Chapter 34: The Maximoff Twins

"I still find you suspicious."

"I've heard that a few times."

Harvey was currently hanging out with the Maximoff twins at Central Park. In front of them sat the Turtle Pond. Looking over to Pietro, Harvey saw him eating a bag of Sandwiches. The speedster was eating them all happily and without slowing down. Wanda had her half-eaten sandwich, but she chose to ignore the food in favor of eyeing him.

"I'm honestly not a threat. I was just someone who was trying to do the right thing." Harvey said as he took a bite from his food. "I promise I'm just trying to be your friend now."

"Hm. Pietro may trust you, but I don't." Wanda took a bite of her food and saw a few turtles swim on the water's surface. "You feel odd, too."

"Feel odd? You can sense things?" Harvey looked at her in surprise.

"Not too well, but yes." Wanda told him. "Your energy feels hot, too, and it's like you're two people."

"Ah... I see." Harvey replied. "I guess that Chaos Magic of yours is pretty versatile."

"Chaos magic? Are you talking about my powers?!" Wanda said in surprise. She stood up and walked closer to him. "You know what they're called? How?"

Harvey smiled and told her what little Zarathos knew about the magic. Wanda smiled as she heard more about her abilities; she seemed worried about why she and her brother were so different in power. 

"I see. This magic can manipulate, warp, and reconstruct the fabric of existence and reality to my whims." Wanda said in awe while she looked down at her hands; she suddenly looked worried. "And bring about total destruction to the cosmos."

"It's an amazing power you have, sister." Pietro said from the bench they were all sharing. "Powerful and dangerous."

Harvey nodded and thought more profoundly about the implications. With enough training and power, Wanda could be the most powerful being on this planet, maybe even the universe. And if Zarathos is to be believed, Her magic could alter her mind and cause her to seek destruction and death. But she would have to make contact with the Darkhold for her to become truly lost. Harvey wondered if he should tell her that part; it could cause her to fear her power.

"Wanda." Harvey said in a severe tone. "There's more."

Harvey then told them what could happen to Wanda if her magic grew out of control and the dangers of her coming in contact with a legendary book like the Darkhold. The siblings grew worried and scared; this information was hard to accept, but Harvey had no real reason to lie.

"It can't be true!" Pietro yelled as he stood up and glared down at him. "You must be wrong!"

Harvey looked over to Wanda and saw her look fearfully at her hands. Of course, who wouldn't? "I'm gonna tell you why you sensed that I was like I'm two people, Wanda."

"I believe that for you both to believe me, I must tell you my story." Harvey said. "It all started a few months ago, on the night I died twice…"

Harvey told his story to the twins, leaving nothing out. Of course, he kept his interactions with the Dunphy family and Amy out of it all. There was no need to involve them. If exposing his history backfired, it would only blow up in his face. Harvey could have kept it all to himself and told some elaborate lie to get them to believe him, but Wanda's powers were potentially too powerful and could become very dangerous. He couldn't risk leaving it to chance.

Sure, she could barely wield them now, but that could change in the future. And by that point, it could be too late to change whatever possible person she would become. He had to take action now; if he didn't, whatever actions she took in the future would be his fault if she fell to evil. 

"A… ancient demon? Inside you?" Wanda said slowly. "That's how you knew what my power was?"

"Yes, Zarathos has been alive for a very long time. He's seen and experienced a lot in his time on this world." Harvey spoke. "So I believe him when he said he's dealt with Chaos Magic before."

"…will my sister be lost someday?" Pietro asked fearfully. "Is there nothing for us to do?"

"Pietro." Harvey said as he crouched down in front of the two twins. "Nothing is set in stone. Wanda has the potential to be very powerful, but that doesn't mean she will turn to evil and destruction."

"How can you know?" Wanda asked him silently. "I… I have hatred in my heart."

"Wanda!" Pietro exclaimed. "Don't!-"

"No, Pietro. Knowing this now, it… changes things." Wanda said as she looked down at her hands. "When we were children, there was a bombing that hit our hometown. One shell hit two floors beneath our house… our parents fell in…"

"Pietro grabbed me and brought me under the bed… that was when the second shell hit. But it doesn't go off; it just… sits there. Three feet from our faces." Wanda said, her eyes were glossy.

Harvey listened on with wide, shocked eyes. Completely missing his right fist, shifting into bones and fire, Pietro noticed with surprised eyes.

