Old Wounds

Chapter 4

09:34 25-AUG-09, SHIELD HELICARRIER: FLIGHT DECK

"Clint! What the hell?" Natasha shouted as her partner had her arm in a tight grip. She nearly considered hurting him in order to get free, but changed her mind when she found herself on the flight deck.

It was a bright, warm morning. Workers were rushing all over the deck, occasionally signaling for a jet to take flight. A few SHIELD soldiers were jogging up and down the deck in unison with their leader barking at them to not lag behind. The two assassins went unnoticed, or if someone saw them, they said nothing.

"Clint," Natasha said again, more firmly this time. "What are we doing?"

Coming to a halt, Clint turned to face her, a determined look in his light eyes.

"We need to go back to Zurich," he said.

"You're crazy."

"No, seriously, Natasha." Clint released her arm, and ran his hands through his short hair. "Your life is potentially in danger."

"Not anymore than usual," Natasha muttered. But still, if Fury was so concerned about her well-being due to this threat, was it really something for her to be worried about?

A chirpy voice snapped Natasha out of her thoughts.

"What are you doing out here, Agent Barton?" Agent Lana Birch's wide blue eyes looked curiously to him, completely ignoring Natasha.

"Agent Romanoff and I were talking about our last mission," Clint lied smoothly.

"It's such a nice day," Natasha said, hoping that her expression wasn't too sour. "It's hard to enjoy a beautiful day indoors. But what are you doing out here, Agent Birch? Aren't you supposed to be inside, writing reports for Director Fury?"

Lana smiled sweetly. "I have more important things to focus on today," she said, flipping her long hair behind her. "Although, I'm sure that Fury hasn't told you about it yet."

"Excuse me," Natasha snapped, "but I'm sure that I have a higher clearance level than you."

"I don't know about that."

"It doesn't seem like you know much-"

"Well, hope you have a good day, Agent Birch," Clint interjected, putting an arm around Natasha's shoulders and steering them away from the smiling blonde. "Very subtle, Nat."

"It's not like I punched her in the face or anything."

"Lana's a good person," Clint said, sighing.

"Oh, now she's Lana?"

"I call you Natasha."

"You've known me for ten years!" Natasha cried. "You've just met that woman a week ago."

Clint's expression turned amused. "Are you jealous, Tasha?"

"Me? Jealous?" Natasha sputtered. "Why would I be jealous of a ditz like her? I mean"- Natasha quickly changed the subject- "Fury has yet to tell us about that all-important situation that Agent Bit- Birch had kindly told us about."

"We can find out later," Clint said impatiently. "Do you have your gear?"

"What do I need it for?"

"We're going rogue."

09:58 25-AUG-09, SHIELD QUINJET

As the two assassins fit the headset on their ears, a few workers were looking unsurely to one another. Natasha had told them that they had authorization from Director Fury to fly the jet. Clint buckled on his seatbelt and took the controls, starting up the Quinjet. Once they were clear to go, Clint took off down the short runway.