Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Witch and the Widows

By BetterInTexas

Outtake 05:

Ava had never been in a jet like the one she was flying home in.

Home. Such a strange word. Home had always been wherever her sisters were. Whether it was a cold damp compound in Sokovia or the luxury mansion they all lived in now, wherever her sisters were she considered home.

Now she was going to a different home. Her first home. The one she should have grown up in.

The jet was a two seater, maybe a quarter size of the jets the Widows flew. It wasn’t designed to carry troops or equipment. Instead it was armed to the teeth. It did hover but as soon as they reached altitude it took off at a crazy speed. Unlike the Widow’s jets she could feel the g forces in this small craft as it hit Mach 2 and above. She had a flight suit on and a helmet so she could speak to her mother but concentrated on not passing out and controlling her breathing.

“Are you okay, Angel?”

Ava wondered if she should correct her mother. She was no angel but it was the pet name her father had bestowed on her when she was young and her mother had picked up quickly. She supposed there were much worse things to be called.

Her father. She had so much to learn about both her parents, her country, where she came from and what her life would have been like. Ava wasn’t sure how much time she would spend at home but she promised Yelena and Wanda she would come back and had no intention of not honoring that promise even though they would understand. She had her mission, she had her sisters and she was necessary. She didn’t consider herself cocky but knew they would not be as effective without her. They needed her as much as she needed them.

“Doing good.” Ava assured her.

“I can slow down if you like. I am in a hurry to get you home. I realize this can be a different experience than flying in a quinjet.”

“A little bit.” she admitted. “I want to get home quickly though.”

Ava was surprised how easy that was to say.

As they flew over her home country she took in its natural beauty. It reminded her of her current home. It seemed the untouched wilderness would go on forever. They flew over a few small cities or what would be more appropriately called villages. Then they arrived over a city that must have been the capitol. It had shops and cars below but not many. She mostly saw people on bikes as they lowered in altitude.

In the middle of the city was a great compound walled off from the civilians who lived around it. The area within the walls was huge. In the area was a great runway with large passenger planes, helicopters and smaller jets like this one. Farther down were armored vehicle depots of every sort, including advanced tanks Ava had never seen before. There were soldiers jogging in formation and going through drills.

It was a working military base. The only difference between it and any other large military base was the luxurious mansion in the center. The house was walled off from the base. There was a large green yard surrounding the house that compared in size to the mansion. The Mansion itself dwarfed the Widow’s mansion and was probably three times its size.

She began to feel butterflies inside when they landed on the airport grounds.

When her mother helped her down, Ava took off her helmet and slipped out of her flight suit. Her eyes widened as she saw hundreds of soldiers in white BDUS lined up in formation, forming a row that led to a very large, armored Hummer limo.

Sable took her hand and Ava snapped out of her surprised gawking.

“Welcome home, my love.”

She walked hand in hand with her mother towards the limo and between the large row of soldiers. A slim and short young woman with short dark spiky hair, wearing a white pantsuit was waiting for them at the limo.

“Welcome home, Commander.”

“Irene, meet my daughter, Ava. Ava, this is my personal assistant Irene. I would say you could go to her if I am not present but I have no plans to leave your side. Come, let’s get you home.”

The door was opened by a uniformed soldier and she slipped inside.

Sable stayed back a moment to speak to Irene.

“Has it been taken care of?”

“Of course Commander. She is waiting for you. She won’t be going anywhere.”

Sable nodded. “And the super soldier?”

“Dead as you commanded. We took his head and burned his body. His head has been cryogenically preserved and is in your trophy room with the heads of the black widows who took her. We have a special spot reserved for Vostokoff.”

“Excellent work as always, Irene. Gie a bonus to the team that brought her in alive and killed the Red Guardian.”

Sable slipped into the car where a nervous Ava waited for her. Ava didn’t ask what her mother was talking about outside and Sable was happy for that. She wasn’t sure if she wanted Ava to know about her trophy room yet.

In the massive underground section of the base there was a room Sable had designated as her trophy room. In it, she kept various artifacts and souvenirs from her most difficult assignments or the ones that had personal meaning to her. Her prize biological artifacts were kept in cryogenic tubes. She had hunted each of the Black Widows who had taken her daughter. None would talk and it became clear after weeks of torture that none of them knew where Ava was taken after she was passed to Dreykov. Sable took each of their heads and froze them. She kept one empty spot. That had always been reserved for the woman who killed her husband.

Though she appreciated Ava and Yelena’s idea for Sable to play a game of tag with the woman, Sable could not wait. She had Melina picked up immediately. The woman was an expert at hiding over the years but she no longer had Dreykov helping her. She was no longer the black widow she had been. She had left the field for too long to become Dreykov’s mad scientist.

The Iron Maiden was being held underground in an inescapable cell, slightly sedated and waiting for her hell to begin. Sable planned to torture her to the brink of human endurance and then farther before she dismembered her and finally killed her by taking her head for her trophy case.

That could wait.

Sable ran her fingers through Ava’s long hair and Ava smiled shyly at her.

“You have beautiful hair.”

Ava grinned and blushed. “Thank you… I’ve actually thought about cutting it. Me and Yelena have talked about cutting ours. Our suits’ helmets are nanotech and slide up and down very quickly. We all keep our hair in tight buns or shorts braids when wearing them but hairs can still get caught. I was thinking of having it taken to my shoulders. What do you think?”

Sable smiled. “I think you could shave your head and I wouldn’t care. I have only ever wanted you to be happy, alive and safe. If you want to cut your hair do it. Just don’t do it because it will be easier to handle in your combat suit. There is a simpler way to protect your hair from indestructible vibranium nanotech helmets.”

“Really? If you have any tips I would love to hear them. I hardly have any small hairs on the back of my neck anymore.”

“Don’t put the suit on.” Sable told her.

Ava wasn’t sure what to say to that. She finally just shrugged. “But it keeps bullets and knives from poking me hard. A few missing hairs is a small price to pay.”

“That isn’t what I meant.”

