See Chapter One for Disclaimer
"Who was that?"
Maddie slid her phone into her back pocket and rolled her eyes at the overeager man next to her. "It was the president," she snapped. "Who do you think it was? It was my friends."
"And you didn't tell them where you were?" Ultron pressed, clasping his hands together.
"Of course not. One: they'll figure it out soon enough and we need those extra few seconds, and two: We can handle this. I don't need them."
"I'm sure you are capable of handling many things," Ultron said delicately, "And our current situation is hardly permanent: your son is safe and I only borrowed him to get your attention,"
"A horrible idea, once again," Maddie interrupted.
"It was the only way you would abandon all logic and meet with me without your entourage present," he pointed out, and Maddie sighed because he was right.
"It's not always about need," Ultron said hesitantly, and Maddie made a face, but Ultron pressed on, "It's not a weakness to prefer to be around others. I wouldn't have welcomed your friends, but I would have tolerated them."
"The truth is," Maddie made a face. "They're not people who see shades of gray very well. They're only acquainted with black and white, and our current course of action is fifty shades of gray."
"A course you have yet to fill me in on," Ultron added.
"Well." Maddie turned a corner and then stopped in front of a large window. "Wait over."
Ultron, possessing a man's body stood next to Maddie, the two of them staring through the window and into a room where a body was clad in a hospital gown and covered with a thin blanket, tubes and wires hiding his face from view.
"Who is this?" Ultron asked. Maddie made a face.
"This is Declan Webster. He's 23 years old and has been in a coma for the last five years. His parents died in the car crash that put him in this coma. His only other living relative, a cousin that has been keeping the machines on out of familial duty than any real hope that the guy will wake up, died a few weeks ago. The doctors, through no other option, are scheduled to turn off the machines in a few hours." Maddie crossed her arms and turned slightly so she could catch a glimpse of Ultron's borrowed face.
"The body you're wearing is still in use, and I cannot in good conscious let you keep it." Maddie continued firmly. "Nor can I in good conscious trade someone else's life for my sons. It's not my job to say who deserves life more – although if it had come to it," she admitted after a moment, "I would've saved my son and watched the world burn. You're giving me another option, and this is what I'm offering,"
"A shade of gray," Ultron murmured, his eyes wide.
Maddie knew that Ultron could see where this was going, but she kept speaking. "Declan Webster is brain dead, the only thing left of him is a body he no longer has any use for."
"And I am a mind with no body to use," Ultron murmured. Maddie nodded and looked back at Declan.
"Were Declan to suddenly wake up, there would be no one to miss him and no obligations: he would have a clean slate and a fresh start; a new lease on life, a second chance." Maddie tapped the window with one finger.
"Declan Webster wanted to do good – he wanted to change the world. He's gone now – but you're not. I'm not doing this for you," She clarified. "I'm doing this for Declan. Be good, Ultron, change the world, and NOT by destroying it," Maddie snickered, and Ultron smiled slightly, still staring in awe at Declan's body. "Declan's not capable of taking that second chance, that fresh start, that new lease on life. But you can take it on his behalf."
"Thank you," Ultron breathed, and Maddie shrugged uncomfortably.
"A lot of people will think what I'm doing is wrong," She said. "Others might agree with my line of thinking. I don't think what I'm doing is right – but I don't think it's wrong. At the end of the day, it's not about what I think. It's about what you think."
"You could be handing a loaded weapon to a terrorist," Ultron turned to Maddie, who nodded.
"I could be," She agreed. "Am I?"
"No." Ultron shook his head firmly.
"Prove it," Maddie demanded, then she walked away.
She didn't look back to see if Ultron entered the room or if he walked away – she made her way to the elevators and she pushed a button and she stepped inside and closed her eyes until the doors closed. Then she pressed the ground floor button and sighed.
A few seconds later, her phone buzzed.
Maddie read the text quickly – and then she smiled.
1504 W Main Street.
Kevin Tran and Meg.
Thank you.
Maddie met a smaller crew than she was expecting when the elevator doors opened, and she took a moment to observe the odd group as they hadn't caught sight of her yet.
Clint was furiously pressing the elevator button and shouting over his shoulder at a calm-faced Cas whose arms were crossed.
"The amount of times you press the button has no bearing on how quickly the elevator will appear," Cas explained in his deep voice, the exasperation clear.
"Clint's allergic to logic," Bucky explained from where he watched the numbers above the elevator light up. "Also common sense – and stupid people."
"Can we stop arguing for one second?" Theo asked, exasperated, and the other three shared a look.
"Nope," the answered simultaneously.
And Maddie snorted.
"You do know there are elevators on this side too, right?" She spoke up, and the guys – her stupid friends, the ones she wouldn't trade for the world – spun around, varying expressions of relief and surprise on their faces.
