Chapter 19: A Real Beginning!
The night was crisp, the airfield silent save for the faint rustle of wind sweeping across the cracked tarmac.
Maxim approached the abandoned airstrip on the outskirts of Sokovia, the quiet hum of a private jet waiting in the distance. Wanda and Pietro trailed behind him, following his lead as they curiously talked to each-other about their powers.
Maxim spotted the lone figure standing by the jet, hands in pockets, waiting patiently. As they neared, the man stepped forward, his face illuminated by the jet's lights, a middle-aged man in a black suit, exuding calm authority. Agent Coulson.
Maxim had instantly recognized him from Alex's memories, and that also made him trust Coulson more than most, as he knew he was not a Hydra operative.
"Maxim," Coulson greeted, his voice as steady and unflappable as ever, "Right on time."
Maxim gave him a curt nod in return, his eyes scanning the area for any threats. Old habits were hard to break.
"This is Wanda and Pietr," Maxim said, his voice measured, "My friends,"
Coulson raised an eyebrow but made no further inquiry into the brief introduction. He knew better than to question Maxim, it was best to just trust him. Coulson turned his attention to the twins, offering a friendly nod, "Wanda, Pietro. It's good to meet you both."
Wanda gave a small, hesitant smile, while Pietro simply folded his arms, sizing up the agent with mild curiosity.
"We should move quickly," Maxim said, breaking the silence, "The longer we stay here, the higher the risk. I'm sure if you're away for too long, those Hydra operatives in S.H.I.E.L.D will go haywire."
Coulson didn't need to be told twice. With a gesture, he motioned for them to board the jet, "Right this way."
The group moved toward the jet, climbing the ramp and settling inside. Maxim had his Vibranium tucked away in the darkness, perfectly safe and secure.
The interior of the jet was rather comfortable, designed for efficiency. Maxim took a seat across from Coulson, with the twins settling beside him.
Pietro shifted restlessly in his seat, his fingers tapping against his leg, while Wanda sat still, her eyes focused on the floor, clearly processing everything that had happened.
As the jet's engines roared to life, Coulson leaned forward slightly, addressing the group, "I'm sure you all have questions, but let me start by giving you a little more detail about where you're headed."
Maxim remained quiet, his gaze fixed on Coulson, waiting for him to continue.
"The safe-house we're taking you to isn't your run-of-the-mill hideout," Coulson explained, his tone measured, "It was previously owned by Tony Stark, but he never used it so Fury took it as an off the books safe-house. It's located in a private estate, completely secure. No-one will expect you to be there, so it'll be pretty safe for a while. There's plenty of space for training, preparation, and anything else you might need."
"Security?" Maxim asked, his voice calm but probing.
Coulson smiled faintly, "Top of the line. S.H.I.E.L.D. oversight, of course. No one gets in or out without us knowing. You'll have full autonomy there. Just don't bring too much attention to yourself of course."
"You'll have a Credit Card there with around a wealthy amount of money for you to use. Call it S.H.I.E.L.D's way of paying you back for what happened. It's not perfect, but..." Coulson explained.
As the jet soared into the night sky, the conversation lulled. Coulson leaned back in his seat, watching Maxim closely, "You know, Fury was impressed with what you did back at that Hydra base. Even if he won't say it directly."
Maxim raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He wasn't in this for recognition—his goals were clear, and every move he made was calculated to further them. Fury's approval meant little in the grand scheme of things, especially with how scheming that man was.
Although Maxim knew Fury was a decent person from Alex's memories of the MCU, he couldn't trust him, you'd be stupid to trust a Super-Spy, especially one with so many different secret plans in motion like Fury.
Coulson smirked slightly, as if reading the unspoken thoughts. "Just don't expect him to roll out the red carpet. We're still S.H.I.E.L.D., after all."
Maxim's lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smile, "I never expected any favors."
The flight continued in silence after that, the hum of the jet engines providing a quiet backdrop as they traveled across the world. Maxim's thoughts drifted to the next steps.
Once he arrived in America, he'd need to spend time removing all the bugs and surveillance equipment in his home that S.H.I.E.L.D probably installed to spy on him. Then he'd fully begin using the technology and resources provided to improve his capabilities.
With the large amount of Vibranium he had, he had alot of plans to implement. Not just his suit, but creating an AI, creating Suits for Wanda and Pietro, and fully planning out his future.
"Hey, can you get some books sent over to the safe-house? Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Technology, Math, Physics, AI, just anything you can find." Maxim asked Coulson.
"Umm, yeah sure." Coulson just said with a nod, pulling out his phone and getting to work.
As the conversation once again turned to lull, Maxim's thoughts drifted to the twins. They would need proper training, Wanda's powers were volatile and dangerous, and Pietro's speed needed fine-tuning.
