Inside the dark room, 50 levels below the surface of the DODC high security prison, Wanda was in the middle of reliving the horrifying moment that took the lives of 120 S.W.O.R.D agents a few weeks ago.

The professor kept regulating her emotions as she tried pushing through, seeing everything that happened at S.W.O.R.D as if it was happening at this very moment.

Wanda: I can't... I can't continue! Stop... stopstopstopstopstop!!!!!

She shook her head left to right, tears escaping her eyes, her hands gripping the medical bed tighter in angst.

Professor X: Wanda, we're almost done... Focus on my voice. Tell me what you see...

Wanda: No! Nonononono I... I can't... I can't!! Get me out!

Officer Victor stood outside the room on guard, hearing everything that was occurring inside. Something inside him was having a war with the other side of himself. He clenched his fists in an attempt to stop himself from interfering. Every sound coming out of Wanda's mouth sent ripples through him, as if he was remembering those exact events playing out in front of him as well. At least, that was what it looked like. And then something snapped. For some reason, he felt guilt, no, it was as if he felt remorse.

Victor entered the room and stood next to Wanda. Matt sensed Victor entering the room while he was standing in the other room adjacent to that one, with just a window separating the two rooms.

Matt: What's HE doing in there?

The other officers shrugged their shoulders in response. Victor stood next to Wanda and touched her shoulder.

Professor X: Pardon me, what are you doing?

Victor: I can help. Trust me.

Wanda was still inside her own memories with her eyes closed. But she could hear Victor in the background.

Wanda: Victor?

Victor: Yes Wanda. It's alright. Everything will work out.

Something about him soothed her soul in a way very few people ever accomplished.

Victor: I know this must be hard for you. But you must calm down for this to work.

He kept his hand on her shoulder and her vitals turned to relative normal stats more and more gradually.

Victor: What do you see?

Wanda: I-I... I see...

She frowned with sadness. She spoke with a trembling voice.

Wanda: So many bodies... Innocent people...

Victor: I want you to look past that.

Matt entered the room to confront Victor.

Matt: Listen here, you have no authority to interfere in what we're doing.

Professor X: Matt, we cannot afford to veer her attention off of that day. I can't keep my connection to her if there's multiple disturbances out here. It can sever the vividness of her memories.

Matt: He shouldn't be here!

Victor: I'm simply attempting to aid her.

Matt: I don't trust you. We don't even know what face you wear under that mask.

Victor: I don't need your trust. But she trusts me. The mask is mandatory for all DODC agents.

Professor X: Mr. Murdock... Let's not do this now. Wanda... tell us what you see.

Wanda: I-I'm on my way out... They're following me...

Weeks ago
Moments before the S.W.O.R.D massacre

Wanda ran through the corridors, using a small portion of her power to veer off all the S.W.O.R.D agents from stopping her leaving. Both sides used non-lethal force. She knew they were just trying to help, but at this moment she didn't have time to stay for tests.

Finally after rushing through the corridors, she reached a large, open hall with a S.W.O.R.D statue in the middle, and glass doors on the other side of the hall. Hundreds of agents surrounded her from all sides, some even on upper floors.

"We have you surrounded! Please cooperate or we will be forced to restrain you."

She waved her hand and erased every weapon they held in their hands. She turned around to walk out the door, and this is originally when the shift happened, and she turned around seeing dead bodies everywhere. But she could now recall everything.

Everyone inside the facility was frozen in time, including Wanda, but the one thing that was not frozen, was her mind. She felt an excruciating pain. It took her a few second to realize what was happening... Her eyes moved around in panic, she could see outside the glass doors, then utter fear struck her. The faceless being she kept seeing everywhere... the thing in all of her nightmares... the thing she saw on the bridge before the cop cars exploded (Read chapter 3 for a refresh), the thing she saw at the wedding (read chapter 6 for a refresh), the thing she saw inside the burning hospital (Read chapter 2 for a refresh), the thing she saw in the shower (Read Chapter 4 for a refresh)... It was all him. She could hear a rasp whisper in her head, saying one word over and over again, a word that made her want to die of fear. Chthon. At this time, this would be the first time she encountered him after Transia, which she did not even remember during this moment in time. Her biggest fear, walked towards her, but he was completely transparent in the eyes of the cameras.

She was unable to scream, unable to move, unable to use her powers... Frozen in time, with a fear bigger than anything she ever felt. As he slowly approached her, a tear rolled down her suspended face, filled with only one thing: fear.

Chthon stood in front of her, and touched her face.

Chthon: YoUr DeStInY... fInAlLy BeGiNs...

He looked at her in almost a pitiful way, but she wouldn't know, as his face was concealed.

