quickly. 'Have too", Will responded. "Have not",Clint said louder, "have …",Will began. It was evident the two of them were now engaged in some brotherly moment and would not stop. 'Okay you two save the teasing for later', Gideon Killian remarked. It did not sound like an order because it was said with a grin. If Will could make the effort to tease then he was going to be alright.

Clint was still smiling as he told his brother, "we have lots of time Will. Now why don't we take that suggested break. We can get you moved to another less intimidating location", he shot a rather sour look at Fury. Fury was about to agree to that when once again Will Brandt said "no, I need this to be over Clint. To know that neither of us have to run and hide anymore". Clint understood that sentiment as well. He had felt people watching him carefully ever since the Loki incident. They were appraising him and if they did not like what they saw he guessed they would act. It was a situation he wanted to hide from. But he did not because ultimately it was Loki who was the one who had done those horrible things and not him. "Go ahead then Will, but stop if you feel you need to', he told his brother. Will nodded and drew a shaky breath out. This was not going to be easy. "We were talking about our father', he reminded them. "Do you remember anything about him Clint', Will asked. Clint bit his lip hard as he thought about that question. There was silence in the room now, nobody prompted Clint, they just stood waiting for the story to unfold. It was obvious there were secrets here and some of them were going to be painful. After about 5 minutes Clint answered. "Mostly impressions ,not anything clear, I guess he wasn't around a lot of the time just coming and going. He and mother argued a lot. I seemed to recall some shouting matches late at night but I always to sleepy to investigate them further." There was regret in Clint's voice now, it spoke of the sorrow of having two parents that could not live together in harmony.

"Yes that was about all I could recall until I figured out why I could not make myself wake up when I heard them shouting. Remember our nightly hot chocolates well, Mum used to put something in it to make us drowsy when dad came around. I just pretended to drink it for a few nights. Then I was wide awake when he visited next. I soon discovered what all those arguments were about", Will's tone was sad.

"When mother took us to that doctor she was not only trying to hide us from people that were hunting us, but also from our father', Will told Clint. That was one of those moments that Thor and Steve Rogers would describe as a Star wars moment. They had all watched those movies recently and shared in the shock when Luke Skywalkers parentage was revealed. He hope his father was not following the dark side. Clint wet his lips nervously and waited for his brother to continue. Will looked pale and in pain but his voice was still even when he continued. "Do you remember the amazing toys were used to play with", he asked. Now that question was a little unusual Clint thought at first as it seemed to have no relevance. It did prompt some pleasant memories of being engrossed in these amazing toys that no other child seemed to own. The feelings of being special arose as well. "Yeah, I remember them, they were unique. I never saw anything like them in the stores", Clint answered. "That's because dad designed and made them himself. He did love us Clint, passionately. Only he got caught up in something he could not control and it touched our lives as well".

"Anyway designing was his profession however some of the things he designed were not toys. He was a bit like you Clint, he discovered he had a talent at a young age. Some people can think up amazing things, but have no idea how to make them or even if they would actually be possible to make or just part of science fiction. That was not dad, he could imagine and create. Some of his designs were ahead of their time and would only be possible when technology caught up with his ideas.' Anyway he knew the danger in being a designer, that people would want him to create weapons or other things that were equally as destructive. But he still wanted to put his mind to work and use his gift in a way that would benefit people." So he looked around for an employer that would grant him that wish. He was not a naïve man and made sure he had thoroughly investigated any prospective employer. If he could find any links to any government or any rebel group within any country he was not interested."Anyway he finally found a company that were setting up a think tank of brilliant people to help design things in many fields including medical, industrial, sports and so on to aid peoples lives. Dad went to work for them and everything seemed to be going well until he found out they weren't who they seemed to be". I suppose it is a familiar story but this particular employer work had a long history of working for the good of all people."

When dad and the others he worked with found out their work was being sold to undesirables they rebelled. Unfortunately these were the type of people that used harsh means to bring people into line, like threatening their families." "Dad thought that iif he could make that cloaking shield thingy work that he could move us and the enemy would never find us. He would then just draw them off himself. Mother disagreed with him and that led to the late night arguments. Unfortunately some of the parts needed to make that device work were still in the production phase. While he was trying to think up another way Mother took the step of arranging that surgery". Will took a breath and Clint handed him a glass of water.