"On the other side of the shell was painted one word… Stark. We were trapped for two days. Every effort to save us, every shift in the bricks. I thought… this will set it off. We wait for two days for Tony Stark to kill us."

Silence hung heavy over them all after Wanda finished telling her story. Harvey stayed still and closed his eyes. There was nothing to say; what could he say to that? There was no advice, no light beyond the tunnel. Nothing he could say would help them at all. So Harvey just reached out and held Wanda's hand with his left hand; with his right, he grabbed Pietro's shoulder and squeezed.

"That's why you're here. Because of the Stark Expo." Harvey said gravely. "You want to kill Tony Stark."

"…yes."

•••

"Harvey… you okay?"

Harvey looked over to Luke and nodded. His friend walked over to him and leaned on the balcony railing of their hotel room with him. They stood in silence, just looking at the city. Harvey then reached down and pulled out his phone. Unlocking it, he played a video for Luke.

"Is that Iron Man… fighting Iron Man?"

The video showed Tony Stark's red and gold armor fight, an older silver model of the suit in a lavish home. The battle continued until the red and gold suit slammed the silver model into the sink; he then turned around and yelled at the crowd, watching and recording the fight. That was when the video ended; whoever was shooting must have run away with the rest. 

"It is." Harvey said while he put his phone away. "He's unstable."

"What makes you say that?" Luke asked him.

"Him using that armor that way could've hurt many people at that party. The sheer power of that suit… and it's being used as a party prop." Harvey tightened his hands into fists. "Has he truly changed from when he used to manufacture weapons?"

"Stark has done a lot of good after becoming Iron Man. I mean, all the wars between the United States and its enemies have stopped." Luke said as he looked down. "What did he say on the news? That he 'successfully privatized world peace'?"

"He did." Harvey confirmed. "That he did."

"Why are you all hung up on him?" Luke asked him, turning to face him completely.

"I heard about something that involved his company, something that got several innocent people killed." Harvey said while thinking back to Wanda and Pietro's story. "Is he responsible for something his weapons did in the past? Or is he innocent because he didn't pull the trigger?"

"Should I go after him… as the Ghost Rider?"

"Oh." Luke said silently.

They stood together in silence, just looking out at the city. Harvey wanted an answer, something that could justify him going after the man as the Ghost Rider. But every time he thought he could, he found another good thing the man did. Alex told him about all the advancements in medical technology the company has made. Even the hundreds that were saved from starving from the intelli-crops he created. Even today, the man continued thinking of ways to help people.

"Do you think you should?"

"I don't know. I… met some good people here. Stark has hurt them. Their parents were killed by his weapons. Their hatred of the man is justified." Harvey muttered. "I just don't know what to do."

"That's horrible. But… I don't know either, but... If someone is trying to change for the better, don't they deserve a second chance?" Luke exclaimed. "Like you said, Tony Stark might have made those weapons. But he wasn't the one who pulled the trigger."

  "We're gonna leave for the expo soon. If you don't want to come, I'll explain it to everyone." Luke told him as he got up from the railing and walked to the door, only to stop when his hand grabbed the handle.

"Harvey, whatever you choose to do. I'll have your back." Luke said from the balcony door. "Just don't regret it in the end."

"…Thank you, Luke." 

Harvey smiled at his friend. Luke nodded and smiled back; closing the door, he went inside. Harvey turned around and stared off into the distance. Harvey knew what he had to do now. He just hoped it was the right choice. With that in mind, he pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number.

"…Hello?"

"Wanda… I have your answer."

•••

"It's a nice night."

Harvey heard Wanda say from the picnic table; beside her was Pietro. A bag of fast food was in front of him, crumpled up and empty. Harvey walked up to the twins until he was a few feet away. Pietro looked at him but said nothing. Finally, Wanda turned away from the night sky and looked at him. There were dark bags under her eyes. She must've been having trouble sleeping.

"It is." Harvey spoke softly.

"Have you made up your mind?" Pietro growled. "Or was what we told you not enough?"

Harvey looked down and sighed. Looking up, he noticed Wanda looking at him with tired eyes, but Harvey could feel a burning anger behind them. Harvey nodded. He deliberated long enough. These two deserved an answer from him; if not, could he call himself the spirit of vengeance?

"I have." Harvey said gravely.

"What will you do?" Wanda asked him, Almost pleadingly.

Harvey closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, they glowed a fierce orange, surprising the twins slightly.

"…tonight, Tony Stark will be judged for his crimes."