#fake widow

Laid out like a small theme park each building was linked to various endeavors. Almost overflowing with angles to be filmed just on the edge of the city, since out of a large crowd in projections your bees disguised you as Nick Fury, you felt the cameras hit your near to invisible self projecting an irritated assassin.

Past the gates with a recognizable face following the layout Chester was feeding you mentally crowds parted all the way to the first set of doors you had to get past to enter a marble and steel crafted building. Inside the elevator between your lips out of your pocket you eased a cube of flavorful gum as fake Nick were seen to lift the fake milkshake disguised in your left hand to sip on. The sugary treat he was known to love made another use as people who had taken notice of him would allow him past without need to disturb his snacking.

One hallway through bodies and a warning from Chuck, who was watching the people aimed your way on the security feed, had you round the corner mid ripple inside a gap of cameras to change your appearance as Natasha Romanoff. A single pop of a bubble and a disguise of a scowl named the mood that had bodies part to clear a way for you to the records room inside of SHIELD HQ. Right out of the door you needed Nick Fury exited and gave your shorter assassin disguised self a once over to another pop of her gum to match yours. “Thought you were off to shadow Stark on his satellite idea.”

“He needs some tape.” You said in an attempt to be vague only making him chuckle as you readied to blow another bubble.

“Not sure how Howard’s records could help him, but anything’s worth a shot.” His voice faded as he readied to turn the same corner you had come from, missing the plant of your hand on the door handle that in its press down your disguise turned back to Fury now sans milkshake. Fake Fury had the secretary inside what seemed to be a dead end of a black marble and polished silver windowless room look up at you with a curious smirk. The handle meant to have locked on the security system showed he accessed it again.

“Forget something?”

“Just occurred to me I did. Kick myself for wasting a trip back if I didn’t grab it now.”

Softly she chuckled as you walked right to a hidden single person sized elevator revealed when the door sank into the wall that closed behind you to drop you in a near weightless experience at the speed it took to travel the mile distance.

Inside the belly of the records room through a wide hallway you traveled to a thinner one to reach a hidden tile door on the wall that popped out when pushed to reveal a file cabinet. Names on files were flipped through to reach Clint Barton’s file, out of which seven travel alias paper packages were grouped. The one you chose was lifted behind your head. Inside the mouth pocket on your whale shark bag was unzipped to hold the package with your own papers then zipped again so you could put the file back and head back up again.

Where the real Fury went to check on other agents, back down and out the front entrance you walked with little notice or bother until back into civilian territory you dropped the disguise to walk off weirdly for the wilds.

Over three hours you walked following the pathway in your mind on the hiking trail until you found a lone black metal crate with an eyelet on the top of it. Confirmation of its sturdiness came with your sunset lit discovery of the lock on the side you opened to ease the door back to climb inside. Around you the bees lit the empty space as you closed the door and rotated the submarine wheel latch like lock. Back into the crate you centered yourself, pressing your back to one wall and feet to the other in a flash off Nigel’s back on the distance of the inbound shielded jet coming to fetch you.

Dozens of feet long a hook ended rod out the open belly of the jet on time was felt latching onto the eyelet beginning a jolt of a lift off the ground and into the air. Wind loudly slammed and screamed around the crate all the three minute long way up into the belly of the craft, that once sealed, granted the team of tactical gear clad men less interference to their music. All watching from seats around Deadpool, who gave the top of the crate a rhythm based knock.

“Hey there Starshine.” He said to your open of the door, making you giggle in the climb out. “Ooh, love the bag, new?”

“Well needed a bigger one to hold a change of clothes for Clint. Never tell you how much more space you need for pants when you’re tall. Never had that problem myself.”

Deadpool chuckled replying, “One of the unspoken perils of higher heights, that’s not even talking about the nightmare of anything foot related. Heels to flip flops you could fit three pairs in your bag I bet, have to line one of mine sideways to fit.”

“Found some sneakers that can push flat with decent soles for that.”

Straight to the seating area he led you to find snacks set up around their maps to show the spot they were being dropped at on the way to your drop zone.

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Just beyond the mark zone you were warned by the open of the back hatch. Now ready in a wetsuit, waterproof cover for your bag and face shield to the hatch you walked muttering a quote to yourself before you would fling yourself out of the plane. Eyeing the timed different grids of power that in a rollout shut off in turns as you took a step closer to the edge of the hatch. Wind again whipped around you and the growing sound of waves was your goal.

A goal you hit hard and fast feet first to exhale through the pain and ease the breather you had in hand between your lips to begin kicking on a goal for shore. Miles out to sea and quietly in the dark you made it ashore to strip out of the one use waterproof layers you buried in the dirt you designed to break into seeds within a week to not leave a trace.

And again you were hiking to your goal in the dark with just your bees mentally sharing night vision a goal was in sight. Making good use of the window of no power for the city to slip inside its borders and blend into the confused masses lighting the streets on their own in various manners. This time however you had a soundtrack stuck in your head from the flight over playing on Deadpool’s boom box.

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“Down here,” softly Yggdrasil spoke to you of another root you assumed and mentally murmured an apology that you did not have the time to explore the root connection today as disguised as one of the guards you simply passed through the multi layered bunker beneath a simple fish market. Tucked between a waterside town and rural stretches of farms out in Japan this hideaway laced with echoes of odd layered voices of those inside it to seem under a sort of daze.

Cells with shimmering walls showing the hall outside of it on those that glittered, compared to the mirrored effect the solid glowing barriers on some cells, lined to show disgruntled to bored prisoners with eyes not as bright as those you had passed clearly between lapses of mind control substances.

