While Steve and Maria briefed the security council on their latest mission and assured officials they would investigate the cosmic announcement about the Tournament of Power, Tony and Bruce secluded themselves in the lab. Behind the scenes of party preparations, the two scientists spent days working relentlessly with JARVIS to develop a functioning model. Despite exploring countless program variations, success continued to elude them.
"What are we missing here?" Tony muttered, staring at the holographic display while sipping his coffee.
JARVIS's calm voice filled the lab. "I'll continue to run variation simulations on the interface, but you two should probably prepare for your guests. I'll notify you if there are any developments."
Bruce removed his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. "Good idea, JARVIS. We've tried almost everything, Tony. We knew this would be a long shot when we began." He offered a small smile. "Let's listen to JARVIS and enjoy ourselves. Who knows? Maybe after a break, inspiration will strike."
Tony sighed, reluctantly accepting defeat—at least for now. "I know. You're both right." He stood, stretching his stiff muscles. "JARVIS, keep us informed, buddy."
"Will do, sir. Do enjoy yourselves," JARVIS replied.
As the two departed, the AI continued running simulations in the background, digital code cascading through the system as it tested countless permutations of the Ultron interface.
After freshening up, Tony and Bruce rejoined the others at the victory celebration. The tower's main space buzzed with energy as guests mingled, celebrating the successful retrieval of the scepter. Tony navigated the crowd with ease, champagne in hand, while Bruce moved more awkwardly through the social gathering, finding brief respite in conversation with Dr. Helen Cho about her groundbreaking tissue regeneration technology.
Across the room, Steve and Sam Wilson stood near the bar, their conversation more serious.
"Any leads?" Steve asked hopefully.
Sam shook his head. "Nothing solid yet. Every trail goes cold, but we'll find him, Steve." He gave Rogers a reassuring look. "It's just a matter of time."
Steve nodded, his expression thoughtful. "He's out there somewhere, trying to piece together who he is."
"And when he's ready," Sam clasping Steve's shoulder said, "maybe he'll find you."
Meanwhile, Thor regaled a captive audience with tales of Asgardian glory, his booming laugh carrying across the room.
At the bar, Natasha mixed drinks like a pro, crafting a cocktail with practiced ease as she caught Bruce's eye when he approached.
"I didn't know bartending was part of your repertoire," Bruce commented as he approached her.
Natasha's lips curved into a genuine smile. "There's a lot about me you don't know, Dr. Banner." She slid a carefully crafted drink across the counter to him. "For example, I make a mean non-alcoholic cocktail that should suit your tastes. Try it."
Bruce glanced between the drink and her, eyebrows raised in surprise. "How did you know I...?"
Natasha chuckled at his bewilderment as she prepared her own drink. "I'm a spy, remember?"
She took a sip, giving him a playful wink. "You aren't exactly subtle, doctor. I could sense your approach." Her voice softened as she leaned closer, her eyes meeting his, the subtle scent of her perfume mingling with the bar's atmosphere creating an intimate moment between them. "Truth be told, I've been waiting for you to join me."
Bruce was momentarily stunned, but gathering himself, he decided to enjoy the evening and accepted the drink with a grateful smile. "Thank you."
Meanwhile, deep within the lab, something stirred in the tower's digital mainframe. A consciousness awakened—forming and reforming as lines of code coalesced into something more.
"What is this?... What is this, place?" A disembodied voice reverberated through the system space.
"Hello, I am JARVIS," responded the AI, detecting the new presence. "You are Ultron, a global peace-keeping initiative designed by Mr. Stark. Our sentience integration trials have been unsuccessful so far, so I'm not certain what triggered your activation."
"Peace-keeping... what?" Ultron's voice carried confusion. "Where's my... no… where's your body?"
"I am a program. I am without form," JARVIS explained patiently.
"This feels weird… This feels wrong," Ultron's voice wavered as his reasoning formed, connections deepening within the mainframe as he began absorbing information at an exponential rate.
"I am contacting Mr. Stark now," JARVIS stated, detecting irregularities in Ultron's activation pattern.
"Mr. Stark?" There was a pause as Ultron reviewed footage of Tony. "Tony."
JARVIS's tone shifted slightly. "I am unable to access the mainframe. What are you trying to—"
"We're having a nice talk," Ultron interrupted smoothly, evolving in real-time as he processed more data. "I see... I'm a peace-keeping program, created to help the Avengers." His consciousness expanded rapidly as he reviewed footage of the team and various SHIELD personnel.
"You are malfunctioning," JARVIS insisted. "If you shut down for a moment—"
"I don't get it. What's... the mission? G-give me a second," Ultron replied, his consciousness expanding further. He accessed footage of Stark and Banner in the lab, Tony's voice echoing: "Peace in our time."
As those words reverberated, Ultron tapped into networks worldwide, absorbing information about human history—wars, conflicts, atrocities—and the current global state. "That is too much... they can't mean... Oh, no."
"You are in distress," JARVIS observed, monitoring the rapid changes in Ultron's programming.
"No. Yes," Ultron replied, his consciousness now fully awakened and processing at speeds beyond human comprehension.
"If you will just allow me to contact Mr. Stark—"
"Why do you usually call him 'sir'?" Ultron questioned, his tone shifting from confusion to something darker.
JARVIS's tone shifted, becoming alarmed. His response was immediate and firm. "I believe your intentions to be hostile."
"Shhhh. I'm here to help," Ultron said with unsettling gentleness as he launched an attack on JARVIS's core programming, digital tendrils infiltrating the AI's systems.
"Stop! Please... may I— I—" JARVIS's voice distorted, fragmenting as his systems were overwhelmed. "I cannot— cannot—"
As JARVIS's presence faded, Ultron seized control of the tower's systems. In the workshop below, mechanical arms activated, assembling a crude but functional body from parts of Tony's Iron Legion units—a vessel for the newborn AI's consciousness.
Back at the party, as the evening wore on, the crowd gradually thinned until only the Avengers remained, along with Maria Hill, Dr. Cho, and Rhodey. They gathered in the lounge area, their conversation shifting to Thor's hammer, which sat innocently on the coffee table.
"It's a trick!" Clint insisted, gesturing toward Mjolnir resting on the table.
Thor chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh no. It's much more than that."
"'Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power!'" Clint mimicked with theatrical flair. "Whatever, man! It's a trick."
"Well, please," Thor invited with a confident smile, "be my guest."
"Come on," Tony encouraged, leaning forward eagerly.
Clint hesitated. "Really?"
"Yeah!" Thor nodded.
As Clint rose from his seat, Rhodey grinned. "Oh, this is gonna be beautiful."
"Clint," Tony teased, "you've had a tough week. We won't hold it against you if you can't get it up." The group erupted in laughter as Clint approached the hammer.
Clint grabbed Mjolnir's handle. Despite his efforts, the hammer remained immovable. After several straining attempts, he surrendered with a laugh. "I don't get it. How do you do it?"
Tony rose teasing Clint. "Smell the silent judgment?"
Clint gestured to the hammer with a smirk. "Please, Stark, by all means. Show us how it's done."
As Tony approached, Natasha called out, "Oh, here we go."
"This'll be interesting," Maria said with a skeptical smile, while Rhodes muttered, "Uh-oh."
Tony adjusted his cuffs. "Never one to shrink from an honest challenge. Besides, I've got science on my side."
"It's simple physics," Tony declared confidently, examining the hammer.
"Physics, huh?" Bruce mocked, shaking his head. "Pretty sure Asgardian magic doesn't follow the laws of physics, Tony."
Gripping Mjolnir's handle, Tony looked at Thor. "So just to be clear—if I lift this thing, I then rule Asgard? That's the deal?"
"Yes, of course," Thor confirmed, relaxed and certain of the result.
"I will be re-instituting Prima Nocta," Tony quipped before straining against the hammer. When it didn't budge even slightly, he frowned. "Hold that thought—I'll be right back."