Fury , Ethan and Gideon were all nodding. Threatening peoples families was a familiar tactic many undesirables used and helped them to understand why the twins mother was so afraid. Fury had a number of questions in mind and started off with the one that to him was the most important. "Did your father ever mention who these enemies were Agent Brandt", he asked. Now it was Will who was biting his lip as he searched his mind. "You're good at recalling things Will", Ethan prompted. Will kept thinking, " I think I overheard dad mentioning a name once". It was an odd name", he mused. They all waited but Will said nothing further. Fury could think of a number of names to prompt Will with but did not want to put thoughts that were not correct into his mind. Finally Will said ,"it was some sort of mythological reference ", I remember liking all those weird monsters from Greek mythology and I have this vague recollection that this group named themselves after one of them."

He looked over at Nick Fury who had gone rather pale. Some deep instinct told him this man knew exactly who he was talking about and was now feeling a type of fear. "HYDRA", Fury finally got the word out of his momentarily frozen lips. "Yes", Will did not have to think any more to know that was the name he had heard. "I think I have heard of them", Gideon Killian remarked softly. "Didn't your Steve Rogers encounter them and put an end to them a long time ago". "He fought them yes, but unfortunately HYDRA lives up to their name, if you cut one head off another will grow in its place. They are still out there somewhere," Fury replied.

"So whoever that guy was who likes using his knife on people is most likely a HYDRA operative. He was just using Ivanoff or Baxter , as you know him to make the initial contact.", Fury continued. When he said the word knife Will Brandt sat upright in the bed his eyes wide and startled, "now I know where I have seen him before". His breathing quickened as the unpleasant memory came rushing back. He touched his right arm, tracing his fingers lightly over the bandage. "He was the one, who attacked me many years ago ,he cut me and broke my arm. He would have kept on hurting me but dad intervened. I needed surgery to mend my arm ,most likely that was when that device was inserted". He looked over at them, 'don't ask me his real name, because I do not know it. I was wondering why it felt so familiar when he was holding that knife upon me on the island. He of course has aged a lot, that's why it didn't immediately register that I'd met him before."

They were leading onto the next question Fury thought. It was odd now how silent Gideon Killian was being. Apart from the odd comment, he was not actively seeking answers. Still he seemed the type to take things in deeply before committing himself. Fury had asked Tony Stark to look into his background and had found nothing to raise alarm bells. But you could never tell what exactly motivated some people. He opened his mouth to ask the next and possibly most important question . Before he could the IMF secretary surprised him by asking it first. "Why was he chasing you Will. Was it just because he thought you could lead him to your father". Will fell silent his eyes downward and not meeting theirs. It was obvious he did not want to continue. "Well", Gideon Killian said that one word in a more demanding tone .Will shot him a look that was filled with pain and fear. "You are safe here Will, nothing is going to hurt you" ,Clint told him firmly in a tone that would have made many people afraid for their lives.

Will let out of breath. It was a slow release that spoke of years of tension, of holding in something that was difficult to contain. "Not entirely". That man knew that if he came after me dad would come to rescue me. But trapping our father was not his ultimate goal."

