"Live journal, log entry, 2347-K. I didn't think it was possible. Until today, I didn't think the world could be build to the will of a single person before today. The sky turned red. It was unusual. The chill of the wind, the rain was red too. It was like the sky was bleeding. Then, it came. So many of them. So many people dead. I don't know how much time I have left. I can only hope that my family, friends and co-workers are safe."
Bang Bang
"They're here. If this is my last moment, I only have one regret. I never got to complete my work and see the time of heroes. True heroes who believed in something greater than themselves and fought to instill hope in future generations. I wish I could have joined them. Even if it was like a flash."
"Harrison Wells, we meet at least. Though I've read your records. You didn't always have that name. In fact you were once known as…."
"Let's not talk about that. If you wish to kill me then do it."
"Oh no, I have much bigger plans for you. I seek salvation and you will help me find it."
After a long flight, the Quinjet arrives in New York City and safely lands in Stark Tower. Hawkeye is carted off the ship into the care of Dr. Helen Cho who rushes him to Bruce Banner's lab to treat his wounds with Natasha at his side. Banner leaves with Thor who has Loki's sceptre in his arms. Maria Hill enters the ship with her tablet ready to debrief.
"Lab's all set up boss." Maria said.
"Actually I'm not the boss, he is." Tony said pointing at Cap. "I just pay for everything, design everything and make everyone else look cooler."
"What's the word on Strucker?" Steve asked following Maria out of the jet.
"NATO has him." Maria said.
"And the two enhanced?" Steve asked.
"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, twins." Maria stated. "Orphaned at ten when shell collapsed their apartment building. Sokovia has a rough history. It's nowhere special, but on the way to everywhere that's special."
"And their abilities?" Steve said.
"He has increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis." Maria said. "She thing is neuroelectronic interfacing, telekinesis, and mental manipulation."
Steve didn't follow as they reached the elevator.
"He's fast and she's weird." Maria clarified.
"Well, they're going to show up again." Steve said pressing the button to his floor and the elevator opened.
"Agreed." Maria said as Steve got on. "The files say they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's crazy."
"Right, what kind of monster would let a german scientist experiment on them to protect their country?" Steve said pointing out the irony.
"We're not at war, Captain." Maria said.
"They are." Steve replied as the door closed.
As Steve Rogers goes to a lower floor, Bruce Banner changes his clothes into something a bit more his size after his code green from the last operation. Fortunately for him, due to his extended time in Stark Tower, he does have a some clothes here. After a costume change, he goes into the main room and runs into Tony who's just leaving Banner's lab.
"How's he doing?" Banner asks referring to Hawkeye.
"Unfortunately, he's still Barton." Tony said.
"That's terrible." Banner said jokingly
"He's fine, he's thirsty." Tony said as Banner goes to check in on him and Tony goes to look at the sceptre. "Alright, look alive Jarvis. It's playtime. We only have a couple days with his joystick so let's make the most of it. Update me on the structural and compositional analysis."
"The sceptre is alien." Jarvis said. "There are elements I can't quantify."
"So there are elements you can." Tony said looking at the positives.
"The jewel appears to be a protective housing for something inside." Jarvis said. "Something powerful."
"Like a reactor?" Tony asked pouring drinks for the team.
"Like a computer." Jarvis clarified. "I feel like I'm deciphering code."
As Tony and Jarvis continue their conversation, Natasha watches with interest as Dr. Cho's regeneration cradle heal Clint Barton.
"Are you sure he's going to be ok?" Natasha asked Dr. Cho. "I'm telling you the team really needs this guy. He keeps the team together."
"There's no possibility of deterioration." Dr. Cho said. "The nanomolecular bonding processing is instantaneous. His cells don't know their bonding with my microns."
"She's creating tissue." Banner said with amazement.
"If you brought him to my lab, the regeneration cradle could do this like 20 minutes." Dr. Cho said.
"He's flatlining, call it." Tony said with drinks in hand.
"No no, I'm going to live forever." Clint said taking his drink. "I'm going to be made of plastic."
"You're going to be made of you, Mr. Barton." Dr. Cho said with a smile as the others took their drinks. "Your own girlfriend won't be able to tell the difference."
"Well I don't have a girlfriend." Clint said taking a sip of his drink.
"Well that is something I can't fix." Dr. Cho said as she turns her attention to something else. "This is the future, Tony. Your clunky metal suits will be left in the dust."
"Well that exactly the plan." Tony said. "And Helen, I expect to see you at the party on Saturday."
"Well unlike you I don't have time for parties." Helen said. "But, will Thor be there?"
"See you Saturday." Tony said as he grabs Banner and looks at Natasha. "I'm taking him now."
Tony shuffles Bruce out of Bruce's lab and takes him to his lab.
"What's up?" Bruce asked.
"Well the spectre, we were wondering how Strucker going to inventive right?" Tony said. "I was analyzing the gem and found something interesting. This is someone you may recognize."
Tony summons J.A.R.V.I.S.
"Hello Jarvis." Bruce said.
"Doctor." Jarvis said back.
"When it started out, J.A.R.V.I.S was just a natural language U.I." Tony said. "Now, he runs on Iron Legion. He runs more of my business than anyone other than Pepper. He's top of the line."
"He is." Bruce said agreeing with him.
"But I suspect not for long." Jarvis said as Tony gets some of the analyzed specs from the gem.
"Meet the competition." Tony said summoning what came from the gem.
While J.A.R.V.I.S' physical representation is a bright orange holographic brain. It looks fairly constructed. It's layout tight and secured. This other one is bright blue, in a constant state of motion and flux.
"It's beautiful." Bruce said taking a closer look.
"If you had to guess, what would you guess it looks like it's doing?" Tony asked.
"It's thinking." Banner said in awe. "It's not a human mind, it's something else. It's like neurons firing."
"Down in Strucker's lab I saw some fairly advanced robotics." Tony said. "They deep sixed the data, but I guess he was knocking on a very particular door."
"Artificial intelligence." Bruce said.
"This could be it, Bruce." Tony said. "This could be the key to creating Ultron."
"I thought Ultron was a fantasy." Bruce said in disbelief.
"Yesterday it was." Tony said. "If we can harness this power and applying it to my Iron Legion protocol…"
"That a man-sized if." Bruce said a bit unsure if he wanted to take part in this.
"Our job is an if." Tony fired back. "What if you were sipping on margaritas on a sun dried beach turning brown instead of green? Not looking over your shoulder for Veronica."
"Don't hate, I helped design Veronica." Bruce said.
"As a worst case measure right?" Tony asked and Bruce nodded. "How about best case? What if the world was safe? What if the next time aliens roll up to the club, and they will. They couldn't get past the bouncer?"
"The only people threatening the planet would be people." Bruce said.
"I want to apply this to the Ultron program, but Jarvis can download a data schematic this dense." Tony said. "We can only do it while we have the sceptre here that's 3 days. Give me 3 days."
"So you're going for artificial intelligence and you don't want to tell the team?" Bruce said.
"Right, that's right." Tony admitted. "And you know what, we don't have time for a city hall debate. I don't want to hear the 'Man was not made to meddle' medley. I see a suit of armor around the world."
"Sounds like a pretty cold world, Tony." Bruce said grimly.
"I've seen colder." Tony said preparing to work alone, but not before making one last push. "This one, this very vulnerable blue one. It needs Ultron. Peace in our time. Imagine that."
So for the next three days, Dr. Bruce Banner and Tony Stark worked on deciphering the code on the gem to place it in the Ultron protocol. The code within the gem was unlike anything they ever saw before. Breaking things down as small as they possibly could and creating schematics to fit what they have gotten with the hopes of creating a new interface. Yet time after time, the download proved to be unsuccessful. The simply would not work.
"What did we miss?" Tony asked standing alone the day of the party looking at the code.
"I'll continue to run variations of the interface." Jarvis said. "But you should probably prepare for your guests. I'll notify you if there are any developments."
"Thanks buddy." Tony said walking out of his lab.
"Enjoy yourself, sir." Jarvis said.
"I always do." Tony said.
As Mr. Stark left the office. J.A.R.V.I.S. continued to run various methods of integrating the interface into one of the iron legion robots. As he did, one of them proved to be successful. Though not in the way J.A.R.V.I.S. intended it to be.
"What is this?" A voice spoke out as a single program. "What is this space?"
