"Back here!" Bucky yelled from the back door. Wanda and Carol ran across the room and outside, and found Bucky by the shed. The door was open, showing the three terrified kids. Lila had the practise bow, while Cooper had a rake in hand, with little Nate oblivious to the danger, holding onto the hem of his sister's cardigan and looking more curious than anything.
"Oh, thank god!" Wanda hugged all three of them. "Where's Laura?"
"Book club... she's not here." Was all Cooper and Lila could say.
"Your dad? Which way?" the three kids pointed into the woods.
"I'll stay with them, go!" Bucky exclaimed, and Wanda didn't need to be told twice. She and Carol leapt into the air and took off towards the woods.
"I'll go east, so we can cover more ground! Sam, do you see anything?"
"No, no sign of struggle, no sign of either of them."
Carol swiftly flew off into the dark, while Wanda went in the opposite direction, descending to the forest floor. "Clint!" She yelled, knowing that calling to Vision would be pointless. "Answer me!"
Wanda ran through the dark forest, looking in all directions, throwing orbs of her magic through the trees to light up the woods. She spun in a circle, desperately looking in all directions. "Please, Clint." She whispered. "Please don't do this to me..."
Wanda had been running through the woods for about a minute when a scream rang out in the distance. She whipped round. "Did you hear that?" Sam exclaimed, and Wanda heard the mechanical sound of his wings as he zoomed by somewhere in earshot. "I'm going in!"
Clint crashed to the ground. "I don't know what the hell is happening! But I know one thing! You know me!"
Repeat everything I say. Josephine issued a command for Vision to speak. Vision's unmistakable voice came out. It was the same, but... colder, robotic, not his words. "No he doesn't. Not anymore." The instructions continued, as empty words Vision didn't understand but couldn't control came from his mouth. Vision walked slowly toward Clint, who frantically crawled backwards.
"Did you really think you could get away with killing so many people throughout the five years? Do their faces watch you from the windows? Do their screams echo through the woods? Do they hover over your bed like demons in the night?"
Clint stared up at Vision in horror, speechless. Before he could say anything, a red, white and blue blur came flying into view, hitting Vision in the back of the head. Sam flew into the clearing, seizing Clint by the shirt as he flew by.
"Sam! What the hell?" Clint yelled, legs flailing, as he clawed to keep a grip on Sam's arm.
"I'll explain later!" Sam looked over his shoulder, to see Vision following not far behind.
The dark evening was suddenly lit up as a beam fired from the new stone in his head. "Look out!" Screamed Clint, as he dangled from Sam's hand. Wanda emerged from the canopy, lashing out with her hands, blocking the energy beam. Sam hesitated, while Clint clung to him, staring at Wanda with disbelief in his eyes.
"Go!" She yelled. "I'll handle this. Get Clint out of here!" Sam nodded before speeding off toward the house, leaving them facing one another. "Carol, I need you. Look for my light."
Vision was frozen once again, eyes fixed on Wanda, unable to hear the infuriated orders of the woman in his head until she electrocuted him. Wanda felt sick as she saw the cruel light around his neck, and even more so when Vision began to move toward her in a threatening manner. "You know me. You know you do."
"I'm not going to fight you." Wanda said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Vizh. I know you're still in there, and that this isn't you. You would never do this. Don't worry, I'll get you out. I can help you."
"Go to hell." Wanda felt a jolt when she heard Vision's voice for the first time in so long. But she knew they weren't his words. This wasn't Vision she was speaking to. Even though it was Vision's emotionless face, she could almost feel Josephine's cold grey eyes burning into her from behind the goggles of her mask. "Let's talk, shall we?"
"First you use Vision to do your dirty work, and now you send him after Clint? Why? He's no threat to you! You've crossed a line, Josephine. "
"Don't call me that."
"What else am I supposed to call you?" Wanda said, bitterly. "Now answer the question! Why would you send Vision after Clint?"
"It's nothing personal."
"You used him!" Wanda snapped. "You sent him after people I care about! Believe me, it feels deeply personal."
