"Stark, Rogers. I need your help on this one"
The desperation in his voice almost made Tony feel sorry for the guy
"We'll help you look" Steve informed him, turning to stroll past Coulson out of the office, with Tony hot on his heels
"What happened Phil?"
"They woke up and freaked out. Clint hit me with a chair and when I came too; they were gone"
"He hit you with a chair?" Tony asked, a slight smirk on his face
"This is nothing like last time; they're not as accepting of their situation. Whatever did this to them hasn't been as gentle on their minds; they're scared and confused... And we all know how bad their childhoods were..."
The two Avengers nodded solemnly
"This is hopeless, they could be absolutely anywhere. We need to think, where would they go?" Tony asked, frustrated. He always knew shield HQ was too big...
"Air vents?"
"Could then even reach? I mean; how old are they this time?"
"Medical reckon Romanoff is around 8, but she's small for her age, and Barton is about 10"
"And even now they've banded together..." Steve added, peering down a dark hallway, "Hey Phil, what's down here?"
"Oh nothing, they're doing some building work or something down there..."
Steve set off at a run, past the 'no entry' signs and into the darkness as the working lights faded away. Tony followed, before Phil too set off in the same direction
Maria's voice sounded over the coms as they searched the empty rooms;
"Report? Dennings?"
"Negative"
"Pine?"
"Second floor clear Mam"
"Tyler?"
"No sightings yet"
"Lisbon?" ... Lisbon report? ... Dammit! Coulson, tell me you have something?"
But Phil didn't answer; he was too busy watching Steve slowly approach a wary looking Clint who was crouching beneath a table. He was so still, Phil would have missed him altogether.
"It's alright buddy, you can come out. You're safe" Steve whispered gently, keeping his hands in view so as not to startle the young boy.
It almost seemed to be working before Natasha appeared from nowhere; she threw Phil to the ground before incapacitating Tony, a small foot resting over his neck while a bewildered Tony was left sprawled on the floor, looking up at his miniature friend who was pointing a gun at his head. She threatened Steve in Russian, or at least they assumed it was a threat by her tone, and when Steve turned back around; Clint was gone. Natasha disappeared before Tony even had a chance to blink and they were back to square one...
"We did... But they're gone. All agents be aware; they're armed" Coulson managed to say, trying to breath steadily having been winded when Natasha had thrown him to the ground
"Regroup in Fury's office" Hill instructed
Tony ungracefully climbed back to his feet, while Steve offered Phil a hand
"I am so glad I wasn't around last time this happened" Tony muttered as the three of them made their way back to the director's office
"You were... Sort of" Steve answered
"Well, yeah. But I was a kid too"
"You were one of the troublesome ones" Phil informed him, remember the time nine year old Tony Stark blew up one of the shield labs. "But something tells me it's going to be different this time..."