"There's the church." Wanda pointed out a rundown building surrounded by a metal fence with flowers and weeds around it to a content Danielle as her and Pietro took the youngest Harper sibling around their home of Sokovia. "And over here is the market." She led Danielle over to grab some stuff. "Hungry?" She asked.
Danielle nodded and shoved her hands nervously into the pockets of her zip-up jacket. This was the first time she'd been aware outside of HYDRA's bases since she was ten. It made her feel anxious and lonely. Especially with the fact that her brother abandoned her for his own freedom with the Avengers. She felt betrayed and hurt. Luckily, she had the Maximoff twins. Although, it didn't mean she wasn't feeling like crap.
"Here," Wanda said as she handed Danielle a small portion of pound cake.
The teen stared for a moment and Pietro pat her in the back. "C'mon, Dani, you need to eat."
Danielle reluctantly took the cake and began to snack on it as the three walked the rest of the way down the small market strip. After Danielle finished the food, she turned to Wanda. "I'm going to the restroom." She said before walking away to a nearby building.
Instead of heading to the restroom, Danielle actually wandered to the side of a concrete building near the market where graffiti covered the cracked cement walls. An image of Iron Man holding machine guns in each hand with a money symbol on his helmet was plastered across the building side. Danielle ran a hand along the side and studied the image. How could her brother possibly leave her to fight along side this monster? A man who was responsible for killing the Maximoff's family. And on top of that, left here behind. She kept telling herself, maybe there was an explanation. She was sure he had a good reason why, but did he really?"
After a pointless walk, Danielle headed back to where Pietro and Wanda were. She passed through a small dark alley only to be met with a large metal man with glowing red eyes. "Hello." He greeted in a robotic voice. Danielle staggered back a bit as the robot's body stiffened. "Gah!" He cried out as Danielle's power made his body paralyzed.
Wanda and Pietro quickly made their way around the metal man. "No, Dani!" Wanda shouted. "He's with us. He's the thing greater than us. The one I told you about." She explained to the teenager.
Danielle looked with wide eyes at Wanda then to the robot before releasing him. The robot, better known as Ultron, sighed and gave a small smile at the girl. "You're powerful, Danielle. I'll give you that."
Danielle stiffened. How had he known her name? She looked to the twins worriedly. "He has access to the Internet and all our files." Pietro told her.
The small teen seemed to calm down after that vague explanation. "Now," Ultron said. "Shall we?"
Wanda, Pietro, and Danielle all followed Ultron to the Sokovia HYDRA base that had since been abandoned after the Avengers defeated Strucker. He led them all do a secret lair underneath the base where millions of small Iron Man looking robots were working on building a large metal contraption in the ground above them.
Danielle wasn't paying much attention as Pietro and Wanda talked with Ultron about his plan to destroy the Avengers until she was being talked to by the large robot himself. "You and I can hurt then, but they..." Ultron gestured to Wanda and Danielle who clung to Wanda's arm behind her. "Can tear them apart from the inside."
"Jack..." Danielle muttered.
Ultron chuckled humorlessly. "Your brother abandoned you for the same people who killed your friends' parents!" He exclaimed. "You really care about him still?"
Danielle bowed her head and Wanda turned to grasp the young girl's hands in her own. "Dani, we can have a world without war. Without the Avengers causing problems. Without experiments like us. He's the key to all of that." Wanda told her.
"I don't want to hurt anybody..." Danielle murdered.
Pietro took a step forward. "You might have to, Dani."
Danielle looked wearily at her feet when Wanda lifted her chin to meet her eyes. "This is the last war that we will ever have to fight again. I promise."
Danielle pursed her lips together. She didn't want robust her brother or anyone innocent, but she knew she didn't want anymore wars. She was willing to fight one more time in order to never fight again. The young enhanced then nodded, determined and Ultron smiled. "Good, now let's start with the one person who has brought the three of you immeasurable pain."
For the past three days, Jack had done nothing but worry constantly for the safety of his sister, Pietro, and Wanda. They had disappeared after the Avengers overtook the base and arrested Strucker and Jack couldn't help but wonder how scared they were to be free. Wanda and Pietro were used to being free. They had lived lives before volunteering for experimentation,. But, Danielle was only ten when she was taken. She hadn't seen natural light in three years and who knew how much she would have changed.
