Xander slipped into the lab, staying in the shadows, and motioned to Jolie to do the same. Clint glanced up as they slipped in, but Xander shook his head. Clint gave a teeny nod and went back to looking at what could only be a sarcophagus.
Bruce and Tony were arguing over something, and Jolie sucked in her breath when Tony pointed to a glowing orange project. "I found Jarvis. Ultron killed him because he was scared of him."
Xander stared watching Tony and wondered how much was his desire to beat Ultron and how much was the need to save Jarvis. He glanced at Jolie and saw the spark of hope writ large across his face. He had no doubt what it was for her. Or that there was no chance of stopping either of them.
I really hope they don't screw this up. One Ultron is bad enough.
"We're monsters buddy. We've got to own it. Make a stand." Xander sighed. Tony meant well, but he had no idea what monsters really were. Even Ultron didn't qualify compared to the Judge or Kaikistos.
"I'll help," the words were out of Jolie's mouth and she was moving forward before Xander could stop her. "I've read all of Dr. Cho's research. I understand how it was constructed. "
Half the room whirled to look to look at her.
"She's too young-" Bruce started.
"She's an adult," Xander countered, stepping out of the shadows. "And if you two are stupid enough to do this, she just might be the only person to balance out your insanity. Besides, I suspect her love for Jarvis is the only one without any ego involved. "
The men glanced away, and Xander heard Clint snort.
"Fine mini-Jane. Come, tell us what we need to do," Tony said with an air of arrogance.
Jolie gave him a dismissive glance. "You're acting like a stuck up TA that thinks he knows more than I do. Stop it. Have you read all her research on the bio-skin?" Tony flushed and looked away. "Thought not. I'll pull that up. You work on loading the program. I want Jarvis back," her voice broke a bit at that part, and Xander flinched.
Just to make her not cry, I'd support them in this. Dear Thor, I've gone insane like the rest of them.
There was a text on his phone and he pulled it out as Jolie walked over and slipped into the partnership between Bruce and Tony.
*Cap and guests incoming.* The words from Darcy glowed on the screen.
He typed back. *Got it. You and Pep stay there for a bit. This might get dicey.*
*Xander, do you require back up?*
He fought a laugh. Even via text Pepper was nothing but classy.
*Not yet. If the alarms go off, assume yes.*
A crying, laughing emoji was the only response.
The heavy tread of an angry Captain America rang through the lab. What was more interesting were the two others that followed him into the lab.
"Shut it down!" Cap's voice rang in the lab. But Xander watched the woman behind him.
"I know you're angry," she said, and Xander felt the magic in her voice. Did she even realize what she was? He'd been too close to Willow. He knew the feel of magic, but did anyone else here? Or did they just think she was a mutant?
A burst of speed from the male and the hose to the sarcophagus was pulled.
"No!" Jolie's scream of rage stunned everyone, and she stalked to the young man, who smiled at her.
"No, go on. You were saying?" He smirked at her. "Go home, little girl. This is no place for you."
The room tensed, except for the speedster and the witch, all eyes on Jolie.
"You asshole!" She pulled back her fist and swung. A perfect haymaker as far as Xander could tell. The man just smirked down at the tiny teenager. Jolie was barely ninety pounds with boots on. You could see he was just going to let her hit him, let the little girl have her moment. But Jolie was a slayer, and they always fought outside their weight class.
The crack of his jaw resounded in the room as she hit him and he went flying backwards, slumping against the wall, blood trickling from his mouth.
"Don't hurt my friends," she spat viciously and plugged the machine back in. She turned to glare at Steve. "We will save Jarvis. Don't try to stop me."
Steve's eyes widened and a flush rose on his cheeks. "Jolie, we can't. You don't understand," he started, and she glared at him.
"I don't? I don't understand what it is to be hurting, abused, mistrusted? I don't understand how dangerous and unsafe the world is? Oh, that I understand perfectly. What I don't understand is having people to depend on. People I trust with my life. Or at least I didn't. Maybe, just maybe, I'm figuring it out. Do you?" Her words cut through everything and the men stared at her.
The girl, woman, witch, moved around and stared at Jolie like she was from another planet. "What sort of monster is this child? Why are you listening to her? You must stop Stark."
