not the game I want to play

[iwasrussian]

WHO: Natasha
WHERE: House #20
WHEN: September 2
OPEN TO: Steve and Clint
WARNINGS: None

---

Over eight hours Natasha dug through the computer trying to hack her way in, hoping to find answers that were more than what they had been up that point. Answers of where exactly they were, who captured them and how. Sure, the evidence was pretty straightforward but that was a conclusion that was far too jarring to accept without more. The computers had to have that information and little bit by little bit, she got something good.

As she heads towards the pod, the agent contacts the two people she trusts the most and tells them to meet her at the house.

Comments

[pretendtoneedme]

Unlike Nat, Clint hasn't moved into the bunker - not that he hasn't been spending time there, but it's been less than others. He's a decent field medic when someone's had shock-type traumatic wounding, but no one found in the tubes has needed that; he can hack computers with a pretty good amount of skill, but Nat's better at that than him and so are probably a couple of other people; and there's still the chance that something will happen and the entire thing will collapse, and it's good not to have all your eggs in one basket. Not to mention the basic process of living still needs to be accomplished. All of that adds up to Clint swinging through the bunker a couple of times a day, making sure the people working there had food and clean water and were sleeping as much as they could, checking out the area for anything getting unstable, and then going back to hunting. It's maybe not the best use of his specific talents, but overall it seems to be the best use of them for a group of this composition, and he knows Nat will grab him if anything major comes up.

Which is exactly what happens. The ping comes over his watch, and he sees Steve's name attached to his on the message - something must have happened, something big. Nat wouldn't specifically reach out for both of them for an immediate emergency meeting for something unimportant, not even with her (okay, their) penchant for giving each other a hard time. Cutting his hunting rounds short, Clint drops his game at the inn and does a quick wash up so he's not arriving back at the house covered in blood, and is there not long after the message goes out.

"Nat?"

[ex_enlisted288]

Like Clint, Steve has been staying above ground for the most part since the bunker and its inhabitants were discovered. When given the choice, he opts to remain on guard in case anything happens, and peeks in frequently, but his skill set is more soldier than spy or technician.

He chops wood to keep his hands from idling, but most of his attention has been on a new project. That's where he is when Nat's message comes through. It doesn't sound like an immediate emergency, just potentially urgent, so he takes a few minutes to clean up before heading over.

"Nat--"

And apparently, he's arrived almost on Clint's heels so he flashes a small, vaguely tight smile in the archer's direction.

"Hey."

[iwasrussian]

Given her location, Natasha isn't far behind and can see Steve first as she appears at the side of the house and continues until both come into view. In her hand is a small coiled notebook and though she looks like she hasn't slept in days, it's clear the something she has was the reason for it.

And well, sleep didn't come often and having something to do was a welcome change to what she had been doing the past several months.

"Let's go inside," she motions and moves between them to head inside. She spares no time and turns to face them once in the living room. "I was able to crack the main console computer and find out some stuff. Not much, but I think it's only a matter of time before I can get more."

[pretendtoneedme]

"Hey, Steve." The urge to call him "Cap" is always there - both are only one syllable, but Cap just sounds shorter, and Clint likes anything that speeds communication. But Steve's made it clear he doesn't want to be called that, and given the time discrepancy, Clint can hardly blame him. It's a work in progress, but he's getting better at it. "You got her- wait, there she is." Leaning around the bigger man, Clint sees Nat coming down the road, that look on her face that means she has something on her mind, something big, and given what she's been working on, it's not hard to imagine what.

Following her in, he doesn't have to wait at all before Nat's breaking into an explanation, which is one of the things he loves about her. Never keeps him hanging when it counts. "Do you need any help down there? I can come with you for awhile if you need a second set of eyes. But what'd you find this time?"

[ex_enlisted288]

Steve doesn't believe he deserves the honorific anymore, since he gave up the shield in Siberia on Bucky's behalf. That and he's now wanted by his own government. That tends to put a crimp in being Captain America. But there are clearly more important things to dwell on than his own problems.

He follows Clint and Natasha inside, taking up a position near the door. While he also wants to know what she found, Steve figures just echoing Clint will provide an unneeded delay. So he's just going to shut up and listen for now.