Chthon: My PrEcIoUs ScArLeT wItCh... If OnLy YoU kNeW wHaT hAs To HaPpEn.

She took multiple large breaths in panic, but couldn't even make a sound.

Chthon: I cAmE tOo FaR tO tUrN bAcK nOw...

He made a psychic connection to her mind, and her entire consciousness was transported to another realm along with Chthon. A realm only accessible to telepaths. A realm called the Astral Plane.

Wanda stood up in the middle of a dark void. She could move around again, but nothing felt real.

Wanda: Wh-where am I!? H-hello!?!??! HELLO!!!!???

Chthon appeared in front of her, causing her to stumble and fall backwards.

Wanda: Nnnno... no no you're not real... this isn't real...

She felt like her head was almost exploding with pain.

Wanda: AHHHH!!! What... what are you!? Why are you doing this!?

Chthon: Do NoT wOrRy...

He suddenly transformed into Doctor Strange, making her realize that he was the one she saw the night of her wedding.

Doctor Strange (Chthon): You will know everything eventually. When it is time.

The realization hit her like a truck. If the person she interacted with for months after his presumed death, was not strange... It had to be... HIM.(Chthon)

Wanda: What d-did y-you do to Stephen!?

She tried defending herself by conjuring red balls of energy in her hands.

Doctor Strange (Chthon): I didn't do anything.

Wanda: Y-you're... You're lying!!

Doctor Strange (Chthon): Both Strange and Logan is stuck in a future time. But I'm saying too much already.

Wanda: W-what!?

He transformed back into Chthon.

Chthon: SuRrEnDeR tO mE...

Wanda: No!

She shot her bolts of energy at Chthon, but he absorbed it.

Chthon: It Is FuTiLe, WaNdA... I cReAtEd YoU...

Wanda: NO YOU DIDN'T!!!!

She attacked him again, but he swatted her away and formed a metaphysical cage around her.

Chthon: I fOrGeD yOu. CaN't YoU rEmEmBeR...

*Flashback to Wandavision*

Agatha Harkness: The Scarlet Witch is not born, she is forged.

*Flashback to Wandavision ends*

Wanda seemed confused beyond belief.

Chthon: Oh... YoU dIdN't KnOw? AgAtHa WaS mErElY dOiNg My BiDdInG. WeStViEw WaS aLl Me. I mAdE iT hApPeN. AnD iT wAs AlL... fOr ThE cHiLdReN.

Wanda: NO... NONONONONO!!!! LEAVE MY CHILDREN!

Chthon: MY cHiLdReN. I cAuSeD tHeIr ExIsTeNcE, sO tHaT tHeY cOuLd Be YoUr MoTiVaTiOn... To BeCoMe... MY ScArLeT wItCh. As It Is WrItTeN.

She replied in a panicked tone, while trying to escape the cage.

Wanda: Wh-what do you want!?

Chthon: YoU'rE nOt ReAdY tO kNoW yEt... BuT iT iS fUtIlE tO rEsIsT. yOu WiLl UnDeRsTaNd. SoOn YoU wIlL uNdErStAnD.

He tried to invade her mind, but she broke free from the cage and began fighting with everything she had inside her. A fight she had to win to save herself. There was no other choice. But she was not facing any ordinary being. Chthon was one of the most powerful beings there is, and he absorbed her power each time she hit him with an offense. The fight went on for nearly half an hour before he brought her to her knees, touched her mind and finally took control of her.

After Chthon massacred everyone in the facility using her body, Wanda regained consciousness nearly 4 hours later, standing in the same position as when she was about to leave, but she turned around and saw bodies everywhere, completely forgetting everything that happened that lead up to this moment. He didn't want her to know yet. Chthon then took control of her mind once again, and went back home to westview, spending that entire day with her family. Vision and the boys did not suspect a thing. He kept control so that she would wake up at 12 that same night, not remembering anything that happened that entire day. (Read Chapter 8 "So it begins" for a refresh)

Present Day
The DODC Supermax

Wanda jumped up from the bed and breathed heavily in angst and confusion. Every new memory she just re-lived, felt like her worst nightmares coming to life. She was traumatized to an extent of not being able to form words. She sounded like a wounded animal in an attempt to speak while Victor and Matt tried to comfort her.

Wanda: W... wh... I... W... I... I-I... (sobs)

Victor: It's going to be alright, Wanda. You did great.

Her lips trembled and she cried out.

Wanda: Why!!!???

Victor touched her shoulder.

Victor: Look at me Wanda...

She sobbed and sniffled through her attempts to speak, but only muffled sounds escaped her lips. What she just saw changed everything. Not only did he manipulate her life... It was all him. He controlled every aspect of it. Even falling in love with Vision and causing Westview. Everything around her became blurred background noise. The only vivid thing she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat inside her head. The professor lost his psychic connection to her mind and her angst shot through the roof.

