Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Witch and the Widows

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 58:

Iran Afghanistan Border

Faran al-Wazar was panicking. Today was supposed to be the greatest day of his life. Unlike his brother’s failure to kill Tony Stark, Faran would succeed in killing the most famous girl in the world, an enhanced abomination named Wanda Maximoff that Sokovians worshipped as a goddess.

His plan had been simple. As soon as she walked into the building she was to be shot and the children and teachers held as hostage’s to secure his men’s escape. Without Maximoff and her enhanced powers Sokovia was still the country that let other countries roll over it throughout their history. There were no fighters in Sokovia. The country let a girl fight their battles.

He had heard of the girl’s power but didn’t believe it could be true. He had no doubt she could fly and move objects with her mind. He had seen those blasts of red energy she wielded that HYDRA gave her. The other outlandish stories could not be true though. The idea that she could read minds, control minds and place a man in his greatest nightmare to be lived over and over was ludicrous. The claims that she could change matter, change reality, perform miracles was simply not possible. It was stories made up by her victims and the country that supported her to make her appear more intimidating than she truly was.

He watched it on television with the rest of his organization. He watched the hostages run out of the building untouched after she walked inside. He listened to the screams of his men live on air. He saw one jump through a window to get away from her and one run out the front door, only to be pulled back inside to meet gruesome fates.

Nothing had gone to plan. Iran had paid for this operation and they would no doubt be angry that he failed. He would need a new plan that took into account rumored powers that he now knew were true. Calling her out with hostages did not work. It would take something different, imaginative. A suicide bomber walking next to her in a crowded Novi Grad market or bombing the Executive Building while she spoke to a president who took orders from a female child.

One of his men ran inside. His base of operations was a cave that had been hollowed further and extended deeper inside the mountain. There were weapons outside camouflaged from the air that included surface to air missiles, tanks and automatic rifles carried by over one hundred of his best warriors. Despite the safety of their base, the man looked as panicked as Faran felt.

“Have you put all bases on alert?”

“No sir. We have lost contact with our bases.”

“Which ones?”

“All of them. We have been unable to contact any of the six, not even the one on the Pakistan border.”

Faran shook his head in disbelief. It had only been ten hours since their failure. Iran had not contacted him or answered his calls but they wouldn’t react so fast. No one could find the location of all their bases so quickly.

Another man burst inside without waiting for permission.

“Sir, there is a storm coming in!” he shouted.

Faran almost shot the man. “A storm? You bother me with a weather report?”

“This storm is not natural sir. You should see for yourself. The men are terrified.”

Both soldiers ran out and Faran followed them. What greeted him outside shook him to his core.

The stars in the night sky were being slowly extinguished by a massive storm cloud that was slowly rolling in. The clouds were darker than the night sky and inside was red lightning.

A small glowing red figure became more prominent as the storm cloud came closer, at the forefront. It was hard to make out but Faran believed it could be a person floating in the sky, then shuddered.

It was Wanda Maximoff. She was flying in front of the cloud like a goddess come to deliver judgement.

Before he could give an order a shield flew from the darkness of the desert, striking one of the surface to air missile weapons, causing the explosives to ignite and burning several men around it. He was struck with a piece of shrapnel in his shoulder and thrown off his feet.

Automatic weapons began firing but it was not his men who were shooting. His men were being shot in their heads, their chests and knees. As he lay on the ground watching his men, some falling dead and others struggling to find their weapons and targets, he glanced into the darkness of the desert.

They were difficult to see. Wraiths covered in black, walking towards the camp, rifles and handguns hitting their targets with incredible speed and precision.

A tiny missile hit another surface to air missile system. He thought it might be Maximoff but it was not. Silent silver drones flew from the cloud firing explosive rounds at the weapons he had been so proud of.

Flashes of purple fire lit up the base. Men were screaming in pain and fear.

A man dressed in black… he recognized him. Despite the different outfit he didn’t wear a mask and the shield was too familiar to be anyone else. Captain America was here and had thrown the first strike.

A man with a metal arm had joined the battle inside the camp. The Winter Soldier. He was taking out tanks by ripping the tops off and dropping grenades inside.

Then the wraiths in black were inside the base among them, killing with knives, shocking men in their ears and frying their brains, firing at close range with handguns and shotguns.

It was over. If they had hit the other bases, this one was the last standing. Everyone in his organization was gone. He had numbers but those numbers were rapidly dropping.

His closest ally tried to defend him as he lay on the ground clutching at the shrapnel in his shoulder.

His closest ally had his head blown off his shoulders by a shotgun blast.

Then one of the wraiths was standing over him holding the smoking shotgun.

The black mask covering her head was gone like magic. He knew that face well.

Yelena Belova.

“You should probably run now. Look, we saved you a jeep. Go! Escape! This is your only chance!”

He scrambled to his feet and ran, not bothering to look back at the delighted smile on her face.

He struggled to get the jeep in gear with only one good arm and the other hanging limply at his side, rapidly losing blood. He didn’t focus on the fact that he would bleed out before he ever made it to a village with a doctor.

Faran drove over the bodies of his dead comrades. The world around him was chaos, the sound of explosions, roaring fires and the Red Widows screaming in rage as they put down over one hundred men.

The sights of burned bodies, men holding their cut throats, bodies missing limbs, did nothing to slow him. He was only focused on his own escape.

As he drove into the night he passed Wanda Maximoff standing on the side of the trail. She waved and pointed toward the direction he was driving. He took his eyes off her and looked back to the road where she was standing once again in front of him.

