Luke stood and stepped aside with a casual gesture, motioning to Wanda. "Go ahead. Your choice."
Wanda rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward with deliberate ease. The way she walked, the calm in her eyes, it all brought Luke back to their days in the orphanage.
He smiled faintly. Only this time, things were a little different, he wasn't there to hold the opponent down so she could vent.
And instead of striking immediately like she used to, Wanda came to a slow stop in front of Killian and extended one hand. A soft red glow pulsed in her palm.
Killian, despite his predicament, looked at her with disbelief. This little girl? Break his arm? She didn't look like she was strong enough to break a twig.
He thought she looked barely old enough to be taken seriously, much less feared. Even if he were bound and helpless, he didn't believe she had the strength to hurt him. Maybe she'd try to slap him or twist his wrist, nothing he couldn't laugh off.
Then the red glow snapped to life.
Scarlet light lashed out, curling around his body like invisible ropes. In the blink of an eye, he was yanked upward, suspended midair like a puppet with its strings pulled tight.
His eyes went wide. "What the…!?"
He twisted and writhed, but the red energy held him firmly. Wanda's gaze never wavered. The soft flicker of her magic danced across her skin as she raised her other hand.
Luke stood back silently, letting her work.
A cruel little smile appeared on Wanda's lips, calm, cold, and terrifying, her eyes were practically alight, as if she was really enjoying this.
She reached forward with her empty hand, fingers closing around the air, then twisted sharply.
A sickening sound echoed through the warehouse. Killian screamed. His forearm bent violently backwards, broken clean in the middle of the bone, instead of at the joint where it would have been easier.
Even Sharon flinched, uncomfortable at the brutal sound.
Maya Hansen let out a gasp and staggered back, hands flying to her face. She couldn't bear to look.
They'd tricked her. All three of them. Their looks were way too deceptive, they all looked like young people who couldn't even hurt a fly.
But they were monsters.
Wanda stood there, her face unreadable. Sharon, shaken, clenched her jaw but said nothing.
Killian's face was a mask of agony. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, he'd bitten down on his own tongue trying to muffle the scream. His body quaked, but Wanda's magic held him tight in the air.
Still… he said nothing.
In spite of everything, he didn't speak. The pain didn't break him. Rage burned in his eyes. Even with his body trembling, even with blood on his teeth, his lips remained sealed.
Luke stepped forward slowly, folding his arms as he looked up at the suspended man. "Well?" he asked coolly. "Feel like talking yet?"
Killian glared at him, but kept silent.
Luke narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected this level of stubbornness.
"Break the other one," he said calmly.
Killian's eyes went wide. The fear finally cracked through.
Still, his mouth remained shut.
Wanda raised her hand again.
"No! Wait!" a voice screamed from the side.
Maya couldn't take it anymore.
Tears welled in her eyes as she stepped forward, desperate. "I'll tell you! But please, just stop hurting him!"
She looked like she was about to collapse. Her voice trembled. She wasn't a fighter. She wasn't used to this. She was a scientist, not a soldier, not a killer.
Luke tilted his head, smirking slightly.
Interesting. So it wasn't Killian who cracked first despite being the one in danger...
Killian's eyes widened in shock.
"Maya, no! Don't do it!"
But it was too late. Luke was already walking toward her, smiling like a devil closing in on his prey.
Maya shrank back involuntarily. The grin on Luke's face terrified her far more than any of Killian's tantrums ever had.
"I've changed my mind," Luke said softly. "If you don't tell me right now, I'll break his neck instead of his arm."
Maya's trembling hand shot up, pointing to the corner of the lab. "It's behind that wall," she choked. "There's a safe. Behind the wall panels."
She collapsed to the floor, sobbing.
Luke nodded and walked to the spot she indicated. Up close, he saw it, a faint seam in the wall. Hidden in plain sight. He tapped it, then laughed quietly to himself.
'I really need to remember I've got X-ray glasses for this sort of thing…'
He pressed his hand against the wall, and a small section clicked open, revealing the safe.
He glanced over his shoulder. "What's the code?"
Maya shook her head helplessly. "I don't know. Only he does…"
"Hmm." Luke actually looked pleased by that answer.
He turned back to Killian, still hovering midair with a twisted arm and blood on his face.
"Alright," Luke said, crouching by the safe. "Spit it out. There's no point hiding it anymore."
But Killian started laughing.
A twisted, blood-flecked grin spread across his face.
"You think I'm going to give it up now?" he spat. "You're not getting anything out of me."
His eyes burned with defiance. "This safe has a self-destruct function. Three wrong tries and boom. No Extremis. No research. Nothing."
Luke's brow twitched.
Killian leaned forward slightly, as much as Wanda's magic allowed. "You want the password? Fine. Put me down and beg on your knees. Only then will I even consider it."
Luke's expression flattened. 'This guy…'