Tili Tili Bom (An Avengers fanfic)

Chapter fourteen

I am going to die.

This thought is my battle music. It does not stop playing, ever. It is always there, somewhere, locked in the back of my mind. But right now, it flashes to the forefront. This is probably because I am surrounded by armed HYDRA soldiers in kevlar vests. An obscenity breaks through my thoughts and I push it away. I'd love to curse, but it wouldn't help anything. I race through a plethora of battle tactics, but I'm grasping at straws. I'm out numbered, outgunned... The word I'd just wanted to say sounds from behind me. I almost whip away from my position against our hostage so I can laugh, but I'm too focused. I move the gun through the hostages hair. He's still gritting his teeth against the pain of the bullet, but I don't take notice. "My finger is currently wrapped around the trigger of this gun. Should one of you shoot, the jolt from the sound will make me pull it. So, if you want him to live, I suggest not firing," I command. Natasha steps closer to me. "If we can get to the car, or to a phone, I can get backup from Clint," she whispers conspiratorially. I pull our hostage to his feet. Despite him being much larger than me, he's not able to resist. He's in shock from the pain.

Behind me, somebody cocks a gun.

I don't turn around. They won't fire on me.

But Natasha...

She apparently has the same thought; she takes the hostage from me. I still have a gun at his temple. His breathing is beginning to steady. "You won't... Get away with this..." He groans. We begin to back out the door. I cast a longing glance at the mocha, which was really good, and only half consumed. I will return, my love. Natasha breaks my view, gesturing wildly to the car. "Get him in the backseat and run to the shotgun. I'll crank it." I glance at the black van behind us. "I've got a better idea. Cover me." I hand her the gun and race over to open the engine. Red wire, red wire, who's got the red wire...? "Done! Get in!" The door to the café explodes open, drones pouring out like water through a dam. I grab our hostage and open the back. Gunfire erupts as I stuff him in and shut the doors. Natasha revs the engine as I dart around the car. "Get in and hurry up!" I clamber into my seat as Natasha screeches out, leaving only the scent of burning rubber. She takes a few wild turns, trying to make sure that we aren't being followed.

We sit in silence.

"So," I finally say, "I'm only worth a small task force of drones?" I put a hand on my heart as if offended. "I thought they'd at least send the Soldier or something." Natasha looks at me oddly and turns into traffic. "We were supposed to be back by now," she says. "Clint'll worry." I wrack my brain for something to says she I let my hand drop back into my lap. "Oh." Ad Ad Sharlotta. Natasha begins to finger the dials on the dashboard. "Our prisoner's being suspiciously quiet. Should we pull over...?" I shake my head. "They have backup teams. That was an extraction squad. They've realized I won't go with them, and I know too much, so..." I let her fill in the details. I bang the barrier to the back of the van. "You still there?" I yell back. No response. I hit the barrier again. "Are you dead?" Still no response. I look worriedly at Natasha, who's pulled forward a few feet. "I don't hear anything from back there. Maybe we should pull over." As I look at Natasha to gauge her answer, I notice a trickle of red staining her shirt.

"You're bleeding!" I yell. She drops the wheel like its hot. "Where?" She shouts back. Der'mo. "Your shoulder. That settles it. Just drive us back to the Tower. I'll navigate." She nods and grits her teeth, pain beginning to leech through her shock. "Besides," I continue, "I think we've sent HYDRA enough of a message already. The hair can wait." The light turns green and we zip down the street. Before I know it were back at Stark Tower. Natasha curses. Her sleeve has turned almost entirely red with blood, and she's panting. "We don't have a way in. The sensor was in the other car. We have to take the main entrance." She groans as she parks. "I'll be out in a second. Go take care of our prisoner." I nod and unbuckle, slowly getting out of the van. I saunter lazily to the back and open the doors. "Come on out, you little..." My eyes widen as my voice trails off.

The back of the van is completely empty.