Thankfully, Captain Rogers offered to assist in trying to find Jack's sister. He was a bit weary about the other two enhanced, especially after their last meeting, but he wasn't going to judge Jack's sister simply because of who she was friends with.
However, their plans were out on a major hold when Tony Stark and Bruce Banned created an artificial intelligence system that ended up wanting to kill them. Now, Jack sat amongst the Avengers as they tried to find the robot.
Captain Rogers entered the room and handed Thor a small tablet. Jack's attention was caught as the God of Thunder-who made it clear of his dislike towards the enhanced- took the tablet in his hands only to immediately shove it into Tony Stark's chest. "What's this?" He asked as he studied the image in the screen.
"A message." Captain Rogers stated. "Ultron killed Strucker."
Jack stood from leaning in the table and peered over the billionaire's shoulder to see the image of Wolfgang Von Strucker lying dead, slumped against the prison cell wall with a message written in blood 'PEACE'. "And he did a Banksey of the crime scene. Just for us." Tony exclaimed.
"This is a smoke screen." The Black Widow claimed as she sat behind a computer screen. "Why send a message when you've just given a speech?"
Jack crossed his arms. "Perhaps Strucker knew something Ultron didn't want us to find."
The Black Widow began typing on the computer. "Yeah, I bet he-" She stopped as the computer beeped. "Yeah, everything we had in Strucker's been erased."
All was silent until the Captain spoke up. "Not everything."
A few moments later, the Avengers team and enhance nineteen year old began searching through paper files on Strucker. While doing so, Captain Rogers came upon a file on the two enhanced Harper siblings. Jack was busy searching on his own while the Captain read through his file. Steve Rogers frowned as he read the story about this poor child's mom's murder, his and his sister's experiments, and father's death. His power seemed to only be able to control and manipulate electricity, and HYDRA stopped at that.
Steve did notice that his sister's file was much more extensive and she had been under way of many more tests than any of the enhanced. They wanted to test her unexplainable array of powers. Advanced telekinesis, teleportation, and enhanced regeneration. They seemingly tortured this young girl for years trying to find the extent of each. They broke her.
"Well, these people are all horrible." Bruce's words snapped the Captain from his trance. Rogers quickly set down the files to the side and continued searching for anything on Strucker.
"Wait," Stark said as he pointed to a file in Dr. Banner's hand. "I know that guy." He quickly took it in his hand and everyone gathered around. "From back in the day. He operates off the African coast. Black market arms." Steve gave the billionaire a sharp glare. "There are conventions, alright? You meet people. I didn't sell him anything." He defended. "He was talking about finding something new, a game-changer. It was all very Ahab."
Thor peered at the image of the man on the file and pointed at a mark on his neck. "This?"
"Ah, it's a tattoo. I don't think he had it." Tony exclaimed.
"No, those are tattoos. This is a brand." The God stated.
Banner took the photo and sat behind a computer screen, finding what the brand was from. "Oh, yeah. It's a word in an African dialect meaning 'thief'," Bruce explained as he turned back to look at us with a weary look. "In a much less friendly way..."
"What dialect is it in?" Jack asked.
Bruce turned and narrowed his eyes at the screen as he tried to read it. "W-W-Wakanada. W-W-Wakanda." He struggled.
Captain Rogers abruptly turned to Stark. "If this guy gout out of Wakanda with some of their trade goods..." Stark trailed off.
"I thought your father said he got the last of it."
Jack scrunched his face in confusion. "Uh, what exactly did he steal from Wakanda?"
Steve and Tony turned and stared at the red, white, and blue Captain America shooed laying off to the side. "The strongest metal on Earth." Stark stated.
Rogers then turned back to Tony. "Where is this guy now?"
Danielle wouldn't say she dislied killing Strucker, but she wouldn't say she enjoyed it. It didn't make the hole in her stomach go away or the crack in her heart heal, and it definitely wouldn't put her family back together or take away her 'gifts', but now she felt closure and closer to Ultron and the twins as they formed a misfit team. Their next stop was in Africa where Ultron explained that they were there to take metal to help them finish the machine in Sokovia that would destroy the Avengers.
When the group arrived at the run-down shipyard in Wakanda, Ultron powered down the weapon boat, allowing Pietro, Wanda, and Daniell easy entrance into Ukysses Klaue's office as the rest of the workers down below panicked as the boat became pitch black. They all began to evacuate, leaving behind Klaue.
