Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Witch and the Widows

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 06:

The three girls stood on top of a tall hill, watching the valley below. They had driven all over Paris for the last four hours, taking random streets and leaving the city in three different directions. Now they found the perfect landing spot for a quinjet, a cleared out meadow. Yelena would have a tactical view of the valley below and the only road in, just in case Tolliver’s men found them.

Yelena and Kate had stayed in the backseat of the SUV the entire time Wanda was driving non stopping and both laughing loudly. Wanda wanted to be annoyed but she couldn’t. Something about Kate Bishop brought out a side to Yelena she had never seen from the blonde assassin and Wanda liked it. She was seeing a small bit of the kid Yelena should have been.

Kate had talked to her about pop culture, and never found it strange that there was so much that Yelena did not know about. Perhaps Kate blamed Yelena’s lack of knowledge on American music and television on the blonde being Russian.

Ten minutes ago, Wanda had been contacted by Vision telepathically. She had given him the location as best she could. When he landed, Wanda would drive Kate down a narrow dirt path to the landing zone and her and Yelena would continue their mission. The next stop was Barcelona. If they could not find Oksana, they would be at a dead end.

“Wanda?”

Wanda turned her attention back to Yelena. Kate tended to ramble, and Wanda tuned her out quite a bit.

“Yes?”

“I was saying you should maybe start the car.” Yelena told her, raising an eyebrow.

Wanda wondered why it was important but another look from Yelena and she understood.

“Yeah, I’ll start the car. You two should say goodbye.” she suggested, grinning, having gotten the point.

Wanda sat in the driver’s seat and closed the door leaving them alone.

Yelena leaned against the back of the SUV, her leg on the bumper and smiled fondly at Kate.

“So… I guess this is it.” Kate asked.

Yelena shook her head. “Don’t be ridiculous. I saved your life. Don’t you owe me some sort of debt for life? I thought that was how it worked.”

Kate giggled. At fifteen, she had limited experience with flirting, much less with another teenage girl. She tended to shut males down quickly, and didn’t know many lesbians her age, or any for that matter. Yelena was very different than anyone Kate had known. She was beautiful, funny, and badass.

“I do owe you a life debt. I suppose that means we can’t get rid of each other. Are you sure you don’t want my help? I would make a good lookout. I have good eyes as you can guess.”

Yelena smiled fondly. “I love your spirit, Kate Bishop. Maybe you will be an Avenger one day. Be careful of you wishes though. Heroes are people too. They aren’t perfect, and they may not be as kind as you. They may not deserve you. You may later decide being an Avenger isn’t what you want. No matter what you decide in the future, when you graduate with big, fancy degree, I’ll be glad to have you as a comrade by my side. We both will.”

Kate felt a bit disappointed but understood what she was saying. “That’s a long time from now. I guess I won’t see you again until then. Of course, you may have completely forgotten about me by then.”

Yelena shook her head. “I will never forget you, Kate Bishop. We must be cheerleaders together. We will stay connected. Take this.”

Yelena reached into her back pocket and handed Kate a phone. “I picked some up on the way to Paris from a man named Maris. He won’t need them anymore. This phone will only connect to mine or Wanda’s phone. It is untraceable. Only use it to contact us. No matter what, if you are in trouble, let us know. Let me know. I may not answer right away. Often it will have to be on silent or I may be in a gunfight, but if I am, I will text or call you back as soon as I am able.”

“So… only in emergencies?” Kate asked, a sly smile forming.

“You can text me anytime. I like talking to you. Only text or call Wanda in emergencies. She isn’t as social as I am.”

Kate nodded, happy that she could continue getting to know the blonde. Maybe she would see her again someday. “She does have that loner goth thing going on. Pretty badass. Not as badass as you, even if she can fly.”

Yelena grew serious. “When they take you to their base, they will be very curious about me. They will want to know what Wanda and I are doing. Particularly the Black Widow.”

“I don’t know what you are doing.” Kate admitted.

“Exactly. The Black Widow will interview you. She will want to know everything you know.”

“I won’t say a word.” Kate promised.

“You won’t be able to help yourself. She is very good at extracting information without you realizing it. She is a master spy, and you are an open book. Tell her what you know. There is no use trying to hide it. It would be good practice to try. See how long you can hold out. Be careful of every word you say and if she seems overly friendly, remember she is an assassin and is only doing so to lull you into a false sense of security. Do not feel bad when you fail. This will be your first time getting pumped.”

“Pumped?”

“For information, I think that is right. Pumped for information.”

“If you don’t care if she knows what I know, why not ask for help?”

Yelena nodded. “This is not her problem. This is ours. It is personal. It doesn’t matter what you tell her because we will go dark and won’t surface again until our mission is complete. No more saving pretty archer’s in distress. I will check in with you once a week, just to say hello but I cannot rush to your aid all the way in U.S. Can you do me a big favor?”

Kate nodded quickly.

