The Ghost [Marvel | Steve Rogers]

Chapter 42

Which meant their best chance for tracking down Ultron had likely walked out the door. He didn't know how to fix that either.

Although...Steve turned, looking back into the train.

The civilians on the train were trickling out of the mangled cars onto the torn-up street, understandably bowed and rattled by their ordeal. Steve couldn't help but flinch internally at the sight. They hadn't deserved to be dragged into this mess. But at least they'd saved as many as they could, he reminded himself pragmatically. That was the mission, after all; to protect and save as many as they could.

It could have been a lot worse. A whole lot worse.

If it hadn't been for the Maximoffs...

It was only now, now that the imminent danger had passed, that Steve was able to truly recognize the implications of their actions on the train.

The Twins had broken with Ultron.

That they had? It was a surprise. He wasn't quite sure though if it was a good one or not.

The fact that they had chosen to help him on the train, both against Ultron directly and in saving the civilians on board? They could've just run. Left. Saved themselves when it became apparent that the train was out of control.

They hadn't needed to show up in the first place.

But instead they had stayed. And they had helped him without question.

It had certainly been a nicer surprise than the last one...

On the other hand...that they'd broken with Ultron at all? That development heralded potentially larger and decidedly less pleasant surprise.

Somehow Ultron had pushed them away. Betrayed them, even, judging by the sister's comment earlier; though it hadn't sounded like the robot had believed so on the train. At the very least, Ultron had done something that had chased the Twins away regardless of whatever promises he'd made them.

And that could not bode well whichever way it was sliced.

But still...they had fought against Ultron on the train, which meant they were, at the very least, no longer his allies.

At the most? They were his enemies now too.

And it was very likely that Ultron now considered them as much even if they didn't.

Which meant the Avengers now had an opportunity, as objectionable as it might be to some of them considering the Team's history with the Twins.

He just needed to figure out if they were open to changing sides outright. But if they could get the Twins on their side for the inevitable final confrontation with the A.I.? It was worth a try at the very least. There was no doubt that they were going to need all the help they could get against Ultron. But it would be a potentially difficult task, that was for sure.

There was a lot of rage in the Twins toward the Avengers. Especially toward Tony.

But there was no getting around it. They were too valuable as potential allies to just walk away from, no matter how badly Steve wanted to do just that. Hell, part of him wanted to lock them away from all the damage they'd caused at Ultron's side, misguided, mislead or otherwise as they might have been.

But not only were their abilities potentially invaluable in this fight, but their knowledge definitely would be.

They would know where Ultron had set up shop.

And they knew Ultron. They'd worked alongside him, after all.

They might even know his endgame...that might even be what had driven them away from the robot.