Displaced

chapter thirteen

"Well, there really is only one thing left to do." All eyes turned to Zatanna as the magician stood up abruptly and faced the rest of the group with her hands on her hips.

"What are you talking about?" Conner asked, mildly peeved that she was blocking his view of the movie.

Zatanna ignored him and turned to Wanda. "They don't trust you."

Wanda put on a look of shock and hurt, glancing over at the team.

"Z! Why-"

"She deserves to know." Zatanna shifted to face the team a bit more. "And like I was saying, there is really only one thing to do."

"Are you...are you kicking me off the team?"

"What? No! I'm talking about a mind link exercise." When all she got was confused looks in return, Zatanna sighed. "We all go into Wanda's mind, seeing her memories to get to know her better? Only if you allow us to, Wanda."

Wanda felt anxiety run through her. If she let them fully into her mind then...Wanda would just have to be careful, only showing them certain memories as a misdirect.

So she nodded. "I want you guys to trust me, so I will allow it."

Zatanna beamed at her. "Great, well, no time like the present. Everyone, sit on the floor in a circle." The others begrudgedly did as they were asked, sitting down in a circle. Zatanna looked over at Wanda. "Whenever you're ready."

Wanda nodded, closing her eyes to focus. She pulled the team into her mind via mind link, deciding to start with an early memory.

Inside Wanda's mind...

The team blinked, looking around when they saw an unfamiliar surrounding. They were standing inside a rundown home, watching as a scene played out in front of them.

A small girl, about five, was playing with a boy that looked strikingly like her.

Everyone turned to look at Wanda, who was staring at the pair of children with a fond smile. Artemis looked between Wanda and the two children, putting two and two together. "Wanda, is this you and Pietro?"

Wanda nodded, eyes never leaving her brother. "We are five here, at the orphanage.  One of the more peaceful times in my life." Wanda's eyes darkened as the scene changed, the twins aging up. "But of course, like everything in my life, nothing good lasts long."

The twins were eight now and they weren't alone. A group of five men in pressed suits were surrounding them, frowns plastered on their faces.

"Children, please, we are trying to help you." One of the men spoke, approaching the two children while Pietro pushed Wanda behind him.

Wanda glared at the men, her eyes glowing scarlet. "Leave us be."

"So it is the girl." One of the other men grinned. "That will make this easier."

"Do not touch my sister." Pietro glared, stepping further in front of Wanda.

One of the men pulled out a small gun, firing two rounds at the twins and hitting both of them. They looked down in shock to see a needle sticking out of each of them.

"See? Didn't touch your sister."

The memory faded and the team looked at Wanda in a stunned silence as an inside of a laboratory materialized. Wanda flinched when she realized what this was.

Wanda, who was eleven in this, was sitting on a medical table in a hospital gown, glaring at the scientist in front of her. He ignored her, pointing at the screen to a lab technician.