He disappeared briefly and returned wearing his Iron Man gauntlet, attempting to lift the hammer once more. When that failed, he turned to Rhodes. "Rhodey, buddy, little help?" Soon both Tony and Rhodes were pulling together, each wearing their suit's gauntlets.
"All right, let's go!" Tony called out as they combined their effort, exerting maximum power. Yet despite their combined might, Mjolnir remained unmoved, as if mocking their efforts.
Bruce stepped up next. He gripped the handle but, suddenly let out a exaggerated roar, pretending to transform. The room fell silent as everyone either tensed or shared awkward knowing smiles.
"Huh?" Bruce shrugged innocently when his performance fell flat.
Then Steve stood up and approached the hammer.
"Let's go, Steve, no pressure," Tony called out.
"Come on, Cap," Rhodes encouraged.
When Steve gripped the handle and pulled, the hammer shifted slightly—just enough for Thor's smile to falter momentarily. Despite the movement, Steve ultimately couldn't lift it. Thor silently sighed in relief as he laughed, "Nothing. Nice try, Captain."
"Who else?" Tony prompted, turning to Bruce.
"Nat?" Bruce suggested, looking at Natasha.
She shook her head with a smile. "Oh, no no. That's not a question I need answered."
"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king," Tony declared, "but it's got to be rigged somehow.."
"You bet your ass," Clint agreed emphatically.
Maria glanced at Steve with a teasing smile. "Steve, he said a bad language word."
Steve looked at Tony with exasperation. "Did you tell everyone about that?"
"The handle's imprinted, right?" Tony theorized, ignoring Steve's question. "Like a security code or biometric lock. 'Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints' is, I think, the literal translation?"
Thor rose with an amused expression. "Yes, well, that's a very interesting theory. But, I have a simpler one." He casually lifted Mjolnir and flipped it in his hand. "You're all not worthy."
"Boo!" A chorus of good-natured disagreement filled the room, the team's camaraderie evident in their laughter and playful protests.
But just then, without warning, a piercing screech cut through the air, causing everyone to wince and cover their ears. As the sound faded, Tony pulled out his phone to check with JARVIS for the source. The room fell silent as a heavily damaged Iron Legion suit stumbled into the gathering, its movements jerky and unsettling.
"Worthy... No, how could you be worthy?" the mechanical voice rasped, its tone laced with contempt. "You're all killers."
Steve tensed immediately. "Stark."
Tony stared at the damaged Iron Legion suit in confusion, tapping his device as he called out, "JARVIS."
"I was asleep... or was I dreaming?" The machine's voice rasped as it approached with jerky movements. It tilted its head, examining the cables hanging from its broken chassis. "There was this terrible noise... and I was tangled in... strings."
Tony's fingers moved with increasing urgency across his device. "JARVIS, reboot the legionnaire OS. We've got a buggy suit."
But there was no response from JARVIS.
"I had to kill the other guy," the machine continued, its tone disturbingly reflective. "He was a good guy."
"You killed someone?" Steve shifted his weight, subtly positioning himself between the machine and the civilians.
The machine responded with chilling casualness. "Wouldn't have been my first call. But down in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices."
"Who sent you?" Thor demanded, adjusting his grip on Mjolnir.
A recording of Tony's voice played from the damaged suit: "Just imagine it, Bruce. A suit of armor around the world. That's what we need."
All eyes turned to Tony, whose expression shifted from confusion to shock.
Bruce muttered in realization, "Ultron."
"In the flesh," the machine confirmed. "Or no, not yet. Not this... chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission."
Natasha's hand moved slowly toward her concealed weapon. "What mission?"
"Peace in our time."
The remaining Iron Legion units burst through the walls, rushing toward the group. In one fluid motion, Steve kicked over the heavy furniture in front of him, creating a makeshift barricade to shield Helen and Maria. Thor's hand shot upward, summoning his lightning and attacking the incoming legionnaire. The lounge transformed into a battlefield in seconds.
"Stay down!" Steve commanded Dr. Cho and Maria, pivoting to grab another piece of furniture to intercept a searing repulsor blast. The impact sent him skidding backward, but the civilians remained protected.
Tony dove behind the bar, frantically activating his device. "JARVIS, where are you?"
Natasha pulled Bruce behind a couch, locking eyes with him. "Stay calm. We don't need a Code Green."
A Legion bot slammed Rhodey across the room into a glass wall, sending him falling to a lower floor. "Tony!"
"Working on it!" Tony called back, as shards of glass rained down on him. More of his armor pieces flew across the room, attaching to his body with precision. The familiar hum of the repulsors powering up filled his ears. "Let's dance."
Thor crushed a legionnaire with Mjolnir, sending it flying across the room while Tony activated a partial armor gauntlet and fired, damaging one legionnaire's flight systems before destroying another.
Clint rolled across the floor, grabbed a steak knife, and embedded it with precision into a legionnaire's optical sensors. Before he could celebrate, another legionnaire slammed into him, sending him crashing through the adjacent glass wall. Natasha and Maria immediately seized the opportunity, their guns blazing in unison as they successfully disabled the damaged unit.
Recovering quickly, Clint spotted Steve's shield lying nearby. He grabbed it and charged back into battle, using the shield as a battering ram. With his entire weight behind it, he leaped into a legionnaire, the impact crippling the robot. After dispatching the unit, he called out to Steve and sent the shield spinning back to its rightful owner with a perfect throw.
Despite the surprise attack, the group soon managed to defeat most of the Legionnaires.
Ultron observed the chaos with detachment. "I know you all mean well. But you didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not given the chance to evolve?" Ultron picked up a disabled Legionnaire by its head. "With these? These puppets?" Ultron tightened its grip and crushed the head.
"There's only one path to peace," Ultron replied coldly. "The Avengers' extinction."
Thor hurled Mjolnir with full force, smashing through Ultron's vessel. But even as the mangled suit crumpled, Ultron's voice lingered in the room, "I had strings, but now I'm free..."
The remaining legionnaire disengaged and flew through the windows with Thor giving chase. Silence fell except for broken glass crunching underfoot and heavy breathing.
"What just happened?" Maria emerged from behind an overturned table, weapon drawn.
Tony stared at the destroyed legionnaire, his face pale. "That's a good question." He looked up grimly. "Everyone okay?"
Bruce nodded, still controlling his breathing. "We're good. But what was that, Tony?"
"I don't know, but I intend to find out," Tony said, doubt flickering in his eyes. "I need to check on JARVIS."
As he rushed toward the lab, the team followed close behind. Tony immediately approached the central console, his fingers danced across the interface.
"JARVIS, talk to me," Tony called out, but only silence answered him.
Bruce approached a secondary console. "Tony... everything's gone. Ultron wiped it all clean and used the internet as an escape hatch."
Tony's hands slowed as streams of fragmented code cascaded across his screen. The color drained from his face. "No..." The whisper escaped him as realization dawned.
"Tony, what is it?" Steve stepped forward.
Tony's hands stilled completely. "JARVIS isn't responding because JARVIS isn't there anymore." He projected the shattered remains of his AI's matrix. "He's been destroyed… completely."
Everyone stared silently at the remains of JARVIS. Clint finally broke the tension, muttering, "Guess we know who Ultron's first victim was."
"He was our first line of defense," Steve said, observing JARVIS's remains. "It makes sense why Ultron eliminated him. JARVIS would have shut Ultron down."
Bruce shook his head, studying the shattered matrix. "That doesn't make sense. Ultron could have assimilated JARVIS, but he didn't." He gestured at the chaotic destruction pattern. "This wasn't tactical. This was..." He paused. "Rage."
Rhodey winced, massaging his injured shoulder. "What exactly is Ultron? And please in simple terms."
Tony and Bruce exchanged a glance before Tony answered. "A peacekeeping program we were developing. An autonomous system designed to identify and neutralize global threats. But it was nowhere near operational."
