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getting back to the tower, as many things needed to be discussed.

However, when they walked into the lab, they saw Bruce and Tony together. Uploading more data.

"I'm gonna say this once." Steve said angrily. Alex and the twins were next to Steve, all with unhappy looks on their faces.

"How about 'none-ce'?" Tony retorted.

"Shut it down!" Steve ordered.

"Nope, not gonna happen."

"You don't know what you're doing," Wanda spoke up.

"And you do? She's not in your head?" Bruce nodded to Wanda.

"I know you're angry," She stepped out from behind Steve.

"We're way past that. I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade."

"Bruce," Alex scolded.

"Banner, after everything that's happened--"

"It's nothing compared to what's coming!" Tony yelled.

"You don't know what's in there," Wanda argued.

"This isn't a game, Tony!"

Alex was quiet, not wanting to interject. She agreed with Steve, that this was reckless. But, how was she to go against Tony and Bruce, who had been there for her before?

Pietro suddenly ran over to the machine in a blur, unplugging it. "You were saying?"

But, a gunshot sounded, and the glass floor beneath him broke. He fell down a floor with a thud.

"Pietro!" Wanda exclaimed.

"I'm rerouting the upload," Tony said as the machine started beeping.

In protest, Steve threw his shield aggressively. It bounced off the walls, hitting many machines on its way. Tony turned, hitting Steve with a blast from his iron hand. Wanda started to join in, but was put in a choke hold by Bruce.

Alex didn't know what to do, so she ran over to Tony. She grabbed his wrist to stop him from hitting Steve. He shook her off easily.

"Who's side are you on?"

"The Avengers." She spoke, trying to drain him, but he put on his suit quickly.

Tony and Steve went at it, shattering glass and breaking everything in sight. Then, suddenly, Thor flew into the room. He raised Mjölnir, summoning lightning into the space.

"Wait!"

Thor brought the hammer down on the Cradle, sending power straight through it. The machine beeped as it was overloaded with electricity. Then, it suddenly stopped. There was a small pause, with everyone looking at the Cradle.

Then, it exploded. Thor was thrown back, and something jumped out. It was shaped like a human, but had red skin, and something glowing above its brow.

Everyone awaited its first move as it looked around the room.

Then, it went flying at Thor, throwing him back once again. It stopped at the large glass window overlooking the city, and everyone inched around it. It looked at its reflection, then slowly turned around.

"I am sorry, that was...odd. Thank you," It said to Thor.

"Thor, you helped create this?" Steve asked.

"I had a vision. A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life, and at its center is that." He pointed to the yellow gem stuck in the thing's forehead

"What, the gem?" Bruce inched toward them.

"It's the Mind Stone. It's one of the six Infinity Stones. The greatest power in the universe, unparalleled in its destructive capabilities."

"Then why would you bring it--"

"Because Stark is right."

Alex whistled. "It's definitely the end times."

"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron,"

"Not alone," The thing said, walking forward.

"Why does your vision sound like Jarvis?" Steve asked.

"We reconfigured Jarvis' matrix to create something new." Tony replied.

"You think I'm a child of Ultron." It said.

"You're not?"

"I'm not Ultron,"

"So, you're Jarvis?" Alex asked.

"No, I am....I am."

"Join the no-name club, pal."

"I looked in your head and saw annihilation." Wanda walked toward the thing.

"Look again." It whispered.

"Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the Mind Stone. They're nothing compared to what it can unleash. But with it on our side--" Thor said, but was cut off by Steve.

"Is it? Are you on our side?"

"I don't think it's that simple,"

"It better get real simple real soon." Alex spoke.

"I'm on the side of life, Ultron isn't. He will end it all."

"What's he waiting for?" Tony asked.

"You,"

"Where?" Bruce asked.

"Sokovia." Clint cut in. "He's got Nat there, too."

Alex's eyes fell to the ground as she remembered that Nat was missing.

