Under or Over: Hawkeye & Black Widow

CHAPTER #26

After talking things over with Stark, Barton decided not to go to Fury.  They tracked Romanoff's movements, determining she was Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker's right hand. The operation from Larne moved to the Isle of Man. The interesting thing was, she never removed the tracker and Barton knew she would have found it five minutes after he had planted it.  So was she or wasn't she a HYDRA agent now?  If Romanoff wasn't, then why did she say she had to kill him?  If she was, then he would already be dead. She didn't miss with her gun fire at close range like that. Until she left that island, nothing could be done.  So Barton worked with Jarvis to make some changes to his bow, quiver and arrow heads.  Stark continued to play with the black diamond.

"What I want to know is what universe or alien planet did they want to build a portal to Earth for?" Clint asked Tony.

"That's the money question," Pepper said as she handed them both a drink.

"Well if we can figure out where the diamond came from, maybe that will answer the question," Tony said logically.

Clint scratched his chin in thought, "well Reeser didn't get it from Fury or anything S.H.E.I.L.D. related.  Fury had me watching video of him working in the lab. If he did get it from them, it was done off camera."

"Then it came from HYDRA.  We need to know if this is one of a kind or if there are more of these diamonds around," Tony said.

Pepper smiled, "Jarvis pull up the map of the known sites for HYDRA." With a finger she circled the map in the air.  "Albania, Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia are where I would put another location.  Those countries were all allies of the Nazis."

"Beauty and brains, that's why I love her," Tony grinned.

"We know of their locations in Egypt and Japan already," Clint added.

"Tony tells me you're freelance now, that Fury kicked you out of the agency," Pepper said.

"I think it was more I walked out, then stole a quinjet." Clint laughed and clinked glasses with Stark.

"So you've got the time to go find HYDRA locations," Pepper continued. "And it will help you keep your mind off of Natasha."

"I don't have that kind of cash stashed away Pepper." Clint ignored the rest of what she said, even though she was right.

Tony caught Pepper's eye and shrugged.  "We do and this is important."

Clint thought about it for a second, "alright where do you want me to go first?"

Holding up his hand to stop everyone, Tony said, "Jarvis show on the map all the active operations for S.H.E.I.L.D."  Another screen appeared in the air.  "Now remove all the operations that are not about HYDRA."

"Fury is all over Egypt and Japan.  So I don't have to go there," Clint observed.  

"We'll need a few days to get your equipment ready.  Go relax at that cabin of yours in the mountains.  I'll bring BIRD to you when it's time to go. Make sure you do some visible, normal things so Fury thinks your not up to anything,"  Tony instructed.

"I'll feel naked without my bow and quiver."

"I knew you'd say that, which is why you will take the prototype I want you to test.  Be careful though, because the heads detach and the shaft has a homing device on it.  I haven't worked out all the kinks yet.  That's why I need you to use it and tell me what needs to be tweaked."

Barton knew Stark was being overly generous, to help distract him from his ex-partner.  "Tony thanks for everything.  But you think she's gone bad, don't you?"