Soundproof - An Avengers story

𝟟. Vision

Wanda's reasoning, sadly, couldn't have been more right.

Steve took the trio to the lab, where Tony Stark and Bruce Banner were already experimenting on the retrieved synthetic body. "I'm gonna say this once," the retired soldier scolded.

"How about 'nonce'?" Tony bounced back.

"Shut it down!"

"Nope, not gonna happen."

"You don't know what you're doing," Steve persisted.

Bruce almost scoffed at the indifference. "And you do? She's not in your head?"

Wanda shyly emerged from behind the Captain, knowing she wouldn't be trusted at first glance. "I know you're angry."

"Oh, we're way past that. I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade."

"Me first." Bombshell raised her hands, only to be put down by Wanda's magic.

They had struck a deal on the way down. She would listen and behave to whatever the Avengers had in mind, but if she changed her mind at any point after, she'd be free to leave... just without the Maximoffs or their support.

Steve locked eyes with the doctor. "Banner, after everything that's happened—"

"That's nothing compared to what's coming!" Tony protested.

Tired of their arguing, Pietro sprinted across the lab, destroying most of the machinery. He finished with extra sassiness by holding a tube, which he was unaware of its function. "No, no. Go on. You were saying?" Though he was shocked when a bullet burst from the glass floor.

He fell down a floor, landing next to Clint's feet. "What? You didn't see that coming?" the archer snickered.

As the machinery alerted critical damage, Iron Man pushed some buttons. "I'm rerouting the upload."

Captain America threw his shield, bouncing it perfectly towards the billionaire's direction. Bombshell wanted to interfere just for the thrill of it, but Bruce grasped her straight from her headphones diadem. Given they were literally bolted into her skull, she yelped in pain. "Go ahead, piss me off," Dr. Banner threatened.

Suddenly, Thor entered the room. He jumped over to where the technological corpse stood. With the hammer high up in the sky, the power of lightning coursed through him and unto the wires. Everyone else just stared at the scene in shock, confused as to what would be the reaction to the power overload.

The body rose by itself. It lunged at the first person in sight, who happened to be the one who give him life in the beginning.

Instead of breaking a window and landing in the middle of a New York street, it stopped millimeters before impact. Avengers and Sokovians alike surrounded the newfound creation.

"I'm sorry, that was...odd." It bowed in Thor's direction. "Thank you." To blend in more with its environment, it created a yellow cape, similar to Thor's and Bombshell's. Only his was shorter.

"Thor, you helped create this?"

"I've had a vision. A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life and at its center is that." He pointed towards the canary item encrusted on his forehead.

Bruce stared at his teammate in shock. "What? The gem?"

"It's the Mind Stone. It's one of the six Infinity Stones, the greatest power in the universe, unparalleled in its destructive capabilities."

Steve smoldered. "Then why would you bring it to..."

"Because Stark is right."

Bombshell had taught herself to focus on little details. She noticed the slight tremble in Dr. Banner's leg, the anxiety sweat radiating off Thor's temples, and the awkward position on Steve's stance. And that's when it hit her.

They argued the same, if not more, than her superiors in HYDRA. The difference was is that they gave each other a chance to understand the other perspectives. Well, most of the time, because if they had done that since the beginning, they wouldn't be here.

"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron."

"Not alone," Vision added.

They're very different from HYDRA, but in a good way, Bombshell concluded. Amid the heated conversation, she could sense the connection and respect between the misfit family. They listened to each other, even if it was a minuscule of a second. Although it sounded insane, maybe she could give them an opportunity.

"Why does your 'vision' sound like JARVIS?"

"We... reconfigured JARVIS' matrix to create something new."

Everyone, except Thor, had fear entrusted in the presence of the machine. They knew it was a bigger risk to have two artificial intelligence creatures carelessly roaming around the city instead of one.

Given his previous talk with Heimdall, Thor persisted in his perspective. "Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the Mind Stone, and they're nothing compared to what it can unleash. But with it on our side..."

Steve stepped towards the creation. "Is it? Are you? On our side?"

The Vision looked around the room, staring at the random group of individuals. "I don't think it's that simple."

"Well it better get real simple real soon," Clint sarcastically added.

"I am on the side of life. Ultron isn't, he will end it all."

"What's he waiting for?" Tony confidently asked.

"You."

There was still uncertainty lingering in the air. They all had to trust each other best intentions in mind. If they wanted to save Natasha and Sokovia, then they had to have blind faith in their gut feeling.

"I don't want to kill Ultron," Vision revealed. "He's unique, and he's in pain. But that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he's built, every trace of his presence on the net, we have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the others. Maybe I am a monster. I don't think I'd know if I were one. I'm not what you are, and not what you intended. So there may be no way to make you trust me. But we need to go."

To top it off, Vision raised the hammer from the table. According to the mythology, only worthy people could control it, so that meant everyone was gaping at the odd scene. "Right. Well done."

"Three minutes. Get what you need," Steve commanded.

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Wanda had borrowed one of the jackets belonging to Natasha. It matched with her black dress and slightly chipped nails. As Pietro took his time in choosing what shirt to wear, she talked to Bombshell. "When this is over, where are you going, Shellie?"

She had turned on her headphones, which blocked every noise from the outside. When Wanda noticed, she tapped on her shoulder, grabbing her attention. She repeated the question by mouthing it and doing some movements to aid her.

"Where you go," Bombshell responded, not really sure what else to say or do.

The brunette turned his head ever so slightly towards her right. "But where do you want to go?"

Bombshell blinked in confusion. She had never been asked that. Usually, she'd be trapped inside the same four reinforced walls or in the middle of a suicide-like mission. No questions or opinions allowed. But, again, this wasn't a normal week for her. She'd never imagined herself sympathizing with the enemy, let alone working with them. 

She sighed. "Mountains. Forest."

"Why?" Wanda inquired while crossing her arms.

A small wave of her fingers imitated the wind. "Air is nice. Very quiet."

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