Under or Over: Hawkeye & Black Widow

CHAPTER #33

Barton paid the hairstylist and left.  He had walked in with dark hair and walked out as a blond.  Why he'd agreed to this, he wasn't so sure any more. Against his better judgement, he had let Stark and Banner convince him to do it.  He was going under cover at Stark Industries.  First he'd go in and install some cameras that only they knew about.  Then during the day he'd be an employee in shipping and receiving.  At night, he'd watch the activity using the cover of darkness.  Eventually he'd find out who was selling Stark secrets or stealing from the company.  His legs were now healed and he was glad to be active again.  While he'd been healing, Barton had studied the floor plans and layout of Stark Industries. He also knew where every camera and security sensor was.  

When he returned to Stark's place, the first person he ran into was Pepper.  She did a double take and then asked in surprise, "is that you Clint?"

"Yes.  Tony and Bruce thought I should have a different hair colour.  I think they said it would make recognizing me harder.... So how do I look?"

Pepper smiled, "if you had gone any blonder, then it would look dumb.  But I think you make a handsome sandy blond haired guy."

"Make sure you tell that to Tony," Clint grinned.

She laughed and winked at him. They rode the elevator together, but stopped on different floors.  Barton was going to pick up the cameras he'd be installing that night.  The cameras were small and round, swivelling like an eyeball, so there were no blind spots like conventional cameras had.  It still amazed Barton the tech that Stark came up with. The man was brilliant, but he'd never tell him that. The cameras sent their video to an armband he'd be wearing and a link straight to Jarvis.

Clint asked Jarvis, "do you monitor activity on Stark Industries computer network?"

"Yes Hawkeye."

"So if someone hacks a computer at Stark Industries, you'd be notified?" Clint questioned.

"That is correct."

"Is it possible for the hacker that gets into the Stark Industries computer system, to compromise you also?"

Jarvis replied, "in theory it is possible.  But I have defence programs in place to prevent that."

"Do all the computer systems in the building link up to the mainframe? Or do the units used for the shipping information run separate systems?"

"It's all linked together Hawkeye."

"Thank you Jarvis."  Clint wondered if it was weird that he thought he had just hurt Jarvis's feelings.  He'd check with Stark to see if he had any reason to believe someone had hacked into his system.  

Barton also reviewed how Stark's shipping and receiving was run, so that he'd know what was going on as soon as he began his undercover job. Stark had hand held devices used for scanning packages. Then it was time to go to Stark Industries and get set up.  The cameras were mounted and linked to Jarvis.  

"All set.  Bird stay cloaked," Clint said.  He leaned on the side of the building, waiting for the morning crew to get there.

Barton was kept busy all day and got to know all the guys and gals in shipping and receiving.  He hadn't worked so steadily in a while, but he didn't think once about Romanoff all day.  When his shift  changed with the night crew, he waited until no one was looking and went onto the roof.  His night shift began and from his pack that he'd left there earlier, he ate his rations.  Barton watched all activity and nothing happened.  He reported in, once daylight crested the horizon.  Bird picked him up, he went home had a shower, an hour nap and back to Stark Industries for his day shift.  This continued all week, until Stark himself told him he didn't have to work there anymore, just watch the building at night.  It was tedious and boring, but that's how Barton liked it... usually.  It was Natasha Romanoff, his ex-partner who liked the exciting jobs, where her life was always on the edge.  

'Dammit why am I thinking about her.  She made it clear she doesn't need me or want me around.  Does she have to shoot me or kill me, before I give up on her?' Clint asked himself, already knowing the answer.

"Hawkeye are you there?" Jarvis asked.

"Yes," Clint answered simply.

"Agent Hill from S.H.E.I.L.D. is creating a team to kill ex-agent Romanoff.  The team leaves in two days for Slovakia."

"Then agent Hill is an idiot.  She'll get her team killed by HYDRA agents.  Romanoff can save herself," Clint replied.

"Not this time.  They're taking jets equipped with full weaponry and some new gadgets, we were kept in the dark about,"  Tony said in his ear via the com unit.

"She told me to stay out of it,"  Clint protested.

Tony snorted, "since when do you listen to anything she says?"

Clint was silent a few moments, knowing deep down that Stark was right.  "What about our undercover work here?"

"It can wait."

Barton disconnected the com, there was nothing left to say.