Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Clint couldn’t help but think how much easier traveling was now that half the population was gone. Airports were basically empty now and air traffic control was non-existent. It made it incredibly easy to find one of the old quinjets in storage at the small municipal airport to liberate from it’s bunker and fly off. His destination? Japan. If he was going to become the Ronin then he needed the gear to make it happen. He also needed to make sure that none of this could be tied back to him or the Avengers. The myth of the Ronin stemmed out of Japan and he was going to keep it that way. For all intents and purposes it would look like a vigilante had appeared out of Japan and took up the myth in the wake of the Blip. Thankfully he knew someone in the country who could help him and be discreet.
Clint landed in Tokyo several hours later and when he landed he was reminded that the devastation was not just in New York. It was easy sometimes to forget that the rest of the world was also subject to possible blowback should be Avengers fail in any regard. It made the stakes not as high but as he looked at the once prosperous and crowded city of Tokyo appear to be nothing more than a ghost town, He was instantly reminded of the fact that There are so many more people that relied on the Avengers - That relied on him to keep them safe from world ending events and how he had failed them by doing nothing. Where he failed before he wasn't going to again. He was no longer going to do nothing or sit on the sidelines and wait for somebody else to take care of the problem. For those that remained, he would keep him safe from the monsters who were spared and now prayed on them. He would not stop until he made up for his past failures.
Clint made his way to the rendezvous point that he had set up with his contact. He was a guy Clint had many run-ins over the years and while he was definitely rough on the edges, the two men bonded over many things. They also had somewhere habits of becoming mentors to these young kids who fell into the superhero life one way or the other. That and Natasha and he seemed to have a history, even if the other party couldn't quite remember it. He entered the dojo and noticed how silent and still it was. Perhaps he was the first one there.
Until he smelled the familiar sense of cigar ash. “Still haven't found yourself a proper cigar yet, Logan?” Clint called out with a knowing smirk.
He heard the gruff laugh and turned towards it with his arms crossed in front of him. “You have no room to talk, Barton. You wouldn't know a good cigar even if it hit ya in the face.”
From the corner of the room emerged the only other resident in the dojo. The lit cigar was nestled firmly between his fingers as it was brought up to his lips. “Thanks for meeting me, Logan,” Clint said as he drew himself closer as well, “Although I’m surprised you’re in here in Japan. I thought the school would need all hands on deck for this.”
“School business is what brought me here, ' Logan acknowledged, “Kid went missing here a few weeks ago. Been trying to track her down ever since.”
“Which kid?”
“Kitty. We lost Jean, Bobby, Kurt and Ro to the snap and the kid didn’t take it well. Then she got a call that her dad was alive and somewhere here in Tokyo… I knew I should have came with her.” Clint recognized the look on Logan’s face. He could see the guilt eating away at him and the grief from losing his friends, especially when he mention Ro’s name. “You want a hand looking for her?”
“I don’t know, Barton, you sure you don’t need a nap after that flight? You ain’t getting any younger.”
Clint smirked. “Just need some gear and coffee and I’ll be good to go.”
“What? No Avengers gear with ya?” Clint visibly didn’t react when Logan mentioned the Avengers. “Need some new gear and thought you might be able to help out with that. I need something less hero and more…”
“Vigilante?” Clint furrowed his brow as he looked at him. “I may be in Japan but I ain’t stupid. I heard about what happened on the docks and word travelled real fast about the Hand scene. The heads of the Hand here ain’t happy about you killing a little faction of theirs in Hell’s Kitchen.”
“Then maybe they shouldn’t be taking hit orders from Kingpin?”
“Regardless…” Logan cut off as he gave him a look, “They’re gonna be out for blood and if they find out you’re here, they’re going to come after ya.”
“Yeah, well, let them. I’m not afraid of them.” Logan growled in response, clearly not amused by Clint’s statement. “Maybe not, but if you’re gonna help me get the kid back, it would be easier to not draw attention.”
“Fair enough. So…you got the gear?”
Logan nodded and pointed to the cabinet at the end of the room. “I’m glad to be rid of this shit. I’m not sure if it’s gonna fit ya, though, bub. You might need to have it taken in a bit.”
Clint laughed a little as he walked up to the cabinet and opened the doors. The black suit hung on the dummy, accented with gold. Just simply staring at it made Clint feel like he was staring at something meant to strike fear into the hearts of whoever opposed it. It was certainly not an outfit made to inspire hope like Captain America or Iron Man. This looked more like something a villain would wear. And in a way, he was becoming just that. The enemy of criminals. A figure of violence meant to make the bad guys fear of ever crossing him. He pulled down the arm braces and examined them closely. “How did you come by this?”
“Old friend gave it to me after I helped him take down the invaders of his village. Said something about it once belonging to the protector in ancient times. Don’t know how accurate it is but I ain’t questioning a man’s legend.”
Clint slid one on and examined the fangs that protruded from it. “It’s perfect.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll give ya a minute to put it on. I need to call my contact about a lead.” Logan left with his phone in hand while Clint began to disrobe the mannequin and put on the suit. It was heavier than he was used to but Clint could work with it. It wasn’t the most uncomfortable ensemble he had ever worn. He was pretty sure his old uniform took the cake on that. With everything on he grabbed the mask for last and carried it with him before heading out to find Logan. Which was fairly easy – the man was outside with his cigar. “Yeah, thanks,” he mumbled into the phone before hanging up.
Clint nodded at it as he fiddled with the mask. “So? What’s the lead?”
Just from his facial expressions, Clint could tell it wasn’t good. In fact he was almost sure that if he squeezed anymore that he was going to break his phone. Whatever the lead was, Logan was not at all happy about it. “Should have killed him when I had the chance….”
Clint’s brow furrowed slightly as he tried to gauge exactly what Logan was on about. “Fucker’s name is Ogun. Bastard implants his thoughts and memories into younger people so he can live on. He tried to do the same thing to me but it didn’t work…I swear to god if he hurt one hair on that kid’s head I’m gonna rip his ass a new one…”
Oh Clint knew that look. He knew it well. It was that same anger he had so many times deep inside himself when Cap had told him that he needed to break Wanda out from Tony’s house arrest. The same look when Laura told him how a couple kids had beat Cooper up at school….
Clint put his hand on Logan’s shoulder. “Let’s go get your kid back.”
TBC…