Yes. Enjoy and Stuff...

Fear.

He could smell it in the air, potent and thick.

It was the smell of someone who feared for their life.

Yet there were no cries. No whimpers. No sounds. She merely stared into space, lips moving soundlessly, fingers drumming against her knees, tapping out some rhythm less beat.

What was she thinking?

Were Wanda here she could have looked, seen the inner inclinations of her mind. Dig out her fears as easily as one dug a hole in the dirt. There would be no hiding.

But she was not here, and he was not a mind reader. Not even close.

"I won't let them kill you," he said, then paused. The words sounded to foreign, too much like something the others, the self-proclaimed 'heroes,' would have said. For a second her breathing hitched. "At least not yet. And as long as you do as I say."

There were several methods of control, assuring self-preservation was one of them.

Silence.

She didn't lift her head, or stir. But he knew she was thinking it over, considering just what those words meant.

He switched the video feeds in an effort to help her think just a little clearer.

" Jade!"

Jade lifted her head. Her glossy gaze focused on the screen in front of her where Melina's face hovered.

" Melina? What's going on?" Jade was on her feet, standing in front of one of the computers, trembling fingers set against the keyboard.

Matt appeared behind her, straining to look.

" You look horrible," Melina noted. " Has he hurt you? Where are you? I thought you said-"

Enough chit chat, this was not a get-together conference call. There was work to be done, real work, business to be attended to.

" I trust you've been making progress," Ultron said falling into step behind the young woman. She took a step away from him, then another, until they were feet away from each other. He pretended not to notice.

" Y-yeah," Melina said. " He'll be holding a conference tomorrow at the city's technological research and developmental center, all the seats are full, but group of students from the college's software, department have arranged a meet and greet. He's also currently checked into the Plaza Hotel, and from what I can tell he's not alone."

" Good," Ultron said. "Open another space on the meet and greet. It's time we met face to face."

" Wait," Jade said, " Who are we talking about again? What's going on?"

" Oh sorry," Melina said, "We're talking about Bennet Rodman. He was formally a student with Matt and me, but was kicked out after he attempted—"

" Succeeded," Matt chipped in.

" Succeeded," Melina corrected herself, " In breaking the cities system's defenses with just a few lines of code. Pretty legit. Even turned down a high level position at Stark Industries, wrote a couple books. Now he works on and off as the government's unofficial, official senior defense software technician."

Jade shook her head. Ultron could see her finally putting the pieces together. He wanted in hopeful silence, for the rebuke, the plea. He had his reply ready, his argument set. But she said nothing, at least not to him. Her gaze was firmly set on the screen, the video of her friends.

" Melina we ca-" she started.

Half angry, he found, and half disappointed at her lack of response he shut down the video feed. The screens flickered in a flash of white light, changing back to the endless feeds of natural disasters in real time, and reports of violent occurrences around the world. She stared at the screen in front of her, mouth agape.

" You are going," he said, a bit too loud for his own tastes, a bit to abrupt.

" Where?" She asked, still not turning her gaze to him, that look of anger, and disgust, he knew, even without looking, was harbored on her face.

There was once a time he wanted the trembling, dying world to look up at him in hope, to see just what their deaths would accomplish, how he alone would liberate them from the sins they'd casted against their own planet, their own kind. Rebirth, renewal. It was supposed to be perfect. Beautiful.

" To meet the target," he said. " I will instruct you every step of the way."

Silence.

" Here." He lifted her once broken phone off his work station. It had taken little to no skill to repair the phone, and even less time. She hesitated to take the phone, as he explained her to her just what he'd done to it. The phone was now more secure, the signals now thoroughly encrypted so only he had access, so she needn't worry about someone, other than him, tracking her through her phone. Finally he informed her to the direct link she would have to him.

Her eyes drifted to one of the many drones, working on other benches, manually bending and shaping metal, connecting wires and forming a new army by hand. It was tedious, painstakingly long work, but it had to be done, and without the proper equipment it just took a bit longer.

" So it's you? In a phone?"