"I'm rerouting the upload."
"No!" Cap moved, as did the witch red sparkling from her hands.
"Enough," Xander roared and moved. He snapped the charm from his bracelet. "You stand down."
Steve looked at him in betrayal. "Xander we can't let him," he broke off as the hair on their arms rose and Willow appeared as Thor landed.
"What is going on? We must stop him!" The witch cried out and lashed out with red at the machinery.
"No," Willow said, her voice echoy but calm, her eyes dark, with green weaving through her hair. The girl was encased in a bubble, hanging there, suspended.
"Daughter of Demeter," Thor said, bowing his head.
"No. Hecate is closer, but well met Son of Odin. Your one-time lover is missed." Willow walked toward the girl whose wide eyes were locked on Willow, somewhere between awe and panic.
A sudden smile flashed over Thor's face. "Yes, Anayanka was unique." The joy dropped, and he looked at the vessel with the body laying limp in it. The light and upload warnings racing filing the room as Bruce, Tony, and Jolie raced to keep everything working.
"We must let this happen. In fact, we must help. The survival of the world will depend on it. I have been shown true visions. Will you help me, Daughter of Hecate?"
Willow tilted her head and Xander watched, worried. "Sleep," the one word and the girl slumped in what was a sleep. "Yes. You speak truth."
A grin lit Thor's face that was more blinding than the lightning that he called down, as Willow pumped pure magical energy into the sarcophagus.
"Get back," Xander yelled as everyone in the room, except the unconscious speedster, covered their eyes at the outburst of power. Just when he thought he was going to scream from the feeling of electricity and magic running over his skin, tickling and burning, it stopped.
"It is done. It is well you were here. This will be better."
Willow blinked, and her eyes were back to normal. "Wow. That was a lot. You got any juice?" She sank down to the floor looking wobbly, but the girl still hung there, sound asleep.
"What did you do?" The anger and frustration in Cap's voice clear.
"It is okay," Thor said. "Trust me."
"Hit the releases," Jolie ordered. She peered at the computer screens and then at the container. "Well?" she demanded, glaring at the other two scientists.
"Oh, yeah." Bruce hit a button and everyone stepped back as the case opened.
Xander twitched as Thor lifted his hammer. Willow's eye went wide, and he saw the green start to flood her hair again.
The hiss of hydraulics filled the air and Xander glared at Jolie, his glance telling her to wait. She huffed a sigh, rising up on her toes, trying to see into the case. Movement caused all of them to pause and a figure, dusky blue with a red face and red hands, sat up. A gem gleamed in his forehead.
His head turned and surveyed the room. His gaze passed over the unconscious speedster and the witch. But he halted at Jolie, staring for a long moment, then he continued, focusing on Tony and the others.
"Do I know you?" The voice sounded familiar and strange at the same time.
Jolie had her hands wrapped tight around her body, staring at him.
Tony cleared his throat. "Jarvis?"
The man, android, cyborg, whatever he was, glanced down inside the cradle. "I do not think so, not quite. There are parts of me that are him, but not wholly. There are also other bits?" His eyes flew to Thor and Willow. "Magic?"
Thor sagged in relief as Captain America stared at him. "You created this?"
Thor stood up, and power rippled over him like a cloak. "We need him. Otherwise, all is lost." The confidence in his voice shook Steve, and he stepped back.
A sob escaped Jolie. "You aren't Jarvis."
The man's head snapped to look at her. "No. But, you are Jolie?"
Her head bounced, the ponytail moving like a banner.
"No. But," he paused, tilting his head. "I think he loved you."
Xanders heart broke as he watched Jolie crumple and he moved over. She spun around, burying her head in his chest and cried silent tears.
The room went quiet as the adults shifted at the sight of a young girl's heart breaking.
I swear I'm busier now than when I was working the day job. But I'm trying to settle down to write more fanfiction and write it faster. But until then if you've never tried my original stuff No Choice by Mel Todd is on sale everywhere, and My Luck by Mel Todd is on sale on Amazon - both for .99. And the My Luck book is even available in German and French. Thanks everyone. I'm trying. - Nycorson