“Psst,” you said and clearly Clint had heard it before as he laid across the marble floor of his cell in just the towel he was given after his last ordered bathing session like the other naked or towel clad prisoners in wait for fresh clothes.

Deeply he sighed and said, “What do you want now Buffalo Bill? You gonna throw some lotion and a basket at me?”

“I have some lotion,” you said instantly turning his head to find a well over six foot man making his brows furrow to the movement of the mouth as you said in your own voice, “A basket might be a hard find.”

“What, did you, just say,” he said rolling onto his side to prop up on a hip to help his chilly goose bump riddled self sit up.

Your disguise dropped as did his jaw as you said, “I said I have lotion, but a basket would be a hard find.” Closer to the wall around the shimmering barrier you stepped now visually holding your bag in front of you with one hand to stick a round metal button on the wall that had his cell barrier flicker in timed intervals.

“How-,” he tried to speak but grabbed all you tossed to him so he could scramble to get dressed while you turned around with a hand raised over your eyes to give Clint privacy but not stare at the naked strutting man across from him showing off to himself on his mirrored barrier wall.

“One, two,” his shoes hitting the ground at your side signaled your turn to grin up at him mid reach for the button you pocketed. “Pluto,” softly he let out a breath of relief and asked, “What’s the plan?” Assuming there was some covert mission plan that got around the council having to approve his discovery then aided escape with the rest or part of the team or at least Misique and some of the Vigilantes waiting for him.

“We walk out,” off your hair the three bees that he smiled watching take flight to land on his head and those he didn’t see release your legs to latch onto his. Now in jeans a t shirt and the baggy flannel you had taken off to swap for a mint cardigan, with spare boots a bit big on him he drew in a breath and turned to stroll as casually as he could at your side, even while seeing he was a petite woman that almost had him crack up laughing.

From out in the fish markets to the bustling streets he noticed the bees split off subtly to latch onto you again then looked up at your glance up at him. “Just up over this hill,” you said in the split of the street from paved to dirt head off into the distance.

“Jet parked over there?”

“Jet?” you asked in another glance up at him.

“Pluto please tell me we’re meeting the team over that hill.”

“I’m sorry, were you waiting for the Avengers to find you? I can take you back until they do.”

Shaking his head in a disbelieving chuckle he replied, “No, I am not going back. I swear, when I’m not someone’s sock puppet it’s timed baths and nothing but fruit and nuts like I’m some kind of squirrel.”

“That’s actually a very poor diet for a squirrel,” you said making him smirk.

“You know what I mean. Then, Luke Cage? Um, that Cap, I think Elektra has a jet.”

“She’s actually out in Peru this time of year. Needed a break, but if you ask me I think it’s one of those classic novels going away to hide a pregnancy type trip. She was a bit mum on details of how long she’d be gone. Either that or she’s gotten a severe muscular injury and she needs to learn to function again tactically.”

“How’d you get here Pluto?”

“I swam.” You said making him huff. “I kind of promised I wouldn’t say. It’s a super secret craft and a super secret team that had a stop on the way here to Japan, so, I hitched a ride and jumped out to get ashore.”

Sharply he drew in a breath and asked, “You jumped out of a plane?”

“Well you sat by my bedside after Goblin snatched me and I might have taken that as a sign you wanted to be friends.” Making his brows lift up, “You wouldn’t jump out of a plane for a friend? I know you’ve done it for cash, and for Black Widow.”

“Pluto please don’t tell me you’re here alone and now we’re both stuck here in, is this Japan? Sounded like Japan, but that one Laos family was pretty big.” He asked with brows furrowed now in confusion to try and place where you were in the world.

“It’s Japan.”

“Pluto?”

“Question for a question,” you said making him sigh, “Where’s the nearest brook?”

“How am I supposed to know that?” he muttered to himself and looked around at the tall grass and grain filled fields around the road then back to you so he could shrug.

You pointed off one way saying, “Brook is that way.” Then another, “There’s berry bushes that way,” and at a farther distance ahead at the deer in the road you pointed for his eyes to fall upon, “And they’re asking each other if we are linked to the hunter who has a hidden hut beyond those rocky hills beyond the brook by an apparently foul smelling bush.”

That had his eyes narrow and lips part, “As friends, I can talk to plants and animals, all living things really, even insects and on the occasion solid steel craft who have a good deal of earth in them, but that’s more a feeling for if they have damage or are close to wearing thin.”

“What?” he asked softly as you looked down to avoid a lizard that crawled out of a hole in the road beside a small rock.

“No one ever asks me why my parents were taken from me and I was hidden. Someone saw me in our garden as a child. I’m special, the other girls weren’t, at least as far as I knew of. Everything, everywhere I go I can hear what it says. The trees, grass, animals, they all share where food is, danger, pathways,” up at him again you looked as he started to feel that realization set in for your powers. “I can find anyone, anything. Drop me anywhere. Imagine if one of the Widows could do that.”

“I would rather not.” He said softly making you giggle to yourself and look forward again. “It’s not cuz you were in the same boat,” he said to himself, “You and Misique can hear things we can’t.”

“The yin to my yang in some instances. I help with tech and meds, she brings the boom.” He nodded and you said, “She’s not here either. But we’ll catch a ride at the next town.”

“And that’s-,” he nodded and said with you, “Just over the hill.”

After a few minutes he asked, “So do you have to make animal noises? Or do you just talk normally?”

“Some animals are non verbal, so there’s a level of telepathy involved but most I can just talk to. The country and language they are used to does trouble some with verbal, an elephant in Africa once I had to get the dialect right before it would let us help it get unstuck.”

“This isn’t cutting into your summer plans, is it?”

“Oh no, Eddie had to take a work trip real quick and I’ll be back and finish packing before he gets back.”

