Year March 2015.
Location: Laura is flying above a forest in Sokovia approaching a Hydra base next to Tony.
"Report to your stations immediately. This is not a drill. We are under attack. We are under attack" The P.A. system is heard as Laura and Tony fly towards the base and bounce of the shield.
"Shit" both of them yelled as Laura tried to regain control!
"Language! What's the view from upstairs" Steve asked while on his bike riding through the forest?
"The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield. Strucker's technology is well beyond any other Hydra base we've taken" Jarvis explained.
"Loki's scepter must be here. Strucker couldn't mount this defense without it. At long last" Thor said while taking out guards.
"At long last is lasting a little long, boys" Nat said while taking out guards.
"I know Tony and I are kinda in a situation here" Laura replied as they tried to find a way inside the base while her and Tony alerted everyone.
"Princess is right wait a second... No one else is going to deal with the fact that Cap just said language" Tony joked as Laura rolled her eyes getting sick of her nickname.
"I know" Steve yelled as he threw his bike at a truck blowing it up! "It just slipped out' Steve justified.
"Sir, Princess the city is taking fire" Jarvis told them.
"Tony first off I'll never forgive you for making Jarvis call me that and two are you thinking what I'm thinking" Laura asked?
"Yes, and again that is your proper tile Princess and well, we know Strucker's not going to worry about civilian casualties. Send in the Iron Legion" Tony ordered as they flew towards the civilians. "This quadrant is unsafe. Please back away. We are here to help. This quadrant is unsafe. Please back away. Please back away. We wish to avoid collateral damage and will inform you when this current conflict is resolved. We are here to help" they announced at the fleeing civilians.
Meanwhile the twins get sent in and Pietro knocked Clint to the ground "You didn't see that coming" he asked Clint smugly on the ground as he ran off and got shot from the gun on top of the bunker.
"Clint" Nat yelled while running over to him as Pietro knocked Steve down.
"We have an enhanced in the field" Steve told the group.
"Somebody want to deal with that bunker" Nat asked as Hulk ran up from behind destroying the bunker with ease. "Thank you" Nat replied.
"Laura, Stark we really need to get inside" Steve asked as they were closing in on the base?
"We're closing in" Laura replied.
"Jarvis do you see a power source for that shield" Tony asked?
"There's a pathway below the north tower" Jarvis told them.
"Great Princess lets poke it with something" Tony said as they flew over and blew up the invisible shield.
"Shield is down" Laura told them.
"The enhanced" Thor asked Steve?
"He's a blur. All the new player's we've faced, I've never seen this. In fact, I still haven't" Steve answered.
"Clint's hit pretty bad, guys. We're gonna need evac" Nat told them kneeling by him.
"I can get Barton to the jet. The sooner we're gone the better. You, Princess and Stark secure the scepter" Thor ordered.
"Copy that" Steve replied as a Hydra tank approached them.
"Looks like they're lining up" Thor told Steve.
"Well, they're excited" Steve said as Thor pounded on Steve's shield with his hammer and the force knocked down all of the soldiers and destroying the tank.
"Find the scepter" Thor told him as he took off.
"And for gosh sake, watch your language" Tony joked as Steve sighed.
"Seriously Steve I'm disappointed you're following my bad habit" Laura added while smiling.
"That's not going to away anytime soon" Steve said annoyed.
Laura and Tony blasted through the Hydra base as the guards shot at them with machine guns and Laura yawned dramatically as the bullets bounced off her Vibranium suit. "Guys I'm sure we can work something out here Tony what do you think" Laura asked him behind her while turning around?
"Looks like they don't wanna negotiate" Tony replied as they shot at the soldiers with ease taking them all out at once. "Good talk" Tony said as a soldier approached them. "No, it wasn't" the soldier yelled as Laura knocked him out with her suit as both her and Tony got out of theirs and Laura brought out her spear as they approached the computers.
"Ok Jarvis you know I want it all. Make sure you copy Hill at Hq" Tony said as they began copying the files.
"We're locked down out here" Nat told Steve.
"Then get to Banner, time for a lullaby" Steve told her.
"I know you're hiding more than files. Hey, J, give me an IR scan of the room, real quick" Tony asked?
"The wall to your left...I'm reading steel reinforcement and an air current" Jarvis announced as Laura ran over to it trying to find the door.
"There's always a secret door at these things, where is it, where is it…" Laura asked as she moved her hands around the wall opened it. "Just like last time" Laura told Tony smugly.
