Inell's Fanfiction Archive

They land the quinjet in a field off the radar of their target. This mission is probably going to be one of the difficult ones, mostly because they don’t have complete intel. They know they’re dealing with another power hungry asshole, but there’s some question as to whether it’s a human or possibly something else. It’s tough to find out if someone’s an alien, after all, and they don’t have enough information to determine what they’re about to face. Clint doesn’t like going in blind, but they don’t have a choice.

Fury gives the orders, and there have been disappearances and deaths linking back to this asshole, who just went public with plans to take over the world by kidnapping a group of Army soldiers and threatening to execute one every hour after his imposed timeline until his demands are met. It’s not like the politicians would give a fuck about them if it isn’t for political gain, but important people are involved who do, so they’ve been sent in as an attempt to rescue them before this becomes a disaster.

This guy needs to get in line, really, considering how many people seem to have plans to take over the world or get power through fear and murder.

Before they leave the jet, Clint reaches out to take Steve’s hand. “See you on the flipside, babe.”

“Be careful up there, sweetheart.” Steve leans in for a quick kiss before he pulls his mask down and becomes Captain America. “Hawkeye, I want you on top of that warehouse across from the camp. Iron Man and Widow, you’re with me. We’re going to go through the front. Thor, you and Bruce are through the back. Hulk needs to be ready. Plan is to retrieve the hostages with as few casualties as possible.”

Clint nods. “Got it. I’ll provide cover on your word, Captain.”

“Do we know yet if this is just a crazy guy or one of the outer space wonders we’re having turn up more over the last year?” Tony asks, tapping his foot impatiently. The action makes an odd noise as the metal of his suit hits a rock.

“I do not think he is an alien.” Thor studies the compound in the distance. It’s in a remote area, and there’s a possibility that the warehouse contains supplies or machinery. Clint’s planning to check before he makes his nest, since he wants to know what he’s got underneath him. “But it is possible.”

“Great help there, Blondie.” Tony shakes his head. “Fine. We’ll go in and save the soldiers. Any other orders, Cap?”

“Be careful.” Captain nods at them and they head into position.

Clint looks into the windows of the warehouse, but all he sees are an old car and lots of empty space. It’s close enough to the compound that he figures it’s used by this Bexton Collier guy, but he doesn’t see anything immediately out of place, so he figures he'll climb up and makes his nest. There’s not enough time to do a thorough sweep, not when the others are calling out positions as he peers through windows. Still. “Captain, I don’t see anything in the warehouse, but there are a couple of closed doors. Should I do a sweep?”

“Intel said it’s empty, so negative at this time, Hawkeye.” Captain pauses before he asks, “Do you see anything that indicates a sweep is necessary?”

Clint knows Cap is asking if his gut is telling him anything, but he can’t really answer that. This whole mission has his gut feeling weird, but that’s because he hates not having enough intel to know exactly what they’re facing. He worries about his team. “Not sure. Something isn't right, but I don't know what,” he finally says, deciding to be honest.

“Get into position, Hawkeye,” Hill says, interrupting the exchange. “Our data says it’s not hot. We need to move before Collier’s time limit expires. We make decisions based on our intel, not on your feelings.”

“Got it,” Clint says, not bothering to argue with her. She’s overseeing the mission on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s end, and he trusts her more than most of them. By the time he’s in position, he hears that the others are situated and waiting for the order to strike.

“Hawkeye, what do you see?” Captain asks.

“There aren’t any guards around the entrance, but I see two outside a door approximately ten feet within the first wall. It looks quiet, Sir.” Clint frowns because he isn’t sure how it could be quiet when Collier just went public with his hostages and demands.

“Careful, team. Let’s move.” Captain gives the order, and Clint focuses as he gets his bow into position. He’s close enough that he can hit anyone that puts his team at risk, fortunately, but he’s suspicious about the lack of activity.

When Nat goes in, Clint tenses and watches. She takes out the first guard, but the second one manages to get away. An alarm is sounded, which leads to instant chaos. Clint feels like he’s on the outside looking in, close enough to get a few hits but not close enough to do more damage as dozens of people swarm the compound.

“Thor, Hulk, we need some help,” Captain says, rushing into the fray and clearing a path for Tony to reach the most likely place for the hostages to be kept. A loud roar signals Hulk’s arrival, and the fight becomes worse. Clint continues to shoot as many targets as he can, managing to get one before Captain gets struck from behind.

“Cap, there’s no one here.” Tony sounds slightly panicked. “The room is empty. Repeat, the hostages are not here.”

“Hawkeye, what do you see?” Cap demands, looking around the compound before he runs to the other door that hadn’t been guarded.

“Fuck. Some of them are exiting the compound, headed this way.” Clint reaches for more arrows, shooting the darkly clad shapes as they run away from the others. “Looks like they’re running away. Iron Man, what are you seeing?”

“There’s nothing here. I’m not finding any hidden rooms or basement.” Tony leaves the room, and he’s a bright spot of red and gold as he soars into the air. “Cap, did you find anything?”

“Explosives. They’re set to go off. Team, move out. Repeat, move out. This is a set-up.” Captain runs out of the room he’d been investigating, and Clint focuses on clearing a path out of the compound for his team. Thor suddenly grabs Natasha and flies them over the wall as Tony flies down to grab Steve while Hulk crashes through the wall, knocking it over on some of Collier’s soldiers who haven’t got out of the way. They’re barely in the air before the explosion happens.

