We Rise, Only To Fall / Steve Rogers

21

Taken  

"I'll take Natasha, Rose and Clint." Steve said, picking up his shield and placing it on his back.

Nat gave me a sideways glance. I looked at her and shook my head. It was awkward, we knew it was. I was still put out by my harsh rejection. And I wasn't even the one who had made a move. Still, I would try and be somewhat civil, for the sake of the mission. And I missed actually getting some action. 

"All right, strictly recon. I'll hit the Nexus. I'll join you as soon as I can." Tony replied. 

"If Ultron's really building a body . . ." Steve said to Tony warily. 

"He'll be more powerful than any of us." Tony finished. "Maybe all of us. An android designed by a robot."

"You know, I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was me." Steve said, a hint of humour in his voice. 

"I'll drop Banner off at the tower," Fury entered the room, shrugging on a jacket. "You mind if I borrow Ms. Hill?"

"She's all yours." Tony said. "Apparently."

"What are you gonna do?" I moved forward, ignoring Tony and Steve and looking directly at Fury.

"I don't know," he said. "Something dramatic, I hope."  

~

The Quinjet dropped Steve and I off on some random roof. I pulled a gun from its holster and readied it, checking that the metal staff I had picked up from Clint's house (well he wasn't using it) was still strapped to my back. There it was, safe and sound and ready to be extended for close combat, should the situation call for it.  

"Two minutes. Stay close." Steve said to everyone through our earpieces.  

Weaving through buildings, we found our way into the facility where Ultron had been working; it was deserted, no Ultron or other bots, but there were several bodies on the floor, including Cho's.

"Dr. Cho!" Steve and I ran up to her, dropping to her as she struggled to sit up, her clothes stained red. 

Steve whipped out a cloth and pressed it to her injury, trying to stem the bleeding. She breathed heavily. "He's uploading himself into the body." She told us. 

"Where?" Steve and I asked at the same time.

Cho shook her head, she didn't know. Steve turned to look around but she grasped his arm. "The real power is inside the Cradle. The gem, its power is uncontainable.  You can't just blow it up." She looked to me. "You have to get the Cradle. You and your brother."

"I understand," I nodded. "First, we have to find it." 

"Go." She told us. 

"Did you guys copy that?" Steve asked into his earpiece. 

"We did." Clint replied in the Quinjet. 

"I got a private jet taking off across town." Nat informed us. "No manifest. That could be him." 

"There. It's a truck from the lab." Clint said through my ear. Steve and I began to move. "Right above you, Cap, Rosie. On the loop by the bridge. It's them. You got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver." 

"Negative!" Steve said at once. "That truck crashes, the gem could level the city." 

We climbed several rungs onto a road. "We need to draw Ultron out to us." I said. We came out on the bridge, the truck on the loop nearing us.