Chapter Text
They said it'll be easy, sneak into Hydras old facility, get the files and come back, piece of cake.
Easy their asses, that is.
Because not a single thing they told him is right, the facility is 24/7 active, swarms with tons guards Clint is so confused why they didn't know this.
So yeah, he got caught, handcuffed to the immovable steel chair. His bow and arrows are no where to be found.
These guys finally learn how to contain a dangerous assassin properly, last time he was captured he was left alone in an old basement with too much weapons and escape routes.
That doesn't mean being in this state will stop him really. Slow him down? Maybe. But stop him? Not at all.
He may or may not know a trick or two on how to escape from handcuffs, taught by someone who was doing it in their daily work while being in a water-filling tank.
They died ages ago and he's not going to miss them.
The main point of the trick is that you make your wrist and whole hand small enough to slip though the restrain.
That will require broken thumbs to do so.
Which is almost too easy for someone like Clint who gets hurt by broken glasses and bullets on every day basic.
So minutes later his hands are free from the cuffs but the door is locked, surprise? Guess not.
He reaches inside of his mouth, pulling out hidden needle he successfully and painfully hides. Sure, they're careful with his bow and knife but they're clearly not enough for one of the best assassin in the world.
He snaps his thumbs back to place and automatically brings his nail to his teeth, everything is a weapon if you're in deep enough trouble.
Hawkeye isn't good with just his bow, he's the greatest with bow and every thing he can combine with his aim.
He bites and starts tearing his pinky and ring fingernails, blood dripping to the floor.
"Stop biting your nails, you are hurting yourself" a calm voice in the room makes Clint freezes, he looks around but there's no cameras, no speakers, he's alone, so who the hell was that?
"Dunno where you are charming voice Hydra guy but this is my ticket outta here" Clint says, using the needle to picklock the door. If this guy somehow knows he's out of the cuffs then the whole place is probably going to come here soon.
"I'm not Hydra"
"Then who are you then Mr. Not Hydra"
"My name is James Barnes" the voice pauses "I died here"
"Funny, James Buchanan Barnes is Cap's friend. He died since World War II"
"Isn't that what I just said?"
"Yeah right, so how am I going to trust a guy who claimed to be dead. Just believe you and suddenly be scared of ghost? No thanks." The lock clicks with audible sound "And that is my cue to leave"
"There will be three guards on your left and two on your right"
Clint pulls the door open, flicking his needle straight to a neck of the closest soldier, he kicks another one on a stomach then turns to grab a gun that is pointed in his way, successfully disarms and knocks the guy out. He flicks his nails at two goons, aiming for the main blood vessel on their neck and finally hits the last guy with the bottom of the gun, just to make sure they'll stay down.
"I've never seen someone fight this good with just fingernails and a needle." Comes a whistle
"How did you know?" Clint asks as he takes a hand gun, some throwing knives and smoke bombs from unconscious bodies. What a waste.
"Huh?" Replies a very confused voice
"Three on the right and two on the left, how did you know?"
"You didn't believe I'm a ghost so what do I have left to say, I'm your invisible guardian angel?" Oh the sarcasm, Clint can do with sarcasms.
"Still don't buy that, let just say you're my subconscious, imaginary friend then." Clint says while he's checking his ammo. Although he didn't fire a gun, they might have seen the fight from their cameras in the hallway.
"And you believe that idea of yours?"
"At least they have a proper explanation for that one."
He quickly scans his surrounding, that is when his eyes land upon a vent on the ceiling. Bingo.
"I don't even know your name and I already hate you" The imaginary friend grumbles quietly but loud enough for Clint to pick it up.
"Aww, you know you love me"
"It's Clint."
"What?"
"That's my name, Clint Barton."
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It turns out the info agent at S.H.I.E.L.D is an undercover Hydra agent, planning to capture Hawkeye. He never see them again which is good for them.
Nat won't stop bitching about his blood-caked fingers but she did pull him in for a hug and whispered something about painting his nails purple when it regrow.
That's OK really, he didn't pay that much attention to what she said after that.
His mind went back to the guy with calming voice he never get a glance at.
Doctors said that maybe it was a hallucination created by himself, to keep him sane and alive.
In Clint's opinion, he doesn't really know.