A Different Call

Sideshows and Carnival Games

A.N. This takes place around three to four months after the last chapter. 

Clint's P.O.V.

"I don't get why I have to be up this early," I complained, tossing the textbook I had been reading a few feet away. "All the other guys in my bunkroom get to sleep in till seven, I have to get up at four and stay here till eight every day, then come back during lunch, and then dinner and stay till it's almost lights-out"

"Because the other guys in your bunkroom went through their schooling already. They went through the academy. The other guys in your bunkroom also aren't minors. The other guys can't hit a moving target that over a mile and a half away either, and they sure can't do it with a weapon from the Paleozoic era. You aren't like those other guys, you're better," Coulson said, picking up the book.

"Sure doesn't feel like it," I muttered, moving into a sitting position.

"That's cause right now they don't know it yet. They still see you as the little guy, I'm sure you're used to the feeling. But once you become the youngest specialist we've ever had, something that I know you can do- they won't see you as the little guy anymore. But, to get there you need to get serious and study and train and listen to your instructors when they tell you something."

"I don't see the point though. It's not like I'll be on a mission and be asked what's an appositive phrase or when Christopher Columbus discovered the new world. And training wise I'm good you've seen what I can do."

"No, you most likely won't be asked any questions like that, but you might want to know about a countries history. Knowing things like who they've disagreed with and who've they allied with, can really help you during a mission. And as for training I have seen you, in fact, I saw Young wipe the mat with you the other day, so don't get cocky. Far-range may be your expertise, but you never know when you're going to get trapped in a corner."

"It's stupid though that I have to learn it all like I am a high-schooler though."

"You know why you have to do it, Clint. If you don't pass your GED then you won't be able to become an agent."

"Well, maybe I'm not supposed to be an agent than."

That made Coulson snap, "DON'T YOU SAY THAT EVER AGAIN! If you weren't supposed to be an agent then I put my neck out on the line for no reason. If you weren't supposed to be an agent, I would have shot your ass on that building in Kentucky, but I didn't. I saw something in you, I saw the brains and the smarts to make one hell of an agent. If you don't think you're supposed to be an agent though, you can go right now and pack your bags and I'll personally make sure that Fury has you on the first quinjet out of here."

I flinched and grabbed the closest textbook to me and starting studying, keeping my head and voice down until eight when Coulson finally spoke up, "Clint, you can go to training now."

I was so ready, training gave me a chance to get out of my head, and after what happened in Coulson's office this morning, I really needed it.

I changed in the locker room and then went into the gymnasium and ate the granola bar I had snagged from the cafeteria last night. After a while the other recruits came in and we all started to chat, for the most part I got along with them pretty well, although there were a few that rubbed me the wrong way, not that I was going to tell anyone about, I already learned what the consequences of snitching were, and I would rather not have a repeat occurrence. We all stopped talking though when our instructor agent Peterman came in though.

"Morning everyone. Today you will be working on your long-distance attack skills, which means yes, you will be shooting today," agent Peterman said

Finally, something fun, and something that would definitely take my mind off everything else. We all followed Peterman to another room where there was a shooting range set up, and a pretty big one at that.

"This is just too warm you up, your first ten correct shots will each move the target back one foot. Every shot after that will move it back even, " Agent Peterman informs.

When everyone finished the warm-up Agent Peterman said, "How about we add a little competition into this. Whoever can hit the target from the farthest distance doesn't have to run laps today."

Everyone started to become a lot more serious, it was only a mile or two we would have to run, but after the climbing skills yesterday, all of our legs were killing us. After around fifteen minutes, it was just me and some guy named Jake. He looked like he was having trouble hitting the target, and I knew he would probably lose this round. I shot and don't even bother to look at the target knowing it hit dead center. I looked to Jake's target though and saw that he missed, I smirked a little enjoying the victories. Jack was one of the recruits that I didn't get along with so well, he didn't like me because I didn't go to the fancy academy, and I didn't like him because he treated me like shit because of that.

"Barton, I want to keep going till you can't hit the target anymore," Peterman said while writing on the clipboard he always seemed to have. Coulson told me that Peterman kept notes on all of us because he, along with our SOs, at the end of the year would choose where in the operations division we should be assigned.

I kept shooting with the target couldn't go any farther, hitting dead center every time.

"You cheated," Jake whispered to me as we went inside.

"No, I didn't. It's not my fault that I'm a better marksman than you."

"You're just a stupid carnie and carnie's always cheat," he spat into my ear.

After the morning that I had, I was not in the mood to put up with his bullshit. "I didn't fucking cheat!" I growled, pushing him away from me.

"Barton," Peterman snaps, "three miles now."

I rolled my eyes but started to run, knowing there was no point in trying to argue my way out of it.

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Coulson's P.O.V.

After Clint left the room and I went over and looked at the English assignment I had given him to do this morning. I felt bad for yelling at the kid, especially after learning that his dad used to abuse him, but I needed to get it through it his abnormally thick skull that this wasn't a game and he needed to take it seriously. I sat at my desk and started to grade the paper. By the end of grading though, there seemed to be more ink than pencil on the paper. I put my head in my hands and start to cry a little, I couldn't lose this kid. I heard a knock on the door and look up to see Sitwell staring.

"Come in."

He walks in, "What's wrong, Phil? I heard the screaming this morning and now it looks like you're on the verge of an even worse breakdown."

"This kid, his, his scores are horrible," I said, shaking my head.

"Why do you care so much about him? The kid is a lost cause; he's the start of almost every fight, he never listens to anyone, and he has the personality of a porcupine."

"You wouldn't think that if you got to know him. He's only seventeen and he hasn't had that great of a life. He deserves a second chance."

"You've put a lot on the line for this kid and how has he repaid you. First, by acting like you're not in the room and now by driving you to the verge of a mental breakdown"

"I know he's had problems-"

"Problems Coulson, he's insubordinate, causes fights, and acts like he doesn't even want to be here. It'll be a miracle if he becomes anything more than a level one agent, let alone a specialist like you want him to be."

"Don't worry Sitwell I know he can do it. I just need to show him that he can and that he will, now can you please leave me in peace to have my mid-life crisis in my twenties" I said.

"Sure Phil, but I am just saying that kid is going to give you gray hairs," Sitwell said, leaving the room.

Don't I know it, I already found one when I was getting ready.