3693/It All Comes Together

It All Comes Together
Date of Scene:	20 January 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Clint goes to Fury for answers about Skye. He gets them, which only leads to more questions.
Cast of Characters:	Nick Fury, Hawkeye (Barton)

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Nick Fury has posed:
    Nick Fury is currently on the bridge of the ODYSSEY, overseeing the deployment of another of the myriad of missions that goes on throughout the world. Tappling on the monitor to the left, Fury scrolls down, and absorbs everything from the display. "I should be in my office," Fury growls, "Not babysitting these Level 5s."

    Looking up from the display, he gazes over at Comms. The Officer there looks up, feeling Fury's gaze on her, and nods to him followed swiftly by a "thumbs up". Nodding, Fury says, "Okay. Let's see them off." Turning back to the right display, he begins to absorb the information on that mission. The job was never done.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
After the Madripoor debacle Clint spent yet more time in medical being patched up. That was getting to be a habit. Thankfully the shot he took to the leg had been a fragment that ricocheted and not a full bullet head on. In all he got a couple of stitches, some pain killers and the fragment in a pill bottle to add to the collection of other crap he'd had pulled out of him in this job.

The time that took, plus the time he spent writing the report gave Clint time to think. Things weren't adding up with Skye's defection. The way the guy at the coffee bar had described her acting with the guy she was with, how she left a note for them which only Clint could figure out it didn't scream I betrayed you. It barely screamed under duress, which really only left one other option.

Report finished and filed, Clint took a trip up to the Odyssey to see Fury. Finding him on the bridge babysitting the bridge crew while SHIELD ran another op, Clint walked right over to General and said, "Fury, can we have a word in your office?" It was less of a question and more of a demand.

Nick Fury has posed:
    Fury makes Clint wait with his left index finger up, in a "wait one minute" pose. Fury taps the console, and sets it in "hibernate" mode. Then Fury waves Maria Hill over. She nods, and takes over, while Fury turns to face Clint. "I think I can do that Agent Barton. I am sure it is vital that you speak to me.

    Fury looks one last time as Hill enters her command codes into the console, bringing it back on line to her preferences. Fury turns, looks towards the office door, and then heads that way with a steady pace. When they enter the room, Fury heads to his chair, and sits down. Waving to the chair in front of his desk, Fury says, "Sit down Barton. You look like you're gonna' pass out on me."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Colour Clint shocked that he's not being shown the view on the way down to the ground at terminal velocity. Still, it wasn't the first time he'd been allowed to get away with being mouthy to the boss. Though, the welcome to the office, the chair and concern for his well-being sort of throws him some and whatever fire and fury (no pun intended) was draining out of him. "Nice social judo there, boss," Clint says as he slips into the seat. "And jokes on you, already passed out on the ride up." Even odds if he actually did or not. He looked like he could at any moments, being pale, unshaven with dark circles etched under his eyes.

"So, I put in the report from Madripoor. Looks like our girl left us a pretty big clue even if Fitz and Simmons are being closed mouthed about what was actually on the phone," he leans forward in the chair then studying Fury closely for a tell. Not that he'd found one in the General yet, but stranger things could happen.

He holds up two fingers. "So, that tells me two possible things are happening here," He lowers one of them, "One, she's been blackmailed or kidnapped, like I've been saying all along, or," he lowers the second finger. "Tow, /you/ sent her out to infiltrate who I have to guess is the Rising Tide. So, was wondering if you'd like to shed a little light on that boss."

Nick Fury has posed:
    Fury leans back in his chair and regards the archer coldly. His eye looks at Clint for a few moments before replying. As for tells, Fury has no tells, unless he lets you spot a tell. He'd win every poker game he'd play, but didn't tend to gamble. Except with the lives of his agents. With a sigh, Fury opens a drawer, and takes out a cigar. One of the good ones.

    "Barton, you are skating on thin ice." Fury's words were cold and quiet, with the hint of menace behind them. "I expect even an Agent with your lack of discipline would pay me the proper respects on the bridge where several dozen of your subordinates are located. Professionalism is kept to ensure discipline within the ranks is maintained."

    Lecture over, Fury says, "Look, I'll cut you some slack because of everything happenin' out there, especially with a certain Level 2. Next time...well." Fury cuts off the end and then lights his cigar. "Fitz and Simmons have already briefed me on what they found." Fury hasn't answered the question. Puffing on the cigar, Fury regards Barton with his one eye, and says, "What do you THINK is going on Agent? Use some of this not that." Fury points to his head first, the lower, to rest on his heart. The slight hesitation let Barton know Fury was considering going significantly lower than his heart.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
See, this was why Fury didn't get invited to poker nights. Clint gets nothing from the man, as usual. Clint though was a different animal. He'd grown up a carny and he was one of SHIELD's top agents, he could lie when he needed to, but unlike some of the others he worked with it didn't come naturally to him and he wore his heart on his sleeve unless he made an effort to hide it. Right now, his anger, confusion and hurt was all over his face for the Director to see.

