An Age of Metal

A Road Trip in Seoul

Natasha and Clint were stationed in the quinjet, listening to Cho through the coms. Steve and Peggy had already moved out and were currently stationed on the road across from the lab.  

"Did you guys copy that?" Steve asked, referring to the order about the Cradle.

"We did," Clint answered. 

"I got a private jet taking off across town. No manifest. That could be him", Natasha added. 

"It's most definitely him," Peggy affirmed. 

Clint, from his position in the pilot's seat, scanned the highway until he found what he was looking for.  

"There," he said, causing Nat to look at the screen. "It's a truck from the lab. Right above you, Cap. On the loop by the bridge. It's them. I've got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver."

"Negative!" Steve shouted. "If that truck crashes, the gem could level the city. We need to draw out Ultron." 

Steve nodded his head, and he and Peggy started running at full sprint off the edge of the bridge. They not-so-softly landed on the roof of Ultron's truck. The cars around it swerved when they saw falling bodies. 

"No, no, no, no," Ultron groaned. "Leave me alone!" 

He aimed his hand to the ceiling, blasting the roof of the truck. Steve and Peggy barely dodged it as they tried to enter.   

"Well, he's definitely unhappy," Steve said into his earpiece.  "We're gonna try and keep him that way." 

"You're not a match for him, Cap," Clint warned. 

"He's not. But perhaps the both of us are!" Peggy retorted. 

The two super soldiers managed to get inside, despite the door (and their arms) nearly being torn off.

"You know what's in that cradle?" Ultron asked them.  "The power to make real change. And that terrifies you. Both of you." 

"I wouldn't call it a comfort," Steve said. The two then leapt at Ultron, dodging the wide swipes of his hands. They tried to dent his armor or rip out wires or something, but it didn't work.  

"Stop it!" Ultron commanded.  He ripped the shield from his hands and threw it, then blasted Steve. He was thrown back, and only one arm kept Steve from flying into traffic. 

"Steve!" Peggy shouted. She wanted to reach out and pull him up. But then she'd be in the same position, so she instead fought Ultron so Steve could climb back up. 

Across the way, Charlotte had 'borrowed' a scooter and was dodging traffic. 

.....

Natasha sat atop her motorcycle as Clint flew close to the Seoul roads.   

"We got a window," he told her. "Four, three, two..." he flipped a switch.  "Give him hell." 

She drove off the quinjet and and onto the street, skillfully weaving between the cars until she caught up to the truck. The shield flew down the street.  

"I'm always picking up after you boys," Natasha sighed, snatching it off the ground. 

She rode next to the side of the truck and passed the shield up to Peggy. She spun around and smacked Ultron before throwing it to Steve. He knocked Ultron away from him. 

"They're heading under the overpass," Clint said.  "I've got no shot." He could see Charlotte following the truck from above.  

"Which way do just go?" Natasha asked.

"Hard right...now," Clint commanded. She swerved on to the sidewalk. 

"Out of the way! Coming through! Sorry, coming through!" She yelled to the pedestrians. 

.....

Steve was thrown into a speeding train, and Peggy's momentum took Ultron with her into the cabins. Civilians screamed  amid the spray of glass.  Charlotte landed atop the train.  

"Clint, can you draw out the guards?" Natasha asked from her bike. 

"Let's find out," Clint responded, firing on the truck. The robots responded to the attack and flew out. 

"Cap, Peg,  can you keep him occupied?" Clint asked. 

Steve was slammed into the wall while Peggy kept on her feet.  

"What do you think we've been doing?" He asked while getting back up. 

"Alright metal man," Peggy groaned, after being pushed down. "You're really starting to get on my nerves."

.....

Natasha abandoned her bike, and was crawling up to the Cradle. Just as she began to gain control of the vehicle, the Iron Legion cronies returned. They attached their repolser rays to the sides and  lifted the truck into the air. Natasha was thrown back. 

"Okay, package is airborne," Clint said. "I have a clean shot." 

"Negative. I am still in the truck," Natasha halted him. 

"What the hell are you..."

"Be ready," Natasha interrupted. "I'm sending the package to you."

"How do you want me to take it?" Clint asked. 

"You might wish you hadn't asked that," Natasha said.

.....

Peggy and Steve were still battling Ultron when Charlotte dropped from the ceiling after electrically drilling a hole. 

She started to fry his server, but Ultron bucked her off. She hit the wall, groaned, and got up. Little did the three know they had back up.  A blue blur smashed into Ultron, throwing him off balance. Pietro. His hair was messy and he looked as scrappy as ever, but also angry, and determined, and full of regret. Just as Ultron turned, a rod of metal surrounded in red light blocked his path. Wanda.

"Please, don't do this," Ultron said, as kindly as he could. 

"What choice do we have?" Wanda asked. He flied off.

.....

Natasha pushed the Cradle out of the truck and into the quintet. She had planned to run out with it, but her foot was caught by Ultron. 

"Nat, we gotta go," he said. 

"Nat! Does anyone see Nat?" 

"If you have the package, get it to Stark! Go!" Steve commanded. 

"Do you have eyes on Nat?" He demanded. 

"Go!" Steve said. 

"Damn it," Clint said to himself, flying off. But the job was far from over.