“You know Yelena had a landmine blow up under her when she was wearing hers and she survived. Yeah, she was messed up but who can say they stepped off a landmine and survived?”

“You aren’t helping your case.”

“I didn’t know I needed to make one.” she retorted.

Sable grinned and shook her head. “So much like your father. Same hair, same cute nose and the same reckless bravery. Why was Yelena on a landmine? Surely she wasn’t foolish enough to step on one.”

Ava shook her head. “No, but Maria was. It was in Rwanda and none of us had any real world combat experience in jungles. Maria stepped on it and Yelena pushed her off and took her place. That’s the kind of leader she is.”

Sable was not surprised considering everything she had heard and studied about Yelena Belova. Yelena was a general who led from the front like the generals from ancient times.

The limo slowed as it drove through two large gates that opened for them. The gates were guarded by soldiers and she could see soldiers walking the top of the wall that surrounded the house.

“I knew you had the largest private intelligence and mercenary company in the world. This seems more though. This seems like a standing military.”

Sable stepped out of the limo when it stopped at the front of the house and offered her hand to Ava.

“It is. Our family funds this country. Our private contracting jobs allow our government to function day to day. Without us, there is no Symkaria. Without Silver Sable International there is no military to protect us from being annexed by larger countries. I pay the bills, I make the laws and I run the country. As a result, unemployment is less than one percent. There is no poverty line. Our people have homes, food, clothing, free education including our college and free healthcare. Our children play in the streets because our crime rate is nonexistent. The citizens know each other and they look out for one another. They support our military and our military protects them. They may be called mercenaries by the world, just as your friends are called vigilantes, but they are much more. Our men and women are honorable, held to high standards, well paid and are citizens of this country no matter their birth nation. Our family built this country, my angel. I am the leader and one day, if you chose, then you will be the leader.”

Ava’s eyes widened. She had researched as much as she could about Sable before actually meeting her but really knew nothing of the country and had not even thought of her place in it. She hadn’t thought of what her future might hold. She always saw herself as a Red Widow till death. She thought her and Wong may get a place together and a part of her wondered if he would ever ask her to marry him but she didn’t dwell on things like that.

Speaking of Wong she still hadn’t thought of a way to breach the subject of her much older boyfriend so she kept quiet. She had enough going on.

When she stepped inside the gleaming mansion and saw the servants lined up to greet them, flashes of memories hit her again in waves. She remembered the staircase and sliding down the banister while large hands held her so she wouldn’t fall off. She was giggling and he was laughing, a large, booming warm laugh.

“Ava? Are you remembering?” Sable asked, remembering the look on her daughter’s face when their eyes met. Ava had closed her eyes as her childhood memories broke the surface. She had the same countenance now.

Ava nodded. “I remember home .” she said in her native language.

Sable smiled. “You remember our language! I am sure all your memories will return. I am so pleased you have retained so many. Your mind is sharp, Ava. It is your greatest weapon.”

“Did I get that from my father?” she asked playfully.

“No, he was quite the imbecile. I married him for his looks alone. I thought he would give me a beautiful daughter and I was correct. We spoke English at home mostly. He couldn’t speak our language so we only spoke our native language when we kept secrets from him. It drove him crazy but he would not learn. He spoke several languages but said ours was too difficult to learn. It was just as well. He sounded quite idiotic when he tried. You would mimic his horrible accent. He thought it was adorable. You could do no wrong. Do you remember much of him?”

Ava shook her head.

Sable dismissed the servants and told the butler to have dinner ready in two hours. She then put an arm around her daughter and walked her deeper into the house.

In a great room there was a fireplace and several deep armchairs. Above the fireplace was a huge portrait that took Ava’s breath away. It was her mother, her father and little Ava.

“We had a difficult time getting you to stand still for the picture that portrait was based on. I have several photos but does he seem familiar?”

Ava nodded. “That’s Daddy.” she said as a tear rolled down her cheek. Unlike her mother, he died never knowing if she was alive or dead or if she would ever be found.

“His name was Devon Abbott. He was a former soldier and Special Operative for the British SAS. After he was discharged he became an assassin for hire. The world never learned his name. He was only known as the Foreigner. He preferred it that way so you took my name on your birth certificate.”

“The Foreigner? Daddy was an assassin?”

Sable nodded. “Quite a good one. One of the best in the world. It was how we met. Sable International was hired by the United States Government to protect their President. They had received a tip that a person of higher caliber than the usual lone gunman had been ordered to kill the asshole. I charged them six times the normal rate and protected him myself during a trip to China. I stayed in the background and when he made his move, I stopped him. We both stole motorcycles and I chased him. We ran out of ammo shooting at each other during the chase and ended up sword fighting on the Great Wall of China. It was the most wonderful first date I ever had. I disarmed him, but he got away. As he left, he told me he swore he would kill me one day. He was smiling when he said it. I swore I would kill him as well.”

Ava’s eyes were wide, taking in the story.

“That was your first date?”

“In a manner of speaking. Your father and I did not have the most orthodox courting. We saw each other once or twice a month for the next year. I hunted him and he hunted me. One of us would always set up the other but always escape each other’s traps. It became great sport in an otherwise dreary and predictable business. Then I made a mistake on a mission. I infiltrated a HYDRA base. I thought I could handle the job myself. They had the plans for an Israeli missile defense system and Israel wanted them back or destroyed. The problem was the base was in Iran and if Israel made a move it would start another war in the Middle East. That was where I came in. I had to infiltrate the base and destroy it.”

“You broke into an Iranian base?! I broke into an Iranian prison! How cool is that… wait, what does this have to do with Dad?”

“I underestimated the enemy numbers and weapons. It was embarrassing but instead of clearing out fifty or so HYDRA goons, I was outgunned a hundred to one in a base built into the side of Mount Damavand. My stealth jet was found on the ground and blown up after I had climbed two thousand feet to invade the base. I was in very dire straits. Then a HYDRA soldier fired an RPG into a platoon of his own people. He fired another and another. He caused chaos. I jumped in between the smoke and flames with my sword, taking enemies apart and this HYDRA soldier takes off his helmet and it’s your father. He met me in the middle and we shot our way out. We planted explosives in their server room and the support columns of the base, burned the hard copies of the plans, then stole one of their jets and escaped, leaving the base to collapse in on itself.”

“Dad was HYDRA?” Ava asked.

“No, Israel had paid him to destroy the plans as well. I suppose you could say we were double booked for the same job. I asked him why he saved me. He said he swore that he would kill me and wouldn’t be able to if I got myself killed first. Then he asked me on a date.”

Ava began laughing. “You said yes?!”

Sable nodded. “It was the most foolish and best decision I ever made. Every night before we went to sleep we told the other we would kill them in the morning. The morning came and neither of us could ever do it. We finally gave in and admitted we couldn’t kill each other. We were married after a few months. Two months after that I became pregnant with you. I could never imagine being with another man. No other had gained my respect or shown himself to be an equal to me like your father had.”

Ava wiped a tear from her eye, amazed and moved by the story. “Wow.”

“I told you we didn’t have the most orthodox courting but I wouldn’t change it. Oh how he loved you, Ava. He quit taking jobs. He would take jobs with me every now and then but preferred to be home with you always. When you were five we went on a ski trip in Switzerland. He broke his leg playing about but wanted to stay at the resort because you were having so much fun.”

“You helped me ski on the kiddy slopes and took me sledding every day.” Ava remembered. “We had snowball fights and you always let me win.”

“You were under guard at night. I had tucked you in and read you a story. We were going home the next day. When I went to the bedroom, Vostokoff was standing over his body on the floor. She had shot him in the back as he was making his way from the bathroom to the bed. I fought her. She was good but I was better. I stabbed her six times, but the bitch wouldn’t die and I could never get her throat or heart. She shocked me with a widow bite. It only took me a few seconds to recover but it was all the time she needed to run. I chased her out onto the snow and followed her blood trail.

“I followed her to the edge of the mountain cliff. Before I could take a shot she jumped off the edge. She had packed a chute and had it waiting for her. It was dark and she was gone from my sight in seconds. I rushed back to the cabin and found six of your guards were dead and four were unconscious or bleeding. They told me they were attacked by five Black Widows. You were gone.”

Sable took a deep breath as tears ran freely down her face. She pulled Ava close to her.

“I killed all the guards left alive in my rage. The security camera caught the assault by the black widows. One left a note in the room. It was from Dreykov. I had been given a contract on a Russian tycoon who was running a sex trafficking pipeline. I had no idea it was also used for the Red Room pipeline, not that it would have mattered. I would have been more prepared though. I had begun dismantling his operations. Dreykov left me a note, suggesting I stop or I would lose more. The fool had no idea I had nothing left to lose. In the time you have been gone I have hunted black widows. Unfortunately a few years after you were taken they became harder to find. Dreykov was a ghost. I met Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton on a mission. They had told me of Dreykov’s death and the Red Room was gone.”

“You thought I was dead. You kept looking though.”

“I was never going to rest, I would go to death trying to find you or find out what happened to you. I was raised by my father to be a soldier, Ava. I had to be the best killer, the strongest fighter, the smartest person in every room. Good enough was never enough for him. My mother died when I was very young and he was all I had. I was all he had. I was the tool who would carry on our business and our company.

“You and your father were the only true loves I ever had in my life. You were the only thing that made life worth living. I swore you would never be treated like a tool. You would be the most loved daughter in the world and I hoped you never picked up a weapon. The night you were taken and he was killed… I died that night. But now… now I feel alive. I feel so alive, Ava. I feel life is worth living again.”

“I wish… I…” Ava started, not knowing what to say exactly.

“It will be okay now. We have each other. I know you have your mission and your sisters but I need you Ava. I will give you the world. I will give your sisters the world. Just stay home. Don’t be a tool. Don’t be what he made you. Be Ava. Have you ever thought of what you might want to do with your life?”

Ava shrugged. “I haven’t given it any thought. I like what I am doing now. It makes me feel good and it saves others. It is what I am good at.”

“Have you thought about what else you might like to try? You could go to dance school or art school or be a doctor or take over this business and never have to lift a gun. You could stay at home and start charitable foundations, give money to those who need it and…”

Sable quieted. “This is too much right now. We have time. We have so much time now. Let me show you to your room.”

Sable kept an arm around Ava’s shoulders and walked her to the second floor. She opened a pink door in the otherwise white decorated house.

“You loved pink. I obviously loved silver and white motifs for the halls and reception areas. Your father liked his stuffy British hunting lodge motif for his sitting, smoking, study and game room. I would give you washable markers so you could draw on the white walls. You made pink and blue rainbows. I had the servants wash them off at night so you could start again the next day.”

Ava’s eyes widened as she took in the room. The walls were white with pink banisters. Angels carved into the marble walls adorned the room playing among blue painted marble clouds. The giant bed in the middle could fit two or three strike teams on it. It had a separate living room with a couch and television.

“It’s the way it was when you were taken from me. I had the bathtub upgraded to a whirlpool and put a sauna in your bathroom. Your bathroom and closet should have everything you need. If there is something you don’t like or want changed say the word. I understand pink probably isn’t your favorite color anymore.”

“No! I love it… I want it to stay like this… for a little while. I remember the angels and the blue clouds. They are so beautiful. They glow at night.”

“Your nightlights, painted with special bioluminescent paint and thousands of miniaturized soft light crystals. The stars are still on the ceiling but I can turn down the intensity or turn them off completely if they bother you. I thought we could have a sleep over. I know we stayed up all night in your room but I would like to stay here tonight with you. My room is next door but…”

“I’d like that.” Ava assured her. “I didn’t bring any night clothes, or clothes in general. I didn’t even think about it. I only brought guns and they are in the jet.”

Sable nodded. “Yes, they have been brought here. I am hopeful you will not need them.”

Ava looked embarrassed. “I don’t… but there is a black Glock 17 I like to keep in my nightstand. I call her Shelly. I don’t put it in a stuffed bear or anything, I just like it to be within reach.”

