The Seventh Infinity Stone

There's Intense Conversations Going On In This Chapter

"So she wants to get you alone? We can't do that, not on her terms," Natasha said bluntly.

After stationing two guards inside and outside of the room holding Alita, the Avengers and Fury assembled together to decide what to do.

"I think we'll have to do it," Clint said. "I think... I think that she knows something about me that I don't necessarily want to make public. I think she knows something about all of us and for some, things that even we didn't know about. I don't like it and I'm afraid we'll have to play her game for a little bit longer before we can play it our way."

Natasha and Clint exchanged looks and she seemed to gain understanding, "You don't think..." He nodded in confirmation, "Then I agree with you Clint, I think it's what we need to do."

"Wait, just hold on a second," Tony interrupted confused. "I thought you were very much against this Natasha, why the sudden change of heart?"

"I agree with Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton, for now, we need to play her game but by our rules," Nick Fury agreed.

"Nick, is there something you three aren't telling us?" Steve asked.

"It's not mine to tell," Fury pointed to Barton. "If he wishes to tell you he will."

Steve looked at Clint, "Well are you going to?"

"No. We all have our secrets, and this is the most important one to me. I can't risk it getting out and I'm definitely not saying it here where anyone could be listening. I have to make sure that she actually knows otherwise if she tells Loki or if he already knows, innocent people are going to get hurt. Do you not trust me?"

Steve sighed, "We'll have to assume that you are making the right call Clint. Tony, turn off the cameras."

****

I was lying on the bed smiling up at the ceiling. I knew that Barton would be coming; he loved his family too much to not check if I knew about them. I could also sense him getting closer. I can always feel the presence of others and I know what his emotions felt like... Now that I say that out loud it sounds kind of creepy, but it's not! With every person, their emotions feel different than others. For example, how happiness is in someone's head can present itself as firm but for someone else it is soft and for another, it is blue, or another it is yellow. It is just another way I detect people's emotions. I can actually see them. And yes, it is as weird as it sounds but anyway, I already knew what Clint's emotions looked like and felt like. I knew he was coming before he even entered the door.

You are probably thinking that if I can tell other people's emotions apart, how did I not tell that it was Loki, not Grandpapa that was with me in the museum? It can get overwhelming with the amount of emotion flowing in, and it's easier if I block that kind of stuff out when I do not need to concentrate on them. Also, others deserve their privacy and I'd never dream of intruding on Grandpapa's. Besides, he would know, he was the stone once. 

When Clint came in the guards left and joined those outside. He did not sit at the desk, instead, he leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and looked at the wall opposite.

"Hi, again Clint. How are you?"

He ignored my question and answered with his own, "Does Loki know? Did I tell him and not remember?"

"No, you didn't."

He looked at me, "Then how do you know?"

"How's Laura?"

He walked to the desk and slammed his fist on its surface, "Don't change the subject, how do you know?"

I was silent for a while then I stood up and walked and stood in front of him and the desk.