It was the next morning. Bruce and Natasha had stayed in Emily's home that night while the others stayed in various homes throughout the village. One by one they woke until only Natasha remained. The team met at Emily's hut, careful not to rouse Natasha, having no desire for any fresh bruises. Emily sensed the general uneasiness and smiled. "Waking her is surely not so hard." Everyone just looked at her, nodding their heads with wide eyes.
"She's one scary lady without her beauty sleep." Tony replied quietly. The others mhmmed in agreement. Em rolled her eyes.
"Stay out here then if you're so scared." she quipped. With that, she went inside and quietly approached the female assassin's prone body. She focused on the light of Natasha's mind, nudging it with warm, comforting thoughts. She imagined wrapping Nat's mind-light with a warm blanket and gently stroking it awake, making sure that the woman would still feel rested. Emily gently stroked her friend's hair, whispering, "Nattie, it's time to wake up." The redhead gently stirred as Em continued to gently prod her mentally. Soon enough, the avenger awoke and smiled as she stretched like a cat.
"I swear that was the best night's sleep I've ever had. And I've stayed at the Ritz-Carlton." She narrowed her eyes. "You did something, didn't you?"
Emily blushed and looked sheepish. "It's getting late and I wanted you to still get plenty of sleep, so I may have... just a little..." Nat just smiled and shook her head.
"From now on, only you are allowed to wake me up. Just wait, I might keep you around, Kid. Just watch when you mess with my head. Got it?" Emily laughed and nodded. That's when they noticed the four heads of the men poking nervously into the doorway. Nat made a start at the door, only for the girls to laugh as their friends scurried away from what they thought to be an angry assassin charging them.
Their laughing was cut short by a gunshot, followed by child's scream and sudden yelling of "¡El preso se ha escapado!" There were sounds of running and screaming of another young one. The women immediately ran out of the house to investigate. They followed the sound to where there was nearly every able-bodied person gathered around an escaped Gonzales holding Carlos close to him with a stolen gun to the child's head and young Rosa's corpse at his feet. The frightened child called out for his mother as Steve and Clint held back a screaming Victor and Sonia.
Rage filled Emily as she slowed to a halt to take in what had happened. How did this happen? Head held high and fists clenched, she walked through her people towards this criminal, this scum, who killed one of her own. As they saw her, the villagers quieted. They felt her rage. It burned through her. To them, she seemed a vengeful goddess. Steve and Cint released the couple as they too watched this almost elemental being. Panic sparked in Gonzales' eyes as he gripped the young boy tighter and backed away.
"S-stop! I'll shoot! D-don't come any closer or the niño dies like the girl!" he screamed, practically foaming at the mouth. Emily ignored him and continued to advance. He started to walk away as quickly as he could, keeping the boy between him and the woman. Her eyes suddenly took on a bright golden color and she almost seemed to glow. Not a visible light, but more of a sense that she was. One could feel it just as one could feel her rage.
"STOP." she commanded, her voice taking an otherworldly tone. Silence followed. Complete and total silence as everything stilled. Fear in its purest form was etched into every inch of the drug lord's countenance. This was the terrible Nightsong that he had heard the tales of. He couldn't get himself to move. It was though he was looking into the eyes of venomous snake. He couldn't look away, but he didn't want to watch. "How dare you! You have brought harm my family. You? You who are not fit to breathe the same air as these innocent babes? You who do nothing but kill and destroy our world, our fields for your despicable plants? You are nothing but scum on the street. You are no more than the dirt on a shoe. You do not understand the mistake you've made. There is only one penalty for men like you. Only one reward for the murder of a child." She paused, echoing her spoken words directly into his mind. "Death." Suddenly, he dropped the weeping child, who fled to Sonia's waiting arms, and the pistol and clutched his head, howling in pain. She filled his head. Filled his head with noise. But not just noise. The sounds of the screams of all those he had killed, all the lives he had ruined. Images of the turmoil he had caused. This man, this disgusting maggot, deserved special treatment.
"Emily, stop! This isn't right!" Bruce called. He could feel his blood pressure rising and did his best to calm down. He knew he couldn't last much longer. Emily didn't even glance his way. She was so absorbed in making sure this man felt every ounce of pain in her that she ignored her own brother. Gonzales collapsed to the ground began writhing and convulsing. His wails filled the air. Mothers pushed their little ones behind them and rushed them inside, shielding them from the sight. Steve stepped forward. She had to be stopped, but he could only do that by appealing to her thirst for justice. Gingerly, he stepped towards her. Coming to her, he gently placed one hand on her shoulder.
"Stop this. Not here. Not now. This end would be too quick for him. He deserves to rot in a cell. To be tried and humiliated. Come on, Emily. Let's stop this." he said softly. "Please?" Her invisible glow died slowly as the crime boss ceased wailing and reduced to quivering and sobbing. Emily looked up at Steve, eyes green and full of tears.
"He killed her, Steve. She was 8, and he just killed her. How could he?" She whispered. Steve only shook his head and put held out his hand to lead her away. She took it gratefully. It was soft but strong. Emily could still feel her anger there, ready to take her away, but this soldier, this kind stranger seemed to anchor her to the earth itself. As they walked away, they heard a yell behind them. Emily didn't have to turn to see that Gonzales had picked the gun up again and was pointing it directly at the one he loathed the most: her. Her eyes flashed to gold again as she shoved her friend out of harms way and locked her gaze onto the murderer. He froze, transfixed. He felt a voice whispering things in the back of his mind. Terrible things. To his horror, he found himself lifting his gun to his temple. That was the answer, wasn't it? All he did was kill and destroy. He wasn't fit to live.
The others watched in horror as Julio Gonzales, leader of the Escorpiones Rojos, shot himself in the head. When they turned to look at Emily, she had already turned back away from the sight and begun to walk away, saying simply, "No second chances. Let whatever gods that be deal with him."