"Remember I told you that the others in the think tank rebelled. Well they shut down all the systems and took the information they had not yet released with them. Now I suppose you could say that was stupid , that destroying all they had done was the safer option. But it was valuable research that could still benefit the right people if it was handled appropriately. Instead of lots of people knowing where that information was kept and putting themselves at risk ,dad volunteered to be the one that hid it. He did that because he felt guilty that it was his work that was being turned into some of the most dangerous things." It did not stop what was I presume HYDRA hunting down and killing many of the other people who had worked alongside our father. " Will stopped again and looked up at Clint. There was something in his gaze that terrified the archer. "Mother's illness was not natural Clint"." She was infected with one of the virus's created in that think tank. Dad was offered the cure in return for the location of the research. That is also why she was so afraid, she thought the next victims would be you or I." Clint found himself slumping into a chair that seemed to have just appeared beneath him. This was more horrible than he had anticipated. "So dad had to let her die", he whispered the words softly. Will shook his head slightly, "he did not want her to die Clint. But he could not unleash the terrors created on other people. He knew that the virus could not be recreated. You see the people in the think tank were smart enough to make sure none of their work could be completed without their research notes. Not even having the actual virus or device was enough". He looked over at Nick Fury, "did you find that out about that device". Nick nodded, "yes, Tony Stark tried to do a fairly intensive analysis, but found there were protective means that blocked JARVIS fully studying the device. We only found out some basic information because of the damage caused by the sea water. Another thing he found was the most likely that device and the substance used on the missile and bullets to enable them to piece the Iron man suit and cause damage to Steve's shield were designed by the same person. They both had certain similarities that led him to that conclusion" . Nick was looking at both Will and Clint in a measuring way tinged with compassion, their father had created that substance and now it was being used against them. It would not be a pleasant realization.

"Okay we seem to have gotten a little away from why you are being chased Will", Gideon pointed out. 'It's been years since all this happened." Will nodded, "yes but remember I said some of dads designs were ahead of their time. It would be possible to recreate them now", he took a breath. '"I also said that dad hid all the information from the researchers at the think tank". There was a pause again. Will's reluctance to continue was again coming through. But he did not have to say the next part because the others in the room had already figured it our. Their voices intertwined as Nick Fury and Gideon Killian both came to the same conclusion. "Do you know where that research is hidden', they asked. Will was silent his face pale and strained, "it is dangerous knowledge that has already killed people. They could not prevent the loss of some of their work. But the rest is safe and it should never be allowed to see the light of day unless you have very good scruples". He looked at them boldly, "that does not include either IMF or SHIELD", he said firmly. Gideon Killian did not try and correct his image of IMF because he knew that at times that had done things that were less than ethical in an attempt to stop some very bad people. "I'll take that as a yes, you do know where that research is hidden", he replied. "Look Will I understand the sentiment and even respect your ideals. You have already suffered a lot because of that research. But I don't think you have a choice anymore, HYDRA want that information as well and their means of obtaining it are not going to be pleasant. You say you want to feel safe and to stop running. While that information is out there you never will and perhaps Clint will have to start running as well." It was only that fact that HYDRA believed you did not know of each other's existence that kept them from using Clint as a means of getting you to tell them everything. Now things have changed".

Will looked down, he knew Gideon Killian was correct. He wished the research had been destroyed years ago. But he did not know how to do that himself. "It was only one time a long time ago that I went with dad to this place. I can't draw you a map or give you directions because I was blindfolded at the time. But my senses picked up certain information that may allow me to find it again."

Gideon Killian tried hard not to smile, Will had mostly agreed to letting them have this research. Nick Fury wanted to know one final question before they proceed further. 'if HYDRA is only after you ,then I am assuming that your father is dead", he asked. Will swallowed , tears welling up in his eyes, he simply nodded. Clint too felt sorrow, though he had not had the same relationship with their father. "He had to tell me all this when I was only 7 years old to try and make me understand why I could not look for Clint. Even then I did not listen and it was my fault that that man came after me. I was in my teens by then and I finally looked in the face of danger and understood everything our father was fighting against".

He looked over at them. "Yes I may be able to take you to tha research, but HYDRA will be waiting for me to step outside that door", his voice wavered when he said that. This fight was a long way from being over.

Nick Fury and Gideon Killian knew he was telling the truth. In fact Will had been given a drug that would prevent him from lying to them. It was not something that Gideon Killian had liked approving but he knew that getting the truth was vital. Now he understood why Will Brandt had hidden this for so long. He was afraid that the good side would become the bad if they had that research information. He vowed that would not happen and that IMF would find a way to use that research in a beneficial way. However HYDRA would not take the same view. They would take aggressive means to obtain Will Brandt and who knows what other leaked research they might have to use against them. Getting William Brandt to that secret location was not going to be easy.