His instinctively turned the jeep to the side and rolled. He hadn’t been belted in and his body was nearly crushed when he hit the ground. His jeep exploded when it finally stopped tumbling.

He lay on his back, trying to take even small breaths. His chest was crushed and he had no feeling in his extremities. It hurt to take a small breath and he was gurgling blood.

Wanda Maximoff knelt over him.

“Not yet.” she whispered to him. “You have much to answer for. You will stand trial in Sokovia and once you are convicted, while you waste away in prison, I will visit you. I will find your deepest fear and trap you in it until you die. It may take many years and I will enjoy knowing that every second of those years you are in hell.”

Faran tried to laugh but couldn’t. “I am already dead.”

Wanda shook her head. “No, you aren’t.”

His body burned and he screamed. To his horror he felt his extremities once again. He could breathe again but all he felt in his body was searing pain as if he were on fire.

“Make it stop!” he managed to say.

“No.”

A wave of her hand and he could no longer scream or move at all. He saw a quinjet land next to him and Red Widows exited, including on in frightening black armor different than the rest. Her skull like helmet looked down on him before picking him up by the shoulders and dragging him to the Quinjet. He was tossed inside and hit the metal floor hard.

“So this is the ringleader.” one of the girls said and knelt next to him.

“My name is Anastasia. You should have killed yourself when you had the chance. She has much worse planned for you.”

His feet were cuffed and his hands cuffed behind his back. Wanda Maximoff and Yelena Belova sat on a bench across from Anastasia looking down on him.

“Are they all dead?” Wanda asked Yelena.

“Am I a beautiful blonde Russian goddess who is lusted over by all who lay eyes on me? Of course they are all dead. What is next?”

Wanda smirked. “I think it is time the Iranian Supreme Leader and I had a talk. First we take this asshole back to Sokovia. I want his arrest to be public. A message must be sent to those who think they can harm our people.”

Three hours later, four Red Widow jets arrived at the Novi Grad International Airport. The Sokovian press and those foreign press that had been allowed in crowded the runway as Yelena Belova and Wanda Maximoff walked out with the leader of the Ten Rings terrorist organization between them in cuffs. The jet and the other three jets were exited by the rest of the Red Widows who wore masks and had weapons adorning their bodies. Bucky Barnes also exited the jet Maximoff had been in, wearing a black suit with a red hourglass symbol over the heart.

They were greeted by smiling security officers who took their prisoner in hand and placed him in the back of an armored van. Wanda spoke a few words to the head of intelligence and then the girls returned to their jets, taking off to parts unknown.

“Now we visit the Supreme Leader?” Yelena asked.

Wanda took a breath and thought then shook her head. “We can handle it tomorrow. Nela texted me. She and Nadeja will never get any sleep until I am back. Astral me does not count since they cannot cuddle my astral form. We can visit tomorrow. I am not sure what we can do. I thought of disintegrating the house of leadership but… if I kill him, another will go in his place. Nothing will change. I believe we need an understanding.”

“An understanding?”

“I show him what hell is and threaten his sons and grandsons if he goes after us again.”

Yelena nodded, hating not doing more but knowing there was not much that could be done. Short of starting a war that would eventually pull Sokovia into conflict with most of the Middle East, nothing would change. A war would cause countless innocents to suffer more than they were suffering now. A spark would bring other superpowers into conflict eventually resulting in a world war that would definitely turn nuclear.

This is what Silver Sable had told them on the trip to the first base. The Red Widows were prepared to destroy the Iranian Government until Ava’s mother insisted she be put on the phone with Yelena.

“Not much fun but perhaps the best course. We frighten him enough to not go after Sokovia again, but we remain private because he cannot afford to show weakness in public and admit we threatened him. No wars get started. I like to attack and kill quickly. Fighting a world war…”

“Would be exhausting.” Wanda admitted. “We need to get costumes for the girls so we can take them trick or treating this weekend.”

“And me as well, yes?”

“You want to dress in a costume?”

“I do. I never have before. Many of us want to. Staci wants to be a killer clown and Aino wants to be a lion. Antha wants to be…”

“Slutty vampire?” Wanda guessed.

“Slutty nurse. Good guess though.”

“What about you?”

Yelena shrugged. “Maybe vampire or zombie. It doesn’t matter. I want to do it once. I want to knock on a door and ask for candy. None of us ever have. It will be fun.”

Wanda admitted to herself it would. It was easy to forget about these things. It was easy to forget that so much of what goes on was a first for the girls. A fishing trip was a first, a vacation to the beach, Christmas mornings, and so forth. It had been a dark year at times but the rewards made it so worth the darkness they pushed through.

It also made her want to find more widows desperately.

“The twins want to be fairy princesses.”

“And you?”

“I’m Wanda Maximoff. Why would I want to be anyone else?” she asked playfully.

Yelena shook her head. “I do not think you know how emotionally healthy that answer is. Good for you. Therapy is working.”

Wanda stiffed slightly. “We talk about the twins.”

Yelena looked at her for a moment and Wanda wondered why she had ever tried to keep the truth from her. Yelena always could read her. She had probably known since it started.

“Yes, I talk about the twins when I see her as well.” Yelena replied sarcastically.

That caught Wanda by surprise. “You see her?”

Yelena nodded. “After what happened with Naomi and Sonia and… yes, I see her. I think everyone does. Maybe not Barnes but I am certain I saw Steve leaving her room a few times. I doubt Nat would let her live if he were in there for anything other than therapy. Steve did good today.”