"Consider it," he said, " As my gift of life to you," he said, noting her worried look, and how she glanced at the door, dreading the outside world. He'd meant what he said earlier, he had no plans to let her die. At least not yet he wouldn't. As of now, her life was in his hands. Only he would chose when she ultimately died. Soon. Or with the others when it time came. Perhaps not at all. It would all depend on the circumstances.

" I need a shower," she said flatly. " And a change of clothes."

In other words, be somewhere other than here, with him.

Either way she was not lying. His sensors could pick up her smell, the settling stench of adrenaline and fear hormones, combined with sweat and filth. There were blotches of dirt and blood on her cheeks, grime in her messy, tangled hair, and blood stains on her clothes. She was in no state, approach wise at least to do anything for him.

" They are likely still looking for you. We'll fly as high as possible, get out of range of any—"

" Wait we—we're flying?"

" You expect to walk?"

" No…I just…"

He waited.

" Never mind. Let's just go.

Fear.

If she held onto his suit any harder she would rip his breast plate off. Maybe that was her intention. Fingers and limbs shaking, she tightened her other hand around his neck, and pulled herself closer, one leg tightening around his torso as well. If he were human, she could be choking him right now.

Soft.

Disgustingly so. And once again, Ultron wondered how humans could stand it. If he dropped her right now, she would be nothing more than a stain against the ground, dark red and oozing.

Splat. Like some character off a Saturday morning cartoon. He chuckled at the thought. Her hand tightened around the end of his breast plate in response.

" What?" She growled.

" I was thinking about dropping you," he said without hesitation, looking down at her. Her curly hair was whipping in every other direction, trailing into her mouth, over her eyes, back from her forehead. Just a few minutes earlier he'd slowed down the speed in which he'd flown, in an attempt to prevent her from getting whiplash. But he was still going fast. The initial takeoff had been ruff, as she'd panicked, struggling in his grip, when he'd only gotten a good four feet off the ground. He'd dropped her for good measure, and to prove a point, and she'd hit the ground yelping and holding her butt.

" I will drop you," he'd promised, hovering down to where she'd sat glaring. "So stand still."

She'd done as he'd asked afterwards. Glaring at him for a mile before turning her gaze down to the city below.

Glittering.

Almost beautiful.

It was one of the first landmarks Ultron got to see with his own eyes. He was in wonder, he had to admit. At the things humans could do, the creations they could make. But with that wonder came realization, that they must have destroyed much to get this far.

She relaxed a little, no longer pressing her weight fully against him, and holding herself up solely with her arms. She let her weight fall onto the arm he'd tucked securely around her waist, but her grip around his neck stayed tight.

After all this time and she still didn't fully trust him.

Maybe it was better off. He was planning on disposing of her after all this was over. Better she keep that air of caution about her, that tinge of fear, instead of getting to familiar.

"There," she said removing her hand from his shoulder, long enough to point to a large apartment complex. He didn't mention that he already knew where they were going, had known from the first day he'd slipped her Sims card into his chest.

This was the apartment of her mother, and daughter.

He dropped to the roof, taking in the surroundings and ordering his drones to do the same.

" Make it quick," he demanded.

" I will," she said. " As soon as you let me go." She pushed against his chest with both hands, struggling to no vail. The metal beneath her fingers groaned. He let her go, arm unwinding from around her waist. She slid from his grip, faltering a few times as she attempted to gain her balance.

" Her windows by the fire escape," she said stumbling to the end of the roof where a ladder led down onto the fire escape. He watched her, motionless. She didn't have to tell him to stay put that command was evident in the way she'd walked to the ladder, not bothering to ask for assistance or even looking his way.

He loomed after her anyway, staying in the shadows, dimming his own lights lest someone see, and decide to make a spectacle.

She slid down the fire escape with ease, moving down one flight of steps until she reached a window, the lights on inside, displaying the silhouette of pink curtains, and the shadow of a stuffed tiger.

Fingers curled into a fist, she took a deep breath, the action so violent her shoulders trembled, and knocked firmly on the window. Another deep breath, and she knocked again. Finally she ended her knocks with two short, ones, quieter than the first, less insistent.

