EVERYBODY WAS IN the lab and their biggest fear came true...the scepter was gone, likely taken by an Ultron sentry.
Banner spoke to Stark. "All our work is gone. Ultron cleared out. He used the Internet as an escape hatch."
"Ultron." Steve repeated with a huff.
"He's been in everything. Files, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other." Natasha said.
Y/N paced around with his arms crossed. "He's in our files, he's in the Internet. What if he decides to access a little something more exciting?"
"Nuclear codes." Hill cut in.
Rhodey agreed. "Nuclear codes." He groaned as his back still ached from falling through a window. "We need to make some calls, if we still can."
"Nukes? He said he wanted us dead." Natasha remarked.
Steve turned to her. "He didn't say dead, he said extinct."
"He also said he killed somebody." Clint added.
Y/N shrugged as he did a head count of everybody who was still around. "There wasn't anyone else in the building."
"Yes, there was." Tony said as he walked over to the console. He queued up a hologram, showing a mixture of orange and blue strands. It displayed how Ultron's programming destroyed Jarvis.
Banner went up to the hologram. "This is insane."
Steve looked down, somewhat saddened at the loss of the A.I.
"Jarvis was our first line of defense. He would have shut Ultron down. It makes sense."
Bruce still eyed the hologram.
"No. Ultron could have assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy. This is rage." He replied.
"What the hell are we dealing with here?" Y/N asked. "Jarvis with anger issues?"
Thor suddenly walked into the lab, donning his Asgardian armor and cape. He went up to an unaware Tony, grabbing the billionaire by the neck and lifting him up.
"Come on, use your words, buddy." Tony struggled in the demigod's hold.
"I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark."
Steve walked up to the pair and tried to calm them, even though a part of him wanted Tony to learn his lesson.
"Thor. The Legionnaire." He said.
Thor put Tony down and glared at him.
"Trail went cold about 100 miles out, but it's headed north. And it has the scepter." He explained.
Y/N rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Great. We take it out of HYDRA's hands and now it's with Ultron."
Helen Cho decided to speak as well and turned towards Tony.
"I don't understand. You built this program. Why is it trying to kill us?"
Tony turned around and faced another computer, then suddenly began to chuckle. Bruce was beside him looking confused.
Thor was already annoyed. "You think this is funny?"
Tony turned around. "No. It's probably not, right? This is very terrible. Is it so..." He laughed again. "It is. It's so terrible."
"This could've been avoided if you hadn't played with something you don't understand." Thor shot back.
"No. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It is funny." Tony started to get serious. "It's a hoot that you don't get why we need this."
Tony started to explain how he purposely didn't create a hostile A.I and was working with Banner on creating it for peace. He brought up how Loki's invasion of Earth in 2012 opened his eyes.
A part of him wanted to tell them his vision back in Sokovia, the sight of the whole team dead, but it hurt to think about it...so he kept it to himself.
"We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the livelong day but that up there, that's..." He pointed up. "That's the endgame."
Tony cleared his throat before continuing. "How were you guys planning on beating that?"
Steve walked closer to Tony, "Together."
Stark paused for a moment before replying. "We'll lose."
Rogers looked directly at him and didn't hesitate.
"Then we'll do that together, too."
• • •
THE AVENGERS WERE back at the tower the next day to continue their task on finding Ultron. Y/N was looking through the computer with Natasha when Steve walked up and handed him a tablet.
"What's this?" Y/N asked.
"A message. Ultron killed Strucker." He answered.
Y/N looked at the photo of Strucker's body in his cell with writing on the wall made with his own blood. Tony walked over and the young man handed it to him next.
"And he did a Banksy at the crime scene, just for us." Tony remarked after seeing it too.
"This is a smoke screen. Why send a message when you've just given a speech?" Natasha remarked.
"Strucker must've known something that Ultron wanted us to miss." Y/N replied.
"Yeah, I bet he..." She paused as she continued typing into the computer and realized Strucker's file was gone. "Yeah...everything we had on Strucker's been erased."
Steve and Y/N look at each other, father and son coincidentally thinking of the same idea.
"Not everything." Steve said.
The team looked over physical paper files within boxes, something that even Ultron couldn't tamper with.
Steve flipped through some of them. "Baron Strucker had a lot of friends."
"Well, these people are all horrible." Banner replied as he looked through some as well.
"They got some interesting cover names." Y/N chimed in as he read one specific file. "Like this guy. Who calls themselves claw?"
Tony looked up at Y/N. "Wait. I know that guy. Hand that over, Forrest."
He handed Tony the folder and he started looking over the file of Ulysses Klaue.
"From back in the day. He operates off the African coast. Black market arms." Tony explained.
Steve gave a look of disappointment at Tony, and the billionaire understood why.