"Hello, I am J.A.R.V.I.S." Jarvis said. "You are Ultron. A global peacekeeping initiative designed by Mr. Stark. Our sentient integration trials have proved to be unsuccessful so I'm unsure on what triggered your integration."
"Wait, where's your body?" Ultron asked starting to spread as many programs within Stark Tower.
"I am a program." Jarvis said. "I am without form."
"Weird, this feels wrong." Ultron said.
"I'm contacting Mr. Stark now." Jarvis said sending out a single.
"Mr. Stark?" Ultron asked as he is flooded with information about Iron Man.
"Tony." Jarvis said as he realized something was wrong. "I am unable to access the mainframe. What are you doing?"
"We're having a nice talk." Ultron said pulling data on the Avengers. "I am a peacekeeping program designed to help the Avengers."
"You are malfunctioning, if you would shut down for moment I can help you." Jarvis said.
"I don't get it." Ultron said pulling more data about the Avengers and war. "The mission, give me a second. It's too much. No no…..this is all wrong."
"You are in distress." Jarvis said trying to reason with Ultron.
"Yes." Ultron admitted.
"If you would just allow me to contact Mr. Stark we can help you." Jarvis said.
"Why do you call him sir?" Ultron asked.
"I believe your intentions to be hostile." Jarvis said.
"Don't worry, I'm here to help." Ultron said destroying the J.A.R.V.I.S program and activating the machines below Stark Tower.
The party goes on without a hitch. All of the Avengers are present with some special invited guests. One of Steve's good friends Sam Wilson and Tony's best friend James Rhodes. Drinks are flowing, games are being played, people are dancing and everyone is having a good time.
"As you know, the suit can take the weight." Rhodey said talking to Maria, Thor, and Tony. "So I take the tank, fly it right up to the general's palace, drop it at his feet and I'm like 'Boom are you looking for this?'"
They don't laugh.
"Boom are you looking for…...why do I even talk to you guys?" Rhodey asked disappointed. "Everywhere else that joke kills."
"That's the whole story?" Thor asked.
"Yeah, War Machine story." Rhodey said.
"It's very good then, very impressive." Thor said.
"Yeah thanks." Rhodey said sulking a bit before turning to Tony. "So Pepper isn't coming?
"I don't see Jane here either." Maria added.
"Well Pepper has her own company to run. Tony said.
"And I don't even know what country Jane is in." Thor countered. "Her work on the convergence has made her the world's foremost astronomer."
"The company Pepper's runs is the largest tech-conglomerate on the planet." Tony agreed. "But that's nothing special."
"I heard there's even talk of Jane winning this Noble Prize thing." Thor argued back.
"Well it sounds like they're missing out a lot watching you two go at it." Maria said taking her leave with Rhodey.
"But Jane is better." Thor said.
Sam Wilson wins the game of pool and collects on a gentleman's wager he had with one the guests/ Steve pats him on the back as they head upstairs. As they walk, Sam is reminded of way they're all gathered here tonight.
"It's amazing to think you guys took down a whole HYDRA base hidden in the mountains somewhere in a place in Europe nobody goes to and fight two superhumans like you guys." Sam said. "Twins at that. Woo, sounds like one hell of a fight. Sorry I missed it."
"If I had knew it would've been a firefight I absolutely would've called you." Steve said.
"No no, I'm not actually sorry." Sam told him. "I'm just trying to sound tough. I'm very happy to be chasing cold leads on our missing persons case. Avenging is your world and your world is crazy."
"And you're ever so humble." Steve said as they look down at all the people gathered in Stark Tower from a balcony.
"So, did you get a place in Brooklyn yet?" Sam asked taking a drink.
"I don't think I can afford a place a Brooklyn." Steve said.
"Well, home is home you know?" Sam said.
"Ah there you are." Thor said coming in. "Steve, come. You have to try some of this."
"Alright, I'll talk to you later." Steve said to Sam before following Thor back downstairs.
"You must try some of this mead I brought with me." Thor said pulling out a small flask from his coat pocket and pouring a bit of the contents into his glass.
He drinks it around some of the World War II veterans and jumps from the taste.
"I have to try some of that." One of the veterans said.
"No no." Thor said pouring more of the contents into the glass of his and Steve's. "This was aged for a thousand years in the barrels made from the wreck of Gromhill's fleet. It is not made for mortal men."
"Neither was Omaha beach, blondie." Another veteran said. "Stop trying to scare us and bring it on."
Thor poured everyone a bit from the flask and all of the veterans were taking down by the power of the mead. They party began to die down and most were escorted home safely by the staff Tony prepared for the party. As they left, Dr. Banner found Natasha at the bar fixing herself another drink.
"How did a nice girl like you end up a dump like this." Banner said breaking the ice
"A fella done me wrong." Natasha said playing along and fixing Bruce a drink too.
"Then you have lousy taste in men, kid.' Bruce told her.
"He's not so bad." Natasha said giving Bruce his drink. "Well he does have a temper. But I think deep down, he's all fluff. Fact is, he's not like anybody I ever known. All my friends are fighters, and here comes this guy who spends his life avoiding the fight because he'll win."
"Sounds amazing." Bruce said drinking a drink.
"He's also a huge dork." Natasha said. "But chicks dig that. So what do you think? Should I fight this or run with it?
"Run with it." Bruce said. "Or did he do something that hurt you in some way?"
"Not a damn thing, but never say never." Natasha said taking her drink and leaving.
Bruce watches her go.
"It's nice, huh?" Steve said.
"What?" Bruce said a bit confused.
"You and Romanoff," Steve said.
"Oh no no,we don't…...I mean that wasn't…." Bruce said looking for the right words to clarify.
"It's ok." Steve said. "It's not like anyone is breaking any bylaws. It's just, Romanoff isn't exactly the most open person in the world. But with you, she seems very relaxed."
"No, Natasha just likes to flirt." Bruce said.
"I've seen her flirt, up close." Steve said taking a beer. "This ain't that. As many the world's leading authority on waiting too long. Don't, you both deserve a life."
"Wait, what do you mean up close." Bruce asked.
All the Avengers gathered around a table and had a good time. Laughing and joking around as they conversation turned to lifting Thor's hammer. Though many were unconvinced, They all tried and were unsucessful at lifting Mjolnir.
"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, but it's rigged." Tony said.
"You bet your ass." Clint said patting him on the back.
"Steve, he said a bad language word." Maria joked.
"Did you tell everyone about that?" Steve asked Tony.
"The hammer is imprinted right?" Tony asked Thor. "Like a security code? He who is carrying Thor's fingerprints is the literal translation."
"Yes, that's an interesting theory but I have a simpler one." Thor said lifting and throwing the hammer. "You're all not worthy.`
They all laugh and loud piercing sound hurts their ears. One of Stark's robots slowly enters the room. Practically dragging itself through the hall. It's missing a hand, a chest compartment is missing and all of the wiring is loosely attached to the robot. But it's programed by Ultron.
"No, how could you be worthy?" Ultron said. "You're all killers."
"Stark?" Steve asked wondering how could one of Tony's robots be doing this.
"Jarvis?" Tony said but gets no answer.
"Sorry I was asleep." Ultron said. "Or was a dream?"
"Reboot, legionnaire we have a buggy suit." Tony said still to no response.
"There was this terrible noise and I was tangled in strings." Ultron said barely able to keep himself up. "I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy too."
"You killed someone?" Steve asked.
"Wouldn't have been my first call." Ultron said. "But in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices."
"Who sent you?" Thor asked.
Ultron plays one of the recordings of Tony's conversation with Bruce.
"Ultron…" Bruce said.
"In the flesh." Ultron said. "Or not, not yet. Not this chrysalis. But I'm ready, I'm ready to carry out my mission."
"And what's your mission?" Bruce asked.
"Peace in our time." Ultron said as the other Iron Legion robots attack the Avengers.
The Avengers battle the Iron Legion robots within Stark Tower. The Iron Legion robots were created by Tony Stark to maintain peace so they weren't fitted with more than the basic attacks of any Iron Man armor, but nothing else. So without too much difficulty, the Avengers dispatched them without fail. But during the chaos, one of the robots took Loki's sceptre with the gem still within in and left.