Sable wasn’t sure what to make of the stuffed bear remark but let it go. “Of course. I think if you check your closest you will find everything you need and if not whatever you need can be here within minutes.”

Ava walked to the closet and found it was as big as she remembered. It was larger than her room in the Mansion which was very large. To her surprise it wasn’t filled with frilly garments a five year old would enjoy nor was there an overabundance of pink. Instead it was filled with different clothing choices from jeans to elegant dresses to workout gear. There was a desk with several diamond necklaces and jewelry, a make up counter and over thirty pairs of shoes in every style.

“Not all are in your size but I have had that fixed. Everything that wasn’t in your size was removed last night by Irene but if you find something too small or large let one of the servants know and it can be replaced.”

Ava couldn’t believe this. “You had all this done in a night?”

Sable shook her head. “Every birthday and Christmas, I would buy you dozens of outfits and accessories I imagined you might like in different sizes. I have all your childhood clothes in my room, but these are outfits I have bought over the years. I hoped one day I might find you and you would need them. It became my own tradition I suppose. I kept different sizes because I wasn’t certain of your height. I had this image of you in my head as you grew and you are even more beautiful than I imagined.”

Ava shook her head slightly. Every year her mother bought her clothes she thought Ava might like. It reminded her of Anya baking Yelena a cake every year for her birthday.

They returned to the dining room two hours later to find dinner waiting along with others she did not remember.

“I don’t recall asking any of your for dinner.” Sable told them.

A middle aged man walked up to Silver and bowed. He was wearing a silver and black tac suit similar to the soldiers but this one had its own style and no insignias. There were two other men and two women. The largest man had some sort of armored shoulder pads and neck protection while one woman wore a black and red suit body suit with gloves that had very thin metal claws at the end closer to needles. The other woman appeared of Asian descent and wore a blue and white suit that resembled something a ninja might wear.

Ava suddenly felt naked in her comfortable jeans, sneakers and Silver Sable International t shirt. They were dressed for war and she wasn’t.

“Apologies Commander. We were anxious to meet the Princess. We have been searching for her for so long we could not wait.”

Sable smirked. “My love, meet the only five operatives that are allowed to live in this residence. I trust them all with my life. They are my most loyal friends. This is Paul Denning, code named Paladin. Behind him is James Bourne, code named Solo. The rather large fellow who hates to be called by his given name is Tango and the lovely women are Maria Vasquez, code named Tarantula and Yuriko Watanabe, code named Wraith.”

“We are the best of the best, Ava. Sable calls us the Wild Pack. There isn’t a problem we can’t fix, an enemy we can’t kill or an army we can’t beat.” Paladin told her. “So you were with the Red Widows. I have to admit the Belova character has potential and with some years of experience she could be very good. What’s with the crazy Maximoff chick? How does she do all that stuff? Illusions? Some sort of energy weapon she passes off as magic like those Vegas magicians?”

Ava began to turn red and it wasn’t from embarrassment.

“Wanda is more powerful than you can imagine. I assure you she needs no magicians tricks. As far as the Yelena and the rest of us, we are very good right now. We’ve left a lot of dead bodies that can attest to that.”

Sable cringed, hating to hear the words coming out of Ava’s mouth but knew it was true. She also knew Paladin was being himself and trying to test her mettle.

“Sure kid. Slavers and HYDRA scientists aren’t exactly what I would call dangerous. More like kids play. Maybe Silver will let you play with the big boys sometime. We will take it easy on you and maybe teach you a few things if you ask nicely.”

Ava struck with her foot to sweep his legs, while leaning towards her mother. She took the knife from Sable’s waist and was on top of Paladin when he hit the ground on his back. She placed the knife inside his mouth and poked the roof of his mouth with the tip.

“Look man, I get that you are testing me but it has been an emotional couple of days, I am tired and the last thing I am going to do is listen to some asshole merc talk shit about my sisters and our skills. I’m younger than you, faster than you, deadlier than you and a hell of a lot prettier than you. Say another disrespectful word and I will put this blade through the roof of your mouth then jiggle it around inside your skull until I find your tiny brain and slice it in half. We got each other?”

Paladin nodded gently.

“We have taken out robots with arc reactor tech, super soldiers, warlocks, witches, evil scientists with weird death machines and a Rwandan death squad on their home turf. That good enough for you, bitch?”

“Yeah, she is Silver’s daughter.” Tango said. “You may as well let him up Ava. No matter how much you dig around you aren’t going to find a brain to slice in half, just a lot of empty air.”

Ava stood off him, drawing the knife from inside his mouth. When she stood over him he smiled up at her.

She kicked him in the jaw, not enough to break it but to prove a point.

“Oh, I like your girl, Sable.” Paladin said good heartedly, rubbing his chin. “She moves like damn lightning. Damn you are fast Sable Junior! Somebody color this kid’s hair silver and ger her a white overcoat. So are we going to eat? What’s for dinner? Cheeseburgers?”

Sable shook her head and smiled as Ava handed her back the knife.

“I let you get away with that this once just to see her kick your ass, Denning. Don’t upset her again. Ava should never have to use violence.”

“But she is so damn good at it. You all are.” Solo pointed out. “We have much respect for you ladies, Ava. Can she at least tell us about the airport in Germany?”

Despite Paladin’s mouthy start, Ava began to enjoy her time speaking with all of them. Her mother had not been rude to anyone that day but she had been surrounded by people who answered to her the way a soldier would answer to a superior officer. It was obvious that these people were her friends. She was more relaxed around them, they joked with her and told Ava stories about her mother that she wouldn’t hear from others. It was obvious they had great respect and love for her. Tango was quiet but had a warm smile for such a large man. Ava found it hilarious that Solo shared a name with the famous movie spy whose name she had once used as an alias before. Rather than a four course meal, the chef had prepared personal pizzas that Ava had loved as a child. Apparently the man had been the chef at the mansion when she was a child and had stayed long enough to see her unlikely return. He even remembered her favorite toppings. Her request for a beer was turned down.