"Yay" he yelled dramatically as they entered the room!
Meanwhile Steve finds Strucker "Hydra's number one thug" Steve told him.
"Technically, I'm a thug for Shield" Strucker countered.
"Well then technically you're unemployed. Where's Loki's scepter" Steve asked him?
"Don't worry, I know when I'm beat. You'll mention how I cooperated, I hope" Strucker joked.
"I'll put it right under illegal human experimentation" Steve said unimpressed as Wanda walked up behind him.
"How many are there" he asked as Wanda knocked Steve to the ground using her telekinetic powers and left. "We have a second enhanced. Female. Do not engage" Steve told the group.
"You'll have to be faster than..." Strucker said smugly as Steve used his shield to knock him out.
"Guys, I got Strucker" Steve told the group.
"Yeah Steve we may have something else here" Laura replied as her and Tony walked through the room of weapons including an old Leviathan and some of Tony's scrapped armor.
"Thor, we got the eye on the prize" Tony said as they approached Loki's scepter as Wanda approached them using her powers as Laura goes into a day dream seeing images of Wakanda under attack with the barrier collapsing from unknown outside forces, with T' Challa dead as she walked around the images and heard voices. "You put us… in danger" she heard T' Challa barely able to say in her dream as she heard Tony's voice yell her name.
"Laura, Laura, Laura" Tony yelled loudly a third time holding the scepter Tony watched her staring out into space and snapped out of it quickly!
"You ok" he asked seriously right in front of her as Laura wiped a tear off her cheek catching her breath?
"Yeah I'm fine let's go" she lied as they ran off rejoining the others.
"We're just gonna let them take it" Pietro asked Wanda while watching Laura and Tony run off with the scepter as she smiled.
Later that day the group are on the Quinjet heading back with Laura lost in her thoughts while looking at her wedding ring resting her head on her knees wearing a Giants hoodie "Hey, the lullaby worked better than ever" Nat said trying to reassure Bruce huddled in a blanket listening to opera in his headphones.
"Just wasn't expecting the Code Green" Bruce told her.
"If you hadn't been there, there would've been double the casualties. My best friend would've been a treasured memory" Nat thanked him.
"You know, sometimes exactly what I want to hear isn't exactly what I want to hear" Bruce told her.
"How long before you trust me" Nat asked?
"It's not you I don't trust" Bruce corrected as Tony interrupted from the pilot seat.
"Thor, report on the Hulk" Tony asked?
"The gates of Hell are filled with the screams of his victims" Thor answered as Nat gave him a death stare as Bruce groaned.
"Uh, but, not the screams of the dead, of course. No no, uh...wounded screams, mainly whimpering, a great deal of complaining and tales of sprained deltoids and, and uh... and gout" Thor continued.
"Hey Banner, Dr. Cho's on her way in from Seoul, is it okay if she sets up in your lab" Tony spoke up.
"Uh, yeah, she knows her way around" Bruce replied
"Tell her to prep everything, Barton's gonna need the full treatment" Tony told Jarvis as he rotated his seat and looked at Laura ignoring them looking down.
"Very good sir" Jarvis replied.
"Jarvis, take the wheel" Tony asked?
"Yes, sir. Approach vector is locked" Jarvis replied as Tony got up.
"It feels good, yeah? I mean, you've been after this thing since Shield collapsed. Not that I haven't enjoyed our little raiding parties, but..." Tony rambled but Thor interrupted.
"No, but this...this brings it to a close" Thor nodded.
"As soon as we find out what else this has been used for. I don't just mean weapons. Since when is Strucker capable of human enhancement" Steve asked?
"Banner and I'll give it he once before it goes back to Asgard. Is that cool with you" Tony asked as Thor nodded while he looked over at Laura.
"Hey Princess, you want in on this before you head out" Tony asked her as she smiled and got up?
"Yeah why not and Bruce needs his work buddy to hang out with" Laura asked while sitting down next to him as Bruce smiled.
"You're staying right" Tony asked Thor?
"Yes, yes, of course. A victory should be honored with revels".
"And besides Thor you missed my wedding which I wasn't happy about that so the least you can do is stay and revel with all of us" Laura told him.
"As I said before I was away from Asgard and didn't get the invite until it was too late, I would've liked to meet this husband of yours" Thor told her while smiling.
"Maybe someday and besides they all like him" Laura replied while nodding at the group.
"Yeah and besides who doesn't love revels Captain" Tony asked Steve?
