Metal & Gold

Chapter 17: The Enhanced on the Train

We all disperse from the table and head to our designated rooms to suit up. I take off the sweatshirt, the utterly uncomfortable jeans and put back on my suit. Then, as I put on my cropped navy long sleeve, I spot grey clunky cylinders underneath. With a note too. I pick it up and immediately recognize Maria's writing.

Dahlia, these are some new toys some people from Stark Towers thought up for you. Fury did me the pleasure of giving them to you, and if you're reading this he must have. Try them out, they're pretty cool.

- Maria

I smile at the letter, stick it in my pocket and pull on the cylinders which I now realize are wrist cuffs. They cut off three inches before my elbow on one side and cut of just after my thumbs on the other. I don't dare try them in Clint's house. But just maybe, I'll try them on Pietro when I find that speedy prick.

I hustle downstairs to see the others walking around the house. Then I spot Steve talking to Tony.

"I'll take Natasha, Clint and Dahlia" Steve says.

"All right. Strictly recon. I'll hit the Nexus. I'll join you as soon as I can." Tony says.

I walk up to the two, "You do realize that if Ultron is building a body with that vibranium-"

"It'll be more powerful than any of us" Steve adds.

Tony glances between Steve and I, "Maybe all of us. An android built by a robot."

"You know, I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was me." Steve says with a sad smile.

Fury then buds in as he puts on his jacket, "I'll drop Banner off at the tower. Mind if I borrow Ms. Hill?" he asks.

"She's all yours. Apparently" Tony says.

Fury rolls his eyes at Tony and walks off. I chase after him before he leaves, "Director, tell Maria thanks" I say and motion to the metal objects around my wrists.

Fury smiles at me, "Dahlia, I'm not a director anymore. You best be calling me Nick. Understood?"

I smile from ear to ear and nod, "Yes sir, er, Nick"

He nods back at me and walks off, heading towards a jet next to ours.

I step back inside and regroup with the team. Tony heads to Oslo while the rest of us head to Seoul.

An hour later we arrive and Steve is the only one on the ground.

"Two minutes, stay close" Steve orders us.

For the next several minutes there is silence and then, "Doctor Cho!" Steve shouts.

"He's uploading himself into the body" a voice, I recognize as Dr. Cho says in between shaky breaths. She must be hurt. I get on my com and call an ambulance for her at the address of her lab.

"Where?" Steve asks.

"The real power is in the cradle. The gem...it's power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the cradle to Stark." Dr. Cho wheezes.

"I have to find it first" Steve says.

"Go" Cho orders.

There is another long silence, "Did you guys copy that?" Steve asks.

"We did." Clint responds.