Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #3

Wanda Maximoff is the Scarlet Witch. Her soul cages unending chaos. Minutes ago, she cracked the door. The fury nearly swept her away, so she fled, to a place where she knew she would be safe, to someone who knows her better than most. Her ex-husband, the Vision. The Vision informs Wanda that he has mended her wounds, before asking her what could have caused this. Hanging her head, Wanda informs the Vision that the Wizard hit Lotkill hard, and that he has never been so strong. She reveals that, to survive, she tapped the true Darkhold, tapped Chthon's fury, which was like wrangling a hurricane. 'I thought I could manage the chaos, Vizh... but I had to release it. It had to be let out...'. She wonders if maybe Pietro was right to treat her like a time bomb. With several bandages across her body, Wanda looks up at the Vision, who is partially phased out of the room, as the Vision informs Wanda that he does not share her brother's assessment. 'You are no time bomb, but the opposite'.

The Vision tells Wanda that no vessel, even her, is truly unbreakable. 'Pressure builds, hence the pressure valve. Ancient power screams within you. Siphoning that is no failure. You are engaging in chaos...rather than burying it. You are, I would argue, now  truly managing your demons' the Vision suggests. 'Some of my demons' Wanda responds. She remarks that endless chaos is nothing compared to Pietro, and informs the Vision that she and her brother blew up – again. 'We'd just saved the Skypiercer. A satellite. We were working, but there was a letter...a last, cruel wish from Magneto. It would've crushed Pietro... so I destroyed it. He...was displeased. He ran. The Wizard wanted us apart – he got it. But he didn't send the letter. I believe it was his master – the angel he claims blessed him with an upgrade' Wanda explains. 'I see. And it was during the Skypiercer rescue that this letter arrived. Intriguing' the Vision responds, noting that a dimensional-scanning station like the Skypiercer requires heavy data storage, before informing Wanda that as she rested, he researched, and reports that the Wizard owns the station through a shell corporation, one with deeds to a server farm off the coast of Belize. 'Might we investigate?' the Vision suggests.

Above the Caribbean Sea, the Wizard is in his vessel, connected to it via a large helmet. His soldiers refer to him as the General, and inform him that the hive-feed is active. 'As you can see, we've engaged target one' one of the Frightful Four Hundred reports, before announcing that Quicksilver isn't alone – there is another speedster. 'Not speedster, soldier. Speed. What an unexpected uncle-nephew reunion...' the Wizard decides, before instructing his operatives to hold backup, as they must not act in haste, but set a new trap. He then instructs his crew to adjust their course for the Grotto. 'But General Wizard – we're networked! We can't desert those soldiers. The hive-feed...we'll all feel them go. Please, General! We can bodyslide in and save them! We can -' the soldier begins, before screaming as the Wizard tells the soldier to stop whining. 'The Frightful Four Hundred are limbs...I'm the brain. I give the orders. Like this one – the rest of you, clean up this sack of coward!' the Wizard declares as the soldier slumps to the ground. The Wizard then instructs his crew to monitor the targets, as they have both uncovered enough crumbs to locate the Grotto. 'I'm off to give me angel the good news' he reports.

Beneath Minnesota, Pietro Maximoff a.k.a. Quicksilver and his nephew, Tommy Sherpherd a.k.a. Speed race past several of the Frightful Four Hundred. 'Ha!' Speed laughs. Quicksilver glances at his nephew and notes that he is smiling. 'Should I not be?' Speed asks. 'Keep to the plan, Thomas – we've put whole seconds into it' Quicksilver reminds him. The Frightful Four Hundred soldiers raise their weapons, 'Forget the kid! Target one is the mission!' one of them shouts. 'Target one. So impersonal' Quicksilver decides as he darts about, dodging the weaponsfire. 'Generally, one knows me before hating me' Quicksilver smiles. 'Who needs hate? We've got orders' one of the soldiers responds. 'Problems, too' Speed suggests as he darts past the soldiers. 'That buzzing -' one of the soldiers begins. 'No – no no no!' another calls out. 'Totally yes' Speed grins as he slides up to his uncle. 'I'd say it's been fun – but you've all been dreadful' Quicksilver remarks, before all of the soldiers explode.

