Music is "Gasoline" by Halsey.

Picture is Claudia Doumit as Sarai.

}0{

Apis Mellifera Buckfast

Commonly referred to as the Buckfast bee, Apis Mellifera Buckfast is a man-made species of honeybee, created by Brother Adam in 1919 at Buckfast Abbey in Devon, United Kingdom. This hybrid was created by crossing many different species of bee; among them are A. M. Linguistica (North Italian), A. M. Mellifera (French), A. M. Anatoliaca (Armenian), and A. M. Cecropia (Greek). The modern Buckfast bee also contains heritage from two rare and docile African bees, A. M. Sahariensis and A. M. Monticola. However, A. M. Buckfast was not interbred with A. M. Scutellata, from which the aggressive and uncontrollable Africanized bee (or "killer bee") was derived.

}0{

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Buckfast

People start to leave the conference hall in a hurried yet orderly fashion. Max turns towards them with frustration, running his hands anxiously through his hair. "C'mon, everyone," he pleads. "There's not really a fire. It's just a drill."

"We'll let the fire department sort that one out, Rurik," Jane Goodall states before leaving with all the other speakers.

No one seems to pay much attention to the fact that several young adults are the only ones that remain inside the conference hall. I suspect it has something to do with the spell Wanda casts, maybe one that causes them to leave without question.

Max turns to us as Tony, Peggy, Rhodey, and T'Challa run down the stairs to the first floor to join the rest of us. Steve, Thor, and Carol burst through the doors after everyone has left the building. Bucky, Sam, and Clint firm their stance between Max and the hive, but I suspect it won't remain that way for long.

Max looks from person to person, eventually allowing himself a small laugh. It's not an evil cackle like I half-expected, but more of a surprised chuckle. He seems genuinely surprised to see all of us here.

"Well, you all have more gut than I thought," he eventually says, shoving his hands into his jean pockets. "Surely, I thought after all those setbacks, you'd give up--or at least wait it out. But nope! You're here. Good for you."

"Oh, yeah, great for us," Sam says with an eye-roll. "Just not so great for you."

Max turns to me with mild disappointment on his face. "You two surprise me the most. Sarai's tried several times to get to my bees. In fact, her intrusion was the first sign of trouble. Sure, I had security before you stole a security badge and sneaked into my lab, but after that, I made sure I had three times the locks installed."

"You knew from the moment in the elevator, didn't you?" I sign.

He nods. "I got the security alert just before I saw you inside. I didn't think you were a real threat, so I let it pass. I figured Wanda would talk you out of it." He shrugs, turning his gaze to his niece. "Seems the opposite has happened."

"This isn't the way to fix things, Max," Wanda pleads, her eyes watery. "These bees are not going to make things better, only much worse."

"They've destroyed colonies," I add in ASL. "They're not just going to help bees or fill the gap. They're actively killing them!"

Max laughs louder and shakes his head in disbelief. "That's lunacy. Sure, the plan is that my bees will eventually replace the insect. Keyword: eventually. They're not seeking out hives and destroying them."

"I saw it!" I sign angrily, my face showing the strength of my conviction. "I saw them tear apart an entire colony of honeybees with my own eyes. I wouldn't lie! Why would I?"

"To get me to step down, for one."

Wanda shakes her head. "No. I was hoping you'd make that decision yourself."

Seeing that we're entirely serious about this, Max's smile falls away. He turns to Wanda, stepping closer to her while still remaining on the stage a few feet above us. "You of all people know how much we need a solution," he says in a low voice. "You have to see how badly this world needs another pollinator, something to take the place of the bees. If we can't save them, then we can save her."

"Her?"

"Earth!" he shouts, his voice echoing over the fire alarms. "Gaia! The source of everything, mother of all, a goddess in her own right! Without her, we are nothing. We don't exist, and without bees, she doesn't either. Maximoffica Rurikis is the only way out of the problem we have made!" He throws his hands into the air. "I can't be the only one who fucking sees that!"

"And what about our friends?" I ask with arched eyebrows. "Does kidnapping them fall into your little plan?"

Max glances backward at the hive and magical cage with a sigh. "No, they weren't part of the plan, but you forced my hand. When you came back, I knew I had to get rid of the magicians. I knew you were different, too, but I didn't think you would try a third time." He gestures behind him. "They were only going to be in there until the Fair was over. I wasn't going to kill them, only wipe their memories and send them on their merry way. I'm not a monster."

"You're a coward," I snap. "There is another way!" I fight back, both wanting to make my point and seeing our friends sneak behind Max to help Stephen and Loki escape. "We can use our collective knowledge and resources to help the bees recover! I know we can. With your company and magic, Wanda's magic, Stephen and Loki's sorcery, and my connection to the bees, we can help them, not just replace them! There is still hope!" I gesture to the stadium seating. "You called this conference. Why? To show off your bees? They all came! They want to help! Let them. Let us. We can do it if we work together."

