Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Witch and the Widows

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 15:

Yelena took in the carnage around her, impressed with Wanda’s power as she often was. They must have bene attacked by twenty of those floating armed drones or robots and she had only taken down five herself. Once Wanda had unleashed her power, Yelena understood. She got a glimpse of the girl who had fought Ultron’s bodies in Sokovia, who had transformed into a force of nature, fueled by rage after her brother died.

While Yelena had to use precise shots into the optical scope or on the center mass six inches below where the optical lens was, Wanda disintegrating them with a flick of her wrist.

Wanda landed in front of her, her eyes no longer red, a soft smile on her face.

“Sometimes I believe you only keep me around for my witty conversation and the treats in my pocket.” Yelena told her. She then lifted her gun and fired over Wanda’s shoulder, striking down a drone that had fallen but was not completely destroyed and back online.

“Then you do something like not watching your back and relaxing on a battlefield and I realize how much you need me.”

Wanda closed her eyes and blushed. “I uh… I knew it was there.”

“Of course.” Yelena told her doubtfully. The fond smile Wanda gave her was one of gratitude.

Yelena looked around for more drones and then listened for their distinct buzz through the air that had alerted her to their presence in the first place. She then looked at the path that had led into the heavily forested area of the island.

“Those men walked the path. They were not attacked. Somewhere there are cameras and someone controlling the defenses from the underground area.” Yelena deduced, her eyes covering the area for hidden cameras.

Wanda understood what she was getting at. They would not find the entrance from the air. They would have to go through the forest and the likely deadly security measures the were no doubt set up along the way.

“Time to take a walk.” Wanda grumbled. “Lets not take the path made for us.”

Yelena winced, liking the idea but wondering if Wanda knew what it entailed. “You can’t lose your concentration.” she reminded her friend. “It is likely there are defenses off the path. I know you can burn what it in front of us, but there are things in the woods that may frighten you. You lose focus when you are frightened.”

Wanda took offense to that belief. “I do not lose focus.”

Yelena got to the point. “Wanda, there could be snakes in the forest. Walking outside of the path, they could be above us. If you pull tree out of ground they could fall on you.”

Wanda’s eyes widened. She took in the forest once again, seeing it in a different light. If there was one thing on Earth that Wanda feared, it was snakes. She always had. Thankfully, she had not seen many growing up in Novi Grad but whenever she had, or saw one on television, she was petrified.

“There are no snakes on islands. I read that somewhere.”

“You don’t read.” Yelena reminded her.

“I can read!”

“I didn’t say you couldn’t. I said you don’t. Anything longer than ad in magazine, you get bored.”

“Then I heard it somewhere.” she countered, needing to believe she was right. She had already seen one snake outside the mansion, and it was not a pleasant encounter. Wanda had forgotten she had powers and just ran to Yelena, hiding behind her.

Yelena smirked, knowing Wanda didn’t believe herself. “You have not heard of Snake Island. Thousands of pit vipers on island smaller than this, venom can kill a human in less than an hour. True story. There are many snakes everywhere. Are you sure you want to go through woods? I cannot rescue you every time and look for traps while you do your wiggly woo.”

“I don’t need to be rescued from snakes.” Wanda said, doing her best to sound confident.

“The last snake you saw, you nearly jump in my arms and ask me to throw grenade.” Yelena reminded her.

Wanda shook her head. “That was different. It was a really big snake. A very big snake that had a lot of poison and took me by surprise. I lost my nerve for a bit. I’m good now. It’s too dangerous to go by the path. Follow me, stay close.”

Yelena nodded. “Of course I will stay close. Who else will save you from falling snakes?”

Wanda said nothing else, not wanting to think about the slimy, deadly reptiles. She walked to the left of the path and used a blast of energy to burn a hole through the trees, making her own path. While some trees burned, some were knocked to the side. Those knocked to the side were shortly blown up as well, catching the girls by surprise.

“Land mines in the woods.” Yelena noted. “I guess path it is. Keep us shielded, I take out danger. Maybe float us if you can handle it. Best not to touch the ground. Mines could be activated by control room that control Vision’s babies.”

Wanda pulled Yelena close and wrapped her in her power, the two floating inches above the ground and hovering down the path.