The arms dealer seemed to know something was wrong immediately as he picked up his gun and fired off a shot to the shadows behind his office doorway where the three enhanced were hiding. Thankfully, Pietro easily caught the bullet and set it back down on the desk in the blink of an eye. Danielle easily watched the gun as it turned from a solid into a dissolving dust as the three entered the room.
"Ah. The enhanced. Strucker's prized pupils." He said in a heavy accent as he sat down in a stool at his desk. "Want a candy? Hmm?" He asked as he grabbed a bowl full of candy and offered it to them. None of them responded and he set the bowl back down. "I was sorry to hear about Strucker. But then, he knew what world he was helping create. Human life. Not a growth market." This took Danielle aback a bit, but she tried not to let it show as she let her dark locks fall in front of her eyes as she bowed her head and tried to stay hidden behind Wanda, but Klaue still saw her. "You didn't know? Is this your first time intimidating someone?" None of them answered. "I'm afraid, I'm not that afraid."
Wanda then stepped forward. "Everybody is afraid of something." She declared.
Klaue pointed at her and stated, "Cuttlefish." The trio stared at him, not knowing how to respond. Klaue mistook it for confusion. "Deep sea fish. They make lights, disco lights to hypnotize their prey, then-" Klaue used his hand to pretend to snatch the air. "I saw a documentary. It was terrifying." He admit.
Pietro suddenly dashed to grab a candy and popped it in his mouth in seemingly no time at all. Wanda glared at him sidelong before turning her attention back to Klaue who became serious. "So, if you're going to fiddle with my brain, and make me see a giant cuttlefish, then I know you don't do business and I know you're not in charge." Klaue stated as he stood to his feet. "And I only deal with the man in charge."
Just as he stated those last words, Ultron's metal figure rose from behind him and crashed through the window, knocking Klaue out unit the hallway in his back. Ultron's face inches from a distressed Klaue's. "There is no man in charge." He growled. "Let's talk business."
Ultron led Klaue to where him and one of his goons unlocked a cell which held oil barrels. With a few button presses, the room full of barrels rose, revealing a large inventory of precious metal containers. Klaue took one and handed it to the robot. "Upon this rock, I shall build my church." Ultron breathed. "Vibranium." He told the three enhanced behind him as he tossed the container to Pietro who quickly caught it. "The most precious metal on Earth, and they use it to make a frisbee." He said scornfully. The trio knew he was dissing Captain America.
"You know," Klaue spoke up from behind him. "It came at great personal cost. It's worth billions."
Ultron chuckled before closing his eyes and lifting his head up. He looked back down after a moment. "Now so are you." The goon revealed to Klaue something on his phone as Ultron continued. "It's all under your dummy holdings. Finance is so weird. But I always say, 'keep your friends rich and your enemies rich, and wait to find out which is which.'"
Klaue stated up at the robot. "Stark." He breathed.
"What?" Ultron asked, being caught off guard.
"Tony Stark used to say that. To me." Klaue explained. "You're one of his?"
"What?!" Ultron demanded as he grabbed hold of Klaue's wrist. Klaue's goon hitched the gun from his pocket and Danielle merely turned her head to disintegrate the gun as Wanda used her power to paralyze the man and keep him held still. "I'm not- I'm not. You think I'm one of Stark's puppets? His hollow men? I mean, look at me. Do I look like Iron Man?" He demanded. "Stark is nothing!" Ultron hissed as his glowing red hot arm chopped off Klaue's arm.
Danielle gasped in shock as she staggered a few feet from the robot and the arm-less man. She stared in horror at the limp arm on the ground. Ultron seemed to notice her distress and immediately began to stammer and reach out to Klaue. "I'm sorry. I'm s-Ooh. I'm sure that gonna be okay." He stood up straight then as Wanda went to hold Danielle in her arms to help her regain herself. "I'm sorry. It's just, I don't understand. Don't compare me with Stark!" The robot shouted before kicking Klaue down some stairs.
Danielle covered her whimpers of horror with her hand as she stared at what he'd done. Ultron turned to her with a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Danielle. It's just, it's a thing with me." He continued as his rage simmered. "Stark is-he's a sickness!"
"Ah, Junior." A smug voice came from behind them. They all turned to see the Iron Man suit land on a bridge in front of them beside Thor and Captain America. "You're gonna break your old man's heart."
Ultron shrugged. "If I have to."
