Operation: Dasavatharam: The End Bits

[x-scarletwitch.livejournal.com]

Wanda, Amanda and Remy talk about what they can do about the Exemplars - and Wanda.



"I need a vacation." With those words, Wanda collapsed into the chair that was behind her and stared up at the ceiling. While the cult's hideout in NY was pretty much done, with the escape of the man in charge - sans ring and potentially a few fingers - there was every reason to suspect that the cult was far from finished. The others were performing their not literal magic in making sure that when the cops arrived on the scene, there was a perfectly reasonable explanation beyond "secret mutant strike team battles cult worshiping the god of chaos" regarding the mess.

Between finding Remy and battling the Baron, failing to save Farouk and her flare ups with her powers, this was the last thing Wanda had needed this summer. She shot Amanda a glance, able to apologize now that they were no longer in the middle of fighting a madman. "How is the shoulder?"

"Sore," came Amanda's reply. The witch had been quiet since the battle, newly returned from Emma's clinic with her left arm in a sling and a carefully prescribed painkiller in addition to the two black eyes. It wasn't a sullen silence, however, more of a thoughtful one. "I think I'm with you on the vacation idea, tho'."

"We're shorthanded right now." Remy said, leaning back and regarding them both carefully. "Which is Remy's way of saying dat if you seriously need a break, take it. If you just tired and frustrated, we can't afford to have you off de network right now."

Wanda briefly touched her bruised cheek and sighed. "I seem to have more get up and go than I should, all things considered. Though the next time we are more fully staffed, I am asking Pete for recommendation of a good island or two for a nice break.". She suddenly looked even more tired when she continued speaking, "That is neither here nor there, sadly. The ring was destroyed but we still have a lot of things to clean up."

"I don't..." Amanda sounded shaky, and she looked down at the arm cradled diagonally across her body. "'M not sure how much use I'm gunna be, to be honest. But Wanda's right, we've still got a mess to clean up. And she's still a target for these Chthon fuckers, as long as she's the gate."

Quietly, Wanda reached out a hand and placed it on Amanda's knee. She responded verbally to the words but left her hand there for support. "First, our "friends' the Exemplars. I still mistrust their overall intent but is it better to keep them close, gain what we can from and monitor their movements or better to distance ourselves?". She shrugged. "They are in our debt and there is much to gain, I think."

"Keep 'em close, but not too close," Amanda suggested, sounding a bit less unsure with Wanda's reassurance. "They'll have their own enemies besides the one we have in common, what with their habit of interfering with mutants, and we don't want that crashing down on our heads."

"Remy getting tired of getting involved in every one else,s agenda. We starting to rack up a disturbing number of enemies on the behalf of others."

"And goodness knows we have enough of our own," Wanda agreed. "No, I think we will let the Exemplars have enough space that if they do end up hanging themselves, they will not take us with them. But still be able to work with them if we need to - there were other reasons besides playing me that the Chthon cult went after them. But, now, I suppose to the bigger question - me. Can we risk, truly risk, sending me out into the field?" The very thought of being grounded to a desk made her want to run as far away as she could. "If my being alive is keeping Chthon locked away -"

She looked at Amanda. "There has to be something we can do."

Amanda frowned. Bad enough they all ran the risk of not coming back from a job, but Wanda's case was a lot more complicated. "I think there might be," she replied. "Something we can do. I'll have to talk to some folks, tho' - 's not really my area."

"Thank you - that is all I ask. I joke for vacations but I am not quite ready for retirement." Turning to Remy, she continued, "Until we come up with a solution, however, it looks like I am a desk jockey. The last thing we need is for some two bit villain to get in a lucky shot and bring an Elder God down for a visit."

"Talk to Marie-Ange. You can switch some of your field work wit' her report analysis. She could use a few months back in de field as is." Remy said, considering the needs of the group. "And let's see what we can shake out 'bout dese characters. If dey going to draw people to us, better dat we know what pools dey fishing in first and what lives in dem. Maybe give us some warning, or a chance at shutting down de whole thing before it comes back to haunt us."