'Hell yes! That's the beauty of molecular agitation, dude...one pinch! One pinch – and I charged those clowns up until they popped like soda cans! Did you see that?' Speed calls out, but gets no response. 'Uncle Pietro?' he asks, turning, but sees that his uncle has vanished. 'What took you?' Quicksilver frowns as he stands outside on the street, and Speed arrives at his side. 'Come on, how fast were you at my age?' Tommy asks. 'You'll never know... but it's possible you saved me life. Not probable, but possible. 'Wow. And it's possible I regret it. Seriously, we've never been super close...if you were in trouble, why not call my mom?' Speed asks. 'I assume you mean Wanda, not the New Jersey divorcee?' Quicksilver asks, informing Speed that, at the moment, they aren't speaking. 'Are you both not speaking? Or are you not speaking to her?' Speed asks.

Speed then realizes if his uncle is target one, his mom might be a target, too. 'I can't lose anyone else – I already...I lost my boyfriend. He...David died at the Hellfire Gala. No – Orchis killed him. And I wasn't there. I wasn't there...' Tommy's voice trails off, before asking his uncle to let him help. 'I need to help. Whatever this is, I won't let it get you both. I can't' Tommy utters. Quicksilver looks away, before turning back to the younger speedster and telling him that a trap is one thing, but that he now knows where these epidurium drones were built. 'Don't insult me by offering aid for mere espionage. You have your own mission, Thomas. Avenge this David of yours. Honor him...and destroy anyone who did him harm' Quicksilver suggests to his nephew. 'I will save myself and your mogther. But consider this – if I die...you'll finally be the fastest in the family'. Quicksilver then speeds away, leaving Tommy grinning.

At the Caribbean Sea, 'You're sure this is right? It's beautiful, Vizh...but it's no corporate outpost' the Scarlet Witch remarks as she and the Vision hover above a pool of water surrounded by small pieces of land. The Vision tells Wanda that the water circulates to cool the servers, and the truth hides beneath, which the Vision thinks is apt. 'As I must tell you, I question your hiding the truth from your brother' the Vision adds. As the former husband and wife move closer to the water, Wanda reminds the Vision that her brother already died by Magneto's hand once, and that he does not need more pain.

The Vision suggests to Wanda that perhaps Pietro reasoned the same when shielding her in the past. 'In those times...would you not have wished for a say in the matter? Why repeat his mistakes?' As the two super heroes walk across the water, the Vision notes that Wanda speaks with care, but in truth, he does not hear compassion, merely pettiness. 'A squabble between siblings. One of you is above that' the Vision states. '...I suppose we'll find out, won't we?' Wanda responds. 'Assuming we survive this expedition, yes. But there is motion below. Allow me to go ahead... and announce our arrival' the Vision declares as he drops down into the water beneath him.

Within the facility hidden beneath the depths, the Vision encounters a number of the Frightful Four hundred and begins engaging them in combat, while one of them attempts to contact their General, warning him that they are under attack. 'The Grotto's been breached by -' one of them begins, before the Vision phases a hand through the soldier's head: 'A more dynamic life-form' he declares. He phases his hand through another of the soldiers and realizes they are made from epidurium, a rare metal, but weak. He then slams his fists on the ground, knocking several of the soldiers back, while telling them that their hive-feed cracks just as easily. 'I see what you see... and what your general sees' the Vision declares, before announcing that this is the Wizard's house, and that his former wife is sure to be pleased.