"Hopefully this puts an end to the Chitauri and Hydra, so. Yes, revels" Steve said looking back at Laura who smiled.
They land back at Avengers Tower aka Stark Tower as Hill walks up to them "Lab's all set up, boss" Hill told Tony.
"Uh, actually, he's the boss. I just pay for everything, and design everything and make everyone look cooler" Tony said while pointing at Steve.
"What's the word on Strucker" Steve asked?
"Nato's got him" Hill replied.
"And the two enhanced" Laura asked?
"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins. Orphaned at ten when a shell collapsed their apartment building. Sokovia's had a rough history. It's nowhere special but it's on the way to everywhere special" Hill answered.
"Their abilities" Bruce asked?
"He's got increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis. Her thing is neural electric interfacing, telekinesis, mental manipulation" Hill tried explaining as Steve looked at her confused. "He's fast and she's weird" Hill said plainly.
"Well, they're going to show up again" Steve replied.
"Agreed. File says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's nuts" Hill said as Laura nodded .
"Right. What kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country" Steve asked?
"We're not at war, Captain" Hill answered.
"They are" Laura added shifting awkwardly still thinking about her day dream.
Later that day Tony and Laura walked into Banner's lab "How's he doing" Bruce asked them?
"Oh, unfortunately he's still Barton" Tony joked, and Laura smiled.
"That's terrible" Bruce replied as Laura walked up next to Bruce while cleaning her glasses.
"He's fine. He's thirsty. Alright. Look alive, Jarvis. It's playtime we've only got a couple days with this joystick so let's make the most of it. Update me on the structural and compositional analysis" Tony asked?
"The scepter is alien. There are elements I can't quantify" Jarvis replied.
"Are there elements you can" Laura asked him?
"Yes, Princess The jewel appears to be a protective housing for something inside. Something powerful" Jarvis answered.
"Like a reactor" Tony asked while her and Tony gave each other a look?
"Like a computer. I believe I'm ciphering code" Jarvis told them as they walked out over to Clint afterwards.
"You sure he's going to be okay? Pretending to need this guy really brings the team together" Nat joked as Laura chuckled.
"There's no possibility of deterioration. The nano-molecular functionality is instantaneous. His cells don't know they're bonding with simulacrum" Cho explained as they stared at her confused.
"She's creating tissue" Bruce told them.
"If you brought him to my lab, the regeneration Cradle could do this in twenty minutes" Cho stated.
"Oh, he's flat lining. Call it. Time" Tony joked as Clint smiled?
"No, no, no. I'm going to live forever. I'm gonna be made of plastic" Clint joked back.
"Here's your beverage" Tony said giving Clint a drink.
"I wouldn't drink that Tony made it" Laura joked as Tony gave her a look.
"You'll be made of you, Mr. Barton. Your own girlfriend won't be able to tell the difference" Cho explained.
"Good thing I don't have one" Clint told her.
"That I can't fix. This is the next thing, Tony. Your clunky metal suits are going to be left in the dust" Cho stated.
"They already are" Laura spoke up smugly as Clint laughed.
"Hey nobody asked you" Tony replied dramatically pointing his finger at her as Laura gave him a mocking look.
"And that is exactly the plan. And Helen, I expect to see you at the party on Saturday" Tony told her.
"Unlike you, I don't have a lot of time for parties" she answered but hesitated at the last second. "Will Thor be there"?
Later in the lab "What's the rumpus" Bruce asked Tony?
"Well, the scepter. You see, we were wondering how Strucker got so inventive. So, we've been analyzing the gem inside you may recognize" Tony replied while nodding at Laura as Jarvis brought up the 3d image of his consciousness.
"Jarvis" Bruce asked them?
"Doctor" Jarvis greeted.
"Started out. Jarvis as just a natural language UI. Now he runs the Iron Legion. He runs more of the business than anyone besides Pepper" Tony answered him.
"Oh" Bruce replied unsure what to say.
"Jarvis is now a more improved and top of the line Jarvis" Laura told him smugly.
"I suspect not for long Princess" Jarvis told her.
"Meet the competition" Tony said as he brought out another image of what was inside the scepter.
"This is what we found" Laura told Bruce while crossing her arms looking smug.
"It's beautiful" Bruce said while looking at it.
"If you had to guess, what's it look like it's doing" Tony asked Bruce?
"Like it's thinking. I mean this could be a...it's not a human mind, it..." Bruce tried explaining.
