NO ONE WAS SAFE. An unhinge witch, wielding an insane amount of power, was holding everyone hostage, demanding and forcing everyone to comply; Eszter had gone completely off the rails. Hayward had always known Eszter was an emotional teenager, but to go to this level of a threat already had him send silent commands to his agents. The witch was so controlled by her power that it went to her head, making her feel superior to everyone; to Eszter, everyone was nothing in her eyes.
Eszter Maximoff was not only going to be seen as a terrorist but as someone who's a threat so dangerous that she wouldn't be able to show her face without being hunted down.
Hayward was leading his way through the darkness as he found the main building appearing in the pit of darkness, still trying to process everything. His eyes scanned the dark abyss for any signs of life, but the only thing he saw was the silhouettes of something crawling about; they darted across the field and snarled in the distance, making Hayward tense at the sound. Hayward didn't know where half of his team were, but he was hoping they weren't in any more danger.
Trailing beside him, Monica matched his pace as they were being watched by Eszter, who was following their lead. Neither of the agents had peeped a single word, evidently afraid of what the witch would do in retaliation. Hayward glanced at Monica, barely sparing a glance at Eszter.
"This is the person you're so desperate to protect," muttered Hayward. He felt Monica's gaze shift to him, and brows pinched in the middle while frown lines formed on her forehead. "Tell me, Rambeau, is she still worth saving?"
Monica didn't respond as quickly as she thought, but she stood by her words. "Of course, she is, Hayward," defended the woman. She stared at Hayward with a stern glare, voice soft to avoid Eszter from overhearing. "She's only a kid who's been through a lot."
Hayward scoffed under his breath. "Well, that kid just tortured a couple of agents for a video," seethed the director, shaking his head. Hayward scrunched his face in a grimace, sharing his distaste for Eszter. "Whatever freedom she had is gone."
They headed inside the main building as they made their way toward the control system, but it was down and glitching; the screens flickered as they tried to stay connected, but with Eszter nearer, the system spazzed until the screens were shutting off. Hayward glanced at each of the screens, clicking on them in an attempt to restart them, but nothing. The director raised his brows as he subtly glanced up at Eszter, sensing her hard stare burning away at his skull; swallowing, Hayward clicked on the table to awaken it from its slumber, but still, it refused to wake.
"Is there a problem, Director?"
Hayward cleared his throat and mustered the confidence that was shoved down his throat, posing unafraid of the witch. "They won't turn on. I would assume it has something to do with whatever the hell we're at."
Eszter perked a brow. "Are you insinuating that this is my fault?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying," challenged Hayward.
"No, no, that's not what he's saying," interjected Monica. The woman raised her arms as if to keep a distance between her and Eszter, observing the witch as she shared a reassuring smile. Monica was trying to keep the peace. "It's just . . . whatever this is . . . I think it's affecting the system like it's draining the energy or something."
The witch stared at Monica, pointing her chin upward. Eszter's eyes dropped from the adults to the computers, noting how their screens struggled to keep the connection while some had shut off completely. For a second, it looked as if Eszter didn't plan to let up, but the witch came to senses as she lifted her arm in the air, waving her fingers before the darkness swept back to her person. The violet energy was tainted with destructive and dark power, pulling on the shadows and reeling them back to the host, lifting the darkness and filling Westview with light.
The sun that once sat in the sky had fallen and was replaced with the dark and starry night, filled with twinkling lights and the moon lighting up the city. Time skipped while Eszter took control of the small portion of the town, practically manipulating time; what had felt like minutes in the shadow realm appeared to have been hours in reality.
"And my people?"
Eszter glanced at Hayward. "They'll be free once I get what I came here for, Director," said the witch. Her tainted fingers had caught the agents' attention.
Monica furrowed her brows and turned back to Hayward, meeting him at the table where it was lit to life, cooperating with the director. Hayward was clicking on the trail of buttons as slowly as he could, like the director was dragging the process for some reason, occasionally looking at Eszter here and there. Monica watched silently as Hayward pulled up a file of confidential information, leaving the woman both curious and confused; she'd never seen most of these files, and she was wondering what else Hayward's been keeping from her. However, ever since Monica Blipped, she's been docked down a couple of levels, giving Hayward the upper hand.
"Hayward," said Monica, reading through the files briefly. They were moving quickly, but the woman caught a couple of files. "What the hell is all of this?" Monica tilted her head toward the table, but her gaze shifted sharply to her friend. "When were you going to tell me about this?"
The director met Monica's gaze. "Not that it was ever your concern," said Hayward. He was as cold as ice; he was the same old Hayward Monica remembers, but after the Blip, her friend changed. "But this is why. We let enhanced individuals like her out in the world; we're just sending thousands--even millions--to their death. And you wanna save her? She's passed saving, Rambeau. Open your eyes."
Monica leaned closer to Hayward, staring at the screen as if to appear as if she was searching with him, knowing Eszter was watching their interaction. Monica could feel Eszter's gaze burning in the back of her head, probably knowing they were talking about her but standing silently. The witch hadn't said much to them discussing her, seemingly wanting to watch everything unfold.
