➶ ｡˚ ° ➶ ｡˚➶ ｡˚ ➶ ｡˚ ➶ ｡˚
(𝐑𝐔𝐍)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN----▹ 

Iskra Romanoff-Hill stood bathroom of the NYPD facility undoing her elaborate undercover look, she brushed out the curls she put in her hair and switched the dress out for a pair of leggings and one of Nat's old leather jackets. From the back, someone might've even mistaken her for Natasha, with the freshly dyed hair braided back, even the leather jacket. So it wasn't that shocking when she was walking toward the safehouse/apartment, and Clint stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of her, "Natasha..." he whispered to himself, shaking the feeling off, knowing his best friend was very much dead. 

That's when Iskra turned around, she must've felt Clint staring in disbelief, his eyes widened, "Iskra?" he asked, "Uh, yeah?" and then she spotted a strand of her hair, and realized, "What's uh, with the hair?" she just kind of shrugged him off, "C'mon we've got things to do." she said, opening the door to the apartment. "There's our guy." one of the LARPers spoke, "Snickerdoodle? They're still warm." he offered, "Uh Ok," Clint replied staring at the state of the apartment in disbelief. 

And Iskra took a step further into the apartment, her eyes finally settling on Kate, who seemed to be getting measured for some kind of costume,"Hey, guys! How'd your day go?" Kate asked, "Wow, I am never going to let you live this one down." Iskra said, taking a picture of the brunette. "I love your hair!" Kate exclaimed, noticing Iskra's hair, "Oh...yeah," Iskra smiled awkwardly. "So did you uh...get my gear?" he asked, still looking around the room. "Yeah, yeah, they're on the way. They should be here any minute...Relax." Kate replied, and Clint had that taken-back look on his face, and she just knew this was going nowhere good.  "Kate where are you?" he asked no longer being able to spot her. 

"What? he asked turning towards Iskra who just shrugged, Kate turned back to the mirror, "Not gonna lie a look pretty good as a Viking." she said with a smile, "Kate you'd probably look good even wearing a trash bag." Iskra joked, Clint turned to look at Iskra, "What?" she shrugged, "I don't know why you look so shocked Uncle Clint." Iskra deadpanned. 

"Maybe that can be our deal?" one of them said, "What deal?" Clint asked, "We get you the arrows and information, and you get us materials for new costumes. "Ok, how about material for your costumes, plus three more." Kate bargained, "I know a certain someone who needs help with theirs." Kate said, "Oh... No, i already told you no." Iskra said narrowing her eyes at the brunette. "I'm in." the blonde one said. 

"Uh Kate, I asked you to simply, retrieve my arrows, not stage a play." Clint spoke, "Uh, we're a...we're a guild." came a reply, Iskra sighed, and Clint looked down at his phone, "Ok..Uh I've gotta go." Clint spoke. "We've got to go. We're in this together. Right?" Kate asked, Iskra, nodded with a small smile. They got the arrows and headed out the door, they really were all in this together.

Iskra stood on the snowy rooftop, looking at the sights that surrounded them, tracing a smiley face in the snow-covered half-wall type thing. "You wanna tell us what we're doing here?" Kate asked Clint, Iskra looked up in curiosity, "Something very important to me is pinging inside of that apartment. It was stolen from a black-market auction. I need it back." he said simply. 

"No lights no movement." He noted looking through the binoculars, and Kate sighed, "You really are awful at stakeout missions." Iskra said, and Kate whacked her arm, "What? The last time we went out on a stakeout mission you fell through the skylight and got us captured." Iskra reminded her. "You're mean. You know that right." Kate said with a very fake-looking pout, Clint rolled his eyes, "And you are both children."

"This our chance." Clint said, "This would've been a lot easier if we were on a higher rooftop." Kate said, "That's what you think." Clint spoke still staring at the dark apartment, Kate stared at him, "Yeah, exactly. That's what I said." Kate said missing his whole point, "What he means is..." Iskra started, "Kate. You always want to prioritize a quick exit over a quick entrance." Clint interrupted, and Iskra sighed having heard the same sentence from various people a million times over. "So when things go sideways, they usually do, you have an exit strategy. That's why I chose this spot. It's got good sightlines for all my exits." he paused, "Entry should be easy. Think it should take me about three and a half minutes to get in." Iskra then realized Kate, had gone, "How the hell-" she started, "Uh Uncle Clint, she's gone." Iskra said getting his attention.