“If you don’t hear from me in three weeks, I am dead. It isn’t fair to ask this of you, but you are the only one I can contact and outside of Wanda, the only one I trust. I am not sure why. I do not trust easily but you are so… pure. You might be the only one to miss me beside Wanda and she may be dead beside me.”

Kate’s eyes began to burn, hating the idea that a stranger would be the only one to miss her or that they were facing odds that even someone with Wanda’s powers could be killed.

“I can handle it. What do you want me to do if I don’t hear from you?”

“Throw away the phone and then give Natasha a message.”

Yelena took a deep breath. “Tell her I forgive her. I am not angry. It wasn’t her fault. I am glad she got out. Tell her thank you for being my sister. She was a good sister who taught me to whistle and see the world upside down. I wish Ohio could have been our real life, but it was not to be.””

“She is your sister?” Kate asked, surprised. Yelena didn’t look like Natasha Romanoff.

“She was, once. I thought forever but the Red Room told me the truth about Ohio… it doesn’t matter. Please, tell her if you haven’t heard from me in three weeks and say nothing of it before. Tell her whatever else you know but keep that message to yourself.”

Kate nodded.

“And be safe. Stay near Avengers, stay with bodyguards, do what you must. I lie when I say I not come to help you in U.S. If I must take time from my mission to come rescue you, I will be very cross, Kate Bishop.”

Kate snorted but nodded. “I promise.”

The two hugged each other, letting the moment linger, neither really knowing if they would ever see each other again. Both hoped they would. Yelena was no fool. Kate lived in a different world. She was a different person and Yelena could never see herself fitting into any possible version of Kate’s future. Kate would be a hero one day. Yelena would always be a killer.

The moment was broken by the sound of a quinjet beginning to descend down below. Yelena opened the back and pulled out a very large sniper rifle.

“Go, Kate Bishop. Text me secretly when you are in the United States. Don’t mention the phone. Function as if it just another cell phone and you are talking to your friends, not an exotic, beautiful Russian assassin.”

“Why do you call me by my full name? Is it a Russian thing?”

Yelena winked at her. “I just like the way it sounds. Now go, before our witch gets impatient.”

After Kate entered the SUV, the redhead drove quickly into the valley. Wanda parked twenty five yards from the quinjet. The back of the jet was facing them, and the door was rising.

“You gonna be good?” Wanda asked a fidgeting Kate. “Play it cool. Don’t fangirl too much over Clint.”

Kate brushed it off. “He saved my life but so did you and Yelena. I think you two are my favorite superheroes now.”

Wanda shook her head. “We are not superheroes.”

Kate smirked. “You two are doing a horrible job of not being superheroes. Trying to help others, saving girl’s in distress and I don’t know what you are doing next, but with your powers and that much ammunition and explosives, it has to be cool.”

Wanda chuckled. “Let’s get out. Yelena would have texted by now if we were in danger. Oh look, Captain America is here to take you home. And the man in black must be…”

“Oh wow! It’s Hawkeye! He really came! I can’t believe I am about to meet him dressed in tight leather pants, combat boots and a red leather halter top.”

“You look amazing.” Wanda told her quickly. “Play it cool. Compose yourself. Remember you have been through a traumatizing experience, and he has to be nice to you. Take advantage.”

Kate smiled brightly then schooled her face, forcing her smile back.

“Let’s do this.”

The two stepped out and Kate walked confidently by Wanda’s side up to Captain America and Hawkeye. She forced herself to control her breathing.

“Kate Bishop.” Hawkeye spoke first. “It’s nice to meet you. We should get you into the jet.”

Clint took her gently by the arm, but Kate stopped.

“We should really get you into the jet.” He said again, wanting to get her out of an open field where any sniper could take a shot at her or them for that matter.

Kate turned and hugged a surprised Wanda tightly. After overcoming her initial shock, Wanda hugged her in return. “Take care, Little Archer.”

“Thank you.” Kate told her, then kissed her cheek. She turned back to Clint and raced into the jet, leaving Clint running alongside her.

Wanda heard her yell, ‘This is so cool!’ and then began peppering Clint with questions.

“You have a fan.” Steve told Wanda, looking at her fondly.

“I am pretty sure in her mind I rank third behind my partner and Hawkeye.”

Steve sighed. “I don’t suppose I can convince you to let me help you and your partner?”

Wanda shook her head. “I didn’t ask you here for your help. We have our mission, just as you Avengers have yours. I would appreciate if you could take down this Jacques Tolliver. I have grown a bit attached to her.”

“I promise.” Steve assured her.

“I asked specially for you to tell you something, only for your ears.”

She walked with Steve away from the jet.

“I read about what happened in Washington D.C. I have read about your history. In every Hydra operative’s head, I have searched for information on Bucky Barnes whereabouts. None of them know. What I can tell you is Barnes is free of their control for now and many of the remnants I have encountered are very frightened of him. He has even beaten me to some bases but is gone by the time I arrive. Very annoying. I will keep an eye and ear out for any information I find and contact you through Vision.”