"She wouldn't," defended Monica, shaking her head. Monica didn't believe Eszter would intentionally hurt anyone, at least not on a rampage. The girl was hurting but not enough to take it out on innocent people. "I've seen how she was six years ago; she went to school and was fine. How can you say these things and not feel remorse? She's just a kid, Hayward."
"A kid? She's a threat. It's about time you treat her like one because one day, she won't show you the same respect once she leaves," warned Hayward. He looked at Eszter briefly; his face hardened when he spotted the teen was smirking back at him. "Besides, she got her powers to destroy the Avengers; guess she never changed."
"Hayward . . ."
"Director," called Eszter. "I'm running out of patience. Have you got it or not?" The witch narrowed her eyes at the gray-haired man. "Your men's lives depend on it."
Hayward clenched his jaw as he rolled his tongue across his teeth, grimacing. "This video won't protect you. You know that, right?" Hayward clicked the video to let it play, finally letting Monica see what it was. "You might want it erased, but everyone's seen what you've become. You think that hasn't already made up their minds?"
Monica placed her hands on the edge of the table as she leaned onto the screen, watching the video of Eszter in a building demolishing everyone; the witch was using her powers against anyone trying to approach her, killing them in the most horrific way possible. Monica watched as several bodies fell to the ground and laid lifeless, but Eszter kept going. The girl barely left anyone spared.
"You think I won't have extra copies of this clip? You're a danger to society, Eszter, and everyone should know," sneered Hayward. He glared at Eszter with disgust evident in his eyes, burning menacingly at the witch. He didn't feel anything but negativity toward Eszter. "You and Wanda shouldn't be allowed to roam free."
Eszter softened the frown of her brows and tilted her chin downward, raising her eyes until they stared hard at Hayward; the witch's stare was dangerous and threatening, sending shivers down Hayward's spine. Eszter didn't appreciate Hayward trying to break her down with empty words again, something he seemed to do to gain the power he'd lost. Although Eszter didn't respond, her stare spoke a thousand words.
Monica tore her gaze away from the video and back to Eszter, frowning dejectedly. "Eszter, that doesn't look good . . ."
"It's not real, so who'd believe it?"
"It looks real, Eszter . . ." Monica frowned.
With wet eyes, the witch bared her teeth, hissing through them. "Delete it," ordered Eszter, earning a hesitant look from Hayward. Suddenly, Eszter raised her arm and held Monica under her spell, warping violet energy around the woman's body. "Delete it, or I'll start taking lives, starting with her."
Monica's body was lifted into the air almost instantly, knocking the air from her lungs; she gasped in shock, feeling the pressure of Eszter's powers beginning to close in tightly. Monica heaved a deep breath as she looked at the witch with a new feeling of fear, but the woman remained determined to help Eszter. She could see it in her eyes; Eszter was just as terrified. It was like if Hayward were to exploit that video of Eszter killing people, it would destroy more than her hero image--it would destroy every trust she built with her friends. Monica remembered them.
As far as Monica knows, Eszter's fiercely loyal to just about anyone she cares for, including the group of friends she'd left behind. The witch has a soft spot for Wanda. Monica wonders just how much Eszter would sacrifice to keep her friends safe.
Hayward jumped back as he watched Monica fly into the air, her body stuck, her arms were forced by her sides, and her head pointed upward. His jaw dropped at the slighted in pure shock, watched the way Monica began to wither in pain, grunting behind her teeth as the woman clenched her eyes shut. Hayward watched in horror.
"You're insane!"
"Oh, you haven't even seen insane, Director," grinned Eszter. Her eyes were practically swimming in tears; she'd tried to blink away, but the evidence was there. Eszter narrowed her eyes threateningly, leaning forward as she bared her teeth, hissing. "Delete. It."
Monica cried out when the energy started tugging on her limps, but the woman began to feel her joints wanting to pull in the wrong direction, and her body was aching. Monica grits her teeth and lets out a strangled noise, trying to gain control of her body, but the woman fails. Eszter had full command of where her limbs went and the hold over her. At any moment, Eszter could snap Monica's bones in half if she wanted to, but the witch egged the pain on. Monica felt every fiber in her body burning in agony, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Hayward snarled. "Let her go, dammit!" snapped the director. He glared at Eszter. "Let them go, or no deal! Now! Take it or leave it."
Eszter stared long at Hayward like she was testing him, but after a few seconds of thinking, the witch released Monica. The woman collapsed on the floor in a heap of heavy breathes, feeling Hayward running to her side; Monica gripped him as she coughed, slowly meeting Eszter's manic stare. The woman furrowed her brows as she watched the girl with careful eyes. Eszter could barely meet Monica's eyes, fear of the look on her face as another Maximoff nearly killed her. It wasn't her intention to hurt Monica, but Eszter grew desperate as Hayward attempted to stall, putting everyone at risk.
Monica observed Eszter, noting how the witch swallowed the lump in her throat, holding the tears back.
