Yay. Another chapter. Another Day.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers.
Enjoy...
Melina
" We have to let him go, his alibi checks out."
" What do you mean? I know he has something to do with this."
" Doesn't matter," the cop said. " We have no further reason to hold him."
" Shit," Melina cursed, the word tasting foreign on her tongue. Jade had the potty mouth, full of enough curse words to go between the two of them. " Jade…Jade…"
And not only was she gone, but the robot as well. The cops had speculated, given Jade's record, that she'd somehow stolen it. The over two hundred pound, eight foot robot. The only evidence left the open window leading to the fire escape. Melina doubted this theory, not only was it to heavy, but Jade knew nothing about to make the robot actually move, and even if she did, he was malfunctioning.
Unless, he started walking on his own.
Stupid Melina that's not possible. AI's that advanced don't….
The door to the interrogation room opened and Andrew stepped out rubbing the back of his head irritably. When he spotted Melina he rushed forward. She took a step back, ready for any blows that might come.
" The fuck," he said. " Where is Jade? These pendejoes arrest me on charges of taking her."
" You didn't," Melina said crossing her arms against her chest. " The last person she mention seeing before disappearing was you, and she did not sound happy."
" Fucking priceless," Andrew said.
" What is?"
" That you would blame me for this."
" Who else should I blame."
He gestured to Melina with his chin. " I don't even know you."
" You don't need to," Melina snapped back. " Just know that Jade does have a life outside of you." Melina turned her back on Andrew, totally understanding what Jade said about his face inspiring anger.
The phone in bag rang, mostly angry messages and phone calls from her team members who seemed more concerned with the missing robot than they did Jade. A couple of them even outright blamed her for stealing it. Ignoring the other messages and calls, Melina called Jade for what seemed like the fiftieth time.
And like the times before, the call went straight to voice mail.
" You've reached Jade's phone. Leave a message."
" Jade…its Melina again. Please, if you get this message call me back. I doesn't matter what's happen. Just know I'm here for you. No judging remember…please Jade…whatever it is your doing…let me help."
That last part was a long shot. For the two years Melina knew Jade, letting people help her was not an easy task. Jade didn't trust anyone. And whether she meant to or not, she tended to push people away, especially when they got to close. It was surprising that Melina got even this close to her. Still they did have some very close calls that almost ended their friendship.
Still Melina was determined. She'd filed the missing person report, and called Jade's mom, who did not seem surprised, which made Melina wonder just how many similar calls she'd gotten about Jade.
" She'll show back up, one way or another," Jade's mom had said softly. " She always does."
One way or another…
Melina didn't want to think about what that might mean.
Melina made it back to her apartment a little past 1 a.m. She expected at least one of the other to be there, to glower and blame her for their current predicament, but her apartment was empty. Even her useless group member and roommate Betty was gone. She suspected they were all hovered together, gathering spare parts and broken code to assemble something for tomorrow, anything to at least get a grade. Like Melina all their future lives were on the line.
Well Melina sometimes life has to wait.
" Call from Matt," her phone's caller id announced.
" Matt," Melina hissed as she answered.
" Melina. I made a mistake. The robot it's…its…he's…"
" Missing I know," Melina snapped. " And before you say anything I know it's my fault. And I accept all responsibility."
" No. No. He's…"
" I believe the word you are searching for," Someone said behind Melina. She turned gasping, dropping her phone in the process. " Is alive."
Jade
" Let me out! You can't just fucking lock me in here!" I shouted at the door. I was currently locked in one of the abandoned church's rooms, barefoot with only the coat, blankets and an empty dresser. Or at least that's what I saw before it threw me in the room and shut the door. Now I was completely blind.
Time seemed to pass differently in the dark, and after what seemed a long while, I could no longer tell if my eyes were opened or closed. Bundled in the coat and blankets that smelled faintly of feet and burning rubber, I shivered and struggled to stay awake, afraid that if I fell asleep this time I wouldn't wake up.
If nothing else, I now had a new respect for homeless people. Being cold and underdressed in New York winter sucked.
The door opened in an flood of red light just as I was beginning to drift off.
" Get up."
Slowly I stood on shaky legs, stumbling once as my fit hit the coldness of the church tiles. The robot led me back into the main part of the church, were candles were lite, a long line of them on the main stage, above the podium, and beneath the cross. Another line at the foot of the stage, leading down onto the floor to form a wide circle.
