Some Assembly Required
 

Tansy thought she had made some decent life choices. Going to school, getting good grades, being a half-way decent athlete (when she could be bothered)... Even getting a good job right out of college. So she wasn't sure how she had ended up wandering around the base, following none other than the Black Widow.

Ella really wasn't sure how this had happened, but really, no one said no to the Black Widow. So she just followed behind, quietly confused and trying to figure out if she and Tansy were going to be killed, rewarded, or recruited for something more specialized. Really, it was a toss up.

"In here," Natasha said, opening a door and ushering them inside. Clint had already debugged the room for them.

"Are we allowed to ask what's going on?" Tansy asked as she went into the room. She glanced at Clint and, once she'd judged that he wasn't an immediate threat to her person or sanity, she looked back at Natasha.

"Now you are." Natasha shut the door with a snap. "I'm sure you're both aware of the people SHIELD has been gathering?"

"Well," Ella said, "it's hard not to notice when Tony Stark is around, the Director growls and grumps a lot more."

"I've been on Stark duty, Banner duty, and Barnes duty," Tansy said, nodding. "So what is this about?"

"Isn't it odd that Fury's been gathering all these superheroes and not letting them help the world?" Natasha asked, mostly rhetorically.

Ella looked at her, because yes it was odd, she'd had the thought herself, but if Natasha was proposing what she thought she was... "That could be very dangerous," she murmured.

Tansy paused too. She'd definitely had similar thoughts, and now to hear them from the Black Widow, of all people...

"It'll also be ridiculously difficult," she said, nodding. "This is not something that can be done quietly."

"Quietly until we're ready," Natasha said. "This will be a long game." She smirked faintly.

"Right." Ella rolled her shoulders. "Sounds fun. Disobeying orders and plotting to undermine the Director. Oodles of fun."

Clint snickered from where he'd migrated up into the rafters.

"I can't see this ending well for pretty much anyone involved," Tansy pointed out. "Not that I think that's going to stop you. Just needed to make that known."

"If you don't want to help, you can get out," Natasha told her and Ella.

Ella held up her hands but didn't move.

"Easy," Tansy said, holding up her hands as well. "I'm just saying, is this really the best option? Going against the director? We've all seen what he does to renegades."

"Do you think there's a better option?" Natasha asked, raising her eyebrows. "Another way to get them out?"

Tansy thought about it for a moment, weighing all the options she could think of.

"We'll have to be fast," she said finally. "The Director will catch on quick if we're not careful, and then we'll be screwed."

Natasha nodded. "Which is why we're keeping everything very quiet until we're ready to move," she agreed. "I'm working with Stark currently. You work with Barnes," here she nodded to Tansy, "and you with Rogers, since you're already in charge of his history."

Ella nodded her agreement of that.

Tansy nodded.

"Once we get them, where are we going?" she asked. They obviously couldn't stay there. A safe house would be better.

"That is still in the works," Natasha admitted, because it was rather difficult finding a place out of the way big enough to hold everyone. "It's possible we might split up for a while. Still working on the details."

"Okay," Tansy said. She was going over a few things in her head. "Then I'll hold off on getting Barnes until I've got a place to take him. Less chance of him getting away from me that way."

Natasha nodded. "No one is retrieving anyone yet," she said. "I need to have a finished plan first."

Tansy nodded.

"Okay," she said. "I'll figure out how to get Barnes, and I'll wait for the go-ahead."

Natasha nodded. "I've already got a plan for Rogers," she told Ella. "But I need someone he trusts in place."

Ella smiled a little. "As much as he trusts anyone, you mean," she agreed.

"We need him to trust you," Natasha replied. "We need him with us."

"I know," Ella said. "I'll convince him, don't worry. Consider it done."

Natasha nodded.

After a moment, Tansy stood up.

"I need to get back before I'm missed," she said. "I'll keep an eye out for an opportunity to make contact with Barnes."

Natasha nodded. "Keep in touch," she said, as Clint went to the door to open it for Tansy. "You as well."

"Yes ma'am," Ella said with a mostly straight face. Clint snerked.

"Will do," Tansy said as she headed out. She sighed a bit as she headed back to her assigned station. They would have to be extremely careful with whatever Romanov was planning, and even then there was a significant chance that it would go sideways.