A tiny hand appeared at the window, palms crushing against the glass, then a face.

A small person. With the eyes the color of jade.

I could feel Ultron behind me as I glanced into the window, Jahari's face in front of me, grinning, her front two teeth missing. She started to open her mouth to exclaim in excitement and I shushed her.

" Mommy?" She mouthed, as if not believing it was me.

I nodded. Then gestured for her to open the window.

She did as I asked, her small arms struggling to lift the pane. Helping I lifted the window in one swipe, and climbed through, scooping her up into my arms. She yelped in surprise and excitement, covering her mouth moments later.

" You remembered the code," I whispered.

" Of course I did," she said. " I practice it every day."

" Oh. I have missed you my little baby," I said crushing her to my chest again.

" I'm not a baby," she complained.

I pulled her away to run my hands through her hair, over her cheeks and brow, checking for new scars and bruises. The last time I saw her was earlier in the month. She was dressed in a pink filly dress, all pigtails and grins on her way to bible study. I'd gone with her, holding her hand through the entire session, rubbing circles in the palm of her hand. Afterwards I'd taken her out for hotdogs, fries and ice cream.

" My little monster then," I said, rubbing my nose against hers. "My terrible little monster."

She giggled, touching my face.

" Why you here?"

" To see you," I said, " Give you a big hug, and sloppy kiss." I planted a kiss on her cheek, filling my cheeks with air and blowing. She giggled again. I sat her down. "Where is Grammy?"

" At Miny's," she said. "Watching her stories."

" Figures," I said sitting crossed legged in front of her. All at once, every other worry vanished from me, replaced with pure joy. Jahari was here, and she was alright, still healthy and smiling. I didn't think I would ever see her again.

"I lost both my teeth today," she said grinning, showing me the gaps.

"I see that," I said. "Did Grammy help you do it?"

She shook her head. "No. I did it myself."

"Yourself?" I exclaimed. "How?"

" It was in a book," she said. You tie the string to the door," she trailed to the door, hands going to the knob, then you put it on your teeth and slam it."

I winched at the thought, frowning. " Jahari you could have waited," I scolded grabbing her arms and rubbing up and down. I didn't want to think of her bleeding and hurting. Even if the teeth were already due to come out soon. She blinked, her face mirroring confusion. She reminded me of Andrew in that moment.

" The tooth fairy give me money," she said. "And I give it to you."

" Me," I said. " why?"

" So you can quit your job, and come live here."

" Jahari what are you tal-"

" Your job in the city," she explained pointing to the window. " If you quit, Grammy will let you come home."

I realized she meant my job as a stripper. She was listening to her Grandmother's conversations again, absorbing everything like a sponge, to observant and so smart for someone so young. So often we spoke around her like she didn't understand, or like she wasn't listening, we were wrong.

I pressed my forehead to hers. " Little monster," I said. " Don't worry about me. The tooth fairy has already given me all the money I need."

" You lose teeth?"

I shook my head. " A long time ago. And I still have some. So you don't have to give me any of yours."

Her eye shone bright. " So you can quit? Stay here?

" Little monster...I..."

" Jahari. Who are you talking to?"

My mother's voice outside the door. The handle jiggled, and the wood creaked, as she tried to open the locked door.

" Jahari..."

" Coming," she said standing. I trailed over to the window, climbing out. The last thing I needed was to explain to my mother why I was breaking my set visiting hours. I doubted she would believe me about Ultron or the mess I was currently in. If nothing else, she would probably think I was back on drugs.

" Jahari open this door right now."

I slid the window closed once I was onto the fire escape, leaving a crack so I could hear, ducking down out of sight and the brightness of her light.

" What are you doing in here?" My mother's voice firm, and demanding. But there was fatigue there too. I could only imagine how her face looked. Two jobs, and having to raise Jahari must have been a lot. " Who are you talking to."

" No one," Jahari lied" I was reading."

Quick on the tongue, like her mother. I felt a smile curl on my lips.

