Almost done, just a few more chapters. Shout out to Elizabetch, RedPlanetGalaxy, Onlyinitforthestories2, CaveHobo, and Toujour-Pur-XXX for favoriting, alerting, and reviewing. Thanks guys. Once again, mental Sokovian, Spoken Sokovian. Let us continue!
After the news was over Pietro and Wanda had mentally discussed what they would do. It would be late, possibly around one or two in the morning when they would leave. The Sokovians knew Mexico was a popular area to disappear to but they were too far and with their pale skin, they would stand out more. Canada it was. Apparently the people of the North were quite polite and kind so Wanda was hoping that would work to their advantage in finding some place to live quickly. They would have to keep an eye on the progress of the Accords so they could keep track of which countries they would be able to bounce back and forth with.
They would take Steve or Sam's car, whichever was still here. The two men tended to have regular or older cars as opposed to Stark's numerous models that were high tech and no doubt having a tracking device on it. Plus they were sure F.R.I.D.A.Y was installed on the vehicles. Natasha was also a fan of fancy, fast cars but they were too noticeable and the last thing they needed was to draw attention as they left.
Before they did leave the city however, Pietro would take both of their bank cards and collect as much money from their accounts as they could to be exchanged once they entered the neighboring country. He would only be on camera for a split second before disappearing completely and finding another ATM across the city. With the others in Europe it'd be harder for Vision to find him.
For the rest of the day Wanda avoided the synthetic man, leaving an area as soon as he came near. She was a little mad at him but it was Stark she was very angry with but as he wasn't at the compound, his creation was the closest thing. She knew it wasn't his fault but treating her that way, it upset her. Stark treating her like some monster that needed to be cage and hidden away. Pietro had wanted to know what happened but she'd managed to hold him off by promising to tell him later. So the hours had dwindled away, night time falling and the other non-Avenger employees disappearing. It was just the four of them.
During the late afternoon Wanda and Pietro played with Jamie as much as they could, so she would fall asleep fast. She normally slept through the night but as they were leaving very early the next morning Wanda wanted her daughter to get as much rest as possible. Because she was not a happy child if she didn't get enough sleep.
So a little after seven Wanda fed and bathed her before setting her down to try and fall asleep. Jamie had been suspicious, glancing at the clock in their room but regardless of her enhancement she fell victim to her exhaustion and was deeply sleeping by seven thirty. After that was a waiting game.
Pietro had made himself and her dinner, something simple, all the while stashing non-perishables along with Steve's energy bars in a bag and blurring it all to his room to be packed later. Once that was done they waited around, Wanda and Pietro both hopping from one area to another, not leaving each other alone.
Which was why they both jumped up in alarm at the loud explosion on the outskirts of the compound.
They were on the communal floor, kitchen and conference room behind them as they gazed out the window studying the large flaming mushroom cloud. She gripped her twin's hand.
"They've come for me."
He gripped her back. "They come for no one. We leave now."
Vision materialized next to the pair. "Stay here please." He disappeared out the wall toward the destruction.
Before Wanda could do anything she felt another presence behind them. Reaching with her scarlet she gripped the knife on the counter and threw it at the intruder. Only to stop it a couple inches away from the blonde man's face.
He pushed the knife away with a smirk. "Is this the kind of greeting I get?"
"Oh my God."
"Old man!"
"Clint, what are you doing here?" She glanced at Pietro. "Did you call him?" He shook his head.
"Well, disappointing my kids for one thing." Clint brought out two arrows, lancing them into the wall and kitchen counter across from each other. "We're suppose to go waterskiing."
"So the explosion was a distraction?" Pietro glanced out the window.
Clint shrugged and smiled again. "Yeah."
He shared the older man's grin. "Perfect."
"What are you really doing here?" Wanda asked, Pietro and her following Clint as he headed for the stairwell.
"Cap needs us." Was his only answer.
Wanda hurried after the older man, matching his stride. "Steve and Sam are okay? What about-"
"Clint." The trio paused when hearing Vision behind them. "You should not be here."
The three of them turned slowly, Pietro maneuvering in front of her. Wanda could see how tense Clint was along with the way Vision held himself. He wasn't gonna let them go without a fight.
"Really? I thought I didn't need an excuse to come see the team. But with everything that's happened I can see how you'd be bent out of shape. I retired for, what, five minutes and it became a shit show."
Vision stepped closer to their group. "Please, Clint, consider the consequences of your actions here tonight."
Clint looked thoughtful. "Oh, they've been considered."
Suddenly the arrows that Clint had planted came to life, arches of electricity shooting out and attacking whatever was in their path. Which happened to be Vision.
"Okay, time to go."
Wanda knew the arrows wouldn't be able to hold off Vision for long. And she needed to stay with Clint to defend him if need be. "Pietro, go and get Jamie."
Her brother disappeared and she chased after Clint who slammed open the door to the stairwell, heading downward.
"Clint where is the transportation?"
They reached the second stairwell. "North side of the building."
"Pietro, north side."
Reaching the ground floor they swiftly found the emergency exit, stepping outside only for Clint to whip out an arrow and shoot it at Vision as he dropped from the sky. Wanda leapt back, watching as the arrow sailed through the android and Vision replied with a strike to the chest that sent Clint flying several feet.
"Pietro, stay away until I call for you."
"Son of a bitch." Clint muttered as he got back up, whipping out an arm, the metal asp baton extending. "Knew I should have stretched."
Both men took a step forward, intent on battling.
"That's enough." Wanda stepped between them, keeping her arms down but letting the scarlet out and dance around her fingers threateningly. Clint took a step back but kept an eye on Vision who was watching Wanda. "Pietro, Jamie, and me are leaving, Vision."
"I can't let you."
"I know." She flicked her wrists, scarlet reaching out for the yellow power source. His entire body glowed red and Wanda gritted her teeth as she pressed. Vision slowly buckled, the ground under his feet cracking and shifting from the output Wanda was giving off.
"If you go through with this, they will never stop being afraid of you."
"There will always be someone who will fear or hate me, regardless of what I do or don't do. Those nameless, faceless people don't matter to me. Only my family matters. They come first." Wanda gave a powerful push with her scarlet and the ground beneath gave way, sending Vision downward. She kept going, pushing and pressing as much as she dared.
Finally she let go, the glow disappearing from her hands as she looked down the pitch black hole in the ground.
Clint joined her, giving off a whistle at the depth. He looked over at her, seeming impressed. "Been holding out on me. Come on, Cap wants to talk to you and we got a couple more stops."
She followed after him as they headed north across the grounds, mentally calling for Pietro.
Her twin appeared at her side, handing off her bag while keeping the other two. Jamie was awake and owl-eyed, strapped on his back in her carrier.
Clint gave Pietro a nod and Wanda saw him look at their bags but he didn't ask about it. "Let's move."
They chased after him through the woods, keeping an eye on their surroundings. She didn't take Jamie away from her brother, knowing he could get her to safety quicker than she could. Besides, she was the bigger threat. If anyone came after them, she would be their target.
"Where's the toaster?"
"Far below us." They didn't speak again, not until they came upon Clint's quinjet, flat black and camouflaged into the dark background.
"Buckle up kids. We gotta go." Clint instructed them as they quickly filed in, the siblings throwing their bags on the floor as they worked Jamie out of her carrier and into the jet's custom baby seat.
Within minutes they were in the air, blasting off away from what had been Wanda's family's home for the past year.
Now that the excitement was over Jamie had fallen back asleep half an hour into their flight, Pietro asleep next to her. Wanda refused her own exhaustion, in case she needed to defend their jet. But it also allowed Clint his opportunity. He caught her eye and hooked a finger at her, beckoning her to the co-pilot's seat.
"You wanna tell me why you were already packed?"
She hadn't even fully sat down when he asked. She leaned back. A part of her didn't want to say but she trusted Clint, ever since Ultron. "We were gonna leave. The three of us. Tonight."
"Because of the Accords?"
She looked over at him. "Do you know them well?"
He scoffed. "I don't need to know them well to know they're complete bullshit. I can see why it would be a good idea but as an applied idea? Not so much." He pressed the autopilot, turning to look at her. "I worked for Shield for years, doing different types of missions for them. Even assassinations. I told myself that they were bad people, that they would do horrible things and hurt tons of people. But when I found out Shield was Hydra? I couldn't help thinking that all the things I did, all the people I killed, it was all a lie. That it was possible that those people were innocent the entire time. I can't help compare the Accords and the UN with Shield and Hydra."
Wanda nodded. "Pietro said it would be a hundred and seventeen countries wanting a hand on the leash."
Clint snorted. "Kid's not wrong. You can't know if others have hidden agendas. Plus adding the fact that the UN is notorious for debating a decision for weeks, if not months. The things we deal with need quick decisions and immediate action, we can't waste time arguing for weeks while people are dying. And then you got the countries that didn't sign but if something happens and they need assistance but aren't given it? All that'll do is prompt them to make their own Avengers team. It'll be a giant mess."
Wanda hadn't thought about it from that perspective. It made sense. It was only gonna get worse. She felt Clint nudge her.
"But that's not the reason you were gonna leave. What about the Accords set you off?"
Wanda glanced behind her at her daughter and brother, both still asleep. "When they would have come for me, they would have found out about Jamie. As the daughter of the Scarlet Witch, they would want to know if she had abilities. They would have taken her, done tests, place a tracking device on her. She's not even two years old Clint. Would they return her to me? Would I ever see her again? I couldn't take the chance."
The blonde man was quiet, thoughtful. "After I joined Shield, I told myself I wouldn't hurt or kill anyone without it being a mission. I was done with that life. But if anyone tried to come after my family? Tried to hurt them? I wouldn't bat an eye. I'd cut down and kill whoever I had to, to keep them safe. It can be hard being on a team with people who don't have kids. They don't understand that urge to protect, to kill if need be for your family. So, as far as I'm concerned, you were in the right."
"Thank you." Wanda leaned back in her seat, wondering if she should tell him. Might as well. "I have been thinking of leaving for a few months now."
Clint glanced at her sharply. "The team? As an Avenger?"
Wanda stayed looking out the window. "I was on a mission when Jamie took her first steps. Pietro taught her to swim because I was busy in Europe. When her birthday came up we were somewhere in Malaysia. We had to have her party two weeks later. Her first word was in Sokovian. Mama. But I wasn't there." She looked over at Clint, keeping her voice steady. "I am missing Jamie growing up."
Clint nodded, his face blank. "I missed Cooper and Lila's births. I managed to get Lila's first steps but I missed Cooper's and both of their first words. When Laura told me she was pregnant with Nate, I told myself this was gonna be different. I was gonna be done."
"And here you are?"
Clint smiled. "Yeah well, when Steve called and told me what was going on, I couldn't not help. Laura actually packed my bag and kicked me out of the house."
Wanda smiled before she latched onto what Clint had said. "What happened Clint? With Steve, Sam, and James?"
He raised an eyebrow at her before glancing back at Pietro and Jamie. "I'll call him, go wake your brother."
It took a few nudges but Pietro came awake with a jolt and a snort. Wanda quietly laughed before telling her brother that Clint was calling Steve. They both sneaked by Jamie and congregated in the cockpit, Wanda taking her seat back while Pietro stood between the chairs.
The small flip phone in Clint's hands was on speaker, ringing three times before the line connected.
"Guys?"
"Steve what happened? Is everyone okay?"
"Yeah we're okay, a little bruised but still alive."
"What's going on that you need help?" Trust her brother to cut to the core.
Steve was quiet for a few seconds. "There's five other Winter Soldiers out there. And someone's about to activate them."
Anyone figure it out yet? The next chapter should reveal a lot. Let me know what you guys think about this chapter! See you later. Peace Out. -Mez
