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MISADVENTURES IN PARADISE
v. DO YOU TRUST ME?

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   AND SO, IT WAS true. Wanda Maximoff was responsible for the Westview Anomaly.

   It was one of those moments where Riley was disappointed that she was right. Her suspicions were never just suspicions. They were thoughts birthed from fear, from hours of worrying and fretting. They were flares of anxiety, undesired thoughts, nightmares camouflaged by curiosity and theories. If the worst possible outcome was true today, what did that say about tomorrow?

   Monica Rambeau, the first person to survive a visit to Westview in recent weeks, described her time there in brief words: "First, there was pain. And then, Wanda's voice in my head. There was this feeling keeping me down. This hopeless feeling. Like drowning. It was grief."

   When morning came, Hayward called for a briefing.

   "Morning," he greeted as everyone shuffled into the crowded conference room. TVs were placed in various corners, each playing different episodes of WandaVision. "We are now assessing a clearer picture of this crisis. And thanks to Captain Rambeau, we now have first-person intel from inside the Westview Anomaly. Our initial theory had Wanda Maximoff as one of many victims. We now know she is the principal victimizer. Jimmy?"

   Riley scowled at his choice of words, but she supposed he was right. Wanda was responsible for this. There was no other way to say it.

   Jimmy Woo stepped forward and took his place. "Quick history on our subject. She was born in Sokovia in 1989 to Irina and Oleg Maximoff, who were both killed in an air raid when Maximoff and her twin brother, Pietro, were ten."

   One of the monitors displayed old newspaper clippings and a video of the Maximoff twins attending a protest in Sokovia. Riley felt uncomfortable seeing how young they were in the clip. Was that how people felt when they saw her?

   "The twins were subsequently radicalized, volunteering at HYDRA," Hayward added.

   "It's an oversimplification of events, but yes," Jimmy agreed. "After unspecified experimentation with the Mind Stone, Maximoff gained telekinetic and telepathic abilities."

   "Back up, Jimmy," Hayward chimed again. "Does Maximoff have an alias?"

   "No, sir."

   "No funny nickname?" he asked again. Riley rolled her eyes. "And earliest tracking had her using her powers against the Avengers. Is that correct?"

   Jimmy started to reply, but Riley interrupted, "Yeah, right before she earned our trust and joined us. Director, if you're trying to make a point, stop asking stupid questions and make it."

   Hayward held up his hand as if to silence her. "Lagos and Germany." Old news headlines appeared on another screen. "We all know how that turned out. Thanks, Jimmy." Jimmy joined Darcy, Riley, and Monica, leaving Hayward to replace him. "It is the policy..."

   Hayward went into a long speech about how they were going to approach and handle the situation moving forward. Riley didn't bother listening, only angrily thinking to herself about how this all happened. She didn't tune back in until she heard Hayward finish his speech by calling Wanda a...

   "...terrorist," Hayward said.

   Riley would've defended Wanda, but Monica beat her to it.

   "Wanda's not a terrorist."

   Riley was surprised. She wouldn't have expected a reaction like that after Monica was held against her will and nearly killed just last night.

   "By your account, you described the experience of being under her mind-control as..." Hayward peered down at his clipboard, "excruciating, terrifying, a violation."

   "My point is, I don't believe she has a political agenda or any inclination toward destruction," Monica insisted.

   "Monica, she blasted you halfway across New Jersey."

   "And I survived because she chose to protect me."

   "She's holding thousands of people hostage!"

   "And it could have been thousands more if she hadn't put up her own quarantine," Monica contended. "Listen, I don't believe this is a premeditated act of aggression."

   "Agreed," Riley said. "For as long as I've known her, all Wanda has ever wanted was peace. Doesn't that mean anything coming from me? I'm her friend."

   "Your emotions are clouding your judgment," Hayward asserted. "Records report you experienced mind-control under her hand years ago."

   "That was a different time. You wouldn't understand," Riley declared. "That's not the point. The point is, she just lost the love of her life and her brother's... in a coma indefinitely!"

   "Exactly! That's exactly why she would do something like this. She has nothing more to lose," Hayward snapped. "Bring up the visual." An old security camera recording was pulled up for everyone to see. The star of it was, as expected, Wanda Maximoff. "This morning, I received authorization to share this highly sensitive material from S.W.O.R.D. headquarters. Until very recently, it was the top-secret location of the Vision's corpse."