"Kate?" he asked, as they both looked around the roof, then there was a sound of a car horn, and they both looked down to see Kate crossing the road, they both in unison reached up to their earpieces, "Kate?" "Pretty eyes?" the two both asked at the same time, "There you are," Kate said as if she had been waiting for them to realize for a while. 

"I told you you're supposed to be a lookout." Clint said, "I can't believe you left me with the boring job." Iskra complained, "Yeah, yeah, but of the three of us who do you trust up their not to get distracted?" Kate asked, "Iskra." "Me." Clint and Iskra replied, "Wow thanks for faith in me guys really." Kate huffed. "That is not fair, your inability to act like a grown-up, helps you get your way," Clint said. 

"No, it's not, but it is what it is." Kate scoffed, "Alright look, I need you to use your grappling hook arrow to anchor yourself in." Clint instructed, "Propel down the side of the building to the window. If it's locked break in quietly." he continued. "Yeah, love all of that. Great plan, just a slight tweak though." Kate said, "Oh God." Iskra mumbled quietly.

"Good evening sir, can I help you with your bags?" Kate asked, an old man who was opening the door to the apartment building, "Oh thank you." he said, handing her one of the bags, "What are you doing? No, no, no. Don't engage." he instructed, "She really never listens." Clint said turning to Iskra, who shook her head. 

"Kate? Where are you?" Clint asked not being able to see her anymore, "Oh relax. I'm taking the elevator." Kate replied. "I'm sorry what was that?" The old man asked, "Oh I uh...sorry, I wasn't talking to you." she replied, "Can I tell you a secret?" She asked him.

"Kate, no." Iskra warned, "I was talking to an avenger. He's in my ear." Kate said to the man, and Clint shook his head and Iskra choked back a small laugh after the look Clint gave her. "Maybe you should stop talking." Clint suggested, "Yeah, I uh...I'm his partner." Kate continued, and the old man took his bag back from her, quickly exiting the elevator.

The elevator dings signaling to Clint and Iskra, that Kate had made it onto the correct floor, "Ugh, what do you do about this giant bow problem?" Kate asked, "I have a collapsable one." Clint replied, "And I don't use a bow, a more of a gun or powers type of girl..." Iskra spoke, "Oh, that makes sense." Kate said to Clint. 

"Ok, I'm at the door." Kate alerted them in a hushed voice, "We're good." Clint said, checking their surroundings, Kate picked the lock then crept into the apartment. "Ok, the living room is all clear," Kate whispered, There was a flashing light, "Oh shit." Kate cursed drawing back a couple of the putty arrows. "What was that?" Clint asked quickly, "I don't know, there are like, strobe lights, attached to the wall." Kate replied, "Strobe light? What do you mean strobe lights?" Clint questioned, "I don't know."

Iskra was trying to figure out what Kate had meant by strobe lights, "Yeah, what do you see?" Clint asked, "Ok, what am I looking for?" Kate asked, "A watch vintage. Rolex. Belongs to someone I used to work with." Clint replied, "Is that the whole story?" Kate asked skeptically and Iskra looked at Clint in curiosity also wondering the same thing.  "They've been out of the game a long time, but their identity is still attached to that watch," he answered, "Vague as ever Uncle Clint," Iskra noted.

"And if the Tracksuits find out about it?" Kate asked, "It would blow their cover. Bye-bye friend." Clint replied. The Tracksuits. Flashing Lights. Maya. "дерьмо" Iskra cursed, "The strobe lights are a silent alarm. That's Maya's apartment." Iskra alerted her. "Oh My God, you're right." Clint said looking towards his niece, "I'm coming after you, Iskra said into her earpiece already on the move.

"Got the watch." Kate said, picking it up, "Great." Clint nodded, not that anyone that could see that. "Hang on a minute." Kate said, "What?" Iskra asked, still making her way down. "Clint, Maya is taking notes, on your family." Kate said, "What?" he asked, "Clint Barton. Wife, Laura, Daughter, Lila age fourteen, Son Cooper, age 16, son Nate." Kate read off the list. "Kate get out of there now. And Iskra stay alert." Clint warned, "I'm coming-" he was cut off by the sound of someone attacking him, "Clint?" Iskra asked, but then she sensed someone behind her.

She turned around quickly, "You." 

Author's Note: Oooo Cliffhanger! Who do you think Iskra's talking to?