"Director!" Agent may shouted as Coulson ignored her orders, walking down the hall of med bay and to his office. He had to use the wall for mild support. Wincing, having to used his sprained wrist. She shouted again, throwing formality out the window. "Coulson! Stop! You need to rest-" Coulson turned to her, quickly, nearly falling in the process but catching himself. His concussion was pretty bad with off-balance, light-headed was and pounding headache.
Every light felt like a hit. The words were out of his head when he saw her face. So serious yet so concerned. "You have a serious concussion. If it were any other agent in your place you'd be doing the same." "If. If agent may and it's not any other agent. I need to find him. And that means all hands on deck, even off-balance ones." She shook her head. "At least let me get you a wheelchair."
Coulson didn't like this at all. Both Fitz, Simmons and Skye were all agreeing: it's like he disappeared. There isn't a trace. And the trace there was is laying in the sand as a decoy. Ripped off of his person. HYDRA knew what they were doing. They wanted to be hidden and with Ward leading the way he knew the ins and out of SHIELD. Coulson shook his head. "Is there anything we do know?" Simmons spoke first. "Honestly? No. There's no trace of him anywhere that we could track or even get a lead on."
Skye was next, her arms crossed. "I wonder, what if HYDRA plans on bringing him back, like a message of don't mess with us or this will happen to you." Fitz spoke. "Ward does have a flare for theatrical." Skye sighed. "It's cliche but it fits his M.O. " Coulson sighed. "So we just sit here and wait while he's being tortured?" May crossed her arms. "Do we have a better one?" Skye perked up. "What about Stark? I think he has trackers on everyone in his family for times like this." Fitz and Simmons gave her a look. She gave them a look. "They have a tendency to get kidnapped a lot. I could try hacking into his system and get the tracker info so we can track Agent Barton." Fitz cleared his throat before speaking. "At that point why don't we just go to Tony for help. I mean it'll look pretty bad if shield is caught hacking into his computer. He'l never trust us again."
Coulson nodded before sighing. "I agree with Fitz. Not that I don't trust your hacking skills Skye but Fitz is right. If we're caught by Jarvis, it'll look bad and he'l never even attempt to work with us again. May? Could you get my suit jacket shirt and tie? I need to make a call. Can't do that in a hospital gown." Agent may nodded, leaving the room. He dismissed everyone, promising to call after he's gotten the information.
Tony was tinkering on Quinn's suit (this time with permission while she was at school.) He was wiping oil off his head and moving the goggles over to rest on his head, making hair stick everywhere when Jarvis spoke."Sir I am receiving a call from Director Coulson. Should I accept?" Tony let out a breath before throwing the wrench to its place semi-gently. "Throw it up jay." "Of corse sir."
Tony stood as the face of Phil Coulson (if not a little worse for wear if the bandage on his head is any indication along with bruising. "Agent, what is it you need? Not that I'm not happy to talk to you." "I'l be frank , Clint's been captured by HYDRA while on recon and we have no way of tracking him." It took a few seconds for that to sink in before his eyes widened and his heart quite literally skipped a beat. "Is he ok? Are they gonna kill him?""I don't believe Ward will kill him, it's not his style. We think there using him to send a message to shield and in that case he'l be wounded but alive. Skye says you have trackers in each of your family, does this include Clint?"
Tony was already typing furiously away at the computer. "Jay, send Clint's tracking information to director Coulson." It almost took Phil aback Tony calling him by his title which meant he knew the gravity of the situation. Tony continued. "Do you need anything else? Do you need me out there? I can be there in less then an hour." "That won't be necessary. So long as we have the tracking information, we'l be able to form a rescue and have him back within the hour. I promise if we need you I'l make sure to contact you." Tony swallowed the growing anxiety and fear. "And you'll call when you have him safe?" Coulson softened slightly. "Of corse. I know you and Your family care about him a great deal. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get him back and get him safe. I'l make sure to call with an update or if we need you. I promise, we'l get him out. I'l call within the hour with his update."