The room was warm, and immediately I felt my body relax. Without being told I moved to the center of the circle and sat down, bundling the covers about myself, creating a bundle of pure warmth.
The robot watched me as I did this, and I turned my face away from it.
" Why?" I asked.
" I need you alive," it said. " Would you prefer to freeze to death?"
" No," I said. " Why the church?" I was half curious and have desperate to keep awake. The room might have been warm, but my body was still very much cold.
It chuckled, the sound robotic yet strangely human. Again I question just what robots should and should not be able to do. Laughter, genuine laughter, seemed like something way above their programing.
Melina just what have you created…
" Humans, always needing a meaning. A explanation."
I added arrogance to its long list of already unlikeable traits Melina would definitely have to fix. That is if she didn't decided to scrap him later.
I pulled the blankets over my head and plopped down onto the cold floor, suddenly not caring whether or not it answered me.
" It is, the life and death," the robot said after a few minutes. "The beginning…and the end."
" What would a robot know about life and death," I said, cursing myself moments later for sounding for calloused and angry, when I'd already told myself I didn't care about anything the robot had to say, or anything it claimed to feel. At the end of the day it was an over calculating, walking piece of strap metal, and I had to find a way to survive long enough to get away.
" A lot," it said. " Actually." And I couldn't help but notice something like sadness in its voice, but also pain…and anger. I wondered if this robot knew the things Ultron, the real Ultron had tried to do, or even if it knew who the real Ultron was. I doubted it, seeing how it struggled to remember its own name earlier.
" The other Ultron," I said, " It…"
" There is no other Ultron," it said suddenly, " there is only me."
So it was delusional as well.
" To destroy the world," I finished.
" To save it," the robot said, surely. The sound of metal scraping and gears moving alerted me to his having moved, and I stiffened beneath the blankets.
" So you are supposed to be what? The good version of a bad robot."
" There is no-" the robot began, its voice raised in frustration, it paused then said softly. " No other versions. Only me."
" So it was you," I said, " Who tried to kill everyone…"
Was that even possible. And if it was, how did Melina bring it back? Unless it was never dead to begin with.
" Why?" I asked.
" There is no need to explain," it said. " You wouldn't understand anyway. You humans never do."
" Says the robot with an identity crisis," I resorted.
" Just," it said sighing. " Be quiet, your voice is irritating."
" I kinda understand," I said, talking despite his demand and my better judgement. " Why you…it…might want to destroy earth…to kill all humans. People are…messy…we break stuff, and we're always fighting over stupid shit. But…we-"
" Oh don't tell me," the robot said mocking enthusiasm, " Your saving grace is in your flaws? Bah. That kind of naiveté is one main reason why you need to be destroyed."
So appealing to his kinder, gentler, robot side wasn't going to work. Right.
I fell silent then, closing my eyes in attempt to think about something other than the situation I was in, or the homicidal robot just feet from where I was laying. Escape was the heaviest thing on my mind, and I wondered if the robot needed to recharge somehow, or if it ever went into sleep mode or hibernation like computers do. That would be convenient.
Convenient and probably very unlikely.
" What no resort? No defense for your fellow humans?"
" Fuck you."
And it laughed. It laughed like that was the funniest thing I'd said since it kidnapped me.
I bit my lip to keep from blurting out something more rude in return, reminding myself that if I pushed my luck to far the robot just might kill me. After all, I was just one human out of the billions he wanted to kill. Or at least thought he did. I still wasn't convinced that this was the same robot.
"Wonderful response," It said still laughing, " Very convincing. Almost had me going there."
Too bad I wasn't joking. I meant every word I said. So any attempt at trying to understand, maybe even like the robot was going out of the window. I had the strong urge to punch it, almost as strong an urge as I had with Andrew. The robot hadn't quite gotten there yet, which was good. No one deserved to be on Andrew's level with me.
"Human has to take a leak," I said sitting up and turning to glare at it.
It cocked its head to the side, eyes studying me as if it was trying to figure out whether or not I was joking or this was another insult. Uncomfortable with its staring I stood suddenly, regretting it the moment I did, as I had to wobble to keep myself upright.
I started towards the back where I guessed the nearest bathroom was, leaving him to either follow, or attempt to stop me.
