NO. 14 - IS SOMETHING BURNING?
Branding, Heat Exhaustion, Fire

~~~

Wanda used her red jacket to cover her nose. Smoke danced around the air with a thick black veil, not letting any light penetrant it. She resisted the urge to cough and drop to her knees, instead moving quickly through the hallway of the one-story flat they were currently staying at. Luckily, no other buildings were nearby.

Down the hall, Sam did the same with a nod to Wanda. He motioned to his left and started in that direction. She knew he'd get Steve, but the real mystery was the question of: where the hell was Natasha? The assassin had gone to bed in the twin across from Wanda, but then disappeared when she awoke to the raging fire inside their safe house. The smoke definitely didn't help her concentrate with her thoughts and powers either. Wanda blew some smoke out the open door with a red glow behind it and continued her hasty search.

Wanda racked her brains for any clue to where Natasha could be. There hadn't been a note left, and even if there was one, it'd probably have burned in the fire. If only Clint wasn't on house arrest and was here with them... Wanda immediately felt guilty at the thought. The archer deserved to be with his family after everything with Ross and the Accords happened.

A sudden yell reached her ears through the ringing of a fire alarm, the roar of the blaze, and thud of loose debris tumbling down to the floor. Wanda tried to decipher it, but couldn't. It sounded like it was from above her. That brought back her original question of: how did the fire start? Was Ross here right now? A strong sense of emotion coursed through Wanda at the reminder of her previous incarceration at the Raft.

The back door was blocked by a wall of fire. She cleared away some smoke and mentally cursed as Wanda finally located the front door. Sam, this time with Steve, emerged from the hall and ran out the front door in search of clean oxygen. Wanda managed to clear her mind as she followed her friends. Outside, they were greeted with several unconscious men in heavy tactical gear. A stationary black van was parked nearby and Wanda quickly put two and two together.

Sitting atop the van was one Natasha Romanoff.

Steve frowned. "Where were you during that mess?"

"Well someone had to take care of these guys." She gestured to who Wanda assumed were some of Ross's men. "Besides, I kinda figured you could handle it."

Sam stifled a laugh. "Where to now? And how'd they even find us, damnit!"

"Language..."

Wanda rolled her eyes and said, "Didn't Natasha mention having another safehouse nearby?"

"Technically it's Clint's," Natasha told her, "but that also makes it mine."

The rising sun sat upon the horizon, painting the sky with marigold and rosey colors. A tinge of blue and purple marred the morning sky and showed just a hint of stars behind it.

Natasha smirked. "Is something burning?"

"If you mean the house, then yes."

Together, the remaining Rogue Avengers watched as the sun burned brightly along with the previous safehouse they'd just been in. The moment didn't last long before they silently took off into the next day for another place to stay, living on to see a new day.

Hiya and welcome to: the-author-is-tired-and-doesn't-want-to-write-right-now.