Chapter 3: Trust

The first thing Rick learn about the Upgrade skill is that like in the game, it cost money. 10 for the 1st upgrade, 50 for the 2nd, 100 for the 3rd, then 500, 700, 1 000, 50 000, 100 000, 7 000 000 and finally 100 000 000.

While upgrading something up to the level 10 would be a bit difficult, upgrading to the 3rd level was quite easy. Especially since the Upgrade skill didn't care about the type of currency. Be it Yens, Dollars, Bitcoins, Euros or even Pesos the Upgrade skill take everything without a problem. As long as pay the right number, it didn't care, if the Dollar had more monetary value than the Peso. For him 10 Dollars or 10 Pesos was almost the same thing.

Why almost? Because even though Upgrade will also accept the 10 Pesos, the degree of evolution wouldn't be same as with 10 Dollars.

If we still take the example of the iPhone, with 10 Pesos the iPhone 4 will only go to the iPhone 5 or 6 while with 10 dollars you go to 8 ox X and with the GC from the system it could go straight to the iPhone 13!

So while Upgrade accept every kind of money, the 'quality' of that money was still import. But fortunately while upgrading you focus on the area you wanted to upgrade. So you could obtain an IPhone 5 that could take the picture from the 13th.

But for his 1st Upgrade, Rick want to do a focus Upgrade but a general one to see the result. And obviously he was going to GC for it because he didn't have any other money with him.

Placing his hand on the jet, he closed his eyes and silently said in his heart.

'Upgrade'

[It is detected that the Jet Challenger 600 is going to upgrade to level 2. It will cost you 60GC. Do you confirm?]

'Yes!'

It only took a brief flash of light for the jet to change drastically. The first thing Rick noticed was the fact that the jet looked like the Quadjet from the Captain Marvel Movie. Except that the wings and the engine were way shorter and smaller than in the Quadjet. But the vertical fins were a bit longer, giving the jet a futuristic feeling. The only thing that didn't change was the blue-green color of the plane.

At a glance you could see that it was a very advance plane. And the informations he received from the Upgrade confirmed it.

Kingjet: while it takes the Quinjet less than 1 hour to go from Paris to New York (Mach 6) , it only takes 30 minutes for the Kingjet to do it (Mach 10). Equipped one of most sophisticate aerial weapons, this jet can annihilate a small city under 15 minutes while not being detected by any modern detection device or by eyes with it new optic camouflage function. In short, this is dream jet of every army or spy.

'A-annihilate! What kind of jet is that?!'

After seeing the description, Rick directly decide to never let that machine of destruction fall into the hands of others. Even now he hesitate to let Natasha and Clint see that jet.

But unfortunately, he didn't have the luxury to chose, because he could already hear their step coming to the garage. So he could only watch helplessly as Clint open the door connecting the garage to the house.

"Rick, I need to ask you if-. Holy sh*t is that your jet?! Where the f*ck did you get that beauty!?"

Hearing Barton voice, Natasha poke her head behind him to see the subject of all that excitation, just to be as shocked as him.

Seeing that it was already too late, Rick could only explain to the best of his abilities.

"That... I didn't found it anywhere, I build the Kingjet from an old Challenger 600. You may not know, but my father, the Tinkerer is quite a genius in that kind of stuff even if I hate him, and I pick up one or two things from him before I left him. But I don't sell my creations, contrary to him."

'Technically everything I said is the truth, so...'

But his explanation surprised and even frighten both spies.

"When you say you pick a thing or two from your father, does this mean... He can build that kind of jet too?"

"What? No way. I meant to say that I learn how to build things from him. But in term of invention I am way stronger than him."

'If we consider the fact that I can upgrade anything and have the knowledge on how to recreate them after, then it's still true.'

But even if Clint and Natasha didn't know the real truth, they were still relieved from what Rick said.

"Fortunately you're the only one who can build that kind of thing, I can't imagine what would happen if that kind of technology flew over the black market. And I hope for your own safety and freedom that it will be kept that way."

