**
Wanda Maximoff and Pietro Maximoff, siblings, were both tense. They had only recently acquired their powers and were still unable to control them, leaving them trapped in their containment cells.
Maya Hansen, on the other hand, was even less capable of escaping the prison she was in. She had suspected something was off when Killian brought her to this location, and her suspicions were confirmed when she discovered he was affiliated with Hydra.
Being educated about Hydra from a young age, she was well aware of its infamy. Though she outwardly continued her research on the Extremis virus, inwardly she was planning an escape. Unfortunately, her plan was uncovered as most of the people around her were loyal to Killian. She was promptly imprisoned, with Killian threatening her to continue her work.
That night, the sudden alarms had put her on edge. Killian had rushed out with his men, and Maya knew that tensions between Killian and Hydra had always simmered beneath the surface, even though they hadn't yet openly turned against each other. So what exactly was happening now?
What none of them realized was that out of everyone in the facility, only four people were still alive—Maya, the Maximoff twins, and Link.
Link's energy weapons were deadly against the incomplete Extremis virus, and he had already killed everyone, including Killian. Afterward, he turned his attention to erasing all records and footage from the facility. It was a tedious process, requiring meticulous attention to ensure all hardware was destroyed.
Once he finished, he made his way to Maya Hansen's cell. Upon seeing him, Maya surprisingly let out a breath of relief.
Link chuckled. "You look relieved?"
"Yes, because you're with the Avengers, right?" Maya responded. "I thought the Avengers had found this place. I need to speak with Tony Stark."
"Sorry, it's just me. I noticed something strange about this place and came to investigate alone," Link replied as he unlocked her cell door, turning to leave immediately afterward.
"Wait for me!" Maya quickly chased after him, but Link ignored her. She was of no use to him at the moment, and his next task was of greater importance.
Maya's protests fell on deaf ears as Link continued walking. She quickly realized he wasn't interested in conversation and fell silent. Soon after, they came across the aftermath of Link's battle—bodies strewn across the facility.
Link then made his way to the twins' location, observing them briefly before speaking. "Wanda Maximoff, Pietro Maximoff. Your parents died in the civil war in Sokovia. What brought you here?"
"The Avengers?" Pietro asked, finally piecing together what had happened.
"Yes, I'm with the Avengers," Link responded, smiling. "It seems you both went through some sort of human experimentation, according to Hydra's records?"
Neither sibling said a word in response.
Link raised an eyebrow. "Why aren't you speaking?"
"You're friends with the butcher," Pietro finally said, his voice hard.
"The butcher?" Link feigned confusion. "Stark?"
"Yes, Stark. Our parents died because of his missiles," Pietro replied, aware of the hopelessness of their situation. Locked up and powerless, they had no leverage against this man.
Link shook his head. "Whether it's a missile or a handgun, there's a difference between the one who builds it and the one who pulls the trigger. If you can't tell that, then you're directing your hatred at the wrong person."
With that, Link pulled out a laptop and, after a few clicks, turned it toward the twins. "Let me show you something."
Displayed on the screen were files that revealed the truth about Sokovia's conflict. "Baron Strucker, a key Hydra leader, orchestrated the war in Sokovia to cover up his experiments and consolidate power. He was one of the Red Skull's top men during World War II. You've been working with the person truly responsible for your parents' deaths this whole time."
The twins were left speechless. The documents appeared genuine, and it made sense. They had never known the truth until now, and the weight of it deflated them like wilted flowers.
Link unlocked their containment unit and said, "Come with me to the Avengers' headquarters. You both have powers, and you're not ready to be out in the world yet."
"Plus, you can't fully control your abilities, which means you'll need training. And that training will need supervision to keep you out of trouble."
Turning to Maya, Link said, "You can leave now. Get a plane ticket and head back to the States."
"Can't you take me with you?" Maya asked, a bit desperate.
"No, what comes next involves Avengers' confidential matters," Link responded. "I'm going to blow this place up soon. You've got thirty minutes to get out."
With that, Link turned and walked away. He planned to gather Hydra's remaining weapons and destroy them in one final explosion.
Maya had no choice but to start gathering her things. Without a passport, she knew it wouldn't be easy to leave Sokovia.
Wanda turned to her brother. "What should we do?"
Pietro sighed. "We've got nowhere else to go. We might as well go with him. We've been wrong about a lot of things. If Stark wasn't the real enemy, then maybe joining the Avengers isn't such a bad idea."
Wanda pondered for a moment before asking, "Are you really sure about joining the Avengers?"
"What other choice do we have?" Pietro shrugged. "Do you think any country would let us live normal lives with powers like ours? Sooner or later, they'd try to control us."
Wanda laughed. "My brother, the thinker? When did that happen?"
Pietro rolled his eyes. "We're twins. You only beat me into this world by a few minutes."
"And I'm still your big sister," Wanda teased, relishing her role as the older sibling.
The siblings shared a lighthearted moment, a weight seemingly lifted from their shoulders. Their true enemy was dead, and the revelation had brought a sense of clarity. After all, Stark had no reason to destabilize Sokovia—Baron Strucker had been the mastermind all along.
(Chapter end)