Chapter 5 – Many Ions ago…

A/N: Takes place in 2015 approximately 2 years ago. 1 year before the civil war. Also, just a side note this story takes place during the time when homecoming would happen but does not relate to the plot.

Daniel Whitehall was a sturdy man with a dark past. One of the three heads of HYDRA. Grant Ward, Thon Garett, and himself. They ruled the base with an iron fist. Their advancements were thriving and they were learning so much. Thanks to a certain soldier. Daniel had named him winter spyder in honor of their greatest success who later became their greatest failure The winter Spyder knew his place. Almost important, almost special. Almost everything, he had a tendency to care too much, but otherwise, he was obedient, quiet, and most importantly young.

Daniel glanced at his watch. 9:11 testing time. He nodded to the two guards behind him. Good men, loyal, passionate about the cause, good fighters. Daniel watched as the two walked away before turning towards the testing room. His favorite room.

"Whitehall" Ward Spoke walking beside him. Daniel fought the urge to roll his eyes. Ward was such a suck-up. He was even ahead of everyone yet he still fought to be at the top.

"Where are you heading," Whitehall asked, silently praying they weren't going the same way.

"Operation, we got a new one coming in, in..." Ward glanced at his watch, "15 minutes"

"Algorithm or volunteer?" Whitehall questioned, suddenly angry. Ward was going to operate and Whitehall was testing again.

"Volunteers" Ward smirked, "twins, Wanda and Pietro maximoff"

"This is me," Daniel said, teeth clenched he came the door to the testing room giving Ward a small nod. They parted ways. Daniel smiled, alone at last, and opened the door.

The room was large but crowded with equipment. Things you would see in a gym, treadmills lined up against one wall, weights, and such opposite it.

"I can walk on my own" A familiar childish voice said defensively. Then

a loud, "Ouch"

Daniel glanced at his chart again. The last thing they'd tested was Peter's speed and his healing factor. The 'helpers' had enjoyed that, the doctors had been very impressed with the improvement Peter had been. Whitehall remembered when Peter was just a student. Young, naive, then again he didn't have his memories then.

It wasn't long before the teen was shoved in the room. He silenced immediately. Daniel took in his appearance the bruises were still there. A disgusting combination of blue, purple, red, and

yellow. Peter also coupled it with a very dark black eye.

"Ugh" Daniel scoffed, disgusted looking away from the boy. "What's wrong with your face"

No response, then, "It was the tests, Sir" Peter said timidly.

"Are you blaming me, Spyder?" Daniel hissed. The teen shifted.

"No Sir" Peter corrected, "it's for the good of the human race"

Whitehall smiled sinisterly, "Good boy" he praised patting his pet on his head. A knock on the door startled them, Ward poked his head in, much to the annoyance of Whitehall.

"Peter" Ward summoned, motioning with his finger for the Spyder to come. Peter glanced at Daniel in confusion. The man in turn placed his hand roughly on Peter's shoulder making him flinch. The two HYDRA heads ignored it.

"Why do you need it" Daniel demanded. Ward rolled his eyes. "the twins want to see him" Ward drawled. Of course, they did.

Daniel lifted his hand off the boy's shoulder who hurried to follow his other boss. Whitehall followed not far behind keeping a close eye on the spider, his hand rubbing his thumb ever so gently over the bottom to Peter's shock collar.

The door to the operating room was open revealing the two kids who couldn't be much older than 17. One of them, the girl, had fiery red hair, and a just as fiery look in her hazelnut eyes.

She wore a short black dress with a short red jacket. Her brother had matching hazelnut eyes. but he wore an athletic long Steve jacket with black jeans. They sat in two chairs facing the desk which ward quickly claimed, nodding slightly to the twins who turned and glanced at the newcomers. Daniel didn't like the way they looked at him as a lesser than Ward.

"And you are?" He said impatiently. He knew their names, but he wanted to hear it from them, formalities, and all that. The girl scrutinized both Peter and Whitehall who fought the urge to shift under her piercing gaze.

"Wanda" She replied. Whitehall noted her heavy Eastern European accent.

"And you" He proceeded to ask the twin.

"Pietro'' He replied with a matching heavy accent. The man nodded slowly. his eyes flitting between the two.

"Who are you," Wanda asked no longer with a piercing gaze that he'd been given. The spider in front of him glanced up in shock before looking at Whitehall who scoffed and waved his hand in approval.

"Peter" The teen replied, even from behind, Daniel could tell the boy was smiling. Still, he only watched the interaction.

"Got a last name" Pietro added. Peter didn't say anything.

"I- " Peter began, clearly trying to come up with some sort of answer.

"He doesn't have one" Ward saved. Daniel couldn't help but be impressed at Grant's quick thinking. Pietro and Wanda glanced at each other.

"When do we begin," Wanda asked solemnly.

. . .

When the boy walked into the room Wanda barely hid the gasp of horror that escaped her lips. Pied patted her knee comfortingly. The boy didn't look a day over 14. The man, Ward handed Wanda and her brother a packet which they took hesitantly. He looked towards Peter then.

"Take these two to their new rooms," Ward asked, more commanding really. Peter nodded obediently and left. Wanda couldn't all the questions that popped into her head. Like, why was such a young boy doing here, and why was there such a young child here?

"This is it" Peter's small voice broke the silence. Pietro grabbed Wanda's hand.

"Why don't you come in," Wanda asked, intent on learning more about Peter. Peter glanced around before quickly bounding into the room.

"You're the volunteers," Peter asked nervously shifting his weight. Wanda noticed he never looked somewhere for too long, looking somewhere else before she caught his gaze.

"Yeah," she responded. "And you?" Peter bit his lip.

"Volunteered. regretfully" Peter spoke

"What did they do to you?' Wanda's brother chimed in. She noticed the small beads of sweat rolling down Peter's temple.

"Radioactive spider bite gave me mutant-like powers" Peter explained vaguely. Wanda nodded in understanding Ward had told her about the winter program, but she would be going into the infinity exploration. The twins had lost their parents while at dinner. Some sort of bombing happened, and a Stark Matar shell killed them both. From that day both Wanda and Pietro vowed revenge against the infamous billionaire Tony Stark. A knock at the door sounded making all three of them jump in surprise. Ward stuck his head in.

"I see you two are settling in," Ward said kindly to the twins, before turning to Peter. "Daniel is requesting your pre sense in the training room"

Peter immediately tensed, and Wanda glanced at Ward who looked friendly-ish. She had heard about HYDRA but had ultimately decided to take her chances.

"Bye Peter," The twins said in unison, and Peter nodded in their direction before following the older man out of their bedroom. As soon as they thought the two HYDRA agents were out of sight, Wanda and Pietro looked around their new quarters. Two twin beds sat side by side mere inches apart. With two nightstands on the outersides of the beds. On the wall from the end of the bed seat two brown leather notebooks. The room was symmetrical in every way. Perhaps they could decorate.

The following day was the day of experimentation, and Wanda was freaking out. Grant came to retrieve them two guards at his heels. Peter was trailing behind the trio a ways away. Wanda followed them all as they went down the corridor after corridor.

"Are you ready Mr. and Ms. Maximoff?" Ward said cheerfully. The twins grinned. Peter bit his lip. The hydra heads watched expectantly from the operating room window. They walked in.