While the under threat didn't please Rick, he still understand that Hawkeye as a SHIELD agent had to warn him like that. Even, if it wasn't Clint but another SHIELD agent he would have cuff him and forced him to work for SHIELD. Just look at Skye after being caught by Coulson.

"Yeah I know." So for Barton to just warn him, was already a very kind treatment which is why he didn't argue.

But what Rick didn't know is that even though Clint just seem to just verbally threaten Rick, he was also thinking about doing a deep investigation on the latter and report the matter to Fury after the Dreykov incident is over.

Because Rick impression on the SHIELD isn't wrong when it comes to this. How could it possible to let Rick go free after seeing his 'dangerous' talent? Especially when his father and himself are criminals? Even though Clint didn't know what kind of jet it was, just the fact that it look like an advance version of the Quinjet of many generation is enough for him to know how much of a genius Rick was. So even if he didn't 'invite' him to the SHIELD, he will never let Rick goes without any monitoring. Especially when he was just a kid!

But Clint still think that that kind of thing could be decided after the mission was over because he's sure that by that time, he would know Rick well enough to make an appropriate decision.

As for Natasha, after getting over her shock she had a different question in her mind.

"I don't understand. You seem to be a very capable kid? Young man? So why didn't you sell your talent to a bright entreprise like Stark industry or even create your own, but instead work as a smuggler?"

'Because until yesterday night I wasn't such a 'Genius'? Even I wasn't a part of the this world yesterday.'

Obviously Rick wasn't going to tell them that, instead he opted for a less crazy answer: "Because I until I found a more helpful way to use my inventions, I won't sell them. I already saw what dangerous weapons in the wrong hands can do with my father 'help'. I don't want to follow his path. And even Tony Stark who promote peace is only a chess piece of his his organization. I bet he doesn't even know that someone is selling his weapons behind his back in the black market.

I don't want to become the second Tony Stark or Tinkerer Jr. so I don't show my creations. So if I can't show my only talent, then I can't really succeed in a 'good' way that why I chose to smuggle as an independent contractor. Because at least I can choose what to smuggle. It's a simple as that."

That answer silenced the spies, but it makes them have a new understanding of Rick. And new found respect for him. Because both of them understood Rick perfectly. Or at least the old Rick. Because both of them had a similar past. And one was even trying to change her future right now.

As if aware of the soir mood that he installed, Rick tried to change the conversation.

"By the way Hawkeye, what did you want to ask me?" even if it wasn't subtle at all, the latter still follow.

"Oh, I wanted to ask you if you had any arrow. For my bow. I saw the arrows for crossbows, so I thought that maybe you also had arrows for normal bows."

"Hum key me think about it." while saying that, Rick actually called Athena in his head.

'Athena, if I remember correctly. In the Avengers Takedown, one there are only Hawkeye and Black Widows as playable characters right? So there's 50% chance to take out his quiver and stuff right?'

[You are wrong Rick. Even though it is true that only Hawkeye and Black Widow are the only playable characters they're not the only thing present in the game. Even though the system can't extract villains from the games, drawing out some of their weapons are no problem. And don't forget that Nick Fury also appear in the game too.]

'What that count too?'

[Of course. As long as it is in the game, it has a chance to appear. But you don't have to worry, because as you said Black Widow and Hawkeye are the main character of the game. Because of that, things related to them have indeed more chance to appear than the others.]

'Well that's a relief. Then how many GC do I have?'

[You still have 1540 Gold Coins.]

'Then use 1000 GC on the Avengers : Takedown lottery please.'

[Congratulation, you've won:

Hydra Rifle blasters ×5

Double jump skill ×3

Black Widow unlimited Wrist Blasters

Black Widow Suit

Focus shoot Skill

Hawkeye's unlimited quiver

Nick Fury eye patch ×2

SHIELD Hologram technology

Nick Fury's Heroic Name: King of Agents

Hydra energy shield ×2

Nick Fury Utility Belt ×2.]

The rewards really took Rick by surprise this time. Even though it was Nick Fury's, it was his first Heroic name! Only one day after coming to the marvel world and he was already so lucky.

But Rick thought about it, he would see that it was actually a normal thing.

