okay... this looks bad.

[his eyes remaining on the screens as he continues to type] It was an option so people wouldn’t feel like they’ve moved into a building hosted by Big Brother, thank you very much. Thanks to your little girlfriend, that option has to be taken away. [stops typing and points to one of the screens] Alright. Yefim Avilov. Last seen by security cameras in a convenient store in Rhode Island. Let’s see… [trails off, zooming in on the security footage] Got a plate number. [resumes typing a few short moments] Somerset, Vermont. That’s where he has to be now. It’s basically a dead town. Twenty-eight miles of abandoned buildings and homes. Population is five, as in five people total. [shakes his head] There’s not way he’s not there, man. It’s like the perfect place for a Russian to hideout in America.

[rolls his eyes] You should stop complaining about what she did and start giving me some useful information. [moves so he can see the computer screen, memorizing the information and nodding once] Vermont. [looks to Tony] I'm going to need to borrow a car– I can't use one of SHIELD's without being followed, and then the Russians would see me coming from miles away.

Girls just want to have fun

Funny thing about SHIELD is that I'm pretty sure they think anything that doesn't involve 'work' should be banned– I blame Fury. You want something to do? I'd suggest going out into the city.

[ Bruce smiles a bit, not quite looking at Clint ] You guys don’t need someone like me on the team. Oh, I was just coming up from the labs. I thought I’d make something for lunch. Stir fry. If you’re not in a hurry to find Tony there’ll be more than enough.

[frowns] What the hell makes you think that? [raises his brows a bit] Stir fry? Stark can wait, after all the times he's made me wait in the past he deserves it.

Maya shrugged. “Yes, but I don’t think it’ll be too much of a problem. The real problem will be meeting people and talking to them. You know…” she trailed off, tapping her left ear.

Clint's brows rose slightly as he understood what she was saying, nodding a bit before returning his gaze to her, "well you don't have an issue talking to me. At least, it doesn't seem like you do."

Maya let out a sigh of relief when Clint turned around and greeted her. Finally. Someone she could let her guard down a bit around. “Yes, I am. I just finished. I’ve been…wandering around trying to familiarize myself with everything,” she said. “It’s really difficult,” she said, before covering her mouth, wondering if that was a bad thing to say.

[nods once in understanding] You'll get used to it eventually. Seems to take everyone about a week of being here before they really know where they're going when they're walking around.

Maya was still getting used to where everything was at the academy. So far, she had been able to hide the fact that she was deaf pretty well. Unfortunately, hiding it meant that she had to be on top of reading people’s lips. To be honest, it was exhausting for her. She wanted to be with someone who knew that she was deaf so she didn’t have to pretend. There was only one person though.

[groans internally when he sees the large group of agents-in-training, muttering profanities to himself as he makes his way through the crowd. Frowns just slightly when he hears an unfamiliar voice call out his name, turning toward it, his brows raising just slightly when he sees her, nodding once in greeting] Maya. You all moved in yet?

[glances over to the screen when Clint points at it, moving to pause it and tells JARVIS] JARVIS run a check on this face. Only bother searching white Russian males, late twenties to early forties. [to Clint] I’m working on finding her right now. I’m trying to figure out which particular article of clothing she’s wearing. [types rapidly, becoming more and more angered when the results aren’t showing up and thinks aloud] We wouldn’t be in this problem if she had just kept JARVIS on in her floor. 

[nods once as Tony instructs JARVIS to begin the search. His expression hardens at Tony's comment, glaring at him and saying through clenched teeth] She's trained to keep to herself– you should've expected she would turn the computer off. We wouldn't have this problem if turning it off wasn't even an option.

I’m sure Fury wouldn’t call it a bribe, but yes, essentially. I think he’s still hoping I’ll decide to stick it out because of the team.. [ Bruce trails off and shakes his head ] Where were you off to, Clint?

Fury's always been good at finding the best word for a shitty situation – one of the reasons he's the guy in charge of all of us, I guess. [raises a brow just slightly] You saying you wouldn't stick it out for the team? [shrugs a bit] I need to find Stark but that's only to check up on when some materials will get in. You?