"Delete it," demanded Eszter. She avoided Monica's gaze, feeling guilty for using the woman for her advantage, but the witch had more pressing problems. To Eszter, no one should matter more than Wanda, so why does she feel culpable? "I don't want to hurt anyone, but you're leaving me with no choice."
Hayward furrowed his brows. "You've done enough of that, haven't you?" He stood up from Monica's side, bringing the woman up to her feet; once she assured him that she was okay, Hayward wandered back to the computer. Clicking the delete button, Hayward took a step back. "There; it's deleted."
Unconvinced, Eszter inspected the table. Lifting her eyes, Eszter stared at Hayward momentarily before she looked over at Monica; the woman was grimacing in pain, but somehow, Monica didn't look at Eszter any differently. It sent a horrible feeling rushing through Eszter, feelings she wished she couldn't feel. Eszter couldn't ignore the burning guilt eating away at her conscious, making the witch feel disgusted by her actions, but she couldn't back down. Not now. Not ever. People like them want to use her for her powers and lock her up whenever they don't need her; people like them don't really care about Eszter.
However, it's people like Hayward that force Eszter to cut off the other's arms to protect herself and Wanda; the witch has been framed as the villain in society's eyes, pinning her as someone who's trying to destroy the world. However, no one seemed to look at Eszter as a kid. She was never going to be seen as any other American civilian--in fact, Eszter wasn't even an American citizen, but she was America's highest threat. For people like herself, Eszter will never be equal to the rest of the world. The witch scares people.
A slight sense of relief flushed Eszter, knowing the fake video would no longer resurface the internet, sealing the deal that the witch was someone they all knew she'd be. Eszter has so much left in the world, and she can't leave them behind; just as much as the girl wants to protect her freedom with Wanda, Eszter doesn't want to lose her chances of ever seeing Pepper and Morgan. The woman who agreed to take in Eszter and care for her like a daughter and Pepper gave Eszter everything she lost. Morgan, practically Eszter's sister, wants to be that older sister to the little girl and protect her with her life. Morgan would never be able to look at Eszter the same if that video got out.
Back at home, Eszter knows she left things between her and Michelle on thin lines; Eszter remembers the way Michelle looked at her, fear-struck as she wrapped her powers against her will. As one of Eszter's best friends, the witch couldn't bear to leave their friendship in pieces. She misses having Michelle by herself, spurring random comments about people who'd give Eszter dirty looks, her snarky comments, and her strange humor. Eszter missed when Michelle would support the witch with everything in her, and she'd trust Eszter with her life; but now, Michelle was terrified of her, and Eszter wants--needs to fix it.
Although Eszter wasn't sure where she and Ned stood, she figured the boy must've lost respect for her after the situation that had gone down at the hotel; most likely, Ned sees Eszter in a different light--probably just as Hayward sees her. It hurt Eszter to think that her best friend might not want to be Eszter's friend, let alone want to talk to her after everything that happened. She missed his stupid conversations and nerdy fan-boy moments regarding LEGOs or Star Wars. Eszter missed how supportive he'd always been, being by her side and one of the first people to talk to the witch when she started attending their school.
Thinking about Peter hurt Eszter to her core; she hated how she broke things with him to leave with a boy she didn't know, but part of her knew it was the right thing to do. As much as it pained Eszter to walk away, the witch couldn't stay back and face Peter any more than she had to. Knowing she'd caused him so much pain, Eszter couldn't bring herself to want to meet her consequences as she should've, so she did the one thing she knew: ran away.
Eszter loves Peter, she always has, but she feared what he might've said or done had she stayed. But the longer the witch was separated from her ex-boyfriend, the more she yearned to have his presence. It's like the longer she was away from Peter, the more she lost the light that kept her lost from the darkness inside her. Eszter misses the sweet boy who accepted her faults and appreciated the different aspects of the girl; he never cared that she was framed as a dangerous creature to the world.
To Peter, she was just Eszter.
Lost in her mind, Eszter hadn't realized Hayward had touched the pad, and the lights changed from his touch.
"Now what?" wondered Hayward. The witch looked at him, blinking out of her thoughts as she stood quietly. "You've got what you wanted. Do you plan on staying in Westview forever?" Hayward scoffed lightly.
Eszter fluttered her eyes just as a single tear managed to escape passed her waterline against her will, so she subtly wiped it and cleared the evidence. "Now, I go home," said said. Her voice was suddenly frail and soft.
"You're going to kill those people, Eszter."
"No, we're not," denied Eszter with a shake of her head.
Hayward sighed, dropping his gaze. "I'm sorry," he started before he lifted his head, looking at Eszter with no sense of remorse. "But I can't risk that."
The witch furrowed her brows in confusion. "What--?"
Suddenly, a red light flashed through the facility, barring a deep siren across the establishment. Eszter looked up at the noise, following the sound as she stared at the red flashing light with confusion etched across her face. Quickly, she looked back at Hayward with her brows furrowed, but they softened when something on the table caught her attention.
Eszter stepped forward and looked at the screen, frowning as she tried to read it upside down. But once she realized what Hayward did, the witch shot her head eye, glaring darkly at the man. Eszter didn't hold back as she gripped the table roughly, leaning forward as the veins in her neck poked out.
"What did you do?" seethed the witch.
💜
"Sit, Sparky, sit," commanded Billy. The fluffy dog sat upon command. "Good dog. Speak" --Billy pressed the treat near his temple, earning a soft bark from Sparky-- "Nice, Sparky. Now, spin."
Sparky spun.
Wanda and Tommy were sitting on the sofa watching Billy with amazement; the strawberry-haired woman would occasionally nudge Tommy's arm, getting him to giggle sweetly as he curled into her side. Wanda cheered with her son as they praised Billy and his training skills. Wanda was proud of her son; she always knew they were exceptional in their own ways, and it seemed like Billy had found his talent.
Tommy thought it was so cool Billy taught Sparky all these neat tricks, something he didn't know he could do, but now that Sparky was so well-trained, no doubt the dog will be their best friend. Tommy cheered Billy on beside Wanda, whooping here and there; he even praised Sparky for being such a good boy. Tommy couldn't wait to show Vision.
"Good boy!"
With a round of applause, Wanda beamed brightly as her hands clapped to the opposite rhythm of Tommy's. The woman was amazed by her son's ability to train a stray dog in a matter of days, wondering how he managed to do it? Wanda feels like she struggles just to raise Billy and Tommy, but somehow, her son managed to get this dog to listen to his every command.
"Bravo, Billy!" cheered Wanda. "You weren't so bad either, Sparky."
"That was radical," said Tommy in awe. The boy sprung out of the cushion and back to his feet. "Where's Dad? We gotta go show Dad!"
Tommy gestured for Billy to follow him as he began to dart across the living room toward the kitchen, assuming Vision would be in the next room over. Billy was ready to follow Tommy with Sparky cradled in his arms, but the sound of Wanda's voice forced them to a halt.
"Oh, he's . . . he's at work," clarified Wanda almost hesitantly.
Wanda watched as her boys slowly turned on their feet and faced her with confusion making its way onto their faces; the woman pressed a quick smile as if to assure her sons, but Wanda wasn't expecting Billy and Tommy to question her more on the subject. Typically, this is overseen by everyone because Wanda is positive that Vision works today, but the strawberry-haired woman didn't like the confusion on her boys' faces. She knew they'd have questions, questions she couldn't nor wouldn't answer.
Billy and Tommy furrowed their brows and carried their feet toward Wanda, exceptionally puzzled by Wanda's answer. Surely, Vision would be home? It wasn't even a work day.
"Huh?"
"It's Saturday," noted Billy.
The twins stared at Wanda for answers, but the woman merely played innocent and dumb to their assumption. She let that go over her head like she was trying to deflect the conversation, but Wanda knew there was no escaping it.
"No, it's not," answered Wanda, smiling. "It's Monday."
Tommy frowned. "This morning was Saturday."
If panic wasn't settling in Wanda's mind like an emergency alarm, it is now. The strawberry-haired woman was starting to get a little worried by her son's constant need to question things they don't need to worry about, but Wanda was beginning to realize that they were persistent. She doesn't know why they're so keen on figuring out what day it was, like does it matter? Wanda doesn't think so, so why should the twins?
Still, Wanda couldn't just not answer, especially when Billy and Tommy were looking at her expectantly. She was feeling uncomfortable underneath their interrogating stares, to which she shifted underneath their gaze. It was ridiculous that Wanda was getting nervous by their curious questions, but Wanda had a system, and she was thrown off balance.
"There was an emergency at the office, and your father had to go in," lied Wanda, but it sounded like a good one to her. "End of story." Wanda shifts her gaze between Billy and Tommy, but they didn't let off. She scoffs lightly. "Look, he just . . . he needed a distraction."
Tommy didn't even care about what day it was because his dad needed a distraction? Why would Vision need a distraction? Was there something going on that neither of the twins knew about? They thought they were well-behaved and that Vision loved them, but that wouldn't explain why he'd need to be away from the house?
A horrible feeling dropped in the pit of Tommy's belly, and he didn't like it.
"From what?"
Billy's face broke into despair. "From us?"
The twins pouted as they felt their hearts break, wondering if their dad rushed out of the house because of them; it must've been since Vision seems to find a way of leaving the house all the time, but now Wanda was lying? Billy and Tommy were near in tears at the thought of Vision distancing himself from them, feeling as if they were the reason for their dad staying far away from home.
Wanda's lips parted, wishing she could eat her words. "No! No way! No!" said the strawberry-haired woman instantly. Wanda jumped to her feet and walked to Billy and Tommy, gently leading them toward the couch as they sat beside her. "Sometimes, your dad and I aren't on the same page, but that's just temporary. Like the two of you, you might fight over toys, but he's always going to be your brother" --Wanda looked at Billy firmly-- "and he's always going to yours" --she looked at Tommy-- "because family is forever."
"Do you and Auntie E fight, too, Mom?" wondered Billy.