Avengers : Takedown was a flash game with only two playable characters and only enemies. And with the fact that Athena couldn't take out most of the enemy's gears, it was a normal thing for Rick to obtain a Heroic Name this early.

And Rick also understood after calming down a little bit. And because he wasn't alone, he didn't check everything, but just checked Hawkeye's Unlimited Quiver before exiting.

Hawkeye's Unlimited Quiver : a quiver that possess a infinity number of different types of arrow. No matter how many Arrows you take out from the quiver, after a minute, through an unknown technology, new arrows will be created in the quiver with the same functions as the old ones.

"You are lucky Hawkeye, I do have what your asking for, but it's still under experimentation and at Budapest."

"What I'm asking for is not some weird arrows, but the normal kind. And in this house preferably." Hawkeye said warily, afraid of being kidnapped to test some weird invention.

"Don't worry it's only under experimentation because I'm not an archer. Otherwise they work perfectly fine. Once at Budapest I'll lend it to you. But it's only a loan, you'll have to return it at the end."

"Let's talk about your when we indeed arrived there. Alive. And it's Budapest." Cut off Black Widow.

"Budapest, that's what I said. As for going to that city, don't worry about it even if they possess the latest technology in detection they still wouldn't be able to see my jet on their radars or even with their eyes."

"How sure are you about that?" Asked Hawkeye skeptic on Rick boasting.

Which was understandable because if Rick technology didn't work they could possibly die.

"Well, as long as they don't possess any alien technology, or are more than 20 years ahead in their tech, then I'm 100% sure. The only thing is that, if you send a signal while inside then we can still be detected. So no calls during the flight or SOS, GPS positioning and the like. Only electronics that are already inside the plane are an exception to this rule."

"Well even if you say so, we still have to make a plan B just in case." Retort Black Widow while Hawkeye nodded at the side.

Knowing that they were still worried, Rick thought of a solution.

"Well if you're that afraid, then we test the Kingjet on a high military facility or other things with high security level. Anyway that jet can go up to Mach 10, so it doesn't matter if get caught. But I have to tell you now that I can fly up to this speed."

But Natasha didn't found his plan clever at all.

"This is your plan? Test your jet on sensitive and we'll equipped zone to see if we are indeed invisible? How is that different from going to Budapest directly?"

For this Rick already had the answer.

"It's different. We don't need to land in high risk zones. We only need to pass over it and then run away immediately if it doesn't work. But it's different for Budapest : if we get caught the first time while they're not expecting us, it will two time harder to do once they are prepared. So raiding those zones is safer for us because we'll never visit them again."

When putting like that, both spies had to think about it. But for Natasha who was the most determinate to accomplish this mission, after weighing the pro and con, the choice was made very quickly.

"Is your jet quick enough? Mach 10, can it do it?"

"Don't ask a man if he do it. Don't worry it is that fast, but as I said I myself can't ride it safely at that speed except for straight line."

"Then don't say you're man next time, boy." retort Hawkeye mockingly. "While you can't, I can do it, so I'll be the pilot."

Rick just rolled his eyes at the joke. "Even if you're the pilot, it's still my plane."

"Sorry I'm married."

"eurgh, you're mind is dirty."

"If you understood then yours is as dirty as mine, boy." Replied Hawkeye grinning.

As Rick and Clint continue to bicker with each other, Natasha watch at the side remembering the days she use to do the same with her 'sister' Yelena.

'Perhaps after all of this is over, I'll have the occasion do it again.' She thought with longing. And this longing became a new factor of motivation. So with determination Natasha took a decision that she never thought about doing all her life: opening up to others.

Those two people were going to be key to free herself, so trusting them a little bit was a must for it to succeed. So with determination she went to her teammates.

"Okey both of you, stop bickering like a child and let's prepare ourselves well. While technically we have plenty of time but Dreykov will soon notice that I defected. And The SHIELD will also start to look for Hawkeye because it's been a long time time since their last contact. So our time is tight."

The atmosphere immediately became more solemn. Rick in particular was more serious, because contrary to those super trained spies, he is still quite normal in comparison. So for next 30 minutes, while Black Widow and Hawkeye were talking about the plan in detail, Rick was extremely focus and try as best as he could to remember everything.

