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Disembarking the craft was chaos.
The Avengers in Phil's care were confused and worried by the ice, snow and lack of people in the extreme north of Canada. For some unknown reason they had thought Phil was returning them to the compound.
Clint, poor, foolish Clint, had spent a significant chunk of the journey pestering Phil for information:
He wanted to know about Laura and his children. That they were ok. Phil could not answer those questions.
He wanted to know if Steve's decision to allow Clint to re-join the Avengers would be ratified. Phil did know the answer to that... but there was no way he was answering it until he had got the transfers to Fury's secure facility.
He wanted reassurance that Laura would understand Clint’s decision to support Capitan America and stand up for truth, beauty, justice and that the-safest-hands-were-there-own/no-over-sight-needed. Phil could make a guess as to what Laura thought, but was not going to tell Clint in a small enclosed space 30,000 feet up. He suspected Clint knew the answer too, deep down, and even if he did reassure him, Clint would still know the truth. It would break his trust in Phil.
Then Clint wanted to know if Phil would be the team’s handler again. This Phil was happy to answer: Yes, he would.
This seemed to be a cause for celebration for Steve and Clint. Wilson, Lang and Maximoff dutifully joined in as Captain America explained the benefits of having Phil's steady hands to guide and support them. To help them with decision making, with handling the worlds governments. They were delighted by this change in fortunes. To finally have official support!
Of course, Phil thought cynically, while they did not understand their own hypocrisy, they were very pleased that Phil would (they assumed) also guide Tony. Maximoff and Clint both made it clear to him that they wanted 'damn good apologies' from Stark before taking part in missions again. Phil dutifully murmured that he would see what he could do.
Not one of them asked how Tony was doing.
Not one of them even seemed to care if he was alive.
Wilson did ask about War Machine, and Phil was able to answer that Rhodes was in hospital still, that the extent of his injuries were not yet known, but he was expected to survive. Sam seemed relieved by this, and Phil was confident that the man understood that now, 3 days after the airport flight, to still not know the outcome signified that the injuries were severe indeed. He was clearly torn between celebrating Rhodes survival; the raft escape and his guilt.
Still, no one asked about Tony.
Phil spent his time monitoring the situation on the ground. Firing a few texts off to Pepper - who had arrived complete with multiple specialists in a remote town in Siberia within hours of Phil's first text and had promptly started making diplomatic waves. She seemed to have temporarily relocated Stark industries HQ, was monitoring Rhode’s recovery remotely; had engaged Helen Cho's team; bought in several brain specialists (including Christine Palmer), multiple other doctors and teams; various Russian officials, and the Accords committee. It was a three ring circus; just housing her retinue was a challenge; let alone managing the fall-out. Not to mention the fact she was currently ignoring all journalists and news networks, who were having field day imagining what was going on.
Phil was helping remotely; arranging support, transportation and accommodation. There was little else he could do now the prisons were being secured; and he would never forget that this was, in part, his fault. He had added Tony to the team after all.
Finally they began to approach their destination.
The team was confused; worried. Steve and Clint seemed to decide to trust him. Lang and Wilson were highly suspicious, they both knew something was wrong. He could feel Maximoff's powers probing at his brain and was ever grateful to Charles Xavier and Hank McCoy for the advances in technology allowing them to block mental manipulation.
This fed her fear and anger, and she turned to Clint and Steve. When they failed to reassure her tension ratchetted up. Phil was not sure if he imagined or merely fantasied the slight red glint in Clint's eyes as the men began to circle, the feeling of suspicion growing.
Fortunately at this point Fury and his team exited the base. They dropped Wanda, Clint, and Lang efficiently. Fury began to reassure Steve, promising that it was for their good, they needed to come in, to plan...
Highly suspicious, but still willing to trust the old Pirate Steve and Wilson followed; entering Fury's Underground Lair.
......
Clint groaned as he opened his eyes.
There was a slight chill in the air, and he appeared to be in short term military accommodation.
None of this team mates were in the bunk room with him. He gathered his blanket around himself and got up to search.
Upon exiting the room he found an agent apparently standing guard by the door. He vaguely recognised the woman as ex-Shield. She was aloof, clearly low-level. Clint smiled (charmingly) no doubt she was nervous to be in the presence of true heroes.