Though there were a few questions about her adventures with the Red Widows, most of the questions centered around her sisters and life in a base with so many teenage girls. Ava spoke about her sisters and shared some of their quirks like Sasha making newsletters, group texts and welcome manuals, Yelena teaching her dog new tricks and Wanda accidentally turning the base into the set of Friends. She didn’t mention they lived in a Mansion or where the base was and they didn’t ask.

The night wound down and an exhausted Ava begged off for bed. Sable followed and told her friends to clean up after themselves and not drink too much.

“I hope you didn’t mind them joining us, Angel.”

“No, they were fun to talk to. They remind me of my sisters. I need to call Yelena and check in, make sure the house hasn’t blown up without me to keep the peace.”

“Of course. I will shower and be right back.”

After she walked out, Ava called Yelena and told her everything was well then ended the call rather quickly. She had another call to make before her mother made it back.

“I have been thinking about you nonstop. How are you? How are things? What is she like?”

Ava chuckled at Wong’s rapid fire questions. “I am fine, Cuddles. It is wonderful. Being here has brought back so many memories and I have learned so much I didn’t know. My mother and father had a more unorthodox dating experience than we did.”

“Better than taking her to the top of the Eiffel Tower on the first date?”

“Let’s say stranger.”

“Can I meet her?”

Ava cringed. “I haven’t told her about you yet. She is just getting to know me and I don’t want to throw anything else on top of her at the moment. I will tell her soon.”

“Are you going back to the Mansion anytime soon? I miss you.”

Ava wasn’t sure. She had planned to stay for a couple days but wanted to stay longer. This place felt so much like the home she remembered. Still, she had a mission to follow through on and sisters that needed her.

“You can find me anywhere, right?”

“Yes.”

“I will find some time alone tomorrow and you can portal into my room. I’ll just say I need a nap or some alone time. Wait for my call. I love you.”

“I love you. Sleep well.”

The call ended just as Sable walked in wearing silk pajamas. Ava grabbed a cotton pajama set and took a shower. When she returned her mother showed her a stuffed monkey she suddenly remembered.

“Mr. Cuddles!” she practically shouted.

“I kept him in my bed. I thought I would return him to his best friend.”

Ava jumped on the bed and squeezed him tightly. “Thank you! I can’t believe I had forgotten! So that’s where I got the name from.”

“Name?”

“Uhm… yes, I have a big bear at my room in my mansion. I like to cuddle with him at night.”

“I didn’t see a big bear.”

“One of the other girls was borrowing him. He helps keep the nightmares away.”

True to her word, Ava was exhausted and when she leaned into her mother while holding Mr. Cuddles, she fell into a deeper sleep that she ever had. She woke the next morning in the same position she had fallen asleep in, tucked into her mother’s side.

She wondered if Sable had slept at all. She was wide awake with a large smile, still holding her with one arm and running her fingers through Ava’s hair with the other.

“Good morning Angel. You seemed to have slept well.”

“I can’t remember ever sleeping so well.” Ava admitted.

“Good. I have a busy day planned for us. I have so much to show you. I want to show you the base and then the underground section. It is a bit larger than what you have. First, breakfast.”

Saying the underground section of the base was large was an understatement. It ran under every section of the huge base, even under the airport runways. Not only did it have training areas and gyms, but it also had several labs, medical rooms monitoring rooms and weapons and vehicle storage.

One room in a medical wing was covered in a glass wall. The room was fully furnished in luxury and only had one occupant. Despite the comforts inside, this was a cage for the only occupant, a girl who couldn’t be more than eighteen years old and was possibly younger. Ava felt a chill. Why was her mother keeping a girl this young in a glass cage?

“I know what you are thinking but this is not what it seems. I promise you she is in their for her own protection and ours and with her complete consent. Carlie could you come over please? I would like to introduce you to someone.”

The girl took her eyes away from the television and smiled brightly then rushed over.

“Sable! Who is this?” Carlie asked then her face fell. “She isn’t another like me, is she?”

“No Carlie. This is my daughter Ava. Ava, this is Carlie Cooper. Carlie, Ava was a Red…”

“I am.”

Sable took a breath. “Ava is a Red Widow. She was there when Osborn was taken down.”

Carlie smiled gratefully at her. “Thank you. That asshole ruined my life.”

Sable placed her hand on the glass wall and Carlie pressed her palm to hers on the other side.

“You will have your life back, Carlie. We are making great headway. I understand the medications have lessened your episodes. Soon they will go away completely and you will return to your life.”

Ava was confused. What did Osborn… then it hit her.

“You were one of his experiments.”

Carlie nodded.

“We were searching for Osborn, hoping if we found him first the Red Widows would come to us since we had no success finding them. We came upon a lab. He escaped before we could apprehend him but he didn’t have a chance to kill her.” Sable explained.

“He just made me like him.” Carlie spat in anger. “Super strength and mentally unstable. He turned me into a monster.”

“When we let her out, she changed. Her strength grew exponentially, parts of her body turned scaly, her eyes turned completely black and she began speaking with a different tone of voice.”

“My goblin side emerged.” Carlie explained. “That’s what Osborn called it. He was obsessed with goblins. When my strength emerged I lost control of who I was. I blacked out and found nothing but destruction around me when I regained control.”

“It took the Wild Packs’ combined skills to bring her back to this base. Carlie agreed to stay in this holding cell while we work on a cure. So far we have stopped her alternate personality from emerging nine to ten times a day to twice a day in less than a month. Our first goal is to stop personality changes with medication so we can get her out of this glass cage. Then we can work on eliminating the drug from her body. The drug altered her DNA so we may never be successful in removing her strength but we believe with a counter agent we can give her back total mental stability permanently and perhaps lessen some of the more obvious traits like scaly skin. She wishes for us to alter her DNA back to its original form but we lack the expertise nor do we know anyone who would have that knowledge. Having her DNA altered twice can be very dangerous. That is a matter for future debate. Our first goal is to give her control over her physical changes, eliminate her alternate personality and return her to her family and life.”