“Did you tell him you were coming after me? He could report you missing!”

“He knows. Got a friend to help with the flight home.”

“So there is a plan! Good! Do I get to know the plan?”

“I’ve got a surprise planned for you,” you said with a grin up at him.

“Consider me surprised already, I’m out of that cage, spoil it, what’s the plan?”

“Your birthday is in five hours, if we count American time, I planned some fun stuff for you. Won’t take long, then you’ll be on your way home to your wife and babies.”

“How are you so calm?” he asked plainly making you giggle and look up at him.

“There are anomalies galore surrounding where you were taken on that mission Widow and Iron Man had you for backup on. Just like with Dr Selvig. Now, no promises you won’t be snatched up again but you don’t have to worry Hydra didn’t take you and from my alien contacts through Venom it is a lone entity who is shielding their efforts from mortal discovery.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Chaos follows me. I am calm because when I panic, people die.”

“Like that Thane guy.”

“Just like that. Besides, even if it was Hydra their only card left is to play Bucky, aside from that new plan to turn Goblin into an android to save his ‘brilliant mind’ from further destruction.”

“Two things, Bucky’s their card?”

“They had Widow, you took her, Cooper, I took him, Bucky’s left. Honestly I don’t see why any of you are afraid of them, more like Team Rocket these days now their roster is lacking any real depth. I mean they have a few sharp shooters but so does anyone really these days so that isn’t anything to be afraid of. All they have now is the big ego to keep up the façade of intimidation.”

Blinking at that information he chose to ask, “How do you know about the Goblin thing?”

“Venom demands my safety so we’ve been keeping track of Goblin’s movements.”

“And, that, doesn’t scare you?”

“Oh he’s going to be met with a very unfortunate accident when he’s activated to leave the facility the first time. Long as he stays in captivity their little toy won’t blow up in their face. Therapist said I had to face the effect of his damage to the world in a means to get at me to find self peace but honestly I think Misique hacking a fail safe plan is more comforting to my self peace than sending him a letter SHIELD wouldn’t let him read anyways.”

“Why do you think they wouldn’t let him read it?”

“I’m sort of on the edge of being his hair trigger to harming people. I wouldn’t let him read anything from me.”

“You must have a very good therapist.”

“I think so. You?”

“Mine got shot, in between them right now till they get back to business.” He said matter of factly.

“Have you ever played hide and seek with a toddler?” you asked making him grin.

“It’s my favorite game.”

“Been seeing tons of feeds with kids hiding behind their hands or lamp poles, just a time of bliss such ignorance.” Making his smile widen as you started to ramble to help his still racing heartbeat slow down so he wouldn’t worry the people on the path ahead.

 *.*.*

“Where, is Barton?” Prince Loki asked, his hand pressed to his side having been forced to again extend some of his powers to a task at hand to keep his badly broken ribs from healing faster since being transported here with his mission by Thanos. All of his other minions were here, all ready to accept the fresh supply of clothes the Prince had retrieved for his team to keep them well handled and comfortably clean, fed and tailored while under his watch.

“He, was in his interim chamber after his bath like the others.” One of the guards said making the weary Prince with dark circles around his boldly glowing blue eyes jut out his lower jaw a moment in irritation and wonder for how this would affect his plan without Barton.

“Do you wish for us to track him?”

“No,” Loki all but growled in a stare at the empty cell using Asgardian tech meant to keep its prisoner in that none on this planet should be able to conquer. “No we are moving the plan ahead.”

“My Prince?” the original guard asked a bit afraid for his life at this epic mistake.

Loki replied, “Pack up, we are moving to New York. Whomever broke Barton from his cell cannot keep him hidden forever. We shall continue our work in the base I have established there.” Off alone he strode to find a secluded spot to lean against a wall in a fractured try to gain a pain free breath so he would not black out from the pain coursing through his battered and brutalized body from what felt like eons of torture prior to his escape with this plan to find a way to eventually kill his prior captor.

 *.*.*

 Sounds of a city grew closer until a truck was seen readying to carry supplies to a shop out in Tokyo from a workshop here in the country had you say, “We should probably talk about aliases and back story.” Making him look at you. “So your name is Benjamin, lovely name, though you think it’s a bit stuffy and reminds you of your overbearing grandfather who you were named after. So you go by Goober.”

“Goober,” he whispered in an amused tone.

“Just by me. You ran away and we adopted you and we just bonded right away, couldn’t separate us, and now we’re on summer holiday sightseeing but got dropped off rather rudely by some upper crust nuts who we failed to impress back in the fishing city off their luxury cruiser of a yacht and they took off on us.”

“Fine, but everyone else calls me Barker.”

“Figured you’ve have a soft spot for cannibals.” You said poking him in the arm making him roll his eyes.

“You were humming from the Sweeny Todd musical all the way through the markets.”

“Was I?” you asked in a glance up at him, “They had the soundtrack playing on the flight. Thought it was just in my head.”

“Not a bad one though. Ever seen it?”

“Live? No. Only ever got to see ballets or orchestras not actual musicals. Always did want to see a Phantom production though. That and The Little Mermaid, which I doubt plays often if at all anymore.”

Past a couple quaint city houses with people either at work in their gardens or off in the beginning of a walk of their own and to the workshop you strolled to find the curious workers there in the process of loading the truck of goods they were to sell stop to look you both over. Fluent in the language the back story was shared and with confirmation they were headed to Tokyo an agreement was struck to get the tourists back to reaching distance of their hotel or rental. Into the back of the truck you both climbed to ride with the duo who would help to unload the shipment.