For a moment he debated how to address her... but he had always treated grunts as one of his own...
"Aww", he made a production of yawning and stretching. "What way to the food sweetheart. I've got to tell you, I am famished." He followed up with one of his patented Hawk-eye twinkles. Always made the ladies go gooey.
"I'll show you the way."
He frowned a little internally, normally the grunts were fawning over him, an Avenger.
They started down the corridor. "Did you hear about our escape from the Raft? It's like this top, top maximum security prison, you've probably never heard of it (I hadn't); Middle of the Atlantic, off the books, Especially to trap Avengers, Stark-designed no doubt.... but Steve came in swinging and got us all out, then Phil showed up... and off we went. The Hawk flies again! Avengers back in business. God I love Phil! and Steve. God bless Captain America!" (It never hurt to name drop, she'd stop being shy and ask about the Avenger Adventures soon enough.)
"Yes."
He noticed she had her hand on her gun.
"You know where my team is? I don't really remember how we got in. Not much sleep in captivity you know."
"Yes. I know."
Well, maybe she'd defrost a little if he gave her a chance to talk about her experiences: "Oh, who got you?"
"A smaller group, in Europe. You won't have heard of them."
"Damn" (How embarrassing, a group so small he hadn't heard of them... no wonder she was embarrassed about it. "When did it happen?"
"A couple of years ago. Just after the Hydra information dump."
"Those Hydra bastards! Thank God Steve and Nat released that information about them, right!"
She didn't say anything. Just faced stoically ahead, no emotion, no eye-contact; continued to march down the corridor. Clint was beginning to get the impression that she was not going to start fawning over him; that maybe.... she didn't like him.... what could possibly be the cause?
"Hey, did we ever work together? I didn't forget right? That would be embarrassing... Just I work with a lot of agents...."
"No.". Pause while Clint thought, then she spoke again; "If you'll excuse me, I need to check in with director Fury about where to take you."
Clint was starting to get a bad feeling. "Just take me to Phil, he's my handler. Or better yet, the kitchens and get Phil to meet us there, I really am hungry." He grinning winningly, playing up his small boy charm.
There was no answering smile, no emotion at all in her eyes. She raised the radio and muttered something into it. The answering response was quiet; but her marching resumed, and she directed them down another corridor. There were more grunts lining the corridors.
"Do you know where my team is?"
She didn't an answer.
Clint began weighing up his options. Something may have gone wrong. She was talking about Fury, but they may simply be to encourage him not to make a fuss. He had vague memories of Wanda being concerned after they had landed, but not much after that. What had happened? Where was Phil?
His guide came to a stop. Knocked on a door.
Clint tensed. Ready to do what needed to be done.
The door opened.
"Directors Fury and Coulson; Hawkeye." She announced him.
He relaxed, entered the office. It was warm, heated, thank god. He'd been getting chilled marching down those cement corridors.
Fury spoke "Thank you agent. Have a seat Clint."
Phil spoke up. "Coffee".
"Thanks Phil. God it's good to see you Sir. Don't know if I said that before."
"That's fine Clint. We need to talk to you."
Phil handed him his coffee, cream, two sugars, perfect.
"It's good to see you to Sir." He said to Fury.
"Save it Hawkeye. What the hell were you thinking?"
"Sir?"
"Calm down director." Phil muttered.
Fury got up, he appeared quite distracted. Phil sighed. "Clint, we need to talk to you about the last few days." Clint nodded, he had expected that.
Phil continued: "Firstly, Laura and the kids are safe."
"Good." Clint felt relieved, he had been a little worried they would be hurt when he landed in prison.
"Laura was taken in for questioning regarding your activities, but right now people are accepting that she did not know anything and did not expect you to leave. Can you corroborate that?"
"What! Laura was taken in for questioning?" Clint jumped up "Who by? What right?...." He was spitting mad. Fury twitched in the corner. Phil, raised a hand to signal him to calm down: "Clint, you crossed boarders illegally to get to Germany. That fight.... there was a lot of destruction. Some people are calling you a terrorist. Of course she was questioned. People needed to know what she knew."
"They had no right!"
"Please Clint. She's fine. The kids are fine. It was all legal and above board...."
Clint interrupted "She's my wife. Tony’s trying to use her to intimidate..."
"Sit down Clint!" Fury roared.
