"Don't tell me your man swindled you. I sent you six short range heat seekers and got a boat full of rusted parts. Now, you will make it righter the next missile I send you will come much faster." Klaue told the person over the phone before hanging up. He sighs in exhaustion and headed another part of the underground hideout, then his phone rang again. "Now, minister, where were we?" He answered with a somewhat cheerfulness, before the lights went completely out. That caused a commotion throughout the compound, while Klaue remanded calm.
The Maximoff twins found Klaue with cold stone looks.
Clint is in the rafters, watching the interaction unfolding. "Where is the tin can?" He whispered.
"Everybody's afraid of something." Wanda said stiffly.
"Cuttlefish. Deep-sea fish. They make lights. Disco lights. Whom, whom, whom! I saw a documentary, it was terrifying. So if your going to fiddle with my brain, make me see a giant cuttlefish, then I know you don't do business, and I know you're not in charge, and I only deal with the man in charge."
Suddenly the glass windows burst in as Ultron flew in the room and knocking Ulysses Klaue over.
"There is no 'man' in charge. Let's talk business, Upon this rock, I will build my church. Vibranium." Ultron began in a strong voice, then Ulysses Klaue lead them to a vault with one of his men behind him, opening it and handed the robot the rock.
"You know, it came at great personal cost. It's worth billions." Ulysses Klaue comments darkly.
"Now, so are you. It's all under your dummy holdings? Finance is so weird. But I always say. 'Keep your friends rich and your enemies rich, and wait to find out which is which.'" Ultron recited.
"Stark." Klaue states confused while looking at the bot closer.
"What?" Ultron asked, tilting his head, also confused.
"Tony Stark used to say that … to me. You're one of his." Klaue starts in thought, then understanding where the killer robot came from.
"What!? I'm not!" Ultron sputtered before grabbing Klaue by the arm harshly with anger. "I'm not. Do you think I'm one of Stark's puppets, his hollow men? I mean look at me, do I look like Iron Man? Stark is nothing!" The murder machine slammed his hand down, chopping Ulysse' right arm, Klaue backs away in pain and fear towards the staircase. "I'm sorry. I am sor - ooh, I'm sure that's going o be ok. I'm sorry. It's just I don't understand. Don't compare me with Stark!" Ultron snaps before kicking Klaue in the face, sending him flying down the staircase. "It's a thing with me. Stark is … he's a sickness!"
Iron Man flew into the room, landing on the floor, Clint jumped down to the floor landing on his feet. Thor, Steve and Sailor Pluto entered the room.
"Ahh, Junior." Tony scuffs as he folds his arms. "You're gonna break your old man's heart." He cockily and sarcastically said.
"If I have to." Ultron replied while facing them.
"Now, now boys. This is not the time or place for a family squabble." Pluto said as she stood between Steve and Thor.
"We don't have to break anything." Thor said strongly, twirling his hammer for a moment.
"You've never made an omelet." Ultron scuffs at the Prince.
"He beat me by one second." Tony said annoyed.
"Sock it Stark." Pluto glares at him. "We don't have time for your childish tantrums." She turns to glare at the twins.
"Ah, this is funny, Mr. Stark. It's what, comfortable? Like old times?" Pietro asks with a glint in his eyes, but he did look down at the missiles below them.
"This was never my life." Tony said firmly.
"You two can walk away from this." Steve said, looking at the twins and trying to convince them to switch sides.
"Oh, we will." Wanda said with confidence, her hands glowing.
"I know you've suffered." Steve continued, sympathetic in his tone and hoping to connect to them.
"Ugh! Captain America! God's righteous man, pretending he could live without a war. I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but." Ultron scuffs, sounding disgusted.
"Get away from him!" Pluto thrust her Garnet Rod forward. Ultron stares at her, her red eyes dark.
"The Time Keeper. I must say you're doing an exultant job." Ultron said with a dead flat tone. "Why not tell your friends. How many of your people had to suffer when you opened the gates and they all fell one-by-one?"
"Don't listen to that garbage disposal!" Tony told her.
Pluto slowly wavered, Steve places a hand on her back in comfort. "I'm not afraid of you anymore!" She tried not to let the tremble of her voice come out.
"You should be. For you to believe in peace but fight." Ultron said firmly.
"If you believe in peace, then let us keep it." Thor said darkly.
"I think you're confusing peace with quiet." Ultron scuffs. "Now can I continue my conversation with the Time Keeper?"
"Nu huh. What's the vibranium for?" Tony questioned, looking at the rock in Ultron's clutches.
"I'm glad you asked that, because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan."- Ultron starts before lunging at Tony, who drops to attack.
"Steve." Pluto grabs his left arms with both her hands. "Don't face off with Wanda." She said stiffly and worry.
"Shoot them!" Ulysses Klaue orders before Steve had a chance to respond. "All of them!" Soon a huge and confusing fight broke out.
"Stay down kid!" Shouts Steve as he knocks Pietro onto his back. Wanda sneaks up behind him, waving her hands and fingers to mess with his mind. She then moved to her next victim.
Pluto turns to see Wanda on the prowl, she follows to find her using her magic now on Thor.
"Thor!" Pluto rushes forward and slams her Garnet Rod onto Wanda's wrist and shoving her back, Wanda get back up preparing to run, but Pluto shoves her Garnet Rod into the girl's chest and shoving her hard into the wall. "You ok, Thor?"
