Becoming a Maximoff

Chapter 21: Into the base

TW: mentioning of a knife

Pov y/n

Looking around the little building doesn't really help me to figure out how to get in. I do find a door but I can't just march in there like: Hello, I would like to have my girlfriend back.

I highly doubt, that those people would do what I ask. But I need to get inside somehow.

Another thing I found out is, that there have to be rooms underground because what's visible overground would never be enough space for what they seem to do. It's around the size of one room and I am so bold to assume, that they have more than one room.
I guess I'm also lucky that they don't have cameras on the outside because then I'd be screwed.

I slowly make my way around the building once more, carefully listening if there are any noises that indicate that someone is walking out. But it's silent, apart from the usual sounds of the forest around me.
When I see a vent, I crouch down and take a closer look. It's placed at the bottom of the wall, probably leading deeper into the ground, which proves my theory of there being more rooms underground right.

I look around once more before sighing, I guess I don't really have a choice. Carefully, not wanting to make any noises, I try to remove the grid of the vent but it won't move. Of course, why would you leave a vent open?

I slide my backpack off my shoulders and look inside, searching for one thing in particular. When I find it, I pull the pocketknife out. It's a multiple use tool and has different tools on it. It probably wouldn't really help in a fight since the knife is small and I am not very trained in fighting with it. I did train a bit back in the Red Room but I haven't ever since and I also don't want to be reminded what happened to me in there.

I get out the little screwdriver and search for screws to open. There are four and they are rusty and hard to turn but I won't let this fail because of some screws. It takes me almost ten minutes to unscrew all of them and I hide them underneath some leaves before putting the pocketknife back and carefully opening the vent.
It squeaks a little and I stop in my tracks, listening if there are any other noises from inside the building or the door opening. But it stays silent and I let out a little breath of relief.

When the grid is completely off, I glance inside and my insides pull together a little. It's dark and looks dirty.
I get the flashlight out of my backpack and put my phone on silent, I really don't need it to go off and destroy this plan.
The light reflects a little within the vent and I can see that there are a few meters before it goes down. Something inside me fights what I want to do but I don't have another choice.

After a last glance into the vent, I get on all fours and slowly crawl backwards. I can literally feel the dirt rubbing into my suit and it's disgusting but I don't have the privilege of being vain right now. Once I am fully in the vent, I grab my backpack that's still outside and pull it in, sliding it underneath my body before grabbing the vent grid. If those people notice that the vent was opened, it'd get dangerous for me.
Even more than it already is. It takes a while to put it right back on and I just hope I don't have to use this way to get out again.

I can't turn around in here, so I slowly crawl back, pulling the backpack with me. Once I can feel the edge, I stop. I have no idea how deep this is. Maybe it's just around as deep as I am tall, that would be okay but if it's any deeper than that, I would fall and make a noise.
And maybe get hurt. My heart starts to beat faster in my chest and I have to fight the urge to crawl right back outside. I didn't come this far to chicken out now.

With a deep breath, I lay down and turn around, so I am on back, which is quite complicated. I scoot closer to the edge until my legs dangle in the air. Am I regretting my way of getting inside here? Maybe.
Is there a different way to get inside? Probably not.

I scoot closer and take the little flashlight between my teeth, so I have my hands to hold me back in case I slip. I sit up as much as I can and try to get a glance down the vent. There is a 'ground' visible and it shouldn't be too far down but I have no clue if it'll work.
I'm not the tallest person, not at all and that makes it a little harder right now. Well, at least when it comes to going down. Otherwise I'd bet it's harder to fit in here when you're tall.

But I guess there is only one way to figure out if it works. I grab the backpack and struggle for a while to put it on but eventually I manage. Then I slowly turn back around to lay on my stomach, my legs still dangling off the edge. Here goes nothing I guess.

With the flashlight still between my teeth, I push myself further to the edge and my heart pounds in my chest when most of my body hangs in the air.
This was a stupid idea, a really stupid one but there is no other way and no going back. I'll just have to pull myself together and do it. I'm the daughter of an Avenger, I have to be able to climb through vents!

Might be a little exaggerated but I'll take anything that keeps me motivated right now. When I push my upper body over the edge, I can almost feel the sweat on my forehead. Moment of truth, I guess.
My feet still don't touch any ground and I panic a little, maybe I miscalculated? But maybe it's just a bit further down...
With a last breath, I push the rest of my body over the edge, only my fingers keeping me from falling.

I don't wanna let go but I also know that I can't pull myself up again, I haven't trained for a while and that pays off right now. I stretch my feet, hoping to reach something but there's nothing. Fun. I dare to look down, the flashlight allowing me to see my body and...the ground. Not far away from my feet, maybe just a few centimeters.
I just have to let go to reach it. Let's just hope the vent can carry me and I won't break through. Here goes nothing I guess.

I wanna close my eyes but that would be stupid, so I let go and seconds later, my feet land on the vent. There's a silent thud because of the impact with which I landed but that's it. I allow my heart to calm down and glance back up. Yep, I am stuck here even if I decide I wanna back out.

I crouch down again and look into the vent ahead of me. It's cleaner, at least that. But it's also a little smaller and I have to lay down to move through it. I slide the backpack off again and hook it around my feet before laying down and moving into the vent. I stop when I suddenly hear something and press my ear to the vent.
There are muffled voices and steps. Looks like I made it inside.

My whole body tenses up and adrenaline rushes through me. I stay quiet and once I can't hear them anymore, I slowly move further. I come to a crossing and look into both directions before choosing the left vent. Also, because it's a little bigger and I can crawl again. But with everything that happened today, I start to feel exhausted and after another good amount of time crawling, all I wanna do is sleep.

I have no clue how late it is but I know, that I probably won't be able to free Wanda right now. I am way too exhausted for that and my concentration also isn't strong and I need concentration in a fight. As much as I hate to decide that but I won't free her today. She has to hold on for a couple more hours. Hopefully, it's not too late then.

When there's a brighter spot in the vent, I tilt my head in curiosity and crawl towards it. There's another grid, looking down into a room with a table and chairs around it. It's empty but it probably means, that there are more rooms, which is good because otherwise I wouldn't be able to get out of here.

I am careful when I crawl over it, a bit of motivation freed to maybe find Wanda's cell. It would be very nice to see her and make sure she is alright.
The vent turns and I have no other choice but to follow it. There's another bright spot and I am careful when approaching it because I can hear voices.
I hold my breath when I glance down onto a group of men. They wear grey clothes that look like worker jumpsuits and have that symbol on them that I already saw outside.

They are talking about something but I have trouble listening to it because my emotions are bubbling up inside me. They're a mix of pride that I made it, fear that I can't help Wanda and will be discovered, and tiredness. I'll probably have to sleep inside the vent but with the blanket I have, it should be possible and if I don't move around too much, I shouldn't make any noises.

Suddenly the men get quiet and I glance through the grid and down into the room. Looks like a door opened and someone walks in.
I can't see their face at first but when they turn around, I cover my mouth, so I won't gasp.
No, it can't be... 

A/n: Who do you think y/n is seeing?

Thanks for reading and love to you all <3