" You should be sleeping. You have school tomorrow."

" I know. I know," Jahari said.

" Up. Up."

The bed creaked.

" Grammy?"

" Yes."

"When will you let Mommy come back."

Silence. Thick and considering. I expected her to say never. My mother was never forgiving of repeated mistakes. And I'd had more than my fair share of chances with her.

" When she is really ready," Mom said, and I shifted in surprise. " Your mother doesn't really want to come back, not yet. Until she learns what it is to truly be an adult and a mother, she cannot come back."

" But..."

" Prayers," Mom commanded.

" Ok..." Jahari said. " Lord."

" I do," I whispered. " I do want to come back..." But they couldn't hear me. It seems no one could ever hear. Unless I screamed, fought, pulled, the good things always slipped from between my fingers. And what was left, was always grime, sticking me like glue.

Shear force of will stopped me from lifting the window, and climbing back through, screaming and crying. Force of will, and fear. I couldn't come back, not now. Not until I got rid of Ultron and the people trying to kill me. Not until I let Andrew go.

" Please help Mommy come back. And Grammy tomorrow. Give us the bread, and pray my soul to keep. Amen."

The lights flickered off, and I stood, still looming near the window, hands out, shaking.

How could she say I didn't want to come back. Was I not trying all this time? I wanted Jahari back. I wanted the good parts of my old life back.

I opened the window and climbed back through. Jahari was in bed, laying and waiting for me.

I climbed in, facing her.

" I liked your prayer," I said.

She grinned. " Will you stay until I sleep?"

" Yeah, little monster," I said touching her cheek. " I love you."

" I love you too," she said. I kissed her forehead.

" Why are you crying mommy?"

I touched my cheek. Tears were falling, thick wet drops that slide down one side of my face onto the sheets below us. " I'm just happy," I said. " So happy to see you."

"That weird," she laughed.

" Yeah?" I said.

" Yeah," she said grinning.

This might be the last time. I tried to put that thought out of my mind, as I rubbed circles on Jahari's arm with my thumb, and brushed hair out of her eyes with my free hand. I missed so much being away from her. To much. Andrew wanted to be a family. And I tried to imagine it. All of us, curled in the same bed together, watching movies and telling stories, laughing and happy. A storybook version of the families on TV.

I tried. And I failed.

I lay there, rubbing her hair until she fell asleep.

It was hard to leave her there. Tomorrow she would wake up, go to school, and continue to grow. One of those children whose real mothers were never around, and didn't know their fathers. I never wanted this life for her. At this rate she'd grow up worse than me.

Atop the roof, Ultron was waiting, metal arms crossed over its chest. I knew without asking that it had heard the exchanges.

" Will you hurt he-?" The question was sudden, even to my own lips. And I closed my eyes, waiting for the reply, the laugh that would signal rejection. After all the robot wanted to destroy the world, what was one little girl in the crossfire of the shots. Still I had to try. It'd had kept me alive this long, there had to be a purpose.

For Melina and Matt, the reason was easy to understand. They had the skills to help Ultron. But me...I was just-

One of it's robots stepped into my view, standing as still as stone at the top of the ladder, leading down into the fire escape. I glanced at its form. Smaller than Ultron, not as detailed or defined, it reminded me of a pawn on a chess board. Suddenly my request founded too far gone. If his own forms were pawns, what were we?

" Neverm-" I began. My phone rang interrupting me. I answered without checking the caller ID.

" Jade are you alright?"

" Yeah, Melina," I lied. I was anything but alright. At least mentally. Physically I would heal. I'd done a pretty decent job of hiding my injured arm from Jahari, and even now as the pain surged, insistently, I could block it out.

" Where are you? Are you coming back here? What happened?"

I squeezed my eyes shut. She was asking too many questions.

" Where's Ultron," she whispered..." Well the main one...he's set a sentry on the roof."

" H-here I guess," I said. " Listen I'm probably not coming over tonight. I—I don't think it's good for us to be in the same place at the same time…at least not tonight."

" Jade your not making any sense. Just tell me what's going on?"