"The girl tried to warp my mind. Take special care. I doubt a human could keep her at bay. Fortunately, I am mighty." He said proudly, then freezes like a dazed trance.
Pluto pulls her Garnet Rod back. "Garnet Orb!" She calls, protecting herself. Pietro zooms forward but he bounces off the barrier and lands hard on his back with a cry. The boy looks up at her with shock before zipping around her in a flash and soon the twins have disappeared.
Pluto moves around, her orb still protecting her as she power walks. "Clint! Are you ok? Talk to me! Please." Her voice pleading.
"I'm here, how is everybody?"
"Steve, Nat and Thor are all down. I don't know where Tony is." Pluto moves, looking for Steve.
XxXxXxX
Steve is in a haze, searching for Trista and trying to fight the hallucination. And soon realized he's back in the 1940's and wearing and Captain officer uniform while standing in the middle of a dancing party. "Trista!" He yells in panic, frantically look around.
"Who's Trista?" A familiar woman's voice said behind him, he spins around to come face to face with Peggy Carter. "Are you ready for our dance?" She flirted, and he stared at her in shock, but accepted her hand and began to dance.
"The war's over Steve. We can go home. Image it!" She said softly, leaning on his chest. Steve shook his head pushing her away but still kept her at arms length.
"This is wrong." He said, shaking his head. The dance room and stage was gone and he looks around in shock.
"Steve!" Trista calls. He spun around to find her wearing an A Line Scoop Illusion Asymmetrical Satin Lace Evening Dress, a grape color, black DS Women's Satin Customized Heels Dance Boots Salsa Dancing Shoes, she's wearing a silver Teardrop Amethyst Pendant, Steve gave her that on her birthday promising forever.
Steve now stood between his past and his future, looking from one woman who has Stark Tower standing tall and proud behind her, to the other woman who has the Howling Commandos behind her.
XxXxXxXxXx
Pluto continued to power walk. "Steve!" She cried, looking around. "Where are you?" She cried in worry. She rounds a corner, finding Natasha sitting on the staircase and rocking as she shook, next to her on the floor is a collapsed Steve who is still trapped in his vision, still stuck between Peggy and Trista, torn about his past and his future. "Steve!" She runs over to him, dropping to her knees beside him.
"Natasha, I could use a lullaby!" Tony calls over the coms as Clint comes in, the Archer looks at Steve before he hurries over to Natasha.
"Steve." Trista whispered, removing her protection barrier. "Steve!" She gently pats his cheeks.
"Well, that's not gonna happen. Not for awhile." Clint said in defeat, checking on his best friend. He sees Thor a distance away on his hands and knees and head down. "The team minus myself and Pluto are all down. You got no backup here."
"I'm calling in VERONICA." Tony said.
"Tony, Banner said that that's for only emergencies and only for last resorts." Pluto said with worry, her hand on Steve's chest, while looking towards Clint.
"And this is it." Tony calls for the emergency situation.
"T - Trista?" Steve's weak voice had Pluto looking back down at Steve, who stared up at her, his mind trying to focus on her and her alone.
She smiles down at him. "Steve." Her tiara glowed softly and she shimmered back to civilian form.
"Trista?" Steve whispers in awe staring up into her red eyes filled with pure love and worry.
"Stevie." She smiles, before a blur rushes in, knocking her to the side. "STEVE!" She screams as she's suddenly gone.
"Trista!" He yells in horror and worry, before he's glowing in reddish orange and is sent flying back, slamming into Clint and the two hit the floor hard. "Trista!"
The blur stops to reveal Pietro, Trista over his shoulder. "Sorry, Ultron wants her." He said with his sister by his side.
"Noo!" Steve yells and lunging forward, but Wanda uses her magic to slam him back to the floor, and in a blur the twins are gone.
XxXxXxXxXxX
The Quinjet is quiet as Clint flew it through the air. Everyone reeling on what happened.
"The news is loving you guys. Nobody else is. There's been no official call for Banner's arrest, but it's in the air, and Trista missing is all over the news." Hill said over the coms as the Quinjet flew quietly. Steve had shut himself down and in the shadows of the jet as he stared at a picture of himself and Trista.
"Stark Relief Foundation?" Tony asked solemnly.
"Already on the scene. How's the team?"
"Everyone's … we took a hit. A hard crash and burn."
"Well for now I'd stay in stealth mode, and stay away from here." Hill cautioned.
"So, run and hide?"
"Until we can find Ultron, I don't have a lot else to offer.
Tony's eyes land on Steve's stiff back. "Keep us posted." He ends the call, then moves towards towards the front. "Hey, you wanna switch out?" He asked.
"No, I'm good. If you wanna take a nap, now's a good time, cause we're still a few hours out." Clint takes a glance towards Steve's back, then turns back to focus on piloting.
"I'm sorry. I know Trista means a lot to you too."
"She raised my daughter in a way you wouldn't understand." Clint turns to look at Tony with a hard and deadly glare, that made Tony lean back. "Tell me one thing Stark. How are you planning to fix this hell that you created?" He demanded darkly.
Tony looks at Steve, then his eyes land on Clint with a hard stare. "Destroying Ulron."
XxXxXxXxXx
In an unknown place. Michelle Kaioh stood, leaning on a wall behind her as she stares at her phone in her hand. Tears sliding down her cheeks. A single text displayed from Steve.
'Trista was taken by Ultron'.
Michelle slides to the ground as she cries into the night.