Wanda's Vision

Chapter 4: Broadcast

Cynthia and Jimmy head back towards the base camp and approach the now-gathering crowd of agents around the Director. Even if they were gone for what felt like a few minutes, the camp appears to have expanded further with new vehicles and tents being set up, along with a landing platform for incoming supplies and/or people.

Hayward is walking from the helicopter, ordering everyone around due to his high rank and trying to remain level-headed with the developing situation. He's handed a tablet with all the current information and he begins to tap and develop new instructions.

"All right. So, uh... In the meantime, one of you guys check in on Hutch, make sure he's ready to get those drones up in the air. Okay? Give him a hand. Thanks."

"His ambition feeds his ego does it not?" Cynthia smirks.

"I know plenty of guys like this. If the power didn't go straight to their heads, then maybe the world wouldn't be so corrupt and there wouldn't be a need for super-powered heroes or teams to save the day all the time," Jimmy mutters aloud. He realizes who he's talking to. "Sorry... I didn't mean to..."

"No offence taken," the young woman smiles. "Your anxiety around powered individuals is completely understandable, and I do agree with you wholeheartedly. Most things in life can be considered good, it's us humans and the decisions we make that cause corruption and evil... and sometimes it's those with the powers that bring the trouble... but that's neither here nor there at the moment."

Jimmy simply nods as Hayward approaches the two.

"Ms. Roberts, glad you made it all right."

"Same for you Agent Hayward."

"Director," the man corrects. "I see you've met Jimmy Woo. Always a pleasure."

"Director," the agent says, still giving the man respect, perhaps more than he deserved.

Cynthia then flicks her wrist and teleports Hayward's tablet into her hands.

"I imagine that these plans are to drive the drone into the anomaly?" Cynthia asks, scrolling through the images of S.W.O.R.D.'s latest drone designs. "Perhaps you should go with less conspicuous colours."

Hayward does a double-take before taking his tablet back quickly. Thunder is rumbling above and soon the rain comes. Cynthia and Jimmy follow the Director as he goes over to a group of agents who appear to be getting a man ready to enter the anomaly. The man is dressed in a hazmat suit and the crew has removed a manhole cover in preparation for the next phase of their plan. It would not take a psychic like Cynthia to know what they were planning.

"You good to go?" Hayward asks over the rain.

The man, Agent Franklin nods. "Yes, sir."

"These sewers will take you straight into town. Try to find anything you can on Rambeau," Hayward orders.

"Copy that," he says before beginning to climb down into a manhole in the street.

Another man uses a radio. "Agent Franklin. We're gonna keep this channel open for you.

"Copy."

"Keep me updated," the Director shouts over the rain before he and his apparent "entourage" head inside one of the main tents.

"Director Hayward, between you, me, and the bedpost, I am not confident about this mission," Jimmy says with concern.

"Thanks for the feedback, Jimmy. If only my drones were as forthcoming."

"There's no reason to suspect the perimeter doesn't extend subterraneously," the FBI agent points out.

"There's no reason to suspect it does."