A mile in my shoes

Chapter 19

Shield hadn't used that base in a long time, even before the data dump, evident from the thick layer of dust that had settled over everything. Fury liked to keep things and people on hand just in case they might prove useful in the future. Clint didn't find much reason to complain, though he couldn't help but think that the director should have anticipated the need for at least the bare necessities and perhaps scheduled the occasional visit from a cleaning crew. He had been in far worse places for missions before. He had also been to nicer ones. The abandoned base would not be of use for long. Clint already knew that he would manage his mission quickly and then disappear with his family, never to be found again.

The team struggled to make the best of their surroundings while remaining silent. It wasn't typical of them. The easy camaraderie and excellent mood were no longer present. The Civil War had left deep scars on their relationships, and the repercussions were evident in their interactions. Tony Stark made their lives a lot more difficult. His decisions had set off a chain of events that led to them being perceived as criminals in the eyes of many. They were forced to seek refuge in the worst places, and were now just the shadow of the celebrated heroes they once were.

It was a bitter pill to swallow. They deserved better. They had dedicated their lives to protecting the innocent, selflessly risking their own well-being on a daily basis. Heroes should be recognised for the sacrifices they made. They couldn't save everybody all the time, but they were doing their best. Steve had gone against the accords with the people in mind. The red tapes would make it impossible for the Avengers to save the little guys when needed.

Scott and Sam were looking through the various rooms, searching for a dorm or something they could use to avoid sleeping on the cold hard floor. Having experienced the luxury of high-quality niceties of the Avengers Tower and the compound, they weren't prepared to get any less. Egyptian cotton sheets and Hungarian goose down duvets surely contributed to a restful night's sleep. Wakanda had a similar level of luxury, but their stay there had been regrettably short-lived.

Bucky was still stuck as a giant popsicle, suspended in his cryogenic chamber, and Rogers had been moping around, wallowing in his melancholy ever since. Clint understood how terrible the situation could be, but as time went on, he couldn't help but find Roger's perpetual state of gloom increasingly irritating. He suspected that the others were feeling the same. Natasha thought going back on missions would help distract Rogers, which led them to find themselves in the middle of a forest, relentlessly pursuing Agatha Harkness. It had seemed like a brilliant idea at the time. But now, it was clear it had not been her best idea.

The Good Captain accompanied Wanda looking for food in the other wing. Despite the risks, it seemed wiser to go out in the town nearby and simply buy what they needed. Anything they would find here would have expired by a few decades. Wanda, thanks to her powers, could effortlessly manipulate perceptions and memories, ensuring that no one would be able to even remember they ever been there. If the girl had those kinds of abilities, they might as well use them during those troubling times.

"What really happened because of that magic user?" Natasha asked curiously, the only member of his team who was still in the main room with him.

"Precisely what I said." Clint answered, with a hint of indifference in his voice.

"Laura would never be fooled by pretty words, even if they came from Tony Stark. She was an agent of Shield, and a good one at that. You two and Fury had put some contingency plans in place. Laura knew what to do. She would never have willingly gone along with anyone against her choice." Nathasha declared confidently.

Because he had brought Natasha back home once or twice and she had met Laura and the children, the woman thought she understood his family better than anyone else, including himself. Her supposed expertise in psychology was greatly exaggerated. Fury had assigned her to Star Tower because of her physique. It might not be a nice thing to say but it didn't make it any less true. Stark had a reputation as a playboy back then. The report was already written. It was merely a fortunate coincidence that what she had written herself coincided with what Shield had wanted all along.