Max hangs his head, a sad smile on his face. "Your eagerness and veal are refreshing, Sarai. Really, it is. I know what you are--the Queen of the bees, I've come across your kind before and I could sense it on you the first day of class--so I know where this hope comes from. But don't you think I've tried that before? I'm not crazy. This wasn't my first choice. I've been fighting for the bees ever since I was a teenager, since before either of you were born. I have tried activism, I have tried campaigning, I have tried pleading with government and courts alike. Nothing has ever come of it!

"I've even tried working with other environmentalists--I thought, surely they'll be the ones to listen--but you know what they're worried about? The ice caps! The ocean levels! The fucking wildfires in California and the ozone layer over our heads. No one is worried about the bees! I am the only one who has tried to do anything, and I am sick and tired of waiting around for permission." He shakes his head, pulling a small device from his pocket, a device that looks eerily close to a trigger. "No, it's time I do what has to be done. I may not be harrowed a hero, but I'll do what I have to, to save this world."

Wanda stretches out her hand towards Max, walking up the stairs to the stage. "This isn't going to go the way you think," she pleads, a final request. "Mixing dark magic with artificial intelligence never ends well, Uncle Max. They're not what you intended. You should know this."

I spare a glance past the pair as she finishes talking, seeing Clint and Sam looking at the magical cage for an opening button, but they find nothing. Bucky stands guard for a few moments, but then eventually helps them try to figure something out. It doesn't look like they're having much luck, so I glance over at Tony, Peggy, T'Challa, and Rhodey, nodding my head slightly towards the cage.

Max scoffs at Wanda's statement. "How would you know so much about dark magic? Oh, wait. That's right. All this time, you kept your identity as a witch from me. I understand why your friends--Stephen, Loki, and Sarai--would keep their secrets, but you? We're family."

She keeps her hand extended. "I didn't know how to bring it up. I thought I was alone. I'm sorry, I should have told you."

Max nods. "You should have, but I think I'm responsible for that one, too. I should've been honest with you from the very beginning."

Wanda steps up to him, nearly able to touch him. "Put the trigger down and we can start over. You and me, Max. We're family. I'll help you save the bees. We all will. None of us wants to see them gone, but using dark magic isn't the solution."

For a second, everyone is still. No one moves as Wanda and Max stare each other down. I hold up my hand towards Carol, Steve, and Thor, silently telling them to stay in place. Behind the Maximoffs, Tony and company move behind the metal hive. I can see them tinkering, trying to find a way inside. For a brief moment, I actually think he's going to take Wanda's hand and give her the trigger. The way he breathes and the way he leans towards her, I know he wants to. For a half-second, I actually believe he's seen the light.

Then he steps back and clicks the trigger.

The metal hive revs to life, and the thousands of Maximoffica Rurikis awaken. Sam, Clint, and Bucky throw themselves out of the way as the hive opens up further, expanding to three times the size. On every branch of the metallic honeycomb are hundreds more artificial bees.

"No!" Wanda screams. With an angry gesture of her hands, she uses her chaos magic to grab the trigger from her uncle's hands. Scarlet energy tosses it over to Sam, and he swings the ax against it as it lands in front of him. The trigger shatters instantly, but the act has already been done. Nothing we can do now will stop the activation.

"I'm sorry!" Max exclaims to his niece. He truly looks sorrowful as he backs up toward the metal hive. "This is the only way! You'll see, soon enough. I swear you'll see."

The bees open their eyes, and I throw myself up onto the stage beside Wanda. Carol, Steve, and Thor make a mad run for the hive to help Tony and T'Challa as they try to get into the magical prison. Peggy slips on her brass knuckles as she stares at the awakening bees, and Clint runs for the equipment booth a few feet away. He returns with a long metal rod of sorts. He holds it like a bat, eyes scanning the hive.

The artificial buzzing rises, and I turn on the hive connection. "You ladies ready for a fight?" I ask Melizza's hive.

They burst through the doors and flood the conference hall, all five hundred of them responding with different versions of, "Yes!"

Melizza whizzes through the air to hover in front of me, determination on her little face. "We're ready, Sarai!"

I shed my jacket and let my wings unfold behind me. As I take to the air, Wanda unleashes a catastrophic spell towards the hive. Max raises a magical barrier just in time to deflect the blast. It ricochets past Natasha, Vision, Pepper, and Bruce as they rush through the doors from the security room.

The whole team is here, surrounding Max and his bees. Max clenches his fist, and dark purple magic radiates from it. The bees exit the hive in speedy formation, circling around the room like an unnatural swarm.

"Step back," he orders. "I won't ask again, not even for you, Wanda."

I hover beside Wanda and place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We're not standing down," she says for the both of us. "None of us are."

Max stares at us for a moment, almost as if he's hoping we'll recant, but then gives a nod of finality. "Then I'll have to go through you."

I fly in front of Wanda, summoning the bees as a wave of yellow behind me. "Bring it on."

END CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: Buckfast.