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 “Thank you,” you said, having from the bag now rested on one arm to hang in front of you hand over the pack of cigarettes, Clint internally wondered where you’d gotten them, and a couple bills to compensate them for the ride that let you out on the edge of the city.

“So, is a travel plan my birthday surprise?” He asked hopefully.

Around his arm your arms looped to say, “There is a plan, now I know a nice little place we can get something to eat and I can share the big surprise.”

“Just as long as it’s not sushi. Doesn’t sit well.”

“I don’t eat sushi, you like ramen?”

“Ramen is good.”

“Would take you some place fancier but that road block of cattle earlier put us a bit pinched for time to have a twenty minute wait for food. Plus servings is larger. They feed you well aside from the squirrel days?”

“Surprisingly from what I recall, ya. Baths twice a day, new clothes and shoes, several meals, but those were back and forth on quality.”

“Well we’ll be back before you know it.” Curiously for him he watched you in a fluid path to the ramen shop as if you’d been here a thousand times. Far from unnoticeable but no less a part of the crowd with numerous cheerful fellow teen females who complimented your bag and hair clips you tanked them for. At the back of the line you read the menu as he did, having confirmed for him that he knew Japanese and didn’t need translations.

Bowls the size able to hold melons were loaded up with veggies, slices of beef, noodles and broth in varied styles were filled as you stole a notice of the two familiar Sorcerers who were speaking with a young girl they clearly had paid for her meal. The pair of you smiled and thanked the older male and his son who traded the bowls for the folded bill you offered the teen girl from the register who had refilled the receipt roll. The top pink lined strip you held with receipt of the sale now pressed to the base of the bowl with the offered chopsticks and shallow spoon.

Right to an empty table you both walked and were met by the wife of the elderly man who brought you the teas you had ordered who promptly retreated to serve the group of teens in line behind you. Once in the chairs you asked him with a grin his way shrugging your bag to be laid across your lap, “Up for your gifts now to let your ramen cool?”

Upwards the corners of his mouth tugged, feeling again oddly happy in this wild adventure into his next year of life on a mysterious way to check in with his team. “Sure.”

And he watched you unzip the belly of the whale shark bag to bring out a shark wrapping paper wrapped bundle that he fought his smile in accepting hold of it from you. Quietly he opened the top of the bundle and chuckled in pulling out a smaller copy of your bag in navy with button eyes with a sturdy leather strap. “It’s a cooler version of a fanny pack.”

“Oh it is super cool,” he said squeezing it, “There’s stuff in it?” he asked looking up making you nod mid smile his way. The zipper in the mouth was opened and he chuckled to himself pulling out the yellow shirt he unfolded to see Garfield cuddling with Pooky under the dialog bubble that read, ‘I Hate Mondays.’ Underneath it had a yellow wallet to match, Pooky on the front was in a pirate costume he opened to find a few coupons in the card slots around a few ID cards that had his lips part in subtly bringing them out to find his fake name Benjamin Rheldes III he recognized as one of his SHIELD issued aliases. Closing the wallet he looked into the bag to find the rest of his alias travel papers inside the telling parchment pouch of the travel papers to match. The folded slip of paper beside that had him pull it out to read a slip from a spa.

“That’s our next stop, head to toe pampering session.” He looked up at you, and you said, “Flight home isn’t till tonight and they have a fruit based cleansing snack course that is supposed to be incredible.”

“You’re taking me to a spa?”

“Thought you might like some pampering after being locked up and all. Even if you haven’t gone there a good head massage can just change your outlook on the week ahead.”

“This says couple’s massage.”

“Oh I’ve been there with Bucky before, it is just a double bed massage room they call couple to make it simple.”

“What’s a hair treatment?” he asked.

“Scalp treatment, they use steam and wash your hair and even style it after a couple massaging treatments, even give you an eyebrow mask.” He blinked at you with an awkward grin splitting across his face at the odd distraction, “Much more comfortable than finding a hotel to wait in. Plus it’s a 13 hour flight back to New York so you would want to do the sleeping there.”

“Have you booked the flight?”

“I have an email confirmation ticket since they’re bought on miles from Eddie’s friend who wanted us to have a comfortable ride back.”

“Have you called Eddie since you got to Japan to check in?”

“Not him, but the friend booking the tickets to confirm I didn’t need to postpone the flight.” Off the napkin you lifted the chopsticks as he carefully folded his gifts into his bag he couldn’t help but smile at in laying it across his lap.

“Is he going to relay that to anyone?” He asked lifting his own chopsticks to start on his food.

“Not the way we roll. Best to get you back to New York quietly.”

“So I can be snatched black bag style you mean.”

After you finished chewing and swallowing your mouthful you said, “More fun for you to just stroll in on their cork board plan or however they plot adventures.” You said making him chuckle around his mouthful as you readied another grouping of ramen.

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Full and content he strapped the bag around his waist and helped you to carry the dishes to the counter, gladly following you out onto the streets to head for the spa. Luxurious and peaceful the darkly painted waiting room filled with comfy overstuffed furniture and both dim white and colorful light fixtures to help set the mood. Behind the counter a cheerful duo of ladies bowed their heads in greeting and at the mention of your name confirmed they had sprayed to disinfect and ventilate the rooms to not have lavender in it even though it is in the area known for scent and product allergy clients.

Mention of the most camera friendly staff members and a basic set of rules for filming limitations had you clued into them expecting, as they mentioned your videos of travels before, to be featured in a video. Smiles spread on their faces in the lift of your bees when question came for who would be filming or where cameras would be placed.

