Natasha hopped down from the roof, her booted feet landing noisily on the hood of the truck. Another jump took her back down to ground level, where Sam and Steve were assessing the situation.

"Any sight of her?" Steve asked. He had some dried blood on his face, and some not-so-dry blood glistening on his shoulder.

"No," Nat said with great reluctance. She looked at Sam. "Did you see anything? Hear anything?"

Sam shook his head again. "I don't know," he admitted. "I mean… the smoke hit us like a wall. There was a pretty bright flash of red, and then just… nothing." He looked at the ground and cursed under his breath. "I might have heard some tires squeal up ahead, but with everything going on, it was hard to gauge a direction."

He looked between them, a deep frown on his face. "I'm sorry, guys."

"It's not your fault," Steve assured him.

"No," Natasha agreed. "But I know whose fault it is."

She turned and stalked back through the mess and chaos to where Garrett had been left. "Son of a bitch..." She cursed when she got there. Garrett was gone, too.

"Damn…" Sam said from behind her. He and Steve had followed her over and were just as discouraged to find nothing but empty space. "Now what?"

"I had a little run-in with 'Lady Dust'," Natasha said. "Left her in a dumpster a few buildings back."

Steve recognized the look in Natasha's eye. It was cold, angry; vengeful. But there were sirens in the distance, and they would be here soon. As much as he hated to admit it, Steve knew they wouldn't be able to stick around. They had to get out of here, try to regroup, and figure out where Wanda was taken.

"We have to go." He said, his voice firm.

Natasha looked at him as if he were crazy. "I just need five minutes." She said. Her expression darkened a bit. "Actually, just give me two."

Steve shook his head. "And risk still being here when the police show up? Nat, we can't. You know we can't."

He was right, of course. She knew that they needed to get out of here, but that didn't mean she wanted to. It sure as hell didn't mean she had to be happy about it. She stood, hands on her hips, taking a few, frustrated breaths. Natasha considered being stubborn, obstinately insisting that she go back for Lady Dust, but she could see fatigue and a hint of desperation in Steve's eyes. He needed her to go along with this. Sam did, too. He was hurting, Natasha could tell. Not that she wasn't hurting, too. Her anger was just helping her forget some of that pain for now.

"Fine," she finally said. "Are any of these cars still driveable?"

Garrett had made off with the vehicle that rolled up to the back of the alley. The Volvo was out of commission, as was the truck it had run into. There was another, black SUV that some of Garrett's people had piled out of, though, that seemed to be good to go. They found it with the doors open and the engine still running. Perhaps its occupants had planned on making a speedy getaway. Their bodies littered across the pavement was a pretty clear indicator that, that wasn't going to happen. They weren't going anywhere anytime soon. Except maybe to jail.

Nat got into the driver's seat while Steve slid into the passenger seat beside her, and Sam practically fell into the backseat. He was wincing and holding his rib.

"You alright?" Steve asked, looking over his shoulder with a concerned expression on his face.

"I've sure as hell been better," Sam grumbled. "Just a cracked rib. I'll be fine."

Natasha peeled away. She wasn't sure where she was going; she just knew they couldn't be here. She gripped the steering wheel so tightly her fingers ached. With her adrenaline slowly wearing off, she became all-too-aware of the pounding her head. Her jaw ached, and there was still the coppery tinge of blood in her mouth. The muscles in her right arm felt tense and strange. A tingling sensation traveled from her fingers, all the way up to her shoulder and partially into her chest. She'd taken one too many hits from Dust's electrically-charged knuckles, and it was starting to show. She just had to make sure to keep a tight grip on the wheel and hope that no muscle spasms hit her. The last thing they needed was to wreck yet another vehicle. She was already missing her motorbike.

"What happened back there?" Steve asked her.

She glanced over at him. "I should ask you the same thing." She said, then sighed. "Some of Garrett's goons tried to box me in. Lady Dust got the jump on me while I was on my way back to you."

Steve didn't have to guess how that went. Natasha had made it back. Lady Dust didn't. He frowned, brows furrowing as his blue eyes looked out the window. "They were never after you," he mused.

Natasha didn't say anything. She didn't have to. Steve was right, and everyone in the car knew it. She decided to focus, instead, on what Sam had told her.

