Chapter Four
"Wait, let me get this straight. Fury contacts you with no warning, and tells you that, for some reason, the higher-ups of SHIELD think the world is safe enough to give the Avengers a month off active duty?" Tony's voice was dripping sarcasm. He and Pepper had just returned from their dinner date, and Steve had gathered what few Avengers were there (himself, Wanda, Bruce and Tony) to discuss the latest development.
He sighed heavily. "Yeah, that's pretty much the gist of it."
"That and SHIELD apparently forbids us to keep looking for Pietro as well." Wanda practically spat.
Tony frowned at that. "That's out of line... I get that the bureaucrats don't want us working, because it reminds them that they're not the most powerful people in the world, but telling us we can't look for a missing team-mate?" He shook his head. "I'm seriously thinking about ignoring that part. They can't tell me what I can and can't do with my own time and equipment."
Bruce raised an eyebrow. "You're only thinking about defying SHIELD again? That's progress- normally, you'd have already done it!"
A ripple of laughter went through the group at that. Even Wanda managed a slight grin. It faded almost immediately though.
"Tony, I'd really appreciate it if you would keep looking, but..." She bit her lip, glancing around warily. "Exactly how dangerous are SHIELD? I still don't really know that much about them, and I don't want to see you get hurt for getting on the wrong side of them..."
"SHIELD is only a threat to people who frequently disobey orders, or hack into their databases." A dry female voice said, making the whole team jump.
Natasha was leaning on the wall just behind them, Clint standing behind her, smirking.
Tony gritted his teeth. "I've got to change those locks..."
"Hello to you too, Stark." Natasha folded her arms, glaring at Tony accusingly.
"What are you looking at me like that for? For once, I haven't done anything!"
"Three hours ago, one of SHIELD's most sensitive and secure files was hacked into and read via a computer system traced to Stark Tower." Natasha raised an eyebrow. "You have a very strange definition of 'not having done anything'!"
"What- hold up, I wasn't even here three hours ago. Pep and I just got back from a date!"
Natasha blinked, looking at Pepper for confirmation.
"It's true. We had dinner at Masa, then did a bit of shopping. You can check with the restaurant, if you like. We had a reservation." Pepper didn't mind Tony getting chewed out when he had done something wrong, but she wasn't going to stand by and let him get blamed for something he hadn't done.
Clint frowned speculatively. "Is there anyone else who might've been using your computers while you were out?"
"Just one of my new technicians. He's one of the brightest guys I've ever met, except me." Tony quipped.
"And you trust him?" Natasha's voice was wary.
"Sure, why shouldn't I? Max is a friend."
"Really? How long have you known him?"
"I..."
Natasha wasn't done. "Where did he go to school? Where's he from? What's his last name?"
Tony held his hands up. "Enough with the Inquisition, Romanoff!"
"Nat..." Clint's voice was low. "Ease off."
"I'm sorry, but I don't think it's a coincidence that this happens just after you've hired some new guy, and he's apparently become your BFF in no time at all."
"Put like that, it does sound a bit strange..." Steve narrowed his eyes at Tony. "Isn't this the same guy who supposedly 'got lost' and almost broke into your private lab?"
"Well, yeah, but... everyone has problems learning their way around a new place!"
"True enough." Wanda input. "I certainly did- I still do, sometimes. And sorry, but I don't think this is the right time to be digging for dirt on some Stark Industries worker." She glared heatedly at Natasha, then Clint. "I don't suppose either of you know anything about why the Avengers are suddenly off-duty?"
The assasins exchanged looks, and sighed.
"You want the short version or the long one?" Clint's voice was sarcastic, the only sign he was annoyed. Natasha's face was suited for poker- utterly blank.
"Either." Bruce spoke up for the first time. "I don't really get it. We're the only precaution in place if there's another alien invasion or something. If we're not authorised to work, who'll deal with problems?"
Clint pulled his cell out of his pocket, pressing a few buttons before passing it to Bruce.
Bruce adjusted his glasses, peering at the screen. "...Fully capable of maintaining matters of world security... designed by Dr Henry Pym... Fully assembled, but untested so far..." His eyes widened. "SHIELD's actually made this? Mapped human brain patterns onto a robot?"
"This is the replacement for the Avengers?" Tony sounded disgusted. "A prototype that may not even work?"
Steve met Wanda's eyes, sighing. "It sounds fine... in theory. But no machine's ever going to be as good as a person. Not in battle. Why does Fury think-"
"It's not Fury!" Natasha snapped. "His superiors have never felt comfortable with a team of vigilantes. They think this new 'security measure' will be easier to control."
Wanda folded her arms. "That's ridiculous... and I still don't see why we've also been told to stop searching for my brother."
"You've been told to stop looking: SHIELD's agents haven't." Clint's voice was grim.
Steve suddenly had a feeling that no-one was going to like what Clint said next...
"Because Pietro is now affiliated with a race of beings that no-one knows anything about... he will be treated like a hostile if he crosses paths with SHIELD."
Over half an hour of arguing ensued, the group more or less divided in half. Clint and Natasha could understand that decision. They had military training, and knew that there weren't many grey areas in this sort of situation. Steve was torn: he could see SHIELD's point of view, but... Pietro was not an enemy. He remained silent for now. Tony, Bruce and Wanda were making that argument for him.
"So, what you're basically saying is, it doesn't matter that my brother has no idea that maybe he shouldn't be on the side of these aliens? SHIELD's going to ignore his amnesia, and just treat him like an enemy?"