Clint sat. There was silence for a minute. Phil spoke again: "Tony had nothing to do with it. Because you had joined a superhero group the questioning was carried out by a member of the Accords taskforce and..."
"They had no right! Bastards!"
"And one of your local police" Phil continued. "Everything was legal and above board. She's not hurt. Was only questioned for an hour. We just need you to confirm that she had no knowledge of your plans."
"Why?"
"We will let the Accords council know. She's fine, no one thinks she knew anything, but we need to let them know they don’t need to watch her."
"Fucking Bastards!" Clint replayed the last minutes conversation.... his heart fluttered for a second, he could feel adrenalin rising. "Phil, are you working with the Accords council?"
"Yes"
Clint flinched. "What?"
"Clint; working with the accords council is the only way. One Hundred and Seventeen Countries had signed the Accords three days ago. Today, one hundred and thirty-four countries have signed. Eleven more have indicated that they will, and more are looking at it. The Accords are not an option Clint. They are how things are going to go."
"But we don’t want them. They'll hold us up. We won't be able to help people..."
"Clint." Phil sighed, "It's not about what you want. It's not about not helping people. It's about how you help people. This is how thse countries are telling you they want you to help."
"But they're corrupt."
"No Clint, they are not."
"They put us in the raft."
"After what happened in Germany... Clint, Of course you were sent to prison. The raft happened to be the jail they put you in; but you were always going to go into custody."
"But you broke us out."
Fury joined in: "Ross controlled the Raft. We didn't trust him with the Avengers. You're now here."
He and Phil looked at each other, they seemed to reach an unspoken agreement.
"Clint," Phil said, "You are now in Shield's custody. We are going to sort this out. But do understand, this is custody - we have let the Accords council know where you are. There will be consequences for what happened."
"But we are going to be a team again. I am going to be a superhero again."
"I'm sorry Clint. You made your decision. It's time for the consequences."
Clint stared at the floor. There was a ringing in his ears. "I'm not going to see the others again am I?"
"We don't know. They are in this facility also. We've talked to everyone. I guess it depends on your co-operation and there co-operation."
"I...."
"Clint, I am going to oversee this facility, and I will do everything I can for you, but right now, things are a mess. We don't know what's going to happen. Without the Avengers..." Phil sighed.
Fury picked it up. "Hawk-eye; the world needs the Avengers. But.... they were always meant to be for extra-terrestrial threats. Things we couldn't handle without super-powers. And Rogers has been running around dealing with tiny little things. Jewellery theft, a small scale bomb threat. This stuff should be left to law enforcement. No country was going to stand for what basically amounted to an American vigilante squad dropping in to solve issues.
And when the missions started to go wrong.... The accords had to happen.
But now the Avengers are gone. I'll form a new team; but something big is coming. Tony knew, he was right. Its coming and when it gets here the world will need you. But for now, keep your head down and answer the god damn questions.
Phil, I trust you can handle this." He strode to the door and left.
There was more ringing in Clint's ears. He felt woozy and a little sick. Vision, a tiny crumpled figure at the bottom of a hole, 16 floors smashed in....
"Laura knew nothing. I was retired."
"Thank you Clint. Have you actually read the Accords yourself?"
"No.... Steve said...." Clint wanted to vomit. Rhodes spiralling through the air.
"I'll get you a copy. As Fury said, you'll be out for a while, but we need to be ready."
"Thank you." Nat. Red Mist, striking the container, the thud, hitting the ground.
"Do you know of any people working with your team who were not at the Airport?"
"No." Cars flying through the air; smashing the suit to the ground.
"When were you contacted to take part in the fight?"
"About 4pm the night before" Tony, repulsors not working.
"Why did you bring Wanda?"
"Steve, asked me to bring anyone I could think of." Firing the arrow at Tony, intending Scott to rip the suit up in mid-air.
"How did you enter Germany?" Vision in the ground, Nat on the ground, Rhodes on the ground. Tony on the ground. The Avengers...
"How did you break into the compound?"
Clint felt sick. The Avengers, what did Fury say, gone? Captain America; Falcon, Hawk-eye, Scarlett Witch, Ant Man.... War Machine, Vision, Black Widow, Black Widow.....
"Phil? What happened to Nat?" Iron Man....
"What happened to Tony?"