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Fini let go of Wanda's hand and forced himself to look away. It was one thing to catch a glimpse while invisible, but now that he was back to normal, getting caught staring would be beyond awkward.
"Pietro Maximoff."
Seeing Wanda's gesture, Pietro hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to shake Fini's hand and introduce himself.
"Are you truly planning to take us to see Tony Stark?" Pietro couldn't help but confirm once more. He didn't quite grasp Fini's motive—was all this effort really just to stop them from seeking revenge?
"Yes," Fini nodded. He surveyed their tattered laboratory clothes and added, "But first, let's get you some proper clothes."
With a wave of his hand, he opened a portal to New York.
Pietro didn't cross immediately. Instead, he exchanged a look with Wanda and turned back to Fini. "Can we have a moment alone to talk?"
"Of course."
Fini shrugged and walked a distance away to give them space. However, he quietly maintained his Breathing Technique. Despite his casual posture, his heightened senses were dialed in; he wasn't nearly as indifferent as he appeared. While eavesdropping felt a bit unethical, Fini wanted to keep the situation under control for everyone's safety.
"Are we going with him?" Pietro whispered, glancing at Fini's silhouette in the distance.
"Do we have any other choice?" Wanda countered.
"We could go back to Sokovia."
"And then what?" Wanda looked toward Fini, her voice tinged with defeat. "By ourselves, we can't change anything. Our people will continue to live in misery, and we'll never get our revenge."
Pietro fell silent. After a long pause, he muttered, "But he might be in league with Stark."
"If he wanted to kill us, he wouldn't go through all this trouble. Besides..." Wanda hesitated before continuing softly, "what else do we have left to lose?"
Eavesdropping from afar, Fini sighed internally.
"And," Wanda added, her gaze sharpening with a cold fire, "I want to see what kind of man Tony Stark really is. I want to see if he feels even a shred of remorse for the atrocities he's committed."
Years of deep-seated hatred couldn't be erased by a single conversation.
"Fine," Pietro said, squeezing her hand to steady her. He looked over at Fini, who was pretending to admire the scenery. "Then let's go see this butcher."
Having made their decision, the siblings returned to Fini's side. They didn't offer a lengthy explanation, simply saying, "Take us there."
Fini felt a bit like a glorified chauffeur, but given the heavy nature of their private chat, he didn't complain. He reopened the portal.
The siblings had nothing but the clothes on their backs—not even a scrap of paper, let alone money. Naturally, Fini had to foot the bill for their wardrobe.
They went to a large mall with a massive selection. Fini had brought Bruce Banner here once before and had been particularly impressed by the durability of the pants.
The twins moved quickly, and once they emerged from the changing rooms, the transformation was striking. Both siblings were exceptionally good-looking. While Pietro didn't quite hit Fini's level of "main character" aesthetics, he was far above average—certainly several leagues ahead of someone like Billy.
Wanda, however, was a showstopper. Perhaps because the weather was still warm, she chose a form-fitting black mini-dress paired with a scarlet leather jacket. The slightly open collar revealed porcelain skin, and when paired with black leather boots and sheer black stockings, she exuded a commanding, queenly aura. Half the shoppers in the mall were already staring.
"Let's move, let's move!"
Still invisible, Fini whispered an urgent prompt as Wanda eyed a few more racks. It wasn't that he was stingy with the money, but he knew that once a woman starts shopping, it's nearly impossible to get her to stop.
Fortunately, Wanda wasn't a typical shopper. Despite a lingering look at the displays, she adjusted her mindset and followed Pietro out of the mall to a secluded corner Fini had designated.
While they were shopping, Fini had checked in on Tony's status. As it happened, he was at his villa working on his ship designs, so there was no need to delay the meeting.
"First, let's get one thing straight," Fini warned before opening the final portal. "I'm taking you to see him so you can understand who he is now, not so you can carry out a vendetta. If things get out of hand, I will intervene."
Wanda and Pietro both nodded, acknowledging the terms.
Fini led them through the portal into Tony's Malibu villa.
Because the shopping trip had been brief, Fini hadn't given Tony a full briefing; he'd only sent a quick message saying he was bringing two people over. Consequently, when Tony saw them, he didn't suspect anything was amiss—though he did find himself taking a few extra glances at Wanda's figure. If he didn't already have Pepper and if he weren't unsure of her relationship with Fini, he probably would have whistled or tried a pickup line.
"Who are they?" Tony asked, sipping a drink as he walked over. He quickly noticed that the looks they were giving him were anything but friendly.
"Your enemies."
Cough... hack!
Tony choked on his drink, coughing several times before staring at Fini. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Do you want to tell him, or should I?" Fini asked the twins. They remained silent, staring at Tony with cold, unblinking eyes.
"Alright, I'll do it," Fini sighed. He recounted the story they had told him in the mountains. As the tale unfolded, Tony's expression grew complex. He fell into a long, heavy silence.
"I'm sorry," Tony finally said. It was a sincere apology. He knew the pain of losing parents, and he knew the terror of facing imminent death. Though his original intent in designing weapons was to end wars, the reality was that they had fueled more conflict. He couldn't argue with the facts.
He understood why they looked at him the way they did.
"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" Tony took a deep breath, looking them in the eye. He wasn't a man who dwelled on the past without action; if he made a mistake, he worked to correct it. He had been doing exactly that since Ho Yinsen died.
The siblings remained silent. Less than two hours had passed since they were in a HYDRA cell. Everything was happening too fast, and no amount of "compensation" from Stark was going to make their hatred vanish instantly.
Seeing the awkward stalemate, Fini intervened. "I brought them here to see the man you've become. Their old home in Sokovia was destroyed, so for now, they need a place to stay."
"Right," Tony agreed immediately. For him, problems that could be solved with money weren't problems at all. He had JARVIS arrange for a top-tier luxury villa with every possible amenity.
Seeing that Wanda and Pietro were still overwhelmed, Fini asked, "Why don't you two head over there and get some rest?"
They gave a slow nod of agreement. Tony let them pick a sports car from his garage and had JARVIS engage the autopilot to ferry them to their new residence.
Fini wasn't worried about them running away. If they left, they left—his primary goal had been to save their lives and give them a shot at normalcy. Without the Mind Scepter, he doubted they would spontaneously develop powers anyway.
After they left, Fini and Tony sat in the living room. Tony had abandoned his juice for a bottle of expensive scotch, pouring himself glass after glass.
"Who do you think killed their parents?" Fini asked, watching Tony drink in somber silence. "The shell itself? Obadiah Stane, who sold it? Or the man who designed it?"
"Me," Tony said with a self-deprecating smirk. He handed a glass to Fini. "I think we all did. Drink with me?"
"Alright," Fini said, accepting the glass and pouring a full measure. He took a slow sip and sighed. "Actually, while we're on the subject... I have a friend..."
(End of Chapter)