On most mornings when he woke up, the first thing Hawkeye did was check to see if he was still sleeping in the same place he had been sleeping in. On a lot of different circumstances did Nick Fury think it was a good idea to have him "bagged and tagged" in the middle of the night and dumped somewhere in the middle of nowhere for the purposes of "training". Usually, if his hands weren't tied behind his back, it meant that today's training was on "easy mode".
Giving a small yawn, the archer stood himself up. Despite the hard shingles that roofed every house, the archer felt just as nice as a normal person who had a normal day's of bed rest. The winter weather hardly bothered him as he opened a window and let himself in. Normally, all the windows in Slades house would be locked but this was just an exception. The reason he didn't go as far as to barring them was the need to remain inconspicuous and that the glass was bullet-proof. Still didn't stop anyone skilled enough from just sneaking in though.
Many people would find it surprising that Slade ate cereal for breakfast. Yes. Cereal. No matter how much the man tried, he always made a bloody mess when attempting to make any "traditional" breakfasts, so he typically settled for something less sophisticated, such as a bagel, a maybe stopping by Starbucks. Today, with someone else doing the cooking, it was a nice change. Besides, he had a lot of work to do.
"I'd rather have you not occupying the space behind me." Slade told Eila as he tapped away on his laptop. For the entire morning since she woke up, the girl was nothing more fascinated by that foldy-thing with a screen which Slade seemed to be doing something on. When explained it was a "computer", it was rather hard to fathom that it was possible to make a computer that didn't take up an entire room.
"Why? Uncomfortable?" Eila teased. Prudently however, she moved herself next to him. Watching him tap away while the screen depicted a map of some sorts with the occasional photo of a person coming up.
"Very. I am used to the fact that most people who stand right behind me typically don't like me very much." Slade replied, recalling the countless times people tried to stab him in the back. Usually ended with them getting killed with their own knives. "I assume you don't have this type of thing in 1944?"
"No. You said it was a computer?"
"Yes." Slade replied as a small beep caused him to grin slightly.
"What are you doing?"
"Long story short. I am using this map to find that diamond the league stole from me. Once we do, we can grab it, and I presume you have the ability to power it in someway shape or form."
"So... my question is... what if Sanya and I can't?"
"Then reality is going to hell. Take that statement very literally." Slade replied. "And possibly. We all find ourselves in literal pieces before that happens?"
"Ummm..."
"I've finished writing an algorithm and made a plan to tailor itself with what's going to happen. By "me' writing this algorithm, I mean it was stolen from a guy named Luthor when he wasn't looking. Back to the point. The JP Morgan fault is currently chalk-full of the league's men. These are trained killers, some of the most dangerous men and women on the planet. Chances are, their leader, Ras Al Ghul is probably keeping them around Manhattan to avoid attracting attention. I estimate that we will have roughly 10 minutes before the league responds to us breaking into their vault. We have roughly twenty minutes until a SWAT team can arrive. But it's not SWAT anyone should worry about."
"It's these... assassins?"
"No. In any time frame, "they" will show up. And that is when things get ugly." Slade nodded as he closed his computer.
"Who's "they"?"
"The Brave and the Bold." Slade replied as he got up. "Looks like Sanya is done cooking. Let's eat."
"So. You have a plan for find that gem of yours?" Hawkeye asked as he sat down to breakfast, his eyes darting from Sanya finishing up breakfast to Slade who was busy making adjustments to a "smartphone".
"I have. Breaking in is going to be hard, but nothing I haven't done before. I am just hoping these two can get it working. If not, we are going to be dead. All of us."
"Yeah. Apparently some "brave and bold" people are going to get to us." Eila snickered.
"They won't kill us. I assure you." Slade replied. "Just lots of pain."
"So. Can we get this show on the road already?" Eila replied impatiently. "I am certain some freakshow in a bat costume isn't going to be too big of a deal."
"Wait till you get to the freakshow in the owl costume."
"And then... there's your costume!" Eila grinned.
"So. You wear a hockey mask?" Hawkeye asked as he looked at Slade's gear.
"Oh for christ's sake. Yes. That was the original costume. Kevlar body armor, and yes. A hockey mask. Then I moved on to a spandex and Kevlar hybrid. It provided about as much protection as wet toilet paper against bullets, so I threw it out. Now I got this. Made so that I have perfect mobility and protection all in one great combination. I am currently working on another one that's going to be built of Promethium."
"What's Promethium?"
"Something I'll explain later." Slade replied as he grabbed his usual costume and placed it in a bag. "Before we leave. The armory is in the next room. I got plenty of weapons and ammunition."
"I think I'll need some ammo." Widow nodded.
"And something tells me those two are going to need some better than those dinosaurs." Hawkeye nodded. "Nat. How old were you when you started?"
"Younger."
