𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃

23. 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲

NO ONE WAS SAFE. An unhinge witch, wielding an insane amount of power, was holding everyone hostage, demanding and forcing everyone to comply; Eszter had gone completely off the rails. Hayward had always known Eszter was an emotional teenager, but to go to this level of a threat already had him send silent commands to his agents. The witch was so controlled by her power that it went to her head, making her feel superior to everyone; to Eszter, everyone was nothing in her eyes.

Eszter Maximoff was not only going to be seen as a terrorist but as someone who's a threat so dangerous that she wouldn't be able to show her face without being hunted down.

Hayward was leading his way through the darkness as he found the main building appearing in the pit of darkness, still trying to process everything. His eyes scanned the dark abyss for any signs of life, but the only thing he saw was the silhouettes of something crawling about; they darted across the field and snarled in the distance, making Hayward tense at the sound. Hayward didn't know where half of his team were, but he was hoping they weren't in any more danger.

Trailing beside him, Monica matched his pace as they were being watched by Eszter, who was following their lead. Neither of the agents had peeped a single word, evidently afraid of what the witch would do in retaliation. Hayward glanced at Monica, barely sparing a glance at Eszter.

"This is the person you're so desperate to protect," muttered Hayward. He felt Monica's gaze shift to him, and brows pinched in the middle while frown lines formed on her forehead. "Tell me, Rambeau, is she still worth saving?"

Monica didn't respond as quickly as she thought, but she stood by her words. "Of course, she is, Hayward," defended the woman. She stared at Hayward with a stern glare, voice soft to avoid Eszter from overhearing. "She's only a kid who's been through a lot."

Hayward scoffed under his breath. "Well, that kid just tortured a couple of agents for a video," seethed the director, shaking his head. Hayward scrunched his face in a grimace, sharing his distaste for Eszter. "Whatever freedom she had is gone."

They headed inside the main building as they made their way toward the control system, but it was down and glitching; the screens flickered as they tried to stay connected, but with Eszter nearer, the system spazzed until the screens were shutting off. Hayward glanced at each of the screens, clicking on them in an attempt to restart them, but nothing. The director raised his brows as he subtly glanced up at Eszter, sensing her hard stare burning away at his skull; swallowing, Hayward clicked on the table to awaken it from its slumber, but still, it refused to wake.

"Is there a problem, Director?"

Hayward cleared his throat and mustered the confidence that was shoved down his throat, posing unafraid of the witch. "They won't turn on. I would assume it has something to do with whatever the hell we're at."

Eszter perked a brow. "Are you insinuating that this is my fault?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," challenged Hayward.

"No, no, that's not what he's saying," interjected Monica. The woman raised her arms as if to keep a distance between her and Eszter, observing the witch as she shared a reassuring smile. Monica was trying to keep the peace. "It's just . . . whatever this is . . . I think it's affecting the system like it's draining the energy or something."

The witch stared at Monica, pointing her chin upward. Eszter's eyes dropped from the adults to the computers, noting how their screens struggled to keep the connection while some had shut off completely. For a second, it looked as if Eszter didn't plan to let up, but the witch came to senses as she lifted her arm in the air, waving her fingers before the darkness swept back to her person. The violet energy was tainted with destructive and dark power, pulling on the shadows and reeling them back to the host, lifting the darkness and filling Westview with light.