Confirmation of the treatments ahead and times of when the food and tea courses were to be set, nice locker rooms were the next step, where the both of you stripped to your underwear. You to keep your bottoms on were welcome for your comfort, and with a plushy robe and slippers to put on your bra was left off as they confirmed modesty layers were always used for client and staff comfort. Trading grins you and Clint followed the staff member into the hair treatment room, finger combing your hair to release the braid after pocketing the keys for your lockers. “I think you’d look nice with green hair.” You said to Clint making him chuckle at the color options for hair even you thought to take a try at.

Single use combs were brought out first for the process for the duo of staff members who were adjusting to being encircled by the adorably filming bees. One that filmed the room and supplies as the others focused on the process both for one with long unruly curls and him with his shorter shaggy style that had grown a bit while he was away.

From the initial head scrub and massage to adding a bit of oil a foam and various soap filled hair scrub came next. Steam treatments and a slightly odd dome was placed over the washing bowl that from a tube on the side was filled with a sort of mist to have that soak in.

Once dried a trim for Clint came during your hair being colored with a new hair health and environment friendly semi permanent hair dye that should wash out over a fair bit of time that a spare staff member came to help work into your voluminous hair they assured they did for all clients with more hair or curlier textures like yours. While that sat and Clint’s own hair was being colored you sat back to allow the eyebrow mask to be applied. Washed again and dried the pair of you had mint hair. Once your hair was braided back again the pair of you thanked the ladies and were sat up for the simple neck and shoulder massage to follow that the women said was to help with the tension people felt during the washing and lather processes.

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Now in the leather reclining chairs along the wall the manicure came first. Mint glittery nails for the both of you were chosen and filmed by the bees who angled themselves better for the start of the arm and hand massages. Including the bit where the bees stopped filming your décolletage portion of the massage. Clint already was melting into his seat after just the head massages and kept stealing a few glances your way ensuring you felt comfortable too. Tea and the meal came between trades of processes to have the process work internally as well as externally for the rest of the scheduled day.

Pedicures in darker glittery grey shades were picked to begin the foot and leg massages. The final room was readied and shown to the cushioned tables the facials with products and massages alike were had while laid on your backs.

To be followed by a sheet filled transfer to your bellies to remove the robes the ladies hung up once they ensured your sides and rear end were covered to only expose your back and part of your lower legs. Clint again to guess your own comfort stole a look your way before placing his head into the face rest and then came dangerously close to making some noises sure to make everyone else uncomfortable for how heavenly it felt compared to the hard floor he had been sleeping on in that interim cell. Knots galore for him and tense tired muscles from walking and swimming between the flight you had little sleep on and the ladies had their work cut out for them.

Unfortunately for you both the time would come to an end and back inside the locker rooms you changed back into your things to head back to the desk where they were so pleased to know you wanted a supply of the hair dye to take with you for when it washed out fully the claimed 30 washes from now. You, however would be buying more online and if you needed to light up then you could re-apply it with Eddie’s help until you wanted to go back to your natural shade to spare the extra task of maintaining it.

“Have to say, I think I like your rescue missions better.” He said on the street again making you giggle as he watched one of your bees adjust itself in your hair. “Are they always filming?”

“No, they do warn me if things pop up however. Helps with the anxiety.”

“I bet,” he said, knowing of at least three times you had been abducted since he’d known you.

Right to the edge of the street he saw you lift a hand and flag down a taxi that came to stop, rolling down its window, “Do you go to the airport?”

“Yes, yes, get in please,” the driver replied and watched you climb in. “No hotel first for your things?”

“No, sent those ahead.” You said and he nodded listening to the airline specifications and started the drive for the airport.

 *.*.* Hours prior *.*.*

 “Natasha, just checking in.” Fury said having called her to hear how Stark was coming along on his latest try to hunt for hints on where Selvig or Clint might be as the same anomalies were left behind both of them.

“No progress so far. Things got on a sort of tangent, now he and Banner are discussing an AI system to prevent crime.”

“Make any use of that film of Howard?”

“What film?” she asked, clearly tired, and huffed at the argument brewing, “I swear, I should have taken training duty with trainees over this bunch, all day since breakfast none of them can stay on topic. Gotta go, let me know about that film you found later.” She hung up the phone and with eyes narrowed Fury, still on the property went to his office. Bypassing the security log in through a back door to the surveillance footage he found the hall and time where he was seen clearly on camera speaking to no one. Tracking back on the different angles out to the front security check he had to huff at the sight of his name being shown on the authorization of identity the guards put in about their invisible visitor.

Back up to the same hall he followed the door he just left to see it open again and the woman inside clearly assume it was him. Pausing the image he zoomed in and ever so faintly in the close of the door caught sight of what could be a bee fly into the elevator. There was no telling what had been seen or taken from inside the records room and he merely had to subtly find his way down there to see if the same anomaly was traced there as well.

 *.*.* Current time *.*.*

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“Do I wanna know how you got the travel papers?” he murmured to you lowly as you joined the line to the self printing ticket booth closest to where the taxi had let you out.

“I think it’d be more fun to hear about a really odd conversation Nat, probably already has had. Unless Mr Fury finds you a personal confidant, then you’ll have two really odd conversations to hear about.”

Smirking at you he asked with a chuckle, “Fair enough.” He said then cleared his throat at the sight of a little kid who stopped to stare at the both of you with shark bags and mint hair that had the boy turn to gesture at his penguin back pack that had Clint grin and wave as the smiling boy was led away towards a line to have bags checked. “I’ll have you paid back for the spa day.”

“That should be a lovely invoice to receive,” you said making him chuckle again.

“Well it certainly will be a first.”

When the people in front of you walked off with their tickets you brought out your phone to scan the barcode on the electronic confirmation that showed both tickets the machine printed. Out of his bag he brought his travel papers and accepted hold of his while you shrugged your bag in front of you to open the mouth where your papers were to keep your own ticket.

Security was first, a rather simple process as an attendant on the way there flashed you a big smile and helped you and Clint forward to a swifter security line for the seats you had that made you and Clint look at one another curiously for the so called ‘Suite’ classification. But the easy trip through and check of papers took enough time to have a security cart that came to take the two of you to your gate only heightening your curiosity on what sort of seats Riot’s Other had chosen for you. Alone in a private lounge you were left with confirmation someone would come to fetch you on time for your flight.

“Did they say suite?” he asked as you looked over the lavishly furnished lounge to see what it offered.

“They did. But I didn’t pick the seats, so no telling what we’re walking into.”

“Oh that’s comforting,” he muttered to himself following you over to the buffet like supply of food. A bowl of rice you loaded with spicy veggies and meat was joined by a bowl of both fruit and a warm bun was carried to the table he picked with a view of the planes on the tarmac, carrying both his drink and the one you wanted he topped with a plate holding a warm bun of his own.

When he sat down you said, “I can probably look up the airline on youtube if you want. Travel vloggers often do reviews of airlines, might give us a clue.”

Off the top of your drink he moved his plate to offer you your drink while you situated your bowls and lifted your bun to tear a piece off of it to press into the sauce on your spicy meat. “I think we’ll be fine. My wife is gonna go crazy hearing about this though. Last year we splurged and bought me some $40 boots.”

“If you have to say I took you hostage.” You said making him chuckle lifting his cup of tea. “Can I ask how you met?”

Widely his smile split in lowering his drink again. “Met in school. She asked me to pretend to go to a dance with her to piss off her ex. Just never said we were done pretending,” he said with a chuckle. “18, press of a button, she was not gonna let go. Besides, her dad loved me, and he was a nightmare to wear down for anybody else she introduced him to. Takes a bit of wild to get used to my work schedule, but it kind of works, she has patterns that drive me crazy so she sets those while I’m gone and she loves a good story when I get back.”

“Ever go anywhere nice?” You asked lifting your chopsticks from your napkin to sample a bite of the mixture.

“Doesn’t like to fly, she will, but she’s a bit too impatient, but loves a good train. Flew to Italy once and took trains all over Europe after high school. Almost came back married, but that’s a whole other thing with her mom and tears and she ‘had’ to wear the family dress,” he said making you giggle at the irritation in his voice making him chuckle and shake his head. “Did come back pregnant though, mom didn’t get her way anyways by the time we could book the church she wanted us in. But dad got the BBQ pit and it was fun.” After a few bites of your food he asked, “What was that you used on the glowing wall on my cell?”

“Um, frequency inhibiter. Would have used an EMP but the one that strong would have messed with your hearing implants.”

“Ya that would have been awful, last explosion had to have one replaced and it is a nightmare of a recovery for my balance.” Taking a bite of his roll he paused and asked, “How’d you know about my implants?”

Gesturing to the bees you said, “Part of the hologram is a refraction off the magnetic field bodies give off, takes a basic sort of sonar scan at the same time of the person inside and outwards. Senses implants of varying degrees on people around me.”

“Huh,” he said as you took another bite. “Most of the agents who find out I have implants seem shocked.”

“Probably because you have such pretty eyes,” you said making him chuckle again. “All goes down to ableism, can’t be pretty and impaired, some people’s brains just can’t handle it.”

“Thank you, for the compliment, sad to say I heard that as a kid. Before they had a sturdy implant to even consider.” A few moments as you continued to chew then took a sip of your drink he looked your face over and asked, “Any plans, when you are done with school?”

“Not a clue,” you said making him grin tearing at his roll again. “Have my parents’ notes so I want to keep their work alive, it was by chance I got into the Blackhowls. I study various trades my ancestors used to survive,” you shrugged, “I missed eight years of my life to try and find who I was going to be. I’ll figure it out.”

“Well I had a job as a beautician before all this, paying for school by cutting hair and doing makeup. Back home there’s no shortage of demand for beauticians. Figure if I ever have to leave this I have a leg to stand on.”

“Are you the one that does Nat’s hair then?” you asked making him chuckle again.

“On occasion. I do think they want to impress you on this flight. Heard more than one use your title.”

“I’ve known the man for not even a year.” And he shrugged with an amused grin. “Honestly people act like I should be carrying around a scepter or something. All people see are dollar signs following what I can do but they don’t know I have seven more years to wait for it and someone else bought my ticket for me.”

“Other people always buy my tickets. I’m just a guy with a bow. Or I would be, I’m gonna need a new bow when we get back.”

“I made you a bow,” you said making his brow arch up. “Nano tech, in the tail fin with 50 arrows that look like marbles. Lay them on your palm and flip it so it expands. Bit showy but it’ll do in a pinch till you learn how to do a flick with your fingers,” you said pinching two fingers and moving the hand to the side rapidly making him smirk. “You want tranquilizing rounds you grab the fins on the end and push them in, swaps out the tip to a more leggy one,” you said wiggling your fingers gaining a chuckle from him.

“I will be trying that out when we get back. Clearly, we are in an airport, or I would now.”

“Oh come on, cause a scandal,” you teased with a giggle. “Been a week without an Avenger scandal in the news, people are starting to get concerned, you might have actually turned it around on us all. Might not even need that muzzle after all.”

Talk of his plans when he got back with his kids for his birthday ended as you cleaned up and were approached by the gentleman sent to fetch you. One more security cart ride and past a glass wrapped lobby you walked to be fed into a side entrance for the upper level of the air bus where you and other apparent exclusive passengers were assigned. “Welcome, Viscountess, Hawkeye. Thank you for flying with us today. And you are welcome to film as you choose.”