“We can call them Scarlett Robots. One can be red, and another can be red and green like Vision.” Yelena told her, taking in the area around them. Her weapon was ready, and her footing was solid. Her and Wanda had practiced this at the old Sokovia base and recently at the mansion. When Yelena would need to fire, Wanda would drop the back of her shield, then close it as soon as she had taken the shot.

Wanda was still working on using offensive powers while protecting herself and others. So far she had no luck but was confident she would get there one day. Her mind wandered back to her conversation with the sorceress but then snapped back to the present, looking around for other weapons and snakes that could be in the trees lining the path.

A force knocked Wanda and Yelena into a tree, leaving them both on the ground, stunned. Yelena saw a rifle turret had popped up from the ground on the other side of the path, which had fired an energy blast at them. As the gun searched for them on the ground, Yelena threw a grenade at it.

“Cover!” she shouted.

Wanda recovered and wrapped them both up to protect them from the explosion.

They stood up shakily once they confirmed the laser cannon was in shreds.

“That packed quite a punch.” Yelena mumbled. “I doubt that it the last one we will see.”

“I’ll be ready this time.” Wanda said confidently.

They ran into six more turrets, being knocked down each time, as the turrets popped up in different locations. Yelena had taken shots with her explosive rounds into the barrels that shredded their metal without the need for a grenade. Despite being high powered, they were surprisingly vulnerable to attack. She would have loved to have studied one, but now wasn’t the time. Before they left, she would be taking those remains with her.

They came to the end of the path, where it split to the left and downward, leading to a strong metal door.

“We have arrived.” Yelena said. They both heard the sound, like a swarm of bees. More robots were coming.

Wanda used her power to yank the door from its hinges. It was solid steel and almost a foot thick.

“More robots are coming.” Yelena told her. “We don’t need them inside. You destroy them. I’m going in.”

“Without me?”

“Destroy robots then come in. I will scout ahead.”

Before Wanda would argue, Yelena was gone, running into the newly opened door.

She stood in place, waiting for the robots and when they broke the tree line her eyes widened.

There were at least fifty and all began raining fire down on her. It took all her concentration to block the bullets having difficulty striking back. She decided to stand in front of the door, focus on keeping them from going inside and once they ran out of ammo, attack.

It took them a very long time to run out of ammo. Wanda wasn’t sure of how long, but it seemed to stretch forever. She had no idea what Yelena was facing but she knew she was alive and could feel her adrenalin and cold determination. The two had been together long enough that she could almost feel her emotions constantly like she could once feel Pietro’s, almost as if they were her own.

Wanda lost patience as some ran out of ammo, but others began firing anew, suspecting some held back. She had enough and yelled in frustration, unleashing her power in a giant wave instead of individual blasts, leaving a burnt are around her and the robots’ ashes falling to the earth below.

She watched the area carefully, making sure none were missed. She had not had a blast of destructive energy that large before and was slightly exhausted, feeling empty. Wanda saw no more robots and turned into the entrance, running after Yelena.

The hallway led to a large room with tables that could have been a cafeteria of some sort. The tables were up ended, and she found two dead with their heads shattered, victims of Yelena’s explosive ammo.

There were two hallways and she concentrated, trying to feel for Yelena. Once she had her, she sprinted to the right.

The hallway winded and she nearly tripped over bodies. These men had their throats cut, except for one who had been stabbed directly in the heart.

One farther down had an electrical burn on his temple, burning half his face, a result of a close contact widow bite at full power. He must have died quickly. The man had no idea how lucky they were that Yelena was in a hurry and didn’t have time to stop and play.

She went through a glass door that slid open for her. She was in what could have been a decontamination room or had once been before it was scorched, and the door blown off the hinge by one of Yelena’s explosives. For someone who could be so quiet, she could be very unsubtle.

Wanda found Yelena holding a gun on a woman. The woman was a dark haired, blue eyed beauty wearing green scrubs. There were computers around the room, lab tables, beakers, and chemicals but what troubled Wanda the most was the multitude of tall tubes behind the woman, each holding a girl with a ventilator to her mouth immersed in a light green fluid.

The children were awake. These were the minds that had been screaming in pain and terror that Wanda had heard. There were more than thirty children and not one could have been over ten years old.

“It took you long enough. Wanda, meet Monica Rappaccini, the self-proclaimed Scientist Supreme of A.I.M. and the new buyer of young girls who had been meant for the Red Room. Say hello to Wanda Maximoff, Monica. We have both been looking forward to meeting you for a long time.”

The woman said nothing.

“Wanda, Monica says if we do not leave the island, she will push the button of the detonator in her hand and kill all these children. She thinks she has a chance of making it out of here alive. She is so funny.”

Wanda looked at the smirking woman and her anger flared. She hadn’t noticed the detonator in her hand.

The witch knew what Yelena wanted from her. She wanted her to take control of Monica’s mind and hand over the detonator.

Wanda knew she should but instead focused all her concentration on the detonator. It should have been impossible, like astral projecting herself to Sokovia. She didn’t know how she did that and she wasn’t exactly sure what she was doing now, except what came naturally.

Then she felt it in her hand and smiled.

Wanda lifted her hand and showed the detonator to the scientist. “This detonator?”

Yelena and the scientist’s eyes lit up, Yelena in joy and Monica in absolute panic and terror, seeing her hand now empty.

Yelena’s happy smile turned into a terrifying smile when she turned back to Monica and fired twice, hitting and shattering both her ankles. The woman shrieked when she hit the floor and tried to reach for her ruined legs, screaming louder when she touched or moved her damaged appendages.

“Okay, I was expecting the mind control thing but that was way cooler. Tell me you know how you did that.”

Wanda shook her head and placed the detonator on a table gently.

“I have no idea. I just knew I didn’t want her to have it, I wanted it and there it was in my hand.”

Yelena shrugged. “We are getting you witch lessons. Think of all the ice cream you can get us, and no one would have to drive to that small village over a horrible road thirty miles away. The ice cream is melted by the time we are back to base.”

“Yelena, can we focus?”

Yelena’s face turned serious then she turned back to the children. She walked over to Rappaccini and twisted her arms behind her back, zip tying them. She then joined Wanda in front of the tanks.

“Any idea how to get them out?” Wanda asked.

Yelena shook her head. “You are going to have to go into her mind, tell Oksana everything you learn from her and go from there. I will figure out how to turn off island defenses. The others should be here in thirty minutes. I need to warn them of minefield.”

Wanda nodded, looking back at the crying woman bleeding on the floor.

“Go.” she told her friend. “I’ll have a word with her.”

Yelena took a last look at the children, some of whom were looking at her with pleading eyes and reluctantly walked away.

Wanda knelt down next to Monica. “Do you know who I am?”

The teary eyed woman shook her head.

“Have you heard of the Witch? The Red Widows? Any of that ring a bell?”

The scientist’s eyes widened. “You are the Witch?”

Wanda nodded. “What have you heard about me?”

“That you can rip people apart with your mind. I heard you could trap people in their own nightmares. You make them go crazy.”

Wanda nodded. “I can do much more than that. I am going to enter your head soon and learned every secret you have had in your life, all the way back to childhood. I will rip your thoughts and memories from your head, watch them like I would watch a movie and then leave you intact or insane. I am the difference between a fast death or a prolonged and agonizing, long life. Could you imagine being trapped like these little girls for the next thirty years, in your mind, surrounded by glass and green liquid, being watched, and experimented on? You would be in constant pain, greater than you feel now. Does that sound like a fate worse than death? I think it does. I can give that to you.”

“You are a monster.”

“Yes, I am. I’m not the monster who steals children and experiments on them. Children are meant to be protected. What you are doing goes against not only the laws of decency but the laws of nature. Are you ready to talk? The more you tell me, the less intrusive I have to be when I rip into your head.”

The woman met her eyes for a moment then leaned back, lying on her zip tied hands.

“You are enhanced. I knew it when I saw you outside, but I hoped my firepower could take you. I know when I have lost.”

Wanda nodded. “What is your plan for these children?”