Matt: I'm so sorry we had to do this Wanda.

She stared into a void, completely distraught.

Matt: Wanda... Can you say something?

She shook her head. She didn't want to say anything. There was nothing to say. She could never convey what she was feeling right now into words. The words to describe her situation simply did not exist.

Matt wrapped his right arm over her shoulders to give her a silver of reassurance, but he knew there was not much he could do to make everything go away.

Matt: I'm sorry Wanda.

Minutes later, Victor had to take her back to her cell. Matt and the Professor was left alone while discussing what happens next.

Matt: Did you find what you needed?

Professor X: I did. But Matt... I'm afraid this is much bigger than just Wanda. What I saw... I have no idea how we would stop such a being.

Matt: What did you see?

Professor X: It was all him, Matt. Everything. Not just Westview and Transia. Even the Incursion. Even... Thanos. Everything just to make Wanda reach her "potential". He's been hiding in shadows for years. But something shifted. Something is coming. I can feel it.

Matt: What more can we do? The Avengers are already on the case.

Professor X: That might prove to be futile. Reed (Mr. Fantastic) reached out a few days ago, with a message from the future, sent by The Watcher. Now I'm no expert but as far as I am aware, The Watcher only gets involved when the threat is universal or multiversal in scale. The outcome usually results in tragedy. Worst of all, the message warns about Doctor Doom. In that future he succeeded. He cannot succeed this time.

Matt: Doom? But he died.

Professor X: So we all thought. But he's very much alive. And We might be looking in the wrong place.

Matt: What are you implying?

Professor X: Chthon might be working for Doom. Or the other way around. Reed (Mr. Fantastic) is working on it as we speak.

Matt: Why do you think they're related?

Professor X: Because Chthon revealed something to Wanda at S.W.O.R.D. Something she's just now remembered, Strange and Logan's whereabouts being in the future... The message Reed received was from the future as well.

Matt: IF that's the case, we're in for something much larger than what we are ready for.

Professor X: There is one advantage, we are most likely now aware of something Doom didn't want us to know. And with Reed and his Fantastic Four along with all the others investigating this, we can alter whatever dystopian future this is all heading towards... You just focus on getting Wanda out. Just because bigger things are happening does not mean we should just abandon her case. This is part of it. Remember, the last time we faced Doom, he sought to control Wanda's power. You think she would be safe from the likes of Doom inside a prison cell?

Matt: I'll get her out.

Professor X walked out of the facility, leaving Matt behind in the room as he contemplated his own decisions about this case. He knows full well that Chthon WANTS this case to happen. In fact, Chthon seemed to HELP him GET the very idea of Professor X looking into Wanda's mind in the first place. Something told him not to continue, but he still wanted to free her. She didn't deserve to be in jail and to be hated by the world for something she didn't do.

Wanda's Cell

Victor allowed a few hours to pass by just to let Wanda recollect some sense of herself before finally entering. She quickly sat upright and wiped a tear off her cheek.

Victor: You don't have to hide it you know.

Wanda: Sorry. I'm so... pathetic all the time.

Victor: You're not pathetic. Honestly, Wanda, considering everything you went through... and what you're STILL going through... You're holding it together more than most people would ever be capable of. You're amazing.

Wanda: I don't know about that... (Sniffles)

Victor: Today really startled you... They wouldn't tell me anything... But what exactly did you see?

Wanda: I don't... wanna talk about it.

But Victor mentioning it already made her think deeply about it again. He could see her lower lip trembling as she tried holding together another breakdown.

Victor: Look on the bright side, what you saw today might be your ticket out of here.

He sat next to her.

Wanda: Why... are you always so... kind?

He touched her heart.

Victor: I'm a good judge of character. The moment I saw you in that courtroom, and when you sat across me on the way here two weeks ago, I knew you were not what they thought you were. But someone MUCH more complex. I knew you needed support more than anything. Besides, it's the right thing to do.

He took her hand.

Victor: Look at me.

She shyly looked at his concealed face. Victor brushed a strand of her hair from her eyes and got lost in her vulnerable gaze.

Wanda: U... uhm...

She gently took his hand away from her face.

Wanda: I... I-I...

Victor: I apologize... It was only to comfort you. But I understand your hesitance.

She looked at him with despair, but also a sense of relief that someone truly seemed to care.

Victor: Everything will work out this time. I promise.

Wanda: This time?

He was quiet for a second.

Victor: ... I meant this time things will not go wrong the way they always do.

Wanda: What makes you so certain?

