Karma - W. Maximoff

Chapter Ten

"What's the drill?" All of the Avengers had managed to smuggle their way around the core. They stood, watching each other and waiting for instructions.

"This is the drill." Tony pointed towards the core. "If Ultron gets a hand on the core, we lose."

"Is that the best you can do?" Thor yelled loudly, standing at the front of the group. Alex rolled her eyes, fighting the urge to hit the god with her fire.

Ultron raised a hand and all of his robots were summoned to him. There were even more than the Avengers had imagined. "You had to ask."

"This is the best I can do. This is exactly what I wanted." Ultron looked at the twins in particular. "All of you against all of me. How could you possibly hope to stop me?"

Tony looked at the ground and smiled. "Well, like the old man said... Together."

The Hulk roared as all of the robots started attacking them. They fought back, already exhausted from the earlier fights but knowing full well they couldn't give up.

Alex felt on top of the world. It was like her senses were heightened up to fifteen and she couldn't help but crave more power. It was unlike her to be so power-hungry, but it just felt so good.

Everyone stood there, panting. They had cleared the rest of the bots away and Rhodey had made sure to destroy. Hulk had quite literally thrown Ultron through the air, and the Avengers had high hopes he was put away for good.

"We gotta move out. Even I can tell the air is getting thin. You guys get to the boats. I'll sweep for stragglers. Be right behind you."

"What about the core? We can't leave it unattended." Alex spoke, clearing the smoke her fire had caused from the air. It might not hurt her, but she could tell Clint and Nat weren't doing well with it around.

"I'll protect it." Alex turned to Wanda, giving her an insane look. "It's my job."

Natasha followed Clint out of the area as Alex walked towards Wanda. She didn't waste a second to embrace her.

"Wanda, I'm so sorry I dragged you into this mess, I-"

"Don't be, Alex." Wanda smiled and placed a hand on top of Alex's. "I joined HYDRA and this is me making up for it. I'm happy to be here, and I want to help."

The two girls were suddenly interrupted by a blue whiz. "Get the people on the boats."

"I'm not going to leave you here."

"Pietro, she can handle this." Wanda proved Alex's point by ripping a robot apart as it got too close to the core.

Wanda lowered her arms from their defensive position. "Come back for me when everyone else is off. Not before. You understand?"

Pietro grunted and walked behind Wanda before turning around. "You know, I'm twelve minutes older than you."

Alex's breath hitched in her throat. She was twelve minutes older than her brother.

Wanda laughed. "Go."

Pietro turned to Alex. "You coming?"

Alex looked at Wanda briefly and smiled. "Yeah, I'm coming."

——————

"Clint!" Alex yelled after him, chasing him to the boat he was on. She watched as he disembarked, taking off running.

"Al, what are you doing here? Get yourself on that goddamn boat."

"What? I'm doing my job." Alex stopped him in his tracks, allowing him to catch his breath momentarily. "Pietro's doing a final sweep of the place. Why aren't you on the boat or already off into the sunset?"

Clint looked down at the younger girl. "A mother lost her son. I need to find him."

Alex sighed. She knew there was no way of convincing him otherwise now that his mind was set. "I'm not letting you go alone."

Clint nodded before the two started running. They managed to find the boy, carrying him out of a dumpster he was stuck inside. "Come on. Time to go."

Clint picked him up, looking for the best route to a boat. Alex stood up straighter when she heard gunshots coming eerily close to the two. Before she knew what was happening Clint had shoved her and the boy behind him, using his body as a crash mat to the bullets.

Alex screamed out, trying to push Clint out of the way. He wouldn't budge, but what surprised her the most was that none of the bullets hit him.

Alex looked around, trying to find what had blocked the bullets.

Pietro.

Her dad's shirt was stained with blood and Pietro's hair was matted down. He had been shot in every imaginable place but was still standing.

"You didn't see that coming?"

Pietro collapsed to the floor and the two Avengers audibly gasped. Clint had tried to make a sacrifice but had instead been sacrificed for.

"No, Pietro, no." Alex couldn't help but let out shaky breaths as her brother rushed back to her. No, he couldn't be dead. He couldn't be like Matthew.

Clint knelt next to Pietro checking his pulse. He was dead. Steve came behind Alex, pulling her away from Pietro and engulfing her in a hug. He knew what this meant to her even if he didn't know about Matthew.

Steve took Alex by the hand and led her back to the boat. She carried Pietro's body with her, knowing how much Wanda would want it.

Clint sat down in a seat beside her, putting an arm around her shoulder. "It's been a long day."