" Someone…I " I said. " Someone is trying to kill me. Well I guess they almost did."

" Wait? Who?"

" I don't know," I said. " Who'evr it was di—was killed before I could find out."

" Ok. Ok," I could hear Melina breathing deep on the other end of the phone. " It's goin to be ok. He said he would protect you-protect us. It's all a part of the deal."

" Deal? Melina what the fuck are you talking about?"

" Nothing," she said. " So you're goin back to your apartment? With Andrew?"

Shit. I'd forgotten about Andrew still in my apartment.

" Unless you have a better idea, "I said.

She was dissatisfied with my answer but she agreed.

" Melina," I called before she could hang up.

" Yeah?"

" Your my best friend. You know that right?"

There was a long moment of silence before she spoke again. I knew she was measuring her words, deciding, what answers she should demand from me. I hung up before she could. Phone in one trembling hand, I willed myself to slowly turn and face the robot.

" We need to move," it said. " We are to exposed here."

I almost took a step forward, but stopped mid action.

We. I glanced back at the robot standing behind me. Did it mean 'we' as in it and me? Or we as in the other robot?

" I mean you," it sighed, obviously annoyed, as if it had told me the same thing a thousand times and I still wasn't getting the message.

Me...

" I cant," I said. " I need to make sure Jahari is safe...from them...from you."

It was always one thing after the other. Would I never find relief? Two years ago I worried about the dealers, then Andrew now this. Only this was way over my head, and my control. I could pay off the dealers, get Andrew sent away, but I couldn't stop Ultron at least not on my own, and he was determined, for some reason to hold me down.

It snorted. " Every human will get what is coming to them eventually. Why would I waste precious time on just one them?"

" I don't understand you," I admitted softly.

" Nor should you try to." It's voice was aloof. " You humans never do."

To be understood was what most people wanted. Validation. But this robot was not, and never would be most people. Did it even have a heart underneath all that metal? Obviously it could reason, to some extent, think. It had...or at least it was good at pretending to have feelings.

It wanted to destroy the world, to save it.

No not the world, just the humans on it. But what would be left? Just him...it.

Why?

It'd had said Tony Stark was the reason it woke up, the reason it thrived. Not his creator thou. Had Tony Stark programmed it to think the only way to save the human race was to wipe us out. And if that was programmed into it, could it be reprogrammed somehow. I would talk to Melina about it, see if she could write up something. After all, she'd woken it up somehow, she could put it down, or if nothing else, put it to sleep. It would be even better if I could reach Tony Stark in person, but I knew the robot wouldn't let me within feet of that tower.

Now that I knew for sure it was watching me like a hawk, I would have to be more careful.

" I am here to help," it said filling the silence as if trying to validate the thoughts I held in my head.

Shit can it read minds too?

" Thank you," I said, doing my best to mock sincerely, when all I wanted to do was scream.

There was only silence as he flew the young woman to her apartment. Like before she clung heavily to his neck, never once relaxing, or letting his strength support her. The hand that was not clinging to the back of his neck, was curled round his breastplate, right above the slot where her SD card was insert.

The tiny slip of metal felt heavier now, like someone had inserted stones in his chest, the wires around it hot. Or maybe that was just his imagination.

On it snips and pieces of the human's life. Insignificant to her, he realized, as she hadn't once complained, to his knowledge, of having lost the information. Then again why should she? The information...memories were probably stored on a cloud somewhere, backed, waiting for her to received them when she was ready.

He wondered what he would do with the remnants of memories left behind by the eliminated humans. Save them, for the new man to observe and learn from? Destroy them all? Start over from the beginning, wiping out every trace of the old world, the old way of doing things? Lest the new man try and imitate them?

He would think on it.

For now he had her trapped. Under the threat of losing her daughter, and her best friend. Of having the strings that tangled her, cut loose. Did she not realize she would taste glorious freedom if she'd only let them go.

" Fuck yeah," Jade yelled in her recording, holding up at half bottle of Vokca. She wore a black bathing suit, her hair was pulled up into a high pony tail, the curled ends hanging and tangled. A pair of gold rimmed sunglasses hung off the bridge of her nose. She pushed them up with one painted black nail. "Spring 2013," She took a swing of her vodka.