   The footage showed Wanda marching through the headquarters, palms glowing red. She approached a room where Vision's dismantled body rested, scientists poking and probing at it. Glass shattered from above, allowing Wanda to enter the room. The cameras flickered off, the last image being of Wanda as she stood over Vision's corpse.

   "Who authorized you to take Vision's corpse in the first place? He never belonged to the government or S.H.I.E.L.D., never mind S.W.O.R.D.," Riley demanded. "When was this?"

   "August 7th," Hayward reported. "Maximoff stormed our facility, stole the Vision's body, and resurrected him."

   "But... that's in direct violation of Section 36B of the Sokovia Accords," Jimmy realized.

   "And the Vision's own living will."

   "He didn't want to be anybody's weapon," Jimmy recalled.

   Hayward nodded. "Maximoff, in her grief, disregarded his wishes."

   "Am I the only one smelling this absolute bullshit?" Riley retorted. "The only person who understood Vis was Wanda. Not me, not you, not Tony or Banner. Wanda. She would never do that!"

   "I can't fabricate a recording like this, Miss Stark," Hayward calmly said. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't use that language with me. We're trying to be adults."

   "Yeah, and you're failing miserably!" Riley ricocheted. "It sounds like you called this briefing just to set up this ridiculous plot you've come up with."

   "Do you know where the Vision's body is? That's right, in Westview with Maximoff. I'm just looking at the facts. Maximoff's violence will not be tolerated any longer. Are you going to help us or are you going to let your loyalty toward her create a divide between us? Between you and your chances at saving Roman? It's the people or your friend, Miss Stark," Hayward declared. If Riley had anything else to say, she didn't. "Alright, that's it for now. Let's work the problem, people. Dismissed."

   The crowd dispersed, lowly mumbling and gossiping to each other. Glances shifted toward Riley, but none of them said anything to her.

   "But how did she even do it?" Jimmy queried. "Bring him back without the Mind Stone?"

   Riley irritably sighed. "It's... not entirely impossible. The Mind Stone wasn't the only thing that gave Vision life. It took the added combination of my powers and Thor's. The Mind Stone was just an extra boost. But Wanda's powers are strong, unpredictable, and came from the Mind Stone itself. I wouldn't be surprised if she found another way."

   Darcy shrugged. "Who knows? But she has the world's only vibranium synthezoid playing Father-Knows-Best in suburbia. What happens when he learns the truth?"

   Riley stared up at the monitor of a newer episode. The sitcom, now '80s-inspired, showed Wanda and Vision trying to raise their sons.

   "Doesn't make sense..." she grumbled, turning on her heel. "She'd never... She'd never turn him into a weapon. She'd never need to. She'd never want to..."

   "Uh... Riley?" Darcy called.

   She didn't respond, leaving the three in her dust.

○ ○ ○

   When Riley was 14, she was tasked with coaching the Maximoff twins on using their powers more efficiently. It was arguably the last thing she wanted to do, as it was shortly after the Sokovia incident, but since Thor had gone home to Asgard, Riley was the only person on the team who could control her powers. She was the twins' only hope.

   She remembered being unsure at first. How can you teach someone to be good at something you can't understand yourself? How do you teach someone else how to use their own powers? Riley had been trained by agents in the past, but this was a hurdle they could never overcome. Her powers were unique, one-of-a-kind. Natasha was the only one who succeeded, coming up with bizarre training techniques like creating difficult situations that demanded the successful use of Riley's powers. One of those situations involved a rather extreme game of Hide-and-Seek. Yeah, don't ask.

   On their first day of training, the twins were split up to help them focus. Pietro went with Steve and Natasha to refine his combat skills, whereas Wanda went with Riley to work on her powers. Riley remembered it being awkward, neither girl speaking for a while. They didn't know where to begin or how to do this. Riley knew she didn't want to train Wanda the way she was trained growing up, and she wasn't going to change her mind about that. But she never thought about what she would do instead.

   Eventually, it was Wanda who broke the silence:

"Can I ask you something kind of stupid?" Wanda's voice was timid, unsure. Her accent stuck out like a sore thumb now that she was living in the U.S. "Have you ever... been afraid of your powers?"

Riley hardly masked her surprise.

"Honestly? Yeah," she confessed. "This energy that's inside me has been a part of me since I was a baby. It's always been scary."

"And... you still feel this way?"

"Sometimes."

"Really?"

