We sit very still in our jail cells, too scared to even shiver from the cold draft which constantly flows. This man, who just managed to blow a hole in the concrete wall, stares at us for a long time. Finally, he speaks.

"Hello. My name is Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, and I have an opportunity for all of you."

The flashing red lights glare off of his face, making him look sinister.

"What kind of opportunity?" I ask, suspiciously.

The man's once stoic face twists into an evil grin. His many guards exchange looks and chuckle. In the distance, police sirens ring out their high-pitched song. To some, it is a song of hope. To others, such as myself, it is a song of trouble. Just the thought of the awful police makes me nervous.

Strucker turns to his men, his face once again emotionless.

"Deal with them," he says in a low voice, referring to the cops.

His men nod and run out through the giant hole in the wall they had previously created. It is sad to say that the hole has provided me with the first rays of sun I've seen in a year.

"The opportunity I have for you," Strucker says turning back to face us, "Is nothing short of amazing. You will not receive any opportunity greater than this."

Pietro and I glance at each other, unsure of what to make of this "opportunity" and this man.

"Could you give us some more details?" Pietro asks.

Strucker looks down at him, adjusting the monocle over his eye. He reminds me of one of those stereotypical villains. The kind that sit in big black spinning chairs and constantly stroke their cats.

"All in good time. First you need to tell me why you're here," he says, looking directly at Syro.

Syro and Fanzer look at each other. Fanzer, Syro's brother, just nods, telling Syro to explain.

"We're here because we're known pyromaniacs," he says with a smug grin.

Pietro and I turn to each other wide-eyed. They're in here for starting fires? Maybe these boys aren't really good people to be friends with. Strucker, however, simply nods and turns to Jean, waiting for her explanation.

"I'm in here for stealing from the rich and givin' what I steal to the poor," she says proudly, her accent becoming stronger as she finishes the sentence.

Strucker nods at her, looking oddly unimpressed. Then, he turns to Pietro and I, raising his eyebrows, signaling for us to speak. I look at Pietro and sigh.

"We're in here for getting into a fight with the police," I say calmly.

The man looks intrigued. He looks up in thought, then without looking back down, he asks, "Was it a physical fight or a verbal fight?"

Pietro and I look at each other, surprised by the question. Strucker looks back down at us.

"Well?" he asks, impatiently.

"At first it was a verbal fight, then it turned into a physical fight. They overpowered us," Pietro answers.

"We would have won if they didn't have those stupid guns," I mumble.

Strucker smirks at us, clearly impressed by our answer.

"Very well. Now about this opportunity. I can't say much here. Shield is probably on their way. What I can tell you, however, is that it will get you out of here and give you abilities that most men only dream of," he says with a fire in his eyes. "Are you in, or would you rather rot in these cells for the rest of your lives?"

"Count me in," Jean says. "Us, too," reply Syro and Fanzer.

Strucker looks at them and nods, then he turns to us

"And you two?" he asks, his dark brown eyes seemingly peering into our souls.

Pietro and I look at each other. I know we both have the same idea. This is our chance to get revenge. Revenge on Tony Stark.

"We're in," I say.

Strucker grins saying, "Excellent."

Suddenly I feel a sharp pain in my neck, and as everything goes black, I can only think of one thing. We've made a deal with the devil.

12 hours later:

My eyes slowly open, trying to take in my surroundings. Everything looks blurry, and my head feels weird, like if somebody touched it, it would melt. I try to stand up, only to fall back down again. My legs feel like jelly. Everything just feels...off.

"You're awake. Good," someone says.

My eyes try to focus on the man talking. He sounds familiar. I hold my head with my hands, and squeeze my eyes closed. It seems like I'm trying to steady myself, even though neither I nor anything around me is actually moving. Finally, my vision clears up, and I look at my surroundings. I'm in another cell. There is a small, flimsy looking bed, and a sink with no toilet. The walls and floor are made of metal and concrete. The room is cold and dark, but it doesn't feel the same as my cell in the prison. It feels somehow different. As I look around, my eyes land on a man who is looking right back at me. Strucker. Suddenly, I'm filled with rage. I run up to the thick glass wall that separates us and pound on it with all of my might. Every bone in my body wants to break the glass and strangle him. It's an almost indescribable feeling. Like I want to scream until my voice is hoarse and if I could tear into the air, I would. I'm not sure I've ever been this angry before.

"YOU LIAR!!!! You said you'd get us out of a cell and you just put us back into one!" I yell, still violently pounding on the glass. My fists begin to hurt, but I can't seem to stop. This isn't even what I'm mad about. To be honest, I have no idea what I'm mad about. I just feel...angry. As if every single thing that has ever upset me is showing itself all at the same time.

Strucker looks at me with a small smirk, saying, "I like your hate. We can put that to good use."

I glare at him. Blood now runs down my hands and onto the floor, but I can't bring myself to even care. 

"Where is my brother?" I ask, my voice shaking with rage, and my nostrils flaring.

"He is in the room next to yours being taken care of," he says without a hint of emotion.

I begin to shake, yet again, with rage and let out a loud scream that I couldn't seem to hold in. I bang on the glass even harder, my blood now blocking out his face.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" I scream, with venom in my voice.

Suddenly, as one of my fists hit the glass again, a large bolt of electricity shoots through me, and I am blasted to the other side of the room. I hit the other end of the concrete wall. It feels like I've been stabbed with thousands of knives all at the same time. As I lay on the floor in shock, Strucker begins to laugh.

"I like your rage, just don't direct it at me. Or that will become a regular thing for you," he says.

As I look at him I realize that my fears have been confirmed. I really did make a deal with the devil.

"Now, while you were asleep, Ms. Maximoff, we did a background check on you and Pietro. I know about your parents. And I can tell you that if you work with me, you two will get what you really want. Revenge on Tony Stark," he says with an evil glint in his eyes.

That is what catches my attention. I look up at him, the rage replaced by pain from the blast. I can feel tears well up inside of me, but I hold them back. No crying. Not now. I look back down in submission.

"What do I have to do?" I ask in a soft, weak voice.

"Aha. Excellent question. Let me explain," he continues, "Over years and years of research on the human body, we've discovered something called the X-gene."

Mustering up the strength, I stand and walk closer to the glass to hear him better. I swipe at the blood on the glass with my sleeve, trying to see him more clearly. Every step feels like I'm walking on jagged rocks. I shakily sit down, knees touching the glass wall.

"The X-gene can actually change your DNA, mutate it, to give you certain abilities. Every person has an X-gene, but the mutation they receive depends on the person and their current DNA," he explains passionately.

"If every person has an X-gene, then why doesn't everyone get powers?" I ask, my voice still shaky from the electric shock.

He smiles deviously at my question. The lighting in the room and the look on his face makes him look like someone about to tell the scariest story ever told over a campfire. I haven't even gotten my answer yet, but something inside tells me it's going to be bad. I sit on my hands to stop them from shaking, and take deep breaths to calm the nerves that are raging in my stomach.

"You see, Wanda," he continues, "the thing about the X-gene is, it can only be unlocked, per say, one way. Through pain. So our plan here is to put you through constant torture and hope that the X-gene shows itself. If it does, you will receive abilities beyond your wildest dreams. Providing you survive the process, of course."

I suddenly become extremely light-headed, and begin to hyperventilate. This isn't what I wanted. I don't want to be a lab rat. I don't want to go through hours of pain. I want to go home. I want to erase the last five years of my life. I want my parents.... 

My parents. That is why I have to do this. This the only way to avenge them. Tony Stark has power and influence over millions. I have none of that. If I want to get revenge on him, this is the only way. I need power.

"How many people have survived?" I ask, confidence evident in my voice.

"Only two out of ninety-three. Those two being Logan Howlett and Wade Wilson, aka The Wolverine and Deadpool," he explains.

I take a deep breath and nod.

"May I speak to my brother?" I ask.

He looks at me for a long time. Studying my features. I assume he's trying to figure out my angle.

"Very well. Maybe you can convince him to join. He refused. I assume you're in?" he asks.

I sigh and nod. This is the only way.

"Outstanding. I'll have him brought here, to your cell," he says with a devious smile.

He waves his hand at the camera set to watch the cell, and almost instantly, two very buff and scary looking guards walk in. They both walk up to Strucker. They actually tower over him, but they seem more frightened of him than he is of them. The look on their faces somehow makes me think that it is similar to what an ant must look like when it is about to be crushed by the unforgiving bottom of a shoe.

"Bring me Pietro Maximoff," Strucker says.

The guards nod and simultaneously put their right hands over their hearts, saying, "Hail Hydra," before walking out.

I look over to Strucker, whose focus is still on the door. Fortunately, I've never come face to face with a dictator, but I get the impression that this man is not much different from one. 

"What is Hydra?" I ask him.

He turns to me with a very odd, indescribable smile on his face, unlike any of which I have seen so far.

"Hydra is our organization. We were founded by the Red Skull under the Nazi regime. We supplied the Nazis with top-notch weapons that not even Howard Stark himself could create. However, near the end of World War 2, our fearless leader's life was taken by Captain America. And not soon after that, Hitler killed himself and the Nazis went under. We, however, did not. We remained in power. As a result, the government was forced to create S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Strategic Homeland Intervention and Logistics Division, in order to try and stop us. Now, we remain at war. But, one little weapon," he finishes, looking me directly in the eyes, "could change all of that."

I ignore the chill that runs through my spine as he finished that last sentence.

"Why didn't Hydra fall when the Red Skull did?" I ask.

"That's the thing about Hydra, my dear," he says with an obvious passion. "Cut off one head and two more shall take it's place."

Just as he finishes that last sentence, the guards walk in holding Pietro, who looks miniscule compared to them. Strucker focuses his attention on Pietro. He walks up to my brother, who although may look brave, I know is absolutely terrified. Strucker grabs his arm, roughly, and drags him over to my cell. Hy types in a code on the screen next to my cell, and the glass wall separates. Strucker shoves Pietro in and then quickly closes it again, clearly fearing that one of us will try and make a run for it.

"I will leave you two to talk things over," he says, exiting the room.

The heavy metal door closes, leaving Pietro and I alone. Here we sit, neither of us saying anything, or even looking at each other. The silence is uncomfortable. As if we both already know we have different views on this. The only sound that can be heard is the faint buzzing in my ears that comes with being quiet for too long. If I dropped a pin, it would sound like a bomb. I finally muster up enough strength and courage to look at him. Although we haven't been here for long, he already has black bags under his eyes. His brown hair is messy and he looks as though the actual weight of the world has fallen down on him. I don't have a mirror, but I imagine I don't look much different. Finally, he looks at me, his dark brown eyes piercing into my very soul.

"We shouldn't have done this. This was a mistake. I say we refuse and just let them kill us. At least then we'll be with Mom and Dad," he says as quiet as a mouse.

My heart stings a little at the mention of our parents, but I remain strong.

"No. We must do this. This is our chance to get what we want," I tell him, my voice much stronger that his.

"Wanda, are you mad!? They are trying to use us for their own personal gain," he says, his voice much more demanding than before.

"So what!? It's not the first time somebody has done that," I remind him.

"What would Mom and Dad think!?" he speaks.

That set something off in me. Something similar to what I felt back when Strucker electrocuted me.

"MOM AND DAD ARE DEAD!" I scream. "They are dead because of Tony Stark! And this is our only chance! We have to avenge them! Stark has to pay for what he's done."

Pietro looks at me, fear evident on his face. I have never yelled at him before, nor he I. My own brother is afraid of me. Seeing this, my eyes soften and my voice goes with them.

"I want this. I need this," I say, softly. "But I will not do it without you."

Pietro looks at me for a long time, his eyes scanning my face, trying to decide what to do. I stare back into his chocolate brown eyes, hoping for a positive answer.

"Alright. But what happens if one of us doesn't survive the process?" he asks.

I smile slightly at him, relieved by his answer. And I already know mine.

"If you die, I die. If you live, I live," I say.

I look into the camera and nod, assuming that they have been watching and listening the whole time. My assumption is proved correct when Strucker walks through the door, followed by the two guards from earlier.

"Have we reached an agreement?" Strucker asks.

"We will do it on one condition," I explain. "If one of us dies, you have to kill the other. No exceptions."

Strucker looks taken aback by my statement, but begins to mull it over. He rolls his head around, cracking his neck, before looking back at both of us.

"Very well. If you are only productive when the other is present, than you would be useless to us if the other dies," he says, seemingly confident in his hypothesis.

Pietro and I look at each other, I take a deep breath, saying, "We're ready."

Strucker smiles, a very wide smile, almost enough to push his monocle off of his face.

"Excellent."

He snaps his fingers, and the two guards instantly walk forward. They get as close to the glass as humanly possible before stopping and looking towards Strucker. Strucker walks over to the pad and types in the code. As soon as the glass starts to open, the guards lurch forward and grab Pietro and I, harshly pulling us to the door.

"Good luck to the both of you," Strucker says.

That is the last thing I hear before the door closes and Pietro and I are dragged off to our uncertain fates.

To be continued..........