Avengers: Vengeance

Courting Chaos

"Did you hear what I said?" Billy asked as he stood near the couch and stared at his brother, arms folded across his chest.

Tommy nodded briskly and kept his eyes glued to the television screen as he continued to fight hordes of robots.

Billy let out a huff and got between Tommy and the screen. "Then what did I say?"

Tommy rolled his eyes and paused the game. "You said you're worried about mom."

"Aren't you worried? She's been having bad nightmares. And she seems sad. But like she's trying to hide it from us."

"I mean, she's probably fine," Tommy replied. He tried to look around Billy.

"And then there's Emperor Doom," Billy went on. "She left with him just now."

"Yeah, and he gave us this sweet game to play. How bad could he be?" Tommy reasoned.

Billy wanted to scream. Sometimes Tommy could be so lazy about things. He didn't like to look too deeply into things. But Billy couldn't help himself. There was this intuitive part of him. This strange, sixth sense he had that told him when something wasn't right. And something definitely wasn't right. And now mom was away with Emperor Doom. He reflected on the interactions he'd had with the man, none of them particularly good. He visited often, always bringing gifts for the boys and lavishing attention on mom. Tommy adored him and looked forward to each visit while Billy feigned interest and nurtured a growing distrust. He didn't like the man or how he doted on mom and the boys.

It's like he's trying to stay on our good side.

"Sit down and play with me," Tommy sighed as he scooted over so he could see the screen. "It's a two-player game."

Billy shook his head. "I don't want to play."

"Fine. I'll just deal with the boss battle by myself."

Billy looked at the door that led out of their home. He'd never really set food outside per his mother's wishes. But now? Now he felt compelled to open the door and look for answers to the questions his mind couldn't stop asking.

"You said there are people who want to kill my boys," Wanda said, her jaw clenching as murderous thoughts circulated within her mind. "Who?"

Doom smiled. To be one of the most powerful beings in existence, Wanda really was quite easy to manipulate. All that power, trapped inside a mentally unstable young woman. It's a shame, really. "I'm afraid so, Lady Wanda. You see, after all the hardships you've faced, you finally have the peace you deserve. You have your boys and your life together. Would you say it's been peaceful?"

Wanda nodded slowly. "It has. And I have you to thank for it. You've given the boys and me a place to live safely."

"But you are haunted by dreams of pain and loss still."

"Yes."

Doom reached out and laid a hand on Wanda's shoulder. "The pain you've endured is beyond anything any living being has suffered, Wanda. And you deserve more than anything to live in peace. I hate to ask you to leave your home and your boys. But in order for you to continue this new life with them, I need your power."

"You didn't answer my question," Wanda pointed out in a dark tone. "Who am I killing today?"

"There is a group of rebels hiding in the city," Doom explained. "My people have been hunting them in hopes of stopping their reign of terror. But they have proven too powerful for us. Powerful enough that I would even think to ask you to do this." He paused and eyed her before adding "and you know how much I value your peace, Wanda," with feigned sincerity.

Wanda glared out into space, her eyes simmering with power. "Where are they?"

"We don't know," Doom said. "But I think we can lure them out."

Billy held his breath and remained in hiding as he watched his mother conspire with Emperor Doom. He wanted to stand up and scream for the man to get away from her. What they were talking about invoked a horror within him. He didn't feel that his mother was a killer.

But he knew she would kill for him. How many times had she told the boys that they were her entire world. They were all she had left. He could remember every single night she'd tucked him in since he was small. Each time, she'd stare at him with unrestrained love as she told him that nothing would ever come between them. It used to bring him immeasurable comfort. But now he felt a chill spill across him. His mother was about to kill. And it terrified him.

He quietly moved back through the corridors of the castle to the private wing he and his little family occupied to find Tommy still glued to the television.

"Tommy, something's wrong," Billy announced, once again getting between his brother and the screen.

"Yeah, I'm on the last boss and used up all my ammo," Tommy lamented.

Billy closed his eyes in frustration. "Tommy, I'm serious."

"Me too!" Tommy groaned as he threw the controller down in frustration as a voice on the game mocked him with an over dramatic "game over".

Billy felt something surge within him. Born from an amalgamation of fear, angry impatience, and desperation, a power flicked across his body. Turning around, he lifted a hand and watched as a streak of blue energy whipped out of his fingertips and struck the game console. "No. More. Games!" He said through clenched teeth.

And, just like that, the console and all of the video games vanished completely.

"What did you do?" Tommy groaned. "Bring them back!"

Billy turned back around to face his brother. "Tommy, something's wrong with mom. You can sit here and play games or you can come with me and help her!"

Tommy stood up. "Fine. It's not like there's even any games to play now, anyway. What do we do?"

Billy's eyes began to glow with that same blue energy. "It's up to us to save mom."