Riley nodded. "I think I only ever feared my powers because I didn't understand them. I still don't. They're always changing and growing. I've always felt like I'm not using them to their fullest potential, but I'm too anxious to see what they can really do. Uh, my parents died in an explosion I created, so... I'm always worried about doing something like that again."

Wanda watched as the young girl stared down at her hands, struggling to make them faintly glow with light.

"When I told that to Thor, he started helping me train my powers. He thinks I have potential," Riley went on. She showed Wanda her hands with a proud smile. "He calls it my glow."

Wanda didn't smile much when she was away from her brother. She was always taking a defensive stance. But for that moment, she allowed herself the pleasure.

"That's sweet," Wanda kindly praised.

Riley chuckled. "Yeah, it's pathetic, I know. But I think I can get somewhere with it someday," she said. "It's all about your attitude. Something's gotta drive you. That's the only way you'll grow. It doesn't matter what your motive is. Your motive could be that you just wanna feel like a badass. For me, it's helping people. The stronger I get, the more people I can help. Whatever that motive is for you, internalize it and let it drive you forward. That's lesson number one. Are you taking notes?"

Wanda's face fell.

"I'm just pulling your leg, Maximoff," Riley laughed. "I'm not gonna stand here and pretend we're friends. We've got a long way to go before we get there. But despite the whole HYDRA thing and you screwing with our minds, I don't think you're a terrible person."

"You... don't?" Wanda asked.

"I don't. You're here because we all agree that you're capable of doing something good in this world, just like the rest of us. Most of us have done questionable things, too. None of us are perfect, just like you and your brother," Riley affirmed. "I'm not gonna be the one to decide who you are. Believe me, I've been down the road of people deciding my worth, and it sucks. Who you are and who you want to be are up to you. Not me, not your brother, not anyone. Just you. I know we got off on the wrong foot, but—"

"You saved Pietro's life. I will never be able to thank you enough for that," Wanda interrupted. Determination shined brightly in her eyes. "I'm here because I want to be able to do that, too. I want to be better. I want to be everything HYDRA isn't. This is my job now."

Riley was pleasantly surprised by her enthusiasm. "Alright, well, here's the second lesson you gotta remember. That fear you're feeling? It's never going to leave." Wanda looked taken aback. "I'm serious. It'll always be there, and it'll be ten times worse when you're on the field. But with time, you'll get better at ignoring it. You'll learn to be more confident in yourself and your abilities. You could be the strongest person in the room, but if you don't believe in yourself, you will lose. Every. Time."

Wanda hesitated. "But these powers... I'm afraid of hurting people."

"Well, that's the good thing about having a team. You can always depend on us to help you. Plus, I'm the one with the forcefields. I'll always be there to catch you when you fall," Riley assured. "None of this is going to be easy, but I'm willing to help you with your powers if you let me. You already have a really good grip on 'em. It's just a matter of refining and expanding them."

Riley walked forward and held out her hands, making them glow with light again. "I trust you, Maximoff. Do you trust me?"

Wanda stared at her for a moment, hesitance bleeding through her pores. But then, she slowly held out her hands, red energy radiating off of them chaotically, and placed her palms on top of Riley's. Their energies didn't fight each other, only melding together and uniting in an array of colors and wonder.

"I trust you."

   And since then, Riley always trusted Wanda. She ignored what people said about the twins, standing up for them when they couldn't. Whenever the public claimed the twins were secretly still working under HYDRA's rule, she believed the twins. When other agents claimed Wanda was too emotional or Pietro was too weak, she praised them in front of the world. When the news called Wanda an uncontrollable monster, she defended her.

   Today was the first time Riley's trust in Wanda faltered.

   She didn't want to believe Wanda was willingly hurting innocent people, but the proof was all there. Wanda was the one who created the energy field around Westview, Wanda was the one who stole Vision's corpse, and Wanda was the one holding thousands hostage. It was all Wanda.

   What Riley didn't believe, though, was that Wanda was doing this for political reasons, as Hayward claimed. If she wanted to overthrow the government or set the world on fire, she could do it overnight with her bare hands. So, if that wasn't the reason, then what was?

   August 7th — the day Wanda stole Vision's corpse — was the same day Pietro died, nearly three weeks ago. There had to be a correlation there, right? But if that were true, then why hadn't Pietro made an appearance in WandaVision? The entire show was centered around Wanda and Vision living out happy, normal lives — not Wanda, Vision, and Pietro. Why?

