Jade was assigned to help Banner find Natasha, which she found totally unfair. She could help just as much as Wanda and Pietro, but Steve said that she was to young and her talents were better served helping Bruce. She happened to disagree.
Jade grumbled to herself while following Bruce through the twisted corridors of the Sakovian castle. She kicked pieces of rock out of the way and watched them bounce off the narrow walls or disappear into various hallways. It only did it give her something else to think about besides the fact that she was back in a hydra base, and that Steve had given her busy work. She continued this way until Bruce cleared his throat.
"Hey, umm well," He sputtered out. He stopped and waited for Jade to step in time next to him.
"What?" Jade asked looking up at her companion. He scratched the back of his head.
"I was wondering what happened after I blacked out when we were in Wakanda, and why you ran," He said quietly. Jade nodded her head.
"You freaked out, went all Grinch on me," Jade said. "When you were turning green I went over to help, but you hit me and I fell backward. You tried to attack me and Pietro zipped me outa there. I was going to go back to the ship, but Ultron kidnapped me and I didn't get the chance. I didn't run." Bruce was quiet for a few minutes; trying to process the little information she gave him.
"He didn't hurt you did he? Ultron, I mean," Bruce finally asked.
"No," Jade said. "Not physical anyway, my brain my need a break after this whole thing is done, though."
Bruce chuckled then his face got serious. "I'm sorry Jade," He said.
Jade gave his a quizzical look. "For what?" She asked.
"For hitting you, for letting you get kidnapped. For everything that has happened to you after we first met, and for everything before."
Jade bit her bottom lip. "I don't blame you for what happened, any of it. What happened to me past and present, I've learned to keep at bay, at least for now."
"It's not good for you to suppress memories, or to ignore things that have happened to you."
Jade gave a light laugh. "I don't think I'm suppressing as much as not remembering, and believe me I'm going to have one heck of a mental break down once we're done with this end-of-the-world thing."
"Well then, I'll make sure we're well stocked on pizza, chocolate, and Disney movies," Bruce teased.
Jade smiled up at him. "Could it be Gummy snakes instead? I've always wanted to try them."
"Sure kid, so many gummies that you'll get a stomach ache," Bruce teased. "Nat should be right around this corner." Bruce took a sharp left and ran face first into a metal man. Bruce opened his mouth to express his pain, but when he realized what exactly he had ran into he thought better of it.
The mini Ultron raised his hand. Jade gasped and jerked Bruce back around the corner. They barely made it, in fact the shot singed Jades' jacket a little on the arm.
"You hurt?" Bruce quickly asked while they ran down the hallway. Jade violently shook her head then sharply ducked into a random hallway.
Jade breathed hard as she pressed her back against the wall. She peeked around the corner and watched as the ultron walked down the hall. It seemed to be taking it's time, like it had already won.
"What are we going to do?" Jade asked turning back to Bruce.
"I don't know, I can't go hulk." He breathed. "I don't want you to get hurt, and I don't know if I'll be able to regain control if I do."
"It's up to me then," Jade said taking a deep breath. "Be right back." Bruce opened his mouth to ask what exactly she was about to do, but Jade didn't give him the chance. She bolted out the hall and grabbed the ultron around the waist. They both went through the floor. Jade let them fall through several floors before letting go and letting them both hit the floor.
Jade scrabbled up off the top of the ultron bot and looked around for a weapon. It looked like they had ended up in some sort of garage complete with several shelves and a bunch of machines and tools that looked foreign even to Jade. She took hold of the nearest tool, which happened to be a crow bar. The ultron stood up and cocked its head at her.
"Jade Winters," It said. "Such talent wasted on such a frivolous being." Jade rolled her eyes and bounced forward. She swung her weapon at its head, but it side stepped her attack.
"You don't even know your full potential. Your a fool if you think Hydra taught you everything about your abilities."
"Oh, I know they didn't," Jade said. "But they taught me enough." She advanced and pretended to swing at it, but that wasn't her real goal. She swung short and actually hit the shelf to her immediate right. Using the curved hook on her tool she jerked the shelf and let it topple on top of the robot. Heavy tools, screws, bolts, and the metal frame of the shelf all came down on top of her unsuspecting rival.
The shelf would've hit Jade as well, but she let it phase through her. She walked out of the mess and walked around to see that the ultron's head was sticking out. The light's in its eyes were flickering, but they weren't out yet.
"You'll never belong it their world," It said in a fading voice. Jade shrugged.