Wanda sighed. “Yes, I suppose he did.”

Yelena recognized her tone. “Then what is problem? You are not happy.”

Wanda shrugged. “I just wonder what will happen the first time we are on a mission and we do something of which he does not approve. Will he follow orders or try to stop us? I know we follow orders. The time for discussion is before and after fights, not during. I wonder how quickly he could turn into an enemy.”

“He won’t.” Yelena told her. “You are the one who wanted him involved and said you trusted him.”

“I’ve been wrong before.”

“I give you my word, he won’t be a problem.” Yelena promised.

“Would you give it so easily if he wasn’t screwing Natasha?” Wanda asked bluntly.

Yelena was silent for a moment.

“I have this, Wanda. He will not become an obstacle one day. If I think he is I will ask him to leave before it becomes a problem or leave him out of a mission completely. Trust me.”

“I always trust you, Yelena. I just want you to be sure.”

“I am.”

New York City, three days later

Kate stood in the shadows across the street from Fat Man Auto Repair for the third straight night. It was easy to slip out of the high rise once her mother had gone to sleep. She had stolen a motorcycle from the parking garage the first night to travel to the location. It was a trick Helena had taught her over the summer. She had it back before the owner and even awoken or known it was gone. She may not have had a driver’s license, but taking a cab or Uber dressed like she was, caught attention she didn’t need. No one wanted to drive the masked girl with the arrows. She had to take off her mask and that exposed her. She also needed a quick getaway.

The past two nights had been somewhat dull. The place was filled with an assortment of people. She had shot a small arrow from a foldable crossbow into the outside wall equipped with a strong listening device but most of what was spoken was Russian. Some spoke broken English, especially when speaking to the man who appeared to be in charge. From her vantage point she believed him to be the leader of this strange group of men. He had long hair, tan skin and she knew his name was Lopez. She wasn’t sure of his first name.

Rather than answering questions she became more baffled by what she saw. They were crooks, criminals, but seemed rather small time. They weren’t hit men that she could tell. She had a feeling they were thieves and enforcers more than anything, maybe bookies or those who collected for bookies.

Lopez had been agitated tonight. He was snapping at his men, telling them to focus and reminding them of a visitor they had to see that night.

What possible involvement could her mother have with a group of thugs like this?

At one AM Kate caught a break. They all left.

The building was empty, not even a guard left behind to watch over. She had kept count of all of them and counted as each one entered two vans and left.

She had no idea how long they would be gone but if she wanted to know of this strange groups connection to her mother and Bishop Security now was the time.

She ran across the street and picked the back lock after determining there were no signs of an alarm system. If she found one inside she could always run quickly.

Inside the building smelt like a garage. The group hung out in the main lobby and in the garage area with the dirty windows on top of the garage doors. She could tell it once housed cars.

As she made her way into the garage it appeared its days of automotive repair were long gone. There were tables set up and cards and poker chips lying about as if a few poker games had been interrupted. There were no guns or drugs out in the open but she imagined only the Widows would leave weapons laying about the house and didn’t do so now that the mansion had become a habitat for children. That thought made her think of the ten year old who seemed to adore Yelena and her older sister Meggan who Yelena seemed to let get away with anything. Perhaps Wanda was right and she was being paranoid but that didn’t mean she was wrong.

She entered the shabby office and had a seat in front of the computer, booting it up. The machine was very old and took its time coming to life.

“Can I help you with something?”

Kate slid back in her chair and stood, pulling her bow and notching an arrow in a second. A fist to her jaw made the arrow shoot into ceiling and her uniform was grabbed, tossing her through the glass window onto the hard concrete of the garage.

She rolled over quickly and notched an arrow, aiming it at the Asian man who was slowly walking out of the office with an alarming grin on his face.

“Lopez told his boss that someone had been watching the place. A young girl. He was terrified it could be a Red Widow. I am not certain what you are, but you are no Red Widow. A Red Widow never would have been discovered watching the place by these simpletons. They kill and leave. They do not do long term recon.”

Kate held strong and kept her aim at his heart. He was perhaps twenty feet away.

“Don’t come closer.” she warned him.

He paid her no mind and continued his slow march.

“Let me introduce myself. You can call me Murakami. I don’t suppose by your dress that you are friends with a certain masked man who wears red or perhaps Danny Rand? Jessica Jones? Luke Cage? No? I can tell by your eyes you have heard of them but do not personally know them. A shame. You would have made good bait. I would very much like to meet them again. Now little girl, what is your name?”

Kate took a step back. “Don’t move or I will put this arrow in your chest.”

Murakami spread his arms wide and continued walking forward. “By all means, do what you must.”

Kate fired, a sure and strong shot headed straight for his heart. She did it without thought that she was murdering a person. She was no fool. She knew she had killed men in Paris. She hadn’t meant to and Yelena had lied to her when she asked but right now she considered this self-defense. The man was going to kill her if she gave him a chance.

Rather than watching him die, she watched him catch the arrow an inch from his chest.

She pulled another arrow but it was too late. She was in the air, spinning, her quiver gone, her bow out of reach and she hit the ground hard.

“Lets put away the sharp toys before you hurt yourself. Show me the fighter you are.”

Kate stood and attacked, throwing crisp, clean strikes as she had been taught. Her fighting skills had been impressive before and only got better working with the widows.

This man was no widow. He didn’t strike back. He almost stood still, moving slightly out of the way of all her strikes. He wore a grin as if he were watching a child learn to walk and it was throwing her off and making her angrier. She was supposed to be better than this.

