Synopsis / Summary / Plot
This is another issue split between the present and 30 years in the future.
And it begins in the future as the Hawkeye duo (Kate Bishop and Clint Barton) return from their mission to China. SHIELD had sent Agent Bishop to confront the Mandarin about a large explosion which had killed many people there, and Kate had taken Clint along. Now SHIELD boss Maria Hill welcomes them back and is glad to see they have Communion 2 with them, as she calls 1 of the 3 now grown up children that they rescued from Hydra in the present in the previous series.
But Kate-eye isn't buying it. She and Clint-eye fire what she calls 'splodie arrows (and it warms the cockles of Clint's heart that she remembers his name for them). The explosions scatter the welcoming committee, and more arrows take out attacking drones. Kate says she has friends inside who will help them, as Captain America Chavez opens a door to let them further into the base.
'Meanwhile' in the present Kate wakes in her bed from a night clubbing with America and finds a strange man in her room with coffee for her. It turns out that she brought him home with her, but she's forgotten his name. He says he's not working today so maybe they could do something. She stumbles through some excuse and he takes the hint and leaves. She calls America Chavez who is disappointed that her friend kicked the boy out - he seemed sweet and good for her. Kate claims she doesn't want a relationship - her superhero life is enough. America warns her that she starting to sound like Clint.
Back to the future where the group of now 4 make their way to where SHIELD is keeping the other 2 Communion 'kids'. Chavez says she's got a quinjet waiting for them, and she'll keep lookout while they go in. But as Kate and Communion 2 enter, America whispers to Clint that Kate's been good without him so he'd better not screw it up. Inside they find Communion 1 and 3 kept under sedation. Kate breaks the glass to free them. Clint warns her that they might not remember her after 30 years. (C 2 hasn't said anything since they rescued him but then he'd been tortured by Mandarin.) But when all 3 are reunited they thank the person they know as Kate Katie Hawkeye. However Maria Hill bursts in and shoots all 3 in the head.
Back to the present where Clint with his dog Lucky flies a helicopter to visit his brother Barney Barton on the island he bought with the money he stole from Clint (in the 2012 Hawkeye series). But the brothers reconcile warmly. Barney lives there with Cheryl and her 2 young sons. That night the brothers take a stroll on the beach and reminisce about their time in the circus. (We see a generic flashback to them with Swordsman and his young female assistant a la the flashbacks in the previous mini-series.) Barney says he's been running ever since but now he's settled down. Clint claims to have been settled ever since he joined the Avengers, but Barney says he's been running from 1 female partner to another. *Now* he's settled with Kate because for the 1st time it's not a romantic relationship. Clint has to admit that she's not here with him now because things have got complicated. Barney advises him to uncomplicate it because Kate's his anchor.
The issue ends split between now and the future. In the future the 3 Project Communion 'kids' die. Kate says they should never have split up and let the kids go. Clint says it was his fault. In the present Clint-eye comes to see Kate-eye to say it was all his fault and they should never have let SHIELD take the kids. But they can still get them back before it's too late.