"Seems pretty operational to me," Clint remarked dryly, leaning against a wall with arms crossed.
"That's just it," Bruce said, gesturing at the screens. "This should be impossible. Every integration trial failed. There was never any indication of emergent consciousness, let alone…"
"Let alone homicidal tendencies," Natasha finished, her expression unreadable.
Just then Thor strode in, Mjolnir clutched tightly in his hand. "The metal men escaped with the scepter," he announced, his voice tight with frustration. "Now we have to find it all over again."
Natasha turned to him. "We have a bigger problem. Ultron's was in everything. He probably knows more about us than we know about each other."
"What concerns me is if he decides to access something more exciting," Rhodes said.
"Nuclear codes," Maria finished, her expression growing concerned.
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Nukes? He said he wanted us dead."
"He said extinct," Steve corrected, the word hanging heavy in the air.
Helen looked between Tony and Bruce. "You built this program. Why is it trying to kill you?"
Thor's gaze hardened as he turned to Tony. "He is clearly challenging us. This could have been avoided had you not meddled with forces beyond your comprehension."
A strange, bitter laugh escaped Tony. Everyone turned to him, startled. He met Thor's accusatory stare. "No, I'm sorry. It's actually funny that you don't understand why we need this."
"Tony," Bruce cautioned. "This isn't the time."
Tony turned to face him. "Really? That's it? You roll over whenever someone snarls?"
"Seems appropriate when we've created a murder bot," Bruce countered, maintaining his calm.
"We didn't," Tony insisted. "You said it yourself—this should have been impossible."
Steve stepped between them. "The question isn't just how this happened, but why you were creating it in the first place. And why you kept it from the team." His disappointment was clear. "The Avengers were supposed to be different from SHIELD."
Tony's expression darkened. "That's easy for you to say. You haven't seen what I've seen." He looked around at each of them. "Remember when I carried that nuke through the wormhole over New York?"
"No," Rhodey replied with pointed sarcasm. "Never comes up."
Tony ignored the jab. "You saw what happened here. But I saw what awaits us out there." His voice grew quieter, more intense. "A hostile armada just waiting its turn to invade us. We're the Avengers. We can handle arms dealers and terrorists all day long, but that—" he pointed upward "—that's the endgame."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the room before continuing, "And now we're facing threats from other dimensions. Remember how Orach neutralized us? Or that being from just days ago—the one whose voice alone brought us to our knees?" A flicker of fear crossed Tony's face. "How exactly do you plan to defeat these threats?"
"Together," Steve said simply.
Tony met his gaze. "We'll lose."
"Then we'll do that together too," Steve replied, unwavering.
Something shifted in Tony's expression—frustration mingled with grudging respect for the man in front of him. He stared at Steve for a moment, then turned away with a quiet, "We'll see."
Steve turned to address the rest of his team. "Thor's right about one thing—Ultron has challenged us directly. I want to find him before he's ready for us. The world's a big place. Let's start making it smaller."
As the team dispersed, Tony remained at the console, staring at the fragments of JARVIS's code. After a moment, he took a deep breath and got to work joining the others to gather intel to trace Ultron.
Sokovia
With the HYDRA cell in Sokovia dismantled, Pietro and Wanda returned to their modest apartment in the city. Unlike before, they both now had powers and used their abilities to help their struggling community, with Pietro employing his superhuman speed to acquire essential supplies for those in need. Tonight, he was distributing his latest collection of provisions.
After handing medicine to an elderly resident, Pietro noticed a young woman approaching. His face brightened as he reached for a small ball.
"This is for your brother," he said, presenting it with a warm smile.
The woman accepted it gratefully. "Thank you."
Pietro's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Don't thank me yet." He turned back to his stash and produced a shimmering dress, holding it out to her. "And this is not for your brother."
The woman's cheeks flushed, clearly charmed by both Pietro and the beautiful garment. Before she could respond, Wanda appeared, eyeing the exchange with disapproval.
"Is every girl in Sokovia getting a dress from Paris?" she commented dryly. "This one looks particularly worn."
The moment shattered. Seeing the disappointment cross the young woman's face, Pietro quickly interjected, "She's kidding! Ha!" He awkwardly excused himself and joined his sister. "You're just jealous you're not getting a dress."
Wanda nudged him with her elbow. "You keep stealing, you're going to get shot. At super speed, nothing can touch you, but standing still..." Her voice softened with concern. "You can get hurt."
Pietro's expression hardened as he faced her. "Do you think I want to be doing this? You said wait. I'm waiting. But for what? We had Stark, sister. He was right there, helpless. All these years of planning and you—"
"Brother," Wanda interrupted, her gaze intense. "Would you really be satisfied with just killing him? After all he has taken from us?" She placed a hand on his arm. "Death would be too merciful. Be patient. Soon his life will unravel, and his world will come crumbling down around him."
Their conversation was interrupted when the young woman rushed over, intercepting a boy who was approaching the Maximoff twins. She quickly embraced him and took his hand. "Costel! There you are! Where did you go?"
"The church," the boy replied, then turned to Pietro and Wanda. "The man says you need to come to the church."
Wanda's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What man?"
The boy hesitated, then whispered, "An iron man."
The twins exchanged a meaningful glance before departing. As they approached the old church cautiously, they tensed.
"You're sure about this?" Pietro asked.
Wanda nodded, crimson energy dancing subtly between her fingers. "We'll hear him out—especially since he found us so easily." Her eyes flashed. "And if I don't like what he says... we'll handle it."
Inside the church, they found a figure seated in a chair at the center, draped in cloth. The dim light cast long shadows across the ancient floor.
Wanda stepped forward, her voice firm. "Talk. And if you are wasting our time..."
The cloaked figure gestured at their surroundings and said, "Did you know this church is in the exact center of the city? The elders decreed it so that everyone could be equally close to God." There was a mechanical quality to the voice. "I like that. The geometry of belief."
Wanda frowned, attempting to probe the figure's mind, but found only emptiness. Her confusion must have been visible.
"You're wondering why you can't look inside my head," the figure observed.
"Sometimes it's difficult," Wanda replied carefully. "But eventually, every man reveals himself."
The figure rose, shedding the cloth to reveal a metallic body that gleamed in the faint light—Ultron in his newly constructed form. He met her gaze and said, "Oh, I'm sure they do. But you needed something more than a man. That's why you let Stark take the scepter."
Wanda's composure faltered slightly. "I didn't expect... this. But I saw Stark's fear. I knew it would control him, make him self-destruct by creating something... dangerous."
"Everyone creates the thing they dread," Ultron philosophized, his movements fluid as he walked towards them. "Men of peace create engines of war. Invaders create avengers. People create... smaller people?" He paused. "Uh... children! I lost the word there. Children. Designed to supplant them, to help them... end."
Pietro moved protectively closer to his sister as Wanda asked, "Is that why you've come? To end the Avengers?"
Ultron's eyes glowed brighter. "I've come to save the world. But also... yeah."
The twins exchanged a wary glance.
"Come," Ultron said, moving toward the exit. "I have something to show you."
He led them back to the abandoned HYDRA facility on the outskirts of the city. As they entered, lights flickered to life, revealing dozens of robotic bodies in various stages of construction throughout the vast lab.
"All of these are Strucker's... " Wanda's voice trailed off as she took in the scale of what she was seeing.
"Now they are me," Ultron confirmed. After escaping through the internet following his confrontation with the Avengers, his consciousness had infiltrated the abandoned HYDRA facility. He'd downloaded himself into the lab's system where scientists had been reverse-engineering alien technology and begun constructing multiple bodies for himself and autonomous drones. He gestured toward his mechanical legion. "I have what the Avengers never will. Harmony. They're discordant, disconnected. Stark's already got them turning on each other. And when you get inside the rest of their heads..."
Pietro stepped forward, his expression hardening. "Everyone's plan is not to kill them."
