Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Witch and the Widows

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 33:

Monica Rambeau walked among the ruins, shocked at the utter devastation that still existed. She had come to Novi Grad expecting to see a city being rebuilt by the government, not one left in pieces surrounded by tents resembling a refugee camp. On the outskirts some homes were being built but the center of the city was dust, concrete and glass piled in a huge mess.

Many had moved since the battle, but a surprising number had stayed.

As a black woman who spoke Sokovian with an obviously American accent, Monica stood out more than she would have liked but she had requested this assignment from her mother. She had studied Sokovian in college. At the time war was raging and Monica had been studying international affairs so she felt Sokovian was an important language to speak.

As one of the few in S.W.O.R.D. who spoke the language and one of the youngest agents, her mother admitted that Monica was more likely to get answers than any other agent.

She had been in Sokovia for two days, becoming acquainted with what was left of the city. She had built a temporary shelter one kilometer outside the city limits in the thick surrounding forest. She dressed in secondhand clothes and thanks to the cool local weather was able to wear a worn jacket that hid the gun holstered against her back.

She had told the few who asked who she was that she was an American relief worker volunteering for the United Nations. No one seemed to question her because no one seemed to care, too focused on their own survival to worry about the American. She did receive her share of hostile looks but did not make eye contact and moved on.

Today she would start her mission. Today she would find answers to the questions the highly paid head shrinkers had about Wanda Maximoff.

Monica had her own personal reasons for requesting this mission. She was fascinated by Maximoff and the Red Widows. She wanted to know what made them tick. She wanted to learn everything she could about the European hero who hated the United States for good reason and was a major player in the balance of power through Europe. Whoever Wanda Maximoff chose to defend would have a huge advantage over the rest of the world.

Despite this, Wanda Maximoff had stayed low since the airport incident when she absorbed power from and then disintegrated the supposedly strongest being on the planet.

Her first attempts to talk were thwarted. She had targeted older people, who historically loved to talk. One lady had told her how sweet the Maximoff twins had been before the bombing. Their mother and father were pleasant people who adored the twins. Before the dark times, before the United States tried to invade, the family was often seen in a Catholic church near their apartment. They never had much money but only the corrupt truly had money in Sokovia. They always gave to the church without fail.

After the bombing that killed their parents, the Maximoff twins disappeared for a year into an orphanage. Monica was told about the orphanage and it sounded more like a coed prison for kids without any guards to keep order. The children were kept behind concrete walls and fences topped with barbwire outside and told it was for their protection to keep outsiders from entering and taking advantage of them.

In reality the orphanages received funding based on the number of children housed and the director pocketed most of the money for himself. He wouldn’t allow any children to escape because less children meant less money.

In college Monica had studied the atrocities that occurred in this city and the corruption in the country but hearing about them from someone who lived through it was shocking. These people had been through hell for decades.

This was the place the Maximoff twins grew up in. Monica wondered if Wanda had more anger inside her than anyone could have guessed, not only at the United States but at the world and life in general.

She asked the woman questions from the list she had memorized.

No, the twins were never seen in church again. Many Sokovians weren’t. Most of the churches had been destroyed anyway but the city and likely the nation had stopped believing in a higher power long ago.

The conversation ended there as the woman told her she needed to find someone selling groceries.

Monica was shut down by many. Some looked at her with disgust due to her nationality and others seemed very afraid.

“Stop talking about her.” One of the middle aged men told her. He sold used clothes out of a shack with concrete blocks and a roof covered by two tents that had been torn apart and sewn together. “She has many friends and many enemies. Speaking of her would bring bad things to you.”

“What enemies does she have?” Monica pushed.

The man looked around and whispered, “West side. Now go before I am seen with you!”

Monica walked away and made her way without hesitation to the west side of the city. On her way she saw many Stark Industry relief vans had been burned. She knew Stark had sent in relief but it wasn’t accepted and eventually employes refused to go into the remains of the city.

The West side was distinctly different than the rest of the city. There were few older or middle aged people here. The crowd was young and appeared dangerous. The girls dressed similar to Wanda Maximoff in revealing or tight clothing. The boys wore t shirts of music bands Monica didn’t recognize and torn jeans. Many wore weapons of some sort, either brass knuckles on their hands, or knives tucked into their belts. None of them seemed to be working. They all stared at her as she walked by and despite her training and weapons, it put Monica ill at ease.

When she made it through a path dug through the concrete she came to the remains of what could have been a stadium.

In the stadium four different fights were taking place. No weapons were involved. It appeared to be bare knuckles with no rules.

“American relief worker!” a male voice called behind her.

Monica turned and saw a group of young men and women. The men were tattooed, some had shaven heads and some wore goatees. The girls here appeared like the rest of the street kids Monica had seen. It was no doubt where Wanda Maximoff got her style. The man who had spoken to her had a shaved head and smooth face and a snake tattoo slithered up his neck to his jaw line.

“Hello.” Monica greeted them, hoping her Sokovian wouldn’t fail her now. There would no doubt be much slang in this conversation.

“Who are working for? C.I.A.? S.H.I.E.L.D.? Maybe Interpol? You been asking dangerous questions.”

Monica nodded. “Who I work for doesn’t matter. I mean her no harm. I got one hundred euros and a gun. If you take the one hundred euros and answer my questions, I won’t have to use my gun. I don’t want a fight. Just know I can kill you all before you blink.”