Bruce walked forward. "If we're wrong about you, and you're the monster that Ultron made you to be.."

"What will you do?" It asked. "We have to destroy Ultron, and not one of us can do it without the others. Maybe, I am a monster. I wouldn't know. I'm not what you are, and not what you intended. So, there may be no way to make you trust me. But, we need to go."

It picked up Thor's hammer with ease, holding it out to him.

Everyone looked in shock and confusion as the thing simply held Mjölnir in its hand. Thor took it, and they all watched it walk away. Everyone relaxed, preparing to go to their own areas.

"We go to Sokovia tomorrow." Steve ordered, then turned to Alex. "Handle them."

She glanced over to the twins, who looked at her expectantly. "I'm not a babysitter."

"And I am not a child." Pietro rose an eyebrow.

"Right. Well, you guys can come with me to the lab to get fixed up." She scanned them over, seeing wounds on the both of them.

She led them to the lab she knew so well, reaching into a cabinet for one of Tony's many first aid kits. She remembered her training and research, how it led to many injuries to her, Tony, and Bruce. She brought it over to the table where Pietro sat.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere."

She rose an eyebrow at his smirk, and watched as he lifted his shirt over his head. What was usually a toned stomach was now a bloodied mess, and she spotted the cut above his right hip.

"Clean it up," She handed him a wipe.

"Can't handle blood?" He teased.

"You said you weren't a child, so you clean it."

He wiped blood off his stomach, and it wasn't just the cut that became more visible. She focused on the wound, placing a bandage over it softly. She looked back up at him when she was done, and their eyes met. His eyes glistened, but they were missing something. She blinked, looking away.

"You're all set."

"Much thanks." He hopped off the table, leaving his shirt behind. "You need my help in fight, you tell me."

"I don't think I'll need it,"

"Don't want to go fast, no? Then we go slow."

She scoffed, watching him walk out of the lab. Wanda was still waiting for her turn, rolling her eyes at her not-so subtle brother. Alex tapped the table playfully, and Wanda walked over with a soft smile.

"I think Pietro likes you," She marveled.

"Yeah, well, I'm honestly thinking of giving up men." Alex chuckled while she sifted through the first aid kit.

"Ultron talked about you, said you were the Avengers' secret weapon."

Alex cleaned the cut on Wanda's forearm. "I don't know about 'secret weapon',"

"He said you were very powerful."

"I am." Alex looked at her. "Only when I choose to be,"

"Why not be powerful all the time?"

"That mindset is what birthed Ultron,"

"Stark." Wanda spoke.

"Right. He wants to be powerful all the time, but he doesn't need to be. Ultimate power, it'll plague you."

"His power is what killed my parents."

Alex bandaged her arm. "I'm sorry,"

"Pietro and I thought we were on the right side with Ultron, but once I saw what he intended...I was wrong."

"I don't blame you, for wanting to kill Tony. He's an idiot sometimes,"

Wanda laughed, and Alex saw her smile for the first time.

"I'll change that bandage in a couple hours. You get some sleep,"

Wanda thanked her, and walked out of the lab. Alex put the kit away, shutting off the lights in the lab. She joined Tony and Clint where they were sitting next to the fireplace.

"You should be sleeping,"Tony said.

"I can make you sleep in two seconds," She replied.

"The walking cure for Insomnia, folks."

"How are you holding up, Clint?" She asked.

"Just worried about Nat."

"Hey, what about Sonic?" Tony tried.

Alex and Clint stared at Tony, blank expressions on their faces.

"Like the restaurant?" Clint deadpanned.

"Or the fucking hedgehog?" Alex laughed. "No, not it. Also, that's a better name for cheetah boy back there."

"Don't say I never try to help you."

"It'll come to me."

The three fell silent, staring into the soft glow of the fire. No words could be used to describe their settling nerves. All that consumed their minds was if the vision would betray them, and what the hell was going to happen in Sokovia.

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𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚟𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚒 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚞