I have decided to add in a little part between 'Revelation' and 'Humanity' to spruce things up a bit. This chapter is split ((kind of)) between Pietro and Wanda ((finally! a tidbit from her POV)) but anyways. Here we go. ((sorry it is shorter than the other updates))
Mount Justice
October 04, 21:35 EDT
Pietro sat in the lounge of the mountain with the rest of the team eating a protein bar as the others discussed their mission against the Injustice League and the subsequent help they got from Scarlet Witch, which puzzled them.
"I mean, when we first encountered her she said she was going to kill us and now here she is saving our lives? It doesn't add up." Wally said with a frustrated grunt.
M'gann turned to Artemis and gave her the quick rundown of their first brush with Scarlet Witch. "And your first mission was the next time we saw her, helping the Shadows try to kill Roquette."
"The one where she left Roquette in a comatose state. I remember." Artemis nodded. "You guys saw her again in Taipei, right?"
"I...I saw here when we went to Bialya." M'gann spoke up. Pietro kept his face neutral, curious as to what Wanda did to M'gann. "She was with this psychic, Psimon, in a tent where they were running tests on Sphere and Conner. Psimon was the one to erase all of our memories. I'm not sure what Scarlet Witch was doing there, her mind was heavily protected so I couldn't get a read on her. After I...after I defeated Psimon in our psychic battle she was gone. She never engaged me in any form of combat, even though she could've."
"She didn't fight with me either." Conner added. "She just stood off to the side, observing. When I went to attack her she put up a shield around herself and told me that M'gann needed my help. She...she was the one to tell me how to join you in the psychic battle field with Psimon."
"She was?" M'gann asked, shock on her face.
Conner nodded. "Yeah."
"So, this is the second time she has helped us." Robin looked deep in thought.
"Are you thinking of our conversation in Taipei, Robin?" Pietro asked, looking at the youngest.
"Yeah, her recent behavior adds weight to my theory." Robin ran a hand through his hair as his friends looked at him.
"Care to share that theory with the rest of us?" Wally looked to his best friend.
"Oh, right. Sorry. See, Scarlet Witch doesn't seem much older than us, if at all, so how would she have gotten entangled in the Shadows so young? My theory is that the Shadows have a family member of hers held captive or some other leverage over her and are forcing her to work for them. Scarlet Witch may not want to be a Shadow but doesn't have a choice, and is rebelling against her captors by aiding us." Robin concluded.
"But she denied working for the Shadows in the bayou." Artemis pointed out.
"Did she? She was trying to confuse us with her word play." Pietro shrugged.
"She said there was a lot of gray in the game, that none of us know the truth." Robin hummed. "And in Taipei, she made a point to call me a detective, saying I haven't solved the puzzle that was right in front of me, while I was fighting her."
"Uh, I don't think she meant physically in front of you. That'd be a bit too obvious." Pietro rolled his eyes.
"Yet not obvious because of its obviousness." Robin shot back.
"Guys, what if...what if Cheshire got her intel wrong? What if there isn't a mole on our team...but on hers?" Wally looked at his friends with wide eyes, a conspiring tone to his voice.
"And you're suggesting that the mole is Scarlet Witch? That's crazy." Artemis scoffed.
"Maybe...or maybe not." Pietro mumbled.
"Who would her contact in the Justice League be?" Conner asked skeptically.
"How should I know? But given the nature of infiltrating an organization such as the League of Shadows and posing as a formidable assassin...I'd guess Batman." Pietro concluded. "He seems like the only Leaguer that would okay that mission."
The team sat in silence for a few minutes, mulling over the information they laid out, thinking over the theories that were presented. It was a moment or two before anyone spoke, all eyes going to Kaldur. "We should find out her identity, find if she has any relatives to see if Robin's theory pans out."
Pietro felt his heart beat quicken. If they found out her identity, found out their relation...it was all over. They would put everything together, figure out he is the mole and they would never forgive him.
He heard typing and looked over at Robin, who had pulled up his gauntlet computer and was searching the databases for a hit on Scarlet Witch. Pietro closed his eyes, knowing any moment his world would come crashing down around him.
"We've got a match." Pietro pried his eyes opened, looking at the computer along with everyone else as Robin pulled up a picture of Scarlet Witch in her costume and in civilian clothes. "Says here her name is Wanda Frank, a fifteen year old from Sokovia. She disappeared during the civil war in her home country. Her parents are deceased and she has no siblings, no aunts or uncles or cousins."
Pietro let out an inaudible sigh of relief. He was safe.
For now.
"Pietro, aren't you from Sokovia?" Robin asked, looking at the silver haired speedster.
The teen tensed slightly before relaxing. "Yes, but I have been in America since I was nine. Once my parents...died, I wasn't safe there. Sokovia is not fond of meta humans. I made my way to America where I heard they were more...accepting."
"And cat."
"Pardon?" Pietro furrowed his brow at the Boy Wonder.
"Your cat also died in the war. That's what you told me. Hey, wasn't your cat also named Wanda?" Robin questioned, making fear and panic spike through Pietro.
"Yes. My mother named her after Wanda Sykes, the famous American actress." Pietro thought quickly on his feet, thankful for the news story that was covering the aforementioned artist's work. "Mama was a fan of her."
Robin nodded, his face neutral. "Well, if Scarlet Witch doesn't have any family to hold captive as leverage, there goes my theory."
"She still could be a mole, maybe bring it up to Ba-"
"We should investigate this further before bringing it to the attention of the League." Kaldur decided, cutting Pietro off. "I think we should call it a night."
"Yeah, it is getting late. I'm going to hit the hay." Wally stood up, heading for the zeta tubes with Artemis in tow. "Night."
Kaldur follow soon after, M'gann and Conner heading to their rooms, leaving just Robin and Pietro in the lounge. Pietro looked at the Boy Wonder. "Aren't you going to head home?"
Robin looked away from his gauntlet, the picture of Wanda in her civilian attire still pulled up. "Yeah, yeah. Just...trying to figure out the puzzle."
"Don't strain your brain." Pietro called over his shoulder as he walked away. "Good night."
Robin watched Pietro walk away, looking back at the gauntlet picture of Scarlet Witch. "What is really going on here...?"
Undisclosed Location
Wanda paced her room, arms crossed over her torso as her mind raced. She hadn't told the Light of her interference with the Injustice League but she knew they would find out. They always do, after all.
Taking in a shuddering breath, Wanda opened her chamber doors and walked down the hallway towards the meeting room, her hands shaking slightly.
Why am I nervous? I am the Scarlet Witch, for crying out loud. They should fear me, not the other way around.
Rolling her shoulders back and puffing her chest out slightly, Wanda knocked on the door, waiting to be allowed to enter. The door flung open and she strolled in, finding the seven leaders of the Light sitting around a table. They looked at her curiously. "Wanda. Why have you interrupted our meeting?"
She bowed her head in respect. "Forgive me. I need to inform all of you of...a transgression of mine."
Lex smiled wryly. "If this is about you going to the bayou to save your brother, we know." Wanda's eyes widened and she looked up at the Light. "I mean, who else has the power to take down seven heavy hitters such as the Injustice League and their signature is red?"
"Am I...am I in trouble?"
"No, child, you just upped our timeline a bit dealing with the Injustice League. Although, we will need you to wake Count Vertigo. We have use for him." Queen Bee instructed the brunette teen.
"Of course." Wanda nodded dutifully.
"And your powers have shown improvement. Your training with Klarion has paid off. Teleportation is a new skill, a mighty...useful one." Vandal Savage stared Wanda down, making her feel small. "Good work."
"Thank you."
"You are dismissed. Do not interrupt us again, Witch, unless we beckon you." Ra's waved her off and Wanda left the room, closing the door behind her.
She walked down the hallway to her room, sitting back on her bed. The photograph next to her bed caught her eye and she picked it up, a sad smile finding its way onto her face as she gazed at the picture of her and Pietro when they were first given their monikers, and for her, a costume. A tear ran down her cheek and she wiped it away, laying back down on the bed as she clutched the photo to her chest.
"Brat drahý, I miss you. I hope - no, I know - this sacrificing of morals will be worth our protection and reunion. I just hope you can forgive me for keeping secrets from you in order to wipe clean the blood of our parents from my hands." Wanda screwed her eyes shut, letting go of the picture to dig the heels of her palms into her eyes. "I'm sorry for screwing our lives up, 'tro. I will make it up to you, I promise. Just...have faith in me. Trust me."