Fight or Flight » JW / Avengers

chapter four

[ chapter four ; ]

"It can camouflage!"

Wanda watched, stunned, as the armed men on the screens were picked off, one by one. She didn't hear whatever exchange went on between Owen and the redhead -- Claire -- she was too busy staring at the flat lines that had once indicated healthy heart beats.

The roar of the dinosaur sounded off in her ears. Despite the state of shock she was in over the amount of death she had just witnessed, she appeared neutral to anyone who looked her way.

By the time she came back to reality, Claire was demanding Owen leave. Owen looked like he was just going to march out of the room, but before he could, Wanda put up one hand, signaling he stop, while also drawing the rest of the attention in the room to her.

Claire cleared her throat, a nervous glimmer in her eyes. "Miss Maximoff . . . I was unaware you were here. I'm--I'm sorry you had to see that."

Wanda sensed the genuine tone in Claire's words, and gave a slight nod, before looking to the owner of the park. Simon Masrani. "Mr. Masrani," she greeted respectfully, her voice low and even. "You are aware of who I am?"

Masrani nodded slowly, his eyes glued to her own. "I am indeed, ma'am."

"Then you understand I am serious when I say it would do you well to evacuate this park," Wanda said seriously, stepping toward the man.

"Like I said," Owen muttered, but no one was listening to him.

Wanda continued before anyone else could speak. "Now, I could cause such a shut down in less than agreeable ways, but I am not going to do that. Because this is a choice that had to be made by you -- as the creation of the park was." She was somber, her eyes darkening slightly, as though they were about to switch to red.

"The park . . . was Hammond's idea, his legacy," Masrani began to defend slowly, carefully.

Wanda gave him a silencing look. "If you are not careful, countless murders on this island will be your legacy." She turned her attention back to Claire then. "Am I to understand you are kicking Owen out?"

Claire hesitated, glancing at her boss, before nodding quickly. "Yes. He's not-- he doesn't need to be here."

Wanda was silent for a moment, studying Claire. "Then I am going with him. I will remain with him, if any of you feel the need for assistance. Until then . . . I hope you will make the wise decision." She turned on the heel of her boot then, heading from the room, following after Owen.

Owen glanced down at her as they headed back to the jeep. "You know they're not going to listen to anyone. Even you."

"I understand this," Wanda agreed calmly. She paused before he door, and gave Owen a sharp look. "They did agree to centralize every visitor though, correct?"

"Last I heard," Owen agreed. "Why?"

The murders of the men and women who were only trying to do their job, to follow orders, flashed through her mind vividly. She shook the thoughts off, and looked steadily at Owen. "What's your next step?"

He was stunned, there was no two ways about it. "My next step? You're the super hero here, Wanda."

"And you are the dinosaur man," Wanda retorted. "I know nothing about that beast except it's capacity to kill. Surely you have more to go off; something that would lead to a plan."

Owen paused, and scratched the back of his neck. "If we're to be honest here, I don't know much about that particular . . . animal, either. It's classified information." He cracked a smile then, mischief in his eyes. "But I think we can find a way to fix that."

Wanda smiled in return. "By all means, then. Let's go." She climbed into the jeep before he could protest, and he was quick to circle around to his side and get in and start the car. As he drove, she looked out the window, and after a few minutes of silence, she said, "I knew you'd have a plan."

Owen scoffed, unable to help himself. "You've put too much faith in me for just meeting me, Wanda."

Wanda scoffed in return, shooting him a sly look. "You forget, Owen, that I know more about you than you likely know of yourself." She made herself comfortable in her seat. "I have an appropriate amount of faith."

"Sure, for a mind reader," Owen muttered, shaking his head slightly. "And I still think it's all misplaced."

Wanda laughed quietly. "I guess we'll just see then, won't we?"

Owen nodded slowly, glancing her way for a quick moment. "Yeah, well, you'll see. I'll be right, and then you'll have have been proved wrong by a normal guy. Not sure how you'll feel about that one."

Wanda just laughed.