"Maybe not," Jade said. "But who said that was a bad thing?" She raised the crow bar over her head and slammed it down. The lights in its' eyes went off and Jade blew the strands of hair, which had fallen out of her pony tail, out of her face.
"Jade, do you copy?" Jade heard Bruce's worried voice ask through her earpiece.
"Ya, we're good. On my way back up." Jade dashed for the nearest staircase and wound her way up the spiral staircase. She found Bruce in front of a door. He was violently shaking the handle and ramming his shoulder into the door.
"You having problems?" Jade asked. Bruce jumped and turned around.
"Jeez, you scared me." He clutched his chest. "Yes. It's locked and I can't get it open."
"Here," Jade said reaching out toward the door. "Let me try." Jade's hand went through the door. She stuck her tongue out in concentration and felt around the other side of the door.
"So what happened with the ultron?" Bruce asked trying to make conversation.
"Lets just say it won't be bothering us anymore." Jade found the dead bolt and twisted it until she heard a click. She pulled out and opened the door. "Ta da," She said smiling like a dork.
"Show off," Bruce said walking past her.
Jade waited for the sharp pain in her head to appear, but it never came. She was delightfully surprised. Dr. Cho did something that Hydra had never managed to accomplish: she fixed Jade's biggest problem, but maybe Hydra didn't want to fix her. That was just as concerning.
Bruce walked past a table full of wonderful guns and similar gadgets. Jade looked down and found a large black gun. She picked it up.
They may need this later.
"Natasha," Bruce called several times before hearing an answer.
"Bruce?" Natasha called back right as he turned the corner. Jade stayed back. She didn't know if Nat was mad at her or not.
Nat put her hand on one of the cell bars and Bruce put his hand on top of hers.
"You all right?" Bruce asked.
Natasha nodded. "Ya." She looked past Bruce and met Jade's eyes. "Hey," She called nonchalantly. Jade waved with her free hand.
"The team's here, the city's about to light up," Bruce explained. Natasha looked around.
"Don't suppose you found a key lying around somewhere?" She asked.
"Ya," Jade said raising the gun. Bruce stepped out of the way and Natasha copied his action. "We did." She pulled the trigger. The lock on the door melted off and Natasha took her opportunity to get out of her prison.
"So what's our play?" Just like Nat, always straight and to the point.
Bruce looked a little confused for a moment. "I'm here to get you to safety."
"Job's not finished." Natasha said confused. Bruce raised his hands slightly and then slapped them back down against his side.
"We can help with the evacuation, but I can't be in a fire fight, not around civilians, and you've done plenty." Bruce walked closer to Nat. "Our fight is over."
"So we just disappear?"
Bruce started to say something when the ground shook. Jade braced herself against the wall and waited for the unexpected movement to stop.
"Alright," Jade said. "Sorry to interrupt this moment that I'm not sure I approve of, but if we don't start to move the place is literally going to come down on our heads."
Bruce and Nat nodded at each other and simultaneously agreed that they should get moving. They half ran down the hallway and weaved in and out of doorways and halls.
"Thor," Jade said into her com. "If your still down here I strongly suggest you get out." Thor told that he was doing just that.
"Are you alright?" Nat asked as the group headed up the flight of stairs. Jade shook her head in the affirmative. "Glad to hear, it you're grounded." Jade opened her mouth to object, but reconsidered.
"That's fair," She said as they entered a large room with a wide hole in the middle of it. The room shook again and parts of the ceiling started to crumble. Bruce stopped walking and looked up at the ceiling. Natasha stopped too. They stopped so suddenly that Jade almost ran into them.
"We got to move," Bruce said looking at Nat. He put his hand on her shoulder, as if trying to comfort her.
"You're not going to turn green?" She asked.
"I've got a compelling reason not to." Jade did her best not to yell at them to start moving.
"I adore you," Natasha said before pulling him into her for a kiss. Jade immediately felt super awkward. She turned slightly away, not wanting to make it more weird than it needed to be. It was all in vain, though, they were only about a second into the kiss before Natasha broke it apart by pushing Bruce into the hole. "But I need the other guy."
Jade raced to the edge and looked down. "Whoa," She said looking back at Natasha. "Was not expecting that."
The Hulk roared and hopped back up onto the platform.
"Lets finish the job," Natasha said with a smirk. The Hulk returned the smile then looked back at Jade. Natasha looked at Jade expectantly.
"Oh ya," Jade said sarcastically. "This is going to end well."
