We Will Say Hello Again

Three

Val looks out her office windows at SHEILD, the Washington monument visible even from the few miles they are away from it. The floor she's on is high, so the view is great, per her request.

"No, listen, John, don't worry. I'll be getting you out in the field shortly. Trust me. These things just take time. Believe me, I want you out there just as much as the next guy doesn't. Right. Okay. Just hang tight. And don't ever call me again. I call you."

She turns around in her swivel chair. The moment she hangs up the phone her office doors burst open and in walks the blonde Russian she recruited a few months ago. But Val would never tell her that.

"You're a liar," she bites, accent thick.

"Correct. Is there something you needed? You know I can't get you that raise."

"You lied to me!" Yelena shouts, marching forward and slamming her fist on the desk.

Val jumps, scooting back a bit. "Okay, Jesus! What did I lie to you about? Be specific. They kinda all jumble together after a while."

"Clint Barton did not kill my sister. She sacrificed herself for him. He tried to save her." Yelena is teary. She was still coming to terms with the fact.

"That information is above my paygrade. I just tell you what you need to know."

"Eleanor Bishop contacted you about killing him. Why? Did it have something to do with the bald man?"

"Bald man? Belova, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Why would she hire an assassin to go after Barton? What was her reason?"

"I. Don't. Know. Like I said, I'm just told who the target is, and then I inform you. I'm basically a messenger."

Yelena lunges across the desk, sliding over it and wrapping her hands around Val's throat, shoving her up against the window. Val whimpers, choking on her tongue.

"You're lying," Yelena growls.

"Okay, okay. I might do my own background research to make sure what we're being hired for isn't something we can't get out of. Eleanor and the bald man, his name is Wilson Fisk. He was involved with the killing of the Tracksuit Mafia's leader. Fisk was working with Eleanor with handling his dealings, she apparently ran into some financial trouble and was forced to take a deal with the devil. When Clint came along as Ronin and got caught up with the Tracksuits, Fisk wanted to cover his tracks. Cut all loose ends. Ronin was one of them. So Eleanor contacted me, and that's how we got there. Capiche?"

Yelena lets her go, starting to pace the office. Val coughs, holding her throat.

"Since when would SHEILD allow a hit on Hawkeye? Who do you really work for?"

"I wear many hats, Natasha 2.0. The little hitman business is just something I do on the side."

"What's the endgame here? What are you trying to accomplish?"

"We'll keep in touch. You'll see soon enough."

And what was Yelena to do? Val would always know where she was, how to reach her. She was done running. The woman only gave her a few missions here and there anyway, reserving many others for the other heroes on her docket that Yelena didn't care to ever meet. Continuing to work for Val was safe, as dangerous as the woman might be. She got paid, she could remain at home, she could be free.

The email from Val begins to load, an image popping up on the screen. Fanny barks at the door to be let in, and Yelena leaves the computer to retrieve her. While she's gone, the image appears.

Coordinates.

An overhead shot from a drone, mountains and hills.

A long ranch house.

And rows and rows of apple blossoms.

The Scarlet Witch hovers in the sunroom of the house, suit materialized once she started casting her spells. Her legs are crossed, fingertips tinged black as she digs through universes for signs of her boys.

She's been doing this for months now.

Searching, coming up empty-handed.

The memories of Westview come to her clearly. Their smiles and voices, and she follows them through each dimension, never catching up, always an arms-length away. She didn't know how long this would last. How long it would take to finally reach them and find them. But she knew one thing.

She would find them.

And she didn't care who she had to kill to get to them.

Yelena sits at a bench at the dog park, Fanny running around with a retriever and biting his tail. She smiles softly, looking back down at the book in her hands. Someone sits down on the bench next to her but she doesn't look up, minding her business.

"What'cha reading?"

Yelena looks up just past her book, not amused at the owner of the voice. "Poetry. Emily Dickinson. An acquaintance recommended her to me."

The acquaintance would definitely be offended if she found out her best friend had referred to her as an acquaintance.

"Ah. Never liked her much. Her style was a bit too start-and-stop, with the dashes and everything."

"What are you doing here, Val?"

"Can't I just be getting some fresh air? I just... love dogs."

"You're a cat person."

"Ugh, I know. No, I wanted to make sure you got my email."

"I did. Couldn't this have just been a phone call?"

"You never know who's listening these days. Plus with this mission, I'm not really sure what power she wields. She might be listening now, but we just have to take our chances."

"What is my mission? You sent me coordinates and an image but no instructions."

"We've been getting readings about interdimensional and interuniversal activity there. First, we thought it was Stephen Strange, but he's nestled up in his Sanctorum safe and sound. Only one other person is on-world who has that sort of power. I just need you to check on her. See what she's up to. Then report back."

"Is she hostile?"

"Not if you're nice."

Yelena looks over at her, eyes narrowed.

"Which will be hard for you, I know."

"Why are you sending me? I told you, I'd go if they were close to home."

"This is. It's near Russia. Isn't that your home?"

Yelena shakes her head, looking out at Fanny chasing after a tennis ball. "Not anymore," she mumbles, more to herself. "What's her name?"

"Wanda Maximoff."

Yelena cocks her head. "She was an Avenger."

"Indeed. She was. Until she had to kill her lover, see him brought back to life to be killed again, then brought him back to life on her own terms, only to kill him again for the good of humanity. Now she's in limbo."

"Lisus. I'd be in limbo, too."

"Go to her. Find out if she's doing anything that could be world-threatening, and if she's not see if you can recruit her."

Yelena laughs. "I'm not going to recruit her. If you want her for your little team you'll have to ask her yourself."

Val exhales. "Fine. Just go. There will be a chopper in hanger S at the airport."

"Can I bring Fanny? I don't want to board her."

"What is this, bring your dog to work day?"

Yelena watches her coldly, serious, waiting for an answer.

"Yeah, sure, fine. She can go along."