“I have seen enough. You have spirit and good basic technique but many of the styles you are using were created by me. Let us take a moment and talk.

Kate missed a final strike and felt his hand on her shoulder. A sharp burning pain caused her to stand straight up and then she found herself unable to move. She could feel her extremities and remained standing but could not move her upper body. Her body was stiff as a board and burning.

Murakami placed his arms around her and lowered her to the ground as she fought back tears. He then rolled her over and cuffed her hands behind her back.

“It will be okay. You are not paralyzed child. Your body is simply dealing with too much pain to move. It will stop soon.”

He rolled her over and took off her face mask. For the first time he showed surprise.

“Kate Bishop. I thought you would never walk again without a limp, yet here you are, fighting me with grace and poise. It was a pointless effort but you showed spirit and physical skill I would think you would never regain after your injuries. Wilson Fisk told me you were likely crippled for life even after your special healing retreat. Who did heal you? I must meet this extraordinary person.”

Kate said nothing, holding her breath so she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of crying from the pain.

The man looked up and appeared to be listening to someone Kate could not see or here. He looked intrigued and then smiled, pleased at what he was hearing. Kate thought he may be crazy but she had seen that look on Wanda’s face before. Was he reading her mind?

“That is interesting. First I think it would be polite to contact one of my associates. He will be very interested to find that the daughter of one of his prized assets and partners is spying on his foundling gang of thugs. They do have their uses but not the brightest group of men. The only thing you have to be ashamed about is being spotted by those fools.”

Murakami pulled her to her feet and Kate noted her pain was lessening. He tossed her onto a chair and cuffed her feet together.

“A friend of mine just told me you are familiar with Wanda Maximoff. I am interested in meeting her as well. Perhaps after your mother arrives with Mr. Fisk we can all have a meeting with her. She has been busy all day fighting terrorists but I’m sure she can make time for a trip to New York City. You are close. My friend is rarely wrong. Would you like me to call her?”

Kate said nothing.

“If I press the wrong contact on your phone it will burn itself, won’t it? I could find which of these numbered sequences are correct. It would involve much more pain on your part. I’m sure your mother can tell us and save you the pain. Relax, Miss Bishop. You will need your strength before this night is over. If you do as told, you may get out of this alive.”

An hour later at one in the morning, Eleanor Bishop woke to the feeling of being watched. When she turned over she nearly screamed. Four men were in her room, dressed like some sort of ninjas. She had no idea how they could have gotten past her security but they had.

“Good evening Miss Bishop. Mr. Fisk would like to meet with you now.”

He tossed a robe to her. “Put this on and follow us. You will hand your phone over to me and then accompany us to meet Mr. Fisk.”

Eleanor maintained her composure and stood from the bed then placed the robe on. She reached for her phone on the nightstand.

“The other phone. The one you have that is similar to your daughter’s phone. It would be the phone you use to contact Wanda Maximoff.”

Eleanor began to panic. “Where is Kate?”

“With Mr. Fisk waiting for you. Please take your special phone, hand it to me and let us leave. Your Kate is waiting for you. If you try to resist what was done to her in Central Park will seem like a mercy compared to what will be done to her now.”

Eleanor took the phone and handed it to the man in black. He turned it off. She followed him outside with two men behind her. The fourth man she had spied when she woke wasn’t a man. She believed it to be a thin woman with long dark hair and dead eyes. She wore a red sash around her waist that held a pair of Sai.

The woman did not follow them out, only nodding to the man in front and Eleanor realized whoever this woman was, she was likely the boss.

The drive was quick and Eleanor found herself taken inside an old car repair shop, past the front reception area and into the garage. What she saw caused her to cry out.

Kate was tied to a chair with her hands and feet cuffed. An Asian man was behind the chair with a katana to her throat. Her mind went to the cursed blade that had stabbed and nearly killed Yelena.

The garage was filled with ridiculous men who were mostly large goons and dressed in matching tracksuits. Next to Kate’s chair was Wilson Fisk, dressed in a completely white suit. He wore the smile that was always meant to put people at ease but failed to do so. It was impossible not to be on edge around this man, no matter how polite he pretended to be.

“Welcome Eleanor. Allow me to introduce my associate Mr. Murakami. I asked him to visit our lovely city and work with the fine young men you see before you. The past few nights they have been spied on by your lovely daughter. Do you have any idea why she may be interested in our business?”

Eleanor shook her head. “I had no idea she had snuck out but I will have a talk with her. It won’t happen again.”

Fisk smiled and patted Kate on the shoulder.

“My friend Mr. Murakami has friends in high places. Perhaps a better description would be friends in low places. I admit I would have been the last one to believe in such things but Wanda Maximoff has changed my beliefs on what is possible. His friend in the low place tells him Kate and Eleanor Bishop are close to Wanda Maximoff. Is this true, Eleanor?”

Eleanor thought for a moment. Denying it would do no good. If she admitted it they might use her and Kate as bait to draw Wanda here. They would underestimate her as so many have done before when she came to save them.

“Yes, I am a friend of Wanda Maximoff.”

Fisk appeared pleased with the honest answer.

“My congratulations on turning such an invaluable asset to our cause, especially one who hates America. My concern though is that you have not turned her to our common cause. You have turned her to yours. I did a bit more digging on Kate’s rescue in France. Not much was known about who saved her but there were witness reports about a redhead using red light beams and a blonde using a handgun. Yelena and Wanda, correct?”

Eleanor nodded.

Instead of speaking to her further Fisk turned to look at Kate.

“You had no clue, did you? Have you been snooping on your mother’s computer, Katherine? I wish I had known of your curiosity. I would have explained everything and made you a part of our family business. At least I thought we were all family. Apparently your mother has been making deals with very dangerous individuals without consulting me. Has she ever told you that the two of us were close?”

Kate’s eyes had been full of rage but now curiosity and a bit of fear crept in.

“Of course not. You see your father and I go way back. I even considered him family. He always had a bit of a gambling problem and like family always should, I bailed him out often. Eventually it came time to pay those debts and help me. Your father was not good with his own money but he was very good with others. He agreed to help me hide large amounts of money from the government. You are a smart girl so you are familiar with the concept of money laundering.”

Kate shook her head. “That isn’t true.”

“Disappointing I know. Your father spoke highly of you. He was afraid you would find out one day about his complicity in our criminal empire. He was afraid of you finding out he was a criminal with a gambling problem.”

“That isn’t true.” Kate said again quietly.

Fisk smirked and looked at Eleanor. “Lie to your daughter. Tell her it isn’t true. Preserve her father’s memory in her simple mind.”

Eleanor opened her mouth but Kate looked at her and she was unable to say anything.

“Mom?” Kate asked in a pleading tone.

Fisk nodded. “When your father died, your mother took his mantle. Your mother was a much better criminal than he was. Not only did she pay off his debt quickly but she began to amass her own fortune. Without your father’s continuous gambling she became quite prosperous. She never once asked to get out.”

Fisk walked to Eleanor. “I was not sure why you would be involved with Maximoff and the Red Widows. My accountants have been combing my transactions for the past hour. You are good but they found the thread you have been following. You have been finding the locations of Hand’s childcare facility and those locations have been hit by the Red Widows. If they are working for you and you haven’t told me I can only suspect you planned to use them against me one day. Would that be a logical conclusion, Eleanor?”

“No! They offered overseas protection for Kate in exchange for investigation of certain locations that were used as old Red Room nurseries. They believed the Hand was involved, not you. I told them nothing about you!”

Fisk slapped her and Eleanor hit the ground. She shook her head and saw stars when she opened her eyes. Fisk was standing over her.

“If you followed the Hand using my finances you knew I was involved. Perhaps you did not know I am now one of the five leaders, but do not speak nonsense. You haven’t used Maximoff and the widows against me because they need your access to my funds. What was the plan, Eleanor? Did you promise them after my death that they could have some of my fortune, like they took Dreykov and Osborn’s money? You would take my spot. I admire your ambition though your lack of loyalty makes me sick. We had a partnership that benefited us both. We were family! Now what am I going to do with you? Should I let this betrayal go unpunished? What sort of message would that send to the fine young men around you?”

Eleanor stood up on shaky legs and resisted the urge to rub her burning and swelling cheek.

“You were foolish enough to let your sixteen year old daughter into your computer and trace this location. You should relax. I know how much your daughter means to you. I would never kill a child, Eleanor.”

Eleanor didn’t relax at his words.

“I believe taking one of her eyes will suffice. Shall I take the right or the left?”

“No! Please don’t! I wasn’t planning on betraying you! They have their uses. I had no idea you were so deeply involved with the Hand! The Hand was stealing babies! I had to do something! Wilson, we have committed many crimes together but we have never harmed children. Certainly not babies!”

Fisk clenched his teeth and the vein above his eyebrow pulsed.

“You have not only betrayed the trust I put in you by not bringing your concerns to me but also having a deal with a deadly group of assassins and enhanced individuals behind my back!”

Fisk turned his back on her and calmed himself. He took her phone from the ninja who had brought her here.

“On this phone under contacts there are fifty two numbers instead of names. If the wrong number is dialed, the phone fries. I am familiar with the type. Katie refuses to say which one is Wanda Maximoff’s number. You will tell me or I will take both her eyes. Do we understand each other?”

Eleanor reached out for the phone.

“You will have no argument from her. She believes Maximoff can save her daughter.” Murakami said.

Eleanor dialed the number and Fisk took the phone from her.

Red Widow Mansion

Wanda took photo after photo of her twins. Everyone in the house planned to dress up and trick or treat in Sokovia in two days but tonight was the dress rehearsal where the youngest would show off their costumes.

Nadeja was wearing a beautiful sequined blue dress with a skirt that flared out, a sparkly tiaras and a pair of fairy wings on the back. Nela was dressed similarly but her dress and wings were sparkling gold. They had glitter on their faces and gloves that reached to their elbows and magic wands.

“You two look so beautiful.” she said over and over.

Yelena patted her on the back. “You have taken a thousand pictures. Let them pose with the other girls.”

Wanda relented and continued taking photos of the twins with numerous other girls. The Widows costumes covered a large gamut of monsters, princesses, fairies and movie characters.

Ingrid and Kristina were in the running for best dressed couple. Ingrid had dressed like Dany from Game of Thrones and Kristina wore a dragon costume. Another trio in the running were Rowan, one of the new redheads named Penny and Claudia. Claudia was dressed like Harry Potter while Rowan played the part of Hermione and Penny gamely wore a costume that resembled Ron’s.

As the girls fixed each other’s costumes or embellished them with add ons, Wanda’s phone rang. It was Kate and she knew it must have been late in the night or early in the morning in New York. Ava had just arrived for the day of activities and Wong had just left to take care of sorcerer business.

“Good morning, Kate. Why are you up so late? Don’t you have school in the morning?”

“Hello, Miss Maximoff.” an unfamiliar voice greeted her. “I must say it is an honor to speak to you. I am a fan of your earlier work. Your bloodthirst and the savage violence you inflict on others is inspiring. That is why it disappoints me to make this call in a less cordial situation.”

“Who is this?”

“I am Wilson Fisk. You have no doubt heard all about me from Eleanor Bishop. I am with Eleanor and Katherine now. A friend of mine has a cursed sword against Katherine Bishops throat. You are familiar with the type. I understand one went through Yelena Belova recently. This one will take off Katherine’s head. It will be difficult to heal a severed head, even for one of your power. You will join us alone. My friend wishes to bargain with you for their lives. You can find us at Fat Man Auto Repair. The slightest hint of magic and Katherine is dead, followed by Eleanor. I suspect you are still in Sokovia so you should hurry.”

Wanda hung up the phone and her eyes glowed red. The magic in her veins lit up the sunlight drenched room catching everyone’s attention.

She turned to the girls. “Suit up. Fisk and a member of the Hand have Eleanor and Kate and want me to come. If he is to be believed, Kate has a cursed blade to her throat.”

The girls emptied the room quickly except for Yelena who stood frozen.

“Yelena, we will get them back. They won’t be harmed.”

“How did he know? How did the Hand know?”

Wanda knew but didn’t say it yet. She looked toward a grim faced Agatha who also understood.

“It doesn’t matter now. What matters now is getting them free. Lets go. I have a plan.”

Down in the bunker all the widows were dressing at record speed. Steve and Bucky were ready as well when Wanda and Yelena reached the bottom. Ava handed Yelena her suit.

“I’ll call Wong.” Ava said.

Wanda held up a hand. “Don’t. I have this. This is our problem.”

“We need to hurry!” Yelena argued.

“We will. Get dressed.”

Five minutes later the widows were ready.

“Maria, I need you to take a team to Fisk’s lair. Kill anyone there, empty his funds and scrub all connections to Bishop Security. I’m going into the sight where Kate and Eleanor are being held first. It’s an auto repair shop and it is probably three A.M. Stay outside, find targets and entry points after I go in and wait for my word. Get close to the building. We are going with Protocol 12.”

Yelena was shaking and her fear was causing even greater anger in Wanda.

“Rachel, make sure there are no calls going to 911 from nearby neighbors or passersby. This is going to get bloody. Oksana and Charlize you need to be near Anya at all times. Now everyone step back.”

Wanda reached deep within herself and focused. She had been studying this spell, she knew this spell completely but had been more focused on teleporting than doing something Wong could do if she absolutely needed it.

Now her emotions were rolling, her anger was great and the magic filled her veins, begging to get out. She reached in front of her in a slashing motion and slices into the fabric of dimensions.

A red whip of light left a bleeding line in the air. Wanda used her hands to pry it open making it a doorway. On the other side was the dark streets of New York City.

Wanda marched into the doorway to now and the widows followed without hesitation. Unlike the sparkling circles caused by a sling ring, this doorway was invisible on the exiting side and the girls looked as if they had walked out of thin air.

It closed up as the last Widow walked out of it with barely a hum.

“Whoa.” Ava whispered. “When did you learn that?”

Wanda shrugged. “I’ve always known how, I just didn’t want to use it unless I had to.”

Wanda’s phone buzzed. It was Nadeja.

“Hello Angel. Mama will be right back.”

“You didn’t give us hug or kiss goodbye.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Kate and Eleanor are in trouble right now and Mama has to rescue them. I’ll make it up to you when I get back. Relax and play with kittens and maybe we can pick up a puppy after we trick or treat. I love you.”

“I love you. Hurry back. Nela doesn’t like when you get mad and go fight.” Nadeja said and ended the call.

Yelena gave the orders and Wanda began her march a block away. Two men in track suits were smoking outside. She changed into the garb of the Scarlet Witch and the glow caught their attention. They pulled guns and their eyes widened when they saw her. Wanda lifted her hands and squeezed them both into fists. Their necks snapped and they fell to the ground dead.

Wanda paused outside and closed her eyes. When she was satisfied she walked into the garage area.

The room was filled with men wearing similar tracksuits to the ones outside. At the end was the Asian man behind Kate and Wilson Fisk speaking to Eleanor Bishop who was bound in a chair.

The man Wanda suspected from her conversations with Murdoch and Jones was Murakami whipped his katana from its sheath and placed the blade up to Kate’s throat.

“I asked you to hurry. I had no idea you could move this quickly.” Fisk said, sounding humored.

Wanda said nothing and began searching his mind.

“She is reading your thoughts.” Murakami told Fisk. “I doubt she will have success with mine. I am quite protected.”

Wanda knew he was right. She could feel the magic guarding his mind without actively seeking it. She could break it but it would take time. She was more concerned about the darkness surrounding the sword.

She looked around the room and saw the ninjas but mostly the tracksuit guys who had all their guns aimed at her. Good.

“I understand you wish to bargain for their lives.” Wanda said.

Murakami nodded. “You will sign a contract, in blood, swearing allegiance body and soul to the Hand. In return we let them walk out of here unharmed. You do realize that being killed by a cursed blade is a one way ticket to hell.”

Wanda shrugged. “Mephisto is getting dangerously close to break the rules. This could be considered direct intervention. He gave you the cursed sword, he told you Kate knew me, and he has no doubt given you the binding contract. If I sign it my soul belongs to you and you can give it to him. He then has chaos magic, the one thing that can break the link to the hell dimension that prevents him from walking the Earth. Direct intervention by a demon is a crime against magic that can banish him into the abyss.”

Murakami was surprised.

“You didn’t think I would do my research on demonology after my last encounter with a cursed blade and conversation with the demon himself? Ironic that he comes from the beginning of time and he will be wiped out of existence by a twenty year old witch. I know you are listening, Mephisto. You will not get my magic. Keep playing games and I will come to you sooner than later. I will meet you in your dimension and I will wipe your existence from the book of time. You see me as an opportunity but in reality I am your destruction.”

“Murakami, can she do that?” Fisk asked quietly. “You told me the demon was untouchable.”

“He is.” The man replied but didn’t sound confident. “Sign the contract or these two die. You may be able to break the shield in my mind but not before I kill her.”

Wanda smirked, not at all bothered. “You are right. But I am telekinetic among my other gifts. I did just severe your brachial plexus and your arm is now numb, isn’t it? Complete avulsion. I learned about it in biology last week. Difficult to move the cursed sword now, isn’t it?

Murakami’s eyes widened as he realized he couldn’t feel his arm.

“Shoot her!”

Over thirty guns were raised.

Over thirty water guns.

“Changing reality is dangerous. At least changing actual reality is. Instead I create my hex. It’s a very realistic box I like to play in. You are in a reality of my own making. In this reality those guns are not guns and now that I have had time to break the curse on the sword, it isn’t a sword.”

Murakami looked at his frozen hand and saw a toy plastic pirate’s sword in his hand. Wanda fired a ball of energy and it struck him in the head, sending him back.

The garage was gone. They were outside in sunlight surrounded by widows who began firing very real bullets. Fisk threw bodies in front of him and ran, He made it twenty feet before he hit the wall of invisible energy that tossed him back inside.

Murakami also ran into the wall with his useless arm. Unlike Fisk when he hit the wall, he was able to escape.

Wanda growled and exited the hex taking off after him. It was obvious that even with his injury, he was faster than her and she chided herself once more for not getting in better shape. Before she could catch him, two knives struck him, one in each hamstring. Bucky ran past her and reached the man.

“How much time do you need?” he asked.

Wanda reached out carefully to his mind, sifting through the darkness. She saw emptiness, nothing, a pit of darkness that he had reached many times.

They were mortal. They died and were resurrected. That meant they saw the abyss every time and were torn from it. She felt the cold, the sheer nothingness, like space with no stars.

Wanda pulled back and shook her head. “I can’t get anything. His mind is a black hole.”

“It isn’t easy to see what is waiting for you, is it? Perhaps you should give yourself Mephisto. At least his dimension isn’t boring.”

“Is that why you gave yourself and the Hand over so willingly? Because you fear the abyss more than hell itself? You would rather be tortured than feel nothing. I have no plans to join the abyss or Mephisto after I die.”

“Where do you think your soul is bound to travel?” Murakami asked.

“I’m the Scarlet Witch. I will make my own paradise. There will be nobody to resurrect you this time. This is final for you. No escaping Midland Circle, no resurrection liquid or whatever it is you call it. Prepare to face the abyss forever.”

“No! My soul is bound to Mephisto.”

Wanda smirked. “You lost your soul long ago. You are just a tool for him now. Did you think you would rule by his side? For all your age, you are fools.”

The man’s scream was cut off when Bucky pushed a knife into his throat and continued cutting, severing his head slowly. Wanda burned the body and head and one of the five Fingers was gone.

The other Finger they had captured waited back inside the hex.

“I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get out.” Bucky told her.

“I would never trap you with a hex. Free passes for all Red Widows, witches and super soldiers.”

“You have gotten a hell of a lot better at controlling those things. Maybe time for a beach day soon?”

Wanda took his hand and they strolled back. “We have more important things to worry about right now.”

“I know. I said one day. Just a suggestion. You do have that bikini that is criminally underused.”

When Wanda and Bucky stepped back inside the hex, they were greeted by a massacre. Every ninja and tracksuit was dead. Fisk was beaten to a bloody pulp, most likely by Steve who was standing over him with bloody fists. He had his sharp triangular wrist shield extended and ready to stab the man.

Wanda approached the man who was on his knees smiling through his bloody teeth.

“Well played. I placed my chips on the wrong side. What now? Will you just kill me or am I to be subjected to the living nightmares you place your victims in?”

Wanda placed a hand on his bald head and he screamed as she ripped through his mind and read every thought he had ever had. She watched him kill over and over. The only love he ever felt was for his mother and a woman named Vanessa who was as vile as he was.

Once released he recovered quickly. He must have sense his time was near because Instead of addressing Wanda again he turned to Kate who was now freed but appeared lifeless.

“Do you think your mother is a victim, child? Do you think these girls you admire are more than assassins? Do you think Natasha Romanoff is anything more than a deadly spy for SHIELD? Do you think Wanda Maximoff and her friend in purple are anything other than witches who practice dark magic? Even the famous Avenger, Captain America stands in a black uniform with blood on his fists. Everyone around you is a villain, Katherine. There are no victims. There are only monsters in this room.”

Yelena placed her boot under the blade of a fallen katana and tossed it into the air. She caught it and swung downward, cutting his head off.

The room quieted.

“Could I have a moment alone with my mother and Yelena?” Kate asked after a moment.

The room began emptying.

“I would like you to stay as well, Wanda.”

Soon the widows were on the street and Kate, Wanda, Eleanor and Yelena were alone in a room with over thirty dead bodies.

“When did you begin working together?” Kate asked. “Were you watching me in Paris already? Is that why you saved me?” she asked the two girls.

“No! That was… that was fate.” Yelena said quietly.

“Fate! So you saved me. I watched the Avengers for you but… when did you know? When did you know she was working with Fisk?”

Yelena sighed. “After she had determined you were safe and found information on the whereabouts of your kidnappers so quickly. It was obvious to those who knew what to look for that she had connections to the underworld.”

Kate was quiet for a moment.

“When did you meet her? The truth.”

Yelena looked at the bloody floor.

“We met her when we came to the city for your competition. We met her a day before we met you. We told her of our plight and she offered help.”

“In exchange for what?! Don’t tell me she did it for nothing!”

Eleanor looked Wanda and Yelena in the eyes and nodded.

“They told me they would get me out from under Fisk’s thumb if they could have access to Bishop Security facial recognition and satellite technology. I agreed.” Eleanor admitted.

Kate scoffed. “Of course you would. You were already a criminal. You had a ready made team of killers at your call. You just had to let them use company resources to find more widows to grow the ranks. I wondered why you were so supportive of my relationship with Yelena.”

“It wasn’t like that!” Yelena told her.

“Hadn’t you already talked to her when you saw me the first time in the city? When we first kissed, you had already had an agreement with her, didn’t you?! You were in business with my mother. You knew she was a criminal and leveraged it to get what you wanted! She had her hooks in you. The big mansion you live in was provided by her. Your tech was provided by her. It is pretty obvious what your hook was. I was your hook! I was just a tool for you!”

“That is not true! I love you! I always have from the moment I laid eyes on you!” Yelena said loudly, desperately.

“How am I supposed to believe a word you ever say to me? You told me she helped you out of the goodness of her heart. Both of you said that. Why would I trust the word of criminals? I can’t even trust myself! I’m the daughter of two criminals! What the hell is wrong with you all?! I loved you, Yelena! I thought I could trust you Mom! You both could have told me from the beginning. Instead you talked to your other daughter about it!

“Wanda, it was always about Wanda. You wished she were your daughter so badly and I get it now. She is just like you! She keeps secrets and kills when she wants and doesn’t worry about the law. If the law is in her way she breaks it.”

“This isn’t about Wanda, Kate.” Eleanor argued. “That isn’t true!”

“Everything is about Wanda with you! It always has been!”

“Kate…” Wanda started.

“I don’t want to hear a word from you! Do any of you know why I was here? Because I wanted to know the secrets being kept from me and no one would tell me. I knew you three were keeping secrets but I had no idea they all knew! Every widow knows, don’t they? Every moment I spent with them, everyone of them knew my mother were involved with Fisk and supported them because they could get her out when she were ready. I was the idiot in the dark. I wasn’t trusted with the truth by the woman I loved, idolized, the one I gave everything I had to. You had so many chances to tell me. I asked you so many times. What was your pathetic excuse again?”

“It was a burden you shouldn’t have to carry. Do you feel better to know?” Yelena asked.

Kate snorted. “Yes, I do. Maybe it is a burden but at least I am not surrounded by people who think I’m a fool and I don’t look up to criminals any longer! Mom, they could have gotten you out at any time. You stayed though.”

“I was tracking…”

“Sure you were. What did you find? Because I went through your encrypted files. You found basically nothing. But you stayed in partnership with that headless fat asshole. Why stop a good thing, right?”

“Kate… please listen to me…” Yelena tried.

“I’ve heard what I needed to. What about you big sis? Anything to say?”

Wanda shrugged. “Whatever I say would make no difference so I don’t want to waste words. We all love you and you know that. You are hurt and I understand that but speaking here surrounded by bodies is not the best place for these conversations to happen.”

Kate laughed. “Why not!? This is the perfect place! Is there a better place that encapsulates your life any better? Blood and bodies and criminals and lies! I think it is appropriate. This is what you are all about!”

Kate walked over and picked up her bloody quiver and bow then she tossed them to Yelena.

“Keep them. You said you didn’t want this life for me. I don’t want it either and that includes you. Stay out of my life. All of you. I am done. Mother send me to boarding school or let me leave without looking for me. I don’t want to see you anymore than I have to.”

“Kate…”

“Go to hell, Yelena.”

Kate walked out the door.

Wanda put her arm around Yelena.

“She will be fine once she calms down.” Wanda assured her.

Yelena shook her head. “No, she won’t. She is right. I always knew it would end if I wanted to keep her away from this. Look at what we are standing on. An ocean of blood. That is what we are. We have all accepted that. She shouldn’t have to. I am sorry, Eleanor.”

Eleanor wiped her eyes. “Yelena is right, Wanda. There is no point. We betrayed her. She isn’t coming back and maybe… maybe it’s for the best.”

Ava and Sonia ran in.

“Yelena?” Ava asked, having seen Kate storm off and now finding Yelena silently crying.

“Yes?” she asked quietly.

“Your mother just went into labor. We should get back.”

Wanda nodded and squeezed Yelena closely.

“I will open a gateway. Come with me, sister. It will be okay.” Wanda told her.

Yelena walked beside Wanda but didn’t say what she wanted to. As long as Kate was with her, she would always be in danger. Tonight had terrified her. Wanda had handled it, led them while Yelena was overcome with fear and anger and did her best not to be ruled by emotions. How many times would this happen before Kate was just killed.

It was for the best. Kate had just walked out of Yelena’s life like she always knew she would. Not going after her would be the most painful thing Yelena would ever have to do but it was the right call.