Lucian slowly descended onto the central square of Sokovia's capital with Wanda and Pietro.
The traces of war were everywhere: collapsed buildings, blackened walls, abandoned vehicles.
But now, the square was packed with people.
They had emerged from their hiding places, lingering terror and bewilderment still on their faces, but more than anything, they felt relief at having survived and uncertainty about the future.
They looked up at the sky, then at one another, as though checking whether they were still living in reality.
Just then, a little girl of about five or six, with braids and a dirty face, timidly stepped out of the crowd.
She clutched a yellow wildflower that had stubbornly grown out of a crack between the stones.
She walked up to Wanda, tilted her little face upward, and offered her the wildflower. There was no fear in her clear eyes, only a child's purest curiosity and kindness.
Wanda stiffened.
She looked down at the child and the wildflower blooming amid the ruins. It was as though something had gently touched the place in her heart that vengeance had made hard and cold, and it began to thaw.
She slowly crouched down and accepted the flower with trembling hands.
"Thank you..." Her voice was a little hoarse.
The little girl gave her a radiant smile, then turned and ran back into her mother's arms.
Holding the tiny wildflower, Wanda stood and looked a short distance away.
With his back to her, Lucian was calling Simona.
"Boss?"
Simona's voice came through the communicator, with the rustling of papers in the background.
"Starting today, Sokovia is our territory too."
Lucian glanced around the square.
"Send medical and engineering teams over. Set up temporary medical stations first, then take stock of food, medicine, and missing people."
"Preparations are already