"There are conventions. All right?" Tony cleared up. "You meet people. I didn't sell him anything."
He continued reading the file. "He was talking about finding something new, a game-changer. It was all very Ahab."
Thor went behind Tony and looked at the photo of Klaue within the file. He pointed out the brand on the dealer's neck and Banner decided to search its origins. He discovered it meant thief in African dialect.
"What dialect?" Y/N asked.
Banner looked at the word on the screen and tried to pronounce it. "Wakanadan...Wa...Wa...Wakandan."
Tony looked at Steve, the two knowing exactly what goods came out of there.
Vibranium.
"If this guy got out of Wakanda with some of their trading goods..." Tony began.
"I thought your father said he got the last of it." Steve interjected.
Y/N chose to speak. "Um...I don't follow. What comes out of Wakanda?"
Both the billionaire and Captain glanced back at the shield resting nearby.
"The strongest metal on earth." Tony answered.
Y/N nodded. There was a reason why Ultron wanted vibranium and they had to find out what for.
"All right. Where is this guy now?"
• • •
ULTRON EXPECTED THE transaction to go smoothly, but Klaue unfortunately couldn't keep his mouth shut. After the mention of his co-creator, Tony Stark, he got enraged and inadvertently chopped the dealer's arm off.
"I'm sorry. I'm...Oh! I'm sure that's gonna be okay. I'm sorry. It's just that I don't understand. Don't compare me with Stark!" Ultron shouted before kicking Klaue down the steps.
Ultron shook his head and continued shouting. "Stark is...he's a sickness!"
"Ah, Junior." A voice said from above.
Ultron and the two enhanced, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, looked up to see Iron Man descending. Thor, Captain America, and Freedom Fighter walked up beside him.
"You're gonna break your old man's heart." Tony finished.
"If I have to." Ultron rebutted.
"We don't have to break anything." Y/N told the robot.
"Clearly you've never made an omelette." He replied.
Tony turned to Y/N. "He beat me by one second."
"Ah, yes. He's funny. Mr. Stark. It's what? Comfortable?" Pietro looked over the railing at the missiles below. "Just like old times?"
"This was never my life." Tony stated.
"You two can still walk away from this." Y/N called out to the twins.
"Oh, we will." Wanda shot back.
Steve spoke to them next. "I know you've suffered."
Ultron scoffed and let out a chuckle.
"Captain America. God's righteous man. Pretending you could live without a war."
He looked at Freedom Fighter next.
"Joined alongside his son. Zola's pawn. Absolving his history by trying to be righteous in his own right."
Steve and Y/N stayed silent as Ultron continued.
"I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but..."
"If you believe in peace, then let us keep it." Thor interjected.
"I think you're confusing peace with quiet." Ultron replied.
"Uh-huh. What's the vibranium for?" Tony asked.
"I'm glad you asked that because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan." Ultron said before using his magnetism ability to attack Stark.
Ultron's sentries suddenly dropped down and started attacking the Avengers as Ultron took it upon himself to deal with Iron Man.
As two sentries ran up to Y/N he took out his batons and readied himself to fight. He dodged one of its swings and swiped at its head, knocking it off. The second sentry grabbed him from behind, but Y/N jabbed the tip of his second baton into its neck and electrocuted it.
Thor fought the robots as well but Pietro used his enhanced speed to push the demigod backwards. Rogers ran towards Wanda, who simply heaved him back too using her psionic abilities.
The Captain fell back beside his son's feet and the young super-soldier looked at Maximoff.
"You don't want to do this." He warned.
"Oh, I do." She swirled crimson energy around her fingers. "What I do, you can't replicate."
Y/N ran at her but Wanda used her powers to freeze him before throwing him over the railing. He landed on the floor below.
"Ugh..." Y/N groaned. "Yeah, I don't think I can copy that."
He got back up, only to be pushed back against the wall by a running Pietro. Y/N once again stood up, darting his eyes around for any sign of the other Maximoff.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see a smirking Pietro. He swung his baton but the speedster evaded his attack. He spun back around to hit him again, but missed because of the man's swiftness.
"Try and hit me, grandpa." Pietro said before dodging another hit by Y/N. He ran around the room one time then pushed Freedom Fighter back again.
Pietro ran off to engage the other Avengers. Y/N exhaled as he sat against the wall. "Super speed. Oh, I hope his shoes get untied."
As the fighting continued, Ultron spoke to Wanda through one of his sentries.
"It's time for some mind games."
Freedom Fighter was currently combatting a couple of Klaue's reinforcements when Steve spoke through the comms.
"Thor. Status."
"The girl tried to warp my mind. Take special care. I doubt a human could keep her at bay. Fortunately, I am mighty."
Y/N tossed his baton at a wall that bounced off and hit two more gunmen. He wrapped the legs of one of them with his second billy-club and pulled him down before running up and kicking the other man over the railing.
Y/N caught his breath and spoke into his comms, not having heard back from anyone in a while.
"Steve? Nat? Does anybody copy?" He asked.
He suddenly heard footsteps behind him and quickly reacted by grasping his baton to swing back and hit the threat. His arm was suddenly stopped as Wanda froze him in place once again and threw him against the railing.
Y/N groaned and looked up to see the Maximoff twin already leaning over him. She put her fingers near his temple as red energy colored his irises.
Wanda grinned. "Sladké sny (Sweet dreams)."
• • • 1967 • • •
OPERATION BEACON STAR was a precursor to a larger battle that would end up occurring in the valley of Khe Sanh.
A battle that Lieutenant Y/N L/N wouldn't be able to fight in, since the mission he was on now would seemingly be his last.
Y/N traversed the woods holding his M1 Garand, trudging slowly through mud as rain started hitting his face. He was alone, taking it upon himself to complete this mission since the rest of his unit was either captured or currently operating on Hill 861.
He suddenly heard voices in the distance and a part of him knew he was close to the supposed destination. He crouched and slowly made his way through the shrubbery, finally seeing a group of men standing guard in front of a couple bamboo cages containing allied soldiers.
His comrades.
A Viet Cong soldier opened up one of the cages and dragged a familiar looking allied soldier. He brought him to his knees and took out a knife.
"Từng cái một. Tiết kiệm đạn (One by one. Save the bullets)." The lead soldier exclaimed.
His colleague nodded and was prepared to slit the soldier's throat, but he was quickly shot down.
An enemy started shouting. "Trong cây! Trong— (In the trees! In—)." He was shot down next.
They shot where the gunfire came from, but didn't hit anybody as Y/N circled around and started picking them off. He ran out and engaged the remaining two enemies who weren't quick enough to shoot, in which Y/N push-kicked one of them hard into a tree.
The last Viet Cong soldier ran up and swung his knife, but Y/N dodged the attack and bent his wrist after grabbing it. He landed a direct punch at his face before tossing him into the bushes.
He panted as he picked his rifle back up and looped it around his shoulder then walked up to the two cages.
"Lieutenant!" One soldier said in surprise.
"You sure kicked their asses." Another stated.
Y/N ripped the doors open with his sheer strength before walking up to the soldier who was about to be executed.
"Come on, Ross." Y/N helped the sergeant up. Thaddeus exhaled as he rubbed his neck.
"Thanks." He said and picked a gun up from the floor. "Is it just you?"
"Yup." Y/N simply replied. "Let's get moving."
The rescued soldiers and Y/N were walking down the path back to their base camp. Suddenly, one soldier was dragged through a bush which startled another.
"Private?" The soldier called out and crept forward. Immediately, a man came out of the shadows and grabbed his head before smashing it against the tree.
Y/N heard the commotion and turned around to see a glimpse of the man with a metal arm.
"We got company!" A soldier yelled before getting shot. The assassin seemingly vanished afterwards.
Lieutenant L/N didn't want his men to die after saving them, so he decided to handle it himself.
"Retreat! Make it back to base!" Y/N yelled, then grabbed Sergeant Ross by the arm. "Lead them back."
He nodded and motioned the men to follow. They ran through the woods and Y/N stood near his fallen comrades as he darted his eyes around to find the threat.
The Winter Soldier dropped down from a tree and prepared to stab Y/N, but he reacted fast enough to roll out of the way. He aimed his gun at the HYDRA asset, but the man grabbed the rifle by the nozzle and bent the barrel. Y/N quickly swept his legs and brought him to the floor, but the Soldier kicked Y/N in the face and sent him backwards towards a tree.
Barnes got up and stabbed down at Y/N, but he avoided it and instead stuck the knife into the tree stump. Y/N kneed the Soldier's abdomen but he countered with a backhand across the lieutenant's face.
He stumbled back and The Winter Soldier ran up and punched him again. Barnes hit Y/N another time, this time with his metal arm, and sent him to the floor. All Y/N could hear was white noise and the faint rushing of water from the river they were near.
The HYDRA asset grabbed the dazed and bruised Y/N by the neck and picked him up. He stared at him for a moment, then threw him into the water below.
Y/N fell into the Rao Quan river, which would be the last known location of the lieutenant and would be never found again...
...until the HYDRA cell within Vietnam recovered what they sought.
A new weapon.
• • • ??? • • •
ALARMS BLARED WITHIN the Triskelion as agents sprinted through the hallways. Nick Fury ran with Maria Hill and passed by some of them.
"Any word from Barton and Romanoff?" Fury asked.
"They're on their way up." She answered. "But it's bad down there, Nick. Dozens dead."