'Do I not look pleased?' Wanda asks as she lowers herself into the complex, several of the Frightful Four Hundred seemingly melting at her command. 'You certainly seem invigorated, Wanda' the Vision notes. 'Why brood when I could be ruining the Wizard's day?' Wanda smiles. 'Day's not over, target two!' a voice calls out. Wanda and the Vision turn and see someone looming over them. 'That's a big one' Wanda notes. 'There is a robustness to him' the Vision agrees, as a large, blue-skinned being lumbers towards the Avengers. 'Four hundred frightful soldiers...and only one Berserker' the creature introduces itself, before welcoming the Scarlet Witch and Vision to the Grotto. 'The General's orders were simple enough... squeeze until ya pop!' he declares as begins to grab Wanda by her head. Wanda responds by unleashing a heat charm. 'Not bad. Target two, sadly, this one don't melt' the Berserker boasts. 'But do you break?' the Vision asks, while at that same time, something fast, very fast, speeds across the water above, down through the depths and into the Grotto.

'Break? Ain't nothing made that could -' the Berserker begins, before Quicksilver speeds around the creature, slamming an arm against him, forcing the Berserker to release Wanda. An instant later, the Berserker explodes. 'Wanda. And Vision. Surprised to see me?' Pietro asks. 'Your vibrations were easily noticed – that is to say – you are loud' the Vision responds, while Wanda folds her arms, unimpressed. 'I hum. Like a holy engine. Targeted as well, then, Wanda? You'll note I'm target one' Pietro boasts. Wanda looks at her brother and tells him that the Skypiercer, Magneto's note and now the Frightful Four Hundred suggests they were set up. 'Set up and split up...by the Wizard. We might've beaten him, but you ran' Wanda reminds her brother. 'I retained a shred of autonomy from the clutches of my imperious sister. This is no truce, Wanda. The Wizard may want to kill us... but that fuschia fool didn't make you burn a damn thing' Quicksilver snarls.

Back aboard the Wizard's vessel, the Wizard is not wearing his helmet as he listens to a report from one of the soldiers, who inform him that target one has destroyed the Minnesota team. 'Copy. Analyze postmortem data. Learn what you can and maintain course' the Wizard commands, before he kicks his helmet across the room in a rage. Suddenly, a voice calls out 'Wizard' and the villain looks scared, looking upwards, he utters' Imminence... I assume you heard? Your wisdom vastly elevates my strength, and yet... the twins elude me. Though – though they do herd themselves into a new trap as we speak!' The voice of Imminence is heard responding: 'And so they must. All that is has begun. All that begins must have its end, in time. That is the quiet math that supports creation. The truth these twins would obstruct. Do you know what endless growth is, my Wizard?' the voice asks.

Imminence manifests as a winged vision in front of the Wizard, who gets down onto one knee as Imminence tells him that it is cancer, that is what the twins are – tumors poisoning the future. 'Rare beings who can upend the design, their feeds, their so-called heroism, seem small...but every chain reaction begins with a single split atom. The twins are those atoms. They must be ended, lest they wound reality beyond repair. Did I not show you as much...when you first pierced the sky and caught my gaze?' the being asks. 'You showed me the end, Imminence' the Wizard utters. 'The end is the truth' Imminence responds, extending a hand to the Wizard, pointing out that he fails to defend it, and soon, he will know more than her voice. 'I have courted the Grand Bazar of the Trader. Once my terms are met...I will at last be free to travel creation, by the grace of my shining sword. And if Earth does not greet me with two very specific funerals. The first I celebrate... will be yours' Imminence warns the Wizard, before vanishing.

Back beneath the Caribbean Sea, the Vision phases into the floor, while Quicksilver stands with his arms folded as he asks his sister why the Wizard would attack them. 'I've long felt the Wizard was biologically driven to beclown himself' Quicksilver adds, before Wanda explains that the Wizard believes he's got orders from on high, a powerful backer he calls an angel. 'We -' Wanda begins, before her brother tells her 'We nothing. If we're in such danger – perhaps destroying key intel was unwise?' he suggests. 'Perhaps you're effective now because I spared you a cruel distraction' Wanda proposes. Quicksilver shrugs and reminds his sister that Magneto was cruel by nature. 'A new missive couldn't possibly bother me more than -' Quicksilver begins, before the Vision returns and tells  the twins that he hates to interrupt their carefully measured discussion, before reporting that he took the opportunity to explore. He announces that the Grotto is much more than the Wizard's data cache, and asks them to join him on the sublevel. 'You will see it is also a -' the Vision begins, before Wanda makes the floor beneath her give way and tells the Vision that she will be right down, while Quicksilver speeds away, declaring that he will see for himself.

