Run
Present
"This is a bad plan and you know it Barton," informed Coulson.
"Is that your official opinion sir?"
"I could order you not to do this." Phil's voice held the edge of command and business, but somehow his concern still filtered through.
"Hmmm. You'll just have to bring me up on charges for insubordination if I make it back," replied Clint as he searched the two downed thugs for weapons.
"I will."
"Good!" The archer pocketed anything useful and made his way towards the roof ledge. The buildings were very close together, and it wasn't much of a jump to travel by rooftop. From what he could see, most of the way could be made using a system of board bridges that had been laid out across the various rooftops. That was good, because he wasn't looking forward to having to leap anytime soon.
Jäger and his men were closing fast and Clint was in no condition to make it back to the ground, dodge bad guys, run a maze of streets with just a basic idea of direction, and watch for any snipers Jäger had managed to place in the buildings between here and Barton's goal. He could probably make it a couple of blocks before anyone realized he was up on the roofs.
Clint took a deep breath and put one foot on the narrow board that ran between the two buildings. With his other foot on the board he made his way across. Wobbling like a new born calf he clinched his eyes against looking down at the four story drop. Normally balance wasn't a problem for the former circus performer, but the world had been tilting for awhile now.
He cleared the first crossing and moved as quickly as his failing body would allow to the next. There was a constant chatter from the men searching below and it wasn't nearly as long as Clint would have liked before someone started shouting that he was on the roof. Adrenaline surged through him and gave him the much needed push to start clearing buildings faster. Clint managed to get a few shots off while dodging bullets himself.
Coulson was rather impressed at the rate his specialist managed to dispatch the enemy while running precariously across narrow boards between rooftops. He was almost going to say that this foolhardy plan had a shot at working, but the ominous creak and groan from the board as Barton stepped on the next one stopped him.
Clint tried to move faster to get to the other side before the board broke, but it was all for not. The board snapped as he tried to grab a hold of the ledge, but his fingers just brushed the side of the building. He made a frantic grab at the fire escape railing, but as his hand closed around it, a horrific fire exploded in his side. His arm buckled and Clint found himself falling once again. He bounced off an awning before hitting the ground. The awning had managed to lessen some of the impact, but the wind was still knocked out of him. Clint laid there trying desperately to suck in oxygen.
He managed to pick himself up, but his pursuers were too close to run. Having no other options, he slipped into the nearest door. Barton found himself in an abandoned garage. It was large and sparse and there was nowhere to hide. Making it half a dozen steps before his knee gave out, he tumbled to the floor. Panting and in pain, he dragged himself to the nearest column and propped himself against it.
This was it. Jäger was practically on top of him now and he had nowhere to run. That odd calm feeling enveloped him as he came to terms with his fate. "I'm sorry sir."
"What are you sorry for Barton? You just have to get up and keep going. They're not here yet, you still have time." They both ignored the slight breaks in his voice.
"I failed you sir. I didn't take out Jäger," confessed Clint.
"It doesn't matter."
"It's all wrong sir. It shouldn't have been you that died on the helicarrier; it should have been me. You always clean up my messes and it cost you your life."
Phil grabbed the archer's chin and forced Clint to look at him. "I never regretted saving you for one minute Barton. You're a hero Clint! I knew it then and I know it now."
Clint grabbed a hold of Coulson's wrist. "I want you to know it's been an honor to serve with you sir."
Phil shook his head. "You don't get to say goodbye Clint. You're going to get up on your feet. Get on your goddamn feet NOW!" The tears started to flow down his cheeks and Phil did his best to ignore the sound of the door creaking open and the footsteps drawing near. "Move your ass now Barton! Your team is waiting for you!"
"I'm sorry," breathed Clint, but it was barely heard over the click of a safety disengaging.
"How pathetic is this?" chuckled Jäger as he brought his gun to bear on the fallen archer. "You've been avoiding me for years and this is what it comes down to? Then again, I always knew you were useless."
Jäger holstered his gun and strode over to Clint. He smiled as he grabbed Barton's shirt collar and tugged him to his feet. He searched his prey's eyes for any sign of fear and chuckled as he caught a brief spark.
Clint locked eyes with his tormentor and pulled the knife from his back pocket. Without hesitation, he jabbed it into the arm that was pinning him to the beam. Jäger let go of Barton and clutched his arm protectively as he pulled the blade out. The archer hobbled a few steps away before collapsing to the ground.
Jäger's laughter echoed off the walls. "We can't even say it was a valiant effort on your part." He tossed the blood coated blade to the side and it clanged off in the distance.
Clint painstakingly began to crawl towards the exit on the other side of the garage. He could hear Jäger behind him and the scuff of his boots as he moved closer to the archer.
"Crawling away like a worm. Be a man for once in your life Barton and face what's coming!" sneered the German.
Clint rolled over to his back revealing the gun he had liberated from one of the thugs earlier. Before Jäger could react with his own weapon, Barton emptied the whole clip into him. Clint was still tapping the trigger when Coulson put a hand over his.
"You got him Barton."
Clint dropped the gun and looked at Jäger's body lying there perfectly still in a growing pool of blood. An enormous weight had been lifted off of his shoulders and Clint had never felt so relieved in his life. He laid down on the concrete and took a moment to bask in his success.
Phil kneeled down beside his head. He was talking, but the words didn't seem to register for Clint. Coulson looked relieved and that was enough for him. As his eyes fluttered closed, Clint thought he heard something about the team being nearby and Phil staying with him until then.
The door to the garage flew open bathing everything in the light of dawn. Captain America stepped through searching the shadows for anyone. The Avengers had run into a small resistance, which they made short work of, but that meant that their archer had to be somewhere close by. Steve's gaze settled on the two prone figures in the middle and rushed over.
"What have you done to yourself this time, Clint?" he muttered as he took his deathly pale teammate. "Stark, I need you in here!"
Iron Man appeared at the frantic summons and didn't even wait for Rogers' direction before he scooped Clint up. They both jumped slightly as a door at the back of the warehouse slammed shut. Steve and Tony's eyes darted around the room looking for the intruder, but there was no one there.
Barton didn't open his eyes at the sudden jostling, just muttered, "Sorry Coulson."
Stark looked pointedly at Steve and mouthed "Coulson." Rogers shrugged his shoulders in response and ushered the pair on their way.
"Just hang in there, Barton," comforted Stark as he fired his repulsars, blasting the pair towards the nearest medical center.