When Time Collides ★ [2] ✔

Together

We regrouped in Tony's lab. We were all pretty shaken from the skirmish in the lobby. It all happened so quickly. But what even happened? I had no idea. I was too busy trying not to get blown up by the Iron Legion to have asked what was going on:

Hello, Metal Man! May I ask: why art thou blowing thyself up?

We're here to help.

Clearly not, my metal friend.

But the way Tony stared at one of his ruined armours told me everything that I needed to know: he knew what was going on.

We stood scattered around the lab. I cowered deeper into Steve's leather jacket as I stepped next to Clint on the low, elevated platform above the lab. It felt like my only source of protection at the moment.

"All our work is gone," Bruce announced. "Ultron cleared out, used the internet as an escape hatch."

"Ultron," Steve repeated, adjusting to the unusual name and nature of the thing.

"He's been in everything," Nat explained, turning to cross her arms and lean against a work bench.

She'd changed out of her dress and into her sweats. I wished I could do that. I'd lost my shoes in the fight and my dress was ruined, stains and scorch marks all over it. I think my hair got singed at bit as well; it smelled burnt.

"Files, surveillance." She frowned. "Probably knows more about us than we know about each other."

"He's in your files, he's in the internet," Rhodey said. "What if he decides to access something a little more...exciting?"

"Nuclear codes," Hill concluded before pulling a shard of glass from her foot.

"Nuclear codes," Rhodey agreed. "Look, we need to make some calls, assuming we still can."

Nat frowned. "Nukes? He said he wanted us dead—"

"He didn't say dead," Steve interrupted. "He said extinct."

"He also said he killed somebody," Clint added.

"There wasn't anyone else in the building," Hill said.