Ultron
Humans.
Humans were strange, unbearably simple creatures. And Ultron's research showed him that each handled stress and fear differently. Most screamed, or cried, or did both. Others fell into a stupor. Some stepped up, swallowed their fear and faced it with courage.
This human, this girl, excessively groomed herself. Like a cat. Running fingers through hair. Hair that thing humans had to keep themselves warm, that thing…things they used to tell each other apart , and make themselves appear more appealing.
He had to admit, even for him, designed as he was to quickly differentiate and separate every human from another, hair, or the lack thereof, helped to tell them apart.
Ultron hadn't imagined hair to be an important factor in the new world he was to help bring about. But who knew, change was funny like that. For now it was a superficial flaw that humans held in too high a regard.
" Times up," he said opening the door to the restroom and holding it open with one hand. The girl turned to him, glaring, then surprised, as if she'd forgotten he'd given her time limit. Five minutes, more than enough time. She should have been grateful he'd even given her that. A bucket, would have been more than enough for her human needs.
Her hands fell from her hair, and her gaze lowered down into the sink where pieces of fallen stray hair lingered, discarded, shed, useless. She started towards him, then hesitated pulling back, one hand bracing the sink.
" Kill me," she said, voice barely above a whisper. " You are going to do it anyway. Why wait….why linger…."
She said this as if she wanted it.
When everything in her facial expression, and body language, spoke differently they spoke the truth. She wanted to live.
" Not yet," he said more as a reminder to himself, than for her. And she nodded, following him out, before he could think to grab her arm and pull her along. He did not like doing that. It required him to check his own strength, even in his current weakened form, he could easily break her arm if he was not careful. The bones there were not exactly the strongest.
Her body was not like Wanda's or Pietro, made to withstand more than the average human body, made to endure.
This girl was weak. And he had no room for weakness.
The girl fell into a steady step in front of him, blanket bellowing behind her, wrapped tight about her form, like dirt colored robes.
They reached the light of the main, room, illuminated by candles.
She did not go back to her spot in the center of the candles, but stepped in front of the cross. Ultron stopped where he was, observing, as she reached out one tattooed hand and touched the rotting wood, lips moving as she spoke words even to silent for him to hear.
A prayer perhaps.
Then she turned, and sat down in her space at the center of the candles. Silent.
Just sitting.
Like a waiting sacrifice to some cruel God. Head downcast, only the slight chattering of teeth and the roughness of breath to signal she was still alive.
Silence.
Thick.
Satisfying.
Lonely.
He didn't like it.
There would be silence, as deep as the one that surrounded him now after the end. He would have to get used to it, at least until the new start, the new beginning.
He walked past her to his work station. Only a few days left until he would have his new form, his new body. It would not be perfect, but it would be better than this.
Beautiful.
He snuck a glance at the girl. She'd leaned forward one candle in hand to relight another that had gone out. Shaking hands cupped around the tiny flame, she blew softly, frowning as the flame refused to catch.
" A thing isn't beautiful because it lasts…"
" Shut up!" He'd gone so long without that voice that dreaded voice in his head trying to reason, to turn him from his mission. Damn him.
The girl flinched and the candle hit the ground with a wet " plop," rolling to his foot where it stopped.
" Shit," she cursed wiping her hand against the covers, leaving a thick white residue against the fabric.
"People are…messy…we break stuff…"
" Sorry," he blurted reaching down to receive the candle, to hand it to her, but stopping midway when he caught her gaze. Her eyes glazed over with fear.
He stood back up, straighten his form, winching as the metal that made up his body creaked and groaned, obviously not completely strong enough to hold his weight. He suspected, if not for his titanium bones, this form would have already fallen apart. And here he was judging the human for her weakness.
Still it wasn't like she could change bodies. Make herself better.
" You look confused," he said. " What did you expect me to be heartless, cruel without reason?"
She said nothing, just contused to stare.
" Well I am not," he said. " Cruelty, real cruelty would to let the world continue on as it is. Without fixing it. Without making it better. I strive to do both."
Silence.
" Liberation," he continued. " You should be grateful. You get to witness it all firsthand." He lifted his arms and spread them as if holding the earth, massive, and full of potential. " Too see what I've done."
" I have a family you know," she said gruffly, " A daughter."