Clint lost track of time in the haze of pain. He lost count how times Ward cut into his skin (was 20 or 30?) Ward punched his face so many times he wasn't sure there would be any more bone to break but there always was. Right now he was too weak to struggle and he could barely see out of his eyes. (God he must look like like a wreck. He knows his face is swollen and bruised) He was on the ground, out of the chair and untied but so goddamn weak he couldn't do a thing. He was laying on his back (which hurt like a bitch from a bullwhip earlier) Ward forcing him to watch as he held his hand up, kneeling on the ground. "As an archer this is very important to you. "
Ward touched his hand,caressed it like a lover. Before taking a finger and snapping it backwards. Clint couldn't help the pained scream. He was trained to withstand torture for information. This was pain for the sake of being painful. There was nothing to hide, no answers to keep quiet so what exactly is he suppose to do? Ward snapped another then another and Clint thought he lost his voice from screaming until Ward held his arm down with his foot and took a hammer to his wrist. He screamed. At least he thought he did because he didn't hear himself but a vocal cord could have blown.
He thought it was over. He thought maybe this is how I die but the pain came back, on each side of his head, it felt like the worst migraine. He can feel the blood trickling out of his ears. He thinks he blacked out when the next he opens his eyes Agent May is in front of him, reaching in either side of his head, speaking but he could hear grabbed letters and noises. She had two bloody arrows in her hands. Ah, now the migraine makes sense. Ward must have shoved them in his ears to make his point.
Hehe. Point.
No, now not the time for jokes Barton.
Get a hold of your self.
Agent May was trying to speak to him, inspecting his eyes with a flash light before tuning her head, talking to Bobbi and Skye. He blacked out again before coming to in a white room with warm blankets and...Tony sitting next to the bed asleep, looking exhausted. What? Why? Why was he here? He saw his hand was completely cast up and he couldn't hear a damn thing. Not even the heart monitor next to him. He started to panic. Why couldn't he hear anything? Why was Tony here? He saw the monitor speed up with his anxiety which woke Tony up.
Tony looked so worried, standing over him. He was talking but Clint couldn't hear anything. He sounded so far away and muffled. Clint shook his head, tears welling up, he used his good hand (remembering Tony will probably panic thinking he did something wrong) and pointed to his ear, looking terrified. Tony got the idea quickly, nodding then holding a finger up as he walked out the door.
A moment later agent may, Simmons and Coulson came in, Bobbi following. Bobbie hand a dry erase board, writing on it. She turned it.
"Your ears were severely damaged during your kidnapping. There still healing. Once there well enough we can test your hearing and get you hearing aides." Clint motioned for the bored. Tony got it from Bobbie to hand to Clint. He erased her words, writing on it before turning it. "Will my hearing ever come back?" She frowned, taking the bored, erasing and writing. "Most likely not but not all hope is lost. With a discreet aid you can have nearly 100% of your hearing again." After she erased it she wrote more with a smirk. "They did make Coulson a robot hand." He smiled weakly before wanting the bored back. He erased and wrote. "What about my hand? Will I be able to use it again?" Bobbie took the bored, erasing and writing her own messages. "I am 100% positive you will regain full use of your hand." Clint visibly relaxed at that. Until Tony stood up, talking to Coulson who signaled he would like to speak in private.
Tony saw how scared Clint looked again. Taking the bored and writing on it, showing it to Clint, holding his hand. "I'l be back, I promise, Coulson wants to talk to me in private and I have to update the family about your condition." Clint nodded before taking the bored, erasing and writing his own messages. "I don't want to be alone." Simmons perked up, speaking before remembering he couldn't hear, looking embarrassed. Tony wrote on the bored. "Simmons will stay with you." Clint smiled weakly toward her. She took the bored, writing on it as Coulson and Tony and Bobbie walked out.
Tony sighed, running his hands thru his hair once he was outside the room. "Honestly, no sugar coating, is he really gonna be fine or was that just for show?" Bobbie spoke. "He really will be fine. We have some of the best medical equipment, some of which is yours and the best doctors. His hand will be the most difficult. The wrist was completely shattered, it'll take some time to put it together. " Tony took in a breath. "And his hearing? Will he really be able to get his hearing back." Bobbie continued. "His ear drums were almost completely destroyed, once they heal enough we ca do a hearing test and see but honestly he's looking at 70-80% ear loss without aides. The scar tissue will most likely be thick and make it difficult to use to ear drum itself."