   The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. She was getting more and more fed up, even as she sat at her desk in silence. She eyed the monitor before her, watching as Billy and Tommy Maximoff magically aged themselves up from five to ten years old. Wanda, Vision, and their nosy neighbor, Agnes were there, too.

   "Just another day in the suburbs," Riley mumbled. "Hey, JO? You with me?"

   "Present, as always," JOCASTA greeted. "How can I assist you?"

   "It's Westview. I'm still kinda struggling to understand all of this. I just feel like I'm missing something. I think we need to take a step back and start from the beginning again."

   "That's a great idea, boss."

   "I love that Tony programmed you to always support me. Makes my life a lot easier," Riley mused while starting up the computer before her. "Bring up everything we've got under the Westview files. Prioritize notes under the name of Dr. Darcy Lewis and anything that explicitly mentions Roman. If Hayward wants to be a huge asshole, that's fine. I'm gonna figure out this damn thing by myself."

   The files flew across her screen, taking her to the beginning. The timeline was easy to rough out if you weren't taking the world inside Westview into consideration. The scientific aspects of the Hex (that was what Darcy was calling Westview after Riley described the energy field around the town as a hexagon) were what sucked her in. She took notes of her own, scribbling down anything that stood out to her and internalizing the rest. Radiation played a heavy factor in the Hex, but there was something else that surpassed the scientific scale of energy. It was like magic.

   It didn't surprise Riley that the Hex gave off signatures of ultraviolet radiation, especially now that she knew Wanda created the Hex. Their powers always played off of each other, making them stronger by default. The protective exterior of the Hex almost seemed like Wanda's attempt at mimicking Riley's powers.

   For a minute, Riley wondered if she could manipulate the appearance of something — much like how the Hex made Westview look like an ordinary ghost town from the outside. Maybe it wasn't about manipulating the appearance of it, but rather, manipulating the world's perception of it using light...

  Ah, forget it. She decided she would pocket that thought for a rainy day.

   She was disappointed to find that there wasn't much on Roman as she initially hoped. Everything the files described was exactly what Monica already reported to Riley. Monica said she tried to communicate with him, but he didn't know what she meant when she referenced things like S.W.O.R.D. and the Avengers. He was completely brainwashed.

   Riley recalled that only one other agent volunteered to go into the Hex after Roman. He reportedly entered the town through the sewage system, only to become brainwashed after emerging. The same happened to Roman. Riley supposed that made sense. Once Wanda noticed something was off, she changed it into something that did. Like the drones S.W.O.R.D. kept sending in, for example. They were all manipulated and compressed into vintage toys.

   "But then why wasn't Monica brainwashed by the Hex?" Riley muttered. "Because she was able to blend in?"

   "It appears that way, boss. Everything that doesn't fit inside Miss Maximoff's desired reality is altered," declared JOCASTA.

   "Right, because she's rewriting reality. That's why Vision's alive, and that's why Billy and Tommy exist. You know, I didn't even know she could do that," she confessed. "So... what happens if they leave the Hex? Do they stop existing? Or... what if you sent in something that doesn't need to be changed? Like, something that belongs in the current decade Wanda chooses?"

   "Well, then it wouldn't be changed."

   Riley rolled her eyes. "Yes, thank you for that, JO." She tapped her pencil on her notepad, curious. "I think I understand everything except for why Wanda's keeping all those people trapped in Westview. If they'd just let me go into the Hex, I'm sure I could successfully get through to Wanda and stop this whole thing. I don't know why they won't let me try."

   Well, deep down, she knew why.

   Hayward's voice echoed in her mind. "We're trying to be adults here."

   "You save the world a few times and people still question you because of your age," Riley grumbled. "Not too young to get kidnapped by aliens or travel through time, apparently. Just young enough to where people can use your age against you whenever you piss them off."

   On the TV before her, Billy was training the new family dog, Sparky. It made Riley think of Morgan, who was very adamant about teaching the family alpaca tricks the other day.

   "JO, can we get access to highly confidential security footage, by chance? Specifically from August 7th at S.W.O.R.D. HQ?" A file flashed across the computer monitor seconds later, making her grin. "Have I ever told you how much I love you, JO?"

   "I'd say I love you, too, but—"

   "But you're a robot. Yeah, yeah. If Vision's capable of love, so are you, bud. Alright, let's take a look at this..."