“To make them more than Dreykov and his Iron Maiden ever dreamed. A.I.M. was inspired by Dreykov’s Taskmaster. We were using them as sleeper agents and mimics. That was the plan. I had an idea I called the Adaptoid program. Instead of using a chemicals I would use viruses, antibodies, and synthetic microbes. I would put them in the world with no idea what they were until activated. They would be immune to any type of radiological, biological, or chemical attack. They would adapt to all dangers, including threats facing them. They could mimic opponents skills without the need for technology that Taskmaster relies on.”

Wanda was not surprised by what she heard but was disgusted none the less.

“I am amazed by the number of terrorist organizations that believe they are right yet rely on mind controlled soldiers to blindly follow orders. Are you the leader of A.I.M.?”

Monica nodded. “Once I saw you were enhanced, I knew it was a matter of time before the Avengers became involved. I sent alarms to all the A.I.M. facilities in the world. They are all moving. You won’t find them. Not even I know where they are going so you can’t take it from my head. We are everywhere.”

Wanda nodded. “I know. You are wrong though. We will find them eventually. No one can hide from us for long. I have a sister who will be here soon. She is a scientist and a former black widow. You are going to tell her everything she needs to know to safely remove each of these children from these tubes so we can get them home. I will know if you are lying. Once that it done, I will go through your head for all the information you might not have even knew that you knew. If I am satisfied, I will kill you. If I am not… as I said, there are fates worse than death. Before my friend gets here, I want to know, who is your biggest financial contributor.”

“What?”

Wanda looked around. “Someone is paying for all this. We steal money from our targets. Where do you get your money? Who funds A.I.M.?”

“I can’t tell you…”

“You can’t hide it from me!” Wanda yelled, placing a hand on the woman’s head, and manipulating her sight. Monica saw a woman above her with flames for hair and black vein like lines running down her demonic face. She screamed and screamed as the clawed hand reached into her chest and grabbed her beating heart, lifting it from her body.

“Norman Osborn!” Monica shouted.

The vision was gone.

“Osborn?”

“Oscorp.” Rappaccini whispered, out of breath and shaking. “His company is Oscorp. Please don’t do that to me again. It hurt. It still hurts. You tore my heart out. Are you the devil? Is hell real?”

Wanda ignored her question. “Be truthful with my friend Oksana or you will live in that hell until death takes you one day.”

Yelena had watched from the doorway, enjoying the scene. While some people would no doubt be terrified of Wanda, she wasn’t. If Wanda were her enemy she would feel much… trepidation. This was her best friend, her sister, or as Kate called her, her ride or die. Wanda had such a darkness inside her that matched Yelena’s own. They were lucky that they were able to focus it on such a noble pursuit. She felt proud of their accomplishment but a large part of her took savage glee in killing as she had done today. She was made into a killer and always would be. It was hardwired into her DNA. It was hardwired into all the widows’ DNA. It was why not one Red Widow had asked to leave, knowing they could at any time. They were united, able to use their darkness to satisfy their own need yet have something to be proud of.

Yelena had not given any thought since they left the ship to Wanda’s vision or conversation she had with the bald sorcerer but watching her now, she could not help it. Wanda had done something amazing. She had taken the detonator right out of the scientists hand without going near her. She had teleported it to her own hand.

Yelena understood if Wanda did not learn to control these powers, she may lose control one day and accidentally do something that could harm one of them. Wanda would feel horrible if that happened. She needed to learn. Maybe she would save the universe some day or maybe it was an embellished tale from a strange woman who wanted to know more about her. Either way, they had to take the opportunity for her to learn. No one else in the world was close to her power. From what Yelena understood through conversations with Steve Rogers and Natasha after the Red Room had been taken, not even the god from space had her gifts.

She had already turned off the island’s defenses and left Wanda alone, deciding to explore the base until her sisters landed.

Once the Red Widows landed they made their displeasure known, not happy that Yelena and Wanda had taken over the base, but when hearing the story of the weaponry and having no choice but to move, they understood. Naomi took over the system and found the financials of the organization. Money was already being syphoned by branches over the world, but she was able to snag tens of millions and then attempt to trace it back to its source. Unfortunately by the time she was halfway there, the records were gone and no definite link to Norman Osborn could be made.

“We will have to watch him.” Yelena decided.

“Why not just kill him?” Antonia asked.