Victor: I know it sounds crazy but I still think what happened at S.W.O.R.D might have been a good thing.

Wanda: How can you say that!? My life was ruined... People died! I... I was violated... f-for days!

Victor: That was not intended to be interpreted that way.

Wanda: Then how should I interpret it?

Victor: As I've said before... The incident at S.WO.R.D. made them arrest you, and now you have been given an opportunity to show the world who you really are. Make them realize they were wrong about you the entire time. Even before S.W.O.R.D happened.

He touched her shoulder before taking his hand away again to ask her first.

Victor: May I?

Wanda nodded, a bit more relaxed now.

He touched her shoulder again.

Victor: We could even make an argument that those violating experiments at the raft helped win over some people's sympathy, made them see the vulnerable human side of you. Point is, the grass is never greener on the other side. Don't ponder on what could've been or what was. The grass is greener wherever you water it. The best thing to do is try to do it in the moment. This present moment, this situation you're in... take it one step at a time. I'll take those steps with you if you can't take them alone.

Wanda: I'm scared...

Victor: and it's okay to be scared. But don't give up just because you can't handle a bit of discomfort.

Wanda: I was TORTURED!

Victor: No No I meant what you are expected to do and endure at the coming trial.

Wanda: It's not fair... (Sniffles)

Victor: I know. Trust me, it never is. I know a lot of people saying one should simply make peace with it. I disagree. Making peace with it means surrendering. I say fight. Fight until you can't fight anymore, then stand up and continue fighting for as long as there's breath inside you.

Wanda: I don't think I can...

Victor: You of all people can. I believe in you. If you only believed in yourself as much as I believe in you, you'd be unstoppable. Because you're special.

Wanda: You're just saying that...

Victor: I really mean it. I mean hey, at least now you know that Strange isn't dead. Isn't that another positive takeaway?

She immediately turned cold with uncertainty.

Wanda: How did you know that?

He was quiet for a moment trying to think of an answer.

Victor: ... Did you not say it when you relived those memories?

Wanda: No... And neither did Matt... Or the Professor...

Victor: Wanda, you still don't trust me? Look, I don't know maybe you simply forgot.

Wanda: I-I want to trust you... But I never...

She took a few shallow gasps for air.

Wanda: I never mentioned Strange being alive.

She knew something was wrong right then. If he knew about Strange being alive, he must've known everything that happened at Transia for a long time.

Wanda: Who are you?

Victor: Wanda...

Wanda: Don't LIE TO ME! 

He saw tears going down her face.

Wanda: Who... are you?

Victor: Wanda, you're being irrational. I need you to calm down. Have I ever done anything to you?

Wanda: No...

Victor: Did I not stand up for you when everyone else took advantage... and hated you?

Wanda: Y-yes...

Victor: Did I not offer you company and comfort when you were in this forsaken cell all alone in your own tormented thoughts?

Wanda: Yes but...

Victor: Did I not...

He then noticed a glimmer of her red powers resurfacing on her fingers.

Victor: Wanda? How long have you been hiding that from us?

She looked at her hands and tried to hide it.

Wanda: I...

Victor: You could've escaped this entire time?

Wanda: I-I...

He looked at the cameras and knew they could be watching.

Victor: For how long?

Wanda: H-how long what?

Victor: For how long did you regain your powers?

Wanda: It's not... completely back yet... But... a day or two... I think...

Victor: But powerful enough to have escaped?

Wanda: I think so...

Victor: Okay here's what we're gonna do...

He looked at the cameras again, but this time gesturing to Wanda that they're watching.

Victor: I will have to report this upstairs... But think about it this way... The fact that you could've escaped this entire time, but didn't... speaks volumes. The court will hear about this. I promise.

Wanda: W-will I not... get in trouble?

Victor: Why would you? It's not your fault.

He walked out of her cell and the guards came in a few moments later to give her a higher dosage. She nearly passed out, but she could still feel her power inside her body. The serum didn't work anymore. But deep down she knew escaping would only make matters ten times worse, especially with Chthon holding her loved ones hostage.

She was left alone pondering about Victor. Everything about him screamed green flag, but something told her this man was dangerous. Then again, she is also seen as dangerous, yet, her heart is not. He always seemed so sincere, but how could he know what happened at Transia?

Matt's Apartment

Matt returned home when he received a call from an unknown number.

Matt: Who is this?

"Mr. Murdock. It's your client's assigned officer-"

Matt: The Victor guy?

"Can we meet?"

Matt went quiet for a moment. He had enough of his suspicions regarding this man. It was finally time to figure him out. If planned correctly, this was his time to get the answers he was looking for.

Matt: Name a time and place and I'll be there.

"One hour. I'll send you the location."