Steve stopped and looked to the sky, taking a deep breath as tears formed in his eyes. Not a day had gone by that he didn’t wonder where his best friend was. He didn’t know if Bucky had been put back on ice by HYDRA or if he was being used as their weapon again. He had thought he was alone in the search. Sam and the others offered help and actively accompanied him on searches, but he knew they were all leery of Bucky and rightly so.

Wanda owed him absolutely nothing yet took the time to search for information on a man who was closer than a brother to Steve.

Steve nodded, eyes watering. “Thank you, Wanda. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

Wanda smiled sadly. “I owe you a lot, Steve. You believed in me and Pietro before anyone else. You and Clint made me believe in me. I also know what it is like to lose a brother. I am not an Avenger but know, I am your friend.”

Steve hesitantly opened his arms. “Would you mind?”

Wanda nodded and leaned into his hug.

When it was over he pulled back and patted her on the shoulders. “Anytime, anywhere.”

“The same.” Wanda told him.

Steve reluctantly walked back to the jet just as Clint walked out.

Wanda raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised at his quick appearance. “She let you go so soon. All I have heard about for the past twenty four hours is the great Hawkeye, how he battled aliens on top of a skyscraper, killed the alien about to take her life and then jumped off the building, soaring through the air with only a couple sticks and a rope.”

Clint shrugged. “My bow and a grappling arrow are slightly more complicated than just a stick and a rope, but I will take it. It does make me sound pretty heroic. I brought her an extra expandable bow I had and signed it. She is opening it and closing it over and over. I’m not sure she knows I stepped out. I’m afraid she is going to hurt herself with it, but I guess that’s the only way to learn.”

Wanda grew serious, at the mention of her being hurt. “Don’t leave her alone, Clint. Keep her in your secret base. Protect her until the group after her is taken apart. I would go after them myself, but I have a priority mission that cannot wait.”

Clint nodded. “We will keep her safe. Nobody is kidnapping her from the Avengers Compound I heard you have become quite the globetrotting international woman of mystery. Doing it all on your own.”

Wanda smirked at his obvious dig for information. “You know I have a friend.”

“A friend? Not just a partner. That’s good to hear. You need friends Wanda. Want to tell me who this friend is?”

The redhead laughed. “Why would I do that? Make things easy on one who is an actual spy? Kate has met her. If you can’t get information out of her, you don’t deserve to call yourself a spy. Don’t let her forget she has a sheet of paper folded in the back pocket of my awesome leather pants. It has some of his former hideouts that could be in operation and a few known associates. Its not much but it is a start.”

Clint sighed. “I don’t think she is going to stop talking long enough for me to ask questions, but I can try to talk her into giving me a sheet of paper. Vision is alerting the others that we have her. I’m sure her mother, the FBI and CIA will accept all her time when we land.”

“You have an entire transatlantic flight to get information. Speaking of her mother, I hope you have a jumpsuit or uniform for her to wear. Unbelievably, my clothes are conservative compared to the dress she had on in the club.”

The man laughed. “I’ll see what we have. Though watching her meet her mother dressed like you could be entertaining. Do you have some extra rings? Maybe we could pierce her ears a few more times. Wanda… you know the offer is always open, right?”

“To be an Avenger?”

“To be a part of my family. We just had a son. His name is Nathan Pietro.”

Wanda felt punched in the chest hearing that and momentarily lost her breath. She felt the tears welling up, not bothering to wipe them away.

“He… he would be proud. I wish life were different, Clint. I wish I could live on your farm, help with the kids, and wash clothes, feed animals and cook apple pies. I’ve been through too much though. I did what you said. When I stepped out that door I fought, and I fought to kill. Then my soul was ripped in half. I have too much anger inside to ever know peace. I’m broken, Clint. I’m good for one thing now and I am getting better at that thing every day. I’m still fighting to kill. I’ve just found more worthy targets.”

“I don’t believe that you are broken, Wanda. What part of your mission involved stopping a kidnapping? One day… one day you will know peace. You will figure out that you are good, you are a hero, and you deserve happiness. One day, you will heal. On that day, you will have a home waiting for you.”

Wanda smiled and wiped her eyes. “Clint Barton, the eternal optimist. Why do you always see the good in me? You should go before Kate misses you. Be good to her. She might be the only person on this planet beside me, who considers you her favorite Avenger.”

Clint laughed. “Two people are more than I ever thought I would have. I’ll see you again.”

Wanda nodded. “I hope so, Clint. I truly hope so.”

Wanda watched Clint leave wondering if she would see him again. She was powerful, but even with her power, she had close calls and knew in her gut that this mission could mean the end of her life. As Yelena liked to say, getting shot while trying to save brain washed girls and crushing a human trafficking ring was a cool way to die. If it happened, it happened. Wanda had nothing to lose. This wasn’t revenge on HYDRA. This was a cause worth dying for.

