Peace in Our Time (sequel to Daughters of Black Widow)

Chapter 5

Zola sat in a chair in Tony's lab. Asha was sitting behind her on a desk. One of the Legionnaires had escaped with Loki's scepter. Thor was out trying to track it down while the others talked over what had just occurred.

"All our work is gone," Bruce said. "Ultron cleared out. He used the Internet as an escape hatch."

"Ultron," Steve muttered in disbelief.

"He's been in everything," Natasha announced. "Files, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other."

"He's in your files, he's in the Internet," Rhodey said. "What if he decides to access something a little more exciting?"

"Nuclear codes," Maria responded.

"Look. We need to make some calls, assuming we still can."

"Nukes?" Zola said. "He said he wanted us dead."

"He didn't say 'dead,'" Steve practically snapped. "He said 'extinct.'"

"Extinct and dead are the same thing, Rogers," Asha snapped.

"He also said he killed somebody," Clint pointed out.

"There wasn't anyone else in the building," Maria replied.

"Yes there was."

Everyone turned to look at Tony as he made an image appear in the middle of the room. Asha gasped at seeing the orange image. Bruce stepped forward to examine it.

"This is insane," he muttered.

"Jarvis was the first line of defense," Steve said. "He would have shut Ultron down. It makes sense."

"No. Ultron could have assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy. This is rage."

Everyone looked up at the sound of heavy footsteps. Thor walked into the room, only to grab Tony by the neck.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Rhodey said, trying to calm him.

"It's going around," Clint commented.

"Come on," Tony gasped to Thor. "Use your words, buddy."

"I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark," the god replied.

"Thor," Asha snapped.

"The Legionnaire," Steve said, wanting a report.

Thor let go of Tony, who stumbled away from him.

"Trail went cold about 100 miles out, but it's headed north. And it has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it, again."

"Genie's out of that bottle," Zola said. "Clear and present it Ultron. We need to track him down."

"I don't understand," Doctor Cho said. "You built this program. Why is it trying to kill us?"

Tony went to his computer for a moment. He paused and started laughing. Everyone turned their heads to look at the billionaire. Bruce shook his head, trying to get him to stop.

"You think this is funny?" Thor questioned.

"No?" Tony said, his statement sounding more like a question. "It's probably not, right? This is so very terrible. Is it so... Is it so... It is. It's so terrible."

"This could have been avoided if you hadn't played with something you don't understand."

"No! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's funny. It's a hoot that you don't get why we need this."

"Tony, maybe this might not be the best time," Bruce told him.

"Really?" the billionaire asked, turning to face him. "That's it? You just roll over, show your belly every time somebody snarls?"