14409/Answering the call for help from an old friend.

Answering the call for help from an old friend.
Date of Scene:	23 May 2022
Location:	Skye's Brownstone, Greenwich Village
Synopsis:	Hawkeye receives a message from and old friend and Skye accepts to help him.
Cast of Characters:	Hawkeye (Barton), Quake

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Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
His feet resting on the coffee table, Clint is sitting on one of the large couches. The one not claimed by the house cats, that is. It's still early in the day, just before lunch time, and the archer is planning his day, once the morning training session had been over.

Browsing the few messages over his half-broken Starkphone, Clint's attention is caught by a message among the spam. Frowning, he reads it, then re-reads it. It's kind of short, but the meaning is visibly worrying the archer.

"Damn," is the only word escaping his lips.

Quake has posed:
Surprisingly Skye was up early.

With a biiiig cup of coffee, she curls up beside Clint and peeks at his Starkphone. Not that she could read it, but it definitely has him worried. "What's up?" She hasn't even booted up the laptop yet. "Everything fine?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Being both SHIELD agents, they usually are aware of what the other is involved with if it's an official matter. And sometimes, they don't. And don't ask questions, so is the nature of the job. But when Hawkeye uses his Starkphone, not an official cell provided by SHIELD, it means it's most likely not job related. Well, it could be Avengers related, but these kinds of calls come in another form than emails.

"Yeah," Clint replies after a moment, before turning the cell towards Skye so she can read the short message.

"Clint,

I promised to never ask for you help, cuz you helped me a lot back then. I'm the one owing you one.

You know the guys from last summer? Well guess what, they're back. I'm afraid this time they'll succeed. There's nothing I can do to defend myself, my business, my family. So if you want to drop by one last time, then I'll shut the gig down.

Melville"

Quake has posed:
Skye read the email. And read it again. Then gave it back.

"That's Melville from the.. you know?" Since their walkabout, and then Clint's figuring out what to do about his life, Melville was in the past, and certainly not someone who Clint would be hearing from.

Skye looked over at Clint, and tried to get a good reading on him. Which was easy if she looked at other people. But Clint? Everything that had to do about his childhood, and family, seemed harder to peg.

"How do you feel?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Instead of answering right away, Clint places the Starkphone and stands, headed for the kitchen to grab a coffee. Yes, coffee, even if right now he'd go for something way stronger than caffeine.

A moment later, he's back to the living room, standing, lost in his memories. Not even drinking the fresh coffee. Time seems to stand still as the archer remembers those years, long ago. A time far away that he never really wished to revisit again.

But he's Clint Barton, and no matter what, Hawkeye would never let down a friend in need. Even if it meant reliving times he doesn't want to even remember.

After a moment, Clint finally sits back down by Skye's side. "Yes, /that/ Melville," he replies in a low voice. "Dang!" Well, that says lots on how he feels, stuck in a situation he'd rather avoid. "I'd need more details. I know which guys he's talking about, troublemakers all around. If they really want him down, he's done."

Quake has posed:
Dang. Which was for Skye was the same as 'Oh fuck'. In other words it was bad.

"Damn." She frowns. She knew that Clint wasn't going to abandon his past. But she couldn't say so, until he said so. "I could look up the little bit you have already? Can't hurt."

Well, it can. If she did that, they would be committing to helping Melville. It wouldn't matter /what/ he said verbally, they both knew it.

"Or I could leave it up to you." There. She tried to leave it up to him. Even if she wanted to help him, she would step back.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint takes the time to drink some of the coffee, clearing his head of memories and focusing on the present. Or even better, to the near future.

Not many figures from his past, from those younger years, would be granted much of an afterthought. But Melville was - and still was apparently - one that Hawkeye owed much, despite what Melville thought of who owed who.

"Yes," Clint finally answers, "I know Mel's gig, but things have changed since then. I'd need to know as much as possible to be ready for anything." So yes, his decision to help the man was taken. "Local gangs, small-town mafia like activities around Little Rock, Arkansas. If you could find names, and mug shots."

And yes, he's already planning and scheming. Might as well be well prepared and, if possible, have some help.

The way he then glances at Skye - she would know to be wary of that look - and sporting that grin on his face, says a lot about what kind of involvement he'd plan for her. "Oh yes, and if you want and have some free time, you could give me a hand."

