"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s plan was to use Ant-Man's ant farm to frame you as a Hydra agent once and for all."
"If I were Hydra, I would have teamed up with Garrett to break you out. If I wasn't, Ant-Man would have released you at the right time so you could go undercover by my side."
On the rooftop of the Empire State Building, Batman's first words after Black Widow removed her metal mask silenced the double agent.
Black Widow's pupils dilated as she tried her best to hide her confusion and surprise. She stole a glance at Clint Barton—Hawkeye—only to find him looking back at her with the same stunned expression.
The two agents didn't speak, but they simultaneously conveyed the same thought to each other: How does Batman know?
Batman was adept at deciphering an opponent's schemes and conspiracies from the smallest of clues. He was also skilled at laying out a series of plans to bait his targets; even someone as powerful as Darkseid had fallen into his traps.
However, Batman didn't plot against everyone in the same way. Directly exposing Black Widow's mission was still part of a plan, but it certainly wasn't a trap.
"Ronin... No, you've reclaimed your identity as Hawkeye now. The mission S.H.I.E.L.D. gave you was supposed to be working with Black Widow to arrest me."
Batman looked at Clint Barton and said, "But now, you need to accept a mission from me alongside Black Widow."
"Wait, hold on." Hawkeye frowned and raised a hand to stop Batman from continuing.
He had just returned from Japan and had only finished gathering recent intel; he still hadn't fully grasped what was happening. While Black Widow had deduced her mission based on various clues, Hawkeye had been sent to Japan by Batman right after arriving in New York. He knew nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s supposed plan.
"You're saying that my mission in coming to New York from Code D-2 was to arrest you?" Hawkeye asked.
Batman nodded.
"According to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s plan, I was supposed to be in New York, find you through various leads, and then become your enemy?" Hawkeye continued.
Batman gave another slight nod.
"So looking at it now, Natasha's and my missions have completely failed... and you want to turn the tables and use us against S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Hawkeye asked.
As he spoke, Hawkeye's stance remained the same, but his center of gravity shifted. He was ready to leap back and distance himself from Batman at any moment. Black Widow also flexed her fingers, preparing for a fight.
"No," Batman said.
With his vast combat experience, Batman could see the instant tension in both Hawkeye and Black Widow. Hawkeye had discarded his tattered Ronin attire and changed back into his purple sleeveless tactical suit. Slung across his back were his quiver and a longbow that could collapse into two short batons; at his waist hung the katana Batman had forged for him.
Watching Hawkeye's right hand move instinctively toward his back, Batman's voice remained steady. "Natasha, tell Clint. It was Director Fury who ordered you to lock him in the Cube."
Hawkeye's sharp gaze snapped toward Black Widow, his eyes as piercing as the arrows he shot. In that moment, the edge in his gaze wasn't directed at her, but at the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury. "Natasha, is that true?"
Black Widow gave a soft "Mhm."
"It's true..."
"What kind of games is that old fox Fury playing?" Hawkeye clenched his fists, asking the same question Black Widow had asked days before.
"It goes beyond that. Nick Fury wants to deal with me because he views me as a threat he can't control. He should have sent more agents—perhaps even Ant-Man or the Wasp—but he didn't."
Batman began peeling back S.H.I.E.L.D.'s facade one layer at a time. "Have you ever wondered why?"
"I have. Director Fury's plan was... if you weren't Hydra, you would inevitably clash with Garrett. Clint and I were supposed to wait for the right moment to take you both down in one swoop," Black Widow said.
"But obviously, that plan has failed completely. Garrett is dead; his body is lying in the morgue under the Manhattan Medical Examiner's office," Hawkeye said. "I just went to see for myself. It's definitely him."
"Perhaps Director Fury has other plans, but they aren't important to me. What is important is..." Batman looked deeply at Hawkeye and pulled out the list Garrett had given to Tony Stark before he died.
"Hydra within S.H.I.E.L.D." Black Widow understood what was happening the moment she saw the list.
"This is only a part of it," Batman said.
The list only contained certain agents and technicians within S.H.I.E.L.D.; it didn't include any government officials. Batman hadn't forgotten that there was a Hydra member hidden within the World Security Council.
"The mission you want us to perform... it wouldn't happen to be taking out these Hydra moles, would it?" Hawkeye narrowed his eyes. "That has nothing to do with you."
"All criminal activity is within my jurisdiction," Batman said expressionlessly. "Hydra is the largest criminal organization I know of. I will not stand by and do nothing."
"I want you to return to S.H.I.E.L.D., but do not expose these Hydra agents immediately. Instead, use them as leads to find more members, and then we will wipe them out all at once."
"This mission must be kept from Nick Fury. I've always suspected he might be the deepest-hidden Hydra operative of all."
Hawkeye and Black Widow exchanged a look. Compared to Batman, they were more inclined to trust Director Nick Fury. But now, they had no reason to doubt Batman. Conversely, Fury's recent actions and plans were shrouded in mystery. They did indeed need to return to S.H.I.E.L.D. to get to the bottom of this.
"We'll do it. But I hope that once the truth comes to light, we won't end up as enemies," Hawkeye said, looking at Batman.
Black Widow didn't speak; she simply gave Batman a long, hard look before jumping off the roof of the Empire State Building with Hawkeye. A few minutes later, they had completely vanished into the Manhattan night.
Once he confirmed they had left and weren't tailing him, Batman spread his cape and dove off as well. Then, the crescent-shaped Batwing plummeted from the clouds, carrying Batman toward an abandoned shipyard.
The abandoned shipyard was also shrouded in pitch-black darkness. Someone had been waiting there for a long time. As the Batwing hovered in the sky, the figure looked up to see Batman falling straight down, carrying a metal container.
Thud!
Without any measures to slow his descent, Batman and the metal container slammed hard into the ground of the shipyard.
"This is for you." Batman placed a hand on the metal container and shoved it toward the figure who had been waiting so long.
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