"Of course we do!" said Wanda, chuckling a little. "You know, when Auntie E was a little girl, she used to get upset when I didn't want to share my desert with her." Wanda smiled at the distant memory of Little Eszter pouting angrily at her when Wanda refused to share her chocolate pudding that night. Wanda had to remind Eszter that sometimes she doesn't want to share, and that's fine. "She was spoiled a lot when we were younger, but even then, your aunt and I love each other no matter what."
Tommy leaned forward. "Do you and Auntie E have a brother, Mom?"
Wanda took a moment to process Tommy's question, hating how it reopened the hole in her heart; the band-aid she'd plastered on her broken heart felt like it was slowly falling off. Wanda hates feeling this way. Her chest constricted at the thought of Pietro, which is why Wanda had tried so hard to push those thoughts away for years; she thought she'd finally healed her broken soul.
It turns out Wanda hasn't gotten over the loss of her brother. Who would?
Wanda fluttered her eyes when she felt them begin to sting painfully, alerting her of the incoming tears, but the woman forced herself to smile at her boys reassuringly. There's this bottomless pit in Wanda's stomach that churns at the fact that she's dismissing their Uncle Pietro, but Wanda could barely handle talking about her brother for no longer than a minute. She and Eszter never spoke about the loss of Pietro, and Wanda wasn't sure if they ever planned on bringing up that conversation; neither of them had talked about the day of his death.
After Eszter had witnessed Pietro's death, Wanda watched as she shut herself down and refused to acknowledge their brother no longer being with them. If Wanda had felt the shift that day, no doubt Eszter did, too.
Still, after so many years, Wanda wasn't ready to talk about her twin brother; she figured Eszter wasn't either, and Wanda was okay with that. If anything, Wanda didn't plan on ever talking about it because she still couldn't accept it. It didn't feel right talking about Pietro being dead.
"We do," answered Wanda. The strawberry-haired woman's eyes shifted away from Tommy and into space, seeing images of Pietro flash before her eyes. It was like he was haunting her. "He's far away from here." Wanda couldn't look at any of her boys for fear of caving to the sobs lodged in her throat, but it was because she saw so much of Pietro in Tommy. "And that makes me sad, sometimes."
Suddenly, Sparky tensed underneath Billy's grasp as he growled at nothing, alerting the small family. The dog jumped out of the boy's arms and rounded around the couch, earning curious looks from Billy and Tommy. Sparky barked and growled as he ran toward the front door, growling at it.
Billy, getting the feeling something was wrong, sat up on the couch. "Hey, Sparky, what's up, boy?" Sparky whined, alerting Billy. "Something's scaring him."
He didn't know how or what it was, but Billy could feel that something was disturbing Sparky, but Billy didn't know what. However, Wanda was sitting distractedly between the twins, staring in the distance as she sensed something entering the Hex. She couldn't tell what it was, but Wanda knew it didn't belong here.
Furrowing her brows in concentration, Wanda turned her head and tuned in on the sound drifting from outside; lips parting with a mixture of anxiety and anger, Wanda pushed herself off the couch.
"Stay here," said Wanda.
Wanda steered mindlessly toward the front door, seemingly unbothered when Sparky slipped behind her feet and darted outside; the woman peered out into the road as her eyes scanned the sky, searching for the intrusion. Wanda wandered outside just as Billy and Tommy raced right behind to get Sparky, but their curiosity got the better of them as they followed Wanda.
The three walked down the sidewalk of their front yard when they spotted the object in the sky, flying right in front of their house; neither of the twins knew what it was, but Wanda stared at it with a hint of recognition in her eyes, and they weren't happy. Wanda merely narrowed her eyes at the drone.
✨
"Has anyone seen Eszter?" questioned Hayward, walking into the main building.
"No, sir," answered one of the agents. "She took off the second we sent out the drone." The agent followed Hayward. "But we have visuals in the Hex, sir."
Hayward spotted Monica with Jimmy and Darcy, who both stood silently in the director's presence, figuring it would be best not to further step out of line. However, Monica looked at Hayward firmly as she planted herself like a tree, blocking Hayward from going further.
"Let me talk to her," said Monica. She could tell Hayward was hesitant, so Monica continued. "No, look, I think we need a friend for this task. We did it your way when you took Eszter in, and look how that ended up." Monica reminded, earning a snort from Darcy. "I got this."
Gritting his teeth, Hayward narrowed his eyes before releasing a defeated sigh. "Fine," he said, earning a grin from Monica. "In the meantime, someone track down Eszter before things get ugly."
Monica raced toward the computer screen with the joy-looking sticks that controlled the drone, taking over the auto-pilot and directing it toward Wanda's house; she recognized a lot of the streets and knew precisely where Wanda's home was, being the center of it all. Monica knew Hayward was standing behind her, watching everything like a hawk, making her feel uneasy. While two groups of agents were hunting for Eszter, Monica could only hope she returned to the Hex. And then, Monica could talk to Wanda and find a middle ground.
Everyone had been on high alert ever since Eszter jumped out of the Hex looking pissed off, but they hadn't expected the teenager to appear in the strangest outfit and powers stronger than before. No one could've seen that coming; now, they were prepared for Wanda. Still, Hayward wanted Eszter to be found to prevent any surprise attacks from either of the sisters and to order the teenager to turn herself in.
Hayward suspected Eszter might've run back to the Hex once she realized he'd released a weapon into Westview meant for Wanda, possibly to warn her sister; he hadn't seen her around the facility, and as far as Wanda is showing, Eszter hasn't appeared in the television screen. For all Hayward knows, Eszter could still be hiding in their base, forcing him to stretch his agents to find the enhanced. Keeping the teenager out there could jeopardize his mission, resulting in Hayward allowing his agents to use aggressive force if necessary. But even with this order, not everyone was on board, forcing Hayward to keep certain ears out of conferences regarding the Maximoff sisters.
The camera on the drone flickered poorly as a warning flashed on the screen: WEAK SIGNAL. As old as the drone was, it did better than any of their new tech, but it struggled to hold the video on display. Hayward was growing frustrated by the lack of visuals whenever the screen glitched, forcing the camera to flutter through a series of glitches before holding a decent picture.
"I know this is tech from the eighties, but can we sharpen the visuals?"
Monica tilted the joy sticks as she drifted the drone around the large tree blocking Wanda's house, but then she spotted movement from the house; Wanda was marching out of her home with two little boys trailing behind her.
"Maximoff located," noted Monica.
"Well done," praised Hayward. "Any signs of Eszter?"
Monica turned the camera, but she didn't see the girl anywhere. "Negative."
Hayward glanced at Jimmy, standing with Darcy by the boxed TV.
"We can't see the drone on the broadcast," said Jimmy. "Wanda's framing it out of the shot."
Darcy furrowed her brows. "Just like all the jump cuts," Darcy twirls her chair. "Wanda decides what makes it onto her show and what doesn't."
Hayward turned back to Monica and stared at the screen, finding the woman had gotten a better and closer view of Wanda. "And here we go. You're up."
"Wanda, this is Captain Monica Rambeau," said the woman slowly into her headset. "Can you hear me? I'm a friend of your sister." Monica studied Wanda's reaction, but the woman continued to narrow her eyes at the drone like her enemies. "I just want to talk. That's it."
Unexpectedly, Wanda's eyes glowed red angrily while tilting her head to the side, staring deathly into the camera. Monica couldn't deny the chills sent down her spine, but she merely shook them off as she licked her lips, rolling her shoulders.
"No joy."
"Uh . . ." Monica jerked her head in confusion, furrowing her brows as she moved the joy stick about, clicking a few buttons to find control, but she couldn't. She didn't know what had happened, but Monica realized she wasn't in control of the drone anymore. "Wait, my controls aren't working. Reconnect patch."
But Hayward didn't seem worried. "Disregard," he dismissed, glancing at the agent on the opposite table from Monica's. "Take the shot."
Monica looked from Hayward to the agent next to her. "What? No. The drone isn't armed."
The agent looked at her hesitantly before his eyes shifted toward Hayward, awaiting his orders.
"Take the shot," ordered Hayward.
With that, the agent clicked the red button, but the camera was destroyed just as there was a soft explosion in the background; however, no one knew what might've happened. While one Maximoff was somewhere in the base, the other may or may not be dead.
Monica didn't know what Hayward was thinking; how could you kill one of the most potent Avengers while her sister was still roaming the base? What would Eszter think if she saw this? She'd demolished all of them. Eszter wouldn't show them any mercy--hell, if the roles were reversed, Wanda would've killed all of them in retaliation. After the loss of Pietro, what made Hayward think the sisters weren't as protective as they ever were?
Wanda and Eszter have been known to be fiercely protective of someone she's close with, so imagine going after one of them. You'd have to sleep with one eye open because at least one of them would hunt you down and destroy you for even attempting an assassination.
Even while Monica had tried gaining the sisters' trust and getting them on her side, Hayward took whatever she had, crumpled it, and threw it in the trash; they weren't going to bother to listen to Monica after this. Eszter spared Monica's life when she could've easily ended it, but she never did, whereas now, Monica is sure the teenager wouldn't even bat an eye.
Monica peeled the headset off her head and slammed it on the table, narrowing her eyes at Hayward in disbelief; the woman's eyes widened while her heart was racing against her chest, but Monica was flabbergasted by Hayward's actions. Monica was glad Eszter got away while she could because Hayward was willing to take out Wanda; who knows what he would've done if Eszter was still here. Monica held on hope that Hayward would actually want to help the sisters, but as it turns out, the director was threatened by them. She tried to talk to Wanda as a friend, not wanting to stress the enhancement, but now, Monica knew they had lost their chances.
S.W.O.R.D. was an enemy to Wanda and Eszter now.
Darcy stood from her chair when the TV was left on standby after the drone had gone missing; worry began to settle in as she watched the interaction between Monica and Hayward. Darcy's chest heaved up and down with anticipation, panicking internally as she started to wonder if Wanda had made it out alive. She glanced at Jimmy with a nervous glint in her eyes, suspecting something terrible was going to happen; not only did they manage to piss off Eszter, but they invaded Wanda's fantasy world and failed to assassinate her.
Jimmy shared the same expression as the scientist, becoming tense when the alarms blared.
"What did you do?" accused Monica.
"There's a breach, sir," said an agent.
A red light flashed in the dark-lit room, warning the occupants something had entered the area; everyone turned toward the large window ahead of them where the Hex was, and immediately, everyone reacted. Hayward darted out of the room with a long line of agents trailing behind him, arming themselves as they prepared for the worst.
Darcy and Jimmy shared a quick look before jumping into action and snatching their coats, following the agents toward the door and heading for the Hex. Behind them, Monica was racing shortly right after.
People clamored as they sprung into position; cars sped into the grass and skirted to a quick stop, and agents ran on foot with their guns drawn and pointed at the Hex. It was then when Hayward rushed to the front of the crowd, stopping abruptly when he spotted the Hex flickering and fizzing. Everyone continued to observe the Hex as they awaited for Wanda to appear; anticipation started to crawl up their necks. In the distance, Monica could pick up a silhouette appearing through the Hex, going in and out the further they move.
Then, just as the figure breached through the barrier, a red flash crackled across the small opening as Wanda strode out into the open; the woman was wearing her signature outfit given by the Avengers, dragging the missile behind her. The tech crackled with the red energy eating away at the machine, spitting out sparks as it struggled against Wanda's powers.
Angry and peeved, Wanda narrowed her eyes darkly at Hayward as she pursed her lips and bared her teeth; the woman couldn't stand the presence of the director standing in front of her. To Wanda, Hayward was just like Ross; he was afraid of her, considering everyone has their weapons pointing at her, but he thought he had power over her.
"Is this yours?" inquired Wanda loudly, tossing the missile by Hayward's feet.
The agents shifted their guns warningly at Wanda, keeping the green lasers pointed at the woman.
Hayward eyed the machine. "The missile was just a precaution," he assured. "You can hardly blame us, Wanda."
"Oh, I think I can," responded Wanda. The woman's American accent no longer existed at that moment, but instead, her Sokovian accent made a reappearance.
Suddenly, there was a sound of struggling coming from aside, catching everyone's attention; the confusion was written over Monica's expression as she and everyone looked toward the noise, but no one bothered to move. With Wanda standing threateningly in front of them, the group of agents standing behind Hayward remained poised and frozen, keeping their guns aimed at Wanda. A voice was yelling out angry threats as they grunted in deep annoyance, demanding to be set free, but remained restrained.
Monica's jaw opened in disbelief when four figures appeared behind one of the S.W.O.R.D. vehicles, shoving a teenage girl; she couldn't believe her eyes. After disappearing from the base moments ago, no one could find Eszter since Hayward had automatically sent out the drone, but here she was. Monica didn't know how the three agents managed to do it, but they successfully captured Eszter Maximoff. With two agents restraining Eszter in an uncomfortable position, the other agent kept his gun pointed at the teenager.
"Let me go, shitheads!" cursed Eszter. The girl jerked her arms to get free, but one of the agents twisted her arm uncomfortably, causing Eszter to yelp painfully. "Ow! That hurt, asshole!" Eszter was being shoved forward, nearly tripping over her feet. "There's no need to be so rough."
Wanda furrowed her brows, slowly tearing her gaze away from Hayward and toward Eszter; her body grew tensed and wary at the sight of her sister, filtering the atmosphere with intensity. No one was expecting Eszter to stroll up captured, especially not in front of Wanda. Hayward didn't know what to say at that moment, but part of him felt like he was gaining the upper hand.
The agents pushed Eszter forward and rounded toward the front of the car, stopping short as they tugged the teenager back; she grunted from the force, eyes finding Hayward as she glared at him.
"Well, well, well," said Hayward. He scoffed beneath his breath with a slight grin. "Isn't this a great family reunion?"
Eszter turned her gaze toward Wanda, projecting fear. "Wanda, get out of here!" she cried in worry. Her brows frowned, and she looked fearful at seeing her sister here. "It's a trap!"
"What is this?" Wanda seethed.
"Just go, Wanda! They're gonna--!"
The agent aiming the gun at her nudged it forward and pressed it against Eszter's head. "Shut it," he demanded.
Monica stepped forward but remained silent.
"This will be your only warning," started Wanda. Her eyes stilled on Hayward. "Let my sister go and stay out of my home. You don't bother me. I won't bother you."
Eszter snorts under her breath. "You better do as she says," whispered the teen, but no one heard.
"I wish it could be that simple. You've taken an entire town hostage."
"Well, I'm not the one with the guns, Director," Wanda fired back. Her eyes drifted to Eszter. "Nor am I the one holding a gun to a seventeen-year-old against her will."
"But you are the one in control," interjected Monica.
Wanda glanced at Monica. "You're still here," she conjured the red energy in her hand threateningly.
