𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚙𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ Steve Rogers

Pawn in the Game ~ 26

Hours crawl by with minimal activity since the peculiar morning Evangeline encountered within the compound. Both she and Wanda sit on separate sides of the couch, Wanda opting for the company of a book, while Eva passes the time on her phone. It becomes increasingly apparent to Eva that Wanda has been directed to keep a vigilant watch on the manipulator; with each movement Eva makes from the couch, the Sokovian's eyes follow.

Eva opens her mouth, finally frustrated with the day's oppressive silence and eager to engage in something, but a commanding voice echoes through the rec room. The doors to the stairs burst open, slamming against the walls with formidable force.

"YOU!"

Thor Odinson marches into the room, hammer at the ready, its point directed squarely at Eva. She doesn't need to inquire to know that the god of thunder is addressing her. Both she and Wanda instantly rise to their feet, and Eva instinctively steps back behind the couch for added defence. Wanda readies herself to defuse this clearly escalating situation, her powers crackling between her fingers. At this moment, Tony and Steve enter, still clad in their gear, evident that they were trying to catch up with the god.

"Thor, stop!" Steve commands from his side, coming to a halt on the sidelines, with Tony joining him.

Thor pays no attention to Steve, his focus squarely on Eva. "Do you realize the hell you've unleashed on us all once again?" he demands answers from her, and her eyes briefly flicker to Steve, then Tony, lingering lastly on Wanda before returning her curious yet nervous gaze to Thor.

"Thor, you need to calm down," Stark attempts to reason, but he takes no action to intervene as Thor now stands on the opposite side of the couch.

"You said this woman has let loose Ultron for us to deal with again! I am not going on another cat-and-mouse chase with him... She has a lot to answer for!" Thor points his hammer directly towards Eva's face, narrowly missing her nose by an inch. Yet, she doesn't flinch, maintaining a steady gaze as she swallows.

"Eva has provided most of the answers we sought, Thor," Wanda asserts from her side, capturing everyone's attention and eliciting a puzzled frown from Eva, who wonders why the witch is coming to her sudden defence. Wanda's powers crackle warningly as she continues, "Ultron was controlling her, and unless we unite as a team with Eva, he will inevitably get what he wants.. Her."

A weighty silence settles in the room, and Thor's scowl reflects conflicting thoughts, clearly unwilling to entertain contemplation at this moment. Eventually, he lowers his hammer, and Wanda responds by lowering her own hands, deactivating her lines of power. Steve has gradually stepped over to Evangeline's side, while Tony releases a deep sigh, visibly weary of the entire situation.

"Thor has a valid point," Tony asserts as he activates the mechanism on his chest, causing the Iron Man suit to disassemble with its pieces vanishing through nano-technology. "We can't keep playing this cat-and-mouse game with Ultron. We need answers, and those answers start with understanding how you and Ultron are connected in the first place, Eva." Tony's unwavering gaze remains fixed on Eva as he approaches, prompting her to shift her focus from Steve to Tony.

Eva shakes her head, exhales deeply from her nose, and gracefully climbs over the back of the couch to resume her previous seated position. She crosses her legs to get comfortable, drawing odd glances from everyone in the room. "Tres bien, qu'est-ce que tu veux savoir?" Eva shrugs, indicating for them to continue with their questions. Now is as good a time as any for Eva to provide the much-needed answers.

All eyes shift to Steve, who gazes back, initially puzzled until comprehension dawns, and he rolls his eyes with a subtle air of understanding. "Eva said, ask away," he offers a quick translation, eliciting the faintest smirk from Eva. Unfazed, she doesn't divert her attention towards him, instead keeping a focused gaze on Stark.