   Riley watched warily as the security footage began to play. Wanda walked through S.W.O.R.D. HQ. She met with Hayward. Whatever they said to each other wasn't clear, but Riley could assume judging Wanda's face. She was confused, hurt. After a few minutes, Wanda looked down at the lab where Vision's body was being decommissioned. Glass shattered as she used her powers to enter the room, where she would soon take Vision's body. Riley waited for the footage to stop there, but it didn't.

   Wanda stared down at Vision, tears welling her already puffy eyes. She mouthed something along the lines of, "I can't feel you." And then, after a moment of silence, Wanda turned and walked away. She walked through S.W.O.R.D. and left empty-handed.

   "Wait, where's Vision?" Riley rewound the tape. Wanda walked in, used her powers to get to Vision, and then left without him. "Holy shit. She never took Vision. She never took him, JO! But... But why would Hayward make it seem like she did? What does he have against her?"

   "Why don't you ask him yourself, boss?" JO suggested.

   "You're right. Everyone needs to see this," she said before rushing off to find Hayward.

   But when Riley found him, he was with Darcy, Jimmy, Monica, and several other agents. They were all busy at work, racing to and from various corners eagerly. Taken aback, Riley asked what was going on, only to learn that the team was moving forward without notifying her. Apparently, Monica had the same realization that Wanda was rewriting reality, and if they sent things into Westview that didn't require any change, then they could potentially communicate with Wanda directly. That was why their drones weren't working. They didn't fit in with the aesthetics of the mid and late-1900s. As of right now, they were in the process of sending an old drone from the '80s into Westview.

   Riley kept trying to bring up the security footage to Hayward, but he brushed her off and said they had more important matters to deal with. No one bothered to listen to her.

   As Monica controlled the drone from her seat, Hayward hovered over her shoulder. "I know this is tech from the '80s, but can we sharpen the visuals?"

   "Working on it." Monica focused on the grainy screen as the drone approached Wanda's home. Wanda stood in her front yard, peering up at the drone with disdain. "Maximoff located."

   "You should let me talk to her," Riley offered. "Maybe she'll be more cooperative if she talks to someone she knows."

   "Maximoff knows Monica," Hayward dismissed. "Well done, Rambeau."

   Behind them, Darcy and Jimmy monitored the current episode of WandaVision. "We can't see the drone on the broadcast," Jimmy announced. "Wanda's framing it out of the shot."

   "Just like all the jumpcuts," Darcy realized. "Wanda decides what makes it onto her show and what doesn't."

   "Yeah, she's not the only one screwing with recordings," Riley grumbled.

   "What do you mean?" Darcy asked.

   "Hayward—"

   "Here we go," Hayward interrupted. On the monitor, Wanda stood before her two sons. "You're up, Rambeau."

   Adjusting her headset, Monica carefully said, "Wanda, this is Captain Monica Rambeau. Can you hear me? I just want to talk. That's it."

   Wanda glared back at the drone as she protectively stood in front of her children. Although the screen was in black and white, Wanda's eyes glowed red as she tilted her head to the side.

   "Let me talk to her—" Riley tried, but Hayward opposed her again. Frustrated, she demanded, "Do you actually care about what's going on or not? I'm your best shot at getting through to Wanda."

   He ignored her, nodding to an agent nearby. Monica tried to move the drone, but something was wrong.

   "My controls aren't working. Reconnect patch!" Monica called.

   "Disregard. Take the shot," Hayward ordered.

   "What? No, the drone isn't armed!"

   "TAKE THE SHOT!"

   "Are you out of your mind!?" Riley shouted. "There are children—!"

   An explosion sounded from inside Westview. The monitors went dark. The broadcast ended all at once. Silence trickled into the room.

   Alarms suddenly blared across the base. The PA chanted, "ALERT! BOUNDARY HAS BEEN BREACHED!"

   Riley didn't have it in her to yell or argue anymore. No one was going to listen anyway. Instead, she bolted outside, shoving past anyone that stood in her way.

   Along the border of the Hex were countless vans and agents with guns bigger than their heads. Tanks lined the perimeter as everyone gathered around, panicked. The Hex's walls started to flicker and glitch, much like a television screen. Then, without warning, the wall opened up. Out walked Wanda Maximoff.

   She trudged forward, her face set with exhaustion and fury. No longer was she dressed in her WandaVision attire, but rather, her modern-day clothes. In her hand was the missile S.W.O.R.D. attacked her with. Red energy crackled against it as she dragged it through the dirt.