Vision exited the jet. She wasn’t surprised and didn’t mind speaking with him. He was the one she had contacted, and she wondered if he had changed much from their brief conversation after Ultron. Then he had been optimistic and wished to protect humanity. She was curious what he thought of humanity now but wouldn’t push.

“Thank you for contacting me.” he told her.

“Thank you for answering. How have you been?” she asked, watching his face carefully. It amazed her how expressive he could be, considering he was some type of metal. She could understand why Kate thought he was a man in a colorful costume.

“I have been… I am not sure good is the appropriate response. I have been curious. The more answers I get the more questions I have.”

“I feel like that all the time.” Wanda admitted. “Is being with the Avengers all you thought it would be?”

Vision opened his mouth to speak then quieted for a moment, weighing his words. “It is… not what I thought it would be in some ways and exactly how I thought it would be in others. Political pressure and public perception can make doing good work difficult. Overall, I believe I would rather protect humanity at your side. You seem to have the right idea. I would wager you have not spoken to one politician or been asked to do a public appearance since I last saw you.”

Wanda laughed at his dry humor. She also heard his frustration in the truth of those words. She could see the cracks in the Avengers when she first saw them arguing over Ultron’s cradle. Vision was seeing a bigger picture than she was now. Listening to him she knew she had made the right choice.

“Sorry, but we are only a duet for now.”

“I understand. You are different now.”

Wanda raised an eyebrow.

“Different?”

“Yes. You are different. I have never tried to read your mind and never will. Your feelings though, you emit them strongly. The last we met you were overcome with grief and rage. Understandable. Now… you are different. Your duet is good for you.”

“I suppose you could say I have been given a new purpose.”

Vision could tell.

“The future holds many challenges, Wanda. There is political pressure for the Avengers to operate under a governing body. I believe it may be inevitable should any further disasters occur. However, I fear it will not stop with the Avengers. That will be the beginning. Eventually they will come for all enhanced individuals. You know the United States wants you under their control. You must be careful.”

Wanda already expected as much. “Let them come. They will not like what they find. I’ll never belong to anyone again. What of you, Vision? When that day comes, will you be my enemy?”

Vision shook his head. “Never, Wanda. I will stand by your side. Never think of me as an enemy.”

Vision smiled at her warmly and left. Soon the jet was in the air and soaring away. Wanda took the SUV and drive to the top of the valley where Yelena was.

Yelena had been sitting on the ground, a sniper rifle in front of her watching the road they had just traveled to reach this valley.

“The mission to move my future wife to safety is complete. Next step, find Rick Mason, fly to Barcelona, hope that Oksana is still there and torture her until she gives us what we want.” Yelena said confidently.

Wanda raised an eyebrow. “Future wife?”

“She must graduate high school. One of us should. She is wealthy so she can provide for a trophy wife such as myself. Maybe I will go to high school or college and be more than a pretty face. I can pretend, right?”

Wanda nodded, watching Yelena packing up the rifle in the back of the SUV. They could pretend. Yelena could pretend she was a normal sixteen year old, a cheerleader in a normal relationship with the pretty, peppy, popular, rich girl, Kate Bishop. Wanda would be a senior and hang out with the bad kids, smoking cigarettes in the bathroom between classes. It would be nice to be normal.

Perhaps in some parallel universe, she and Yelena were doing that. Sokovia wasn’t a corrupt, war torn country. Her parents were alive and her and Pietro went to school together. They had part time jobs to save money for college and had many friends, maybe even played sports.

Pretend was all they had, and it was fun until reality crashed back in.

“So, you gave her a secure phone?” Wanda asked already knowing the answer. She had seen Yelena give it to her in the rearview mirror.

“Yep. Dumb, I know.”

“It’s not dumb.” Wanda assured her. “Maybe you will see her again. Stranger things have happened. I didn’t know you were into girls.”

“I’ve never been into anybody until I met her. Everyone I have ever had sex with was for a mission. Men, women, never an attraction. She is different.”

The two drove in silence, Yelena impressed by how much better Wanda’s driving had gotten.

“Speaking of future spouses, I was listening to your com of course. The robot has a crush on you.” Yelena said.

Wanda huffed. “Yelena.”

“Be careful Wanda. I will never be your enemy. No one will touch you, let’s have metal babies. Over and over blah, blah.”

“He did not sound like that.”

“I think he would be good for you.” Yelena continued. “Think of the tricks you can program into him. You can program him to cook, to clean, to walk my dog. I bet he could get satellite TV and internet for our house. He could probably be a universal remote. Think about what he could do for you in the bedroom. I bet he comes with attachments different attachments, size, functions…”

“Yelena!”

The blonde started laughing and Wanda joined her, and neither could stop.

Paris may have been a debacle. They had barely gotten any sleep but had managed to save a girl’s life and Yelena had fallen in puppy love, with a girl who may have literally been a puppy. Most importantly, they survived and were one step closer to ending Dreykov and freeing the widows.

