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"𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒?" 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐃 as Steve handed me a powered-on tablet with a picture already loaded onto the screen. Tony and Thor both leaned over my shoulder to see the photo of Strucker, killed with the word 'Peace' written in blood on the side of the cell wall.
"A message. Ultron killed Strucker," Steve stated as I handed Tony the tablet so he could analyze the photo for any clues of where Ultron could now be.
"And he did a Banksy at the crime scene, just for us," He gushed sarcastically as Banner walked around the group, getting a better look at the image.
"This is a smokescreen. Why send a message when you've just given a speech?" Nat questioned from the chair next to me and I sighed.
"Strucker, most likely, knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss, which is the reason for the big kill," I piped up as I looked around the group and Steve gave me a sharp nod, signaling that I was correct.
"Yeah, I bet he... " Nat glanced down at the computer monitor as it gave off a high-pitched beep. "Yep. Everything we had on Strucker has been erased,"
"Not everything," Steve announced to the group, which made everyone furrow their eyebrows in confusion. He moved away from the group and hesitantly, everyone followed behind him. Falling into step with Steve, I whispered, "Have you heard anything else about the twins?"
"Nothing yet," He replied and I nodded softly, "But we're keeping our eyes open, don't worry,"
"I just-- these kids are just... well kids. No older then I am, but I don't think they know what they've gotten themselves into," I replied as we rounded a corner into a big room filled with old boxes, all precisely labeled.
Steve placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, "We'll find them before anything else happens, I promise,"
I returned his small gesture with a thin-lipped grin, "That's one big promise, Cap," We split ways and began searching through some of the many cardboard boxes that were set out in front of us.
"Known associates. Well, Strucker had a lot of friends," Steve said as he opened the top of the box and began digging through the contents.
"I wouldn't exactly call them friends... more like 'people who should be in jail for mass criminal activity but haven't been caught yet' or 'allies'," I commented as I lifted out a beige file and started skimming through it.
"Wait. I know that guy," Tony pointed out as he mentioned to the folder I was holding. I passed the file towards him and he stared at the picture pinned to the inside. "From back in the day. He operates off the African coast, black market arms,"
"Horrible people," Banner muttered under his breath as he set another file back onto the desk.
Steve gave Tony a subtle but accusing look, "There are conventions, alright? You meet people, I didn't sell him anything," I gazed at the picture of an older man covered in tattoos with a pair on sunglasses; Ulysses Klaue. "He was talking about finding something new, a game-changer, it was all very 'Ahab'.
