Chapter 3
"How'd it go?" Steve asked when they pulled back into the facility at three in the morning. Sam didn't even bother to ask why Steve was still up, just collapsed on the couch beside him. He shrugged. "He doesn't want to join the Avengers--says he's content with his own little set-up. But he seems like a solid guy, and said he'd help us out if we ever needed it."
"And you believe him?" Steve pressed.
Sam nodded. "I dunno what to tell you, man. A year ago, there's no way I'd trust a guy dressed like the devil, but you learn something new every day."
Steve chuckled at that one, but glanced up at Wanda. "You didn't notice anything off?"
"About him, no." she said levelly.
Steve arched an eyebrow. "And otherwise...?"
She shrugged. "That neighborhood is...odd. There is much jumbled together there. He seemed to have it under control, but it is hard to sort out so much information at once."
Steve nodded. "Well, then, you guys better get some sleep. We'll have a bit of a later start tomorrow, but Nat wants to go over parkour."
Sam and Rhodey groaned.
***
The next morning, Wanda woke early, as she often did. For a while she simply laid in bed and gazed out at the stars glistening over the forest. Growing up in the city, she hadn't seen the stars often. Once in a while her family would take a day trip to the countryside and would go stargazing while they were there. It was one of the few fond memories she still had of them.
Pietro would have loved it here. She missed him so badly sometimes she felt she would be swallowed whole by the void inside her.
She sighed, swung her legs over the side of the bed, and pulled on her red cardigan as she wandered out into the kitchen. She blinked to try and clear her vision. She must be really tired, because it looked like the lights were on.
She stepped down the hallway quietly, reaching out with her powers carefully to see who was there. When she realized who it was, she stepped fully into view.
Colonel Fury raised a half-drunken glass of some type of alcohol to her. "You're up early," he said amiably.
"So are you," she replied warily.
"Uh huh. And not happy about it, trust me." He took another swig. "I knew I kept Stark around for some reason," he muttered into the glass.
"What do you want, Colonel Fury?" Wanda asked.
He glanced up and met her gaze with no hesitation. "I wanna know what you saw in the Daredevil's head."
"Steve would not approve," she said dryly.
"Rogers is a good man. Maybe too good. You know better: that sometimes the world isn't as black-and-white as it seems."
"And sometimes it is." she replied evenly.
"That being said..." he sighed. "I need to know if you know who he is."
She shook her head. "No. I have no idea."
"Not even a hint?"
"No."
"Hmm." Fury set his glass down. "I was hoping at least one of you newbies would be a little curious."
"His secrets are his own to tell. If you want to know them, why don't you ask him yourself? You did it for Stark, yeah?"
Fury sighed. "Yes, I did. Times have changed, though. The world is fiercer toward us now than it was before."
"I cannot say that I blame it," Wanda mumbled.
Fury shrugged. "Well, Ms. Maximoff," he glanced at the clock. "I have business to attend to. It's been nice chatting." Wanda inclined her head to him as he stood and left.
She stepped further into the kitchen and scoffed slightly when she saw he'd left his glass sitting on the counter. "Americans," she muttered as she set the glass in the sink.
***
A few weeks later, Pepper Potts turned up to the facility to visit and check up on everyone.
Wanda had never met Stark's girlfriend before, and so was somewhat surprised when she was a quiet, firm woman with a kind smile and a warm heart full of good intentions. It made her feel ashamed to think that once she would have gladly robbed this woman of her best friend (or boss, or employee, or whatever he was.) She shook Pepper's hand and made an effort to smile and be polite. She could do that much.
After introductions and a tour of the facility, the Avengers returned to the kitchen for a light lunch. The talk turned to Pepper's schedule, which was so extensive it made Wanda's head hurt.
"And after I get done here I have to head out to the city," Pepper finished.
"What's up down there?" Rhodey asked.
"Oh, there's a legal situation involving a new Stark Industries building," she sighed. "Apparently there are some tenants who aren't willing to move from the apartment building there. So I'm meeting with the law firm who contacted us on behalf of the residents. See if we can't get something worked out."
Wanda hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. "Um, Ms. Potts?"
Pepper turned to her with a smile. "It's fine if you call me Pepper, Wanda. And..?"
"Um..." Wanda played with her fingers. "Maybe I could go and talk to the law firm for you?"
When she raised her gaze, everyone was staring at her, as she'd worried. Pepper looked concerned, but not objecting. "I don't necessarily have a problem with it, but why?"
Wanda sighed. "Well, since certain people insisted on my getting an education," she glared at Natasha, who smirked back at her, "I've been taking a few preliminary law courses. I thought it would be interesting to see how it's actually done. And if I messed up, you could just send someone else."
Pepper nodded. "That sounds resonable. Steve?"
He nodded. "My only concern is you going alone."
Wanda sighed. "It's the middle of the day, Captain. And with all due respect---I defeated Ultron myself. I can handle it."
Steve kindly refrained from saying that that was under extenuating circumstances and nodded his agreement.
***
Wanda pulled up to the small office building the SHIELD-issue SUV had directed her to at 4:15. She hopped out of the truck and locked it, turning to the small, old brown brick building that the law firm was apparently headquartered in. It didn't look much like her mental picture of these sort of proceedings. Oh well.
She went inside and wrinkled her nose slightly from the smell of must and construction supplies. She walked down a hallway and found a door with a plaque next to it. It read "Nelson & Murdock: Attorneys At Law."
She shrugged and knocked. There was rustling on the other side, a call of "Coming!' and then the door opened. Inside stood a woman, whom Wanda guessed might be a bit older than she was, with long blonde hair and grey-green eyes, which widened when she saw Wanda standing there. "Um, hi. Can I help you?"
Wanda reminded herself that she had gotten herself into this predicament and just had to make the best of it. "Yes." She extended her hand. "Wanda Maximoff. I represent Stark Industries." She couldn't help a slight laugh at that one.
The woman accepted the shake with a curious tilt of her head. "What?"
"Nothing. I just didn't think I'd ever say that," Wanda said.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Um, if you're here about the Stark Industries case, Fo--I mean, Mr. Nelson is in if you'd like to talk to him."
"That would be great," Wanda said, so the woman opened the door and led her in.
"Oh, my name is Karen, by the way. Karen Page. I'm the, uh, secretary."
"It is nice to meet you, Karen."
Karen smiled. She had a nice smile, bright and warm. "Likewise."
Karen's mind was interesting. She seemed to be an open book; caring, honest. Her thoughts were of what she should buy for supper and a slight worry about a friend. But there was a hint of something else in her mind, as well. Something dark that she was hiding. It made Wanda curious, but she didn't press further.
Karen knocked on a closed door. "Foggy? There's someone from Stark Industries here."
There was a groan. "Do I have to deal with the suits right now?"
"Foggy," Karen said sternly.
"I know, I know, coming." There was a rustling noise from inside, and then the door opened. A stocky, blond haired man leaned out, blinking slightly, and immediately looked surprised when he spotted Wanda. "Oh. Hi," he extended his hand. "Franklin Nelson. Pleasure, Ms...?"
"Maximoff."
"Maximoff. So sorry about that, I was...expecting Stark to send someone a bit...different for this enterprise." he finished a bit lamely.
"No offense taken," she smiled.
"Well, that's good." He returned a smile. "Um, if you'd just follow me to the conference room..."
He led her through into another room with a bright window and a table and a few chairs. He pulled out a chair for her before sitting down across the table.
"Now, my clients are concerned with the quick deadline Stark Industries has set up for removing themselves from the premises, and also with the monetary compensation."
"I understand. What would be necessary for everyone to be satisfied in coming away from this deal? I am sure Mr. Stark would be glad to negotiate a bit."
"Sure," Foggy, as she had heard Karen call him, nodded. "Part of the problem is the lack of affordable housing in this neighborhood. It'd be rather difficult for the tenants to find a new place that is the equivalent of their current space for the same price."
"I see. What would solve these problems? An extended deadline? An increase in compensation? Perhaps both, yeah?"
"Maybe. It all depends on what Mr. Stark is willing to settle with. I think maybe a conference call might help clear this up?"
Wanda agreed, and they got it arranged to call Pepper, who was still in the Avengers facility, and put her in touch with the residents. As it turned out, Tony had joined her, and while he seemed surprised at learning Wanda had volunteered to help, he cooperated well and the two parties agreed to a pushed back deadline and a promise from Tony for personal real estate assistance.
When they disconnected the call, Wanda felt a bit encouraged at how well it had all gone. Foggy seemed to think the same way. "You know, you're a damn good lawyer," he said as he led her from the conference room. "How long have you been at it?"
"I am...not actually a lawyer," she said a bit awkwardly. "I took a few courses a month ago."