“You know, they are going to get your name out of her.” Wanda pointed out.

“Let them. It doesn’t matter. From this point, we go dark. No more clubs, no more drinks, no more fun like rescuing pretty girls then having car chases. We are on mission now. If they find us it will be too late. We will have already won, and the widows will be free.”

“I like your confidence.” Wanda said, wishing she felt it as well.

“We must have confidence. What other choice do we have? We win, or we die. That is life. Too much is riding on us. We cannot fail.”

“So… where do we find Rick Mason?” Wanda asked.

Upstate New York, Avenger’s Compound

Kate Bishop had stayed awake two hours. Clint had let her sit in the cockpit next to him while he flew and even let her fire the guns into the ocean as they flew over the Atlantic. She had asked him so many questions about archery, old missions, and shots he had made. When he admitted to watching some of her competitions on YouTube on the flight over and being impressed she actually stayed quite for a few minutes, a huge smile on her face and eyes wide open.

She was still talking when she stopped midsentence and her head lolled to the side. Snoring followed soon after.

Steve came to the front and lifted her from her seat, carrying her back to a padded bench to sleep. then Vision laid his cape over her.

“She is quite excitable.” Vision observed.

“Most teenage girls are from my limited knowledge and experience. Clint said she has some real skill. It’s no wonder S.W.O.R.D. wants her if she can get a compliment from Clint on archery.” Steve said.

“Do you trust them? S.W.O.R.D.?”

Steve looked at him a moment then shook his head. “To be honest, Vision, I have a hard time trusting anyone in power. I guess once you have been burned, it is difficult to trust again.”

Vision understood. “You know Ross will not rest until the Avengers are under some sort of governmental agency. When it happens, what will you do?”

Steve had been thinking of it, often. He didn’t trust Ross. He certainly didn’t trust S.W.O.R.D. after being burned by SHIELD multiple times. He didn’t trust the military or any branch of the United States government. It pained him to say so. He had once been a dedicated soldier, but times had drastically changed since he first signed on to serve his country.

“I suppose I will put all my time into finding Bucky and afterward… he is wanted by almost every government in the world. I suppose to keep him free, we will have to go underground, lay low.”

Vision was taken back by Steve’s words. “You would go into hiding for him? The two of you must have been exceptionally close.”

Steve shrugged. “It is hard to explain, Vision. The world was different back in our time. We grew up in poverty. The only family I had was my mom. Bucky was closer than a brother. I’m not sure I would have survived childhood without him. He’s one of the best guys I have ever or will ever know. We grew up together and went to war together. He looked out for me and I’m going to look out for him, no matter what. I owe him that.”

The two were quiet for a while, content to watch Kate Bishop sleep and listen to her snore.

“What about you?” Steve asked. “What would you do if Ross somehow got power over the Avengers?”

Vision frowned for a few seconds then nodded. “I believe I would find Wanda, ask again if she would have me fight by her side. I have only met her twice. Perhaps it is because of our connection through the Mind Stone, but I trust her. I would still want to protect humanity, but I would do it her way. She was right.”

“About?”

‘She was right not to join the Avengers.” Vision said. “You wanted her with the Avengers so you could keep her near, take care of her. It was a noble intent, Captain, but you can see the path the Avengers are on. You know they would never let her free.”

“They? They who? The Avengers?”

“The world. Anyone who could get their hands on her, have any bit of control over her. Humanity fears what it cannot understand. It is your nature. There is no shame in this. Wanda is strong, and she is becoming stronger. Soon the world will fear her, not for who she is, but what she can do. Powerful men like Ross do not like feeling weak, especially when compared to a nineteen year old female. They would try to tame her, try to break her like a horse and it would be a disaster. Wanda Maximoff cannot be broken. She would break the world around her before that happens.”

Steve pondered his words for the rest of the flight. It was all about which he could think. The future, the Avengers, Ross, Wanda, Bucky, and HYDRA.

He concluded that Vision was right. He also knew that Vision was loyal to Wanda Maximoff above all else, even, and perhaps especially the Avengers. Steve knew Tony was leaning into Ross’s idea of oversight for his own personal reasons, most likely stemming from guilt. Tony may have assumed Vision would follow his lead because a large part of him was JARVIS. Tony was wrong. If Wanda were in danger, Vision would turn on Tony and the world to protect her. Steve shuddered at the thought of Wanda and Vision fighting side by side, especially as Vision evolved and Wanda became more powerful. The two would be unstoppable.

Kate was woken by Clint when they touched down on the landing pad outside the compound.

Waiting for her was her mother. Eleanor rushed to Kate and wrapped her daughter in her arms as soon as she was out of the plane.

“I’m okay, Mom. Promise.”

“Okay? I saw the video, Kate. I’m going to forget that you were in a club wearing that dress… what are you wearing now… it doesn’t matter, you are safe. I saw that man in the van almost grab you before he was shot in front of you! I know you aren’t okay. You are grounded for life and have to go to therapy and are not to leave the… they are telling me… the F.B.I. and C.I.A. want you to stay here with the Avengers. Supposedly the Avengers are going to stop them… oh baby.”