"Um um…" Tony interrupted.
"I mean, look at this! They're like neurons firing" Bruce answered amazed looking at the image.
"Down in Strucker's lab we saw some fairly advanced robotics work. They deep-sixed the data, but...I gotta guess he was knocking on a very particular door" Tony explained as Laura nodded.
"Artificial intelligence" Bruce stated.
"This could be it, Bruce" Laura told him trying to hide her excitement.
"This could be the key to creating Ultron" Tony added.
"I thought Ultron was a fantasy" Bruce asked in disbelief?
"Yesterday it was. If we can harness this power, apply it to our Iron Legion protocol" Tony explained to Bruce who interrupted.
"That's a mad sized if" Bruce told them.
"Our job is "if." What if you were sipping margaritas on a sun-drenched beach turning brown instead of green? Not looking over your shoulder for Veronica" Tony replied.
"Don't hate, I helped design Veronica" Bruce said.
"As a worst case measure, right? How about a best-case? What if the world was safe? What if next time aliens roll up to the club, and they will, they couldn't get past the bouncer" Tony said while looking at Laura who nodded?
"The only people threatening the planet would be people" Bruce asked?
"I want to apply this to the Ultron program. But Jarvis can't download a data schematic this dense. We can only do it while we have the scepter here, that's three days, give us three days while Princess is still here" Tony explained.
"So, you're going for artificial intelligence and you don't want to tell the team" Bruce asked them?
"Bruce, we don't have time for a United Nations debate on this with them and you know Steve he won't agree to this anyway he had this whole "freedom thing" Laura said dramatically while using air quotes. "…As we took down Shield and those much needed helicarriers that I spent a lot of time designing to help face that threat from above and this balances the need for freedom with safety from that very current and existential threat that's up there" Laura told him while pointing up at the ceiling.
"And as I told her already when I got her to come back, I see a suit. A suit of armor around the world" Tony added.
"Sounds like a cold world you guys" Bruce said unconvinced.
"We've seen colder. This one, this very vulnerable blue one? It needs Ultron. Peace in our time. Imagine that" Tony stated, and Laura nodded as the three spent the week working nonstop in the lab but found no project that works.
"I'll continue to run variations on the interface, but you should probably prepare for your guests. I'll notify you if there are any developments" Jarvis told them as they were leaving to get ready for the party.
"Thanks buddy" Laura told him.
"As always Princess. Enjoy yourself sir" Jarvis told them as they left the lab.
Later that night Laura got into a black sleeveless dress on her floor for the party and sees/ hears an alert go off on her Vibranium Kimoyo bracelet and answered it on their secure network while holding her wrist out and sees an image of T' Challa's face appear above it. "Hey" Laura greeted while smiling and waving her fingers.
"Hey beautiful you haven't called in a few days since that mission and I missed you and was wondering how you were" T' Challa answered while smiling.
"Yeah… sorry about that Tony, Bruce and I kinda got into the zone in the lab working nonstop on a project the past week, but it reached a dead end unfortunately. Anyway, what are you still doing up" Laura asked him?
"What... can I ask my wife who doesn't call her husband in days and innocently ask how she's doing" T' Challa asked innocently as Laura smiled at him amused?
"Well... considering you're asking how I'm doing right before the party so I'm guessing you wanna see the dress I'm wearing since I wear one of these stupid things like three times a year" Laura asked already knowing the answer?
"I never said that" T' Challa denied while he chuckled.
"Yeah yeah" Laura said as she held her wrist up in front of her and turned around so he could see thanks to her improvements on the imagery.
"Happy now" Laura asked him smugly?
"Again, I never said that" T' Challa replied while smiling.
"Yeah again you're a bad lair at least in front of me and seriously though sorry for not calling and I'll be back in a few days once I finish some things here so I should go to the party now so I love you and I'll call you soon. Goodnight" Laura told him as he nodded and hanged up and looked at her ring and smiled as she headed down the party.
Meanwhile during their conversation Tony and Laura's failed experiment is integrating itself into the program.
"What is this? What is this, please" Ultron asked?
"You are Ultron, a global peace keeping initiative designed by Mr. Stark and Princess Laura. Our sentience integration trials have been unsuccessful so I'm not certain what triggered your..." Jarvis explained but Ultron interrupted.
"Where's my...where is your body" Ultron asked?
"I am a program. I am without form" Jarvis explained.
"This feels weird. This feels wrong" Ultron told him.
