The Girl Who Had the Universe in her Eyes | marvel [2] ✔

TWELVE

CHAPTER TWELVE
' WHERE ARE THEY
HIDING THE
ZUCCHINI? '

"The next wave's gonna hit any minute. What have you got, Stark?"

Ash glanced at Rogers, black mist enveloping her hands and shooting out to drag bots across the tarmac.

"Well, nothing great," he answered. "Maybe a way to blow up the city. That'll keep it from impacting the surface if you guys can get clear."

"I asked for a solution, not an escape plan."

"He's got a point," Ash added. "The impact radius is getting bigger every passing second. We have to make a choice."

"Cap, these people are going nowhere," Romanoff added. "If Stark finds a way to blow this rock..."

"Not 'til everyone's safe," Rogers denied.

Stark scoffed through the earpiece. "Everyone up here versus everyone down there? There's no math there."

"I'm not leaving this rock with one civilian on it."

Romanoff stopped beside Ash. "There's worse ways to go. Where else am I gonna get a view like this?"

"Glad you like the view, Romanoff. It's about to get better."

The two females turned to see a Helicarrier hover in their line of view, causing them to raise an eyebrow.

Fury continued. "Nice, right? I pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty, but she'll do."

Rogers put his hands on his hips and let out a breath. "Fury, you son of a bitch."

"Oooh!" Fury shot back. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Smaller levitating boats flew out of the carrier, and people started to load on.

"This is S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Pietro asked, coming to a stop by them.

"This is what S.H.I.E.L.D.'s supposed to be," Ash replied.

"This is not so bad."

She pursed her lips. "S'pose not."

"Let's load 'em up," Rogers shouted.

"Thor, I got a plan! Avengers, time to work for a living."

Ash tilted her head as she studied the core, going to touch it before thinking better of it.

"Romanoff?" Stark touched down at the entrance to the church. "You and Banner better not be playing hide the zucchini."

"Relax, Shell-head. Not all of us can fly."

"Where are they hiding a zucchini?" Ash's eyes pulled into a furrow, but no one replied to her question.

Romanoff and the Hulk joined the rest of the team. "What's the drill?"

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

Ultron flew and landed outside the church.

"Is that the best you can do?" Thor challenged, lifting his hammer.

Ultron summoned his army of robots to join him as he raised his arms.

"You had to ask," Rogers deadpanned, glaring at him.

"This is the best I can do. This is exactly what I wanted. All of you, against all of me. How could you possibly hope to stop me?"

"Well, like the old man said," Stark began, glancing at Rogers. "Together."

The bots charged towards them, and Ash pushed her hands forward. Black energy shot out and knocked out a line of them.

Ultron shoved her into a wall, and she grunted as her head banged against the stone. Her eyes snapped shut, trying to clear the haze of her vision. She balled her hands and launched Ultron back. The magic moved to support her, and she flew forward, more energy manifesting in front of her and exploding into him. Vision, Thor and Stark joined her, the power causing the vibranium to melt. Ash let herself drop to the ground as she exited the church.

"You know, with the benefit of hindsight..." Ultron began, backing away from the quartet before the Hulk backhanded him. Ash watched him fly through the air.

"They'll try to leave the city." Thor shifted to face them.

"We can't let 'em," Stark shot back. "Not even one. Rhodey!'

Ash touched her head gingerly, pulling her hand away to see blood.

Rogers approached them. "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?" Ash asked.

"I'll protect it. It's my job," Wanda spoke up, looking at Barton.

Ash sighed, pushing her hair away from her face. "God, I can't wait to sit down."