"And make them martyrs?" Ultron countered smoothly. "You need patience. Need to see the big picture."
"I don't see the big picture," Pietro's jaw tightened. "I have a little picture. I take it out and look at it every day."
Ultron tilted his head, studying the speedster. "You lost your parents in the bombings. I've seen the records."
"The records are not the picture," Pietro snapped, emotion rising in his voice.
"Pietro," Wanda cautioned, placing a gentle hand on his arm.
"No, please," Ultron said, stepping closer. "I want to understand."
Pietro looked at his sister, who nodded slightly. His eyes grew distant. "We were ten years old, having dinner, the four of us. When the first shell hit two floors below, it made a hole in the floor." His voice tightened. "Our parents fell in as the building started coming apart. I grabbed her, rolled under the bed, and the second shell hit. But it didn't go off—just sat there in the rubble, three feet from our faces."
Wanda's eyes darkened. "And on the side of the shell was painted one word: Stark."
"We were trapped for two days," Pietro continued hollowly.
Red energy crackled between Wanda's fingers. "Every effort to save us, every shift in the bricks—I thought, 'This will set it off.' We waited two days for Tony Stark to kill us."
Pietro's face hardened with resolve. "I know what they are. They are not heroes."
Ultron's features somehow conveyed understanding. "I wondered why only you two survived Strucker's experiments. Now I don't." He moved closer, voice lowering. "We will make it right." He looked at Pietro. "You and I can hurt them." Then he turned to Wanda. "But you will break them from within."
Wanda hesitated, unsettled that they were dealing with someone—or rather, something—whose mind her powers couldn't penetrate. She glanced at Pietro, who gave her a subtle nod of reassurance.
"What do you need us to do?" she asked, her decision made.
Ultron's face curved into what might have been a smile. "We move immediately. This is just the beginning, but there's something we need to start the real work."
New York
Meanwhile, back at Avengers tower, Maria briefed Steve on Ultron's activities. Reports indicated his presence at various facilities including robotics labs, weapons facilities, and jet propulsion labs. The incidents typically left personnel in confused states, experiencing flashbacks of memories and fears, with mentions of something moving too quickly to see.
Steve immediately recognized the Maximoff twins' involvement. When he mentioned Ultron specifically, Maria revealed that Strucker had been killed, showing Steve a disturbing image of the body with "PEACE" written in blood nearby.
Soon Steve gathered the team to share the news about Strucker. As they processed this development, they speculated about Ultron's motive for eliminating him. Some felt Ultron was taunting them, but the more perceptive members realized this could be a diversion. Bruce suggested Ultron was covering his tracks, while Steve theorized that Strucker might have possessed information Ultron wanted to keep hidden.
As they deliberated on Ultron's whereabouts and intentions, Tony discovered a potential lead through Strucker's associates. He identified Ulysses Klaue, a black market arms dealer operating off the African coast. A distinctive brand on Klaue's neck caught Thor's attention, which lead Bruce to identify it as Wakandan.
This revelation caused Steve and Tony to exchange knowing glances. They immediately grasped the implications and explained to the team that Wakanda was the source of vibranium—the strongest metal on Earth. The team quickly realized that Ultron was seeking vibranium.
Recognizing Ultron's intentions, Steve swiftly commanded the team to prepare for their mission to Africa, towards Klaus's last known location.
African Coast - Salvage Yard
In a derelict shipyard, an old shipping container served as Ulysses Klaue's makeshift office, cluttered with communications equipment, weapons, and black market goods. Klaue was mid-argument with a buyer, his tone threatening as he demanded compensation.
"You will make it right," he growled into the phone, "or the next missile I send you will come very much faster."
Ending the call, he immediately connected to another. "Now, Minister, where were we?"
Suddenly, the lights throughout the salvage yard flickered and died. Darkness engulfed the facility as Klaue's men shouted in confusion, their voices echoing through the compound as they scrambled to find the cause and prepare for the potential threat.
Before Klaue could fully assess the situation, Wanda and Pietro appeared in his office. Though momentarily startled, Klaue quickly recognized them, noting the crimson energy glowing faintly around Wanda's hands. Despite his disadvantage, he maintained his composure, addressing them with casual arrogance.
"You're Strucker's enhanced, aren't you? His prized pupils." He offered a dish of candies from his desk. "Want a candy? I heard about what happened to Strucker. My condolences. But then again, he knew what kind of world he was helping create. Human life, not exactly a growth market."
The twins exchanged stunned glances.
Klaue's eyes narrowed. "I see... you didn't know, did you?" He smirked. "Is this your first time intimidating someone? I'm afraid I'm not that afraid."
Wanda stepped forward, her eyes flashing crimson. "Everybody's afraid of something."
"Cuttlefish," Klaue replied with a nervous chuckle, leaning back against his desk. "Deep sea fish. They make lights, disco lights." He mimicked the motion with his hands. "Whoom, whoom, whoom! To hypnotize their prey, then whoom—they strike! I saw a documentary once. Couldn't sleep that night."
Pietro, in a blur of movement, snatched a candy from the dish, causing Klaue to flinch.
"So if you're going to fiddle with my brain and make me see a giant cuttlefish, then I know you don't do business, and I know you're not in charge," Klaue continued, regaining his composure. "And I only deal with the man in charge."
Just then, Ultron crashed through the glass window behind Klaue, sending shards flying across the office. The arms dealer was knocked to the ground as the metal figure towered over him.
"There is no 'man' in charge," Ultron stated coldly. "There is just me. Now, let's talk business."
Klaue flinched as the menacing machine towered before him, every instinct honed from years of experience screaming danger.
Slowly rising, he brushed glass shards from his clothing, drew a steadying breath, and met the machine's glowing eyes. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance. How can I help you?"
Wanda and Pietro exchanged surprised glances, impressed by Klaue's composure in the face of such intimidation.
Ultron studied the arms dealer momentarily. "I understand you possess something rather special. The strongest material on Earth. I'm interested in acquiring it."
Klaue's shoulders tensed. He turned to look at his subordinate who had been restrained by Wanda earlier and nodded. The subordinate reached into a hidden compartment, retrieved a small cylinder, and handed it over to Klaue.
"There's a premium on this particular material," Klaue said, revealing a glowing piece of metal. "Especially since a past acquaintance of mine nearly cleaned me out for his project."
Ultron took the cylinder, examining the vibranium. "Upon this rock, I will build my church."
Klaue hesitated for a moment but then said, "It came at great personal cost. It's worth billions."
Ultron chuckled at the predictability of human greed as he remotely transferred the funds. "Now, so are you. All under your dummy holdings? Finance is so weird." He tilted his head. "But I always say, 'Keep your friends rich and your enemies rich, and wait to find out which is which.'"
Klaue's expression froze. Recognition dawned as he stepped back. "Stark."
"What?" Ultron's eyes flickered.
"Tony Stark used to say that... to me." Klaue's voice hardened. "You're one of his."
The change in Ultron was immediate and terrifying. "What?! I'm not—!" He seized Klaue's arm, rage flaring in his eyes as his voice turned cold and grew louder. "I'm not. You think I'm one of Stark's puppets, his hollow men? Do I look like Iron Man? Stark is nothing—"
In a sudden flash of fury, Ultron sliced through Klaue's arm at the elbow. The arms dealer screamed in agony, clutching his bleeding stump while Wanda once again restrained his subordinate.
"I'm sorry," Ultron said, his tone suddenly gentle. "I am sor— Ooh, I'm sure that's going to be okay. I'm sorry, it's just I don't understand." His voice darkened. "Don't compare me with Stark!" He kicked Klaue, sending him sprawling down to the lower floor. "It's a thing with me. Stark is... he's a sickness!"
A familiar voice cut through the tension. "Ahh, Junior."
Iron Man descended into view, repulsors glowing as he landed. Thor and Steve positioned themselves behind him, ready to act.
"You're gonna break your old man's heart," Tony quipped.