Carlie grinned. “Your Mom is saving my life. I’m still only sixteen. If I can get back to school, I can still follow my dreams. She is kind of my hero. It’s good to meet you, Ava.”

“Its good to meet you as well, Carlie.”

The next stop was the largest control room. The room was quite a bit larger than the one the Widows had. It was at least six times larger with over fifty people monitoring the world through satellite feeds, drone footage and what looked like body cam footage of live operations in the world.

“Whoa. How many?”

“I have a standing army of twenty thousand soldiers to protect our country, however all are available to fight for a price. We have turned back many secret invasions larger countries attempt on smaller countries. We are paid mostly by billionaires who hide their taxes or have other vested interests in keeping the smaller country free. Our neighbor to our west, Latveria pays us billions every year to defend it was well. Victor Von Doom, the leader of the country, is a brilliant businessman and knows hiring us was much cheaper than building his own army. He is also a brilliant doctor and has been assisting our scientists in treating Carlie.”

“Von Doom?” Ava asked. “I’ve never heard of him. I thought I knew all the world leaders.”

“He prefers to remain very much out of the public spotlight. He has a puppet parliament who run the country in his stead but they all take orders from him.”

Irene appeared by their side dressed similar to how she had been the day before. Only wearing a silver suit rather than white.

“I missed our morning appointment.” Sable realized. “My apologies.”

“Unnecessary, Commander. I suspected you would be anxious to show Ava the training and had section one bring up Inferno Battalion video feed. Would you prefer another?”

Sable shook her head. “Inferno Battalion was who I had in mind. Ava, at times I swear Irene can read my mind. Let me show you our finest troops in training.”

Ava followed her mother to the far end and saw a series of tall monitors showing live war games, not only from soldiers’ body cams but from helicopters, hover jets and armored vehicles the likes she had never seen before.

“They are conducting war games in the Carpathian mountains. One thousand soldiers, pilots, armored assault vehicle specialists and demolition experts, along with thirty attack helicopters and a flight wing of our most advanced fighters. Only the best of the best are assigned to Inferno Battalion.

Ava watched for a few minutes.

“Impressive.” she admitted.

“They are yours.” Sable told her.

“What?”

Sable grinned. “You believe in your mission. That is admirable and I understand why. It is a noble cause. Your sisters are few though. They are reckless in some ways. They do not care who they anger, whether it is a well funded organization like A.IM. or the United States. As I said this is admirable but also dangerous. There are not many of you. Even if you succeed in rescuing and recruiting every mind controlled black widow in the world your numbers are small.”

“Wanda killed twenty thousand alien soldiers on the other side of the universe using her astral form. She is kind of an equalizer.”

“And yet one stray bullet could kill her. You can never take her power for granted. Of course if your sisters face overwhelming danger they will have the full power of Silver Sable International at their side. However to carry out their missions now, they should have an army at their command. I will give you these soldiers and their weapons and equipment. You will have unlimited access to our spy satellites and other intelligence tools as well as our intelligence operatives to assist Everett Ross. You can find and free every widow left in the world and no one will stand in your way.”

Ava should have been excited. This would be a great help. Their mission could be over in months instead of years.

She knew there was a catch though. She felt it.

“You say you will give me this army but there is a catch.” Ava told her.

Sable nodded. “Commanding a battalion and using intelligence sources of this nature is very different than using Bishop Security facial recognition software and leading strike teams of four to five widows. There is much you would need to learn. You would need to be here, to learn under me. I will give you all you can possibly want. I will give you the world. Stay with me. Stay in your home. Bring your sisters here if you wish. Let them visit or let them stay if that is what it will take. From this room, Using your mind and our resources you will have more effect on the world than just rescuing black widows. Think of the human trafficking rings you could eradicate with this power. You could make trafficking a thing of the past. Rwanda was difficult. You and your sisters were outnumbered in unfamiliar territory. You were forced to work with Wakanda forces that preferred spears. You could send an army into the Congo and kill every warlord intent on taking children and brainwashing them to be soldiers. The scope of what you can accomplish here has no limit.

“Just stay home. Learn from me. I will give you the world, Ava.”

Ava closed her eyes.

She was so tempted.

Her mother did not just ask her to stay at home, a place she had her happiest memories of her life. She was giving her weapons that could end their mission. Ava knew a blow up was coming. The younger ones were angry at being sidelined while the Avengers were becoming integral parts of the team. Bucky Barnes got a pass, not just because Wanda loved him but also because he understood them. He had his mind taken away from him. He was tortured for decades. Bucky was in a strange way accepted as one of them.

Rogers was not.

Ava liked Natasha Romanoff. The woman had heart and was probably the most skilled fighter. Antonia could fight her to a draw and perhaps beat her by mixing different styles but she had enhanced advantages. If Natasha fought Yelena without holding back, Ava wasn’t sure which of those two would win. Nat was strong, loyal and would die for those she led. She followed without hesitation and was a strong leader. In the house she spent years in pretending to be a family, it was Ava who lost her cool while Natasha calmed her down rather than the other way around.

Despite Ava’s admiration for the woman, she knew not all felt that way. Many still resented her, some hated her, even Wanda though she pretended not to.

If she did this, if she stayed, she could finish this mission quickly. None of them would need to fight. Staci could spend every damn day at Disney Land. Maybe Aino would feel safe enough that she wouldn’t need to sleep with a gun. They could all have lives or continue fighting with much better odds.

Her mother had placed her in a position where she would feel selfish if she went back. It wasn’t fair. She wasn’t playing fair. So far she had nothing but love and admiration for her mother. This was not playing fair though and Sable knew it. Ava knew it and she was becoming angry.

“I want to go back to my room.” Ava said.

“Of course. Let us go somewhere…”

“I want to be alone for a while. I remember the way.” she said, trying to hide her anger but unable to hide it all.

“Ava… I understand. Would you do something for me? Would you wear this?”

Sable pulled a bracelet from her pocket. It wasn’t jewelry. It was obviously a GPS tracker.

“Yes it is a tracker. You can take it off whenever you want or not wear it at all. This is a large complex though and all you have to do is push the button if you are lost and you can speak to me. I can give you directions, send someone for you or come myself.”

Ava nodded, knowing it made sense. She may remember the way back to the nearest underground exit near the house but it never hurt to have help if needed.

She slipped on the bracelet and left and was happy she found the mansion with no problem.

The front door was opened for her by the butler, a distinguished man in his late fifties or early sixties.

“Thank you Garret.” she told him as he opened the door.

His eyes grew wide. “You remember me?”

Ava stopped walking. It had been so natural to call him that she hadn’t even thought of it.

“Yes I do. You constantly made sure I only drew on the walls with the correct washable markers and stayed away from the paintings. I once dragged a step ladder in to add color to the Monet. I fell off before I could improve it and you caught me.”

The man smiled brightly. “My Pink Princess. We have missed you so. I wasn’t sure if you would remember me.”

Ava hugged the man gently. “It has been a lot these past years. My memories are slowly coming back. I’m going to be in my room if anyone asks about me.”

“Your mother gave you the hard sale. I am not surprised. I know where you have been this last year… I sincerely hope you stay with us, Ava. This is your home. This is where you have always belonged and always will. I shall leave you in peace. Lunch will be ready in two hours. I have instructed the chef to make your favorite grilled cheese sandwich. Six types of cheese on sourdough bread, slightly darkened crust.”

Ava made it into her room and locked the door. She stood by her window and looked out over the beautiful yard and the base and city beyond it, then the snow topped mountains even farther out.

She had been happy here as a little girl. She could be happy here again. All she had to do was stay and her sisters would have all the help they could ever need to complete their mission and she could continue to eradicate human trafficking and other injustices.

She would have to do it from behind a screen, issuing orders through communication devices. She would never go into the field again. She would never feel the satisfaction of saving others with her own hands. She would never feel the bond of sisterhood that came with risking their lives together, spilling and shedding blood together and freeing innocents together. She would never see Wanda work miracles in person, or Yelena lead from the front with so much confidence. No matter the circumstances Yelena and Wanda made her feel as if they were all invincible.

Was it selfish to keep those feelings while turning away help that could save her sisters’ lives?

Damn it.

She called Wong.

“Can you come to me? I’m in my room alone. I need to talk.”

He hung up without answering. She immediately saw a sparkle in the air that twisted into a large circular portal and Wong stepped out.

The portal disappeared behind him and he brought her into his arms.

“What happened? Why are you upset?” he asked, stepping back and taking her in.

“Unauthorized DNA detected in Ava’s room.” A disembodied voice called out from above.

“What was that?” Ava asked, stepping to the side an looking at the ceiling. “Unauthorized DNA?”

As soon as she finished her question the door was kicked in. Paladin threw a knife at the intruder. The blade was moving towards Wong’s head right between his eyes. Ava caught it a millimeter before it touched his skin.

The Wild Pack was inside her room as well as Garret who was holding an assault rifle. Then her mother was there with a katana in her hand, rushing towards the man.

“Stop!” Ava screamed and stood in front of him. “Don’t hurt him! I asked him to come here!”

The Wild Pack circled him, masks on, rifles aimed except for Tarantula whose shiny needle like claws had extended from her gloves and Wraith who held two katana.

Sable stood within a few yards of the man, grabbed Ava and shoved her behind her back, then placed the tip of her katana to Wong’s throat.

“Solo, he is a sorcerer. Take his ring.” she ordered.

Solo did as told and suddenly Wong was without his sling ring, surrounded by swords and guns and feeling very alone.

“Ava, why is a sorcerer from Kamar Taj in your room?”

“This is Wong. He is my friend. I asked him to come so I could talk to him!”

“Your friend? Do you not have enough sisters to talk to?” Sable asked suspiciously.

Ava gulped. “He is my boyfriend.”

Sable pressed the tip of her sword closer to his throat.

“Tarantula, paralyze him.”

Maria struck him from behind, her needle tipped fingers sinking into his back. Wong’s eyes rolled back in his head and he dropped to the floor.

“Wong!”

“Stay back. He will be unconscious for twenty or so minutes, depending on the dose she gave him.”

Ava stepped away from her mother. “What are you doing?! I told you he is my boyfriend!”

“He is a sorcerer. A much older sorcerer. Until I am certain he hasn’t placed a spell on you he will remain a prisoner. Look at him, Ava. Does he look like the kind of man worthy of you?”

“She means you are way out of his league, kid. You’re a teenage beauty queen and he is… well… him.” Paladin explained, pointing at the man on the ground.

“Oh god.” Ava mumbled. “He doesn’t have me under a spell! I know what mind control feels like and I know what spells feel like. If you would just let me explain without poisoning him, cutting him, shooting him or throwing a knife at his skull all this could be avoided!”

“Nice catch of the knife by the way.” Paladin told her. “Your speed is on another level. Wraith she may give you a run for your money.”

Sable turned to the others and they took spots at the edge of the room. Tango picked Wong up and placed him in a chair. Her mother then asked Ava for an explanation.

Wong woke thirty minutes later, a minute after Ava had finished telling her mother the history of their relationship. Wong only saw her concerned face when he woke, not noticing who was around.

“I just had the strangest dream. Wow, I am sore. Did we do the acrobat thing again you like so much? I’ve been working on my flexibility but not enough I guess.”

“Wong, stop talking.” Ava told him quietly. “We are in my room. You were attacked. Apparently there are DNA scanners all over my home that are really cool but alerted my mother, the armed butler and the Wild Pack. You were nearly killed then poisoned. I need you to try and relax. The poison paralyzed you so you may not move so well at first.”

Wong looked around the room and his eyes widened as he took in the occupants. The silver haired woman in white directly behind Ava was obviously her mother. There were other strangely dressed individuals as well.

“Why are there costumed people in your room with weapons? Is that a ninja? Is that a black widow? She doesn’t have the same suit as you did. Why does the butler guy have a very big gun?”

“Because the butler very much wants to blow your head off sir.” Garret answered.

“Ava can I have a talk with your friend?” Sable asked. “Alone?”