The man looked at her for a moment then laughed and his crew joined him.

“Bad ass American! Coming to Sokovia and threatening to bribe us then shoot us if we don’t agree. You friends with Thaddeus Ross, Miss America?”

Monica suddenly felt sick and she flinched at the accusation. Her fight instincts had caused her to act just as they expected and she spoke without thinking.

She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

The man reached out his hand. “Give us money. Maybe we can buy medicine for the sick ones. You should be careful. Pietro Maximoff once delivered medicine to the sick when he got those freak powers. Him and his sister have a lot of friends and enemies. Everybody knows the black American spy girl is asking questions she shouldn’t be asking.”

Monica handed the money to him. “I’ll keep it in mind. I’m just asking some questions to get a better idea about her. I’m not here to arrest her.”

The man smirked. “Too bad. We would help you set her up.”

Monica was surprised to hear this. “You weren’t friends?”

“Wanda Maximoff screwed my brother. She screwed a lot of guys in the orphanage. When her brother found out, she acted like she didn’t want it. He killed my brother by smashing his skull in with a lead pipe. Then he took his little whore sister on the run. He stayed on his side of town around his friends. I still planned to get my revenge but that freak and his whore sister went and got freaky powers.”

Monica knew better. She could read it in his eyes. Wanda was raped multiple times and when her brother found out, Pietro killed one of them and probably tried to kill more.

“Pietro killed your brother. Did he kill anyone else?”

One of the girls spoke up. “He got connected, doing jobs before he got his powers. He always said he was going to kill Avengers. Wanda was the one you had to watch out for. Pietro would talk to you and Wanda would stab you when you weren’t paying attention. Sneaky murderers is what they were. She thought she was better than everybody just because all the guys wanted her. If some guy made a pass, Pietro hurt them. He’s lucky he lived as long as he did.”

“How long were the Maximoff twins in the orphanage?”

The shaved head man shrugged. “Maybe a year.”

“And how many people did Maximoff have sex with?’

The man paled but the girls laughed. “She gave it to everybody. Her brother thought she was an angel, couldn’t believe his sister would do a guy for the fun of it.” the girl who had spoken earlier answered.

Monica looked at the man who had paled. “Every guy in the orphanage?” she asked knowingly.

He didn’t met her eyes telling her more than any lie he could utter.

“How many guys were in that orphanage?”

None of the kids looked at her. Some started walking away until only the shaved head man remained.

“That little tease got what she deserved.” He said quietly. “She was asking for it. If Pietro Maximoff were still alive I would kill him, powers or no powers. It’s too late though. You seem like a tough girl and are kinda hot. Do yourself a favor. Get out of Novi Grad and hope she never hears you were asking questions. Go back to America and tell your boss she was a bitch, a tease, a whore and a murderer. That’s it. Don’t ever mention me if she comes for you.”

Monica watched him walk away and wished she had just shot him rather than paying him. The likelihood of him actually paying for medicine was low and she knew the type of man he was. She knew what he had not said.

Wanda Maximoff stayed a year in an orphanage where she was raped multiple times. Her brother found out and killed a boy then the twins escaped. They were homeless. Pietro took illegal jobs. If they were in trouble, it was common for Pietro to distract a person while Wanda stabbed them. Pietro became violent if anyone showed a physical interest in Wanda. They worked best as a team, were very protective of each other and the only family the other had. They were likely codependent.

Then Pietro was killed.

It explained why an eighteen year old girl started a path of destruction and death through the ranks of HYDRA and then led the Red Widows to continue a legacy of violence. It explained why stopping human trafficking of any kind became her mission in life. The Red Widows were her replacement for Pietro in a manner of speaking and Wanda would not lose a family member again.

She left that section of the city when it became obvious no one else was going to talk to her. She was attacked twice on the way back to her field headquarters. Both were muggers, both were within ten blocks and she put both down easily.

The next day she stayed away from the West side and spoke to older folks. Some were reluctant but one gave her a gold mine. An old man told her where Pietro Maximoff’s grave was.

It took her a while to find it in the wilderness outside the city, but she did eventually. She was surprised to see fresh flowers next to the headstone. She was also shocked to see a headstone next to his that carried the name Wanda Maximoff. Unlike Pietro’s it only had her birthdate.

Monica felt a bit of panic. Were the flowers from Wanda? Did she live here? Was the Red Widows base near here? Intelligence agencies all agreed it was doubtful that she remained in Sokovia.

“Go!”

Monica was so wrapped up in staring at Pietro’s grave she hadn’t noticed a woman and her daughter walking towards the grave from the forest. The girl who appeared around six was holding fresh flowers. The woman in her forties looked furious.

“Hello. I’m…”

“Go! You do not belong here! Go away!”

Monica raised her hands hoping to convey she meant no harm. “I am just here to pay my respects.”

The woman spit on the ground. “Greta, change flowers, go home and tell your father to bring gun.”

The girl rushed to the grave, grabbed the flowers and placed fresh flowers down then ran away.

Monica began backing up. “No need! I will leave. I meant no disrespect. I am a volunteer relief worker and was curious about Wanda. She has saved a lot of people and I heard from the locals her brother was buried here. Do you know her?”

The woman continued to glare. Greta ran towards the forest in the direction they had come from, no doubt to alert her father.

“Last chance, American. Go away.”

Monica jogged away, not wanting to agitate the woman anymore.

She didn’t know the woman had gone back to her house and met her husband who was halfway to the grave with a shotgun. Monica didn’t know that the woman was living with her family in the home Wanda Maximoff had built and given to them. Monica didn’t know the woman made a call to a number she had been given but never dialed before.

In France, Maria answered the emergency line very few people had in the world. Only four people had the number. Everett Ross, Eleanor Bishop and the married couple from Sokovia.

The woman spoke broken English but Maria understood enough.

An American was in Novi Grad asking questions about Wanda.

As soon as the two missions were done, that would be an easy fix.

Boston, Massachusetts

Yelena met Sharon Carter in a dark alley with a view of the bus stop terminal. She had three other Red Widows with her.

“I know you.” Michiko said. “The Winter Soldier slammed you threw a table! I’m surprised you are still walking. It looked brutal.”

Sharon Carter smirked then looked at the blonde in front. “Sharon Carter. You must be Yelena Belova.”

“You are truly a great detective.” Yelena told her approvingly. “Was it my height, my blonde hair or the black suit and widow bites that gave me away?”

Sharon groaned. “Great. You are a smart ass like Everett warned me. I thought you would have more widows with you.”

“We have eyes everywhere. Where is Everett?”

“Taking out an arms dealer that may have prior ties to A.I.M. The two men will wait until the victims get into the parking lot and then take them at gun point. The vans arrive and the girls are placed in one. The other three follow. They drive to a parking garage on fifth and then exit and go in separate directions. It’s a shell game. Do you have vehicles?”

Yelena nodded. “Yes, but there is no need to worry. We don’t need to watch them closely. We have eyes in the sky and trackers on the girls.”

Sharon raised an eyebrow. “On the girls?”

“Yes.” Yelena confirmed. “We also have a witch who has recently learned to fly without glowing red and can read minds. We will wait for word and then attack. Relax. This is not our first horse show.”

Sharon smirked. “Rodeo.”

“I thought that was Rodeo drive. Our other team is in California and some wanted to shop before mission. You have done good job finding this group. We see our targets and will attack when they arrive at holding spot. Thank you for your help. Goodbye now.”

Sharon Carter looked at her in disbelief. “I’ve let four girls slip through my fingers. You think I’m staying out of this?”

Yelena nodded. “You do not know our methods. You have done well. Everett knows to let us do what we are good at. You should learn from his example.”

“I’m not staying out of this.”

“We plan to leave a mess and the whole world is going to know who did it. I don’t think the C.I.A. is involved in public torture and death. Doesn’t your agency prefer to do that behind closed doors?” Yelena asked.

Sharon’s determined face did not change. “I’m coming with you.”

Michiko snorted. “Try not to get slammed through a table again.”

Sharon shook her head. “Yeah, when I was laying on the floor wondering if I would walk again, I had an excellent view of the Winter Soldier standing over you and your friend with a gun before King T’Challa saved you.”

Yelena barely held back a laugh. “I like this one.”

“I don’t.” Michiko retorted. We put up more of a fight than you did, cupcake. We had it under control, only we saw T’Challa and didn’t want to interfere.”

“Michiko.” Yelena stopped her. “We must focus now. Carter, do exactly what I say when I say it.”

Carter quietly laughed. “Of course. I’m working with the most badass women in the world. I’ll follow your lead. I don’t mind when things get messy. I might even join in.”

The men who did not realize they were being observed found their targets easily. A couple of girls, probably fifteen or younger who looked like small town kids running away for a night in the big city. They wore cheap jeans and shoes and boy band t shirts. One had red hair that was obviously colored and the other had light brown hair. They were slim but their arms showed they worked out a lot for their age. They were most likely cheerleaders. They were healthy. Osborn would like these two.

They followed the two girls to the parking lot and stayed back to make sure they weren’t getting picked up. The idea was to take them with no one noticing for days or months if they were runaways. Girls like this were perfect. The HYDRA lady could use them for A.I.M. or sex trafficking. The price of human slavery had gone up since the Red Widows came around. The Witch admitting she was a part of them had made others even more afraid. Many operations had shut down, meaning the price had gone up. Madame Hydra shared the wealth with them, making this worth the risk.

Seeing the girls walking past the parking lot, it was obvious no one was there to pick them up. They weren’t attempting to catch a taxi either meaning they probably didn’t have money.

“Hey ladies.” He said, approaching them. “You need a ride somewhere?”

The two looked at him and appeared nervous, eyes darting all over. They saw his friend closing in on their right side.

“We shouldn’t take rides from strangers.” The brown haired one said. “We are here for a concert tomorrow. We thought we would get a room at one of the hotels here and chill out for the night.”

He nodded. “A little young to get a hotel room by yourself, aren’t you?”

The other man was next to them and had pulled a gun.

“Please, we just want to go to the concert. We only have a hundred dollars and concert tickets…”

A black van pulled up and the girls were told to get in. They did so reluctantly and as soon as they were secured inside they were placed in handcuffs and hoods were thrown over their heads.

He listened to both girls cry on the way to the hideout. They took the usual route taking extra precautions in case the Widows somehow made their way to Boston. They typically worked overseas or in New York but one could never be careful. After changing drivers and vans in the parking garage they drove to their headquarters.