Quake has posed:
Skye sat quietly as he drank his coffee. Hell, she took the time to drink her own! Normally she'd already have the laptop on and put Melville's name while she figured who and what else to get info on while he has his coffee.

Not so this time.

Clint and Skye had an agreement: they will back off, no matter how much they wanted to help, until the other person invited them in. Whether it was work. Or, harder to keep their fingers out of it, personal.

This was definitely personal.

But once she got permission? Damn straight, her laptop was opened and started to look around. Asking him, "Do you have any names to start off my search?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
While this is a serious matter, personal and all, and his decision taken to help his friend, Clint's whole demeanour changed. From initially somber, it could now be described as /mission ready/. With Skye by his side, and maybe some additional backup, everything should go as planned. Yeah, like it always does! Which is why his girlfriend's talents with the web will be useful for the preparation. And even more helpful on-site. Although the archer doesn't mention this part right away.

"Hrm... Mel didn't give any name, so I take that the same group is behind it." The same group than years ago? Probably from the same family. "Try with last names Baily and Cartwell."

Quake has posed:
"Baily and Cartwell. Got it."

Skye didn't even need to check the DarkWeb for these (but she does anyway, letting it run in the background). They popped up immediately under the local police. Well, not New York.

As she looked harder into the names she found oodles of names connected to them. Almost all bad.

"Mostly these are piddly crimes? The worst was arson?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
It didn't take long for Skye to find useful information - heck, she's the best. Clint glances over at the laptop, nodding. "Yeah, that'd be their style. The dimwits can crack a match and set the place on fire. That's about all they are good for." Right, so these idiots are still around. Good, Hawkeye might have fun breaking a nose of two in the process.

Sipping some of his coffee and still planning the operation, the archer is missing on important information.

"Can you flip me their names and mugshots on the phone?" This will become handy on-site. "Any of them enlisted in the local sherif's office?" Yeah, they probably have some local protection as well.

Quake has posed:
Skye sent the mugshots over, and looked up the local sheriff's office. "They look normal.. Wait a minute."

She looked up something else..

"Damn. The name isn't right because it's a cousin. A female cousin. But this guy is your man. And probably has under sheriffs beneath him. Which makes whatever Melville is afraid of more likely."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
With a few taps on his phone, Clint checks the data Skye has just transmitted. Oh yeah, they look all alike. "I betcha they're all inbreed," he comments, frowning.

The phone is put on the table, and the cup of coffee replaces it in his hand. "Alright, so they got inside help from the sheriff's office, that'd explain why they keep harassing people and get scot-free. Well, we'll fix that. With some help from my friends."

And then he leans back, enjoying some of the coffee which proves difficult to drink with the large grin he can't suppress from his face.

"Say, d'you have a bikini?"

Quake has posed:
"I'll bet!" Skye could imagine, with the Sheriff beyond everything.. "You don't imagine that he is really behind it all?" Meaning giving them a blind eye for some casy, but the Sheriff was the actual brains.

She almost was going to say something when Clint's grin face got her attention, and asked her about having a bikini. "What? What would I have one.. no. Definitely not. You can't make me. C'mon on, Hotshot.. no.."

Damn. He knew she would do it. She just won't like it.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"But, it's essential to the success of the operation!" Clint protests, with this grin on his face.

He's offering her his most angelic face, the trademark Hawkeye smile. "And it's only a one-night gig, really." Ah yeah? This remains to be seen.

Still with his eyes on hers, trying hard not to laugh, Clint adds, "Think about it, at least you have the choice of colors if you have your own. Otherwise, god knows what might be available on-site."

Well, since she knows where the operation is to happen, Skye can have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Or not. A quick look at Melville's website would hint at what might be expected.

Quake has posed:
Skye laughs even though she hits over the chest with a pillow. "You're mean. Really mean!" All the while, she went through her closet mentally: did she??

Unfortunately she couldn't think if she had one. Before she had this job, she lived in her van. Not a lot of opportunities for bikinis. ..Damn. "How long before I need one?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint fakes being hurt by the pillow, but he's laughing out loud. "And you like me as I am. Perfect as I am."

This might owe him another pillow in the face.

"You have a couple days, I still got things to plan. I'll need another /hand/, and I know who to ask for that part."

Then he stands, stretching, looking at Skye with /that/ look in his eyes, "Hey, whatabout we go bikini shopping? I mean, I don't think SHIELD has that kind of undercover suit in their spy wardrobe."