“Uh, can everyone with weapons leave the room?”

Sable nodded. “Of course. Would you all please walk Ava to my bedroom and stay with her at all times. If you see a portal beginning to open begin firing into it. Others may come for him.”

“No one…” Ava started.

“C’mon kid.” Solo said, patting Ava on the back. “He’ll be fine. Momma Sable just wants to know him better.”

“I’ll be alright, Ava.” Wong answered.

“Don’t hurt him.”

“I won’t, my Angel. I promise.”

Ava gave a last look at Wong and allowed herself to be led out of her bedroom.

Onve the door was closed she kicked Wong in the chest, sending him sprawling from the chair onto the floor.

“That is not hurting you. You have no idea what hurt is. Retake your seat.”

Wong stumbled up with his aching limbs and had a seat. He took in the terrifying woman. She was beautiful and he saw many of Ava’s features in her, particularly her nose, cheek bones, lips and other… attributes. Unlike Ava, this woman’s English was heavily accented, even more than Wanda and Yelena’s accents. It added to her terrifying countenance. He had seen Ava angry before and could see the similarities in their looks but he had never seen Ava look this angry.

“So, you are Wong. A sorcerer from Kamar Taj. Ava has told me the story of how you met and your relationship. Apparently you love my daughter very much.”

“I do.” he answered.

“You love my eighteen year old daughter very much. She said you are thirty two. You believed she was nineteen when you first began dating.”

Wong nodded.

“Then you found out she was seventeen and left her.”

“Yes.”

“But after less than a month you decided you didn’t care if she was seventeen and begged her to take you back.”

Wong swallowed hard and said nothing.

“You were okay dating her when she was nineteen. Nineteen. Nineteen years old. A girl who had spent most of her life under the control of others. A girl who just had her mind returned to her only months before, a girl who had been abused in every way. You did not feel you were taking advantage of this girl? At no time did you step back and think perhaps she is not in the right frame of mind and if I pursue a relationship now, I could be taking advantage of her fragile emotional state?”

Ava walked in. “Nobody takes advantage of me! I knew what I was doing! If anyone was taken advantage of it was him!”

Maria and Yuriko ran in behind her.

“Apologies, Silvija. She insisted on standing outside the door and she is incredibly fast.” Maria explained.

“Very slippery.” Yuriko agreed.

“If anyone is taking advantage of me its you!” Ava shouted towards Sable. “You offer me what I need to save those like me but only under your conditions! How is that not manipulation? Is this how it will be? You will give me the world so long as I do what you say? You can keep the world! I answer to no one. Not him and not you!”

Sable sighed. “Leave her and close the door as best as you can.”

Both women scowled at Wong then walked out. Ava moved to his side.

“I knew what I was doing. He wouldn’t know how to begin to take advantage of anyone. I was his first girlfriend! He was a virgin before he met me! Not only did he admit it but it was pretty obvious. Does that sound like a player?”

Wong winced. “I thought you said I was good for my first time?”

“Not now Wong!” Ava snapped.

“Ava… perhaps he did not set out to take advantage of you and I have no doubt you are very mature but can you admit the situation you were in may have left you emotionally vulnerable?”

Ava snorted. “It left me emotionally dead. It is only because of my sisters and Wong that I remembered what emotions felt like. Now you want me to leave both behind. You place me in a position where I feel guilty about returning and turning down the help you could offer. Who is taking advantage of who?”

Sable rubbed her forehead. “You are right. I told Wanda and Yelena I would do anything to keep you at home. It was wrong of me. But Ava… you can surely understand my concern about you dating… him?”

Ava nodded. “From your point of view I see your concern but I have been on my own a long time. I have learned to make my own decisions. Making our own decisions is important to all of us. It is the most important thing to us. Only my sisters understand that. I can’t leave them. They need me as much as I need them. They understand me in a way no one else can and never will be able to. I could tell you everything that happened to me. I could tell you about mind control and the things I was forced to do. I could tell you about the things I was forced to allow to happen to me. But you will never understand because you didn’t experience it! You don’t know what it feels like to be a passenger in your own body, not knowing what is you and what is Dreykov telling you what to do. I need them and they need me.”

Sable took that in and began to understand. She hated it.

“Perhaps we can come to a compromise. You come home every night and sleep under this roof in your bed. Every morning after breakfast you will go back to your base. You stay here on weekends. If there are missions that happen while you are here you can join your team and I will arrange for appropriate back up or perhaps join you myself.”

Ava raised an eyebrow. “How would I get back and forth?”

Silver motioned towards Wong. “He will take you. If you must see each other I cannot stop you. However he will not stay the night here. He will pick you up and return you. Is that agreeable?”

“Weekends?” Ava asked.

Sable nodded. “He can stay some weekends as well as any of your sisters you wish to bring. He will stay in his own room and his magical gods will not save him if I find him on your room or you in his room alone. You have made your own decisions and I respect that but you are young and my daughter. I just got you back. I need you in my life, Ava and I think maybe you might need me. I hope you still need me. I hope you still need a mother or will at least accept one.”

“I do want you. I wouldn’t mind having a mother.” Ava told her calming down. “I want our lives to be together. I don’t want to lose what I have though.”

Ava and Sable hugged.

Wong sniffed and when they turned to him he was crying.

“I’m sorry. That was beautiful.”

“Do you have to return for nights soon?” Sable asked.

Ava shook her head. “I was thinking I could spend at least a week all day every day with you before I start going to work again.”

“Alone? Just us?”

Ava nodded.

“Then I will give him his ring back. He can leave… quickly.”

Sable walked out and Ava helped him out of his seat.

“I am so sorry.”

Wong shrugged. “I think meeting your mom went smoother than you meeting my parents. At least she didn’t call me a gold digger.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow and see you in a week. I love you.”

“I love you too. It will take more than her to scare me away from you.”

Ava winced, wondering if that were true.

When Wong stepped out of the portal in the New York Sanctum library, Strange was reading and greeted him. He noticed the man was moving stiffly and rubbing his chest.

When Wong explained what happened, Strange laughed for hours.