Chapter 17 – The Weight of the World
Emerald light streaked across the New York skyline as Ben tore through the night in his XLR8 form. The wind roared past him, but his focus was unshaken. The Ultimatrix buzzed faintly on his wrist, syncing effortlessly with his thoughts, driving him forward.
He screeched to a halt at Plumber HQ, the metallic sheen of its command center catching the city's glow. The doors slid open, revealing chaos within—officers running to and fro, systems buzzing with alerts, and Magister Patelliday barking orders from the central command table.
Ben stormed in, his presence immediately drawing attention. He deactivated the Ultimatrix, returning to his human form as he strode toward the meeting table. His emerald eyes burned with determination, and the hum of the room quieted.
"Everyone. Stop what you're doing," Ben said, his voice sharp, cutting through the noise.
Patelliday raised an eyebrow, still bandaged from Ultron's earlier assault. "Tennyson, what now—"
Ben slammed his hands on the table, his voice rising. "Get everyone. Every Plumber, every ally, every friend. Now."
The command center froze. All eyes were on Ben.
"You don't get it," Ben continued, stepping around the table to face the room. "Ultron and Albedo aren't just playing games. They're building something that can end us all."
Patelliday crossed his arms, skepticism flickering in his gaze. "Kid, you're talking about mobilizing for a full-scale war."
Ben turned to him sharply. "Then that's exactly what we're doing."
A murmur rippled through the room, but Ben didn't let it distract him. He tapped the communicator embedded on the table, sending out an emergency broadcast signal. One by one, familiar faces began to appear on the holographic screens surrounding the room.
The first was Kevin Levin, leaning against the doorframe of his garage with an amused smirk. "Tennyson, you look worse than usual. What's going on now?"
Ben rolled his eyes. "Nice to see you too, Kevin. Listen—we're talking end-of-the-world level. Albedo and Ultron are in this together. You in?"
Kevin cracked his knuckles. "World-ending? Sounds like my kind of party."
Next was Gwen, her eyes glowing faintly with mana as her hologram shimmered into view. "Ben, what's wrong?"
Ben smiled faintly, his voice softening slightly. "Gwen, I need you. Big time. Ultron's planning something massive—something we might not come back from."
Gwen nodded without hesitation. "You know I'm with you."
Rook's face appeared next, his calm and collected demeanor unshaken. "Ben. I assume the situation is critical?"
Ben smirked, unable to resist a quip. "Rook, if it wasn't critical, I wouldn't be calling you. You ready to save the universe again?"
Rook's mouth twitched into a small smile. "I'll see you at HQ."
Finally, Max Tennyson's hologram filled the screen. Despite the bandages wrapping his arm, his expression was steady, resolute. "Ben."
Ben exhaled, relief washing over him momentarily. "Grandpa. It's bad. Ultron's got the Omnitrix core, and I'm pretty sure he's building something… apocalyptic."
Max nodded grimly. "This isn't our first end-of-the-world scenario, kid. Let's make it count."
Ben grinned faintly, his confidence returning. He turned to the room, his voice rising. "Alright, listen up! I know Ultron looks like he's got the upper hand—and yeah, maybe we're the underdogs here."
A faint chuckle rippled through the crowd.
"But here's the thing—this isn't just about us. This is about every life on this planet, every family, every future. We've faced worse odds, and we've come out on top because we don't give up. Not now. Not ever."
Kevin smirked on his screen. "Are you giving a motivational speech, Tennyson?"
"Darn right I am," Ben shot back, grinning. "Now suit up. We've got a universe to save."
- The Avengers were scattered throughout the tower's command center, their fatigue evident from the shadows under their eyes. Steve Rogers stood by the holographic map, looking up as Ben stormed in. Thor rested against a pillar, gripping Mjolnir tightly, while Natasha and Clint spoke quietly in the corner. Bruce Banner sat beside Tony Stark at the console, both scrolling through incoming data streams.
Steve glanced at Ben with regret flickering across his features. He approached carefully, his voice low and sincere. "Ben—about what I said earlier in the Quinjet…"
Ben raised a hand, interrupting him with a faint grin. "Don't sweat it, Cap. You were just giving me the classic Rogers pep talk—tough love edition."
Steve blinked, surprised at the response. Ben smirked slightly, his eyes brighter. "But hey, next time, maybe throw in some of the 'save the world' speeches instead of the guilt trip. I like those better."
A soft chuckle rippled through the room, easing the tension slightly. Steve gave a small nod, his lips twitching into a smile. "Fair enough."
Ben turned to the console, his grin fading into something more serious. Bruce looked up from his tablet, his brow furrowed deeply. "Ben, if Ultron's planning something big, we need details. What's his play?"
Ben exhaled sharply, walking toward the center terminal. Without hesitation, he slammed the Ultimatrix, transforming into Ultimate Brainstorm. Emerald light illuminated the room, and electric pulses crackled across his exoskeleton as his neural spikes glowed brighter than ever. His enhanced cerebral grid surged, expanding his consciousness tounprecedented calculation speeds.
The room grew still as the air around him hummed faintly. Data flooded Brainstorm's mind, equations unraveling in real time as he dissected every clue Ultron had left behind—seismic patterns, radiation signatures, gravitational anomalies, thermal shifts.
Brainstorm's distorted voice echoed through the room. "Seismic tremors—origin point localized on the lunar surface. Radiation spikes—gamma waves measured at frequencies exceeding environmental capacity. Atmospheric interference—aligned with gamma-ray bursts."
Natasha frowned, her arms crossed. "Plain language, Brainstorm."
