Night Visions

Chapter 15

"He'll call."

Wanda looked up from her phone to find Natasha watching her. Her smile was meant to be encouraging, but Wanda shook her head.

"I do not trust Tony Stark."

"Seems to be going around." Natasha pressed flat against the wall, signaling for Wanda to be quiet as she peered around the next corner. The warehouse was abandoned, but they had received word that Captain America's former partner – the man that he had spent months hunting – had been sighted here. Stark was looking for him, too. That was enough to make Wanda want to find him first.

"You're clear on the plan?"

Wanda nodded. "Steve and Sam will keep him distracted. You will get me close."

"Steve thinks he's starting to remember. He claims the Winter Soldier saved him when they fought in D.C. But don't underestimate what Hydra did to him. I... know what it's like to have someone in your head."

"So do I."

"We get close, it's up to you to see how much of him is really left."

"I understand."

Natasha led the way, holding her gun out ahead of her. Rogers might not think the man would harm them, but Wanda shared Natasha's skepticism. Still, she found herself distracted.

"Has Dr. Banner called?"

Natasha stiffened without turning around. "We missed our window. Not like you. Vizh will be back." She stopped, staring up through a hole in the ceiling. "Maybe sooner than you think."

Wanda followed her gaze. The sky outside was overcast, empty except for the clouds. Then she saw them, circling above the building. Iron Man, War Machine... and Vision.

Natasha touched a finger to her comm. "We've got company."

"I see them." Steve's voice was hushed. "We'll handle it. You keep going. Find Bucky."

As the comm switched off, Natasha sighed. "If Stark's here, we're running out of time. We have to—"

"Split up."

She could see the doubt in Natasha's eyes. "We work as a team. That's the plan."

"I can take care of myself. This is faster."

"And what if you find him? The Winter Soldier, not—"

"I understand the mission." Natasha thought she would go after Vision. She wanted to, more than anything, but she had a job to do. Pulling her gaze from the sky above them, Wanda squared her shoulders. "I can handle this Winter Soldier."

Natasha hesitated, looking to a flight of stairs ahead of them. "I'll go up. You go down." She lifted her gun, stalking ahead. "But you find him, you call for backup."

Wanda nodded. Up would take her closer to the roof, to Vision, so Natasha had sent her down. Wanda couldn't entirely blame her.

As Natasha's footsteps faded away above, Wanda made her descent. She went slowly into the darkened basement, energy dancing ready between her fingers. Reaching out with her mind, she tried to get a sense of the place, find some trace of the others. Natasha had warned her that the Winter Soldier might be able to shield his mind, use special tricks to keep her out, but she had taken down the Avengers. One man would not be a problem. Instead she reached upward, sensing Natasha on the stairs, Stark and Rhodes in the sky above. If she could only touch Vision's mind, maybe she could sense why he was working with Stark. He wouldn't betray them, betray her, not like—

A click echoed in the darkness. She felt the cool metal of a gun barrel pressed to her temple.

"Don't move." The voice was rough, the whisper hoarse. From the corner of her eye, she could just make out the man standing behind her. He was bearded, haggard, but his eyes were clear and cold.