A Different Call

Combustion

A.N. I forgot to put this in the last chapter's author's note, but ten points to whoever can tell me which Agents of SHIELD character I made a reference to in the last chapter.

Natasha's P.O.V.

"So, how was the Pacific Northwest?" I asked Barton as we waited in Coulson's new office.

"For being the summer, it was still pretty rainy, but it gave us an excuse to stay inside so that was a bonus. You, how did you spend your break?"

"I'm officially certified to fly a quinjet on my own, Coulson and Hill took me shopping, because apparently, it's wrong for ninety percent of my wardrobe to have SHIELD's logo on it. I also found an apartment right across the Potomac. I can see the Triskelion from my balcony. How's the missus feeling about the restationing?"

"She's not the happiest, trying to see if she can get moved here as well. But, we'll make it work."

"Romanoff, Barton. I expect you're both relaxed and ready after your little break," Coulson says, handing us mission files.

"Ready as we'll ever be. What's the job this time?"

"Hostage situation in the Ivory Coast, so far negotiations are going pretty well, but-"

"They want us on deck in case things become a lot less friendly," I supplemented.

"Bingo, this should be a lot easier for you too, no undercover, just surveillance and possible intervention."

"No extraction, again?" Barton asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope, but there will be a quinjet for you two to use when you need to leave. Now, if that's covered, suit up and get ready you're leaving in ten."

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"You know, I was reading up on this place during the flight over here, and it turns out it's one of the most populated cities in Africa, but one of the cities that's bigger than here is Lagos. The name sounds pretty fun, figure it might be a good place to visit at some point, don't you think." Barton said over the comms, he had spent the last ten minutes reciting Abidjan's Wikipedia page to me.

"Isn't one the traits of a sniper to be quiet?" I asked, surveilling the bridge where the hostage trade was supposed to go down.

"If on the thirtieth floor of an office building that's across the street from you, I'm pretty sure they won't hear me. Why did we even get called on this anyway, can't the local government handle this themselves."

"If you had read the mission's file, you would have realized that no one involved is from the Ivory Coast, the captors are Egyptian, and the hostage is Wakandan."

"Wakanda? Isn't that just a farming country, how did they manage to rope SHIELD into this."

"Don't know, doesn't matter, just keep your eyes sharp. The tradeoff should be going down within the next ten minutes."

I see the hostage and their captor, along with the negotiator from Wakanda.

"Well that went pretty easy," Barton said after the negotiator handed a briefcase to the captor, and the captor handed back the hostage.

"That's a new one...Wait, Barton, captor has a gun." I look around the bridge and see other reaching to their sides. "And friends...I need cover here...quick."

I begin to open fire on the captor, trying to get rid of the most hostile opponent first. Good news is that it took him down, and gave time for the hostage and negotiator to run, the bad news is that it made me a very appealing target.

"Barton, remember how I said I needed cover, now would be a really good time to follow that order," I called, diving behind a stone bench for some attempt at cover.

"On my way down."

"On your way down, what the fuck Barton, what do you mean on your way down?" I yell, popping up from my hiding spot and firing a few shots before ducking back down again.

"Hey, I may not be the best of hearing, but I can still hear you without you yelling. And I figured you might want someone closer to cover your six. Plus, most of my arrows are explosive tipped and I would rather have my partner back in one piece."

"If we survive this I am going to have Coulson lecture you about what to and what not to bring on a mission."

"Yes ma'am, but in other words, back up is here." His comment was followed by an explosion of one of the nearby statues, which scattered rubble across the bridge, creating more debris to hide behind. "I'm just saying, you jinxed us, saying it was easy, nothing with SHIELD is ever easy."

"Just shut up and shoot. I'd rather get not have to tell Bobbi, that her husband got shot because he couldn't stop running his mouth off."

"Alright, but just saying Bob knows me enough to not be surprised by that," Barton said, firing off another exploding arrow, taking out a few men. "Are these guys part rabbit, I swear they are multiplying. It's like the hydra from those Greek myths."

"They have to run out of people at some point, just keep shooting."

After a while, we took out enough guys that we were able to move apart a little, each of us facing one entrance of the bridge.

"Nat watch out, on your six." I heard Barton call. I turned around and saw him dive through the air, quickly followed by a bullet piercing his abdomen and an explosion from one of his arrows going off a little too close to him for my comfort.

I shot the last of our attackers and then ran to his side, putting pressure on his wound, "What the hell was the Barton?"

It took Barton a few minutes to respond, "Going to hit you. Tried to stop them."

"Well I guess I don't have to tell Bobbi her husband got shot because he was stupid, no instead he got shot cause he wasn't using his brain," I mumbled, rummaging through his quiver, I knew he tended to keep a couple first aid supplies and rags in there, hopefully that would be enough to hold him until I could get us to the quinjet. Barton didn't reply to my comment and I had to check to make sure he was still conscious.

"This is going to hurt," I said as I began to bandage and wrap the wound.

"Fuck, you're right," Barton responded.

"Ok, now I need you to stand up, the jets only a few blocks away and I can't carry your ass there the whole way, I'm going to need your help."

Barton stood up with a groan, and his complexion paled a scary amount, as we began to move to the quinjet.

Once we get there, I set Barton on the ground and radio Coulson.

"Everything okay Romanoff, just got intel saying there were explosions in the area that you and Barton were."

"Yeah," I said, opening a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and rubbing it on Clint's wound before wrapping it up again. "The exchange went south and turns out there were a lot more hostiles than first thought. Barton and I are heading back now, but I need for there to be a med team ready. Barton took a shot to the abdomen. I have it wrapped up right now, but I don't how useful that will be in the long run."

"Got it, bring him back as quick as you can, and I'll try and contact Morse and get her here."

"Yes, sir and tell May I didn't think my first solo flight would involve trying to make sure my stupid ass partner doesn't bleed out over the Atlantic," I said as I get into the pilot's seat and get us the hell out of dodge. Barton's sayings are rubbing off on me, great, now he better not die.