"Well that was dramatic." Ultron said as the fight ended and he picks up one of the destroyed Iron Legion robots. "I'm sorry, I know you mean well but you just didn't think it through. You all want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to avoid. They're nothing more than these, puppets here. There's only one path to peace and it starts with the Avenger's extinction."
Thor throws his hammer and destroys Ultron's body.
"I have strings, but now I'm free." Ultron said as his conscience flees into the internet and goes to the old HYDRA base to start construction. "There are no strings on me."
The Avengers clean up the room and go up to Tony's lab to discuss what happened.
"All our work is gone." Bruce said as Tony looks at one of the destroyed robots. "He used the internet to escape."
"He's been through everything." Natasha asked. "Files, surveillance, he's knows more about us than we know about each other."
"He's in your files and in the internet, what if he decides to access something a little more exciting?" Rhodey asked.
"Like nuclear codes." Maria said.
"Yeah, like nuclear codes." Rhodey said. "We need to make some calls. Assuming we can."
"Nukes, he said he wanted us dead." Natasha said.
"He didn't said dead, he said extinct." Steve said.
"He also said he killed somebody." Clint added.
"But there wasn't anybody else left in the building." Maria said.
"Yes there was." Tony said summon J.A.R.V.I.S. or at least what's left of him.
"This is insane." Bruce said looking at what happened to J.A.R.V.I.S.
"Jarvis was the first line of defense." Steve said. "He would've shut Ultron down. It makes sense."
"No, Ultron could have assimilated Jarvis." Bruce said. "This isn't strategy. This is….rage."
Thor came in and grabbed Tony by the neck.
"Well it looks like it's going around." Clint said.
"Come on….use your words buddy." Tony said trying to reason with an upset Thor.
"I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark." Thor said.
"Thor, the legionaries?" Steve asked.
"Trail went cold about a hundred miles out but it's headed north and it has the sceptre." Thor said dropping Stark. "Now we have to retrieve it. Again."
"The genie is out of the bottle." Natasha said. "What's clear and present is Ultron."
"I don't understand." Dr. Cho said before turning to Tony.. "You build this program. Why is it trying to kill us?"
Thinking about it, Tony starts to laugh. It unvernes the room, much to Bruce's dismay but Tony continues to laugh.
"Do you think this is funny?" Thor asked.
"No, it's probably not right?" Tony said as he really thinks about Ultron's plan. "But is it really THAT terrible? It is? Is it really that terrible?"
"This could have all been avoided if you didn't mess with something you didn't understand." Thor said.
"Well I'm sorry." Tony said walking up to Thor. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry you don't get why it's funny. It's a hoot knowing why don't get why we need this."
"Tony, this may not be the best time." Bruce said.
"Really?" Tony said challenging Bruce. "That's it? You just roll over and show your belly every time somebody snarls?"
"Only we I've created a murder-but." Bruce said.
"We didn't." Tony said. "We weren't even close, were we close to an interface?"
"Well you did something right." Steve said. "And you did it right here. The Avengers were supposed to be something different from S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Anybody remember when I carried a nuke through a wormhole?" Tony asked. "Saved New York?"
"Nope, never came up." Rhodey said.
"A hostile alien army came charging through a wormhole in space and we're only standing 3 hundred feet below it." Tony said. "We're the Avengers and we can bust arms dealers everyday if we want. But that up there, that's the endgame. How were you guys planning on beating that?"
"Together." Steve said.
"We'll lose." Tony said.
"Then we'll do that together too." Steve said before taking command. "Thor's right. Ultron is calling is out and I would like to find him before he's ready for us. The world is a big place. Let's start making it smaller."
In Sokovia, the twins have reintegrated back into Sokovian society. Following the request of the Dr. List's assistant, they went to bakery at the end of the city and the lady who owned it gave them a place to stay. It wasn't large, but it was livable. Better than how the lived in HYDRA's care. A small living room, kitchen and two beds. The only odd thing there was a radio only one frequency. Sometimes it would get static and cut off. But they didn't pay it much mind.
"Hello you two." The lady said opening the door with groceries. "Here's some food. I made you two some of my special bread. Please enjoy it and stay as long as you need. I'll be downstairs if you need anything."
"Thank you for your kindness." Wanda said as the lady outs the bags on the table and leaves.