"You said you think they might've gone this way?" She asked, pointing eastward.

"I think," Sam said. "Maybe." He didn't sound sure, but it was the only thing they had to go off of.

Natasha made a sharp turn, tires squealing as she cut down a narrow side street. There weren't any signs to go off of or trails to follow. She glanced over at Steve.

"Are you able to hear anything from her comm?" She asked. She knew it was a long shot, but she had to ask, and her own earpiece was fried.

Steve shook his head, but he tried reaching out to Wanda, anyway. "Wanda," he said. "Wanda, come in." After a few moments of radio silence, he looked at Natasha again, a frown on his face.

"Nothing," he said.

"They must have knocked her out," said Sam. "There's no way they would've been able to take her otherwise."

The unspoken question of "What now?" hung over all their heads. They couldn't just give up and go home, but how could they pursue when they had next to no information? They didn't know what kind of vehicle Wanda had been taken in, if she'd been taken in one at all. They didn't know where they were taking her or even which way they were going. Natasha wracked her brain, trying to think about what she would do if she were one of Garrett's people.

"They probably have some sort of rendezvous point." She said, thinking aloud. "A place to meet back up with Garrett. He wouldn't just have them leave without him. He's too invested in this."

Nat reached into her jacket pocket and retrieved her phone. "Damnit," she cursed. The screen was cracked to hell. A small slice was left on her thumb when she tried to swipe across the splintered glass to unlock the screen. She tossed the phone into the center console and stuck her bleeding thumb in her mouth for a second.

"Here," Steve said upon seeing her plight. "Mine's good."

He handed her the outdated flip phone he refused to get rid of, and Natasha found herself thankful for his old-fashioned ways. The flip phone might not have been as practical as hers, but it was apparently more durable. She took it, punched in Max's number, and hoped that he would pick up. He didn't. Natasha left him a pretty heated message, though, and within a minute, he was calling back.

"I thought this made us even." Max said.

"It would've," Natasha replied, "if Garrett hadn't gotten away and made off with one of our own."

"I helped you all I could," Max said.

"Well, you're going to help some more." Nat said, her voice low and dangerous. "Because otherwise there is going to be a lot of noise in town that I will make sure points back to you."

Steve looked over at her, surprised by her change in demeanor. He saw coldness in her eyes and anger in the way she firmly clenched her jaw, as if she were looking Max right in the face that very moment. She was threatening to blackmail a man who had done a lot for them. Steve furrowed his brow and took a breath, about to speak.

But then Sam reached up from the backseat and placed a hand on his shoulder. Steve looked back at him and saw his friend shaking his head.

"It's Wanda, man." Sam reminded him.

Steve released a heavy sigh. He knew what Wanda meant to Natasha. He knew what she meant to all of them. There was a good chance that Natasha was just talking tough to get Max's help on this, because she knew what was at stake. And if she wasn't… well, Steve supposed he understood. Whether or not she was serious about blackmailing this guy wasn't really important right now. Finding Wanda was. He nodded and looked forward again, opting not to say anything.

The phone call ended a few minutes later.

"Max is going to keep an eye on local surveillance," she told them. "If Wanda or Garrett turn up, he'll let us know." She looked at Steve; then glanced back at Sam. They both looked in rough shape. Natasha was sure she did, too. In the meantime, they needed to take care of themselves.

She found a store a few miles away that carried enough pharmacy and first-aid items to get them by for now. The car was parked in a back alley, and Sam and Steve got out to stretch their legs and breathe a bit while Natasha got supplies. While she was hardly looking her best, she didn't look nearly as scuffed up as the other two. She was sure to get less looks. That was the hope, anyway. By the time she was walking back to the alley, no wailing sirens were approaching their location, so she thought that her plan had panned out well enough for the time being.

Bandages, ice packs, braces, gauze and painkillers were all splayed out across the hood of the vehicle. Everyone just sort of took what they needed. Natasha had managed to acquire a small needle and thread kit, and she approached Steve with it. He was standing against the brick wall of a building, head tilted toward the sky. He looked worried. Natasha didn't assume it was for his own safety.

"Let me see your shoulder," she told him.

"It just grazed me." He said.

She stood there, saying nothing but giving him a look that said she didn't care if it was just a paper cut. She still wanted to see it. Sighing, Steve removed his jacket and then rolled up the sleeve of the shirt he wore beneath it. There was a red gash in the meaty flesh of his shoulder, a few inches long. It was slowly trickling blood down his arm. Natasha opened a gauze pad and used it to wipe up some of the blood. Her fingers trembled.

"You okay?" Steve asked.

"Mm," Natasha replied without looking at him. "Dust had some… electric gauntlets. She got a few hits in before I could disarm her."

"I'll just put a bandage on," Steve told her. "It's really not that-"

"Just shut up and let me do this." Natasha said. This time, she did look at him.

The self-perceived failure over Wanda's kidnapping was evident in her eyes. Her green hues glistened with disappointment in herself. She was worried and helpless. She couldn't do anything for Wanda right now. She could, at least, stitch up Steve's arm. Seeing that, he understood and gave a nod.

"Alright," he finally said. "Just don't get too creative with that needle."

Natasha pursed her lips and perked a brow at him, but she kept her comments to herself. She gave Steve no warning before she issued the first prick of the needle. To his credit, he barely even winced. There was a quiet puff of air out his nose, but other than that, he was quiet. He stood perfectly still while Natasha sewed his flesh back together. Despite her trembling fingers, she stitched him up with expert precision. She'd done this plenty of times before. So had he. Steve paid careful attention to Natasha, noting the bruise forming on her jaw. He watched her slender fingers become red at the nails, painted by his blood. He watched the concentration on her face and the frustration when she tried to blow her hair out of her eyes only to have it fall right back into place.

"Here," Steve said quietly. He reached over with his opposite hand and gently moved aside a few strands of blonde hair, tucking them behind her ear. He noticed that her skin felt a bit cool. He wondered if she was cold.

"Thanks," she murmured, her green eyes glancing up at him only momentarily. She returned to her work, and had him sewn up a minute or so later. She placed a bandage over the stitches in the hopes of keeping them clean, dry, and untorn. She knew it was probably unlikely that any of those things would happen, though.

"How's your nose?" She asked. "Does it need set?"

Steve shook his head. "It's okay," he told her. "It was the airbag, of all things." He huffed out a single, humorless chuckle.

"Guess you're not so tough after all," Natasha teased, but her voice lacked its usual sarcastic fervor. She was just going through the motions at this point, it seemed.

"We're going to find her, Nat." Steve said.

She lifted her eyes to his, and this time, she held her gaze there. "I know." She said. There was no other option.

"I'm going to check on Sam." Natasha said. Then, she gathered up her supplies and walked back toward the vehicle.

Sam was leaning against the hood, holding an ice pack to his face. He had a hell of a shiner under his eye. His other arm was laced around his stomach, hand pressing into the ribs on the opposite side. Nat knew there wasn't much that could be done for a cracked rib. They could tape him up, but injuries like that needed rest, and they were far from done, here. Natasha would still do it, but no matter what they did, it was still going to hurt like hell the second he made a move again. Unfortunately, there was no avoiding that. Sam seemed to know as much, too. He was just as adamant, after all, about getting Wanda back. He held himself responsible for her being taken in the first place.

"I should've stayed closer to her," he told Natasha as she wrapped up his ribs.

"Wanda's strong," Natasha said. "And she's a fighter."

"Right…" Sam said, though he didn't sound entirely convinced. "I just hope those assholes know what they're doing, because if they don't…"

His words trailed off. Natasha had an idea where his mind was going. Wanda's powers were very strongly linked to emotion. If she got upset, things could get pretty catastrophic. They had seen that in full force before, namely in Sokovia. If she woke up in a room full of hostiles, and they didn't take measures to dampen her abilities… well, the bastards were in for a world of hurt. Natasha didn't pity them, but she knew that Wanda's powers could come with collateral damage. If she lost control, she could take out a whole block with one psychic blast. She would never forgive herself for that. Neither would the rest of the world.

"We should keep moving," Steve said as he rejoined them. He'd done a quick scope of the area to make sure they weren't followed. At the moment, things looked clear, but there was no guarantee that they would stay that way.

"We need to avoid the police, but we shouldn't stray too far. If they keep Wanda some place close, we'll want to be able to get there quickly." He said.

It wasn't difficult for him to fall back into that leadership role. Leading came naturally to Steve, and sometimes it served as a coping mechanism. When he felt like he was down and out and all the odds were stacked against him, sometimes the only thing for him to do was to buck up and lead the pack anyway. He knew that morale wasn't exactly high at the moment. Wanda was one of their own, and they all felt like they'd failed her in some way by allowing her to be taken by Garrett's people. They couldn't wallow in that, though. They wouldn't be doing Wanda any favors by moping about and dwelling over what they did wrong. The best thing for them, and for Wanda, was to keep moving.

Natasha downed a few aspirin and tossed the pill bottle back into the bag with the other supplies. "We need to keep looking," she told the others. "I don't want to just sit around and hope that Max calls. We need to find a trail."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance." A voice said.

The figure belonging to that voice slowly materialized, passing out of a wall, through the SUV, and out the other side like a ghost. His red skin was dark in the dim lighting, and the yellow cape he wore billowed gently behind him as he settled softly down to the ground. The yellow stone in his head emitted a gentle glow.

"Jeeze!" Sam exclaimed.

"Vision?" Natasha could hardly believe her eyes. "What… what are you doing here?"

The artificial-intelligence-made-flesh, now fully solidified, greeted them with a small smile. "I am remiss to admit that I have been keeping tabs on Wanda." He told them.

"What kind of tabs?" Steve asked with some suspicion. Vision had, after all, sided with the Accords.

"Wanda's powers can be very unstable," Vision said. "They create certain… signals that show up on my radar from time to time. I have learned to gauge their severity in relation to Wanda's distress. The last signal to go out was…"

"Very distressed?" Natasha guessed.

Vision nodded, a worried expression on his face. "Afterwards, there was nothing. That was what troubled me most. I… feared the worst."

That statement caused a trickle of fear to travel down Natasha's spine. What if they were wrong in assuming that Garrett would need Wanda alive? What if…

"What about now?" Steve's firm voice broke into her thoughts before they could get too carried away.

"Wanda is unconscious," Vision said. A wave of relief washed over Natasha. "I can still detect ripples of her power, subdued as it is."

"Can you follow it?" Sam asked.

"Yes," Vision replied, "but we must hurry. They are moving quickly, and I fear she will not remain unconscious much longer."

"Great." Natasha was already heading for the car. "You lead the way."

"There is one more thing," Vision said. Natasha paused, turning to look at him. He had another smile on his face. "I brought some things I thought might prove beneficial."

Vision reached his hand to the side. The others watched as it disappeared, all the way up to his elbow, as if he were reaching into some invisible box. When he slowly pulled his hand back into view, it wasn't empty. One by one, he plucked things out of thin air. Natasha's batons and gauntlets, Sam's Falcon gear; Steve's body armor, somehow Vision was able to bring it all with him. Steve watched in quiet awe as Vision handed everyone their things. He took his gear in hand, looking down at it as if expecting it to disappear in a puff of smoke like some sort of magic trick.

"How the hell…" Sam's words trailed.

"Unfortunately the QuinJet was a bit beyond my capabilities," Vision said.

Natasha lifted her gaze from the batons in her hand and smiled. "We'll let it slide," she told him. "Just this once."

"I am detecting sarcasm," he said.

The trio made quick work of donning their respective gear. Sam slid his Falcon gear over his shoulders, buckling harnesses and pulling straps tightly to affix the thrusters to his back. He slid his protective glasses down into place over his eyes. He would be taking to the skies with Vision, it would seem. Natasha slipped her hands into her gauntlets, surprised by how comforted she was to have them nestled tightly around her wrists once more. She affixed her batons to her back in their typically criss-crossed fashion. Steve slid into the heavy protective body armor, opting to just put it on over his shirt and toss his jacket into the backseat. He definitely could've used it before. Garrett packed quite a punch. Literally.

"Sam, follow Vision but keep an eye out for law enforcement." Steve said as he climbed back into the SUV.

"I have jammed their communication signals and created false leads heading west," Vision informed them. "This should provide us ample time to find Wanda and make our exit."

Natasha slid into the driver's seat and brought the engine back to life. Without further hesitation, Vision leaped into the air and started heading east. His yellow cape billowed behind him and served as a perfect means to keep him in her sights. Sam flew a bit higher, staying on Vision's tail but also keeping a wider view on things. With Natasha's earpiece still fried, she had to rely on Steve to relay any communications that came in.

"How long of a trip are we looking at here, Vision?" Steve asked. The AI didn't need any earpieces to communicate with them.

"Approximately eight minutes," he replied. "I will alter the traffic signals to ensure we meet no red lights."

Steve relayed the information to Natasha.

"I forgot how convenient it is to have a walking computer on our team," Natasha commented.

She stayed quiet after that and just concentrated on following Vision. He was heading southeast. Towards the Isar River, Natasha noticed. If Garrett's team had a boat waiting for them, they could take the river south and be into the mountains in no time. It would be easy to lose them in that unforgiving terrain. Natasha was determined to not let that happen. She pressed the gas pedal down to the floor.

"Oh no…" Vision said.

"What is it?" Steve asked.

"I fear she is waking up."

A few minutes later, the SUV skidded around another corner, emerging onto a service road that lead towards a small wharf. The wharf was gated off, thick iron chains keeping the fence closed at the entryway. Natasha didn't hesitate in ramming the vehicle right through the fence, sending sparks flying as the metal clashed with the front of the vehicle. She brought it to a squealing halt a few yards later. Thankfully for Steve's nose, no airbags deployed this time. The two of them got out of the vehicle. Natasha pulled the batons from her back. Sounds of a struggle could be heard up ahead.

She and Steve started jogging for the source, but Vision came to a sudden land in front of them before they could get too far.

"What are you doing?" Natasha asked.

"It is not safe." He said. "Her power is growing. Becoming unstable. It would be best if you stayed back."

"No way in hell." Natasha said as she brushed past him.

"Nat, wait." Steve said as he went after her. "Maybe we should listen to him."

"We have to help her." Natasha replied. She started jogging.

They came to the docks. Four men were grabbing a struggling Wanda, pulling her out of a vehicle and dragging her towards a boat at the end of the pier. She fought against them, her slender figure no match for their combined strength. Her steps looked a bit sloppy, like she was coming out of a fog. They must have drugged her.

Sam hovered overhead, guns drawn. "They're too close," he said. "I don't have a shot."

"LET ME GO!" Wanda's scream echoed across the water.

Then, a sudden burst of red energy erupted from her. It shot out in every direction, like a bomb creating a huge blast radius. The dome grew, knocking back everything unfortunate enough to be caught inside of it. Two men crashed into the side of the vehicle, which then went crashing off the dock and into the water. Another was sent off the other side of the dock into the water. The blast didn't stop there, though. It kept growing, pushing outward and upward. Sam swore as he kicked his thrusters into gear and sent himself higher into the air to avoid the push of energy.

On the ground, Steve and Natasha came to a skidding halt and watched as the power made its way toward them.

"Go!" Steve said. "Run!"

Acting on instinct, they both turned and ran. The force was quicker, though. It hit them in the back, tossing them forward and sending them careening into a stack of wooden boxes near a small building. The wood splintered under their weight, crashing beneath them. Natasha rolled onto her side as Steve did the same next to her. He gripped his shoulder, a wince on his face as he looked towards the end of the dock. Wanda's power was now rippling like angry red tendrils all around her. It created a current that tossed her hair and jacket around, and threw anything in its path like a rag doll. The river water sloshed angrily against the dock, churning and foaming.

"We have to stop her," Natasha said over the noise. "Before she crushes this place like a tin can!"

She started to move, but Steve grabbed her arm, holding her in place. She looked at him, her brow furrowed in frustration and anger.

"What are you-"

"Look!" He said, pointing with his free hand.

Natasha followed the path and saw Vision, slowly descending down into the red chaos. He was semi-transparent, so the force of Wanda's power wasn't affecting him. There wasn't so much as a ripple in his yellow cape. It was clear by the look on Wanda's face and her rigid form that she wasn't in control. She was at her most dangerous, and yet Vision seemed perfectly calm. Nat found herself gripping Steve's arm, not feeling quite so calm herself.

"I hope he knows what he's doing…" she said.

They watched Vision settle onto the dock in front of Wanda and slowly make his way towards her. He was fully formed, now, but he walked against the current of her energy with steady ease. He came to a stop before her, placing his hands on both sides of her face. It was impossible to hear what he was saying, if he was saying anything at all, but Steve could see Wanda's gaze slowly lift up to meet Vision's. At first, there was only anger on her face. Then, like a rope being cut, all of the tension suddenly dropped out of her. Her eyes lost their red tint, and the swirling power around her suddenly dropped. It hit the ground and splashed outward in one last push of energy that knocked into things and pushed them aside. Then, it was done. The waters began to calm, and the deafening noise that had been all around them was no more.

Wanda's knees buckled, and she sank.

Vision was there to grab her, though. He scooped her up into his arms to keep her from hitting the ground, holding her limp form carefully. Steve and Natasha got to their feet and made their way over. Concern was etched into Natasha's features as she came to a stop before them. She reached out and placed a gentle hand on Wanda's cheek.

"Is she okay?" She asked, her voice tight.

"She has simply depleted her energy," Vision said, lifting his gaze to Natasha's. "She will be alright after she has rested."

Sam landed a few feet away from them. "We've got company on the way." He said as he approached.

It wasn't a surprise. With a demonstration like that, it was a surprise Wanda's powers hadn't been spotted from space. Natasha looked at the boat, which had surprisingly remained docked through all of that.

"We can take that." She said. "Come on."

As she started to make her way towards the watercraft, she noticed that not everyone was moving. Pausing, she turned to see Vision still standing where he was with Wanda in his arms.

"What are you doing?" She asked. "Let's go."

Vision looked a bit sad as he shook his head. "She needs proper rest. Proper care." He said. "Time to recover and to regain control in a stable environment."

"Vision," Steve said, keeping his voice calm, "you can't take her back. They'll just throw her right back into prison."

The AI shook his head. "She would not be the only one," he said. "I… did not ask for permission to come here."

Steve and Natasha exchanged looks.

"Please," Vision said. "I just want what is best for her. Can you… trust me?"

That was easier said than done for Natasha. Steve knew that. It was written all over her face. She wanted Wanda to remain with them, but they had failed to keep her safe. Vision was the one who had been able to not only find her, but to bring her out of whatever chaotic state she'd thrown herself into. If she had a chance with anyone, it was him. Steve placed a hand on Natasha's shoulder.

"We trust you." He told Vision. "Get her someplace safe." Then, he looked to Natasha. "Come on," he said gently. "We have to go."

Natasha remained rooted in place for a few seconds. She stared at Vision long and hard, as if she would be able to see right into his head if she looked hard enough. Of course, that wasn't her specialty. Even if it was, she had no idea what it would look like in there. She could read expressions, though, and if he was anything, Vision was earnest. He looked sincere as he gave a little nod to Natasha and then slowly lifted himself into the air. Nat tilted her head back, watching him ascend before he zoomed off into the sky. Her chest tightened painfully over the fear of not making the right choice, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

"Nat…" Steve's voice broke into her thoughts.

She nodded and jogged the rest of the way to the boat. They untied it from the dock and hopped inside. After a few attempts, they managed to get the motor running.

"We should head north," she told them. The mountains would provide better cover, but they wouldn't have any hope of getting out of Munich if they didn't stick close to civilization.

"I'll scout ahead," Sam announced. Then, he took to the skies.

The boat churned through the water, speeding away from the dock and heading upriver. Steve cast a glance over his shoulder at the chaos that had been left on the wharf. There had been no sighting of Garrett. Steve had to wonder if he'd been close, or if he'd been there at all. For now, it seemed they'd dodged a bullet, but they would never truly be out of the woods until Garrett was behind bars. Sighing, he faced forward again. He stood at the front of the boat next to Natasha. The wind whipped her hair away from her face, revealing the full depth of her scowl. She didn't like this. Steve couldn't blame her. He didn't like it either, but he knew it was Wanda's best chance at recovering. Sighing, he reached over to give Natasha's hand a squeeze.

She interlaced her fingers with his and didn't let go.