[frown deepens as he pulls the face guard completely off his head and rests it on the work table, moving to sit at one of the clear-glass desks and says to JARVIS] Unmute. [instantly, JARVIS speaks up] "Sir, it appears as though there has been an intrusion that Agent Barton discovered on Agent Romanova’s floor." [rolls his eyes, muttering] Thanks, JARVIS. [pulls up a hologram screen and goes to the surveillance cameras on her floor, beginning to rewind the footage. Says after a few long moments] So we’re going through this week’s tape… Last weeks now… [brows knit together as the time goes further and further back and pulls up a second screen, typing into the hologram keyboard a series of lengthy codes. Glances back to the surveillance footage occasionally for any motion before finally seeing people in the cameras and pauses it, pointing to the time stamp] This is almost two months ago, Clint. [Stares at the screen a moment in confusion] How did we not notice she was missing for two months? [pulls up the attendance records from the past two months] It says she’s been present for every training period. [jaw clenches as he realizes] Someone’s infiltrated the system. [Hits play on the surveillance camera, looking back to the second screen and typing in more codes as the kidnapping plays on the first screen]

[moves to stand just behind Tony, watching over his shoulder as he works. Clenches his jaw at the question, keeping to himself the fact that she doesn't exactly warn everyone before she leaves to go on a mission. His hands ball into fists as he watches the surveillance footage of her being taken, focusing on the men who are kidnapping her. Takes a step forward, pointing to one of them when their face becomes visible] Can JARVIS run a check on him? I need to know where he's from, who he works for, and the last place he was seen. And where she is now.

[frowns] What do you mean she’s been taken? This is Natasha we’re talking about here. Who the hell knows how to capture the Black Widow and take her away. 

The only people who would know are the people who trained her. My guess is that they found her and are punishing her for leaving in the first place. And, from how much water was on her floor, she could be in the middle of the Russian tundra right now. Which is why you have to tell me where she is. We're already behind.

[shrugs his good shoulder] I guess so. I just feel like…like there’s some sort of pressure for me to figure myself out as quickly as possible, and I won’t even know who I turn out to be until I get there. And I might not be the guy everyone wants. I guess it’s…it’s kind of stupid, but I just don’t wanna disappoint everyone more than I already have. [pauses as he digs through his older memories, chuckling a little when he remembers] I definitely remember she didn’t like me when we first met. I was told to train with her instructor and she didn’t like that she wasn’t his only student anymore. Tried to kick me in the face on our first day training together, if I remember correctly.

[listens to him, nodding slightly considering he understands where he's coming from] Not stupid. But it seems to me that if you put that much stress on yourself, you're setting yourself up to fail. [shrugs slightly] Gotta take it one day at a time for this, since you can't really start thinking in the long-term until you've convinced yourself that you've pulled yourself together enough to trust yourself again. [chuckles a bit, nodding] Better than the reaction she had when I met her. Granted, I was there to kill her, so her holding a knife to my throat was more justified than attempting to kick you in the face– though she's never been a fan of sharing.

[frowns when his music stops playing, putting down his tools and flipping up the mask to turn and face the familiar voice] I put JARVIS on mute for like the past, [pauses when he realizes he doesn’t know how much time has passed and checks his phone] Fuck, I think a week at least. [looks back to Clint] Do you have a new bow design or something?

[nods once, looking around the garage] That would explain a lot. [finally looks to Tony, focusing on him] Natasha is gone– taken, I'm assuming considering what her floor looked like. I need you to find her for me.

[in the garage]

[walks into the garage, moving to turn the stereo off before walking towards him] Did that computer of yours do it's job or are you still clueless?

[nods a little at Barton’s words] I understand that. It’s…it’s kind of how I’m living right now, I guess, not being myself. I’m not Bucky but I’m not the Winter Soldier so I’m…this combination of the two. [pauses] It’s a weird feeling, knowing everyone would prefer you to be someone else. I wish I could give them what they want, but…I can’t. [blinks in mild surprise as he actually recognizes the name] I do, I think. I knew her as Natalia though.

[nods slowly in understanding, continuing after a moment] Seems to me you shouldn't be concerning yourself about everyone else while you're still figuring yourself out. Work on one thing at a time, you know? [his brows raise slightly before he composes his expression] You remember knowing her when she was in the Red Room, then. I didn't meet her until a few years ago– and I only knew her as the Black Widow at the time. [pauses, turning over his next words in his head for a moment before saying quickly] You mind me asking what you remember of her from back then?

[ Bruce doesn’t specify, but he gives Clint a small smile that said it all: he missed the freedom. ] Pretty much. I’ve got access to equipment I haven’t had access to in awhile, so I’ve been working on some research I’ve only theorized about. I come up for tea and food… sometimes.

So they were able to bribe you to be here, essentially? I mean, I know the other reason you're here, but seems to me that you'd need a better reason to stay than just because of the green guy.