A Different Call

Billionaire, Playboy, Pain-in-the-Ass

A.N. Sorry for the short chapter, but this is just to get us into the MCU.

Natasha's P.O.V.

It was three in the morning when my phone went off beside me. I checked the screen and saw it was Coulson, so I decided to answer. I had gotten a few drunk calls from Hill and Clint in the past, which made a little more cautious when answering my phone this late.

"You know that I still about five hours till I'm back on SHIELD time?"

Coulson sighed, "Yes, and I promise you I don't want to be awake either, I just got off the worse red-eye from Portland. However, there is a very important SHIELD incident that we just got news of, and Fury wants all-hands-on-deck. By the way, can you get Barton, he didn't answer when I tried to call him."

"Yeah, he tends to not put it on vibrate when I'm over." I get up and head to the bedroom to wake up Clint. "What's the issue that has Fury on edge?"

"A kidnapping."

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"Billionaire's get held for ransom all the time, but we never drop almost everything to deal with it, what makes this one any different?" Clint asked, his feet resting on the desk in front of him as the three of us monitored almost every satellite feed that we could get our hands on.

"Because," I said knocking Clint's feet off the desk, which just happened to belong to Coulson. "This billionaire is a Stark." Clint shot me a blank look. "You know like Howard Stark the founder of SHIELD."

"Yeah, I get that," Clint responded, "But what does it matter, it's not like he's been involved in SHIELD anyway."

"That's technically true, but we've always kept an eye on him. It's not just a coincidence that most of the recruits that 'wipe out' of both the Sci-Tech and Communications academies end up at Stark Industries. Director Carter was the one who established Project Incentives and Fury continued it when he took over. While Stark doesn't contribute to SHIELD directly, some of SI's tech is bought be SHIELD via government contracts."

"And now you're worried you've lost your golden goose?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Somewhat, but it's also the fact that Stark knows a lot of information about United States security. I tried to talk Fury into letting me go to Afghanistan myself, but he said we didn't have jurisdiction, so for now, we're stuck with satellite watching."

"You mean that Clint and I are stuck on satellite watch. Given by your outfit, the suitcase that you have next to your desk and the fact that May just sent you a text saying that the quinjet is ready for you, you have more exciting plans."

"Ohh, Coulson's going against Fury's orders for a second time, scandalous," Clint said, pretending to faint like some sort of southern belle.

"No, nothing like that. I'm just flying out to talk to Stark's business partner, Obadiah Stane, to see if Stark would be the kind of person to sell out his country. I'll be gone for two days max."

"Don't worry dad," Clint said, "We won't burn the house down while you're away."

"Don't worry Coulson, I'll make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid. And good luck with Stane, I heard stories about him when I was with my previous employer. He's so slimy not even the Russians wanted to deal with him"

"Thank you," Coulson said sincerely before grabbing his bag and leaving.

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It had been a few months and there was still no sign of Stark, though it wasn't for lack of trying. Clint, Coulson, and I had our eyes on every satellite single available to SHIELD and still nothing.

"Hey Nat, why don't you rest, I'll take over watch for now," Clint said nudging my shoulder. "You look like death warmed over right now

I stood up to let him take my place in front of the computer monitors. As much as I didn't want to admit Clint was right. I could feel myself drifting off as I looked for any sign of anything that could give away Stark's position.

Just as I had sat down, an explosion of color appeared on one of the screens.

"What do you think that was?" Clint asked.

"I don't know, but I know that Fury is going to want to know about."

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Fury had let the Air Force know about what we saw, and according to Stark's story, the man had managed to steal a gun from his captors and used it to blow up their weapons supply...yeah, I didn't buy it either. So, Fury sent in Coulson to check out what was going on and it turned out a shit ton of stuff. Coulson got to run around and help take down a corporate coup while Clint and I were stuck helping recruits.

"So, how do you think this press conference is going to go?" Clint asked as he sat next to me in his apartment and handed me a beer.

"Well, if it's like any other time that Stark's been in front of a camera, it will probably turn in to a shit show, but who knows what kind of deal SHIELD's cut with him." I turn up the volume of television as Stark walks on screen.

I had to admit that for the first thirty seconds the conference went well until a blonde woman up front raised her hand and started to pick holes in the alibi that SHIELD had created. After that everything went downhill until Stark took a deep breath before looking straight into the camera and announced that he was Iron Man, the name that media had given to Stark's robotic armor.

Clint looked over at me, "This is about to make our jobs a whole lot harder isn't it."

I nod as I get up, "And that's why I'm getting both of us another round."