Eleanor hugged Kate tightly once more, and Kate relaxed in her arms, squeezing her tightly. After sleeping across the Atlantic and now being in her mother’s arms, the events of the past two days were catching up to her. She did not feel hysterical but the reality of the events, how close she had come to death and how lucky she had been, were hitting her. Seeing the effects of her ordeal on her mother was sobering.

“I promise, I am okay. I got a new bow! I don’t suppose you brought anymore clothes. These leather pants have zero give and Wanda has a very small waist.”

“Where did you get them… Wanda… Wanda, is that her name?” Eleanor stopped speaking and looked to Captain America.

“Where are the two women who saved her? I would like to give them both a very large token of my appreciation and offer them very high paying jobs.”

Ross walked up at that time as well. “I would like to know as well. I was hoping Miss Maximoff and her new friend might be joining you, Captain.”

Rogers patted Ross on the shoulder. “Hope is a good thing to have, Secretary Ross, but it doesn’t always pan out the way you want, does it? I am sorry, Mrs. Bishop but the women in question prefer to maintain a low profile and want no reward or jobs.”

The party walked in, Eleanor in the middle with her arm around her daughter. They met Natasha Romanoff inside, holding a sweat suit for Kate to change into.

“Thanks.” Kate told her, smiling gratefully.

“Of course. Follow me and I will show you to the locker rooms.”

Kate began to move but Eleanor placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder, holding her back.

“I understand the Avengers will be involved in the operation to kill or bring to justice the man responsible for this along with the F.B.I. but I am no fool, Miss Romanoff. I will accompany my daughter at all times she is here. She will not be questioned alone. When I return to the city for work, one of her bodyguards and legal counsel will be with her at all times, even in the Compound.

Natasha fought off any irritation she felt. She was used to living behind many masks. One of friendliness and warmth would not work on this woman but showing hostility would wound her cause further.

“Your daughter is in no way being accused of anything, Mrs. Bishop. I only want to show her where she can change. You are welcome to come along of course. Follow me.”

After Kate had changed, the F.B.I. asked to speak to her. Clint had given them the information Kate had handed him on the plane which wasn’t much. The name and possible locations of various cells was enough to go on for now.

Kate told the same story over and over without deviation. She talked about being saved by an unknown woman and a woman she came to know as Wanda Maximoff, the resulting car chase and hiding out in the motel until Wanda could contact the Avengers and arrange a meet.

Eleanor once again insisted on the Avengers introducing her to these women. When the C.I.A. agent present hinted that Maximoff may be dangerous, Eleanor demanded to know what the two women had done that made her so.

Nothing of HYDRA and Wanda’s six month long rampage through their members was mentioned and Kate was volunteering as little as possible, so Eleanor let it go for the moment, promising to find these women one day and offer her gratitude. She would also need more muscle in the future. With an overseas terrorist out to get Kate, she would rely on Fisk even more. Nothing criminal happened in New York without Fisk’s permission. Kate would be safe in the city, but she couldn’t tell the F.B.I. this. For now, Kate was stuck here.

Natasha was never able to ask the questions she wanted, and it was frustrating. She should have insisted that she accompany the group. Kate was quiet in the interview, only answering the questions asked of her in a consistent manner, but Natasha knew she was holding back. Kate Bishop knew much more than she was letting on.

Clint had told her Kate had slept most of the trip back. She had expected him to get some answers and he hadn’t tried to her great irritation.

“She needed sleep, Nat.”

“We need answers. Real answers. Her mother won’t leave her side and she is being followed by a six foot three bodybuilder with a permanent scowl. I’m fairly certain her lawyer won’t allow her to answer any questions we might have.”

Clint sighed, knowing he should have pushed Kate on the flight back before she had fallen asleep. He kept waiting for her to break down instead. She had been through a horrific ordeal and seemed too put together. To Kate’s credit she never did break down and even now was very put together.

“I am her favorite Avenger and third favorite superhero. Let me talk to her. I’ll ask her if she wants to go to the range and try her new bow out. I’ll keep a com in so you can hear everything and tell me questions you want answered.”

It was easy to get Kate to the range. Her mother was happy to allow it, knowing how much Clint meant to her daughter and wanting to keep her happy. She felt better knowing there was a viewing area above and only one way in or out so she could keep an eye on Kate. Clint had subtly suggested to Kate to ask her bodyguard to stay by the door and they chose a shooting range in the middle of the large gallery.

The two shot arrow after arrow, switching out after they had each fired five. Clint was impressed. Even with the new bow, a type she had never used before, Kate was matching him almost shot for shot.

“You got skills, kid.” he told her.

“That is so cool to hear you say that. You know if you work with me I could be so much better. It’s kinda been my dream to be an Avenger one day. I’m an awesome fighter and I’m good at gymnastics. I’ve been working on all the skills you have, hoping maybe one day I could be at your level. Are you into swords or fencing?”