The camera moved, zooming onto a shot of Melina, wearing a bathing suit as well, a wine cooler in hand, grinning at the camera.

" Doing this summer right!" She yelled.

Music played in the background and Jade stood, a beach loomed in the distance. She'd started to sway her hip, lifting her arms above her head as the rhythm increased. Her torso followed, and then her legs, until she was dancing with what seemed her entire body, muscles trembling, body flowing and free.

" Well, Melina are you going to get up and dance with me, or are you just going to watch?"

A laugh then the video cut to black.

He dropped into a darkened alley and she slipped out of his grasp as quickly as she could, hands going to rub at her arms.

Frigid.

Cold.

Vaguely he remembered Peitro mentioning something about not liking the cold or how stiff it made him feel, this was why he'd always taken to wearing jackets, and longs sleeves, making sure skin was covered, while Wanda didn't seem to mind. Ultron could only guess it had something to do with their powers.

It doesn't matter. They don't matter…

Peitro was dead.

When mankind fell to his hand, Wanda, and those she choose to side with, would fall too.

One by one the strings would be cut.

Glorious.

Beautiful.

Pure.

" Be prepared to move," he said.

" Yeah," she said one hand coming up to cup around her mouth, air in the form of mist escaping as she blew into her palm. She turned and walked away without looking back.

I knew he was following me. I had only to look up to confirm that fact. I knew the light dancing in the sky, going in the same direction I was, was not a plane or a helicopter. Even less of a surprise would be if it parked itself in my living room and watched me as slept. Probably cautious that I would call someone, as if I had anyone to call, or try to somehow turn against it. Not that I could, the phone it had given me, heavy in my pocket was proof enough of how trapped I really was.

I wondered if it had given Melina a phone as well, maybe even Matt. Since we seemed to be the only humans it had contact with.

I kept a tight grip on the phone as an I walked, ready for it vibrate or for the robot's voice to come blaring out of it at any moment. Of course nothing happened as I expected it to, and I arrived safely at my apartment. Feet heavy I treaded up the staircase onto the third floor, stopping at the top when I noticed figure standing at the front of my doorway.

" Jeremy?" I called.

He turned, a frown on his lips. He had on his bouncer uniform, a standard black shirt, dress pants and shoes.

" Jade," he called moving towards me, then stopping halfway. " I came to…check on you. Hey that is the right apartment right?" He pointed to my door.

I nodded. " Yeah…why?"

" The guy from the other night answered. Threatened to ' fuck me up,' if I didn't leave."

" Fucking Andrew," I mumbled. I would get no rest tonight. He would confront me, and the result would end up being a full on interrogation. And to ward him off I would either end up distracting him with sex, a tactic which would probably not work a second time, or hitting him.

" So I was right. It is the same guy?"

" Yeah," I said. " Listen, you don't live that far from here right?"

" Just a few blocks down," he said eagerly.

I took in Jeremy for a long moment. Jeremy with his farm boy face, and tall form. He wasn't as bulky as Andrew, but his muscle was lean and firm, more spread out over his body. Still he looked more suited to herding sheep and cows, and riding on the backs of horses, than he did bouncing at a strip club.

" Do you mind if I crash at your place? Maybe shower there an-"

" No," he said abruptly. " I mean. No. No I don't mind."

I smoothed down my hair with both hands. "Are you sure? I don't want to make you feel awkward what wit-"

" I'll order Chinese," he said eagerly.

I smirked at him. " Chinese? You sure know how to show a girl a good time."

He frowned. " Or…something else. It doesn't have to be Chinese or…"

" Calm down farm boy," I said walking down the stairs, afraid that Andrew would somehow hear and come out of my apartment. That would be all I needed right now. " I was joking."

He followed after me, and I set the pace, not knowing exactly where I was going, but the general direction. He fell into step beside me.

" So Chinese. Yes?"

" Yeah," I said. " Chinese sounds better than what I was going to have."