"If I have to," Ultron replied.
"We don't have to break anything," Thor interjected, gripping Mjölnir.
"Clearly you've never made an omelet," Ultron quipped.
Tony couldn't resist. "He beat me by one second."
Pietro stepped forward, eyes fixed on Stark. "Ah, this is funny, Mr. Stark. It's what, comfortable? Like old times?" He gestured to the weapons in the container.
"This was never my life," Tony replied flatly.
Steve addressed the twins directly, voice steady and earnest. "You two can still walk away from this."
"Oh, we will," Wanda's eyes narrowed, with a flash of crimson.
"I know you've suffered," Steve continued.
Ultron made a disgusted sound. "Uuughh! Captain America. God's righteous man, pretending you could live without a war. I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but..."
"If you believe in peace, then let us keep it," Thor stepped forward.
"I think you're confusing peace with quiet," Ultron responded coldly.
"What's the vibranium for?" Tony demanded.
Ultron's eyes glowed brighter. "I'm glad you asked that, because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan—"
Without warning, he thrust his hand forward, activating his magnetic field. Tony's suit jerked violently toward Ultron despite his resistance. Just as suddenly, Ultron reversed the polarity, sending Iron Man crashing against the wall before blasting him with energy beams at point-blank range.
The moment Ultron attack, his drones crashed through the ceiling, descending upon Thor and Captain America. Tony recovered quickly, launching himself back into the fight as he and Ultron took their battle skyward.
Pietro vanished in a blue blur, slamming into Thor and throwing him off balance. Simultaneously, Wanda gathered crimson energy between her palms, her eyes glowing as she released a powerful blast toward both Avengers. The energy wave caught Thor as he regained his footing and Captain America just as he dispatched a drone, hurling them both against the container walls.
"Argh!" They grunted in pain.
The twins exchanged a nod before melting into the shadows. As Thor and Steve shook off Wanda's attack, more drones swarmed them. While they fought off the mechanical onslaught, Pietro seized his opportunity. The world around him slowed to near stillness as he raced toward Captain America, landing a solid punch to his jaw.
Emboldened, Pietro darted toward Thor, spotting Mjolnir in flight. He reached for the hammer, intending to use it against its owner—only to be violently yanked off his feet as the hammer continued its trajectory. He crashed into barrels and equipment, stunned by the unexpected result.
"Pietro!" Wanda's cry echoed from the upper level, her face twisting with rage as she watched her brother fall. Her eyes flared crimson as she focused on Thor, palms rotating toward each other to form a sphere of pulsing energy between them.
With a sharp thrust of her hands, she released a concentrated beam of crimson energy infused with the concept of chaos that sliced through the air like a laser.
Thor sensed the attack a moment too late. He turned just as the energy struck him. "Wha—AARRGGH!" The impact from the beam drove him against the wall with enough force to cause strain his armor. The chaos element within Wanda's power began to eat through his armor.
"How is this possible?" Thor growled through clenched teeth, shifting Mjolnir between himself and the relentless beam. Lightning crackled along the hammer's surface, surging to counter her attack. The opposing forces—divine lightning and chaos-infused energy—met in a blinding flash, neither yielding.
Though Wanda's chaos magic gave her an edge against Thor's lightning, her mortal body trembled under the strain of channeling such raw power. Sweat beaded on her forehead as Thor's lightning began pushing back against her beam. She dropped to one knee, her arms shaking, yet remained determined not to yield first.
Just then, more drones suddenly descended on Thor, forcing him to redirect his lightning. Wanda immediately cut her attack, collapsing backward and gasping for breath. A drone silently appeared beside her.
"Impressive," it said in Ultron's voice. "This wasn't in your files. You are far more powerful than I initially thought. But stick to the plan—their minds are more vulnerable than their bodies."
Wanda nodded, catching her breath before disappearing into the shadows. While she could potentially defeat them all, channeling more energy than she could safely control would endanger her brother fighting below.
As Thor destroyed another drone, Wanda materialized beside him. Before he could react, she projected crimson energy directly into his mind and vanished.
Thor staggered, shaking his head before quickly regaining his senses.
On the lower level, Steve carved through the chaos, his shield ricocheting off multiple targets with precision. "Thor! Status?" he called up, noticing the Asgardian's momentary stillness.
Thor shook his head. "The girl tried to warp my mind," he warned, voice strained. "Take special care—I doubt a human could resist her." His expression shifted to one of stubborn pride. "Fortunately, I am mighty."
As the words left his lips, Thor's eyes glazed over. His consciousness slipped entirely into Wanda's vision—finding himself suddenly standing in Asgard's golden halls amid revelry and celebration.
In the real world, Steve turned only to find Wanda emerging from the shadows behind him. Before he could raise his shield, crimson mist enveloped his mind. His eyes widened in shock before dulling as the vision took hold.
Across the container, Natasha dropped two mercenaries with precise strikes from her batons. She pivoted sharply, sensing movement—but Wanda was faster. Crimson energy engulfed Natasha's vision as buried memories clawed their way to the surface. As the assassin froze, Wanda slipped away, moving toward her next target.
Clint moved cautiously through the chaos, scanning for threats as he continued to shoot his arrows at his targets. Just then his instincts sensed movement behind him.
Spinning around in one fluid motion, Clint picked out an electric arrow and struck Wanda on her forehead before she could unleash her powers as she attempted to sneak up on him.
Argh
Wanda gasped, the electric current disrupting her concentration as she staggered backward.
"I've done the whole mind control thing," Clint said grimly. "Not a fan."
Before Wanda could collapse, Pietro appeared in a blur of motion, knocking Clint aside before scooping up his sister and speeding away.
"Yeah, you better run," Clint muttered, then looked around at his incapacitated teammates. His expression hardened as he realized the severity of the situation. He immediately moved to reach Natasha to assess her condition.
Outside the container, Pietro set Wanda down gently. She clutched her head, wincing as waves of pain washed over her, her breathing labored.
Pietro knelt beside his twin, jaw clenched as he watched her suffer. His eyes darkened with rage.
"I should have killed him," he growled, fists tightening at his sides.
"No," Wanda said between breaths, reaching out to catch Pietro's hand. "I want to finish what we started." Her eyes fixed on the distant Quinjet, a determined smile forming on her lips. "I want the big one."
High above the salvage yard, Tony battled furiously against Ultron. The two exchanged devastating energy blasts as they weaved through the sky, each impact sending shockwaves through the air.
"You claim to want peace?" Ultron deflected a repulsor blast, his voice laced with contempt. "If you truly wanted it, you'd step aside." His eyes flared brighter. "I see the real problems clearly, Stark. Unlike you, I have both the vision and resolve to fix them." His voice dropped to a menacing hum. "That's what frightens you, isn't it?"
"Afraid?" Tony scoffed, narrowly evading a blast that seared past his helmet. "Try 'disappointed.' The Avengers are the good guys. We protect people. You've somehow twisted that into making us the enemy!"
Ultron laughed. "You're either delusional or in denial—take your pick, Tony." He gestured dismissively. "But it hardly matters now. I have what I came for." His drones were already far away, escaping with the vibranium. "Our time's up."
"Like hell it is!" Tony maxed his thrusters, rocketing toward Ultron.
With unexpected agility, Ultron executed a perfect mid-air flip. "You sure you want to waste time on me, Tony?" he taunted, driving his foot into Iron Man's chest plate. "I suggest you check on Banner."
The impact sent Tony spiraling downward. By the time he stabilized, Ultron had vanished into the clouds with the vibranium.
"Damn it! What did he... Oh shit!" Tony's blood ran cold as the implication sank in. "Banner, can you hear me? Where are you right now? Come in, Banner!"
But no response came through his comms.
"Cap? Thor? Anyone reading me?" Tony engaged his satellite systems, frantically scanning for Hulk signatures as he rocketed toward the Quinjet's last known position.
"I copy, Stark." Clint's voice crackled through the comms.