Clint was the one to say, “Already on it, bees are cameras,”

“Oh, charming,” one of the ladies exclaimed and shifted aside to allow one of the other stewardesses to show you both to your assigned seats.

A double seated bench was inside the enclosed room of a suite, across from a flat screen tv on the same wall as a small hallway you were shown through by your own personal female butler to the door where your private bath and bedroom with a remarkably small double bed and a smaller flat screen tv.

Shows of features to adjust the temperature, lights and where to charge things was given before you were shown a sparkling cider bottle the butler popped and poured into a champagne glass to go with Clint’s champagne he thanked her for. Pre-flight checks came before a buckle into your seats for take off, alone in the taxying of the aircraft you muttered to Clint, “This is going to be a long ridiculous 13 hours.” Making him chuckle.

“Least it’s a night flight,” he muttered back, “Go by faster with a nap.”

.

Meals were set, and in solitude you came up with a few items you would trade off the menu to suit your own needs, like his tea sandwiches for your caviar you didn’t want. Before he tucked into his meal he gestured at the plate asking, “Can you hear this?” Only making you giggle at the possible reasoning behind your dislike of caviar.

“It’s a texture issue, not that,” you replied with another giggle calming him to taking his first bite. Three more courses came with more glasses and drinks until you both had to try the private bathroom out and finish off the second film you had chosen. The third was put on in the bedroom where you took off your boots to stretch out along the wall on the giggle worthy small bed while he laid on the free spot.

Hours and two meals later and buckled back into your seats you stole a glance his way patting his arm having heard his heart rate kick up a bit at the prospect of being one step closer to home.

With a hand on your arm he followed you out of the plane then took the lead in the way to the exit gate where you said, “Bus to the train is that way.”

“Starshine!” you heard called out from beside a taxi to your left making you giggle and turn your head to find Wade Wilson in sweats, a Hawaiian shirt and ugg boots sans red and black armor. Arms over his head he said, “Mint is so your color!”

“Okay,” Clint muttered, “Now the pieces are falling together,” following you to the taxi where Wade gave you a hug and then tugged Clint into a hug too.

“Hawkeykins, I have been dying to see you in pastels. Literally,” he said planting his hands on Clint’s shoulders making him smirk, “It has been killing me, those eyes! How dare you hide them in dark grey and maroon. I know Widow has her color scheme but you need some pizzazz!”

His head ticked to the side opening the door to the back for you with a wide smile, “Hop in and I will give you all the deets on what a fiasco our jet is now. Oh my gosh,” you climbed in and Clint behind you chuckled as he closed the door dramatically and dropped into the open front seat facing you both, closing his door behind him, “Never trap yourself inside a metal tube with seven men on a high protein diet after seven bottles of tequila. We hit turbulence, someone lied about being a nervous flier, there was an explosion of unnatural proportions imaginable for a human digestive system, and then the pity gagging, long story short we had to power wash it and now it’s still airing out on our secret island.”

The driver took off for Stark Tower first and you said, “Just be sure to net it off or you might have a pelican problem.”

“Oh there’s not risk of that. Gregory chose to stay behind with the plane and guard it.” Making you giggle.

“You drugged him and left a note?” you asked in a teasing tone.

“He ran into a pole trying to escape the stench.” Making you giggle to Clint’s chuckle, “He looked so peaceful didn’t want to wake him up. Lucky’s gonna check on him tomorrow.” He smiled at you, “Can’t wait to hear about your flight. What did the goop monster pick for you?”

“Apparently we were in the Suite,” he let out an impressed whistle, “Personal room, came with a butler, attached bath, with a shower and a bedroom with what they called a double bed.”

“It was small,” Clint said. “I did get her caviar and champagne though. Not to mention the tote bag for the free stuff. I got new jammies and slippers.”

“Sounds like fun, having a butler, go and pretend you’re Batman for an evening.” Wade said, “Though no one can touch Alfrid.”

Clint said, “Felt like they tried to impress, maybe a bit too much, but for a free flight not too shabby.”

Wade asked you, “So what are your plans? Packing?”

“Finish that up then I will head down to finish off the end of the mast that should have printed while I was gone. Been raring to get it done finally so I can give it a shot to lower it and raise it again.”

 *.*.*

Guest notifications at Stark Tower were brushed away on the monitor of the system currently running the latest scans for where Clint could be held prisoner and by whom. Choice after choice were named of tips from various agents around the world of odd encounters and behaviors of seedy figures who could be behind it. The air in the room was palpable and loaded with voices in argument over the best route to take, spotting through glass walls the man himself, Rhodey fell silent and crossed the room to the chair Clint sat on the arm of to leave his gifts on the cushion.

Smirking at his friend who was looking over his new hairdo especially Clint called out, “Check Japan yet?”

“Japan,” Bruce scoffed as he’d already shot down two tips from there as Nat recognizing the voice turned.

“Clint,” she said turning everyone’s focus to the man Rhodey poked and took hold of the closest shoulder to him to test if he was a hologram or not.

“Where have you been?” Rhodey asked.

“What happened to your hair?” Bruce asked.

“I was in Japan,” he said noticing Fury from the far seat in the room stand to come closer. Not having been part of the discussion, but at the post of a picture from your social page with a picture of you and Clint eating at a ramen place to warn of a video of a spa treatment series of videos to be posted over the next couple weeks, he had come directly here after checking you were not home and hadn’t been for a couple days now. Went to a spa there, had a great time. Deadpool says the mint makes my eyes pop,” and he said to Rhodey, “Personally I think it looks better on Pluto.”