Brainstorm twitched, his optics glowing as he processed further. "Ultron has established a facility on the moon. Gamma radiation readings indicate the presence of Vibranium cores manipulated through Albedo's Ultimatrix technology."
Bruce stiffened immediately, concern flashing across his face. "Gamma radiation? Why would Ultron and Albedo need Vibranium infused with that kind of energy?"
Brainstorm's claws twitched violently, his mind unraveling the answer in mathematical sequences displayed on the holographic map. "To weaponize it. The gamma source isn't stable—it's volatile. If paired with Vibranium's resonance capability, it can amplify destructive output."
Steve stepped forward, his voice sharp. "What kind of destructive output are we talking?"
Brainstorm's calculations accelerated, his voice growing urgent. "Ultron isn't just using gamma Vibranium cores for a localized attack. He's using them as a propulsion system."
Bruce's breath hitched. "Propulsion for what?"
Brainstorm turned sharply toward the map, his claws stabbing the air as a projection of the moon materialized above the terminal. He pointed toward a glowing mass on the lunar surface. "A meteorite. Albedo has weaponized a gamma-infused lunar structure. Ultron plans to launch it toward Earth."
The room froze.
Tony Stark's HUD flickered as he scanned the data with increasing urgency. "Wait—hold up. Are you saying they're going to drop a moon chunk on us?"
Brainstorm's optics flared. "Precisely. The meteorite's mass has been augmented with Vibranium layering to maximize durability. Impact velocity is designed to exceed atmospheric disintegration thresholds."
Bruce leaned forward, his voice trembling. "What would happen if it hit Earth?"
Brainstorm processed the final trajectory calculations, his claws twitching as the answer appeared. "Impact would generate thermal displacement exceeding nuclear detonation levels. Atmospheric collapse would follow within hours. Global extinction in days."
The air grew heavier.
Thor gripped Mjolnir tightly, lightning flickering faintly around his fingers. "By the gods…"
Brainstorm's spikes pulsed violently, his mind searching for solutions. "Ultron's lunar facility contains thruster mechanisms powered by gamma cores. If we deactivate these mechanisms before launch, the meteorite remains inert."
Steve nodded firmly, determination filling his voice. "Then that's our plan. We hit the lunar facility, we disable the thrusters, and we stop this before it starts."
Brainstorm deactivated, returning Ben to his human form. He staggered slightly, the rush of information leaving him breathless. He steadied himself, his chest rising and falling as the room turned toward him.
Ben looked up, his voice steady. "Let's move."
The Quinjet engines roared to life, pushing toward the stars.
And above them, on the moon's surface, Ultron's next move awaited.
- The Quinjet roared over European airspace, slicing through the darkness. Inside, the atmosphere was thick with tension, the team visibly bracing for what lay ahead.
Ben sat by the mission terminal, his arms crossed. Across from him, Bruce Banner scrolled through intel on his tablet, his brow furrowed deeply.
"You feel it too?" Bruce asked, glancing at Ben.
Ben nodded, his jaw tight. "Yeah. Something's off. Ultron's too smart to pick a battleground without a reason."
Steve Rogers, standing near the cockpit, turned toward them. "We're heading into a trap, aren't we?"
Ben clenched his fists. "Definitely."
Tony Stark leaned back in his seat, his HUD scanning satellite images. "Fantastic. Love walking straight into these. E.T, you sure your shiny new watch can fix this?"
Ben ignored the jab, slamming the Ultimatrix and transforming into Ultimate Brainstorm. His neural spikes glowed brighter than before as electrical pulses surged around his exoskeleton.
His voice, now layered with distortion, hummed with intelligence. "Give me a moment."
The air crackled faintly as Brainstorm activated his cerebral expansion. Streams of data flooded his enhanced consciousness: seismic patterns, storm intensities, Vibranium radiation, mechanical frequencies.
Mathematical equations etched themselves across his vision as he pieced together patterns that normal minds couldn't comprehend.
"Gravitational shifts—suspiciously irregular," Brainstorm muttered, his voice rapid. "Seismic tremors—consistent with thruster testing. Storm anomalies—coinciding with regional electromagnetic interference."
Thor frowned, gripping Mjolnir. "Plainly, Brainstorm. What is he planning?"
Brainstorm's claws twitched violently as he processed the final sequence. Then—his glowing optics flared with realization.
"The city," Brainstorm rasped. "Sokovia is being engineered. It's not a battleground—it's a projectile."
The room stilled.
Bruce stiffened. "What do you mean?"
Brainstorm's voice quickened, overlaid with urgency. "Ultron is converting Sokovia into an orbital mass. He's outfitting it with thrusters to launch it into the atmosphere. Once airborne, it will accelerate toward Earth."
Steve's breath caught. "He's turning it into a meteorite."
Brainstorm nodded. "Precisely. The impact would rival a global extinction event. Debris fields, atmospheric collapse, thermal displacement… Humanity would cease within hours."
Tony's HUD scanned rapidly, confirming Ben's statement. "Son of a—he's right. This isn't just about wiping out a city—he wants an extinction-level impact."
Thor narrowed his eyes, gripping Mjolnir tightly. "Then we cannot allow it to rise."
Brainstorm deactivated, returning Ben to his human form. He took a sharp breath, his chest heaving. "We have two options—either we disable his thrusters before the city rises… or, if it does, I transform into Gravattack and lower it before impact."
Steve stepped forward, his voice steady. "No chances. No risks. We stop this before it starts."
Ben nodded firmly, the Ultimatrix glowing faintly on his wrist.
"Then let's finish this."
The Quinjet surged forward, cutting through the storm-filled skies.
Ahead—Sokovia loomed.
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