To her surprise, he laughed and held a hand up to her. "Legal newbies hi-five! Honestly we just started this firm a few months ago, my best friend and me."
Wanda accepted the hi-five with a bit of a smile.
"So, out of curiosity, where are you from? Exchange student?"
Her smile wavered a bit. "Well..."
Just then, Karen leaned into the room. "Foggy? It's nearly quitting time, and I still haven't been able to reach Matt."
"Who is Matt?" Wanda asked.
"Oh, he's my business partner...and my idiot best friend," Foggy sighed. A very familiar emotion practically radiated off of him--a mixture of exasperation and fondness and concern.
"I hope he's alright. I mean, I know it's usually not too bad out during the day, and I suppose we would've heard by now if something had happened to him...but still." Karen sighed.
"Yeah. I suppose there aren't that many blind lawyers around here." Foggy said.
Wanda glanced at him, mind whirling. "He is blind?" she asked.
"Yeah," Foggy said, looking taken aback by her sudden intense stare. "Why?"
She shrugged. "No reason. I have just never heard of a blind lawyer before. I suppose eyesight has little to do with ability to think and argue."
"Yep. And Matty's smart. Always has been." Wanda felt his pride for his friend, and how hard he had worked to get where he was now. It would be touching if she wasn't so concerned.
"I guess we'd better look around for him. Make sure there hasn't been any trouble," Karen said.
"Good idea." Foggy replied.
"Um," Wanda spoke up, and Foggy and Karen glanced at her. "If it is no trouble to you two, I could help you look. I do not have to be back until later."
Foggy nodded to her. "It would be much appreciated."
The three of them gathered their things and headed out, Foggy directing Karen to check a few square blocks on the other side of the neighborhood. When she had driven off, Wanda stepped up behind Foggy, checked the street, and quietly asked, "Are you sending her off because you know that he is the Daredevil and she does not?"
Foggy, to his credit, didn't whirl around to face her. He did tense up, though. "How did you know?"
"I have met him before. I am an Avenger. Plus...I can read minds," she admitted sheepishly.
Foggy turned to her. "He met the Avengers and didn't tell me? Oh," he groaned, "You were trying to recruit him, weren't you? And he said no, didn't he?"
Wanda nodded. Foggy sighed and buried his face in his hands. "Anyway, yes, I sent her off because she doesn't know. And if it weren't something really important, Matt wouldn't have disappeared in the middle of the day like this."
"If he is in trouble, I can help him out," Wanda said. When Foggy stared at her a little disbelievingly, she said, "I have telekinesis, too."
Foggy groaned and glanced towards the sky. "Why does he get all the luck?" He glanced down at her again, suddenly hopeful. "You wouldn't happen to have any friends, would you?"
"No." But she couldn't help the slight smile that showed up, despite the circumstances. "I will try and find Matt. You hold down the fort here. Oh, and you will need to tell Karen soon, because she is growing suspicious."
Foggy sighed. "I know. I do need to tell her. No more secrets between the three of us. I just hope she doesn't do anything rash and get herself indicted for murder while taking out her defense attorneys."
Wanda actually laughed at that one, and Foggy smiled as well.
***
After Foggy had left, Wanda climbed up to the roof. Height didn't actually make a huge difference in her ability to sense emotions from a distance, but it made her feel a bit more in control.
In all honesty, she had barely gotten the time to experiment with her powers before she was thrust into using them. She had gone from a constant migraine for months of her life where she lay and couldn't even cry because she was in so much pain to suddenly sensing the emotions and thoughts of other people in her head at all hours. Pietro had helped her manage, but only since the Avengers had encouraged her to test herself had she made real progress, if only a little.
Kneeling down near the edge of the rooftop, she bowed her head and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths and trying to clear her mind. When she was quiet and still enough, she slowly, carefully released her power, until it echoed off the sides of the buildings and reverberated around in her skull. The mother stressing over an unexpected car expense, the child who lived in fear of their father, the janitor frustrated with an overtime shift, and millions more minds touched hers.
Her temples throbbed, but she pressed out further, listening and sorting through every thought, every emotion, searching for the Daredevil's presence.
When she was sure she would hyperventilate, finally, she found the disturbance she was searching for. There was a warehouse, full of men, weapons, and explosives, preparing to stage a jailbreak. The Daredevil was there, fighting furiously. But he was vastly outnumbered.
Wanda opened her eyes, blinking furiously as the bright light burned her. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, and rose to find the warehouse.
***
Wanda was tempted to run right in and begin fighting, but instead she went with the divide-and-conquer approach. While Daredevil fought the criminals, she went around and took over their minds, one by one, until only a dozen or so of them remained. She escaped notice by both the criminals and the Daredevil. She supposed his senses might be a bit overwhelmed at the moment. With that in mind, she steeled herself to enter the fray.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a merc she had somehow missed hurling an explosive down towards the Daredevil. She sprinted forwards, reaching out and catching the bomb, before throwing it into another room and sealing the door against it. She strained to keep the door shut. So intense was her concentration that she paid no attention to the fight still going on.
The concussive blast from the bomb went off, and Wanda barely felt herself hit the floor, her entire body burning and her brain throbbing. She shook away unconsciousness as best she could, and raised her head to see two Daredevils in the distance, staring in her direction. What little part of his face was visible wore an expression of confusion, and he was turned entirely towards her. She was cursing in her head--why wasn't he paying attention to fighting?--but then she realized. The last time they'd met, he hadn't sensed her fighting. He probably couldn't tell what he was sensing currently. He was so distracted that he didn't notice one of the criminals creeping up behind him until Wanda's hoarse warning was too late. The man raised his gun and brought it down with a loud crack across the back of Daredevil's head. He crumpled to the floor and didn't rise again.
Wanda dragged herself to her feet, grasping the remaining men's weapons and crushing them. She discarded the pieces and seized the men themselves, slamming them into crates and walls and cars until they were all soundly unconscious.
She dropped to the floor, hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath. As soon as she could stand without the floor moving beneath her, she ran to the Daredevil's side.
She carefully reached out and gently probed his head with the lightest of touches, in case the injury was severe. Thankfully, it seemed to be a typical blunt force trauma. Possible concussion, but maybe not. He also had a great deal of additional minor lacerations and bruising, and probably more that she couldn't see. His mind was unaware, but he was still alive, and she was relieved.
Still, they couldn't stay in this warehouse. She had to get him out of here and patched up. The police needed to be called, and that meant they needed to disappear.
Carefully, Wanda lifted the Daredevil with her powers. Then she reached a bit deeper into his dormant mind to find out where he lived.
***
She managed to get him back to his apartment; a sparsely furnished, open floored place. She deposited him on the couch before finding a phone and calling Foggy.
"Matt?" he said immediately, and she felt guilty for giving him false hope.
"Sorry, it's Wanda. I have found him, though."
Foggy's voice dropped in volume. "How is he?"
She glanced at the prone form on the couch. "Not necessarily good, but I am guessing not as bad as he has been before. He might be concussed. A few sort of deep cuts, but nothing too serious."
There was a sigh at the other end of the phone. "You'd better call his friend Claire. She's a nurse."
Wanda shook her head, then realized she was on a phone. "I know how to deal with this sort of thing. I can take care of it."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
There was a rustling sound. "Wanda Maximoff, you are full of surprises."
She smiled despite herself. "I do try."
Foggy chuckled softly on the other end. "Thank you. For doing this."
"You're welcome. I'll call you back after I've gotten him cleaned up." They disconnected the call, and Wanda sighed. Then she walked a bit further into the apartment, searching for a first aid kit. She didn't have any luck in the bathroom, and there wasn't anything in the bedroom aside from a nightstand and a bed. She finally found a well-stocked kit buried in the back of his hall closet.
Returning to the couch, she set the kit on the floor and hesitantly reached for the mask. Sliding her fingertips beneath the edges of the leather, she carefully worked it off. His face beneath was lax in unconsciousness, and she could see the beginnings of a black eye forming.
She gently reached beneath his head and carefully probed the spot where he'd been struck. It was swollen, but she couldn't feel any obvious breaks, which was a relief. She let her other hand drop, but quickly pulled it back when she felt something sticky on his shoulder. There was a gash there that had been hidden by the red leather. It was slowly oozing blood.
Wanda carefully unzipped the jacket and eased his arm out of it. There was a good deal of blood soaking the sleeve, and so it took a bit of work to free his shoulder, but eventually she managed. The cut was several inches long, and deep enough that it would need stitches. She dug out a needle, then rifled around for a spool of surgical thread. She threaded the needle, and was just about to start stitching when Daredevil stirred with a soft sound of pain. She touched his mind slightly and found him still unconscious, but aware of his injuries. She sighed and got up to dig around for some painkillers.