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CHAPTER XXXII. Little Dancer
Vibranium. The strongest metal on earth, a substance shrouded in both myth and blood. Elina knew what it was; even in her distracted moments, she'd felt its ominous presence threading through SHIELD missions, whispered in tales of power and greed. She had faced men who dreamed of possessing it, who believed that if they could just find a shard, they'd hold the world in their hands. And now, she was about to come face to face with the man who carried billions of dollars' worth of it.
Ultron stood in her path, flanked by the twins, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, the so-called "enhanced." She crept along the upper level, keeping her breaths slow and quiet, her gaze fixed on the scene unfolding below. Stark, Steve, and Thor faced off against Ultron, a confrontation that vibrated with tension, each word exchanged sharp as glass.
"Aw, Junior, you're gonna break your old man's heart," Tony taunted, his voice rich with irony.
Ultron's eyes glinted with something dark and fathomless, his mouth twisting into a sneer. "Nobody has to break anything," Thor interjected, his voice like granite.
The android scoffed. "Clearly, you've never made an omelet."
Elina's heart thrummed, but she steadied herself, glancing across to lock eyes with Clint and Natasha below. Their nods were brief, all she needed. Silently, she raised her sniper, her breath steadying as she looked down the scope, drawing a bead on Ultron.
The exchange continued, a strange rhythm of words that felt almost rehearsed, like actors in some apocalyptic play. She adjusted her aim, hearing Ultron's low, chilling voice. "If you believe in peace, then let us keep it."
Before she could react, Ultron launched a beam from his hand with a jolt of energy, sending Tony flying. She squeezed the trigger in that split second, the bullet grazing Ultron's neck. His head whipped toward her, and he raised his arm to unleash the same deadly energy. She somersaulted, her mind blank but for survival, feeling the sharp heat miss her by inches.
Gunfire broke out below, tearing her attention back. She barely had time to think before she was cornered, four of Klaue's men advancing on her. She unsheathed her katana, its blade flashing as it cut through the shadows. She moved on instinct, each clash of steel against steel sending sparks through the darkness. By the time she was done, they lay at her feet.
"Anyone, come in. We're surrounded," she whispered into her earpiece, her voice low but urgent.
Steve's voice crackled back. "Stark is with Ultron. We've lost sight of the female enhanced. Find them if you can."