He had to handle all of these things as fast as possible, as he had lots of plans he needed to fast-track. As he sunk into his thoughts, time quickly zoomed by, hours passed by.
The jet began its descent, and soon, they would arrive in the States. A new stage in his journey had begun, and with Wanda and Pietro by his side, Maxim was ready for whatever came next.
The plane touched down smoothly on the private airstrip, its lights reflecting off the sleek exterior of the transport. As the ramp lowered, Coulson stood up, gesturing for the trio to follow.
"Welcome to your new home, for as long as you need it," Coulson said, leading them down the ramp toward a sleek black car waiting nearby. "Let's get you settled in."
Maxim, Wanda, and Pietro followed, stepping into the cool night air of their new life in America. A sleek black car awaited them, its headlights casting long shadows on the runway.
"Let's get you settled," Coulson said, his voice carrying just above the night breeze. "There's a lot of work to do."
The sleek black car glided smoothly through the quiet streets, the city lights fading as they left the private airstrip behind.
Coulson sat in the driver's seat, his eyes focused on the road ahead, while the trio in the back remained mostly silent, each lost in their thoughts.
Coulson broke the silence as the car approached the outskirts of a large, gated estate. "We're almost there," he said, his voice calm and professional, "It's a quiet place, far from any prying eyes. Stark originally had it designed as a fallback location, but he never really had a use for it. Fury thought it would be perfect for your... situation."
Maxim nodded, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings as they entered the gates. The property was expansive, with tall trees lining the driveway, offering ample privacy.
The house itself was a sleek, modern structure, clearly designed with the latest technology in mind, yet it retained a sense of warmth, something Maxim hadn't expected.
They pulled up to the front of the house, and Coulson killed the engine, "Here we are," he said, stepping out of the car. The others followed suit, stepping onto the gravel driveway as the cool night air greeted them.
"Let me give you a quick tour," Coulson offered as he led them toward the entrance. "It's fully equipped with everything you'll need to stay off the radar. It's designed it to be self-sufficient, solar panels, water filtration systems, and even a backup generator in case of emergencies."
He punched in a code on a keypad by the door, and it slid open with a soft hiss. As they entered the house, the interior was just as impressive as the exterior.
Clean, modern lines dominated the space, with large windows that let in natural light and offered a view of the surrounding forest. The living area was spacious, with comfortable furniture and a large screen mounted on the wall.
"This is the main living space," Coulson explained, his voice carrying as he led them through the open-plan area,"Kitchen's fully stocked, and there's more than enough room for all of you to have your own space. You'll also find a secure room downstairs, reinforced, with a direct line to Fury. You can use that if you need to communicate, but it's one-way. No one can trace you here."
Maxim's eyes flicked toward a large staircase leading to the upper floors, "Bedrooms upstairs?"
"Yeah," Coulson replied, nodding. "Three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. There's also a basement level with more space for whatever you need to set up. Stark originally planned it as a workshop, but I imagine you'll find other uses for it."
Maxim's gaze lingered on the staircase for a moment before turning back to Coulson, "Good. I'll need the space."
Pietro had already started wandering around, peering into rooms and testing how fast he could run from one side of the house to the other without making noise.
Wanda, meanwhile, stayed close to Maxim, her expression thoughtful as she surveyed their new surroundings.
Coulson led them to a small door at the back of the house, "This leads to a separate training area outside," he explained, opening the door to reveal a large, open courtyard surrounded by trees. "There's also some basic equipment in the shed over there, though I'm sure you'll want to bring in your own."
Maxim nodded, taking in the details. The place was well thought out, safe, isolated, and ideal for what he had in mind.
It was a far cry from the brutal environments he'd been forced to survive in during his time with Hydra.
Here, he had control.
Coulson, sensing that his part was coming to an end, turned to face Maxim, "I'll leave you to settle in. If you need anything, you've got my number and Fury's.
Maxim extended his hand, and Coulson shook it firmly, "Thanks, Coulson. We'll be fine here."
With a final nod, Coulson stepped out of the house and into the night, leaving the trio alone in their new refuge.
Maxim turned to the twins, his expression hardening with resolve. "This is our base now," he said. "We're safe here, but that doesn't mean we can relax. We have a lot of work to do."
Wanda met his gaze, a flicker of determination in her eyes. "What's the plan?"
"For now, settle in," Maxim said. "Get comfortable, and we'll start training in the morning. I'll handle some of the technical setup tonight."
With that, he ascended the staircase, leaving the twins to explore their new home. Tomorrow, the real work would begin, and Maxim knew they had no time to waste.
As he entered his room, his mind was already racing with plans. There was much to do, suits to design, technology to implement, and training to commence.
This was only the beginning.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone