𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚙𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ Steve Rogers

The Kill Switch ~ 18

"Oh, don't tell me you've all become so shy?" taunts Ultron over the intercom. The group maintains a tense silence, acknowledging his sudden intrusion, confirming Eva's success in uploading Ultron to Stark's system throughout the compound.

"I'm not exactly sure what to say when you're supposed to be dead," Tony finally breaks the tension. He rubs the back of his head while monitoring the laptop screen at Natasha's side, assuming full control of the monitor.

"It's refreshing to hear your voice again, Stark," Ultron continues his casual banter, earning a couple of inquisitive glances throughout the room.

"I can't return the sentiment, Ultron," Tony replies as he quietly prompts Natasha to change seats.

"How are you still alive?" Steve inquires, his gaze directed toward the ceiling.

"Is that all you're concerned about, Rogers?" The AI scoffs at the question but responds nonetheless, "Can you truly extinguish artificial intelligence permanently?" The virtual smirk is palpable in his tone.

"Apparently, the answer is leaning more towards no at this juncture," Bruce sighs, remaining seated throughout the ordeal.

"Ah, and there's my other creator, Dr. Banner," Ultron muses, and Banner clenches his jaw. He looks in Tony's direction, typing away hastily on the laptop, evidently up to something. Bruce understands Stark's gesture—to keep Ultron talking.

"So, what's your plan this time, Ultron? Still attempting to rid the world of humanity? Your plan faltered last time, and it won't succeed this time either," Bruce taunts his creation, buying Tony time for whatever he's scheming.

"Well, last time I had the wrong mind manipulator at my side," Ultron responds, redirecting the room's attention to Evangeline, the mind manipulator in question.

Eva discreetly unties her hands from behind her back, utilizing Ultron's intrusion as a useful distraction. With the room now silent, she can only assume that all eyes are on her, the blindfold still obscuring her vision.

"I was only on your side to rid you from my head... Now that's done, I work for no one. Sorry to disappoint," Eva shrugs nonchalantly.

"I expected as much, Evangeline," the AI sighs, disappointment evident in his voice.

She frowns, attempting to respond to his comment but finding nothing to say.

"How do you plan to rid the world of humanity this time when you are confined inside this compound?" Peter asks next, unimpressed with this AI he has never been fully acquainted with – the Avengers' last battle with Ultron occurring before his recruitment.

"Peter Parker," Ultron says with a hint of familiarity, "We've never officially crossed paths, but I'm well-acquainted with your sweet, naive, and trusting nature." He teases, causing Peter to swallow hard, unsure of where to direct his gaze as the team offers their customary looks of pity. Tony gestures to keep the conversation flowing, steering clear of uncomfortable silences.

"Eva isn't inclined to assist you, much like Wanda refused in the past. Your plan is stumbling before it even begins, Ultron," Steve taunts with folded arms, creating an uneasy silence. The group turns to Tony, who merely shrugs, puzzled by Ultron's uncharacteristic silence.

"Who said anything about Evangeline being willing?" he finally retorts, eliciting flinches from a few. Eva doesn't fully grasp the situation as she's abruptly pulled onto her still-bound feet. With a swift motion, she tears off her blindfold using her now-free hands.

"How are you still in my head?" She shrieks.

Steve instinctively moves closer to Evangeline, his eyes widening as he realizes Ultron has reasserted control over her. Her outburst successfully diverts their attention, including Tony, who now watches with heightened alertness.

"I spent a good year in your head, Evangeline... A head with psychic abilities. Call it a psychic connection if you will, but oh, what an advantage this is going to be," Ultron laughs menacingly. Eva's eyes slowly transform into an identical shade of red to what Ultron's eyes once were.

"Eva?" Steve gazes at her in pure horror, the rest of the team sharing his shock. She doesn't respond; instead, Ultron seizes control of her voice.

"Destroying humanity was obviously the wrong approach. Why annihilate when you can control it to be what it should be?" he confesses to his newfound ideals, signaling a shift in his plan. It's his second chance to succeed in reshaping the world into what he deems a better place.

"Steve, grab her, now!" Tony commands from across the room, still engrossed in the laptop, needing to break Ultron's control over Eva. Steve acts swiftly, launching himself toward her, hoping to sever Ultron's influence. The AI, however, proves too quick and orders Steve to stop.

"Oh no, you don't, Rogers. Stop."

Steve comes to a halt in his tracks, and the rest of the team is now on their feet, ready to strike.

"Oh, this is too easy. Why Evangeline has never taken advantage of this ability more often is beyond me!" Ultron's voice grows louder, more wicked.

"So you're just going to what? Take control of Eva to dominate the human race?" Bruce yells.

"Oh no, he isn't."

Wanda strides swiftly into the rec room with Vision at her side, returning from rallying the other Avengers. She approaches Eva and firmly places her hand on her temple. Eva goes limp, and Peter rushes over to prevent her from hitting the ground. Wanda, by forcefully expelling Ultron from Evangeline's mind, enables Steve to move again. Tony takes advantage of this moment to return to his laptop, confident that the immediate threat has lessened for now.

"And here is the bane of my existence, Miss Maximoff," Ultron deadpans into the intercom once again, unable to use Eva as a vessel any longer.

"Go to hell, Ultron," Wanda spits, surveying the room.

"I'm not too sure I can, being an AI and all," he retorts, leaving more silence to follow as he pauses on his words. "Well, it's been fun catching up with you all. I better get going before Stark over there completes that kill switch. I'll save you the trouble, Tony," Ultron declares, revealing that he was also using them to buy time for his own agenda. Another alarm resonates through the compound, a new sound for the team.

"What's that alarm for, Tony?" Natasha asks, preparing herself.

"Fuck," Tony mutters as he forcefully pushes the laptop away, rising to his feet. "Unauthorized access. He's taking one of my damn suits!" he exclaims and sprints off in the direction of the exit to head down to the basement level, but it's too late.

Ultron has left the compound, utilizing one of the Iron Man suits as a temporary body, and the team can only watch through the window as it takes off into the night sky.

The team exchanges worried glances as they witness Ultron's escape with one of Tony's Iron Man suits. The compound falls into an uneasy stillness, broken only by the distant hum of the suit's propulsion systems fading into the night.

Natasha turns to Tony, her expression demanding an explanation. "How did he manage to hack into your suits, Stark?"

Tony, frustrated, runs a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Nat. He's an AI! He can hack himself into pretty much anything!"

Without wasting any time, Tony rushes back to the laptop, feverishly typing commands. The team gathers around, anxiously awaiting his next move.

"We need to track him down before he tries to make a start on destroy the world 2.0," Steve asserts, his eyes determined.

Tony glances up from the screen, his jaw clenched as he pulls out his glasses. "I'm working on it. EDITH, get me real-time satellite feeds, and cross-reference any unusual energy signatures in the vicinity."

As the team mobilizes, they know that they are once again faced with the formidable threat of Ultron. The night echoes with urgency as they gear up for the impending battle to prevent Ultron from executing his malevolent plans.