𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃

14. 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹

MONICA AND JIMMY SAUNTER INSIDE THE BUILDING OF THE S.W.O.R.D. HEADQUARTERS. The two agents briefly discussed the strange occurrences regarding the missing person's case, to which Monica and Jimmy had discovered that it was more than a mission person--instead, it was the whole town. Their mission had taken a sudden turn that took even Monica by surprise, but she figured the time must've gotten stranger over the five years she, unfortunately, missed out on. Nevertheless, Monica wasn't going to fall to her knees and admit defeat; no, she was going to get to the bottom of this strange occurrence, and she was going to make it her sole duty to find these missing people.

But in the meantime, Monica and Jimmy had reverted their route to the base where she knew Hayward would be, feeling the need to discuss with Hayward any further information. Ever since Monica arrived in New Jersey, she was attracted to Westview once she discovered the town was no longer a town. As confusing as that sounds, Monica has wanted to inspect Westview even further since then; after her short interrogation with the Eastview sheriffs, their statement had conflicted Monica and twisted her brain around. Almost challenging to wrap her mind around the idea of a real town no longer existing.

Monica couldn't understand how she and Jimmy knew the small town, yet the neighboring town hadn't a clue what a Westview was.

Any chances of S.W.OR.D. knowing anything else would benefit Monica and Jimmy by finding their missing town and figuring out the cause of it.

"Why do you think Wanda Maximoff would be targeted out of all the Avengers?" wondered Jimmy out loud.

Monica glanced at him with a raised brow. "Have you seen her?" She scoffed softly, shaking her head as her lips quirked a bit. "She has the power to lift things with her mind and the ability to mess with people's minds. Wanda's powerful, and the world knows it."

"Well, yeah, I know, but . . . why now?" Jimmy frowned. "Why wait this long to do something?" He began to grow worried. "And what about Eszter? She's just as powerful as Wanda. Anyone could've easily gotten to her but didn't."

"Eszter wasn't in America when we discovered something weird was going on here, Agent Woo," informed Monica. "I'm not saying she's not powerful, but wasn't she out of the States and in London, fighting another supervillain?" Monica spared a glance at Jimmy before staring ahead, thinking. "But you're right. It doesn't make sense why they waited this long to seek the Maximoff sisters, but I don't want to keep dwindling on the thought while Eszter is out there for these perpetrators to snatch her up next."

"You don't think they would try and capture her next, do you, Captain Rambeau?"

Monica exhaled, shrugging. "There's no telling what these people would do. From what I've heard, Eszter's powers had increased since her trip to London," she said with a nervous look forming on her features. "Ever since her time with Hydra, we kept note of the sisters and their powers--noting what type of abilities they possess, how they got it, what they can do, and the root of their abilities. Eszter's . . . it was like something changed."

Jimmy frowned with confusion, blinking as he thought hard. "'Changed'? What kind of change are we talking about?"

"Eszter seemed to show signs of molecular deconstruction," noted Monica, looking concerned. "She's never been able to do something like that, not that I've noticed, but . . ." Monica nearly squints her eyes with a thoughtful expression, remembering that moment. "But that's not the only thing. Eszter's showing signs of power growth. I think Eszter's powers are growing more and more than we ever imagined. If that's true, then what can we say about Wanda?"

They were blanketed with the silence that covered them once the realization danced over their heads, allowing the agents to think about the situation and the Maximoff sisters. There wasn't anything Jimmy could say because he was astonished form what he was hearing.