Monica slowly walked passed Hayward. "Wanda, I didn't know the drones were armed," she glanced at Eszter for a brief moment. "And Eszter . . . I didn't know that was going to happen." Monica looks back at the eldest sister. "But you know that, don't you?"
Eszter looked at Monica indifferently from the sideline, and it seemed like Wanda was, too. After everything that's happened so far, neither of the sisters seemed to care for whatever Monica had to say, but a part of them trusted Monica more than Hayward at this moment.
"A town full of civilians. And you, a telepath, brought a S.W.O.R.D. agent into your home," Monica tried to reason civilly. She was trying to keep the peace that was flushed out of the atmosphere when things were getting hectic. "You trusted me to help deliver your babies. On some level, Wanda, you know I am an ally. I wanna help you and Eszter."
"How?" questioned Wanda with a strained voice. "What could you possibly have to offer me?" She gestured to Eszter. "You've got my sister tied up like a prisoner."
"She's not, I promise," swore Monica, offering a gentle smile. "What do you want?"
"I have what I want," said Wanda firmly, not caving in. She had listened to so many government officials all her life; now, Wanda was tired of letting someone else control her life. "And no one" --Wanda looked at Hayward-- "will ever take it from me again."
Wanda glanced at Eszter with a knowingly look, communicating to her sister telepathically; the younger sister looked at Wanda with an excited expression, nodding with enthusiasm. Eszter watched as Wanda twisted and turned her wrist, slowly lifting the energy orb into the air as her powers connected to each agent in front of her. The energy warped their minds and glowed under her will, but once Wanda flicked her wrist, the agents cocked their guns and aimed at Hayward.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" shouted Hayward in a fleet of panic, freezing behind the end of the barrel. "Stand down!"
On cue, Eszter flicked her wrists, and the agents holding her released her, turning and aiming their guns at the group of agents. The witch straightened her back and looked relaxed and as if she wasn't being held hostage; instead, Eszter was the one in control. It was her all along. She looked toward the crowd until she found Monica in the mix, catching the woman's gaze as Eszter walked across the field toward Wanda. With her own protection, Eszter commanded the three agents to follow her as they kept their guns pointed at Hayward; Monica took a step forward as if to confront Eszter but stopped abruptly when one of the agents pointed their weapon at Monica.
"Eszter . . ." sighed Monica in defeat. "Don't do this. This is only going to make things worse."
The girl faced Monica once she stood next to Wanda. "Well, it was never gonna get better."
"Let's go," muttered Wanda, gripping Eszter's shoulder and pulling her backward.
The sisters turned around, and Wanda's hand slipped down Eszter's arm and grabbed her hand, and together, the sister walked back to the Hex hand-in-hand. Eszter breathed in and out as she kept her face void of expression, feeling slightly guilty as she left the chaos behind them. Eszter let Wanda pull her along as they left everyone behind them, not letting up the agents as they ensured everyone stayed far away.
However, as Eszter made her way to the Hex, the witch could hear their thoughts as they watched the women walk away. Part of Eszter wanted to turn around and make things right because she knew that's what Peter would've done, and Eszter wanted to in honor of him, but one look at Wanda and Eszter folded. She couldn't destroy the time she finally had with Wanda, especially after so many years; the sister had been separated for so long, and Eszter wanted to cling to Wanda for as long as she could. Her love for Wanda was so strong that Eszter battled her thoughts to settle everything for everyone, feeling like she was stuck in the middle between her family and what's right.
If Peter were here and saw Eszter turn her back on the agents and controlling them to threaten them away, he'd be disappointed. It hurt Eszter's heart when she thought about how he would've felt, and it scared her to believe her best friend would be horrified by her actions; however, it didn't beat how Michelle would've reacted to seeing this scene unfold. Eszter remembered the night she used her powers against Michelle, her best friend; Michelle was terrified of Eszter and felt in danger. The way Eszter was treating this situation is exactly what they're against. But even if they witnessed all of this, maybe they'd understand the predicament Eszter was put in between her family and S.W.O.R.D.
But that was the least of Eszter's problems; Hayward was determined to take down Eszter and Wanda, threatening their lives, and she could only hope Peter could solve his own problems without her. As much as she wants to help him, Eszter can't leave Wanda.
Eszter snapped out of her thoughts when Wanda released her hand, touching the Hex as she strengthened and revealed the Hex with her powers. The Hex turned red just as Wanda released her hold on the agents. Eszter turned around and faced the agents, still controlling them as they kept everyone back and surveyed them cautiously.
"Eszter, let's go," Wanda said before slipping through the Hex.
The witch met Monica's eyes from a short distance as she held her gaze for a mere minute, then Eszter turned away and released the agents from her control. Eszter touched the Hex and infected it with her own energy, warping and mixing into the red, making the barrier look like a mulberry color.
And with that, Eszter slipped through the Hex, leaving the S.W.O.R.D. agents flabbergasted.
☁︎isabel's thoughts☁︎
❝ this was kind of bad. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but just gonna let it be. Chances are, I won't be able to write much next week with this storm coming in. ❞