Pressure on your shoulder. It's the first thing you're aware of and the first thing you respond to; you tear your eyes open and launch yourself to the side before scrambling to your feet, you knees slightly bent and your hands curled into fists as you assess the situation. Four tired drawn faces stare back at you; Natasha, Bruce and Thor sprawled out across the seats of the quinjet while Steve half kneels at the seats where you had been a half second ago, hand still reached forward from where he must have gripped your shoulder to wake you. To wake you. Because what you had seen hadn't been real. But it could be.
"Sorry," Your voice comes out a broken whisper and you relax your stance, falling into the nearest seat. "What happened?"
"The girl...She did something to our heads, some kind of illusion," Steve says quietly. Your eyes drop to your shaking hands and you shove them between your thighs before you nod.
"Makes sense," You mumble. You pause, trying to put some strength back into your voice. "Is everyone…"
"Okay," Steve nods, "Shaken."
You nibble at your lip as the jet descends and you all climb out; you're parked on the lawn of a large farmhouse. You look around at the unfamiliar landscape confused.
"What is this place?" Thor asks as you walk towards the house.
"A safe house?" Tony offers, glancing at Barton.
"Let's hope," He pushes the door open, "Honey, I'm home." You blink as a heavily pregnant woman walks in from another room and up to Barton. "Hi. Company. Sorry I didn't call ahead."
"Hey," She presses a kiss to his lips. You didn't know that Barton was in a relationship, and as you glance at the faces around you, they didn't either.
"This is an agent of some kind," Stark whispers loudly to Thor.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Laura," Barton smiles, and Laura adds, "I know all your names."
"Ooh! Incoming!" Barton calls out as two kids run in and he scoops up the little girl. Now stark looks dumbfounded.
"These are...smaller agents…"
"Did you bring Auntie Nat?" The little girl asks, and Natasha steps forward with a smile.
"Why don't you hug her and find out?" You watch with a small smile of your own as Natasha scoops her up into her arms.
"Sorry for barging in on you," Steve says politely to Laura.
"Yeah we would have called ahead but we were too busy having no idea that you existed," You nudge Tony's ribs with your elbow, maybe a little too hard as he lets out a little pained gasp and shoots you a dirty look.
"Yeah, well Fury helped me set this up when I joined. He kept it off SHIELD's files," Barton explains, "I'd like to keep it that way. I figure it's a good place to lay low." As Natasha starts to talk to Laura, you see Thor walk out of the house. You exchange a look with Steve and both slip out after him.
"Hey, you alright?" You ask, laying your hand on his thick forearm, "I don't know what you saw but I'm still a little shaken myself."
"I saw...something in that dream. I need answers. I won't find them here."
"Thor-wait!" You are forced back as he uses his hammer to fly away, "Damn it. We're not even at the boss fight yet and we're already one down."
"Yeah," Steve sighs, sitting down on the porch steps. You sit next to him pulling your knees up to your chest. "This is bad (Y/n). We've faced impossible odds before but...we're responsible for this one. And with the Hulk and Stark practically destroying that city…"
"I know." You look away, eyes trailing over the lush landscape.
"What did you see? When the girl did her mind tricks on you?" Steve asks after a moment and you sigh.
"I was back at the HYDRA base where they kept us. They were going to wipe my memories." You play with a loose thread on your suit. You'd have to patch it soon. "I know I said it was a waste of time looking for him, but I honestly thought I would be able to find him. We worked together so often, I thought I knew him like I knew myself. I've been thinking…"
"What?"
"Every trail I get is completely cold. Maybe he's back on ice… Or maybe he's not with HYDRA anymore," At Steve's heavy gaze you continue, "What he did back there on the helicarrier, pulling us out like that? He broke through the conditioning and disobeyed. Maybe he didn't go back."
Steve looks stunned at your words, but before he can respond Stark walks out the door. "Help me chop some wood Cap."
You're sitting alone on the porch with a cup of tea when Laura slips quietly out the door. "The team is meeting in the kitchen. Nick Fury is here."
"Seriously?" You groan. You weren't a huge fan of the ex-head of SHIELD or the head of any government like organization really, "Thanks for letting me know."
"Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself time. My contacts all say he's building something. The amount of Vibranium he made off with...I don't think it's just one thing." Fury is saying as you walk in. You lean against the wall, your steady gaze on the one-eyed man.
"What about Ultron himself?" Steve asks.
"Ah, he's easy to track. He's everywhere. Guy's multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. Still doesn't help us get an angle on any of his plans though."
"He still going after launch codes?" Tony enquiries, and Fury nods.
"Yes, he is. But he's not making any headway."
"I cracked the Pentagon's firewall in high school on a dare," Tony scoffs.
"Yeah, well, I contacted our friends at the NEXUS about that."
"NEXUS?" Steve asks.
"It's the world internet hub in Oslo. Every byte of data flows through there, fastest access on Earth," Bruce explains.
"So what'd they say?" Clint asks.
"He's fixated on the missiles, but the codes are constantly being changed."
"By who? Tony asks, confused.
"Parties unknown." You roll your eyes at that.
"Do we have an ally?" Natasha asks, and Fury turns his gaze to her.
"Ultron's got an enemy, that's not the same thing. Still I'd pay folding money to know who it is."
"I might need to visit Oslo. Find out unknown," Stark says, rising to his feet.
"Well this is good times, boss, but I was kind of hoping when I saw you, you'd have more than that." Natasha says, understatement of the year. All Fury had given you was more questions.
"I do. I have you. Back in the day I had eyes everywhere, ears everywhere else. Here we all are, back on Earth, with nothing but our wit and our will to save the world. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard."
"Steve doesn't like that kind of talk," Natasha says, and you crack a smile.
"You know what, Romanoff?"
"So what does he want?" Fury asks.
"To become better. Better than us. He keeps building bodies."
"Person bodies," Tony cuts in, "The human form is inefficient, biologically speaking, we're outdated. But he keeps coming back to it."
"You know, when you two programmed him to protect the human race, you amazingly failed." Natasha deadpans, but Banner shakes his head.
"They don't need to be protected, they need to evolve. Ultron's going to evolve."
"How?" Fury asks, and suddenly the answer was right in front of you. Hadn't she just used her new technology to grow Clint new skin?
"Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?"
As the rest of the team files out to gear up, Fury turns his gaze on you.
"You again?" He asks, gathering up his things, "Thought you were laying low."
"Nothing more relaxing than a psychotic AI," You respond.
"So you're one of them now? An Avenger?"
"Just helping out," You brush past him to rinse out your coffee cup.
"And searching for the Winter Soldier, if my sources are correct. You sure that's a good idea?"
"Thought you were retired, old man," You turn off the water and head towards the door, "Your regime has fallen. Move on."
"Alright, what's the plan?" You ask as you rejoin the team outside.
"The four of us are going to find Cho," Steve says.
"Strictly recon," Stark says, "I'll hit the NEXUS. I'll join you as soon as I can."
"If Ultron really is building a body…"
"He'll be more powerful than any of us. Maybe all of us. An android designed by a robot."
"You know," Steve nudges you with his elbow, "I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was us."
"I'll drop Banner off at the tower. Do you mind if I borrow Ms. Hill?" Fury cuts in.
"She's all yours apparently," Tony tells Fury dryly, "What are you gonna do?"
"I don't know. Something dramatic I hope."