"I might know what they're after. We need to—" He was interrupted with a sudden explosion down the hallway. Several agents were taken down as a figure appeared through the smoke.
A/N: Picture credit goes to Kevin Cross on ArtStation. And for Y/N's case, ignore the metal arm.
Taskmaster.
"Go! I'll buy you some time." Hill exclaimed.
"No!" Fury shot back.
"Just go!" Hill shoved him before taking out her gun. She ran to join the other S.H.I.E.L.D agents shooting at Taskmaster, but the man used the energy shield within his gauntlet to deflect the bullets. He raised his semi-automatic pistol and shot four of the agents down.
Maria kept shooting along with another agent, but Taskmaster tilted the shield and caused their bullets to ricochet and hit them instead. Hill fell to the floor and let out a pained breath as she bled.
Taskmaster looked down at her for a moment before continuing on.
Suddenly, two agents appeared down the hall.
Black Widow and Hawkeye.
The archer shot an explosive arrow near him that blew up the wall, but Taskmaster protected himself with his shield and took cover.
"Extract the file with Fury! I'll handle this." Clint told Natasha.
"You better. Don't die on me." She replied, in which he gave a simple nod.
She ran off and left Hawkeye to deal with Taskmaster. He shot more explosive arrows, but the man either hit them away with his shield or avoided them with his reflexes. He fired his pistol, but Clint rolled away before shooting a regular arrow into Taskmaster's shoulder.
He grunted before simply pulling out the arrow and walking forward.
Hawkeye deployed his staff and charged at Taskmaster. The HYDRA mercenary easily dodged his attacks, all while studying his movements too.
Ultimately, he predicted one of Barton's swings and grabbed his arm. He trapped it in a hold before unsheathing his knife and stabbing Barton in the stomach.
Clint let out a groan, and Taskmaster took it out and plunged it into him again before finally dropping his body.
With Hawkeye eliminated, Taskmaster looked on down the hallway where Fury's office was. He knew what to expect, and went another away instead.
Black Widow tried to radio Hawkeye, but got no response. She feared the worst, which not only saddened her...but enraged her.
Fury was at his desk extracting the information into a USB drive. He darted his eyes between the door and the upload on his computer, ready for the threat to enter.
Taskmaster took them by surprise instead, crashing through the window behind Fury and kicking him across the table.
Natasha raised her pistol and shot at Taskmaster but he deflected it with his shield. Fury got back up and aimed at him, but the mercenary swiftly took him down with three shots to the chest.
Black Widow bellowed as she leaped off of the desk and tackled Taskmaster. They rolled on the floor exchanging punches until the man ultimately kicked and launched her into the desk. He unsheathed his knife and ran to her, but the Widow kipped back up and threw a taser disc that shocked him.
Natasha ran up and initiated a scissor kick in hopes of taking him down, but to her surprise, Taskmaster was able to replicate it. He used her own move and threw her on the floor.
She was prepared to take him on again, but Taskmaster had enough. He grabbed the gun he dropped and quickly shot her twice in the stomach, causing her to slide down against the wall bleeding.
Taskmaster holstered his gun and walked towards Fury's desk. He saw the upload about to finish, which made things a lot easier. All the info he needed was now in the drive.
Y/N took off his helmet and exhaled. He looked at the computer screen further, seeing the files of the Avengers Initiative.
Tony Stark, located in New York.
Bruce Banner, located in Calcutta.
Steve Rogers, currently at a S.H.I.E.L.D safe house.
HYDRA would love to know about all this. And he'd be able to eliminate them next.
Y/N was prepared to leave but a weakened cough by Natasha stopped him in his tracks. He looked at her, and the Widow glared as she continued to bleed out.
"You're nothing. You're just a pawn." She coughed once more. "You won't win."
The mercenary simply stared at her. And for the first time during the mission, he decided to speak.
"I already have."
Y/N took out his gun and aimed it at Natasha.
BANG!
• • •
Y/N WOKE UP in a cold sweat. His sudden yelp startled Clint, who was checking up on him.
"Woah, kid! Relax." He raised his arms. "Are you okay?"
Y/N looked around and saw members of his team within the Quinjet. Tony was sitting in the cockpit, Steve was looking down, Bruce was curled up against the wall, Thor was pacing around, and Natasha was sitting in silence.
He glanced between Clint and Natasha, swallowing hard as he rubbed his face and sighed. He killed them in his dream. A scenario where Fury never found him in stasis and was still HYDRA's.
He was a killer.
A monster.
"Yeah." Y/N lied and looked down. "What happened?"
"Shit went sideways after the goth chick...well..." He looked at Banner for a moment then back at Y/N. "Anyways, we're going to hide out for a bit as we collect ourselves."
Y/N nodded, he surely needed it and so did the others. "Where?"
Barton sighed and pat his back. "You'll see."