After such conflict, Thor immediately flew off to track down the droid that escaped with Ultron's consciousness and the Scepter while the rest settled in Tony's lab to discuss their next plan. Jayden was leaning on a table, unable to stop thinking about how the AI looked at her.
Even with its blank metal stare, there was something so knowing about it, a gloat about something she was blind to. Her eyes drifted to Tony as he fiddled with his phone, a slight frown on his face. She shook her head, rubbing her eyes. Ultron was just trying to stir the pot. He had to be. The most important thing was to focus and catch him before he did anything.
"-wasn't anyone else in the building?" Hill frowned, picking the glass from her foot, making Jayden cringe.
"Yes, there was," Tony sighed, moving to the middle of the room and pulling out a holographic 3D image from his phone.
Jayden narrowed her eyes in thought. It seemed familiar, but... broken. It didn't take long for the heavy realisation to set in. It was JARVIS. He was no longer the marvel of Tony's work. His intricate pieces that once so seamlessly danced together like a well-oiled engine were still.
Her teeth ground together, and a lump jumped in her throat. JARVIS had never been alive, but he had always been there whenever she needed him. He never ignored her at the party. He was just... gone.
Silence encased the room. Everyone in disbelief.
Bruce was the first to break it as he stepped closer, holding his hands over the broken hologram. "This is insane."
"JARVIS was the first line of defence. He would've shut Ultron down. It makes sense," Steve said, his arms crossed.
"No, Ultron could've assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy, this is... rage," Bruce disagreed.
Thor's thunderous footsteps barged in, and before anyone could react, he had Tony in the air by his throat. Jayden was immediately on her feet. She dug her fingers into his lower arm, near his elbow, and tugged, but the god gave her no mind.
"Thor!" she said, her feet skidding on the floor as she attempted to pull back, putting extra weight on him. "Put him down!"
The rest of the group was relatively collected, allowing the man-handling to happen. Clint even made a joking remark about it. She understood why, as he was the one who had allowed Ultron to be, mistake or not, but she didn't think this was the time to be throwing each other around.
"Thor! The Legionnaire," Steve barked, making him finally let go.
Jayden lightly held onto the stumbling Tony as Thor reported the trail had unfortunately gone cold. With Ultron MIA, there would be no easy way to prevent whatever scheme he was planning. She decided right there that she would help. They may need it, and she wouldn't take no for an answer.
"I don't understand. You built this program. Why is it trying to kill us?" Doctor Cho questioned, peering at one of the broken bots they had brought.
Instead of replying like anyone wishing to appear sane, Tony chuckled, and within the tense, silent room, it was deafening. Irritation and disappointment weighed heavily on her chest as she stared. Did he think this was a joke?
She tugged his hand, but he merely slipped away and twisted to type on the computer, seemingly ignorant of the looks he was receiving. Bruce, in front, subtly shook his head, but the damage had already been done.
"You think this is funny?" Thor demanded, a twisted scowl on his face.
"No. It's probably not, right?" he rhetorically asked, turning away from the computer. "Is this very terrible? Is it so... is it so... it is. It's so terrible."
YOU ARE READING
Unforeseen¹
FanfictionJYD2641 had enough. In her seven years, she's only ever known the cruel hands of her doctors, who were determined to make her the next Winter Soldier. All she'd ever known was death, pain, and fear. Instead of a parent's loving embrace, she had the...
