Two girls become four and demons become manmade.
In an attempt to protect the world and his world, Tony Stark creates Ultron. However when plans go south, relationships are broken and formed, and new faces join their forces, how will the Avengers st...
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You betrayed me And I know that you'll never feel sorry For the way I hurt, yeah -Traitor, Olivia Rodrigo
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November 16th, 2015 Avengers Tower, New York City
"He's all over the globe." Hill tells Steve and Aria as they walk out of the elevator into the destroyed living area, "Robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs, reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place."
"Fatalities?" he questions.
"Only when engaged. Mostly guys left in a fugue state going on about old memories, worst fears, dead relatives, and something too fast to see," she says, knowingly.
"Strucker's subjects, fantastic," Aria says with a sigh.
"Well, that makes sense he'd go to them, they have someone in common."
"Not anymore." she hands them a tablet, showing a photo of Strucker lying dead with 'Peace' written on the wall above him in his own blood.
They make their way up the stairs, at the top of which, Barton is standing on the phone, "That's a negative. I answer to you. Yes, ma'am."
"Barton, we might have something." Steve interrupts.
"Gotta go," he says to the person on the phone, before hanging up.
"Who was that?" Steve asks.
"Probably his girlfriend." Aria pretends to tease, saving Clint from any questioning.
Across the tower, Thor and Astrid sit on either side of an isolated lab, both in silence. Astrid stares at her lap until Thor eventually speaks up, "I have missed you."
"And I you. How is Asgard?" she asks.
"I know not, since the Dark Elves attack and..." he trails off and looks at the ground though she knows exactly what he's thinking about, "I have not returned."
"I am truly sorry, Frigga was a great woman and Loki..." her voice breaks at the mere mention, "I'm sorry I could not have been there for you-"
"But you could have." he interrupts her, "I needed you; I was alone. I needed you and you weren't there."
"My duties were elsewhere."
"What about your duties to your people? What about your duties to Asgard?" he questions.
"Your duties are to Asgard. I have a duty to protect the universe. Whoever manipulated Loki... I couldn't leave them to their destruction." she says.
"Hey, blondies, you coming to help?" Tony calls from the room next door.
Astrid stands up and Thor calls after her, "We'll discuss this later."
She glances back and silently nods.
Reluctantly, they both walk over to where the team all gather in the lab and Steve hands around the tablet for everyone to look at, "What's this?" Tony asks, strolling over.
Thor harshly slaps the tablet into the billionaire's chest, "A message." Steve says, "Ultron killed Strucker."
"And he did a Banksy at the crime scene, just for us."
"This is a smokescreen." Nat declares, "Why send a message when you've just given a speech?"
"Strucker knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss."
"We'd still have all the information though unless he..." Julia starts.
Reading her mind, Nat searches their files for anything on Strucker, "Yep. Everything we had on Strucker has been erased."
"Not everything." Steve says.
A while later, they all sift through boxes of files, "Known associates. Baron Strucker had a lot of friends." Steve says.
"Well, these people are all horrible." Bruce scoffs.
"Wait. I know that guy. From back in the day." Tony says, looking at the file Bruce is reading.
Bruce hands it to him and Aurelia peers over his shoulder, "Ew, who is that?"
"He operates off the African coast, black market arms." Tony explains, earning him an accusing look from Steve, "There are conventions, alright? You meet people, I didn't sell him anything."
"Not that courts prove anyway." Aria jokes, shooting her father a wink.
He rolls his eyes and elbows her in the side, "I didn't sell him anything." he repeats, "He was talking about finding something new, a game-changer, it was all very Ahab."
"On his neck, what is that?" Astrid asks.
"Uh, it's a tattoo. I don't think he had it..."
"No, those are tattoos," he points to the black ink on his neck, then moves to the red scars marring his back, "this is a brand."
"Oh, yeah. It's a word in an African dialect meaning thief, in a much less friendly way." Bruce tells them, looking down at a tablet.
"What dialect?" Steve asks.
"Wakanada...? Wa...Wa...Wakanda." he stutters, trying to say it.
"Well... He could be a problem." Aria states, her face falling.
"If this guy got out of Wakanda with some of their trade goods..." Tony agrees.
"I thought your father said he got the last of it?" Steve questions.
"Well HYDRA had some for Bucky's arm so there must be some floating around." Julia shrugs.
"I don't follow." Bruce chimes in, "What comes out of Wakanda?"
All eyes shift to Steve's shield, which lies the floor, "The strongest metal on earth."
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A message from the author: Another update? What on Earth has come over me? Hope you all had a good day! Remember to vote and comment! See you all next chapter! (;