Yelena sighed, wishing it could be that easy. “Terrorist organizations are not funded alone. If he goes down others may step up and it makes no difference. He may have board members belonging to the cause who will simply take his place. Right now, watching and investigating his financials and movements is the best opportunity we have of learning the location of the other A.I.M. bases. They will be more careful in their gathering of test subjects. We found this place because she used a former supplier to the Red Room. She had not thought we would become involved. Had she used someone else or her own people we would have never known.”

Antonia could not argue the point. She was a weapon where the widows were trained as spies and assassins. They were taught to think about how the world worked in cases where they had to immerse themselves in it under orders or awaiting orders.

Yelena watched Oksana interrogate the scientist and then work with the tubes and technology, using the more computer adept widows for assistance. Some widows broke off to examine the base. Yelena had told them not to go outside as it was now dark and though she had shut off the landmine defenses, she did not want to take the chance of a stray one killing her sisters.

She made her way down the path, intending to get fresh air, away from the sterile base.

Before she reached the end of the path, soft small lights all around her caught her eyes.

She looked around and saw the glowing bugs and the voice from the past came back unbidden and clear as if it happened moments ago.

“Look, forest stars!”

“Yeah. You know what? Those are actually part of the Lampyridae family. And the glow, the glow that you see, that comes from a chemical reaction called… bioluminescence. Come on, time for dinner.”

Her mother’s… Melina’s voice was so clear. There had been so much love in it. Then she heard Melina’s cold, accented true voice.

“I became fond of you. I had hoped you were dead. I didn’t want that life for you.”

Without realizing it, she had made her way to the beach. She was on her knees, crying to the heavens. She wasn’t even sure why. There was no reason, yet at the same time, so many reasons. Yelena began to feel feint, not able to breathe through her crying, beginning to hyperventilate.

Then she felt Wanda’s arms around her. She recognized her scent. Then other arms. She looked up and found herself being held by three of her sisters and Wanda while the rest stood protectively close to her, silent sentinels not judging but protecting her from the world.

“Let it out. We got you, sister.” Wanda whispered in her ear.

“Bio goomin feasants.” Yelena said, her voice breaking.

“What?”

“Bio goomin feasants. I should have finished her, but I couldn’t.” Yelena admitted.

The group hugged her tighter and Yelena cried harder until he eventually drifted off and Antonia carried her to the jet to sleep.

Three days later, Avengers Compound

The Avengers assembled in their conference room for a meeting called by Ross. What was different about this meeting was the Ross that called it.

C.I.A. agent Everett Ross was in his early forties, a small to average stature, greying blonde hair and blue eyes. Unlike Thaddeus Ross, he had a smile that seemed genuine and kind.

Sam, Rhodey, Nat, Steve and Tony had assembled. Vision was not present, having been away for a few days and out of contact. It was not unusual to the Avengers but not something they wanted the government to know about.

“Good morning. I am sorry for the last minute meeting. Thank you for seeing me. Its an honor to meet all of you.” Ross opened. “I’m Everett Ross, C.I.A., and Deputy Taskforce Commander of the Joint Counterterrorism Command Center.”

Steve raised an eyebrow, already suspicious. “That would be the center that reports directly to the Secretary of State, correct?”

Everett tried to hide his cringe behind a smile. “I promise, no relation. I understand he is not the… easiest to get along with. We are more of an intelligence gathering center that keeps track of worldwide threats, coordinates with United Nations members and share data among allied countries. Was there another… is Vision here?”

Tony cleared his throat. “He is on assignment.”

Everett nodded. “Of course. I don’t mean to pry. I pry enough for a living. I realize it is early but was anyone watching the television six hours ago?”

None of the Avengers appeared to have. Tony had been in his lab, having only meant to stay for a few nights to work on Avengers gear and then go back to the city. The rest of the team had heavily trained the night before and slept soundly until woken at six and informed of this meeting.

“Right. If I may?”

Tony nodded and Ross switched on the television to BBC News.

“This was shown live six hours ago. Seven news stations from branches of seven different countries were contacted by an anonymous source asking them to arrive at an isolated location and be ready to go live. They promised the return of thirty two girls who had been kidnapped over the last six months, claiming they had rescued them from an uninhabited island in the Mediterranean Sea three days ago. They would give proof so long as authorities were not called.”