Once they had reached an old closed down fishery on a wharf, the girls were taken out of the van and forced to their knees.

“Nice haul tonight.” A female voice said. “You weren’t followed?”

“We followed the plan.”

“Did you know I am going to Disney Land in Paris next month?” one of the girls asked.

The two men looked at her, wondering if she was mentally ill.

“I don’t think you are going to be making the trip, sweetie.” one of the men answered.

“What are your names?” Madame Hydra asked taking their hoods off.

“I’m Aino. This is Staci.” The brown hair girl said with a smile. She was not crying any longer. Both their eyes were clear and it was doubtful they ever were crying setting Madame Hydra on edge.

“I promise you, no one is going to keep me from Disney Land next month.” Staci told him then began singing.

“Be our guest, be our guest

Put our service to the test

Tie your napkin ’round your neck, Cherie

And we’ll provide the rest.

Soup du jour

Hot hors d’oeuvres

We only live to serve

Try the grey stuff

It’s delicious

Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes.

They can sing, they can dance

After all, Miss, this is France

And a dinner here is never second best

Go on, unfold your menu

Take a glance and then you’ll

Be our guest

Oui, our guest

Be our guest”

---

Aino shook her head, looking at her with a warm smile. “She loves Disney. She likes to sing their songs before she kills somebody or while she is killing somebody. Or in tonight’s case, a lot of somebodies. She has a beautiful voice, doesn’t she? Is that your friends I hear pulling up outside? They won’t like their greeting.”

Aino and Staci held their uncuffed hands in front of them and attacked, taking down the men, breaking their legs and disarming them in seconds.

Madame Hydra stood in wide eyed disbelief.

“You should probably run now.” Aino suggested. “I wouldn’t recommend the front door.”

Madame Hydra heard gunfire and screams just outside the front door. She ran for the back door, hoping the girls wouldn’t shoot her as she ran with their recently acquired weapons.

She had been found. Her operation was blown by the Red Widows and all she could think about was escape.

In her panicked state she forgot about an important member of the Red Widows.

When she opened the door, Wanda Maximoff was waiting for her. She froze, her body tense and her stomach dropping. The girl was terrifying. Her eyes were glowing red and her head was slightly tilted. The smile on her face was her most terrifying feature.

Ophelia Sarkissian was not a woman familiar with fear. She had worked her way up the ranks of HYDRA and then A.I.M. by being ruthless, fearless and merciless.

Now she felt like a cornered mouse about to be toyed with by a cat.

“Hello. I guess by the fear I smell, you know who I am. The two of us need to have a talk. Would you like to walk back inside or shall I break your ankles and levitate you inside? My sisters are letting out the girls you have been keeping here but there are only six. I need to know where the rest of them went and I will find out, one way or another.”

“Please no.” the woman whispered.

“You die tonight. It is your choice how painful it will be. Walk inside and meet your fate.”

Sarkissian turned slowly and walked on shaky legs back into the building. The girls she had captured were being ushered out by two Red Widows.

“You shouldn’t do this, Wanda.” Ophelia tried to reason with her. “The world knows you are with them. They may think the Red Widows are heroes but this isn’t some third world European country. If they leave their tag in Boston the police aren’t going to be happy with a massacre. Your face won’t be on lunch boxes.”

“Even more incentive to make this messy.” Wanda told her. “Kneel next to your friends.”

The so called Madame Hydra knelt next to her men. Some were lying on the ground, blood pouring from their kneecaps. Others were holding broken arms or keeping pressure on knife wounds.

“One day, you may give us a challenge.” Yelena told the woman, squatting in front of her. “By you I mean A.I.M. not you in particular. You won’t be around. Tell me what you planned to do with these girls?”

Ophelia looked for any escape. There were ten widows she could see, plus one sandy blonde woman who didn’t appear to belong with them.

Then there was the nightmare in black armor, a death mask and a hood pulled up, with a sword on its back and a very large gun in hand.

There was no escape. Her only hope was to get a quick death.

“Some I give to Osborn when he needs them. The rest I sell.” She answered.

“Sell to who?” Yelena pressed.

Ophelia laughed quietly, sure this answer no matter how truthful would cause her pain.

“Everybody who wants a teenage white girl. Cartels, sex trades, sheiks, billionaire perverts who own their own islands. Massage parlors, underground sex clubs, or just a rich guy looking for kicks. If you have one hundred thousand, you can own a girl. American white girls, especially blondes go for much more. HYDRA has been in the business for years. Drug trade, weapons dealing, human trafficking, all to show the world a better way. It isn’t easy to fight a technically superior foe without money. We needed money to build advanced tech. That’s where Osborn and A.I.M. came in.”

Yelena sighed. “How many?”

“How many?”

Yelena backhanded her. “How many girls have you done this to?!”

Ophelia spit out blood from her mouth. “I lost count years ago. I do remember you though. Yelena Belova. Dreykov liked the sound of your surname so much he let you keep it. It was so easy to take you. I was walking by the park and there you were in a stroller. Dreykov needed a blonde little girl for a mission and I was looking for the perfect little toddler. I thought of taking one from an orphanage but your mother was talking to a friend of hers and it only took a second. You never even cried. You were two years old.