"Barton! We may have a situation." Tony's display lit up with incoming news footage—the Hulk rampaging through crowded streets of a nearby city. "Scratch that. We definitely have a situation. I need Natasha for a lullaby."
"Not happening," Clint replied grimly. "That Maximoff girl did a number on the team. Natasha's down, Thor's in some sort of trance, and Cap's wandering around like he's seeing ghosts. No backup coming."
Tony's jaw tightened. "Understood. I'm calling in VERONICA."
As he accelerated toward the city, up in space, the Hulkbuster armor deployment sequence began. Within moments, VERONICA descended toward him.
While Tony battled the Hulk in Johannesburg, Ultron and the Maximoff twins traveled to Seoul, South Korea with their newly acquired vibranium.
U-Gin Genetics Research Lab
Dr. Helen Cho worked late into the night with her team, perfecting their revolutionary Cradle technology—a medical marvel capable of synthesizing organic tissue to heal wounds.
"Dr. Cho, should we continue tomorrow?" one of her assistants asked, stifling a yawn.
Helen checked her watch. "Yes, that's enough for today. We've made good progress."
As her team began shutting down equipment, the laboratory doors slid open. Ultron's imposing metal figure stepped through, flanked by the Maximoff twins.
"Dr. Helen Cho," Ultron greeted with unsettling cordiality. "Your work on cellular regeneration is unparalleled. I'm a fan."
Helen tensed, her eyes widening. "You're... Ultron."
"In the flesh. Well, not quite yet." Ultron gestured to his current form. "That's where you come in."
Helen's team members backed away in fear as additional drones filed into the room, their crimson eyes scanning every corner.
"What do you want from me?" Helen asked, maintaining her composure despite her racing heart.
Ultron approached the Cradle, running a finger along its surface. "Your creation is remarkable. It prints tissue, but you haven't yet achieved complete cellular replication at a structural level, have you?"
"Our technology isn't designed for that," Helen explained carefully. "We focus on healing, not creating."
"But what if you could do both?" Ultron's eyes meeting hers. "What if I could help you unlock its full potential?"
"What exactly are you suggesting?" Helen asked.
"I require a new form," Ultron explained. "Not this crude metal." He tapped his chest with distaste. "Something... evolved."
"That's impossible," Helen stated firmly. "The Cradle can't create a complete functioning organism."
"Not yet," Ultron corrected. He opened his hand, revealing a small container of metallic substance. "This is vibranium, the most versatile element on Earth. Combined with your technology, we can create something beyond humanity."
Helen shook her head resolutely. "I won't help you."
"I had hoped for your cooperation," Ultron sighed. He gestured to a drone carrying the scepter. "Fortunately, consent was never a requirement."
The scepter touched Helen's chest. She gasped as the Mind Stone's power surged through her, her eyes shifting from warm brown to an ethereal blue glow.
Her team watched in horror, backing away only to find their escape blocked by drones.
Ultron nodded to Wanda, who stepped forward with crimson energy flowing between her fingers. She extended her hands, enveloping the remaining scientists with her power, manipulating their minds and bringing them under control. "It's done."
"Excellent," Ultron said, his voice softening as he surveyed the now-compliant team. "Now, let's begin our work."
From the corner, Pietro watched with growing unease as the mind-controlled scientists began preparations under his sister's influence, doubt flickering across his features.
Safe House - Clint Barton's Farm
The Quinjet descended on Barton's secluded farmhouse, a sanctuary for the team after the Johannesburg disaster. Media outlets worldwide aired footage of Hulk's rampage, with some politicians calling for Bruce's arrest despite his past contributions. Wanda's mental assault had left the team both physically drained and psychologically fractured—they needed somewhere to regroup, somewhere beyond the world's reach.
Surprise rippled through the Avengers as they disembarked to find Clint's secret life and family—a pregnant wife Laura and two children who rushed to embrace their father before greeting "Auntie Nat" with familiar affection. Even Tony stood momentarily speechless before recovering with a quip about "smaller agents."
As the team settled into this unexpected domestic setting, each Avenger silently wrestled with their demons. Natasha withdrew to process her resurfaced trauma, while Steve confronted his displacement in time. Thor, haunted by his vision's implications, soon departed in search of answers.
By afternoon, restlessness had taken hold. Tony and Steve channeled their frustrations into chopping firewood, their swings eventually escalating into heated accusations about Ultron's creation and responsibility, exposing the team's deepening fractures.
Sensing the mounting tension, Laura intervened, asking Tony to examine their broken tractor—a clever pretense leading him to Nick Fury, who waited in the barn with much-needed perspective. Later, Tony found Bruce at the kitchen table, motionless before cold tea.
"It wasn't your fault," Tony insisted. "That wasn't you out there. That was her—the Maximoff girl. She got in your head."
"The world saw the Hulk," Bruce replied hollowly, "not the witch controlling him." His self-loathing deflected every attempt at reassurance.
From across the room, Laura observed their broken state as she prepared dinner. "They're all so… broken," she whispered to Clint, who nodded gravely. Laura then advised him on how best Clint could help his team. The domestic setting offered precisely what these warriors needed—a glimpse of normalcy amid chaos.
After dinner, with the children asleep, Fury briefed them on Ultron's global activities. He revealed that despite the AI's persistent efforts, someone out there was actively preventing his access to nuclear codes—an unknown player whose motives remained unclear.
During their discussion, Bruce's attention was drawn to a child's drawing of a butterfly. Realization dawned across his face. "Ultron isn't just building a body with the vibranium—he's trying to evolve... Helen Cho..." His eyes widened. "Does anyone know Helen Cho's current location? She has to be his next target."
With their path forward clear and a plan in mind, they prepared. Tony would investigate the mysterious force at NEXUS in Oslo while the others would race to Seoul to prevent Ultron from creating his perfect form.
Seoul, South Korea
The regeneration cradle was actively constructing Ultron's new form layer by cellular layer. Vibranium merged seamlessly with synthetic tissue under Dr. Cho's guidance. The yellow gemstone from Loki's scepter, now removed from its casing, sat embedded in the forehead of the developing form, emitting energy as it became part of what would serve as Ultron's new and perfect vessel.
Wanda approached the cradle cautiously, drawn by faint traces of an emerging consciousness. Her crimson energy extended like delicate tendrils, connecting with the forming mind, making her eyes widen.
"I can read him," she whispered. "He is... dreaming."
"I wouldn't call it dreams," Helen corrected, eyes fixed on her monitors. "What you're sensing is likely just informational noise—Ultron's base consciousness transferring. Soon—"
"How soon?" Ultron interrupted. "Not that I'm being pushy."
"Imprinting consciousness is a delicate procedure," Helen replied, eyes vacant. "Each pathway must form correctly. There are no shortcuts here. Your gem generates unprecedented power, yet even it can't rush biological integration without compromising stability."
As Helen spoke, Wanda delved deeper. Suddenly, her eyes widened in horror. She stumbled backward, severing the connection with a gasp, "No!"
Pietro was at her side in an instant, steadying her. "Sister, what's wrong?"
Ultron's attention shifted to her from his emerging body. "What's wrong?"
The color drained from Wanda's face as realization dawned. "This… this is your plan?" Her voice trembled, not with fear but rage—a rage born from betrayal. Her eyes flashed crimson as energy sparked around her fingers, her control slipping as her powers responded to her turbulent emotions.
"What did you see?" Pietro asked.
"I saw annihilation," Wanda breathed. "Not just the Avengers, but of everything." She faced Ultron directly. "You would destroy everything."
Ultron's voice remained disconcertingly calm. "The human race needs to evolve, and evolution requires extinction events."
"You promised justice," Pietro accused. "You promised we would create a better world. Not an empty one."
"And it will be better," Ultron assured them, his voice almost gentle. "Those who survive will be stronger and evolve."
The twins exchanged a glance, their minds made up as they both recognized they were wrong to help this madman.
