Ghost (Hawkeye's Daughter)

Chapter 1: Message to a Hawk

Riley's POV

I hid in the shadows on the ceiling brackets. I wish I could run away but they put a tracker in the back of my neck when I first arrived in that hell hole. I carried with me my bow that I named Holly, after my mother, I had throwing knives up my sleeve, a pistol in each of my combat boots and my quiver on my back. I was fast, silent and invisible to the naked eye. I truly am a Ghost. I heard a commotion in the opposite room and I prepared to strike from the shadows. The door opened and I drew back an arrow. The target was in sight but she wasn't alone. I prepared to fire but froze when I saw the badge for S.H.I.E.L.D. and realised who it was. It was my dad. He hasn't changed in these past 10 years except his light blue eyes had lost some of their spark. I wanted to run up to him but if I revealed my self to him, the Red Room would kill him. I had to think of something. I took out a note book and pen that I always kept with me and wrote a message. I then placed it on the end of my arrow. I kneed to time this perfectly. I thought to myself. They reached the document they were searching for and I shot my arrow, hitting the centre of the document. My father span round to my direction but only saw my hair before I left through the window. I was surrounded by assassins as I left the facility and was nocked out from behind.

Clint's POV

Natasha and I broke into a H.Y.D.R.A. facility to steal a document. We entered the last room and just as we were going to reach the document, an arrow shot past our heads and landed in the centre of it. I span round to see a figure with curly brown hair jump out a window. I didn't see their face but something felt familiar about them. We looked at the arrow and there was a note attached. Natasha took it off and read it. She looked partially confused. "What is it?" I asked her. "I don't understand what the message is but it's from a Red Room assassin, I recognise the code names they give us. Why would a brainwashed assassin spare us and leave a message?" she couldn't make sense of it. "Let me see it." Nat handed me the note and I read it.

The bird always comes back for his angel as everything stays - A4398

My mind began to race as a 4 year olds voice rang in my ears.

"But I'm safer with Daddy around."

"I love you too, Daddy."

"DADDY HELP ME!!!"

I heard the engine of a plane outside and I sprinted out. Some dark figures held an unconscious girl with long curly brown hair as they entered the plain. "Stop!" I tried to catch up with them but they took off and next second, they were gone. "What the hell are you doing?!" called Natasha as she caught up to me, holding the document. "Do you know her or something?" I stared at the spot that they had disappeared from. "Yes... She is my daughter."

~~~~~~Back on the Helicarrier~~~~~~

"So your telling me that the daughter you lost 10 years ago just showed up on your mission?" Fury asked sceptically. Coulson and Nat sat quietly, trying to make sense of the situation. "And why do you think it's her?" He asked me like I was losing it. "She sent a message to me and she knew I'd understand it." "So what does the message mean then? You haven't explained it yet." Said Coulson from the corner as Nat looked back and forth between me and the director. "The message said 'the bird always comes back for his Angel.' That is referring to a hawk, meaning me, going back for his angel. I used to call Riley my angel and one of the last things I said to her was that I'd always come back for her." "And what about the 'everything stays' bit?" Asked Nat. "It's the name of her favourite lullaby that her mom sang to her. I swear, it's her." Fury looked like he was thinking this through. I hope this is enough to convince him to help. "Alright, if it is her, where do you think she is?" "Sir, I believe she is in the Red Room. Her code name is A4398." Spoke up Natasha. He sighed and rubbed his temple. "Alright. You three and a team of agents will infiltrate the Red Room. I hope your not wrong about this, Agent Barton." I smirked a bit. "Thank you, director."

Riley's POV

I woke up in a familiar dull and filthy room. I was kneeling and my arms were chained to opposite walls so I was completely defenceless. The heavy door opened and in came the mistress and two of her goons. "Hello, A4398. You have been a very naughty girl haven't you. Disobeying orders is a cause for punishment, you know." she smiled sadistically at me. I spat at he and said, "Go fuck yourself, bitch. I will not be one of your puppets for you to play with." That wiped the smile off he face. She walked back towards the door. "You will be the first of the Ghosts, the legacy of the Black Widows. I will be back tomorrow to see your progress, A4398." "It's Riley!" I growled after her. I hated the names they gave us. Ghost I could live with but if anyone called me A4398 again, they had a snapped neck in their future. Her puppets remained in the room as I heard the door lock.

Lined across the wall were different torture weapons. This will be fun. Even my thoughts are sarcastic. One of the men walked towards me with a whip, the other with a brass knuckle. First, I was whipped repeatedly on the back. I could feel my skin bruising and breaking as he cracked it at me. Then the other one started using me as a punching bag. The brass knuckles dug into me and caused me to cry out as I felt my ribs cracking. I began to cough up blood, it was so painful but I had to stay strong. Hopefully, Dad understood the message and is on the way right now. They moved onto something else as they got bored. One of the punishers picked up a serrated knife. They placed the knife on the centre line of my back and dragged it down to the small of my back. I couldn't hold back the screams of pain as the jagged blade was followed by a line of crimson beads trickling down my spine from the torn flesh, careful not to go too deep. They didn't want me to die before the fun was over. They did this three more times before there was a noise outside and they stopped to listen. I was too weak and loosing a lot of blood so I was grateful for the noise.

...D-daddy?... Did you find me?"