Rhodey was about to speak only for Stark to cut him off, “What spa?” Clint named it, and he pointed at Clint, “Out of this world, what treatments you get?” Clint brought out the sheet from his bag luring Tony closer to take hold of it. “Ooh, you like the hair treatment? Heard it went a bit heavy on the lavender when I sent an ex there.”

“Kid’s allergic so we went with citrus. Really nice. Got ramen before that and had a long day of pampering, she got me some gifts and then had two tickets for a compartment called the Suite on the flight home.” Tony clicked his tongue at the name. “Brother’s friend surprised her, bought them off of miles, personally I wouldn’t have minded the back of the plane but two helpings of caviar when she didn’t want hers and champagne. Hell of a way to ring in a birthday I will say.”

Fury said, “Speaking of birthday, lets get you on the jet and you can brief us fully. Get you back home.” Clint nodded and gave the rest of the team brief hugs and pats on the arm to give them proof he was solid as well just leaving Nat, Rhodey and Fury to go with him to the jet on the overlook landing platform. Once sealed inside Fury set off a surveillance blocker he pulled from his pocket as well as a pop up pocket sized holographic map of Japan. “First off, what do you remember of where you were taken to?”

And once he answered that Clint said, “I’m lying on the ground in a towel after my bath waiting to be given new clothes and given another dose of whatever it was controlling me and I hear a ‘pst’, I try to tell the guard off when I hear Pluto’s voice come out of this over six foot guard.” Fury’s brow arched up and he said, “She has a hologram program that just disguises you as someone else. Said some of Venom’s connections said I was taken by someone who gave off Asgardian vibes, she had a button sized thing she put by the barrier that made it flicker so she could toss me these clothes and shoes and I could hop out.”

Fury, “And you just walked out?”

“Ya, right out, the place was under a fish market. Passed through the next town hitched a ride to Tokyo where she bought me ramen and gave me some birthday gifts. Spa after, then we flew back.”

Nat asked, “You said Deadpool complimented your hair, he went with you?”

“No, but he did drop Pluto on the way to get me.”

Rhodey asked, “And when you say dropped?”

“She jumped out of the jet,” parting his and Fury’s lips. “Said it’s what friends do, mentioned I sat by her bedside after she was taken and took that as a sign I wanted to be friends.” Making Nat smirk, “Made a pretty cute joke that if I wanted the Avengers to get me she could take me back. It makes absolutely no sense and to be honest, it was wild till we got to the ramen place. Having her show up to get me, but I was fed, and pampered and she gave me some cool gifts, not to mention Deadpool gave me this unicorn hoodie my kids are gonna love.”

“How’d she find you?” Nat asked.

“She wasn’t really specific, I took it as she got the tip through Venom and his connections.” He smirked a bit wider and asked, “I don’t get to hear about your conversation you and Nat had while I was gone?”

Nat asked, “What does that mean?” to Fury’s shift a bit taller on his seat in Clint’s reach into his whale shark bag to bring out the travel paper packet that had Fury’s lips part.

“She said you and Nat would have an odd conversation while I was gone about these.”

Lowly Fury chuckled and said as he accepted the travel packet. “I’ll put these back in your file.”

“What conversation?” Nat asked Fury.

“Someone who looked like me strolled right through SHIELD HQ, until they got to the hall where I was, I remember seeing you,” he said pointing to Nat whose lips parted, “Irritated and saying Tony needed some film from Howard Stark.”

“The film, you mentioned, you weren’t asking about what Tony had, you thought I was sent for film.”

Fury looked to Clint, “End of the hall when I’m gone they’re me again, get into the record room where the woman there greeted me and let me down to the vaults, where this clearly was taken before I left.”

Rhodey looked at him, “How are you not hung upside down right now? Anyone sees you on the film-,”

Fury cut him off, “Neither of us showed up on the film.” Parting the trio’s lips. “Film shows people talking to us, but no us. If she did it, if she loaned the tech out,”

Fury sighed and Clint said, “This isn’t some espionage thing,” making brows pop up his way, “Kid wanted to get me out.”

Fury, “She could have taken anything from down there.”

“If she had why would she need to do it this time?” Clint asked parting his lips, “She would have already done it, been down there millions of times, cleared the place out. Check it all, and I bet you all that was taken were those papers.”

Rhodey asked, “Where exactly did she drop in? Maybe we can clear that up at least, tie that down.”

“Ocean drop,” Clint said making Nat’s brows lift.

“Whoa,” Nat butt in, “I love you and I would second guess an ocean drop.”

Rhodey bumped his arm into Fury’s, “The coast that went dark,”

Fury nodded, “Blacked it out, drop out, swim ashore. Fits Deadpool’s style.”

“Honestly she didn’t even mention him, he was the one who picked us up from the airport. Talked a bit about their jet and they had to air it out because someone got sick in it. I don’t get their history, how it crosses over, they didn’t say, but he seems to care about her in a protective way, so it’s got to be something significant.”

Nat asked, “She didn’t seem scared at all?”

“Not really, but she said when she panics people die. She did say if I got into a hard time I could say she took me hostage,” he joked making them chuckle with him.

Rhodey said, “She does know how hard the rules are on us right now, could have just seen a tip and saw a spa she wanted to go to and helped out the team in a way that beyond the papers wouldn’t be linked to us. We didn’t blast his face on the news for all they know he was just a bodyguard for her or it actually was a birthday surprise.”

“Well I guess we owe her one then,” Fury said making Clint smirk.

“I did say we’d pay her back for the spa treatments,” throatily Fury chuckled accepting the sheet of treatments he took a picture of to look up and get a check to pay you back.

“That we can do,” Fury answered.

Pt 41