The sky turns orange and red for a brief moment as everything lights up with fire. Clint scans the sky for his team, relaxing slightly when he sees them landing nearby. He tenses soon enough, though, when he sees the soldiers heading back in their direction. “Cap, incoming. They’re headed back your way. Damn it. There’s more coming from the compound. Repeat, they’re coming at you from two directions.”

“Cover us, Hawkeye.” Captain starts fighting, using his shield while Thor swings Mjölnir to take out the closest soldiers to them.

“Captain, you need to locate the hostages and Collier. The time limit expires in ten minutes.” Hill gives the order, and Clint watches Captain smash someone in the face with his shield before running back towards the flaming wreckage of the compound.

“There’s nothing here. It’s a decoy. Everything’s on fire, rigged to explode. Collier planned it. I don’t know if he’s even here.” Captain sounds frustrated and angry, which Clint can understand. “Hawkeye, the warehouse. You said there were doors?”

Fuck. Clint should have ignored Hill and trusted his gut. He knew something felt off. “Two doors. There must be at least two rooms in it,” he says, continuing to shoot at the soldiers fighting his team. He’s not sure where they’re all coming from or how this Collier guy had such an army in place without anyone even knowing anything about him until a few hours ago.

“I’ll head in,” Natasha says. “I can fit through the window. Hawkeye, clear a path for me.”

“Got it covered.” He’s focused on his team, but he feels a change in the air and tenses. That’s when he hears it. He’s not alone. “Cap, I’ve got a nest infestation,” he says slowly, waiting, waiting, waiting then he turns and shoots his arrow.

It’s worse than he expects. There are at least a half-dozen men on the roof, only they don’t really look like men. These aren’t the same people as those down on the ground, and he’s freaking the fuck out because what the Hell are their arms?

“Hawkeye! Report!” Cap’s voice cuts through his rising panic.

“Bit busy here, Cap. Got visitors. Freaky visitors. Thor’s wrong. These aren’t human,” he says, reaching for his arrows even as the things creep closer. They’re playing with him, he realizes. Like it’s a game. Like they’re not scared.

“I’m heading up to do some pest control,” Tony says. “Can’t have our favorite bird’s nest overrun.”

“I shall do pest control, too,” Thor announces. “I need to see how I was wrong.”

“Hawkeye, talk to me,” Captain demands. “What are you seeing?”

“They’re not scared, Cap. I’ve got my arrows aimed at them, and they’re toying with me. Their arms aren’t arms. I don’t know what the fuck they are, but they aren’t scared. Not of me.” Clint keeps his voice quiet and even. This isn’t giving him a good feeling, but he can’t do anything. Until he gets help, he’s stuck. He can take a few of them out, but he’s not sure what they’re dealing with.

“Damn it. Thor, I need help down here. Iron Man, get Hawkeye out of there. Hulk, smash,” Captain orders, and only months of paying too much attention lets Clint hear the tremor in his voice.

“I’m on the way, Hawkeye,” Tony says.

“Good.” Clint notices Tony in the air getting closer, so he quickly calculates and knows he’s got time to get at least two out of the way before Tony gets him to safety. “Whatever the hell you things are, you’ve chosen the wrong people to fuck with,” he says, shooting the one closest to him. That seems to flip a switch, as they all surge forward as one. He backs up, but he reaches the ledge before Tony gets to him.

“Hawkeye, can you get away from them?” Tony asks. “You’re too close to the edge.”

“I know that! They’re fighting now,” Clint points out, crying out in pain as something sharp slides across his ribs. Their arms are sharp, and he gasps when he feels something puncture his arm, almost like a large needle.

“Hawkeye! What’s happening? Report now!” Cap demands, sounding upset and rattled instead of calm as he usually is in most situations.

“Can’t fight them. Too many. Ow, fuck. It hurts.” Clint hates hearing Cap sound like that, so tries to stab them with the arrows, knowing they’re too close to use the bow. He manages to get another one or two, but they’re lashing out at him and there’s so much pain that he can’t remember ever feeling this much all at once.

“Iron Man, status!” Natasha barks out, her voice giving Clint another burst of energy.

“They’ve got him surrounded. I can’t risk him by firing. Hawkeye, you need to get clear so I can kill those freaky fuckers.”

“Trying. They’re everywhere.” Clint’s starting to feel dizzy, vision blurring as more slices and stabs are made against him. The more of them he injures or kills, the more violent they seem to get. He’s starting to lose it, and he hates it because he’s faced worse things but he can’t even remember those right now. Another punch against his stomach makes him lose his breath, and he pushes and kicks out, not even able to reach his arrows now. “I’m sorry, babe,” he whispers, trying to keep fighting but it’s too much.

“Hawkeye, shut the fuck up,” Cap--no, Steve--yells at him. “You’d better keep fighting and get clear of them. You can do it, sweetheart.”

“I’m trying,” he promises, swinging out again but only getting hurt more. There’s chatter on the radio, and he hears Steve say something else to him. “I’m trying. I’m so sorry. I’m trying,” he repeats, not even able to really hear what’s being said anymore. When one of them suddenly picks him up like he’s nothing more than a rag doll, he kicks out and wiggles, trying to get away. Suddenly, the thing lets him go, and he’s falling, falling, falling. Only no one’s there to catch him in time. He feels the hard ground against his back and then everything goes dark.