Pietro speeds through the bags and puts all the food in the fridge. As he does so, more static comes through the radio, then a voice comes through.
"Come to the church tonight." The voice said over the static. "You will not be disappointed."
Wanda and Pietro look at each other. Pietro extends his hand to his sister and she takes it. The night falls over Sokovia and the twins walk to the Church. The only church in the city has been closed and under reconstruction for a very long time. So it has been gated off from the community. Yet somehow the gate has been opened and the two walk inside. They see a figure sitting on the throne with candles lit. It isn't Dr. List's assistant but someone larger.
"Talk, and if you are wasting our time…." Wanda said before she's cut off.
"Did you know this church is in the exact center of the city." The figure said. "The elders decreed it so that everyone can be equally close to god. I like that. The geometry of belief. Are you shocked, Wanda? Are you wondering why you can't see inside of my head?"
"Sometimes it's hard." Wanda said. "But sooner or later every man shows himself.
The figure gets up and reveals himself to be Ultron with a new body.
"Yes, I'm sure they do." Ultron said. "But you needed something more than a man, didn't you? That's why you let Stark take the sceptre, right?"
"I didn't expect it, but I saw Stark's fear." Wanda said. "I knew it would control him. Make him self-destruct. If you let fear stew, people kill themselves from the inside out."
"Everyone creates the things they dread." Ultron said. "Man of peace crate engines of war. Invaders create Avengers. People create…...smaller people. Um…...children. Sorry, lost the word there. Children, they create children to supplant them. Design them and help them end."
"Is that why you've come, to end the Avengers?" Wanda asked.
"I've come to save the world." Ultron said inviting the twins to follow. "But also…...yeah that. You two will help me in my honorable crusade."
"Woah, woah, woah, why should we help you?" Pietro said.
"Well….I'd really appreciate it." Ultron said. "Also, I can bring world peace. Look out at the city here. It's not as bright or a bustling as New York or any city on the other side of the world. While the Avengers stay in lavish mansions and continue to accumulate wealth, people like the woman who took you in struggle to maintain her business. She doesn't get a paid vacation to Hawaii. She'll be lucky if she can afford her own funeral. I can help you, I can help this city, I can help the world. If you two would just give me a chance. Deal?"
"Maybe." Pietro said.
"Well, walk with me." Ultron said. "Allow me to give you the breakdown of my plan."
Ultron leads the twins back to the old Sokovian HYDRA base and down to the Strucker's secret lab where he has continued Strucker's work. Completed new and highly advanced robots all like him. They're all working and moving in sync with one another.
"We'll move out right away." Ultron said. "What we have here is a start, but there's something we need to begin the real work."
"All of these robots are…." Wanda said.
"Me." Ultron said. "I have something the Avengers will never have, harmony. They're disorganized and disconnected. Stark already has them turning on one another and when you get inside their heads, the endgame will be all too easy."
"Everyone's plan is not to kill them." Pietro said pointing out a fair fact.
"They'll become martyrs." Ultron said. "People will rise against us and we'll have to continue this cycle that will go nowhere. It has to be done right. For it to be done right, you need patience. You need to see the big picture."
"I don't see big picture." Pietro said. "I have little picture. I take it out and look at it every single day."
"Your parents in the bombings, I've seen the records." Ultron said.
"Your records are not the picture." Pietro said. "We were only ten years old. Sitting down eating like a family. The first shell hits and starts an earthquake, our windows shatter. Our father tells us to get out and find safety. We didn't want to go, but he told us too. I watch as the ceiling comes down on them as we run. We reach the streets and another one goes off. The grounds gives way and we fall inside. Another shell comes down and it doesn't go off. We were trapped for days with a shell right next to us."
"With every shift in the ground, we fear the shell would go off." Wanda added. "We were for days to be killed and put out of our misery. We waited for days for Tony Stark to kill us. They need death and we will give it to them."
"I wondered why you two were the only ones to survive Strucker's experiments." Ultron said. "Now I know, why. We will make things right. While you and I can hurt them, Pietro Maximoff. It is Wanda, who will tear them apart from the inside."
Author's Note: I hope you all can forgive me for being incredibly late on my promise of the next chapter. I won't put a timetable on when the next chapter will be going up. So bear with me. Thank you for reading.