Tony took in another breath. "And Ward? Is he dead?" Another voice almost startled Tony. It was British and male. "Bastard got away. He's wounded. Managed to get his shoulder but as soon as he suspected heat he ran for it." Tony gave him a look. "And you are?" Bobbie cleared her throat. "Tony, this is lance. Once of our field agents who was on the rescue mission for agent Barton." Lance spoke. "It's not the first Wards done something like this. I had to rescue Bobbi last year-" "lance!" She hissed. Tony looked at Bobbi. "So you to?" She swallowed. She didn't like thinking about it. "Yeah. Ward captured me, held me as bait. I...I understand what agent Barton is going thru." Tony nodded. Coulson spoke and Tony almost felt bad. The guy was so quiet he almost forgot he was there. "Call and inform your family. Agent may and I will be working on finding Ward. Bobbi and Simmons will be watching over Clint's medical stay." Tony nodded, feeling exhausted, he started walking down the hall, getting his phone out. He called Kim.
She picked up, sounding as worried and exhausted as he is. "How is he? Is he ok?" Tony let out a breath. "Ward really had it out for him. He's bad. He's gonna be fine just not..." Tony trailed off, his eyes watering. Kim spoke. "Tony please, what happened?" Tony let out a steadying breath. "He's deaf. Ward had struck his ears with arrows, damaged the ear drums. He can't hear anything right now. When there healed enough there gonna give him a hearing test and they say that with aides he should have nearly 100% hearing but without, when healed. He's looking at 70-80% hearing loss." "Oh my god. How is he now?" Tony looked around the brick hall of the shield medical.
"Terrified. He has to talk with a dry erase board. A few broken fingers and a broken wrist but with time should be back to normal."There was a long pause before Kim spoke. "Will he?" Tony wiped a tear away. "Will he what?" "Get back to normal?" "I don't know. Does Gage want to talk?" There was a pause before Kim came back on. "No. He's says he's ok hearing the news from me. " Tony nodded before speaking. "Sorry I couldn't fly you guys out here. It was too dangerous plus Coulson has pretty much swore my soul to the devil if I ever revel this location." "It's fine. I just wish I could help." "I'l call later when I'm on my way home. If I'm on my way home. It's gonna be hard to leave. " "If you have to stay it's fine. Just keep him safe." "I will angel. Love you." He hung up, running both hands thru his hair when he smelled coffee and heard Bobbies voice. "Coffee?"
He looked. "Uhh sure. Thanks." He took the offered coffee, taking a sip. Bobbi sipped her own coffee as well. She continued. "I'm sorry. I know this is just as hard for you as it is for him." "I just feel so helpless. I mean, you think I would be semi-used to this feeling. My family is such a target that they can see us from space. At least then I could at least take heroic revenge on the baddie of the week and focus on helping my family but I can't even do that. It's shield jurisdiction. Pretty sure if I kill Ward Coulson will have my head for bureaucratic reasons." Bobbi smiled. "I'm sure with Ward he'd make an exception. Everyone here wants his head on a platter. Did you hear what he did to Fitz and Simmons?" "Sorta." She nodded. "He left them in a box at the bottom of the ocean. Luckily every thing in here has back ups on its back ups and it had air and water proofed for several hours. Fitz made a call that got them out but he got brain damage from the oxygen deprivation. He sometimes had a hard time remembering words. But he's getting better. " Tony shook his head. "There just kids." He sipped his coffee. "I'm gonna go back and spend time with agent Barton. Help him be maybe not so terrified." Bobbi nodded as he walked away.
A day later, once Tony was home, told everyone the news in person. Kim had woken up sometime before Clints capture. TJ was in the training room, blowing off steam. Loki was with him, trying to help best he can.
Quinn found Gage outside. Looking thoughtfully out at the ocean. She walked over. "Hey, you doing ok?" He sighed. "As good as can be expected I suppose. Just wish I could be there. He was there for me every time I got captured. I should be there for him." Quinn sat next to him, holing his hand. "He understands why you can't be. You know he wouldn't hold it against you." "I know. Dosnt help thou." She smiled sadly, leaning against him. She hid how guilty she felt. She felt as thou with her visions she could have seen this coming, could have warned Coulson and Clint but she never got a vision.
Just her dad informing the family that Clint was in critical condition after being captured by HYDRA and rescued by SHIELD. Gage turned his head, looking at Quinn with soft, knowing look. "It's not your fault. " She looked away, ignoring the stab of guilt. "I could have warned them. If I had had a vision I could have warned-" "But you didn't. And that's why it's not your fault. Not any of it." He held her arms softly, wanting to get his point across, wanting her to know she didn't have to carry this guilt. She swallowed. "But why didn't I? Why didn't the elders let me see? Surely the could have known. There these all-seeing, all powerful beings."
Micheal stepped out into the patio with them. "I might have an answer to your question." Both turned. She looked up at the Angel. "How? What do you know of the elders? These powers?" Micheal walked out more before speaking. "The elders were once Angels. Instead of battle they dealt with the aftermath, the many souls having to be judged, it was a daunting task. And they saw potential in certain people to help in gods battles. They gave these people The Abilities. Like your mother and you, they were like a camera of sorts to find out more what was happening, what they were thinking and rarely used for battle. They broke off and became there own section, giving rare few people powers. They can be selective. They favor your mother and you and your dad." Quinn frowned. "What about Gage? Clint? My brother?" The Angel shook his head. "Unfortunately you will get less to no visions about them. " She frowned. "But I've had visions about Gage before."
Gage looked over. "How many thou in the span that we've known each other?" She frowned, thinking." About two or three. I haven't had any about TJ or Clint." He gave her a soft look. She had so much fire he felt he could be burned. "That is because Gage is very close to you. They have control over what visions you get as to not overwhelm your mind. But sometimes the pick and choose and sometimes if they feel someone is unimportant or something that happens to them, Like Clint leaves them wounded but alive they deem it unimportant." Quinn stood, glaring. Micheal was already prepared for the fire. She spoke. "Unimportant?! That's my family. Clint is hurt, he probably wont be the same after this. He'l be mentally scared and that's not important because he didn't die? So I didn't get the vision of Clint being tortured because they deemed him unimportant? I want to to talk to them." She started walking inside. Gage and Michel both going after her. Gage caught up, catching her arm. "Quinn, stop."
She turned. "Why? They think Clint isn't important. They think TJ and you arnt important." "I realize that but confronting them like this is a bad idea. You've felt what it does to your mother when there on the best of terms, how do think they'll be at there worst?"
She took her arm out of Gage's hold. "I don't care. They need to know this. There in my head, I should have some right to speak about the visions I get." Tony walked down the stairs. "What's going on here?" Gage spoke first. "Quinn wants to confront the elders." Tony met them at the end of the stairs. "Whoa, wait, why? Why do you want to confront the elders?" Michel spoke. "I may have told her some not nice news about them. "
Quinn spoke next. "They think Clint and TJ and Gage are unimportant because they don't have powers like me or mom. The reason I didn't get a vision about Clint is because they pick and choose them. I could have saved him by warning Coulson. He dosnt have to be in a hospital right now if I had that vision."
Tony sighed, running his hand thru his hair. "It is a bad idea. It is a very bad idea. Jarvis, monitor all Quinn's vitals. We'l do it." Gage's eyes widened. "What?! Your letting her do this?" Tony nodded. "Yes but in the medical bay of the lab. Get going, i'l meet you down there and do not start without supervision." Quinn nodded before running down to the lab.
Gage looked at Tony. "Why are you letting her do this? Is stupid dangerous." "Because she's right. It's her head, she should have some right to what visions she gets." Gage looked around the room, hoping something would give him answers but he sighed, running his hands thru his hair. "Dammit. Let's go before she starts." He followed Quinn down to the lab, Tony close behind.
Once all were in the lab, Quinn laying on the hospital grade bed with wires hooked up, Kim barged in, running to them. Micheal trailing behind her looking guilty. "You can't do this! Tony why are you letting her?!" Tony literally had no good answer for her. Luckily Quinn spoke up before he could form an answer. "There picking and choosing what I see. They kept me from seeing the vision about Clint. I could have warned them!" "I understand but they could kill you for questioning them. That's why I'm asking to leave this go. I can't lose you." Her mothers eyes filled with worried tears.
Quinn frowned. "It's my head mom. I should have some right at what I see. They think my family isn't important. I need to do this." Kim knew there wasn't a thing she could say to stop her daughter. So she kisses her head. "Please be careful." She stood back with Gage who was looking just as scared. Tony finished putting the wires on her head started up the heart monitor then stood back as she laid down. "Ok princess. Be careful." She nodded before closing her eyes and thinking of where she wanted to go.
They saw her body float off the bed a few inches before falling back down with a spike in her heart monitor before steadying. Tony let out a breath. "She's in. "