Even when he closed up, crossing his arms after the rebuke to offer a sarcastic, "Yes, /sir/," it was clear Fury's words had sunk in and his point was made. Even if Barton wasn't about to acknow,ledge that fact.

Clint uncrosses his arms when the question is turned back on himself, and he even smirks a little when he catches the meaning behind Fury's hesitation. "That's the problem sir, the first two work in tandem or don't work at all, that's always been my issue," Clint says of his brain and heart. "I've never managed to do what you Nat and some of the others do and keep them apart," the smirk grows just a little bit more. "And the one you didn't mention, I am not so desperate to get laid I'd let it mess with my work like this. This all about the other two."

He pauses then considering what he'd put together thus far before laying it out for the world's best spy. "Like I said, my heart and brain, they work as a pair and right now both of them are telling me Skye didn't turn. I just don't see it and if she had turned, why leave that phone? So, that leaves her being blackmailed or her being on an op. From what the guy at the Hilton said about how Skye and the guy she was with were acting, it seems off for blackmail. The guy was acting like she wanted to be there and she wasn't which is an odd dynamic if the guy was twisting her arm. Could be a cover, but I dunno," he frowns as he says all of that. "Damn it the more I talk it out the less sure I am, but when I came here I was certain it was an op. So, I guess, that's what I'm rolling with."

Clint looks to Fury, then, "So, am I talking out my ass, or did you send her? I'll admit, I am sort of desperarte to know, which may be messing with my judgement."

Nick Fury has posed:
    Fury puffs on his cigar, watching as Clint goes through the whole situation in his head. It was obvious by his face that Clint was emotionally involved in this situation, which was a difficult place to be when you are an Agent of SHIELD and someone you care about was in danger.

    Leaning forward to grab the daily cleaned ashtray, Fury puts his cigar down on it, and leans back again. The acrid-sweet smoke from the cigar filling the room, even with the advanced air filtration system.

    "Better." Fury says at the sarcastic, "Yes sir." Actually, Fury hated being called sir. He wasn't about to let Barton know that however. As for working in tandem, "See, I never had that problem Clint. I never let myself get sucked in so deep that if someone happens to someone I love, I go batshi* crazy. Like you are doing. The Widow and I do have that in common. We care...just we don't let it get in the way, s'all." Fury picks up his cigar again, but doesn't take a puff.

    Quietly, almost low enough so that Clint had to struggle to hear, Fury says, "Then, ya' should lissen to yer heart, Barton. And yer head. Always go with yer instincts when it is tellin' ya something." Fury leans back, and then takes a deep pull from his cigar.

    His eyes scan the whole room. Then he looks back at Barton. That was a "tell", letting Barton know he was right, but it was vital to always think you are being monitored.

    "You also owe me my cigars Stark gave you to give to me. I expect them back. Hate to have to send in the Sergeant Major to search yer room now." Fury smiles. Now that was scary.

    

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint was definitely emotionally involved in all of this, compromised as Nat might say and definitely not thinking objectively. Though that wasn't really Clint's strength. He was the guy who did things, often stupid things, but would do everything in his power to make them work out in the end. That he was successful more often than not was likely why he still carried a badge.

The cigar fumes didn't bother Clint so much, he'd been enough smokey rooms not to react, but he does sniff slightly "New brand?" he asks as he lowers his arms from across his chest. It was a subtle dig about the missing cigars.

Then he shuts up and listens. "Yeah, that divide right there, caring but not letting get in the way of the mission, haven't mastered that yet. Though, it has paid off in the past, like how we have Nat as an agent not just as an enemy asset we crossed off."

Fury's quiet words are heard and processed. "I think I understand your meaning, sir," he says quietly. It was cryptic enough to be read a lot of ways but Clint felt he understood the right one.

He gets up out of the chair, not sure how he was feeling about things, even with the answers. Though Fury's comment about the cigars, gets a smile out of the archer. "Sent them back to you through the internal post, boss," he says, before pausing for effect. "One cigar at a time."

Nick Fury has posed:
    Looking at Barton, Fury shakes his head, and says, "You know the truth of it Barton. Just open your eyes to the situation, and know who she truly is. That will give you your answer."

    Looking at the cigar in his hand, Fury says, "Naw. These ones are the ones Logan owed me from way back. Guess he was in Cuba for a mission with the X Types, and brought me back some good ones to replace the ones he stole from me last time he was around." Fury sighs. "Logan always has the good ones, somehow. I don't know how he gets them through Customs..."

    Fury shakes his head, and allows a brief smile to once again cross his face. "One at a time. Nice work Barton. I might do the same with your paycheck. One dollar at a time. Now, get out, and heal up. Or I'll put you on forced Sick Leave."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank you, boss," he says when further clarification is offered.

Pausing at the door, he turns and smiles, "Probably short enough they mistake him for a really hairy kid and don't check his bags," he guesses about Logan's knack for getting through customs. "Not sure how he handles the metal detectors though."

"Cruel but fair," Clint smiles. "But getting out of here. Good chat."

Clint heads out leaving Fury to his work.

He had answers, or well, some of them anyhow, which is the best you could hope for with Fury. The rest could wait until he and Skye were face to face.