Hands of Red(Book 1 in the Red Series)

Chapter 23: Do you remember?

Olivia helps me to the lab. Natasha looks worried "Is she going to be okay?" Bruce nods "It's a short term paralysis. She'll be fine in an hour or so." The team comes in and Bruce adds "What I am more concerned about is that all our work is gone. Ultron cleared out, used the internet as an escape hatch."

"Ultron." Steve says. "He's been in everything. Files, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other." I say. "He's in your files, he's in the internet. What if he decides to access something a little more exciting?" Rhodey says

"Nuclear codes." Hill states. "Nuclear codes. Look, we need to make some calls, assuming we still can." Rhodey says and I bite on my lip. "Nukes? He said he wanted us dead." Natasha says.

"He didn't say dead. He said extinct." Steve adds. "And that he wants me to do it." I say and Natasha's face goes a little pale. I sigh softly and look at Natasha "It's time they know." I say to her as Clint puts an arm around her. Olivia puts a hand on my shoulder for support.

"Know what?" Serena asks nosily. "How the Red Room and HYDRA had been brainwashing me all those years. You guys ever heard of physcological conditioning?" Serena, Tony, Rhoedey, Hill and Bruce all pale at that. Steve, Rory and Charlie shake their heads. "It's a form of brainwashing. The person would watch videos that have certain messages." I explain biting my lip. "So scary shit?" Aurora asks and I nod. The Avengers go silent for a while.

"He also said he killed somebody." Clint says finally breaking the silence. "But there wasn't anyone else in the building." Hill says. "Yes there was." Tony says and brings up a 3D image of a destroyed J.A.R.V.I.S' consciousness.

I gasp softly. "This is insane." Bruce says. "J.A.R.V.I.S. was the first line of defense. He would've shut Ultron down, it makes sense." Steve says.

"No, Ultron could've assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy, this is...rage." Bruce says. Thor barges in holding Tony by the throat.

"Woah, woah, woah! It's going around." Clint says. "Come on. Use your words, buddy." Tony says to Thor as I roll my eyes. "I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark." Thor states.

"Thor! The Legionnaire." Steve says and Thor lets go of Tony. "Trail went cold about a hundred miles out but it's headed north, and it has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it, again." Thor says.

"The genie's out of that bottle. Clear and present is Ultron." I say, annoyed. "I don't understand. You built this program. Why is it trying to kill us?" Dr. Cho says. Tony starts laughing.

"You think this is funny?" Thor asks. "No. It's probably not, right? Is this very terrible? Is it so... is it so... it is. It's so terrible." Tony says.

"This could've been avoided if you hadn't played with something you don't understand." Thor says. "No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It is funny. It's a hoot that you don't get why we need this." Tony says. "Tony, maybe this might not be the time to--" Bruce tries, but gets interrupted by Tony.

"Really?! That's it? You just roll over, show your belly, every time somebody snarls." Tony asks. "Only when I've created a murder bot." Bruce says. "We didn't. We weren't even close. Were we close to an interface?" Tony says.

"Well, you did something right. And you did it right here. The Avengers were supposed to be different than SHIELD." Steve says. "Anybody remember when I carried a nuke through a wormhole?" Tony asks. "No, it's never come up." Rhodey says.

"Saved New York?" Tony asks. "Never heard that." Rhodey replies and I roll my eyes abit. "Recall that? A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We're standing three hundred feet below it. We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live long day, but, that up there? That's... that's the end game. How were you guys planning on beating that?" Tony says.