" What were you going to have?"

" Cereal. If my milk isn't stale. And if it is, oatmeal."

" Oatmeal," he said nodding, "Sounds good."

"Doesn't it?" I said.

He chuckled. " I'll call now. What do you want?"

"Chicken and rice," I said blurting out the first thing I thought of. Around me cars past, lights bright against the backdrop of darkness. People walked on the streets, blushing past us. I made a note to catch the faces of ones who past us directly, not trusting, even on the mostly busy street, that they weren't the ones who wanted to kill me. A person brushed past me, a little too close for my liking, on the spacious sidewalk, and I pushed myself closer to Jeremy, unconsciously wrapping a hand around his arm.

He smiled down at me, not removing the phone from his ear.

" Yeah, perfect," he chimed. " Twenty minutes. Alright. Thanks."

I tightened my grip around my newly fixed phone, my hotline, my lifeline.

Would Ultron really come if I called?

If I was in trouble?

Or was it a bluff? Some sick game?

" Hey." Jeremy squeezed my arm between one long fingered hand. " Twenty minutes."

" Twenty?"

" Yeah. Wait for the food."

" Oh yeah."

" And my apartments right there." He pointed up ahead to the apartment complex. I studied it for a long moment, taking in the number of floors, and possible exits. Then I turned to him.

" Top floor? Penthouse?"

He snorted. " Nah. Third floor. Not living that large." He surged forward, eager, and I followed, still glancing around, taking in my surroundings. When we reached the apartment complex he fumbled for his keys, dropped them, picked them up, and grinned, as I hit the third floor button on the elevator. I tried not to laugh at him, only to crack a half grin. " Look elevator," he said pulling me inside.

He stood beside me, putting a even foot between us, as he jiggled the keys in one hand, and bounced his bag in the other. When the elevator doors opened he lurched out, leaving me behind as he took long steps down the hall.

He was nervous.

Is he expecting sex...?

Jeremy the bouncer, who'd seen me naked, and dressed in an number of ridiculously small outfits more than a hand full of times, yet never blinked, or stirred. It wasn't like he was a seasoned bouncer, or gay like most of the other guys, he was relatively new, and farm boy, to show nothing, on his face, or in his pants was a little more than weird. For the longest time I thought he was a closet gay, before one of the dancers, a girl name Erika outright asked him. He'd flustered, ears going red, before answering with a flat out, "No." Of course the girl's argued him down, and each time he rejected the notion, before they finally stopped asking him.

Although that didn't stop Erika from introducing him to patrons as "Jeremy, the not Gay."

If he did want or expect sex, I reasoned it would not be a bad trade. He was probably a virgin, or at least very experienced. A few thrusts and he would be finished, and I would have a place to sleep for the night without being disturbed. Worst case scenario, Ultron showed up, or the people who were currently trying to kill me.

" Sorry," Jeremy said as we finally approached his door. "It's a mess."

I snorted at him. He opened the door, and we both slipped inside. He flicked on the light.

" It's nice," I said taking in the one room apartment. Bigger than my own, and nicer.

He rubbed the back of his head. " Yeah. I…um…"

" Does it have a shower," I said.

" Yeah. Over there. Towels and rags are under the sink…soap." He paused to hurry to the bathroom. He disappeared inside, shutting the door behind him. I followed. He opened the door minutes later and poked his head out. I could smell disinfectant.

" All good," he said coming out completely.

" And you said towels and rags were in here?"

" Yeah."

I started go inside he stopped me again.

" Do you need clothes?"

" Oh," I sighed looking down at my own clothing. They were filthy, torn and a mess. I couldn't put them back on like I was planning too, and I'd neglected to get new ones in my mad dash from my apartment. I should have stayed, at least long enough to get some clothes, then went to Melina's apartment.

" I have some," he said before I could answer. He hurried to the other side of the room to where his dresser sat beside his bed. Opened it and started to dig inside. His movements hurried as he shifted through the contents, pulling out a plain black thermal, and a pair of blue jeans. He shifted to the next drawer, and pulled out a pair of dark grey boxer briefs and a long sleeved, white wrinkled collared shirt. Articles in hand he came back and presented them to me.