“No, can’t say that I am but I have used staffs before in close quarters combat. My bow can straighten into the equivalent of a staff.

“That is so cool. Can mine?”

Clint shook his head. “I’m afraid you got an early version I had lying in my closet.”

Kate pulled another arrow and in less than a second had split one of her previous arrows to strike the bullseye. “That’s fine. I love the way it feels.” she told him. “Too bad I can’t use it in competition. It probably wouldn’t be allowed.”

“Get through college and I’ll give you a recommendation letter for the Avengers myself if that is what you want.”

“Wow! That would be so cool! Wait till I tell my friends. They think I’m only dreaming of being an Avenger one day.”

Clint raised a hand to get her attention and silence for as long as possible. “But first, if you are going to be an Avenger one day, you need to recognize when people are in trouble. I need you to be honest, Kate. Tell me what you know about Wanda and her friend. I have a feeling they are going to be in trouble soon and you know more than you told the F.B.I. agents.”

Kate’s eyes widened. “OMG are you going to pump me for information?! Cool! I thought it would be the Black Widow… wait, you have a com in your ear. She is listening, isn’t she? Are the other Avengers listening? Hello? Is this entire room bugged? Does it have some AI? I heard a rumor that Tony Stark had one in Avenger’s Tower. Okay… it doesn’t matter. You won’t break me. Don’t worry about Wanda and her partner. They can handle themselves.”

Clint pulled an arrow and shot once more, splitting one of Kate’s arrows.

“The partner told you not to mention her name, huh?” he guessed.

“No… I’m just not going to tell you her name. It’s not relevant. She told me I should try not to tell you. She didn’t think I could do it.” Kate said stubbornly, crossing her arms. “I don’t think you can break me. She said Natasha Romanoff could but I’m pretty tight lipped and strong willed. Plus, apparently I have a lawyer at all times. Lawyers are the scariest supervillains in the world.”

Clint was amused at her belief she could keep secrets but knew the girl had no chance and suspected Wanda’s partner had a strange sense of humor. Now one who talked as much as Kate, much less a fifteen year old girl could keep any sort of secret.

“You’re right. It isn’t relevant. It’s strange though. If she didn’t think you could do it sounds like she didn’t care if you told us her name. Maybe she wants help.”

Kate snorted. “Yelena can take care of herself… Oh shit! Nice job, Kate! Damn it! My first interrogation and I already screwed up! I didn’t last longer than five minutes. I can do better. Maybe I shouldn’t talk so much. It’s just I’m an only child and it was lonely growing up, so I talked to myself a lot. I still do I suppose. I have the best… are you okay?”

Clint didn’t react to her self-criticism or laugh at her feeble attempt to keep her mouth shut.

The name she had just spoke had struck him silent. His mouth was slightly open, his eyes staring intensely at her, but his mind was years away, remembering a story Nat had told him long ago about a secret whistle and a little blonde sister she had failed to protect, losing her to the Red Room, never seeing her again.

After they had killed Dreykov, there had been no reports of widow activity. They thought it was over. Nat had considered going after Yelena more than a few time but always changed her mind. Nat believed she failed and wherever Yelena was, she was better off without her. She had to believe an older widow had taken Yelena to safety. Nat wasn’t sure Yelena even survived the training before the Red Room ended.

Nat had stopped speaking in his ear, pushing to ask more direct questions. The silence on her end was deafening. He understood. Then he heard her breathing pick up, her breath hitch and knew this would go downhill fast.

“Everything okay?” Kate asked, becoming uncomfortable.

Clint cleared his throat. “Could you… could you… describe Yelena?”

“Hot!” Kate said quickly, then blushed. “Okay don’t tell me my mom I said that. We haven’t had that talk yet. Anyway, she is about a foot shorter than me, her body is built like mine. We wear the same shoe size. Uh… she is blonde. I thought she looked good as a brunette but when she took her wig off at the motel I nearly lost my breath. She had her hair pinned in a bun because of the wig. She let it down when she got into her tactical suit, and it was like a wave of sunshine. She has these amazing green eyes and the cutest button nose.”

“Did… did she say how old she was?”

Kate shrugged. “She wasn’t sure of her birthday but knew she was fifteen or sixteen.”

“What else did she say? Please! This is very important. More important than you could possibly know.”

Kate stiffened. Up until this point, Clint had been cool, fun, even playful. Now he was none of those things. He was starting to scare her.

Yelena told her to keep the message to herself, only tell Natasha if Kate hadn’t heard from her in three weeks. The pressure was getting to her, and she was silent for once, unsure what to do.

“Kate, I am not kidding. This is serious. Please, I am begging you, did she say anything else?”

Kate sighed, deciding not to give him the message but telling him what she knew about Yelena’s relationship to Nat.

