Just a few days ago, Al had turned eleven years old. Birthdays are normally one of the happiest days of a child's year- visiting with family, presents, an entire day of fun. Al had experienced 9 of those days in his entire life. His last two birthdays were quite different. Wanda and Pietro had still not returned from HYDRA- meaning he had no family to celebrate with. While his previous birthdays may not have been your stereotypical birthday party, the three normally celebrated with a cake and reading stories to one another in the shelter they were staying in. Al's tenth and eleventh birthdays consisted of none of those things.
He was beginning to give up hope of ever seeing his brother and sister return. In the back of his mind, there may have been a sliver of hope, but after two years had passed, Al knew it was time to face reality.
"Have you seen an Aleksandr Maximoff?"
Upon hearing his name, Al stood from the dirt covered floor and shifted to hide behind a wooden box. He attempted to listen closer, curious but also afraid. The old woman hesitated, but the strangers looked impatient. "We must know, we have checked eight shelters already!" A brightly coloured red mist began to mix into the air, drifting Al's way. He observed it from a distance, his eyes wide. This seemed to have scared the old woman as well, as she allowed the strangers in. A dash of silver darted and grabbed the young boy, and the next moment he found himself in long loss arms. There were no words to be spoken, and no words were needed. The trio embraced another one another, remaining silent for what seemed like forever. "I-"
"I know," Whispered Wanda, shushing the young boy. "We said we would be back. We never meant to be gone for so long- that was never our intention." Al found himself a bit skeptical- two years had passed, after all. But this feeling did not last for long, for the two most important people in Al's lives were stood before him. "Happy birthday, by the way." Commented Pietro, forcing a smile as he ruffled his little brother's brown locks. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel guilty for leaving Al by himself for two full years. While the twins wanted to catch up with their sibling, they knew they did not have much time. Redness came out from Wanda's fingertips, a confused look taking over Al. "If you've noticed anything different about us- we have been given..powers..from HYDRA." Wanda attempted to explain what Strucker had done to them in easier and less terrifying terms. Al did not seem afraid, but mildly interested. "So what's your power?"
"Telekinesis..I can do things like this," Wanda made a small box float before skillfully resting it back down. A smile plastered across Al's face. "And I run." Pietro darted to the back of the room and back, much to Al's entertainment.
"You're wondering why you can't look inside my head." The voice didn't sound human. It sounded...robotic. "Sometimes it is hard. Sooner or later every man shows himself." Said Wanda, Pietro and Al behind her. "Oh, I'm sure they do." The source of the voice stood, dropping the cloak in the process. The twins stared up at the robot that was known as Ultron. "But you needed something more than a man." The voice sent chills down the trio's spines. "That's why you let Stark take the scepter."
Al took a step back, Pietro standing in front of him protectively. "I was not expecting...but I saw Stark's fear. I knew it would control him. Make him self destruct." Wanda responded, exhibiting no fear. "Everyone creates the thing they dread." Ultron began to walk away from the three. "Men of peace create engines of war. Invaders create Avengers. People create...smaller people? Children, children...lost the word there." The artificial laugh made Al nearly jump out of his skin. "Designed to supplant them. To help them..end."
"Is that why you've come? To end the Avengers?" Questioned Wanda. "I've come to save the world. But also..yeah. We'll move out right away. This is a start, but there's something we need to begin the real work. All of these are...Me. I have what the Avengers never will. Harmony. They're discordant, disconnected. Stark's already got them turning on each other. And when you get inside the rest of their heads...Everyone's plan is not to kill them." Wanda continued to stare up at Ultron while he spoke, while Al stood behind Pietro who was narrowing his eyebrows. "And make them martyrs? You need patience." "I don't see the big picture. I have a little picture. I take it out and look at it every day."
"You lost your parents in the bombings. I've seen the records."
Al finally looked up, his eyes meeting the emotionless red ones of Ultron's. "You know about our parents?" A robotic sound filled the room as Ultron looked down at the child. "I know about your parents. I know about your abandonment at age nine, I know about the wars in Sovokia...my point here, is that I know everything." Both of the twins stood closer to their brother. "But the records are not the picture-" "Pietro." Wanda warned. "No, please. We were nine years old. In the living room, the five of us. When the first shell hits, two floors below, it makes a hole in the floor...it's big. Our parents go in, and the whole building starts coming apart. I grab her and Al, roll under the bed and the second shell hits. But, it doesn't go off. It just...sits there in the rubble, three feet away from our faces. And on the side of the shell is painted one word...Stark. We were trapped two days. Every effort to save us, every shift in the bricks, I think, "this will set if off." We wait for two days for Tony Stark to kill us. I know what they are." As Pietro finished, Al blinked and a tear slipped down his cheek.
"I wondered why only you two survived Strucker's experiments. Now I don't. We will make it right. You and I can hurt them. But you will tear them apart. From the inside. He's all over the globe...robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs... reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place."
"Fatalities?" Questioned Wanda. "Only when engaged. Mostly guys left in a fugue state going on about old memories, worst fears, and something too fast to see." The sinister eyes gave a last look down at the three before they were gone.