Fire and Ice

•5•

Kate sits next to Coulson at the Hellicarrier, watching as he calls the cell phone of some dude who's got Nat. Kate isn't worried; it's all part of the plan, and, anyway, it's Nat. Coulson puts it on speaker for Kate's benefit. The dude says hello in Russian.

"Hello," Coulson says. "I need to speak with the woman." The phone changes hands, and another Russian guy begins speaking, but Coulson cuts him off, reading from the nearby computer screen. "You're at 114 Solenski Plaza, third floor. We have an F-22 exactly eight miles out. Put the woman on the phone or I will blow up the block before you can make the lobby." Kate glances at the radio in his other hand, and Coulson's mouth quirks in amusement before he says to Nat, "We need you to come in."

"Are you kidding? I'm working," Nat replies.

"This takes precedence."

"I'm in the middle of an interrogation, and this moron is giving me everything." They hear a distant, Russian objection before Nat continues. "Look, you can't pull me out of this right now."

Kate glances at Coulson, then leans forward and says, "Nat... Clint's been compromised."

She pauses. "Let me put you on hold." They hear punches, groans, kicks, something breaking, a chain. Nat picks up the phone again. "Where's Clint now?"

"We don't know."

"But he's alive?"

"We think so," Coulson answers. "I'll brief you on everything when you get back. But first, we need you to talk to the big guy."

"Coulson, you know that Stark only trusts me about as far as he can throw me."

"No, I've got Stark. You get the big guy."

Nat sighs. "Banner?"

"Yep."

"Well, this is gonna be fun."

They talk logistics before hanging up, and Kate turns to Coulson. "And who am I getting?"

Coulson shrugs. "Ask Fury. The only one left is Cap." He smiles, and Kate's smile grows to match his. She gets up, going to find Fury, hoping against all hope. Coulson calls after her, "If you get him, can you tell him I want to meet him, too?! Like, for real?!"

"Of course!" Kate calls back. She bursts through the door, passing other agents, hurrying to the control room. Fury is walking out of another door when she spots him, and she jogs over. "Fury!"

"Director," he corrects half-heartedly. "What is it, Kate?"

"Dr. Carson," she fires back, but she doesn't wait for his response, far too excited. "So, I heard Nat is getting Banner and Coulson is getting Stark — which means someone needs to get Cap-"

"No."

She resists the urge to stamp her foot like a child, instead crossing her arms. "Why not?"

"Because I am getting Rogers." He turns, walking off and forcing her to follow.

"But aren't you busy?" she demands.

"Not enough."

"Oh, come on! I'm gonna meet him anyway." The thought makes her heart practically jump in excitement.

"You're gonna overwhelm him. When Coulson's done with Stark, he's meeting Rogers on a jet to get back here. He can only take one super fan at a time."

Kate could gasp. "Coulson didn't tell me that!"

"He doesn't know yet."

"It's been a year, and you haven't let me meet him," she argues. "I was the perfect person to go help thaw him out, you know."