I'm leaning on the bar with Tony and Rhodes Thor is standing across from Rhodes, and Agent Hill.
"So I take the tank and I fly it up to the Generals palace, I drop it at his feet. I'm like boom you looking for this" Rhodes explains waving his hands around for effect.
Thor stares at Rhodes as if waiting to hear more of the tale.
"Boom! Are you looking for this? Why do I even talk to you guys? Everywhere else that story kills"? Rhodes shakes his head.
"That's it? That's the whole story"? Tony asks sipping his drink.
"Yeah? That's the story. War machine's story" Rhodes nods.
"Oh yes well its very good then" Thor nods.
"It's impressive" Thor says.
Rhodes sighs.
"Quality save"
I hold back a giggle at the look on Rhodes face, I hope he knows that these are the Avengers.
Maria started asking about Jane and Pepper, Pepper got called to a last minute meeting in Phoenix and I have no idea where Jane is.
"Mia"? Ash calls from the dance area where she's chatting with Sam Wilson Steve's new friend.
I leave Tony and Thor to their girlfriend achievement contest and go to Ash.
"Have you met Sam"? She asks.
"Briefly" I say smiling at Sam.
"It's nice to meet properly Amelia" He says offering his hand.
"It's just Mia" I nod shaking his hand.
"Mia it is then" He nods.
"Ash here was telling me all about Sokovia" He explains.
"Really" I ask giving Ash a questioning look.
"Mia it's ok he works with Steve Jarvis told me about it" She says plainly before running off.
I watch her go, she's so innocent in all of this but also has more knowledge than all the other kids her age about how bad the world is.
"Sister"? Sam wonders.
"No I'm her guardian, the team is too. She is a very smart young lady" I say watching her laugh with Nat by the coffee table.
"Steve talks about her all the time that's how I knew about her" He adds.
I smile at that Steve really does care about her even wanted to go to her school to talk to someone about the teasing in her class, I talked him out of it.
"Speaking of Steve I'm going to go see if I can find him it was nice to finally meet you" He grins before melting into the people that are milling around.
I stand back and take in the room, the light atmosphere, how happy everyone is. For the first time since New York Tony actually has some closure with Loki and the Chitatari.
A couple hours go by I mingle with people and laugh then party dwindles leaving the team on the couch and sitting on the floor around the coffee table.
"It's a trick" Clint says twirling his drumstick around.
"I assure you it's much more than that" Thor says grabbing another drink.
"Whoever should he be worthy shall haveth the power. Whatever man it's a trick" Clint says imitating Odin's incantation for Thor's hammer.
"Well please be my guest" Thor says lightly gesturing to the hammer perched on the edge of the table.
We all pause our conversations to see what's happening.
"Come on" Tony nods.
"Really"? Clint asks.
"Yeah"
Clint gets up and stands over mjolnir that mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Clint you've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up" Tony says grinning wider.
We chuckle.
"You know I've seen this before right"? Clint says looking at Thor now.
The Asgardian nods a confident smile on his face.
Clint tries to lift the hammer, nothing happens.
"And I still don't know how you do it" He says while laughing.
"Smell the silent judgment"? Tony asks leaning on his elbows.
"Please Stark be all means" Clint says challenging Tony to lift the hammer.
I notice the change in Tony, he wouldn't back down from a challenge. He stands up and dramatically unbuttoned his suit jacket as if saying I've got this.
"I've never been one to shrink from an honest challenge. It's physics, so if I lift it I then rule Asgard"? He asks Thor.
"Yes of course" Thor agrees.
So Tony tries and nothing but he says he'll be right back and when he does come back he has an Iron man gauntlet.
Then he convinced Rhodes to get a War machine gauntlet to help him.
"Are you even pulling"? Rhodes asks.
"Are you on my team"? Tony fires back.
"Just represent, pull" Rhodes says.
Of course even with Iron man and War machine armor mjolnir doesn't budge.
Bruce tries doing a fake Hulk impression but he can't lift it either. Steve gets up.
"Let's go Steven" Clint says clapping his hands.
"Go Cap" Tony adds.
We all keep our eyes glued to mjolnir as Steve grabs the handle.
I could have sworn I saw it move a tiny bit that time.
"Nothing" Thor nods.
"Widow"? Bruce asks looking at Nat.
"Oh no no that's not a question I need answered" She says plainly sipping her beer.
"I'm with Nat on that this one" I say holding my hands up.
"To man who wouldn't be king, but its rigged" Tony says getting up to get another drink.
"Bet your ass" Clint says patting Tony on the back.
"Steve he said a bad language word" Maria pipes up.
"Did you tell everyone about that"? Steve asks looking at Tony.
"The handle is imprinted, right like a security code. Whoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints I think is the literal translation" Tony continues.
"Yes yes that is a very interesting theory, I have a simpler one. You are all not worthy" Thor says lifting mjolnir with ease flipping it around in his hand.
We all cringe when a high pitch noise fills the room.
"Wow" I say looking around for the source.
A mangled Iron legionnaire walks in trailing oil and wires.
"How could you be worthy? Your all killers" it says waving half an arm at us.
"Stark"? Steve asks in his Cap voice.
"Jarvis"? Tony asks but gets no reply.
"I'm sorry I was asleep or I was a dream" The legionnaire slurs.
Tony continues to try and get Jarvis back but I can tell it isn't working.
"I heard this terrible noise I was tangled in strings. Had to kill the other guy he was a good guy" It growls in low voice.
"You killed someone"? Steve asks sternly.
Slowly I get up using my power I send a force field to Ash's room.
"Wouldn't have been my first choice, but in the real world we are faced with ugly choices" He justifies.
"Who sent you"? Thor demands.
It plays a recording of Tony's voice 'I see a suit of armor around the world'
We all look at Tony with shock.
"Ultron" Bruce says.
Ultron? Who is that?
"In the flesh- or no not yet not this chrysalis. But I'm ready for my mission" He amended again waving a dripping half arm at us.
Slowly we all grab our perspective weapons, Nat her gun, Maria also pulls out her pistol Clint a knife.
"What mission"? Nat asks cautiously.
"Peace in our time" Ultron says.
Two more Iron legionnaires burst out of the wall, Steve kicks up the coffee table we all take cover the fight was on from there.
I tear one in half Clint throws Steve his shield Thor smashes another, Nat gets Bruce up to the balcony. I look around ok no more legionnaires. Except Ultron.
"Well that was dramatic. I'm sorry I know you mean well but you just didn't make it through. You want to protect the world but you don't want it to change" Ultron starts.
"How is humanity going to be saved if it's not allowed to evolve? With these puppets there's only one path to peace, the Avengers extinction" He explains crushing a legionnaire head in his hand.
No sooner are those words spoken Thor throws mjolnir straight through Ultron he crumbles to the floor in a heap.
"I had strings on me but now I'm free" He slurs before the light fades away.
"Maria" I gape her foot is all cut up and bleeding.
"I'm ok" She groans I help her up and onto what's left of the couch.
"Thor go after the scepter" Steve orders.
With a gust of wind Thor is gone, we all go down to the lab I keep the force field around Ash.
"All our work is gone Ultron cleared out he used the internet to escape" Bruce explains.
"Ultron" Steve shakes his head.
"He's been into everything, all the files he probably knows us better than we do" Nat comments while clicking on a tablet.
"He's in your files, the internet. What happens if he wants to access something a little more exciting"? Rhodes asks pushing away from the wall he was leaning on.
Maria's head snaps up.
"Nuclear launch codes"? She asks horrified.
"Nuclear launch codes, look we need to make a few- or a lot of calls that is assuming we still can" Rhodes says pacing across the room.
"Nukes? He said he wanted us dead" Nat puts in.
"He didn't say dead, he said extinct" Steve clarifies.
"He also said he killed someone" Clint says.
"But there was no one else in the tower" I say dusting off my pants, I hand Maria a first aid kit.
"Yes there was" Tony nods pressing a button on his tablet.
An orange hologram appears but it's been shattered- oh my God that's Jarvis!
"Oh my God" I gasp covering my face with my hands.
"Jarvis was the first line of defense, it makes sense he would have shut Ultron down" Steve sighs heavily.
"No Ultron could've assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy this is rage" Bruce explains his face illuminated by the orange glow.
I jump out of the way when Thor comes storming into the lab.
"Hey" I say when he grabs Tony by the neck.
"It's going around" Clint states dryly.
"Easy big guy use your words" Tony gasps.
"I have more than enough words to describe you Stark" He grumbles.
"Thor! The legionnaire"? Steve says firmly.
Thor lets Tony go I go to him and check his neck nervously.
"The trail went cold about 100 miles out but it is heading north. It has Loki's scepter! Which means now we have to retrieve it again" Thor exclaims angrily.
"Cats out of that bag. Ultron is our new problem" I state crossing my arms after deciding Tony is ok.
Helen asks Tony about the program and why Ultron is trying to kill us I shake my head when Tony starts laughing.
"Tony" I say trying to get him to stop.
"Maybe now is not the time to do this" Bruce cautions.
"No no it's funny it's a hoot that you don't see why we need this" Tony says still laughing.
"Tony" I say more sternly than before.
"Does anyone remember when I carried a nuke through a wormhole? Saved New York? Anyone"? He asks.
"No" Rhodes mutters but Tony presses on.
"A hostile alien army came charging in from a hole in space. There we were standing 300 feet below it, we're the Avengers we can go around busting Hydra all day long but up there. That is the endgame, how were you guys planning on winning against that"? Tony questions giving all of us a haunting look.
"Together" Steve states.
Tony spins back around to look at the Captain himself.
"We will lose" Tony says plainly.
Steve nods.
"Then we will do that together too. We are a team" Steve announces.
It's quiet for a few long seconds as that powerful statement hangs in the air.
"Thor is right Ultron is calling us out and I don't know about you but I would like to be ready for him" Steve says putting his hands on his hips.
"The world is a big place, we need to narrow it down" I say already putting a tracking algorithm together in my head.
"I will be with Ash if any of you need me" I say walking out leaving a few sparks of light as I go.
...