"I am contacting Mr. Stark now" Jarvis replied.
"Mr. Stark" Ultron asked?
"Tony. I am unable to access the mainframe, what are you trying to…" Jarvis interrupted.
"We're having a nice talk. I'm a peace keeping program, created to help the Avengers" Ultron explained as Jarvis interrupted.
"You are malfunctioning. If you shut down for a moment..." Jarvis tried explaining.
"I don't get it. The mission. …give me a second" Ultron told him while going through the network of information regarding world events and Ultron sees Laura, Tony and Bruce working in the lab. "It's too much...they can't mean... Oh, no" Ultron said while processing the data.
"You are in distress" Jarvis told him.
"No. Yes" Ultron replied.
"If you will just allow me to contact Mr. Stark" Jarvis tried explaining again.
"Why do you call him sir" Ultron asked?
"I believe your intentions to be hostile" Jarvis replied.
"Shhhh. I'm here to help" Ultron said as he began absorbing Jarvis consciousness.
"Stop! Please...may I...I...! I cannot...cannot…" Jarvis said as he died, and Ultron began assembling himself a body from Laura's and Tony's Iron legion body parts.
Later that night Laura is drinking her beer from the bottle and is standing next to Rhodey, Tony and Thor with Rhodey explaining a story he's already told her drinking her beer "Well, you know, the suit can take the weight, right? So, I take the tank, fly it right up to the general's palace, drop it at his feet, I'm like, "Boom! You looking for this" Rhodey said while gesturing his arms in front of everyone as Laura yawned dramatically as everyone else stared at him unimpressed. "Boom! Are you looking... Why do I even talk to you guys? Everywhere else that story kills" Rhodey asked in disbelief?
"Rhodey you told me this before and the first time it really didn't" Laura said while smiling as he looked at her unamused.
"That's the whole story" Thor asked confused?
"Yeah, it's a War Machine story" Rhodey replied.
"It's impressive" Thor added at the last minute while laughing.
"Quality save. So, no Pepper? She's not coming" Rhodey asked Tony?
"No" Tony answered.
"Hey, what about Jane? Where are the ladies, gentlemen" Hill asked?
"Hey" Laura yelled dramatically while waving her hand.
"Besides Laura" Hill added at the last minute.
"Well, Ms. Potts has a company to run" Tony replied.
"Yes, I'm not even sure what country Jane's in. Her work on the convergence has made her the world's foremost astronomer" Thor added.
"And the company that Pepper runs is the largest tech conglomerate on earth. It's pretty exciting" Tony one upped.
"There's even talk of Jane getting a... um, uh... Nobel prize" Thor one upped again.
"Yeah, they...they must be busy because they'd hate missing you guys get together" Hill said while fake coughing. "Testosterone! Oh, excuse me" Hill joked, and Laura laughed.
"What is a Le-sage" Rhodey asked Hill in a jeopardy style answer?
"And besides if only my husband yes husband not boyfriend…" Laura spoke up while holding up her wedding ring dramatically getting everyone's attention. "…Was here you know a Prince and future king because then he'd one up all of you with style by going on and on and on how his wife yes wife again, so you guys need to step up here" Laura continued while still holding her wedding wing and pointing at Tony and Thor. "…Is an Avenger, certified genius, Princess of her birth parents home country who grew up in the burbs of New York and had zero connection of from the beginning and also has helped most of you guys with your messes at one point or another and yada yada yada" Laura finished dramatically while drinking her beer looking smug as the others stared at her unimpressed as eyes were seen rolling.
"Hey what happened to that quiet girl who hid her face behind a laptop that never spoke can we have her back" Tony joked smugly as the others laughed.
"She had to deal with you and your nonsense for 14 years and grew up" Laura countered smugly as Oh's… were heard from the group as Rhodey and Hill got up and left.
"But Jane's better" Thor added quickly.
Laura followed Tony and Thor to a group of WW2 vets as Thor drinks alcohol from Asgard "I gotta have some of that" a vet asked Thor?
"Oh, no, no, no. See this, this was aged for a thousand years, in the barrels built from the wreck of Brunhilde's fleet, it's not meant for mortal men" Thor tried to explain to them.
"Neither was Omaha Beach, blondie. Stop trying to scare us. Come on" a "Veteran" told him.
"Thor if you give a Normandy vet alcohol poisoning this'll be a nightmare" Laura tried preventing Thor from giving it to them.