   "Is this yours?" Wanda called, her Sokovian accent returning to her as she threw the missile at them. It landed on the ground at Hayward's feet. The agents all stared at it for a moment in fear.

   Hayward tried his best to remain calm. "The missile was just a precaution. You can hardly blame us, Wanda."

   "Oh, I think I can," Wanda sneered. "This will be your only warning. Stay out of my home. You don't bother me, I won't bother you."

   Riley kept opening her mouth to speak, but she couldn't. There was so much she wanted to say, but the words kept getting tangled in her throat. She didn't know where to begin.

   "I wish it could be that simple. You've taken an entire town hostage!" Hayward accused.

   "Well, I'm not the one with the guns, Director!" Wanda fired back.

   "But you are the one in control," Monica chimed in, slowly inching forward.

   Wanda's eyes narrowed at the woman. "You're still here." A red hex swirled in the palm of her hand.

   "Wanda, I didn't know the drones were armed," Monica swore. "But you know that, don't you? A town full of civilians, and you, a telepath, brought a S.W.O.R.D. Agent into your home. You trusted me to help deliver your babies! On some level, Wanda, you know I am an ally. I wanna help you!"

   "How? What could you possibly have to offer me?" Wanda mocked. "I have what I want, and no one will ever take it from me again."

   The agents circling them suddenly moved their guns, now pointing them at Hayward. Their eyes glowed red, a sign of Wanda's mind manipulation. But they didn't fire. A sign of mercy. A warning. As Hayward shouted for the men to lower their weapons, Wanda turned and began to walk away—

   "WAIT!" Riley shouted. She ran forward, debating whether or not it was a good idea to use her powers. "WANDA, WAIT!"

   Wanda froze.

   "Please, wait!" Riley stammered. "I-I've been trying to find the words to say to you for so long. I've been waiting to talk to you for weeks. I should have tried harder, we all should have tried to reach out more. But I have so much I want to say to you." She raised a forcefield behind her, preventing anyone or anything from reaching them. "It's just us, Wanda. It's me."

   Slowly, Wanda turned, eyeing her apprehensively. "What, Riley?" she dryly asked.

   "They might not be able to offer you anything, but I can. You're my friend, Wanda."

   "I have what I want—"

   "You have two of the greatest friends I've ever had trapped in Westview, along with a whole lot of innocent people. None of them asked to be dragged into this," Riley argued. "They don't want to be in there. You know that."

   "You don't understand," Wanda growled, her hands glowing red again. "You can't make me give up everything I've fought for. You know I'm stronger than you."

   "And I'm smarter. But I don't want to fight you. I want to help you."

   Riley slowly walked toward her, almost like she was approaching a battered animal, adding, "I can't keep losing you. I lost you to the Accords, I lost you to the Blip. I know it's hard, I know you're grieving, but I-I fought so hard to bring you back. I can't lose you again."

   Wanda faltered, but her hands didn't dim. "You never lost me. You know that," she softly said. The pain in her eyes made Wanda's grimace turn into a frown. She recognized that look in herself.

   "Do I? Because I'm starting to think otherwise. I know what it's like to come back to nothing but dust. But I came back from it. I started over. You can do the same, Wanda. Let me help you," Riley pleaded, voice wavering. "Why won't you just let me in?"

   Silence greeted them as Wanda stared at her for a moment. Behind them, Riley could hear Hayward muttering for the agents to aim for both of the Avengers before them. But even with guns pointed at their heads, Wanda and Riley focused only on each other. Their gazes were locked, neither girl moving, not even to breathe.

   But then, Wanda extended her hand. It glowed red, hexes dancing in her palm.

   "Do you trust me?"

   Riley peered down at it, uncertainty rising within her.

   She didn't know what she was supposed to do, but she knew what she wanted to do. One step closer to helping Wanda, one step closer to freeing Roman, one step closer to seeing Vision again.

   Riley's hand glowed with a bright white light as she placed it over Wanda's.

   "I trust you."

   Wanda pressed her lips into a fine line, nodding. She intertwined their fingers and guided the younger girl forward. With her free hand, Wanda reached out to the Hex. It made a hissing sound in reaction to the energy Riley's body emitted, causing the S.W.O.R.D. agents to start yelling frantically. The Hex rippled and flickered with red flashes of energy as it suddenly opened up again.

   Together, Wanda Maximoff and Riley Stark walked into Westview.