Chapter 3
Why couldn't Carina have just been at her house or at the university, Clint thought as he parked the unmarked S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV in front of the Coulson family home.
"This is going to be awkward," Clint said as he climbed out of the driver's seat.
"You don't have to come in," Natasha said, meeting Clint at the front of the vehicle.
"Phil would bust my ass," Clint said, watching as three more S.H.I.E.L.D. SUVs approached the house. He still hadn't figured out what he was going to say to Mrs. Coulson. He could only hope that Carina came peacefully; he didn't want Jamie to see his aunt get shot. He'd been relieved when Fury had ordered Phil to stay at H.Q. to continue interrogating the Red Room assassin which was pretty weak in Clint's opinion, since the woman had still not said a word except for name, rank and serial number and wasn't likely to. According to Natasha, she was a true believer.
Clint signaled the strike team to stand down as the front door flew open and Jamie came running down the walkway screaming "Uncle Clint." Scooping the exuberant little boy up into his arms, Clint balanced him on his left hip as he rested his right hand on his sidearm, expecting Carina to be coming out the door next.
"Uncle Clint?" Natasha asked, raising her right eyebrow.
Clint's ability to have a smart-ass comeback at the ready failed him, so he settled for sticking out his tongue.
"Clint Barton," Eleanor asked, stepping out onto the porch and walking toward them, "where's Phillip?"
"Doing his job, ma'am," Clint said.
"He's safe?" Eleanor asked.
"Yes, ma'am," Clint said.
"Then why," Eleanor asked, "are you and seven other armed members of what I can only presume are agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. standing in front of my house?"
"First I need to know where Carina is," Clint said, eyeing the front door.
"How would I know, dear?" Eleanor asked.
"She's not here?" Natasha asked.
"She is not," Eleanor said.
"Can we take this inside?" Clint asked.
Eleanor pursed her lips and glanced between Clint and Natasha. "I think that's probably for the best."