The three Avengers regroup in some sort of laboratory, where dozens of stasis tanks are filled with the Frightful Four Hundred soldiers. 'It's a factory, then? Wonderful' Quicksilver mutters. 'A nursery' Wanda suggests. 'All the more reason to burn it' Quicksilver remarks, but Wanda disagrees. Quicksilver looks up at one of the tanks and states that he is serious. He explains that the epidurium drones are of one mind, doubtless the Wizard's, so destroying them would be like ripping off hundreds of the Wizard's fingers. 'In other words, a delight' Quicksilver proposes. The Vision agrees with Wanda that it is a nursery, somehow, that the Wizard is propagating epidurium like true flesh. 'The Frightful Four Hundred are grown, not built. There is vast science here' the Vision explains. Wanda adds that there is also sorcery, a cosmic sorcery beyond most earthbound warlocks, beyond even the Wizard – but not his backer, not his angel.

The Vision reports that he may have a theory: 'Two targets – two concepts. The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Wanda's magical talent is obvious. But you, Pietro...your speed harnesses physics. Science and sorcery. Two great means of making the unknown known. If the Wizard follows a higher being, perhaps this is why he has targeted you' the Vision proposes. Wanda remarks that the Wizard said they threatened some great plan, said it wasn't religion, it was empirical truth. 'The Wizard believes he's seen the end of everything...and I may have seen it too. Hoping to divine the sender of Magneto's letter, I was struck by a vision. An endless nothingness – the wizard's angel, perhaps' Wanda explains. 'Fascinating. Lives, even galaxies, come and go. But on a grand enough scale...there will be a final heat death to creation. I have watched you both of late. You, Wanda... are stronger. You, Pietro, are faster. You vibrated though solid matter like it was nothing. Whether consciously or not, you have both grown in power, even redefined your power' Vision announces.

'But, Vision, that's -' Wanda begins, before Quicksilver races over and points a finger at the Vision, asking him if he has been spying on them. 'HOW DARE YOU?' Quicksilver shouts. 'Why? Because you don't trust us?' Quicksilver asks. 'No, Pietro. When watching you in person or in the news – I do not do so out of distrust. I do so because, married to Wanda or not, I consider you both family. I do so because I care' the Vision reveals, causing Quicksilver to go wide-eyed with surprise.

At that moment, the Wizard instructs his hive-feed to scan for life signs.

'That is generous of you, Vision...but I don't need someone to care. I need someone to be useful' Quicksilver responds. He states that the Wizard tried to murder his sister, so he must find him and show him the joy of having his eyes plucked out between blinks.

One of the Frightful Four Hundred confirms that there are three intruders in the Grotto, and the Wizard snaps his fingers.

There is a rumbling, which Wanda realizes is coming from above. 'Pietro – find us a way -' Wanda begins, but before she can even finish her sentence, Pietro speeds over to her and reports that he checked the entire facility, and there is no way out – but up. 'And we have less than seconds – less than a thought!' Quicksilver utters.

Above the Grotto, the Wizard hovers mid-air, a typhoon forming, as he concentrates on targets one and two, as well as a bonus. 'Kind of them to gather beneath the tip of the spear' he remarks, while one of his soldiers warns him that a typhoon drill will destroy the Grotto. The Wizard tells his soldier to relax, as factories can be rebuilt. 'You have your orders. I have mine' he remarks, announcing that his angel is soon to come. 'She who bore you – and gifted me with her great wisdom. She demands two funerals, soldier. And if I've learned one thing... you never keep an angel waiting!'

Back inside the Grotto, the Avengers look up as the ceiling above them is bored into by the typhoon drill, and rubble begins to fall towards them....