"She has a point." Bruce's voice wasn't as loud as Wanda's, but it carried. "This isn't a black-and-white situation. Are there even going to be attempts to restore Pietro's memory if he's found?"
"Fury did say to tell you that, yes, if he's found, restoration of identity will be a priority." Clint sounded relieved to finally have some good news to tell.
Tony huffed in annoyance. "So, to sum this up, Avengers are out of commision because some suits thought a robot could do a better job, and we're just supposed to sit here doing nothing until it goes wrong?"
"Basically, yes. Although in theory, from what I read, Ultron isn't capable of messing up." Bruce shook his head. "I'll be first in line for 'I told you so' when Tony's right."
~ Stark computer lab, at that moment ~
'I'll be first in line for I told you so when Tony's right.' Maximus closed the video he'd been using to eavesdrop on the humans, laughing to himself. He'd had a few moments of panic when the sharp-tongued woman, - Romanoff, had Stark called her?- had started questioning Stark about him, but he seemed to have dodged that bullet, for now at least. The Maximoff girl's worry for her absent brother had distracted the 'Avengers' well enough. And the Ultron robot would soon be tested, giving him ample chance to seize control of it for his own ends. It was all coming together, faster than he'd hoped.
"Soon, I will win." He cackled. "I will reclaim my throne, and humans and Inhumans will all bow before me!"
Closing his eyes and grinning, he smiled at how easy it was proving to hoodwink the humans- they would never suspect that there was a cuckoo in the nest!
If Maximus hadn't turned the video feed off so quickly, he might have been a little less sure of himself...
~ Avengers living quarters ~
Natasha took a deep breath. "If everyone's finished bickering..."
She waited. The argument had stopped, thankfully, though no-one looked particularly happy.
"I know the current situation is beyond ridiculous: Fury agrees. Why do you think Clint and I came here and told you all of this? Fury can't get involved officially, but he wants all of you to remain alert, just in case. There are too many unknowns right now. So everything Clint and I told you today is off the record, but at least you're informed." She closed her eyes for a minute. "And speaking of unknowns, Stark, I'm still going to go through your records for this new employee- Max, was it?"
"Yes, his name's Max, but there's no need-"
"I wasn't asking for permission, Stark. SHIELD's files were hacked earlier this evening, faster than anything you've ever managed, and you yourself said that this 'Max' had access to your systems in that time frame. And if your 'friend' really has nothing to hide, then why shouldn't I check him out?"
Tony threw his hands up. "Fine! Knock yourself out. I'm telling you, there's nothing wrong with him."
"I'll be the judge of that." Natasha said darkly. The team dispersed slowly, Bruce heading to the kitchen for some supper, followed by Clint. Tony and Pepper were having an early night (no-one wanted to know why) and Steve and Wanda were heading to the rec room for a movie night.
"Don't do anything I would!" Tony yelled as the couple vanished. Pepper dragged him away, sighing. Natasha made her way to the computer terminal nearby- she should be able to access all the records for Stark's employees from here.
A few minutes later, she frowned. Tony had said the guy's name was Max, hadn't he? There was no Max in 'Current Employees'... She checked though former employees, and contractural temps. Nothing. JARVIS' only knowledge of the man seemed to originate on the day he'd almost broken into Tony's lab, claiming interest in the Iron Man suits...
Closing down the monitor, she frowned. If this guy wasn't really a Stark employee, what was he after? And how had he managed to convince Tony, and JARVIS, that he worked here?
A footstep behind her startled her- in and of itself a rare occurence, almost no-one could sneak up on her!
She whirled, raising her arms defensively. A lanky, pale-faced man with wild black hair and eerie blue eyes faced her. He caught her wrists in his hands, staring deeply into her eyes before she could retaliate.
"You should be careful where you spin your webs, little Black Widow spider." Maximus murmured. "You never know whether you'll trap a wasp."
He let go of her. She didn't move. His control had worked. He sighed in relief- that was too close! He returned his concentration to her.
"You did the search you wanted. All the information you found was satisfactory. You could find nothing to show who tapped into your government agency's files. You aren't going to remember meeting me. You're going to collect your lover, and leave. You will come back here when Ultron is deployed, to inform Stark and the other humans to stay out of the way. You will not return until then."
Having said all he needed to, Maximus quickly made himself scarce. He'd have to alter JARVIS' memory of this, but at least now he'd know when Ultron moved onto the playing field.
Natasha blinked- what just happened? She'd finished her search on Max, cocluded that nothing was out of the ordinary, then...
"Guess I spaced out." she muttered. Oh well. Time to go retrieve Clint anyway. They couldn't stay here too long. Fury's orders had been to discreetly inform the Avengers of the Council's acting against them, not to hang around and socialise afterwards. Besides, they'd be back soon enough. She wanted to see how this 'Ultron' thing did on its trial run, and no doubt Stark would be able to spy on it...
~ Attilan ~
"Lord Gorgon?"
"Yes?"
"Our telepathic sensors just detected a huge flare. It seems to be- or is similar to- Maximus' abilities."
Gorgon grinned savagely. Finally... "Where?"
"In the human city of New York, my lord."
Gorgon nodded. "Quicksilver?"
A blur paused next to him. "Yes, Gorgon?"
The Inhuman scowled at the boy's familiar term of address for him, but he was getting used to it. "Go to the king and queen. Tell them we may have located Maximus."
Quicksilver nodded and sped off without another word.
You'll be back where you belong soon enough, mad Max. Gorgon grinned to himself. The thought was a cheering one.
To be continued...