"Clint Barton is hardly an innocent man. He killed many of the last Hydra rats too, in those five years. Scientists that would have been useful in resurrecting your precious android sooner."
"I don't need access to your mind to know that you're lying to me. What did I ever do to you?"
Josephine didn't answer her. Vision leapt forward. Wanda lurched backwards, blocking his attacks with inches to spare. Once again, Vision relayed Josephine's message to her.
"He can't hear you! He's dead! Get over it!"
They fell to the forest floor, and they rolled across the leaves, struggling to get the upper hand. Merely defending herself from his attacks wasn't going to get her anywhere - she had to fight back. Wanda launched a weak orb of energy at him, not enough to hurt him, but enough to make him stagger.
This was her chance. Wanda's hands flew to Vision's head, and he grew immobile, the unfamiliar stone turning scarlet as Wanda began searching, searching for anything - memories, where she would find Josephine, where he was being kept. But the collar was interfering, blocking her access to his mind. She could hold him, but not read him.
Wanda saw a blazing light in the corner of her eye. It was Carol, at last. This was it. This was their chance.
"Carol!" Wanda screamed. "The collar! The collar!"
No, no! Screamed the woman's voice in Vision's head. Break free! Don't let her!
Carol ran to Vision, and began desperately trying to pry the collar off. "It won't budge!"
"Try harder!" Wanda cried, her control over Vision slipping when the collar activated. Carol grunted as the full force of the electricity burned into her hands, but she wasn't shaken off. She continued desperately trying to pull the collar off, but when she felt it give ever so slightly, Vision released a piercing scream, making Wanda's heart leap into her throat. "Hurry up!"
"There's a set of prongs or teeth connecting the collar into his skin. If I use too much force..." Carol looked up at her. "I can't remove it without hurting him! Use your powers, you might be able to get it off safely!"
The collar around Vision's throat suddenly turned red as Wanda attempted to remove it herself. Distracted, it was enough for Vision to break free of her influence. He struck out his elbow, hitting Carol in the stomach and sending her flying. He caught Wanda by the arm, and tossed her across the forest floor. Wanda struck her head, and this briefly stunned her. A few moments later, a hand shook her.
Wanda looked up in a daze, to see Carol's face hovering over her, short hair full of autumn leaves. "He's gone."
Wanda was about to drop everything and follow Vision back to wherever the new Siren hideout was, but something else overpowered this. The kids. Clint, who had almost died because of Vision. If they had arrived any later, would he be dead? His head caved in, his neck snapped, like all those other victims? What if she hadn't had her phone on her? What if the kids hadn't been so aware of their surroundings and continued to play their boardgame, unaware that their father was going to die?
She had to tell him what was going on. He deserved to know the truth.
What the hell am I going to say to Clint? My old boyfriend is alive and he just nearly killed you and your kids, but it's okay because a woman who runs around in a glowing green mask has brainwashed him?
After reporting what happened over the earpieces, Wanda and Carol made their way back to the Barton house. Carol attempted to comfort her.
"We'll figure it out. Your powers could probably remove it safely..."
"We tried and look what happened. We didn't even loosen it."
"Look, maybe it'll be easier once Josephine isn't in control. We need to get the mask off her. Then Vision won't fight so much. We can remove it safely."
"Guys, Redwing has eyes on Vision. He's flying west and he hasn't spotted us yet, so hopefully we'll manage to find where he's headed."
"Thanks, Sam. Location?"
"Kitchen. Wanda, I think you and Clint need to have a conversation. I explained to him how why and when, but you guys need to talk."
"Okay. I'll be a minute."
On their way there, they saw Bucky with Nate, Cooper and Lila by the chicken coop. With the danger confirmed to be over - danger which had flown over Nate's head - the toddler had dragged Bucky out to meet Natasha, Queenie, Dolly, and Daisy. He was keeping the kids busy now.
"Is he gone?" Cooper asked.
"Yes, the others... chased him off." Bucky looked toward Wanda and Carol as they entered from the trees.
"I don't even know how the robber could have got in... nothing was taken, it's weird." Lila said, clearly confused, but the two preteens didn't seem shaken or traumatised, to Wanda's relief. She was also relieved, when she realized the kids only thought the intruder was just a robber, and not anything more sinister.
"Maybe he just didn't have the opportunity." Bucky suggested, as Carol headed over. "Would you kids like to hear about space? She's the expert, you know..."
"Tell us about the battle to save the universe! You were both there, right?"
Wanda stepped into the house, leaving Carol and Bucky to entertain the kids. Clint was sitting on the couch, coffee in hand, looking deep in thought. Sam stood in kitchen, staring at his wrist device. "Stay far back. He's very vigilant, I need you to show me where he goes..." He gave Wanda a thumbs up, to indicate that the pursuit was going well. She nodded before heading across to sit on the couch beside Clint.
"Clint, I..." Wanda twisted her rings around her fingers, a habit she took on when nervous. How was he going to react to this? "Are you hurt?"
Clint's expression was unreadable. "No, I'm fine. You guys swooped in the nick of time."
"I'm so sorry... "
"My kids were in this house. He nearly killed me. And he said some pretty horrible things."
"They weren't his words..."
"I can't believe you didn't tell me, didn't even give us a warning! And -"
Wanda prepared herself for an argument, but it never came.
"I need to know. Are you okay? This must all be quite a shock... I'm fact, I think I'm in shock... that must be why I'm not feeling as angry as I should. I'm just glad all four of my kids are safe."
Four? At first Wanda thought he meant that Laura was pregnant again, but then it dawned upon her what he really meant. She had come to view him as a father figure, and this statement touched her. But wasn't he going to shout at her for putting him and his kids in such danger? Yell at her to get out and never come back?
She sensed that he was angry, but trying to be understanding. She confided in Clint what happened, and his underlying anger soon faded. He sat there, listening to every word, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Oh my god. That's unbelievable."
"It sure is, but it's true."
"So... what's your plan?"
"I'm going to find him and remove that collar. I'm going to give Josephine a piece of my mind. And then I'll bring Vision home, and try and help him find his way back."
"And... how are you feeling about all this? I never saw you guys together, but I know you loved him. I know you loved him a lot."
"I'm angry, more than anything. I want to find that woman who's been controlling him, and set her on fire..."
"Mind control." Clint's gaze retreated inwards. "I know how that feels. Believe me. To be locked out of your own head, to be under someone else's spell. I still don't know how many people Loki made me kill. If I criticised your decision to go after him I would be a real hypocrite."
"Look. This whole night and what we all should have and could have done is a conversation for another time, I think time isn't on our side right now. I know how much he means to you. Do you want my help? Want me to come out of retirement for five minutes?" Wanda briefly considered it, but then shook her head.
"Thank you, Clint, but I don't want you in danger again. Besides, Laura and your kids need you here. When does she come home?"
"A few hours. Don't worry, I won't tell her who it was who broke in. I'll let her and kids believe it was just a random guy."
"Please, don't tell anyone else about it. We're trying to keep it as secret as possible. I don't want to know what they'll do to Vision if they find out what he's done."
"Of course."
"Wanda! I found where Vision is." Her head snapped up toward Sam. "Redwing saw him entering a bunker-like building a few miles west. We need to move."
"Okay. I'll be out in a moment." Wanda stood up as Sam headed outside to let Bucky and Carol know. Wanda paused before leaving, reluctant to leave Clint and the kids alone. "Will you be alright?"
"We'll be fine. I'll be on lookout for anything suspicious. I can handle anything." Wanda knew this to be true. She eyed the tattoo sleeve, and how the hair growing on the sides of his head hadn't quite caught up to the hair on top. He had told her all about his dark descent, and she knew he was very capable of fighting off any other intruder who were to come to the house.
"But what if he or anyone else comes back?"
"Well, Laura and I were discussing taking a vacation with the kids the other day... maybe we could stay out of the country for a little while. Until this Siren threat is over."
"Again, I'm so sorry... "
"We can discuss this properly another time. But nobody got h urt, that's the most important thing. Good luck, and please, promise me - be careful. Call me if you need me."
"I promise."