"You're alive!" Theo blurt out in surprise, and Maddie rolled her eyes.
"Way to state the obvious," Bucky snorted, nudging Theo. He raised an eyebrow at Maddie. "So? Where's Ultron?"
"He's making a choice," Maddie said cryptically. "It's fine, we negotiated, I have a lead on where Orie is."
"So do we," Cas said darkly, and Maddie frowned at him.
"Well then." She crossed her arms. "What's your lead?"
"A name." Clint piped up.
"Ah." Maddie perked up. "Well, I got a name AND an address – so I win."
Clint opened his mouth to argue, but Bucky shoved him. "Dude, shut up," he advised. "We should probably talk about this in a more secure location."
"Like someplace that serves caffeine in a coffee cup?" Maddie blurt out excitedly, and Theo chuckled.
"Or," Clint drew out the word with relish, "Someplace that serves alcohol."
Maddie shot him a glare, and his shoulders slumped. "Fine," he muttered. "Caffeine it is."
Maddie flung open the door to the coffee shop, a bell jangling at the motion.
"Hey Larry!" She called out as she entered and a man behind the counter raised a hand in greeting, though he didn't look up. Maddie moved to the back of the shop, where two couches sat across from each other, a coffee table separating them. She sat, Bucky took the seat next to her, Clint and Cas took the other couch, and Theo pulled up a chair.
"Exchange of information." Maddie rubbed her hands. "What's your name?"
The guys shared a look, and Clint sighed heavily.
"Crowley."
Maddie tilted her head. "Never heard of the guy – is he important?"
"Apparently he's one of the not so reputable associates that your boyfriend and his crew used to deal with," Clint continued, crossing his arms. Maddie's eyes sharpened and she turned to Cas.
"Human?" She bit out, and Cas shook his head wearily.
"Unfortunately not. He is a demon – formerly the king of hell."
"Let me guess," Bucky pursed his lips. "The demotion can be blamed on you and the Winchesters."
"Crowley is a worthy adversary and he has several reasons to be upset with us," Cas admitted. "Not limited to the fact that since your sons birth we have refused all contact with him."
"So the former King of Hell capable of demonic power got dissed by you guys and he helped nab Orie in revenge?" Clint shook his head. "That sounds so petty."
"Which sounds just like Crowley," Theo mused. When Cas shot him a look, Theo straightened. "I'm a fan of the show," He smiled wryly. "I've seen what he can do."
"But he doesn't have Orie," Maddie spoke up suddenly. "Or – he shouldn't. Ultron and I are bros, he gave me the name of who has my kid and the address of where he is."
"And the name?" Cas leaned forward, and Maddie pulled out her phone.
"Kevin Tran," She read. "I haven't heard the name before,"
"I have," Cas and Theo said together, Theo in a worried tone and Cas sounding determined.
"Crowley has the means to find Tran and the strength to overpower him. If Tran had your son," Cas stood, and the others followed suit, "He doesn't now."
Maddie's eyes widened. "So what do we do?"
"Give me the address," Bucky held out a hand and Maddie handed her phone over without questions. Bucky pulled out his own phone and started tapping buttons. "I'll call Steve and tell him to check the address to cover our bases."
"I'll call my team," Theo decided. "They're working with the police – the guy may be a demon but he can't change faces and we can put a sketch out – missing kid? There won't be a place he can hide."
"What's everyone else doing?" Maddie asked Clint, and he furrowed his eyebrows.
"Steve's team is looking for Ultron – Buck will tell them that's no longer priority and they'll check that address. Dean is working on supernatural ways to find Crowley, which will be pointless of Orie's still with Tran, but if not,"
"At least he got a head start," Maddie agreed. She crossed her arms, shivering slightly. "Is there anyone else?"
"There's a group looking for you," Bucky said with a wince as he waited for Steve to answer, "Other than us, I mean." Maddie made a face.
"Two groups looking for me? Why?"
"Steve assigned the other team," Cas shrugged. "We just did what we wanted."
"Right," Maddie sighed, rubbing the temple of her forehead for a second. Then she straightened. "Alright. Bucky – have Steve check the address and then meet us at my work." Bucky nodded and turned, speaking quickly into his phone. "Clint – Call Nat. Either get her to Alexander's or make sure she's got a wifi connection. Cas – make sure Sam gets the same message just in case wires are crossed. Then Clint, call Scott and give him the location. It's time to get the band back together again."
They whipped out their phones and went to work, and Maddie watched for a second before making her way towards the counter.
"The largest size coffee you have," She ordered. "As Black as you can make it." She made a face. "I'm going to need it."
Things are happening! How does Maddie plan to take on a demon of Hell? Stay tuned to find out! Two more chapters up next Monday!
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~CLC~