"Nobody has to break anything." Thor tried to reason. Danielle immediately liked him and his soothing words as he tried to find a peaceful solution before immediately wanting to fight.
"Clearly you've never made an omelette." Ultron retorted.
Iron Man turned to his teammates beside him. "He best me by one second."
Thor three the billionaire in the suit a glare as Pietro took a step forward, having already thrown the Vibranium to the side. "Ah, yes. It's funny, Mr. Stark." He said with venom in his tone. "It's what? Comfortable?" He gestured down below at the missiles and weapons. "Like old times?"
Danielle stared in disbelief at the Iron Man before her. Portrayed as hero, but no one wanted to bring light to the deaths of millions he'd caused before he ever out in that suit. "This was never my life." Tony stated.
Captain America took a step forward as his eyes met Danielle's. "You three can still walk away from this." He offered with kind eyes to the teen felt more than just safety and kindness in those eyes. It was almost like her knew who she was.
She almost wanted to take him up on his offer before Wanda answered for her. "Oh, we will." She retorted.
"I know you've suffered-"
"Blah!" Ultron interrupted him, much to Danielle's dismay. She wanted to listen to his comforting words. "Captain America. God's righteous man. Pretending you could live without a war." He chuckled. "I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but-"
"If you believe in peace, then let us keep it." Thor interjected with his peaceful reasoning again.
"I think you're confusing peace with quiet." Ultron retorted.
"Uh-huh." Tony said smugly. "What's the Vibranium for?"
"I'm glad you asked that because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan." Ultron said sarcastically before abruptly using high powered magnets to draw Iron Man forward as two of the robotic suits came down to attack Thor and Captain America, before Ultron fired lasers into Iron Man, sending him backwards. The Iron Man charged forward and Ultron collided with him.
Danielle watched in bewilderment and fear as two Avengers fought in front of her and Ultron and Iron Man fought in the air and suddenly blasted out of the ship entirely. Danielle was pulled from her thoughts until, Wanda tugged on her hand and pulled her to the side as Pietro dashed off to fight.
Klaue's men appeared before the two enhanced girls with machine guns raised at them. Danielle watched as the five men's guns dissipated and their bodies were flung in opposite directions without her even lifting a finger. Wanda continued leading her until they came upon the God of Thunder. The plan was in play. Before Wanda went to hypnotize Thor, Danielle tugged on her sleeve. Wanda turned to face her. "Maybe we shouldn't do this..." The young girl tried to reason.
Wanda stared at her for a moment. "Dani, we have to. This is the only way to peace." Danielle let go of Wanda's arm before having to watch the Scarlet Witch hypnotize Thor. Danielle didn't like watching as Thor fell into a state of nausea and dizziness as he fell under her spell. She actually liked him and his approach of reasoning. She believed he was peaceful, not Ultron.
Wanda led Dani to a platform where Captain America was facing off on some robots. After he killed them, Danielle stepped forward as Wanda hid behind him, waiting. The Captain's kind eyes met here's again and he took a small step towards her. "You don't have to do this, Danielle." He told her.
She wasn't surprised he knew her name, but she was taken back at how he still had faith that she'd turn to his side. Danielle gave him a sad look. "I'm sorry. I don't want to be an experiment anymore." She said before his body was flung effortlessly into the boxes behind him. Wanda appeared beside him and cast a spell over him.
This continued as Wanda hynotised Black Widow. The only one remaining was Hawkeye who had just taken out the last of Klaue's men. She tried to creep behind him, but he quickly stuck a taser arrow on her forehead, shocking her. "Done he whole mind control thing," He told her. "Not a big fan." He reached to pull the arrow from her forehead, but Pietro dashed forward and set down Danielle who pushed Hawkeye through a window. Pietro rippe the arrow from his sister's head apbefore lifting her up and dashing off with her out of the ship. Danielle disappeared front the deck and reappeared beside where Pietro and Wanda sat beside the outside of the ship.
Wanda was recovering from the taser and Pietro kneeled beside her as did Dani. "Are you alright?" Danielle asked her meekly.
"I'll kill him!" Pietro declared as he got up, but Wanda and adanielle protested at the same time.
"No!" They shouted. "I want to finish the plan." Wanda explained. "I want the big one." The three enhanced all looked out to the jungle where Bruce Banner looked out from the Quinn jet. Danielle's eyes widened as she saw who stood beside him; Jack.