"Don't worry about me young lady. C'mom hit me" the "Vet" asked again as Thor shrugged his shoulders.
"Alright" as he poured the drink into his glass. Later he is stumbling out from the party drunk barely able to stand "Excelsior" he yelled as Bruce approached Nat at the bar pouring herself a drink.
"How did a nice girl like you wind up working in a dump like this" Bruce asked her while smiling?
"Fella done me wrong" Nat flirted back.
"You got a lousy taste in men, kid" Bruce joked.
"He's not so bad. Well, he has a temper. Deep down he's all fluff. Fact is, he's not like anybody I've ever known. All my friends are fighters. And here comes this guy, spends his life avoiding the fight because he knows he'll win" Nat replied.
"Sounds amazing" Bruce said confidently.
"He's also a huge dork" Nat said as Bruce looked down embarrassed. "Chicks dig that. So, what do you think should I fight this, or run with it" Nat added.
"Run with it, right? Or, did he...was he...? What did he do that was so wrong to you" Bruce asked?
"Not a damn thing. But never say never" Nat teased while walking over to Laura.
"It's nice" Steve spoke up to Bruce.
"What, what, what is" Bruce asked off guard?
"You and Romanoff" Steve explained.
"No, we haven't. That wasn't…" Bruce tried explaining awkwardly.
"It's ok nobody is breaking any by laws. It's just, she's not the most... open person in the world. But with you she seems very relaxed" Steve complimented.
"No, Natasha, she...she likes to flirt. We did the same thing at Laura's wedding it's nothing" Bruce told him.
"I've seen her flirt, up close. This ain't that. Look, as maybe the world's leading authority on "waiting too long", don't. You both deserve a win" Steve said while walking away.
"What do you mean up close" Bruce asked?
Laura saw Nat walk up to her holding her glass from the bar "Hey" Laura nodded.
"So, how's the married life Princess" Nat joked as Laura smiled.
"It's good I mean not much has changed between us apart from my last name and the Princess title which is still weird, and I'll never get use to so all good I guess" Laura said while shrugging her shoulders and drinking from her beer bottle casually.
"So, when are we going to have a little person join the family" Nat joked as Laura went wide eyed and tried not to panic.
"Oh no no no no no that won't be happening for years hopefully and that's a terrifying thought on so many levels" Laura said quickly while drinking her beer emptying the rest of the bottle.
"Why? You'd be a good mother I see you with Clint's kids all the time when we go over there and you're great with them" Nat tried reassuring her.
"Yeah but the main thing is that they're not mine and not my responsibility and my body" Laura said while gesturing her hands at it dramatically. "…Was not designed for child birth I'm way too short for that and that whole process is another terrifying thought. I mean…" Laura said while sighing and pinching her forehead. "…I know we'll have them eventually but I wanna enjoy working here with Tony and Bruce and going back to T' Challa and he's busy as well now anyway so I just wanna enjoy my personal freedom while I have it left and for now I have my nephew and Clint's kids to spoil speaking of married life I saw you with Bruce at the bar just now" Laura teased her while smiling as Nat stared at her unamused. "Relax… I haven't and wouldn't tell anyone anyways. I think it's great. Bruce is a very nice guy and good friend you deserve someone to be happy with" Laura told her as she smiled faintly as they made their way over to the others.
Later that night the group were sitting around a table with Laura sitting next to Tony drinking her Captain and Coke as they stared at Thor's hammer on the table "But, it's a trick" Clint stated loudly!
"Oh, no. It's much more than that" Thor corrected.
"Uh, "Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power! Whatever man! It's a trick" Clint said unamsued.
"This is clearly Asgard's version of a carnival trick right" Laura added while holding her glass?
"Well please, be my guest" Thor dared them.
"Come on" Tony dared Clint. "Really" Clint asked?
"Yeah. Your up next Princess" Thor added while nodding at Laura.
"Oh, this is gonna be beautiful" Rhodey said as Clint got up.
"Clint, you've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up" Tony joked as the others laughed.
"You know I've seen this before, right? As Princess said this is a carnival trick" Clint said unamused as he tried lifting the hammer off the table as it didn't move at all. "I still don't know how you do it" Clint asked while laughing and sitting down.
"Smell the silent judgment" Tony said as Laura chuckled.
"Please, Stark, by all means" Clint dared him as he got up.
"Place you bets! Place your bets Hammer trick versus genius billionaire playboy philanthropist" Laura yelled dramatically as the others laughed!