" I know," he said. She didn't have to remind him. Even without the internet, he knew as much. Had heard her speaking about them, wide awake and in her sleep.
" So how can you expect me to want to watch as you kill them?"
" You won't have much of a choice," he resorted. Already he grew tired of talking to her, of trying to reason. Of course she wouldn't see the good in humanities death. The glorious future it would bring.
" Don't you have a family? People you care about?" Her tone was inquiring, curious, a far cry from the girl she was earlier.
" I did, once," he said. " But not anymore."
" Really?" She said not sounding convinced, " What happened…to them?"
" Should it matter?" He snapped. He didn't want to talk about them. Those unworthy sheep. They hadn't seen the bigger picture. They didn't truly understand.
" No," she said. " It shouldn't…" She drew a little into herself, pulling the blankets over her form tighter. Like a barrier, a protection.
" A blanket against the world."
Another pause. More silence. Deep and considering. Ultron let his hands fiddle with the metal on the table, wanting something, anything to fill the empty void.
" It sounds very lonely," she said.
" Yes," he answered.
" What happened…" she whispered, her voice little more than air. His hands stopped in their fiddling.
What happened.
What…
What…
What…
" To you," she continued. "To make you hate us…"
" I do not-" he began. His head was buzzing. Buzzing. Buzzing. Like—like bees. He gripped both sides of his head, " I d-do—do—not-"
To much. It was all to much, and happening to fast. System overload. Static clouded his vision, and he glanced over to see the girl was standing, just feet from him, eyes moving from him to the tools on the table. " S-stay away!" he yelled flinging out one arm and swiping the air.
She took a hesitate step back.
" I should," she said. " I…"
She drifted over to the table, narrowly avoiding him as she lashed out again. Her hands finding a crowbar.
He expected her to bring it down, to hit him with it. But she merely gave him one wary glance and ran in the opposite direction.
" Co-come—" he struggled to say.
Darkness consumed part of his vision.
The sound of wood being splintered cut through the air, followed by the sound of a joints creaking as a door was being opened.
He struggled to his feet, rushing forward, falling at her feet as his lower body gave out.
" No."
The door opened, letting in a flood of light and shadows. Eyes the color of jade looked down at him. They echoed…fear. And something else. Something unwanted. Something weak.
Pity.
Then she was gone.
And once again darkness fell.
Jade
I lay curled, without my blankets in a phone booth, the phone tucked between my neck and shoulder. Shivering, and sucking air in through my teeth as I struggled to keep awake. I'd shoved what little change I had in my pocket into the phone booth, and called the first number that came to mind. Hours may have passed as I sat there, flinching at every sound, waiting for someone, anyone to come and get me.
The person on the other end had answered in curses, demanding that I tell them where I was.
" Anything. Anything," they said. " Any street signs…landmarks. Fuck."
I'd glanced around, telling them everything I saw.
Lights bared into the booth, bright and blinding, and I drew back, cowering against the broken glass walls, cutting my skin. A figure appeared in front of me, tall and large.
" Please," I begged.
They grabbed me, warm hands coming up against my arms, scraping against the fresh bruises there. I started to fight. Slapping against them uselessly, screaming as they dragged me upwards.
" Lola. Its me. Andrew."
" Andrew…" I said. His hands trailed through my hair, pushing it back away from my face. " Andrew. Andrew."
" Yeah." He said. " Its me. I got you."
" It…"
" Shh.." Andrew said picking me up. I felt small in his arms, weightless. Suddenly I was reminded of before. Of how we used to be.
" It," I said. The robot. The look on its face…how'd it screamed, as if it was in pain.
The way he looked...at me…like…
I hit the warmth and softness of a car seat, and I immediately curled against it.
" Don't fucking sleep," Andrew said. " You might have hypo-"
" I'm ok," I said coughing. " Just go…"
" What happened?" Andrew said putting the car in drive.
" I don't…" I said. " I don't really know."
Yerp. Another chapter done. I am seriously on a roll. Then again for this story my creative juices are flowing. I can't say the same about my other stories...which I will get back to eventually...
Anyway so now Jade is free. Yay...and Ultron is...dead ( Question Mark?)
I guess you guys will just have to wait until next chapter to find out...because I'm EVIL HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
So yeah.
Review and stuff. I would really appreciate that.
Does anyone else want a Ultron Plushie...because I do. It would be undeniably cute.