Finding Family - Part 3 ~ Chapter 12
Here we are, the next chapter, please enjoy. I'm sorry for taking so long in updating but I was away on a fieldtrip, anyway I'm here now.
Leo wasn't very pleased to have his boring night in ruined, he'd just settled down with Skye and Kitty in front of the TV when he'd got a call.
"What, oh hello mum, what d'you want I'm very busy."
"I've just dropped the Cradle off at the Tower and I think the mutants would like a man present to keep an eye on them."
"Yes but it doesn't have to be me, does it, get Hank to go?"
"I just thought you'd like the chance to see the Avenger's tower and I know DC wants to be kept in the loop."
"Fine, fine but I'm taking Skye and Kitty," he said shutting off the communicator.
"Hey," "what?" Seeing Leo turn off his communicator they began quizzing him on their impromptu change in plans.
Captain America walked over to a lilac woman watching the proceedings, "can I help you Clarice?"
"Only my family call me that, to you I am Blink," said Blink guardedly. "Did you get the cradle?"
The rest of their team came over slowly in various states of health.
"Stark'll take care of it."
"Will he?" Asked Laura coming to stand by Blink, "this, curse," she motioned to her head, "I can see your fears. Stark will do anything to make things right," said Laura knowingly.
Steve couldn't help but agree to at least some of what she was saying, "Stark, come in. Stark. Anyone on comms?"
"Ultron can't tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it. Where do you think he gets that?"
As Steve left the group to think on their options, his comms sparked into life, "this is May the package has been delivered I'm returning now."
"Can you contact Stark?"
"Not if you want to stay off the radar with Ultron, I'm using a secure connection but there's none set up with Stark."
"Damn, we've got Ultron on the back foot we don't want to push our luck, get here as soon as you can."
"Quiet," shouted Eric to the assembled mutants, as the noise abated he spoke up again. "As some of you know there is a grave danger threatening our safety, there is a lethal AI on the loose."
Charles took over from Eric saying, "we have been asked by our friends in SHIELD to offer tactical support to the Avengers. This will be strictly for X-Men members and only some of you will go, the rest of you will remain here to keep an eye on the students."
At this the group of mutants began clamouring for places, either to go on the mission or to stay at the mansion.
"Quiet," said Charles, "I will be staying here and trying to resolve the current dilemma on our doorstep, Eric will be leading the group to support the Avengers."
"Why," said Scott, "can you not come?"
"I would be very little use in the fight with this enemy, Ultron is a robot so my mutation would be of very little help. Eric has far more experience in direct conflict, which I am sure he will bring to the fight."
Eric interjected, "we need to decide who will be going on this mission. Now judging by the amount of metal traced we can safely assume Ultron will have a very heavily defended end game. We need X-Men who are strong and experienced, it is presumed that Ultron will continue using his metal bodies so it will be robots you're fighting. This should reassure any of you who have fears of hurting humans, we will prioritise getting the citizens from the area, it's not their fight after all."
Some of the older mutants were surprised by Eric's concern for the humans. "For this we'll need to find a way of persuading the humans they want to leave," he turned to Jean. "Can you do anything, if we bring you?"
"I... I'm not sure, I could persuade some but not all," replied Jean nervously.
"Some's better than none, we can bring others to assist and the Avengers will be there too."
By the end of the discussion they'd decided on a team of Eric, Jean, Scott, Carol and Hank. Scott wasn't too happy taking orders from Eric that was clear from his face, but for the sake of the world he was willing to try.
This is sealed tight," said Tony tapping the cradle with his tablet.
"We're going to need to access the program, break it down from within," postulated Bruce. "I can work on tissue degeneration, if you can fry whatever operational system Cho implanted."
"Yeah, about that," said Tony almost apologetically.
"No," said Bruce, looking up from his computer.
"You have to trust me," implored Tony coming to stand before Bruce.
"Kinda don't."
"Our ally? The guy protecting the military's nuclear codes? I found him," said Tony triumphantly, with a wave of his tablet he produced a hologram.
"Hello, Dr. Banner," said the undulating mass of golden light.
"JARVIS," gasped Bruce in recognition.
"Ultron didn't go after Jarvis 'cause he was angry. He attacked him because he was scared of what he can do."Tony was in full lecture mode now, "So Jarvis went underground, scattered, dumped his memory. But not his protocols. He didn't even know he was in there, until I pieced him together."
"So, you want me to help you put Jarvis into this thing?" Bruce motioned to the cradle and the body within sceptically.
"No, of course not! I want to help you put Jarvis in this thing," said Tony looking across to Bruce almost begging. "We're out of my field here. You know bio-organics better than anyone."
"And you just assume that Jarvis's operational matrix can beat Ultron's?"
"Jarvis has been beating him from inside without knowing it. This is the opportunity, we can create Ultron's perfect self, without the homicidal glitches he thinks are his winning personality." Tony leaned across the cradle to grasp Bruce's arms, "we have to."
"You've got my vote," said a voice from behind the pair.
"What're you doing here," said Tony turning to glare at the figure of Leo Fitz emerging from the doorway.
"You really need to work on your security, it's crap," he grinned. "Oh and I brought some more help," out of the doorway came Skye and Kitty waving awkwardly, "hi."
"No. I'm in a loop. I'm caught in a time loop, this is exactly where it all went wrong."
"I know, I know. I know what everyone's going to say, but they're already saying it. We're mad scientists. We're monsters, buddy. You gotta own it. Make a stand. It's not a loop. It's the end of the line."
Tony turned to Leo, "you here to help or are you gonna preach a sermon, cause I've had my fill of hypocritical speeches for today."
"We're here to help, and if you want to avoid a sermon you might want to hurry the rest of the avengers will be here in no time." That was the jolt Tony needed as he started rushing to and fro fiddling with computers and linking cables.
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