“After I took you, I stole your medical records from the hospital to make sure you were healthy. We always wanted top price. I hadn’t thought about you in years until word of the Red Widows got out. Your parents never did stop looking for you. I thought of killing them but watching them futilely try to fight Russian corruption in law enforcement and being turned away at every opportunity was amusing to watch. I checked in on them when I was in Moscow. They were always miserable. Honestly killing them would have been a mercy and I’m no better at mercy than you are.

“I lost interest years ago. I wonder if they are still looking for you or if they killed themselves. I guess I will never find out. You should look for yourself. Show them what you have become.”

The room was deathly quiet. No one said a word or even breathed. Even those men who had been groaning over their injuries were quiet, wondering why she had said that.

She wanted to prod Yelena into killing her quickly.

“Do you want me to take it?” Wanda asked Yelena.

Yelena smiled and kept her attention on Sarkissian. “Tell me where Osborn is.”

“On the move constantly but he is in New York mostly. He has dozens of labs there but I don’t know the locations. He contacts me by burner phone once a week and we meet where he tells us to meet. He lets us know how many girls he needs, we pick the healthiest ones and hand them over.”

Yelena nodded then addressed the widows. “The walls in the back are wooden. The tool kit is in the back of Taskmaster’s SUV. Take the nail guns and nail their hands over their head to the wall. Gag them. We have girls outside that don’t need to be more frightened. Begin skinning them. Do not disembowel them too quickly. I want this to last.”

The Widows began to move, jerking the men up and dragging some while Antonia left to retrieve the nail gun. Yelena and Wanda stood in front of Ophelia who remained on her knees and grimaced at the quiet moans of the men through their gags as they were pinned to the wall and the panicked shrieks when the girls brought out their blades. Staci laughed the loudest, asking one of them if he still thought she would not make it to Disney Land, then broke out into song amid the moans.

Sharon Carter stood behind Yelena and Wanda with wide eyes, watching what was happening. She expected shooting, stabbing, electrocution. Not this. They were nailing them like animals and beginning to slice skin off.

“You aren’t going to puke, are you Agent Carter?” Wanda asked.

Sharon shook her head, unable to speak but certain she wouldn’t.

Wanda lifted Madame Hydra into the air with her power, turning her to face her lackies who were pinned to the walls.

“Very interesting, isn’t it?” Yelena asked Sarkissian. “I bet when you stole me you never guessed this, no? The two of us having a reunion like this. Why didn’t you run? Most of A.I.M. has abandoned their posts because they fear us. HYDRA is weak. Why stay around and do Osborn’s dirty work? You can steal these girls and sell them instead of giving some away. I am no criminal mastermind though. Agent Carter, why do you think she has stayed around? She has a crush on Norman, maybe. Is it true love?”

Sharon walked in front of the woman still suspended in air.

“Osborn has something she wants. More likely he is developing something she wants. Why does he need the healthiest girls?”

Ophelia swallowed hard and hesitated.

Then her ankles snapped without warning and she shrieked.

“I said quiet.” Yelena told her. “We have girls out there you have traumatized for life. They do not need to hear your pain. When we ask you a question, answer immediately. Right now, Wanda has you in her power. You do not want to meet the Scarlet Witch.”

“He is experimenting on them! He is close to a super soldier serum.”

“How close?” Carter asked.

Ophelia hesitated and her hand crushed in on itself, her fingers turning to dust.

“He has it! He just… it makes the subjects go insane! They develop dissociative identity disorder! Please don’t break anything else!”

Yelena spit on her. “You don’t get to beg. How many girls has he given superpowers to then released on the world?”

Sarkissian shook her head. “He doesn’t! He kills them when he is done. Each of his labs has a secure room. It’s a kill room. The walls and floor are electrified. They perform experiments, answer questions to judge mental state over days and when he is done with his study he gasses the room with cyanide, killing them. That’s what he told me. He is insane!”

“But you want the serum.” Carter said. “That’s why you are still around. Money isn’t enough. You want power.”

Wanda looked over at Yelena. “Do you want me to?”

“You have to.” Yelena told her.

Wanda nodded and placed a hand on the woman’s forehead. Sarkissian screamed in pain as her every thought was pulled to the forefront and sifted through for Wanda’s perusal. Once Wanda had what she wanted, she sent Sarkissian into a pit in her own mind where she was tied down and covered in spiders, her greatest fear.

Wanda and Yelena looked at her writhing on the ground.

“Can I ask you two a question?” Carter asked.

“That was a question.” Wanda pointed out.

Carter winced. “Is the girl… is the girl singing the Circle of Life insane?”

Yelena laughed bitterly.

“Look around you, Carter. We are skinning and disemboweling our enemies. We are all insane. Carter, find a bucket and fill it with water from the harbor please.”

Carter did ask asked. When she came back, Yelena picked Sarkissian up by her hair and Wanda released her from the horrible image. Yelena dunked her over and over, shocking her when she as able to catch a breath. It took an hour before Yelena finally held her face underwater until she stopped thrashing.

“Ophelia. It seemed appropriate to drown her. I am good at irony.” Yelena said “Someone tag this building. I would hate for Boston P.D. to waste time looking for a gang of killers that will never be found. Let them know the Red Widows were here.”

“If you do you can’t set up a meet.” Sharon reminded.

Yelena looked at Wanda who grinned. “He has a son. If he still loves his son we will find him quickly.”

“You are going to threaten his son?” Carter asked. “Everything I’ve learned about the kid says he is innocent in all this.”

“I am sure he is. I am not going to threaten him and he won’t be hurt. I just need something precious to Osborn. I have my ways of finding him.” Wanda told her.

Wanda’s phone rang. It was either Mika or Maria.

“Yes?” Wanda answered.

“Widow rescue went without a hitch. The handler had left her months ago.” She told the Wanda. “Ingrid is enroute back to France. They are dropping off Ava’s team south of Jersey.”

“Okay.”

“There is a situation that has arisen.”

As Wanda listened her expression grew cold, her eyes shined blood red and she told Maria she would send further instructions.

“Agent Carter, now would be a good time for you to leave. We will be in contact later.”

Sharon didn’t hesitate no matter how curious she was. Wanda was radiating rage.

When Wanda was left alone, she looked around her expectant sisters.

“Monica Rambeau, agent and daughter of S.W.O.R.D. Director Maria Rambeau was found at my brother’s grave by the family who lives in my old house. They did some digging and discovered that she has been in Sokovia the past days asking questions about my life. After we are dropped off in New York, I need five of you to go to Sokovia and bring her to the abandoned subway station we killed Amato at. When I find out what she knows, I will dump her body on her mother’s front lawn.”

The women nodded.

“You need to see Kate, Yelena.” Antonia said. “She needs you. Take advantage of this time and when we find him be ready to move.”

“Thank you.” Yelena told her gratefully.

The women moved out, leaving Yelena and Wanda alone amongst the dead bodies. Madame Hydra’s body was bent over the bucket with her head still under water. Yelena kicked her and she rolled onto her back, her horrified dead eyes staring at the ceiling.

“Was she telling the truth?” Yelena asked.

Wanda took her hand. “Yes. She was telling the truth. They never stopped looking for you. They still might be.”

Yelena shook her head over and over then grabbed her hair and pulled while crying. Wanda brought her into a hug. “Shhh. Stop that. You are going to hurt yourself. Let go of your hair. I got you.”

Yelena took a deep breath and let go of her long locks. “I have to take care of Kate now. She matters most. I cannot… I’m not sure if I want to, but they didn’t give me up or sell me. What do I do with that? How can I… I need to talk to Kate. She has to be okay. She needs me. That’s all that matters.”

“I know.”

Yelena sighed. “Tell me something about them.” She asked quietly.

Wanda nodded. “Your mother’s name is Anya and your father is Dima and last week on the fifth, you turned seventeen. Happy belated birthday, sister.”

Yelena began breathing heavily and Wanda held her closer exuding calm.

“Don’t tell me anymore right now.”

“I won’t. Only if you ask me.” Wanda promised.

New York City

Kate could not say she woke up. She never took her sleeping pills and as a result her body would give out and she would enter some half sleep state, where she barely rested and was half awake, always alert. This came sporadically during the day and she had no memory of what lying down in her bed for a good eight hours of deep sleep felt like.

Her mother encouraged her, held her at nine until 8 the next morning and Kate pretended to sleep for her sake but true rest never came.

She came out of her restless daze when the door opened but didn’t bother to open her eyes, thinking her mother was there to encourage her to eat again.

Instead she heard a panting, the pitter patter of little feet and something light landing on her mattress. Before she could open her eyes she felt a warm wet tongue licking her cheek.

Kate opened her eyes quickly and sat up. It took her a moment to realize this was no dream. There was a golden retriever puppy on her bed winking at her.

As Kate became more alert she realized the puppy was not winking at her. It was missing an eye.

“I think he likes you. He is a good boy. Your mother already said the doorman will have to take him for walks until you are ready to do so yourself.”

Kate’s head snapped up and she saw the face she had longed to see.

“Yelena!”

“Hello my Kate Bishop. That was not good rest you were having. I can tell these things.”

Kate stood from the bed and rushed the blonde, wrapping her arms around her tightly while the puppy tried to climb their intertwined bodies. Kate then kissed her.

“You came! No! I pulled you away, didn’t I?”

Yelena shook her head. “We saved girls from slavers in Boston last night and left a mess. Now we find Osborn. We think he is in city. I will be staying a while, even after we kill… I mean arrest him. We are going to figure this out.”

“Figure what out?”

Yelena touched her cheek gently and smiled. “We are going to figure out how to remind you of who you are. Every Widow needs a Hawkeye. Since the old one is retired and Natasha is relegated to kitchen duty you must be my Hawkeye. Now say hello to your new friend.”

Kate knelt down next to the puppy who began licking her cheek again, causing her to smile for the first time in days.

“You really bought me a puppy?”

“I adopted him this morning. I was supposed to wait and file paperwork but I had much money to donate pound and they were about to put him down anyway. Nobody wanted him because he was missing an eye. He is very lucky I saved him.”

Kate picked him up and laughed as he snuggled into her shoulder while shaking his lower body, continuing to try and climb her. She held him in front of her.

“Lucky, huh?”

The dog looked like he was smiling.

“You like that? Yelena saved you from being killed too, huh? We already have something in common. Lucky sounds like a good name for you.”

Yelena knelt down next to Kate and petted his head. “I fed him this morning and brought dog food bag for this afternoon. He very much liked the pizza slices I fed him. I am not sure how he will feel about dog food now after New York pizza but it is expensive brand. Much better than slop they served in animal shelter.”

Kate smiled widely. “You fed him pizza?”

“Was that wrong? I thought dogs would eat anything but chocolate.”

Kate pulled Lucky to her and the dog continued to lick her cheek.

“Maybe we should call you Pizza Dog. Lucky, the Pizza Dog. How does that sound? What happened to his eye?” she asked Yelena.

Yelena shrugged. “He was found abandoned like this. I thought maybe you two could help each other out. You are good with broken things. I was broken when you found me. Now, I am not so broken anymore.”

Kate leaned over and kissed her. “You were not broken.”

Yelena shrugged. “You were the first person Wanda and I ever saved together. You helped heal us, gave us renewed faith in our mission. When I realized taking down the Red Room would be a suicide mission I called you. You made me realize there was much more to life than just dying for a cause. You made me want to live. You loved me. You make me better, Kate Bishop. Now I will help you. Lucky will help you. He is a good boy like Fanny is good girl. Show him around his new fancy home. Wanda and Anastasia are bringing up doggy treats and supplies. You will be okay.”

Kate nodded, not sure what to say. She wondered if she would be okay.

“You got him a doggy bed?”

“Yes, but I bet he will sleep with you. He seems like a cuddler just like you.”

Kate laughed.

“He is only four months old and has had tough life. He was injured, maybe abused in other ways and left alone on the street then thrown in a cage to be forgotten and cast aside. He needs love. You can give that to him, right?” Yelena asked.

Kate wiped a tear from her eye. “Yeah, I can give that to him. You aren’t… you aren’t leaving right now, are you?”

Yelena shook her head. “No. I will not be leaving. We have much to talk about. As I said, I need my Hawkeye back.”

Kate smiled. “I’m not sure I was ever a Hawkeye to begin with.”

Yelena shook her head. “Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom before we can rise again and figure out who we truly are. Ask Wanda. I am still climbing my way out of the pit my life was before I met her and then you. You will climb too and when you reach the top, you will be awe inspiring. Maybe you won’t be my Hawkeye. Maybe you will be my Kate Bishop. Kate Bishop is a hero. I will take my Kate Bishop over an Avenger any day.”

Kate hugged Lucky between her and Yelena, then walked out by her side to find Wanda and Anastasia bringing in a multitude of bags.

“Where do we put this junk?” Wanda grumpily asked.

“Kate’s room.” Eleanor answered immediately. “Did you pick up any pet air freshener?” she asked, not quite on board with being a pet owner.

“Tell Yelena to go buy some. This was her idea.” Wanda grumbled.

Eleanor looked towards Yelena. “Yes, when we spoke of it as an idea I didn’t realize it was an agreement but I am so happy to have the little ball of fur. I cant wait to see Kate housetrain him, bathe him so he doesn’t stink and teach him to stay off the furniture. If he chews any of my shoes we will find out if he can fly as well as Wanda.”

Wanda smirked enjoying Eleanor’s irritation. She whispered to the woman.

“How long has it been since you have seen her smile like that? Puppies are good. One of them got Yelena into her own room so I don’t have to listen to her snoring.”

Eleanor hid a smile. “I suppose it could be worse. She could have gotten one of those tiny dogs that yips constantly.”

The woman finally walked over to the puppy in her daughter’s arms and closed her eyes while he licked her cheek until she could no longer hide her smile.

“Have you named him?”

Kate nodded. “I’m thinking Lucky the Pizza Dog. Apparently he likes pizza.”

Eleanor laughed. “I suppose we should start unpacking all these toys. If I order him pizza tonight will you promise to eat?”

Kate nodded.

“Then let’s get started.”

The next night

Monica woke to find herself lying face down on a smooth, cold hard floor. It seemed to be some sort of marble. The room she was in was dim, lit by torches. She didn’t move, trying to regain her bearings and concentrate despite the vicious headache she had and remember what had happened.

She had been making the rounds as usual, integrating herself into the Novi Grad society as best she could. Information had dried up since she had been found at the Pietro’s grave. The locals were afraid to talk to her. Even the scum on the West side refused to answer questions and actively avoided her.

She had been near her tent, ready to pass on her daily report and suggest she move to nearby villages where Wanda might have moved after Ultron. When she was within feet of her tent she was hit from behind. She fell to her knees and reached for the gun holstered to her back but it was gone.

A slim woman in black stepped out of her tent holding an electric baton. Monica saw the red hourglass belt buckle and had time to say oh shit before electricity surged through her body then everything went dark.

She rolled over and climbed to her hands and knees to take in her surroundings.

Then she saw her and fear made it difficult to move at all.

She was in a throne room of some sort at the bottom of a small set of stairs leading up to a large black thrown. On that throne was Wanda Maximoff in the same clothes she had changed into when she defeated Vision.

Monica tried to stand but some invisible power kept her on her knees.

She pulled her eyes away from Wanda’s cold gaze and took in her surroundings in more detail. She was in what appeared to be a giant cave with black rock for walls and hundreds of torches providing the dim light of the large chamber.

Movement caught her attention. She saw monsters closing in on her. They were like dogs from hell, as large as horses with red eyes and rows of razor sharp teeth and fangs. She began sweating, her heartbeat faster and she fought to control her breathing. Despite sweating she felt very cold.

More movement from the throne pulled her attention back to Wanda. Monica didn’t recognize the frightening women in purple that stepped up beside Wanda. She was dressed like some witch you would see on Halloween. On the other side of the throne was Yelena Belova in her black garb and a green vest over it.

A large groan alerted her to a huge door being opened behind her.

She saw multiple masked Red Widows walking in.

“Where am I?” Monica asked turning back to Wanda and wondering what hell she was in.

“An abandoned subway station in New York City.” Maximoff answered. “Do you like what I have done to the place?”

Monica did not like what she had done to the place. There were no abandoned subway stations in New York City that were this huge. This was an illusion of some sort. Yet it appeared so real. She stilled as the dogs closed in on her and she could feel and smell their foul breath. She was going to die here in an evil palace taken straight out of some dark fantasy movie.

“Why have you brought me here?” Monica asked, trying to keeping her voice steady.

Wanda’s face showed no emotion. “Why do you think? You are a smart American. A secret agent at that. Why would you be here at my mercy wondering if I am going to kill you and just how bad I am going to hurt you before I do? You have seen the photos of slavers we leave behind. Horrible, aren’t they? Tell me why are you here, Monica Rambeau.”

Monica wanted to vomit. Wanda knew her name. Of course Wanda knew her name. The lady at the graveyard called Wanda and told her she had been at Pietro’s grave. She knew everything. “I am here because I was asking questions about you. I was curious. I wanted to understand you better.”

Wanda snorted. “I read your mind while you were unconscious. Your mother needed someone to find out my deepest, darkest secrets to give the information to a group of psychologists who would use these findings to develop a way to manipulate me. You didn’t ask to satisfy your own curiosity but to report back to your superiors. Admittedly you were curious for your own sake. You begged your mother to give you the assignment. You wanted to find out what darkness makes Wanda Maximoff tick. Are you glad you did? Look around you.”

Monica did as she was told and met the cold eyes of the masked Red Widows who had moved closer to her.

“Do we look like the kind of people who appreciate others talking about us behind our backs?”

Wanda stood up from her throne and walked down the steps until she was looking down on the woman.

“Wanda, I meant no offense…”

“Quiet.” Wanda said and Monica felt her mouth close involuntarily. “Wanda isn’t here right now. Look around you. I am the Scarlet Witch. I’m going to put you back to sleep while I decide your punishment. When you wake up, pray to whatever god you worship then prepare for death.”

Wanda snapped her fingers and Monica passed out.

The hex dropped, the monster dogs turned back into strays and ran off and the widows pulled off their masks.

“What are you going to do with her?” Yelena asked.

Wanda sighed, not sure. “I have to send a message but I am not sure how to do that Maybe hold her for a few days and scare her mother. Teach the woman a lesson. Maybe I’ll give her a few nightmares to remember me by if she ever thinks of doing it again. I will worry about her later.

“First we need to find Osborn. Agatha and I are doing the spell tomorrow night. We need to find where Harry is holed up for it to work…”

Yelena raised her hand. “I am very aware of what we need to do. It was my plan. I asked what we are doing with the nosey S.W.O.R.D. agent lady and you have no clue as usual. Do not worry. I will think for you. First I have more important question. Why did I not get a throne?”

“What?” Wanda asked.

“I would like a throne next time we do this.”

Wanda raised her hands questioningly. “You never said you wanted a throne. I could have given you one. Of course it would be smaller so your feet could touch the ground.” Wanda teased her.

Yelena nodded. “She has jokes now. She gets a little tongue from Winter Soldier and she is comedian.”

Wanda rolled her eyes. “I’ll get you a throne next time.”

“I want one as well.” Agatha spoke up.

“It would be cool if we could find more stray dogs.” Helena suggested. “Maybe one for each of us. Then when you make them big we can ride them like some sort of cool demon knights on hellhounds!”

The Widows became excited throwing out requests for swords, black armor with skulls for shoulder pads and other assorted weaponry.

Wanda looked at Yelena in frustration. “Do you see what you started?”

Yelena grinned. “Yelena isn’t here. You are talking to the Scarlet Witch. Maybe you have gotten some of Osborn’s serum and it has made you have split personalities already. Did you hear that Agatha? She was trying to be frightening.”

Agatha shrugged. “I thought it was okay.”

“Nobody asked you, Agatha.” Yelena snapped. “Next time…”

“You don’t get an evil throne next time if you criticize my attempts to be scary!”

Yelena opened her mouth in shock. “I should be playing with Kate and Lucky but I came to be a part of your show. If I don’t get a throne I not come, no matter how cool this Hex is. Everybody knows the scariest thing about Wanda Maximoff is Yelena Belova!”

Wanda laughed. “Fine, you get a throne…”

“And scary black dress and a crown. A crown is necessary. I want it to be evil queen type crown with small skull in middle. I also want dress that gives me cleavage.”

“I’m a witch not a miracle worker.” Wanda told her.

“She has jokes again.” Yelena grumbled. “You hear this Agatha?”

Wanda turned to the Widows. “Keep Rambeau bound and dosed for a few days until we decide how crazy to make her and I have a chance to speak with her mother. There is a holding cell the police used back when this station was operational. No one will find her there. Feed her dry hotdogs for every meal.”

“Ouch, you are being sadistic.” Aino told her.

“Everybody cool with that?” Wanda asked.

The girls nodded.

Antonia raised her hand.

“Yes?”

“Can I have a horse that breathes fire out of his nose?”

Wanda turned and left, ignoring the laughter behind her.