The news report showed several news crews going live as the newscasters hair flew wildly due to strong wind. The camera panned to the sky and three jets the Avengers were very familiar with were landing, practically on top of the excited news reporters.

The backs of the jets opened and ten girls from each jet walked out along with women dressed in black complete with facemasks and goggles.

“Recognize that red logo on their belts?” Ross asked. “Our sources who have encountered them… the few that managed to escape with their lives and sanity intact, say they call themselves the Red Widows. They are former Black Widows, but you already knew that, correct?”

Everett continued to play the video. A short widow approached the news reporters.

“These children had been taken by human traffickers by an organization called A.I.M. We have been investigating the ring that stole the children and were led to a supposedly uninhabited island in the Mediterranean Sea.”

Every Avenger in the room recognized the voice of Yelena Belova.

“Who are you?” One of the reporters asked.

A taller Widow stepped up with a stack of manilla folders and handed them to the different news teams. “These are information packets on what has been done to the children, what we have found of their identities and the location of the island, along with people involved in the taking of the children. We have also provided as much information as we could find on the terrorist organization.”

“Why have you not contacted the authorities?” A reporter asked.

Yelena spoke from behind her mask once more. “The children were experimented on. We leave it to you and the world watching, to ensure that these children are returned to their loved ones, not taken to a government lab, and studied. They have been through hell already. We have contacted emergency medical services and they are enroute to this location. We leave them to you.”

The widows turned away to leave but the children rushed them, clinging to them and not letting them leave. The older women hugged them and eventually got them to walk to the reporters.

“What is the name of your organization? Are you connected to the Avengers?” a woman asked, daring to approach Yelena as she walked away. Yelena turned back to the camera.

“We are not associated with the Avengers. We are the Red Widows and if you are kidnapping and selling people, you will meet us soon.”

The reporters began gathering the children around them as sirens blared and red and blue lights could be seen off screen. The jets took off quickly and were gone, leaving reporters gawking and children waving.

Ross clicked the television off. “Needless to say, many intelligence agencies are not happy. They would have wished to debrief these girls before media became involved.”

“What you mean, Agent Ross, is the media has shown this live to the world and there is no way for the government to cover it up. That is why the women called the media.” Rogers pointed out. “They don’t trust government authorities not to lock the children away. Kind of difficult to study and isolate them now that the entire world knows.”

Ross smiled and shook his head. “That would be one way to look at it. Another could say that because of their actions, no one has any lead on this A.I.M. organization other than what the media has and has already published. They know now we are onto them. They will no doubt cover their tracks.”

“Onto them?” Natasha asked. “You were told about them. It’s obvious why the named A.I.M. Hydra infiltrated the highest reaches of the government because people did not believe they existed. They began to decline when they were exposed to the public. Now that the world knows A.I.M. they can no longer hide in plain sight.”

“But they will go underground.” Ross told her. “It will take decades to find a lead. The intel they gave the press is next to nothing. They hunted down a child trafficking ring no one knew about. They are smart. Why would they make a rookie mistake like this?”

“They wouldn’t. They know something no one else does, probably the name of the person behind the whole thing.” Nat told him, but she suspected he already knew. “They shook the tree to see what falls out. When their target makes their move to cover their tracks, he or she will lead them to their next lead.”

Everett nodded. “My thoughts exactly. They were sending a message with that information, but it wasn’t to us. They went on a heroic endeavor and saved the lives of little girls at great risk to their own. We had boots on the ground on that island two hours ago. It is a smoking husk. There were remains of some type of security robots all over, turret guns, an underground base that went far out below the ocean floor. There were dead bodies inside, including the purported head of the organization and chief scientist, Monica Rappaccini. She appears to have been shot in the ankles, tortured by electricity, and then drowned in the only man sized tube that hadn’t been shattered. It looks like some sort of liquid stasis tube so the experimented children could be in a controlled state. According to the information given to the media the children were kept in these. Judging by pictures I received, she was defintely awake when drowned.

“Unfortunately, all files and data was destroyed or taken. All we know is what the media knows. So now I need your help. Mr. Stark, we would be grateful if you could go to this island, examine the robotic weapons, the technology inside the base and tell us what you can of it. It seems very advanced.”