I took the thermal and jeans first, then the white shirt and boxer brief. Assuming the jeans and the shirt were for when I left, and the boxers were for my stay overnight.

" Thank you," I said.

" Yeah," he rubbed the back of his head, in a show of nervousness. " So I'm going to go get the Chinese, will you be alright here?"

" I'm sure I can manage," I said, then added, " Be careful."

He grinned. " Yeah."

I watched him go, noting that he did not lock the door behind him. I locked it myself, then closed the blinds. My hands were trembling and my legs felt weak with exhaustion and fear.

Forcing myself into the bathroom, I locked the door, flicked on the lights and turned to face myself in the mirror. I looked a mess. My hair a bird's nest on top of my head, smudges of dirt, and grime on my cheeks. My jacket was torn at the sleeve where the bullet had gazed past, the gauze there brown with dried blood. I looked like a hobo straight off the street, and taking a whiff of myself, I didn't smell to hot either.

Still Jeremy said nothing the entire time on my appearance or my smell on the walk over, hadn't even alluded to it. And he was even leaving me alone in his house. What was to stop me from robbing him blind, and disappearing in the night? Did he seriously trust me that much?

And what if they killed him? Ultron wouldn't protect Jeremy. He could care less about the life of one human. He might even be the one to kill him.

I tightened my hand around the phone. I could ask him to make sure Jeremy was safe. Demand that he protect him, and if he didn't, refuse to help with his plan.

" Shit."

That wouldn't work. Ultron had too much hold over me. Jahari, and Melina, my mom, Andrew, even Matt. My first instinct was to run, while I still could. But where could I go? I'd spent my entire life running, ducking and hiding, manipulating and using people, and now when it matter most, I drew a blank of what to do.

I slammed the phone down on the counter as hard as I could. Hoping Ultron could feel it. At the very least, know that I was angry and blamed him everything that was happening.

Calm Jade. Stressing never helped solve anything.

No but it was the best motivator to get things done.

I forced myself to undress, exposing my bruised and lumped covered body. I looked like I had a fight with a hill, and lost. I took the gauze wrapped around my arm off last, gritting my teeth, as I peeled the wrapping off my the flesh clinging to it. The wound was leaking pus, and blood, the skin around it red and inflamed.

I opened his cabinet looking for antiseptic, or some kind of wash. I found a bottle of hydroperoxide. I sat it to the side for after my shower. I would douse the wound after I showered. If it didn't look any better I would have to go to the doctor, the last thing I needed was to lose my arm over an infection.

The shower water was hot, hotter than the water at my apartment, and I sat on the shower floor, letting it run over me, soaking my hair, not trusting my feet to hold me up. This was the most vaunable I'd been all day, the most accepting. Were they to burst in right now, guns up, determined on taking my life, I would not fight. Dying in the shower. There were worst ways to go.

I sat in the shower, sitting, unmoving until the water ran cold. Shivering I washed, rubbing Ax body wash on my skin, and in my hair.

A knock on the bathroom door, cause me to stand up, alert.

" Y-yes?"

" Hey you alright in there?" Jeremy called.

I turned off the shower.

" Yeah, I'm getting out now…"

" I've got food," he said. " You know when your ready?"

" Yeah," I said again, " Give me a minute…I…"

On the floor, Andrew's phone started to vibrate. Expecting Melina I picked it up quickly, my fingers over the answer button. I froze, realizing the caller ID read, ' Unknown.'

Fingers shaking, mind blink, I answered, and already knowing it wasn't Melina, Andrew, or Ultron.

" Hello?"

" Jade Wilson," the voice, a female voice on the other line said. I recognized it, faintly. Having heard it once, " I believe we've met before," she said.

" Y-yes."

" We should meet again."

"Who—who is this?"

" Do not be afraid, Jade Wilson," the voice said. " We are here to help."

Feedback is much appreciated.

Two weeks before finals. Wish me luck.