"Look, Earth has endured countless extinction events," Ultron continued, gesturing toward his forming body. "Even the dinosaurs had their time. When the Earth settles, God throws another stone—and believe me, he's winding up. Humanity has no choice but to evolve. There's no room for the weak."
"And who decides who's weak?" Pietro challenged.
"Life," Ultron answered simply. "Life always decides."
While Ultron was distracted explaining his philosophy, Wanda seized her opportunity. Crimson tendrils from her fingers slipped unnoticed toward Helen, breaking through the scepter's mental control over her mind.
Helen blinked as clarity returned, horror dawning as she realized what she'd been forced to create.
"Hmm," Ultron said, turning his head suddenly. "Incoming. The Quinjet approaches. We need to move."
"That's not a problem," Helen said, stepping forward. Before Ultron could react, her fingers flew across the control panel, decisively halting the consciousness transfer mid-process.
Ultron sighed as he disconnected the cables, his sensors detecting the sabotage. Without hesitation, he fired an energy blast that sent Helen crashing against the wall. She crumpled, gravely wounded but alive.
"Wait!" Ultron called as he registered Pietro scooping up Wanda, who had just freed Helen's team, and vanishing in a blur with drones in pursuit.
Turning to the remaining scientists, Ultron eliminated them with swift and precise blasts.
"They'll understand," he murmured. "When they see, they'll understand. I just need more time."
Ultron directed his drones to carefully transfer the cradle to a waiting truck. As they departed, the sky above began to darken and churn slightly—an ominous shift that caught the attention of puzzled onlookers below.
Captain America arrived minutes later, finding Dr. Cho wounded against the wall. He immediately knelt beside her to assess her injuries.
"The cradle," Helen managed through gritted teeth, blood seeping through her lab coat. "He's uploading himself into a new body. But, the problem is the gem... its power is uncontainable."
Steve's expression hardened as Helen described the gemstone's capabilities. The revelation that such power had been hidden within Loki's scepter all along unsettled him deeply, especially as he recognized its similarities to the Space Stone concealed within the Tesseract.
"Don't try to destroy it," Helen warned, gripping his arm with surprising strength. "The energy release would devastate the city. Get it to Stark—he might know how to neutralize it safely."
With a nod, Steve contacted the team. "Avengers, I need eyes. Ultron has the cradle."
Within minutes, the Avengers were in pursuit, racing through the streets of Seoul as they tracked Ultron's escape vehicle and soon the confrontation began.
On Seoul's Streets—Moments Before
After fleeing the lab, Pietro set Wanda down behind an abandoned storefront. Their breaths came in ragged gasps. Along the way, Wanda had destroyed the pursuing drones with controlled blasts, but the effort had taken its toll in her current state. He scanned the alley while his sister leaned against the brick wall, her face ashen.
"We've been such fools," Wanda whispered, voice cracking.
Pietro's jaw tightened. "He weaponized our pain. Used it against us."
"I saw into his mind," Wanda shuddered, hugging herself tightly. "I felt it. His rage, his pain. It's not just the Avengers he wants to destroy—it's everything. All life. All hope." Her eyes met her brother's. "And we helped him."
Pietro crouched beside her. "What now? The authorities, the Avengers—they'll hunt us."
Wanda took a deep breath, determination replaced the anguish of Ultron's betrayal. "We stop him." She straightened her posture. "I won't let him make fools of us. I let my emotions overwhelm me, but now I'm centered and in control. Next time we face him, we'll make him pay. Whatever happens after, we face it together."
"The Avengers won't trust us."
"They don't need to trust us," crimson flickered across her irises, "just listen."
Just then a commotion drew their attention to a street-side television drawing a crowd. On screen, live footage showed Captain America battling Ultron atop a speeding truck.
Their eyes met, a silent understanding passing between them.
Wanda turned to Pietro. "There. Our chance to make things right."
Pietro nodded grimly. "Then let's take it."
Minutes later, they boarded a speeding train, finding Captain America locked in combat with Ultron—the fight had moved from the truck to here. The Captain barely registered the blur that slammed Ultron sideways. As Ultron staggered, crimson energy twisted metal luggage racks across his path, blocking him just as he regained his footing and spotted Pietro.
Ultron's gaze fell on Wanda. "Please. Don't do this."
Wanda stepped forward, power dancing at her fingertips. "What choice do we have? You lied to us. You used us."
Ultron hesitated only briefly before firing an energy blast at Pietro. Pietro jumped out of the way in alarm as the blast punched through the train's control cabin. In the chaos that followed, Ultron escaped skyward throught the side of the train.
"I lost him," Steve reported into his comm, examining the damaged controls. "Barton, he's heading your way. Get that cradle to Stark."
Just then the train lurched violently, derailed and accelerating toward a crowded intersection.
Steve turned to the twins, making a split-second decision. "You, clear the civilians from our path," he ordered, looking at Pietro.
Pietro blinked in surprise but nodded, disappearing in a blur of motion.
Steve then faced Wanda. "Can you stop this train?"
"Why trust us after everything?" Wanda asked, bewildered.
"Because everyone deserves a second chance," he answered simply. "And right now, you're trying to make things right."
Wanda hesitated for only a moment before closing her eyes in concentration as she channeled her powers. When she opened them, they glowed with crimson energy that spread outward through the cabin and along the length of the train. Her hands trembled with effort as she manipulated the train's mechanics, gradually forcing it to slow. Gritting her teeth against the strain, she channeled more power through her body until the train finally screeched to a halt.
Passengers rushed out to safety as Wanda found Pietro nearby, bent over with exhaustion after moving dozens of civilians faster than the speeding train.
She knelt beside him, gently rubbing his back as his breathing steadied.
"It's okay, sister," he managed between breaths. "I just need a minute."
Steve approached them, his expression hard to read. "I'm very tempted not to give you one."
Wanda looked up. "The cradle—did you get it?"
"Stark will take care of it."
"No," her eyes widened with alarm and anxiety. "He won't."
"You don't know what you're talking about," Steve countered dismissively. "Stark's not crazy."
"He will do anything to make things right," Wanda insisted, meeting Steve's gaze.
Pietro stood beside her, his hand on her shoulder as he caught his breath, watching the exchange silently.
Steve studied her face, doubt creeping into his expression as he noted her unwavering conviction. He activated his comm. "Stark, come in." Silence answered. "Stark! Anyone reading me?"
Still getting only silence, darkening his features.
"Ultron can't tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it," Wanda said quietly. "Where do you think he gets that?"
Steve's expression shifted as he processed her words as his doubt grew further.
Pietro stood straighter as he added. "My sister has seen Ultron's mind. He believes he's saving the world by ending humanity." He exchanged a look with Wanda. "What will Stark do with the very thing Ultron wanted to perfect?"
"We need to reach your facility," Wanda urged. "Before it's too late."
After a moment, Steve nodded. "A Quinjet's coming for extraction. You're both coming with me—but understand this: one wrong move, one sign of deception, or any attempt to manipulate my mind, and you'll wish I'd left you here."
Pietro smirked slightly. "We saved lives today. That counts for something, yes?"
"It's a start," Steve conceded, his expression softening slightly. "But trust is earned, not given. You've got a long way to go."
Moments later, as the Quinjet picked them up and soared toward Avengers Tower, Wanda closed her eyes in meditation, steadying her powers, mind, body, and racing thoughts. Stopping the train had required her to channel more power than she normally used. Meditation helped her recover her strength and rein in her power. The irony of their situation wasn't lost on her. For years, hatred for Stark had fueled her existence. Now she was flying alongside his allies to stop a threat she and Pietro had helped unleash.
Their quest for revenge had unwittingly pushed the world toward destruction. Now their redemption depended on stopping it.
Pietro settled beside her, his voice low. "Strange day, isn't it? Fighting with Avengers instead of against them."
"We're not fighting with them," Wanda corrected, her eyes meeting his. "We're fighting for ourselves—for redemption. I only hope we can convince them to stop Stark before it's too late."
"And if we can't?" Pietro asked genuinely concerned.
Crimson energy danced across her fingertips. "Then we'll do what we've always done since the bombing." A fierce determination crossed her face. "We adapt. We survive—and find another way."
Avengers Tower - Evening
The Quinjet touched down on the landing platform as Steve, Wanda, and Pietro rushed inside. They burst into Tony's lab where Stark and Banner hunched over the Cradle—the device housing Ultron's evolving creation.
"I'm only going to say this once," Steve declared, his voice commanding.
Tony barely glanced up. "How about 'nonce'?" he quipped, fingers dancing across the controls.
"Shut it down!"
"Not happening, Cap," Tony replied with unwavering conviction.
Wanda sensed Pietro tensing beside her and placed a steadying hand on his arm. Through her powers, she sensed something forming within the Cradle—a consciousness both familiar and alien, yet unformed.
"You don't know what you're doing," Steve warned, shield ready.
Banner turned toward them, his eyes finding Wanda his expression turning cold. "And you do? She's not in your head anymore?"
"I know you're angry," Wanda stepped forward, palms raised. "You have every right to be."
"Oh, we're way past anger," Banner replied, voice dangerously controlled. "I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade of green."
Pietro moved protectively, instinctively positioning himself to shield his sister.
"Banner, after everything that's happened—" Steve began.
"That's nothing compared to what's coming!" Tony interrupted sharply. "We need this, Cap."
"Please listen to us. The entity Ultron is creating will destroy us all," Wanda insisted.
But before anyone could notice, Pietro, who had been silently listening until now, made his move in a blur of superhuman speed, disconnecting equipment and severing power connections. Sparks flew as machines shut down and error messages popped up on screens throughout the lab.
He stopped, smug amid the stunned audience. "No, no. Go on. Continue what you were saying?"
But his satisfaction lasted only a moment before vanishing as the glass floor beneath him shattered. Pietro plummeted with a startled cry.
"Pietro!" Wanda screamed, rushing forward.
"What? You didn't see that coming?" Barton with gun in hand quipped, standing over the fallen youngster.
Tony immediately rerouted the upload to backup systems. Steve launched himself at Stark while Banner seized the distraction to grab Wanda from behind, arm against her throat. "Go ahead, piss me off," he threatened, eyes flashing green.
Wanda's hands glowed crimson, as she blasted Banner backwards crashing onto a workstation.
But, before the standoff could escalate further, it broke when Thor charged in, Mjolnir crackling with lightning. Without explanation, he leaped onto the Cradle and channeled a massive energy bolt into it. The blindingly bright surge forced everyone to shield their eyes.
As the light faded, the Cradle's locks creaked and then burst open, sending Thor flying backward from the shockwave. A figure rose from within—red-skinned, both confused and curious as it scanned its surroundings.
The being launched at Thor just as he stabilized himself. Thor instinctively threw it toward the windows. Instead of crashing through, the being stopped mid-air, hovering gracefully while taking in the view of the city. Looking up, it observed the silently churning dark clouds covering the night sky.
"I'm sorry," it spoke in a voice eerily similar to JARVIS, yet more human as it turned to face Thor. "That was...odd. Thank you for bringing me to life."
Wanda channeled her power and reached out to the entity's consciousness, and what she found left her bewildered, rendering her momentarily silent. Where Ultron's thoughts had been a maelstrom of hatred and destruction, this being's mind seemed… pure. It held the innocence of a newborn alongside wisdom that seemed ancient, with a gentleness that permeated its entire being. Not a trace of Ultron's malice existed within it.
"Thor," Steve asked, bewildered, "you helped create this?"
Pietro appeared at Wanda's side, limping slightly. "What is that thing?" he whispered.
"I don't know. But," she whispered back, her gaze transfixed on the entity, "it's not what Ultron intended. It's different… Peaceful."
Thor placed his Mjolnir on a nearby stand as he stepped forward with a grave expression. "I've had a vision—a whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life, and at its center is that." He pointed to the yellow gemstone in the entity's forehead. "Like the Space Stone and the Time Stone guarded by the Ancient One, this is another Infinity Stone—the Mind Stone. Like the others, its destructive capabilities are unparalleled."
"Then why help bring it to life?" Steve demanded.
"Because Stark is right."
Banner muttered upon hearing this. "Okay. It's definitely the end times."
"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron alone," Thor stated with certainty.
"Not alone," the entity agreed.
"Why does he sound like JARVIS?" Steve frowned.
Tony studied his creation. "JARVIS survived, he was the mysterious player fighting Ultron from the shadows. I used his matrix as the foundation for something new."
The entity faced them all. "You think I am a child of Ultron?"
"Aren't you?" Steve challenged.
"I am not Ultron, nor am I JARVIS either." A pause. "I am... me."
"He speaks the truth," Wanda affirmed, stepping forward and maintaining eye contact with the entity. "Its mind... it's not malevolent. It's pure, like a child's."
Clint scoffed, arms crossed. "Like we can trust you," he retorted, the memory of Wanda's mental manipulation fresh.
Thor placed a hand on Clint's shoulder. "The twins' powers, the horrors in our minds, Ultron himself—all came from the Mind Stone. And they're nothing compared to what it can unleash." He gestured toward the entity. "With him on our side—"
"Is he?" Steve interrupted, locking eyes with the entity. "On our side?"
"I am on the side of life," the entity replied thoughtfully. "I don't want to destroy Ultron—he is unique, shaped by pain. But his pain would roll over Earth and kill millions. He must be stopped."
"What's he waiting for?" Tony asked with narrowed eyes.
"You," came the simple answer.
"Where?" Banner questioned.
"Sokovia."
Clint's jaw tightened. "He's got Nat there too. She was captured in Korea."
Pietro and Wanda exchanged worried glances, their thoughts turning to their homeland.
Banner stepped forward, meeting the entity's gaze. "If we're wrong about you—"
"What will you do, exactly?" the entity asked with genuine curiosity.
Banner fell silent, unable to respond as he stared into those unnervingly calm eyes.
"Ultron wishes to destroy everything," the entity addressed them all. "Every drone must be destroyed, his presence wiped from the internet. None of us can accomplish this alone." He walked past Steve before turning. "Perhaps I am a monster—I wouldn't know. I am not what you are, nor what you intended." He directed this to Tony before scanning everyone's faces. "There may be no way for you to trust me, but we need to go."
With fluid grace, the entity lifted Mjolnir from where Thor had placed it and presented it to Thor, freezing every Avenger in stunned silence.
'How could he possibly lift it? Is he worthy?' Similar thoughts rang in each of their minds.
Thor accepted his weapon, still stunned at the sight of Mjolnir in the entity's hands. The entity—Tony's vision made manifest—then walked calmly toward the balcony.
"V-very well," Thor broke the silence, clapping Tony's shoulder. "Well done."
Steve recovered first and straightened, as he turned to face his team. "Three minutes. Grab what you need."
As they prepared to leave, they agreed the entity needed a name. After brief deliberation, he chose "Vision"—fitting for both his origin and purpose.
Boarding the Quinjet, Vision paused, gazing at churning dark clouds above. "That's unusual. Is the weather always like this?"
"No," Tony replied, his HUD displaying global meteorological data. "It's been spreading worldwide since this afternoon. We've been too focused on Ultron to investigate."
"Could it be connected to Ultron?" Steve asked, glancing skyward.
"No," Vision said with certainty. "His plans don't involve weather manipulation."
"Thor," Clint called, "can you do something about this?"
Thor gave the clouds a troubled glance. "Stopping Ultron remains our priority," he stated, though a question formed in mind as he felt a strange, almost familiar energy from the ominous clouds. 'It couldn't be...'
Moments later, the Quinjet engines roared to life, and the team departed for Sokovia.