Capítulo 145: Doubts and Conviction

Wanda shook her head back and forth trying to concentrate on her subject of attention, her hands waved back and forth as she stood quietly behind Stark. Her eyes glowed with power as she began to manipulate his mind, but there was.... indecision behind her eyes.

Through the use of her powers Wanda was able to enter the minds of her victims and amplify their emotions, specifically in this case, Tony's fears. As he was invading 'their' base, HYDRA could use Stark's fears to their advantage, at the same time, she could not lie to herself... she felt a certain amount of pleasure in his pain.

A small smile graced her lips as she watched the man sink into his worst fears. Wanda wasn't sure where that feeling came from, but she enjoyed specifically seeing this man delve into this state... but at the same time there was something else...

The indecision wasn't caused by anything she was doing to the person in front of her, her mind was completely fine with altering his memories, crushing his mind.... he was nothing to her... no she wanted to hurt him... but why?

It was the small pain in the back of her own mind as her powers flared, the small pieces of memories being shook loose that gave her pause. New thoughts began to enter her mind as she regained herself.

Why was she here?

Where was Pietro?

Wasn't Mystique supposed to be....

Who was Mystique?

*Gasp*

Another jolt of pain impacted her mind as more memories were painfully released from the prison they were locked behind. Her mind screamed in pain as an influx of random and fragmented memories assaulted her mind.

She almost stumbled, disconnecting her powers from Tony, but she kept firm as she kept him under, while trying to figure out what was going on. She looked around in confusion, not understanding why she was standing in the room, all her programmed mind and past memories clashing in confusion.

'Why was she doing this for HYDRA?'

'Why wouldn't she do this for her master's?'

'Masters?'

'Am I a slave?'

'Yes....'

'No!....'

Wanda's hands slowly began to grip into fists as she slowly retreated from the billionaires' mind as he continued to stare at the sceptre in his hands.

She wasn't supposed to allow him to take it away but....

*Whoosh*

"Strucker has been captured."

'Pietro?'

'Strucker? Our captor... I'll kill him.'

The voice of her brother... her family sounded from behind. A small pit of happiness sprung from within as she kept her powers flowing to keep Tony's incapacitated. Though looking back that happiness faded quickly as she noticed the vacancy behind his eyes.

He did not realise where he was, what he was doing, who she was... not really.

'What did they do to us?'

'Who are we really?'

Frowning to herself she reached out with her powers and slowly seeped into Pietro's mind, looking to unlock a few of his memories. Though with her own mind in a mess all Wanda achieved was a small smattering of success. A few memories were found, others still tightly locked.

But she still smiled as the vacant look behind his eyes started to retreat, his gaze finally registering something of the outside world... But it was slow going, with her own mind in a mess it would take too long... they did not have the time.

'The others were going to come soon.... the Avengers?'

'They would lock her up? Them up.... Not again!'

Nervousness flashed behind her eyes, and she tried to think on what to do next, a voice within telling her she had to protect the sceptre at all costs, for the glory of HYDRA, while a new more powerful voice grappled for control and told her they needed to leave, NOW!

Gripping her head in pain at the two voices fighting back and forth; Pietro stepped forward almost unconsciously and laid his hand on her shoulder, calming her down. Wanda looked up at her brother, his own eyes confused and dazed and made her decision.

"We need to get out of here...."

"But what about the scepter..."

"Now Pietro."

Wanda's voice brokered no room for argument in a way that only a sibling or family could muster. Her eyes were set and one of the voices in her head silenced with prejudice as she decided to trust the one that was telling her to leave.

Pietro struggled for a few second before moving with a burst of speed, in just a few seconds the siblings were gone, already sequestered away in a small part of the town, away from the sceptres' influence, away from their captors....

Both now struggling with their tampered minds and memories.

It would take a long time for them to figure out what was going on and who to trust. But as long as they had each other they would be alright... or so they thought.

As they left the room, the dim lighting seemed to enhance the scepters light as Tony's eyes started to clear. Shaking his head, a small bead of sweat made its way down his face. He looked behind him to make sure the behemoth was still innate before once more gazing at the scepter.

After everything he had just seen in the... vision? A new determination set in his mind as he walked closer stretching out his hand.

As he finally reached its pedestal his vaunted iron-man gauntlet formed around his hand, and he grabbed the scepter starring directly at the glowing stone in the center.