Double-Edged Sword ─ age of ultron ✓

five

We've got a long one, besties. The second half of the chapter loosely discusses where Sasha is with her anorexia, so just a heads up if that may be a trigger. But there's softness at the end, I promise.

I love that the video I watch to really get into the spirit of this book is the Drew Gooden Danny Gonzalez collab about the Jeremy Renner app. Just thought I'd share, because it's a favorite of mine.

★★★

FIVE minutes later, the Avengers assembled, all pretty pissed for one reason or another.

"All our work is gone." Bruce shook his head. "Ultron cleared out. He used the Internet as an escape hatch."

"He's been in everything," Natasha said. "Files, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other."

"Internet?" Steve, who didn't know a damn thing about any technology more modern than analog clocks, turned to look at Sasha. "Can you do anything to stop him?"

Sasha realized most of the room was staring at her now. Natasha had been right.

"What are you, nuts? It's not that simple. If we were talking about a human, it would be one thing, but we aren't. We're talking about an artificial intelligence created from alien technology that's taken on a life of its own. Asking a person, let alone a teenager, to try and hack him is like sending someone into a warzone with a Nerf gun."

Steve understood that reference. He'd walked by one of those things at a store once.

"Can't you try?" he asked.

"I think you should give it a shot," Rhodey jumped in. "He's in your files, he's in the Internet. What if he decides to access something a little more exciting?"

"Nuclear codes." Maria looked up from where she was treating her injuries.

"Nuclear codes," Rhodey repeated. "Look, we need to make some calls, assuming we still can. Sasha, you're better at this computer stuff than almost everyone in this room. Trying to stop him that way may be a long shot, but right now, a long shot is all we have. At least see if you can track him."

Sasha knew he wasn't wrong. They were totally fucking screwed right now, and there was a chance the only pass they could make was a Hail Mary. She needed to try.

"Nukes?" Natasha looked over at Rhodey. "He said he wanted us dead."

"He didn't say "dead"," Steve corrected her. "He said "extinct.""

"He also said he killed somebody," Clint said.

"There wasn't anyone else in the building," Maria answered. Tony abandoned Ultron's physical remains and walked to the center of the room.

"Yes, there was." He pulled up the hologram of J.A.R.V.I.S.'s "consciousness."

"Jesus," Sasha muttered. The thing had been ravaged. Banner came closer.

"What?" he whispered, then, louder, "This is insane."

"J.A.R.V.I.S. was the first line of defense." Steve stared at the floor. Alex stood right beside him, so close that their shoulders touched. "He would have shut Ultron down. It makes sense."

"No." Bruce continued studying J.A.R.V.I.S.'s remains. "Ultron could have assimilated J.A.R.V.I.S. This isn't strategy. This is...rage."

"And people wonder why I hate A.I.," Sasha mumbled.

Thor stormed into the room, stalking right up to Tony and lifting him by the neck. Everyone jumped to attention.

"Come on, use your words, buddy." Tony wrapped his hands around Thor's arm.