“That’s it?” Tony asked, doubting that was why a meeting was called.

Ross looked sheepishly at the rest of them. None of them were buying it. He may have played at being meek and an all-around nice guy, but you did not rise as high up in the C.I.A. as he did by being the nice guy. General Ross sent him because he could be nice, not because he was.

“We would like one of you to contact Wanda Maximoff and ask her to share with us what intel she has found.”

The room was quiet. No one said anything, only Rhodey looking at Tony who was staring at Ross.

“What makes you think Wanda Maximoff has anything to do with this?” Tony asked.

Ross sighed. “Cards on the table. Lets be honest. I’ll tell you what we know, and you tell us what you know. We are all on the same side at the end of the day, right?”

Ross slipped a portable drive into the projector.

The first image showed Russian soldiers sifting through wreckage.

“The Red Room. We know that months ago it was taken out. The Russians found Dreykov’s body and later his head on the ground in a container. There was enough to confirm his death. I suppose he never died like SHIELD claimed. There were multiple soldiers’ bodies, most dead before they ever hit the ground. What we didn’t find were any black widow bodies. If any black widows were on the base they were gone by the time it hit the ground. Miss Romanoff, you, and former Avenger Clint Barton were flying all over Europe around the time it happened, and I understand the Avengers Quinjet left approximately two to three days before the Red Room hit the Motherland. We at the Joint Counterterrorism Command Center thank you for your service.”

Everett flipped to the next screen. It was a room full of bodies, some stabbed, some shot, some with broken bones and some that had been burned to near dust, though nothing else was on fire.

A series of photos followed, all grisly scenes where kidnappers had been left behind, sometimes in pieces.

“See here is the thing. Wanda Maximoff and an unknown female saved Kate Bishop’s life and handed her over to you. They then went dark. A few weeks after the Red Room hits the earth in flames, women in black widow costumes are seen in different countries, and always leave quite a few bodies behind. Sometimes little girls are saved, and the girls talk about the women in black and the one with red hair who wears a red jacket and many rings on her fingers. Sound familiar?”

Again, no one in the room answered. “The girl with Wanda Maximoff was a widow, right? She turned on Dreykov and the two took him down and freed the other widows from whatever hold he had on them. They needed help though. Raiding a big base in the sky is no easy feat, even if you are as powerful as Wanda Maximoff. She calls the Avengers to her aid, and you come. You have a relationship with her. I’m telling you what I know. Open exchange here so please be honest. She does have some contact with you, right?”

The room looked to Steve, and he realized it was his decision. “We are on friendly terms. You want the truth, I will give you the truth. We have no idea where she is right now or how to contact her. She did ask us to take down the Red Room with her and considering that it was going on under our noses we felt it our duty to help. That is as far as our involvement has gone. Every time we have had contact, she has initiated it.”

“But you could, right? Look, I know how you feel about General Ross and the distrust you seem to have for government agencies. After what happened with SHIELD, I don’t blame you. I can’t even say the organization I am proud to serve with is all good and the former general is a true bastard. I am trying to help her though. I need to help her before it is too late.”

Natasha sat up straighter. “Too late for what?”

Ross shook his head. “Wanda Maximoff isn’t a little known wild card or a dark secret anymore. She is an enhanced individual becoming more powerful and now, has a paramilitary group backing her called the Red Widows who are former Black Widows, trained just like you Miss Romanoff. They are just as deadly and judging by the crime scene photos I showed you, do not have your level of restraint. She has had several operations in various countries and left bodies and destruction behind. That could be overlooked because of who she was killing, but Wanda made a serious miscalculation by going live on air.”

“She didn’t go live.” Nat reminded him.

“No, but her team did. The organization has a name.”

Rhodey smirked. “A name that will cause human traffickers to sleep uneasy at night.”

Ross pointed to him. “Exactly! Do you think what she and her team did was awesome? I do. I smiled, I wanted to cheer when I first heard this. The whole world thinks these women are heroes. If Wanda Maximoff associates herself publicly with this group, especially as its leader, she will be a hero as well. There are those that do not like that. There are those who are uneasy about her and are very afraid now that she has a paramilitary organization behind her. They are ready to announce her as a terrorist.”

“What?!” Steve shouted, standing up. Ross slid his seat back and threw his hands up.

“Not me! I promise! The President, General Ross, the Pentagon, the heads of every intelligence branch are not ready for a very powerful young woman who hates the United States to become the world’s biggest hero. Ross plans to paint her as a terrorist. You know he can do it. He drops a few pictures of the handiwork she and her crew left behind, claim that she staged the kidnapping of the girls to gain public sympathy and maybe frame her for crimes she hadn’t committed. You know whatever good will these girls garnered will go away. You know the court of public opinion well and how it sways. People turn on you over the slightest missteps. How fast will they turn on girls wearing black suits, blood red versions of the black widow emblem, displaying knives, guns, and batons? Do you see where I am coming from?”

Tony clapped his hands. “Get to the point, Ross. You play the nice guy better than your namesake, but you want something you think we can get for you. Cap said we can’t contact her. She doesn’t show up for meetings or cookouts or teamwork retreats.”

Ross sighed. “I need her to talk to me. Just me. We need to establish a relationship of cooperation at least. She knows who is behind A.I.M. and the Red Widows are going for them. They want the organization for themselves. As much as I applaud their actions you have seen the photos, you know what they leave behind. They will paint themselves as the bad guys. I don’t want that. I want them to be seen as the good guys they are.”

“They don’t care if they are considered the bad guys.” Nat told him.

“Exactly! I respect them for that, but we all know that is naïve thinking. They should be working with us, sharing resources. If they don’t, if she doesn’t show some ounce of cooperation, a little give, Ross is going to release everything on her. He is going to give the media her history with HYDRA, how she allowed herself to be enhanced to fight America, how she helped Ultron destroy Sokovia and nearly the world. He will show photos of her and her Red Widows actions, accuse them with being in a turf war with other organizations. Don’t tell me you don’t see it, Miss Romanoff. He is just the type of man to do something like that. Help me, help them. Get me in contact. Convince her to talk to me, just me. I have to show I am making progress or Ross will smear her name before she can generate any good will from the world.”

The room was silent, the Avengers in deep thought and Ross hoping they would agree.

Despite what Everett was sure they thought, he meant every word. He despised Thaddeus Ross and he thought Wanda’s actions were admirable. He knew why she hated the United States and understood. It would be hard to like a country that killed your parents. He knew he was in the room with the man who created Ultron and Thaddeus Ross would probably try to pin that on her as well.

Secretary Ross was ready to denounce her as a terrorist a half hour after the news hit. Everett Ross was the one who convinced the Secretary to give him a chance to bring her around.

“If we can get in touch with her, we will ask her to call you.” Steve told him. “I wouldn’t get my hopes up.”

“I hope you are wrong, Captain, because hope is all I have right now. I believe she is a hero about to be unfairly turned into a villain. I don’t want that to happen.”

Natasha snorted. “Tell your boss to remember one thing. I don’t know Wanda Maximoff well, but I do know enough. If he calls her a terrorist, she will show him what terror is. She won’t care about his position, his influence, or being seen as a bad guy. If he keeps screwing with her, she will kill him. Tell Ross that is our official threat assessment. She isn’t a danger to the world or even the United States. She is a danger to him.”

Nat walked out of the room and Sam and Steve followed, leaving only Rhodey and Stark behind.

“I know you won’t believe me, but I am trying to help her.” Ross told Tony. “You know the way things are going, Mr. Stark. Ross only has the power the President gives him. The President wants this. If Maximoff angers any country, or kills the wrong person with the right connections, the United Nations is going to call for registration and paint her as the terrorist Ross wants her to be. If the Avengers have any more screw ups that result in fatalities, registration is coming. God forbid what would happen if the Russian Government could prove that you conducted an assault on a terrorist organization without alerting them first. They suspect but they cannot prove. This is a political minefield, Mr. Stark. I’m just trying to get the good people from being blown up. I believe this world needs heroes. Wanda Maximoff is one. She deserves to be known as one.”

Tony uncharacteristically said nothing. As little time he spent being Iron Man now, he made up for that in time spent in meetings, trying to keep the team functioning as an independent entity. He was slowly failing.

“Good day, gentlemen. I’ll see myself out.” Everett told them, having done all he could do.