till the end of the line

28 Getting The Cradle

Arriving at the mark, I crouch down as Steve came up behind me while Natasha and Clint took their place.

"I think I can listen in."

Steve looked at me and nodded as I closed my eyes and tried to focusing. Almost instantly the robotic voice of Ultron rang through, "Life. Life always decides. There's incoming. The Quinjet. We have to move."

I opened my eyes and grabbed his arm as we looked their way, "Steve, he knows that we're here. Well, he knows the Quinjet is nearby."

Nodding he spoke and his voice was heard beside me and over comms, "Two minutes. Stay close."

We got up and ran into the lab once I sensed that it was safe, "Dr. Cho!"

I kneeled down beside her as I tried to ease her pain while she spoke to Steve, "He's uploading himself into the body."

"Where?"

"The real power is inside the Cradle. The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark."

"First we have to find it."

"Go."

I stood up and we both ran back out trying to find the Cradle, "Did you guys copy that?"

"We did."

Clint confirmed as Natasha gave us information on where to move, "I got a private jet taking off, across town, no manifest. That could be him. Wait, there. It's a truck from the lab. Right above you, Cap. On the loop by the bridge. It's them. I got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver."

"Negative! If that truck crashes, the gem could level the city. We need to draw out Ultron."

Giving me a nod I brought us both onto the bridge as Steve jumped onto the roof of the truck while I focused on my energy, trying to slow the truck down.

"No, no, no, no, no. Leave me alone!"

Ultron blasted the truck door as Steve tried to enter before backing away, "Well, he's definitely unhappy! I'm gonna try and keep him that way."

"You're not a match for him, Cap."

"Thanks, Barton. But I got Kat to help."

"Yeah, you do."

I smiled and jumped over car roofs as I slowly gained closure on the truck as Ultron unplugged himself from what looked to be the Cradle. Steve was blasted back onto the car I was standing on before I used energy to throw him back to the truck.

"You know what's in that Cradle? The power to make real change, and that terrifies you."

"I wouldn't call it a comfort." Steve shook his head as he tried fighting Ultron before he dropped his shield.

"We got a window. Four, three- give 'em hell."

I watched as Natasha began moving closer on her motorbike as I ran over cars getting closer, "Hey Nat, grab Cap's shield there."

"On it. I'm always picking up after you boys."

I smirked as I flipped over onto the truck holding my arm out as Natasha threw the shield my way. In one motion I caught it and spun throwing it to Steve as he then fended off Ultron as I moved to the side of the truck.

I jumped into the passenger seat and put my feet up on the dash as I crushed the bot under me before punching the one driving, taking the wheel.

Only before I knew it they both flew out the window as I navigated the truck, using an energy source to hold the truck on course.

I jumped back out and landed on the speeding train as it passed before I jumped in throwing a punch at Ultron, knocking him back into seats.

"Good to see you, Kat."

"Mhm, now help me get rid of this chick."

"I'm going in. Cap n Kat, can you keep him occupied?"

As we both stood up from being thrown back, we looked at each other in confusion before ducking, "What do you think we've been doing?"

While fighting, the twins showed up as the female walked over to Ultron who was trying to leave as she bent a barrier before him, "Please. Don't do this."

"What choice do we have?"

Ultron stood up straight and sighed before he blasted through to the driver and flew through the window as Steve spoke over comms to Clint, "We lost him! He's headed your way!"

"Copied."

We looked at where we were heading and saw only a stop before we flew off the rails, headed for civilians.

Trying to think Clint's voice rang again, "Nat! Cap, you see Nat?"

I jumped through the ceiling as I landed on the roof of the train, shaking my head, "If you have the package, get it to Stark! Now!"

"Do you have eyes on Nat?"

"Clint! Go!"

I looked over as we drove through an attended alleyway before I jumped back down, "Pietro. Civilians in our path."

He nodded and wasted no time in clearing the path as I turned to Wanda, "Can you help me stop this thing?"

She thought for a moment before nodding as I stood in front of her as we both used our powers to slow the train down.

After stopping the train Wanda ran over to an out-of-breath Pietro, as I grabbed Steve pulling him up to his feet. We walked over to the twins as Pietro tried to calm his sister down, "I'm fine. I just need to take a minute."

"I'm very tempted not to give you one."

"Steve..."

Chuckling, we turned when Wanda spoke to us, "The Cradle, did you get it?"

"Stark will take care of it."

"No, he won't."

I shook my head and stepped forward, "You don't know what you're talking about, Tony may have a big ego but he's not crazy."

"He will do anything to make things right."

I looked to Steve as he held his hand up to his ear, "Stark, come in. Stark. Anyone on comms?"

"I am."

"Very funny, but be serious. It's just us."

"Ultron can't tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it. Where do you think he gets that?"

Meeting his eyes again, I thought for a moment over Wanda's words before shaking my head, "We need to get back."