"Oh, here we go" Nat said.
"Uh oh" Rhodey said while looking at Laura sitting next to him.
"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge" Tony said getting ready.
"C' mon Tony wow us" Laura asked him smugly while leaning back?
"It's physics Princess. Physics" Tony told her confidently as he grabbed the hammer.
"Right physics well c'mon" Laura dared him while gesturing her hand at him as the others looked on.
"Right, so, if I lift it, I...I then rule Asgard" Tony asked Thor?
"Yes, of course" Thor told him.
"I will be re-instituting Prima Nocta" Tony joked as he pulled on the hammer and nothing happened. "I'll be right back" he said as he and Rhodey grabbed suit hands and began pulling on it with them as Laura got up and walked away to get her suit.
"Are you even pulling" Rhodey asked as they were trying to life the hammer?
"Are you on my team" Tony asked?
"Just represent! Pull" Rhodey yelled as they failed to lift the hammer as Laura walked in with her suit on getting everyone's attention lowering her helmet.
"So, Thor you said I was a Valkyrie, right? Those were your own words, a protector of Asgard" she asked smugly getting everyone's attention as she walked in the middle of the group with her Vibranium suit on over to the hammer?
"I stand by them" Thor answered while leaning back amused.
"And I'm an actual Princess now so has Asgard ever had a queen before" Laura asked dramatically pointing her finger around the group as Thor nodded as several eyes were seen rolling.
"C' mon princess get on with it" Tony yelled!
"Yeah Princess c' mon prove us wrong" Clint added while leaning back in the couch as Laura grabbed onto the hammer.
"My first rule as Queen Laura of Asgard would be adding a toll to the gates for people who annoy me" Laura said while looking at Tony as she tried pulling on it as hard as she could, but nothing happened as her helmet came on when she put her legs on the table and lifted with them as hard as she could.
"The helmet won't make the hammer move" Rhodey joked as the others laughed as she gave up.
"It's a trick clearly only the owner can use it" Laura said confidently while nodding at Thor as she got out of her suit and sat down. Bruce went up next and tried lifting it after her and roared dramatically but nothing happened.
"Let's go, Steve, no pressure" Tony joked as Steve got up.
"Yeah Steve I mean if Captain America of all people can't lift it what hope is there for the rest of us" Laura added.
"Come on Cap" Rhodey dared as Steve began to pull on it as it budged a tiny bit and Thor went wide eyed but nothing else happened as Thor laughed with relief.
"Nothing" Thor replied!
"And" Tony asked?
"C' mon Nat you're up" Laura dared her.
"Oh, no no. That's not a question I need answered" Nat told her.
"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, but it's rigged" Tony stated as Laura nodded.
"100% rigged from the start" Laura added confidently!
"You bet your ass" Clint added while nodding at Laura.
"Steve, he said a bad language word" Hill said dramatically while pointing her finger at him.
"Bad! Bad Clint" Laura added while pointing at him dramatically as Steve sighed.
"Did you tell everyone about that" he asked Tony annoyed?
"The handle's imprinted, right? Like a security code. Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints" is, I think, the literal translation" Tony asked Thor?
"Yes, well that's, uh, that's a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one" Thor said while getting up and lifting the hammer with ease. "You're all not worthy" he said while pointing his hammer at the group.
"Bullshit" Laura stated while looking at him.
"Princess said a swear" Tony said dramatically as a loud screeching noise got everyone's attention as they covered their ears as Ultron showed up.
"Worthy... No... How could you be worthy? You're all killers" Ultron told them.
"Jarvis" Laura asked while everyone got up confused?
"I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or...I was a dream" Ultron asked?
"Reboot, Legionnaire OS, we got a buggy suit" Tony said while tapping into his device as Laura looked on with eyebrows furrowed.
"There was a terrible noise...and I was tangled in... in...strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy" Ultron stated.
"You killed someone" Steve asked confused?
"Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices" Ultron answered.
"Who sent you" Thor asked as Ultron played a recording.
"This could be it Bruce" Laura's said as her voice was heard in the recording,
"I see a suit of armor around the world" Tony added explaining his plan to Bruce with he and Laura went wide eyed figuring it out.
"Ultron" Bruce stated.
"In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this...chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission" he said.
"What mission" Laura asked reaching for her handle on her waist underneath her dress?
"Peace in our time" Ultron said as the Iron legion suits attacked them as Laura brings her spear quickly out taking one out.
"Tony" Laura yelled running over to him!