"Well, that should be everything. The next thing will be when we finally get our hand on the evidences." Conclude Black Widow, which prompt Hawkeye to move to toward the door.

"In that case I'm going back to bring what we'll need." But just as Hawkeye said that Black Widow stopped him.

"Wait Hawkeye. I... I think we should all get to know each other first." Hearing something so unexpected both Hawkeye and the Agent put an inquiring stare at Black Widow. But even though she felt awkward, she still proceed.

"Well, I'll go first. My name is Natalia Alianovna Romanoff. People generally call me Natasha and my... Friends don't call me anything because I don't have any hehe. Any way, I was raised by an evil super spy organization named Red Room and today I'm trying to get free from them."

To say Rick was surprised would be far from close from what he was feeling right now. Rick knew that Natasha was at a crossroad today, but he didn't think that in order to cut her past, she would show some vulnerability to them.

As normal person wouldn't understand, but in their domain of activities, knowing the real name of the person was a dangerous thing. And for a good reason. Don't think that only superheroes hide their identities to protect their relatives. Spies do too, and even criminals like Rick too otherwise why would he call himself 'The Agent' when he wasn't even one? Because even though he didn't care about his father, he still had a sick mother in England who was ignorant of the current affairs. Up until now she still thinks that his father is the one who's paying for the medical fees and the nurse taking care of her, when in truth it has always been Rick.

And so to avoid implicating his mother, Rick created the character of The Agent.

As for Natasha and Barton, needles to say. They work for an organization. If the enemy know their name, they'll always find a way to trace them to the organization they work for. And in big organization, there always moles who can access their information more deeply which would result in the situation that most super hero try to avoid.

So for Natasha to say her name, it's a big show of trust towards the spy and and the criminal.

One which Rick reciprocate with a smile.

"Names' Richard Mason, but everyone call me Rick. My father Phineas Mason is the genius piece of garbage named Tinkerer who forced me into the criminal path, as for my mom... Well she doesn't know anything. I'm working so she doesn't lack of anything. I'm not part of any organization, but I'm still the best in my job. Never been caught for criminal activities and never will anyway. As for why I'm here, let just say I want to return to my easygoing life, that and your first commission to me... Nat."

The nickname brought an imperceptible smile to Natasha that she herself didn't notice. But she did feel the rush of joy that name brought through her soul, but as a trained agent, even if was indeed genuinely happy, she still tried to hide it. But Barton still caught it, which also made up his mind.

"The I guess it's my turn. My name is Clinton Francis Barton, but call me Clint. Like you I also had a criminal parent, but in my case, it was my mother and she tried to provide for me. Because I... I never miss, I was recruited by the SHIELD so that can do positive things in this world. And contrary to you two losers, I'm married." that earned a Boohoo from Rick and an exaggerate repulsive face from Natasha.

"Hahaha, you're just jealous. But it doesn't matter anyway, you're just losers. That's why I'm here to make sure you don't stay that way and maybe like me, make some positive change to the world with your skills."

After Clint finished speaking, the three of them look at each other with a smile complicity for a brief moment before returning to their respective duty. But even if that show of complicity was brief, each of them at least knew that from now on, even if it wasn't too the point of life and death, they could still trust the other.

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So because I have to study, my schedules aren't regular, but I'll still try to do it regularly if I can.

As for the story, I know that in the movie, Nat and Clint trust each other for good in those 3 days in the subway. But I thought to myself that even though this is the case, it still need a process for it to reach that level, that's why laid the groundwork here. You can see that even though they talk about their life, all of them still hide the most important thing (Barton children, Nat's Sister, the fact that Rick's mother is sick etc...).

Actually at first I wanted to make them have a kind of forceful alliance were they all suspecting each other until the subway scene where there will be the breakthrough, but I finally gave up because Rick character can't do it. Especially because he's not a agent, so he wouldn't be able to detect if Clint and Natasha are faking friendship or not. Furthermore, because of his impression of their future self, it is difficult for him to see them the 'cold' agent they are right now. So I opted for this option while trying to make it more like how it would goes in reality.