Fighting A New War (Book Seven of The Bad Wolf Chronicles)

Chapter Four

One of the most crucial moments in this book: the visions are here - and I think you'll be surprised by a few. This has the Wakanda battle and the aftermath.

***

Ultron would have smiled if he could have when Klaue handed over a bit of vibranium. "Upon this rock, I will build my church. Vibranium."

"You know, it came at great personal cost," Klaue looked at him. "It's worth billions."

Ultron chuckled, eyes whirring for a moment. "Now, so are you. It's all under your . . . dummy holdings? Finance is so weird. But I always say, 'Keep your friends rich and your enemies rich, and wait to find out which is which.'"

Klaue scowled. "Stark."

"What?"

"Tony Stark used to say that to me. You're one of his!"

"What?" Ultron roared. "I'm not - " He grabbed Klaue angrily. "I'm not! You think I'm one of Stark's puppets, his hollow men? I mean, look at me! Do I look like Iron Man? Stark is - " He chopped Klaue's arm off, surprising them all. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I am so - oh, I'm sure that's going to be OK. I'm sorry. It's just . . . I don't understand! Don't compare me with Stark!" He kicked Klaue down the stairs angrily. It's a thing with me. Stark is . . . he's a sickness!"

"Ah, junior," Tony complained as he approached, Thor and Steve flanking him, Jessie and Martha behind them both. "You're gonna break your old man's heart."

"If I have to," Ultron turned.

"We don't have to break anything," Thor shook his head.

"Clearly, you've never made an omelet," Ultron shook his head.

"I have!" the Doctor leaned over a catwalk, grinning like a madman. "I beat them all! Even Thor!"

"Ah, this is funny, Mr. Stark," Pietro chuckled. "It's . . . what, comfortable? Like old times?"

"This was never my life," Tony shook his head.

"You two can still walk away from this," Steve warned the Maximoffs.

"Oh, we will," Wanda smirked.

"I know you've suffered - " Steve began.

"Ugh!" Ultron groaned, interrupting him. "Captain America. God's righteous man, pretending you could live without a war. I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but - "

"If you believe in peace, then let us keep it," Thor interrupted.

"I think you're confusing peace with quiet."

"Yuh huh," Tony's voice said just how much he believed that. "What's the vibranium for?"

Ultron sighed. "I'm glad you asked that, because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan!"

The Iron Legion rose from their hiding places to attack, and Steve quickly raised his shield over Martha to block the first shots. "This is why I didn't want you to come!"

"Like that would stop me!" she shot him a look.

The Doctor ran across the balcony, sonicking a few droids to make them faulty, when some of Klaue's men started shooting. "Oh, for - " He turned, summoning a wave of the Aether, knocking them over and out. "That was rude!"

"I think that's the whole idea!" Jessie flew past, decapitating one of the droids.

Clint's arrows soon flew back, disabling a few droids, and then Natasha began shooting as well. Jessie landed back down to help the other Avengers when Thor threw his hammer. A flash of silver went by, and then the hammer collided into the ground, tugging Pietro with it. Jessie was there in an instant, smirking. "I'd stay down if I were you," she advised with a wink. She turned to get to Thor, then paused, seeing him look . . . odd. "Thor?" she waved a hand in front of his face. "Status?"