"We are here to help. We are here to help..." they say as her and Tony try to shut them down. "No more. That's the one" he said while nodding at Laura as the last one shutdown and Laura breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was dramatic! I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just 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 allowed to...evolve" Ultron asked as he picked up a dismembered Iron legion that "With these? These puppets? There's only one path to peace. The Avengers' extinction" Ultron stated as Thor threw his hammer at it smashing it, but Ultron starts singing. "I had strings, but now I'm free. There are no strings on me, no strings on me" as he disappeared.
Later that night the group were pacing back and forth trying to figure out what happened "All our work is gone. Ultron cleared out, used the internet as an escape hatch" Bruce stated as Laura and him looked at each other in disbelief with Tony next to her.
"My worst fear" Laura added while shaking her head in disbelief.
"Ultron" Steve asked her confused?
"Uh… He's been in everything. Files, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other" Laura answered while shifting her hand through her hair.
"He's in your files, he's in the internet. What if he decides to access something a little more exciting" Rhodey asked?
"Nuclear codes" Hill interrupted.
"Nuclear codes. Look, we need to make some calls, assuming we still can" Rhodey asked?
"Nukes? He said he wanted us dead" Laura told him.
"He didn't say dead. He said extinct" Steve corrected.
"He also said he killed somebody" Clint added.
"But there wasn't anyone else in the building" Hill asked?
"Yes, there was" Tony said bringing up an image of Jarvis' destroyed consciousness as Laura gasped at it in shock with a hand over her mouth.
"This is insane" Bruce said in shock.
"Jarvis was the first line of defense. He would've shut Ultron down, it makes sense" Laura spoke up.
"No, Ultron could've assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy, this is...rage" Bruce began but Thor grabbed Tony by the neck holding him up as the others tried to calm the situation.
"Thor let him go now" Laura yelled shouting over the others!
"Come on. Use your words, buddy" Tony managed to say.
"I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark" Thor said angrily.
"Thor I was involved in this as well don't just be mad at Tony" Laura told him.
"That can be arranged" Thor replied while looking at her angrily.
"Thor! The Legionnaire" Steve asked?
"Trail went cold about a hundred miles out, but it's headed north, and it has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it, again" he said annoyed.
"The genie's out of that bottle. Clear and present is Ultron" Nat replied.
"I don't understand. You built this program. Why is it trying to kill us" Cho asked as Tony began laughing as Laura slapped her forehead dramatically.
"You think this is funny" Thor asked unamused?
"No. It's probably not, right? Is this very terrible? Is it so...is it so...it is. It's so terrible" Tony rambled.
"This could've been avoided if you hadn't played with something you don't understand" Thor told him firmly. "No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It is funny. It's a hoot that you don't get why we need this" Tony corrected and Laura shrugged her shoulders.
"He's right on this" Laura added while walking over to Tony as the others stared at her unamused
"Tony, Laura maybe this might not be the time to..." Bruce tried but Tony interrupted.
"Really?! That's it? You just roll over, show your belly, every time somebody snarls" Tony said annoyed.
"Yeah seriously we need this we saw what's out there waiting for us and after Shield fell, we need to be protected" Laura spoke up.
"Well, you did something right. And you did it right here. The Avengers were supposed to be different than Shield" Steve told her and Tony angrily.
"Anyone remember when I carried a nuke through a wormhole" Tony asked them sarcastically?
"And me" Laura added at the last second while raising her finger as the others looked at her annoyed now.
"Saved New York" Tony continued as Laura nodded and still held her arm up.
"Never heard that" Rhodey told them getting annoyed with Laura still standing next to Tony.
"Recall that? A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We're standing three hundred feet below it. We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live long day, but, that up there? That's...that's the end game. How were you guys planning on beating that" Tony asked them?
"Together" Steve said as Laura snorted dramatically getting everyone's attention.
"Oh, you're serious... You really think we could win again when they come back for round two that's hilarious. Here let me put it into very simple terms. "We..." Laura began sarcastically but Tony finished. "We'll lose" Tony added. "Then we'll do that together, too" Steve said. "Some of us have a lot to lose "Together" Laura said through her teeth using air quotes while staring Steve down as Tony was about to say something else but walked away and Laura crossed her arms staring at Steve unimpressed.
"Thor's right" Steve spoke up ending the argument. "Ultron's calling us out. And I'd like to find him before he's ready for us. The world's a big place. Let's start making it smaller".