“She said she thought she was Natasha Romanoff’s sister at one point. She found out later she wasn’t but… I heard something about Ohio. She also said she was a Black Widow, or she was. She isn’t anymore. She said she knew a lot about Mom’s company because of her former career field. That’s all I know.”

Clint shook his head. “Kate… you are sure she said that?”

Kate nodded. “Yeah, hard to forget.

Clint felt a chill go through him once again. The Red Room, the widows, they still existed. They had dropped a building on Dreykov but never confirmed the kill. Was he somehow alive or had someone else taken his place?

Yelena had been there the whole time.

“Kate, this is very important. Did they say anything about what they were doing or going to do? Did they tell you where they were going next? Anything that could help me find them. Please think. I need to find them.”

“You were just talking to Wanda before we left. If her plans are so important why didn’t you ask her?”

“Kate, This is different. This has become very complicated, very quickly. I was willing to leave Wanda to her privacy, but things are different now.”

Kate shook her head and shrugged. “They didn’t tell me what they were doing. Probably because they knew I couldn’t shut up. I don’t think you will find them again. Yelena said they were going and wouldn’t be heard from until the mission was complete. I’m sure they will be all right. Between Wanda’s power and Yelena’s arsenal they are ready for a war.”

“What arsenal? Guns?”

Kate nodded. “Guns, grenades, some serious explosives. Who carries C-4 in their trunk, right? I asked to go along, to help them, but they wouldn’t let me. Whatever it is, I’m sure a Black Widow and someone like Wanda can manage it. She disintegrated a few of the guys that tried to take me. She is way OP, you know?”

Clint wasn’t listening after Kate said C-4. C-4 was for something big. Wanda’s powers could level a HYDRA base. Why would they need more than that?

They would use it for diversions. He would if he had someone like Wanda to do the heavy lifting.

“Kate, you keep practicing. I need to talk to Natasha, and I will be back.”

Clint walked quickly and then ran as soon as he was out of the range. He made it to Nat’s office and saw her bent over, hyperventilating.

“Calm down Nat. Breathe with me.”

Nat shook her head and looked up at him, her eyes so wet he was amazed she could see out of them. He could count the number of times he had seen Nat cry on one hand, and they were all just after she had gotten out of the Red Room and was rejecting the psychological conditioning they had put her under.

“You know what happened, don’t you?” she asked once she had regained control and stood up slightly straighter, still leaning on her desk.

“HYDRA contracted the Red Room to kill Wanda. They sent Yelena and Wanda probably could have killed her but…

“Wanda made a different call, just like you.” Nat said, furiously wiping at her eyes. “You know what they are going to do.”

“They are going to finish what we didn’t.” Clint said, understanding perfectly.

“They can’t do this alone.” Nat said. “I don’t want them to do this alone, Clint! She is still alive. I can’t leave her to the Red Room again!”

Clint stayed silent, letting her get it out.

“She is alive.” Natasha whispered, a watery smile leading to more tears.

“And now we have to find them. They won’t do this alone. We will find them and help them. We will end this, Nat.”

Nat nodded. “I don’t even know where to start. Wanda has become good at hiding and with Yelena by her side, she may as well not exist. If not for Kate Bishop’s attempted kidnapping, we wouldn’t have a clue about any of this. I don’t know where we can begin.”

“Wanda isn’t a spy. We have to think like Yelena. We find resources in France and surrounding countries who can give then what they need. We go to them first. What would you do, Nat? What would you do if you were them? You are looking for the Red Room. You don’t know where it is. Your mission got sidetracked in France, saving a rich girl’s life. The border is too hot for you to cross. What is your next step?”

“How do we know the Red Room isn’t in France?”

“Because they would have hit it already. What would you do?”

Nat thought for a moment. “I would fly, stay low under the radar. A helicopter would be best.”

Clint nodded. “Good. Where would they get a helicopter?”

Nat shrugged. They could steal one… Wanda could fly them over the border herself! I don’t know, Clint! Black widows have stayed in the shadows this entire time! I didn’t know my little sister… I should have looked for her!”

Clint put his hands on her shoulders. “Enough of that! Snap out of it and focus on the mission. Where could they have gotten that much ammo and explosives?”

“I don’t know.” Nat whispered. Yelena no doubt knew many arms dealers. They probably raided one and took what they wanted.”

“A helicopter? If they are going dark, Wanda isn’t going to want attention, even the slight chance she could be seen flying. She can’t carry all those weapons, even with her powers. Maybe she can but we assume she can’t. Where can they find a helicopter?”

“I know a guy. He stays in France quite a bit. He likes the countryside.”

“Who would that be?”

“Rick Mason. You know him.”

Clint nodded. “Then we start with Mason.”

Nat nodded and began making plans. “Pack and meet me on the runway in twenty. I hope you don’t mind another transatlantic flight.”

“It’s worth it.”

“Clint?”

“Yeah?”

“Only us. Don’t say a word to the others. We started this.”

Clint nodded. “We will finish it, with them. I promise Nat. We will find them.”