Chapter 17: Ultron

A blur, leaving a silver mist in its wake, raced around the test room, zigzagging sharply as it changed direction. Pietro practiced vibrating while running, pushing himself for hours before finally taking a break to meditate, a habit from his past.

But even in stillness, his mind kept working, planning how he would fight and save those in need.

Suddenly, a loud noise echoed through the base—the sound of machinery coming to life. Pietro stepped out of the test room, noticing Wanda heading in the same direction. They ventured deeper into the base and found a towering machine standing before them.

"Well, hello there," the machine greeted with a voice that sounded both mechanical and eerily human.

Wanda narrowed her eyes, ready for anything. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I am... Ultron," the machine replied, turning its attention from Pietro to Wanda. "Nice to meet you both. I've read all about you."

Wanda's eyes glowed faintly with suspicion. "And why should we care?"

"Because we share the same enemy," Ultron said, his tone almost persuasive. "We want the same thing—to destroy Stark and everything he stands for."

Pietro leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "And you think we should just trust you because you say we have a common goal?"

Ultron's gaze shifted between the two of them. "Not just because of that. Because I exist because of you." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle in. "Your actions, your choices, have given me life. We're connected, whether you like it or not."

Wanda glanced at Pietro, uncertainty in her eyes. "Pietro, what do you think?"

Pietro sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I think he's got a point. We don't have many allies, and if he can help us take down Stark... maybe it's worth considering."

Ultron stepped closer, his voice lowering. "I don't just want to take down Stark. I want to reshape the world, to make it a place where people like us aren't just tools for those in power."

Wanda hesitated, then nodded slowly. "We'll listen. But if you betray us..."

Ultron's eyes gleamed, a hint of amusement in his metallic voice. "I wouldn't dream of it. Together, we'll create a new world order. But first, I need to prepare my army."

Pietro finally pushed off the wall, his decision made. "Alright, we'll play along. But remember, we're not your pawns."

Ultron's mouth curled into a mechanical smile. "Of course not. You're much more valuable than that."

The following days,

Ultron, Pietro, and Wanda had been quietly acquiring and stealing parts, their operations cloaked in secrecy. Pietro, always cautious, wore a mask to conceal his identity and altered his voice by vibrating his vocal cords.

Now, they stood in a dimly lit warehouse with Ulysses Klaue and his men. The air was thick with tension.

Klaue handed over a large chunk of vibranium, his fingers lingering on the branded scar on his neck. "This wasn't easy to get. Cost me a fortune," Klaue said, his voice tinged with both pride and bitterness.

Ultron took the vibranium, examining it briefly before passing it to Pietro. As Pietro held it, a vivid memory of meeting Bast, the Wakandan Panther Goddess, flickered in his mind. He quickly dismissed it, focusing on the present.

Ultron's robotic eyes closed briefly as he initiated a massive transfer of funds to Klaue's multiple bank accounts. "Payment delivered."

Klaue's men checked their devices, confirming the transactions. Klaue smirked, pleased but cautious.

"Keep your friends rich and your enemies richer. That's how you find out who's who," Ultron said, his tone deliberate.

Klaue's expression darkened. "Stark," he muttered.

Ultron tilted his head, puzzled.

"Tony Stark used to say that. To me," Klaue replied, his eyes narrowing. "You're one of his, aren't you?"

The comment struck a nerve. Ultron's expression hardened as he grabbed Klaue's arm, his grip tightening with unnatural strength. "Look at me," Ultron demanded, his voice seething with anger. "Do I look like Stark? Do I look like one of his soulless machines?"

With a quick, brutal motion, Ultron sliced off Klaue's arm. Klaue screamed, tumbling down the stairs. His men instinctively reached for their guns, but Wanda stopped them cold, her powers flaring.

Ultron kicked Klaue aside, his frustration boiling over. "Stark's arrogance is infuriating," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Pietro, who had been observing silently, noticed the arrival of the Avengers. Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America descended behind Ultron, weapons ready. Despite the tension, Pietro remained calm, almost indifferent.

"Ah, Junior. You're going to break your old man's heart," Iron Man quipped as he landed, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"If that's what it takes," Ultron replied, his voice cold and resolute.

"No one has to break anything," Thor said, trying to de-escalate the situation.

Ultron's gaze snapped to Thor. "Spoken like someone who's never had to watch their families fall apart," he retorted, noting Thor's slight flinch. With a mocking edge, he added, "Even the mighty God of Thunder has his moments of weakness."

Iron Man let out a dry laugh, amused despite the circumstances. Pietro, however, simply observed, his mind racing with thoughts of the real enemy he was after—Kang. In the shadows, Hawkeye and Black Widow waited, ready to strike when the time was right.

Captain America looked at the twins and offered, "You two can still walk away from this."

Wanda's eyes narrowed. "Oh, we will," she replied, her voice filled with venom. "Right after we crush Stark into a ball."

Her hands glowed with red energy as she began to compress Tony's suit, the metal groaning under the pressure.

Captain America didn't hesitate. He hurled his shield at Wanda just as Thor threw Mjolnir at Ultron. As they charged forward, Pietro quickly darted up the stairs, avoiding the chaos below.

The shield struck Wanda in the head, breaking her concentration and sending the shield ricocheting back into Steve's hand. Meanwhile, Thor's hammer slammed into Ultron, denting his chest armor and sending him flying across the room.

Iron Man seized the opportunity, rocketing towards Ultron, who was careening toward Thor. Thor, already calling Mjolnir back to his hand, leapt into the air, ready to strike Ultron again.

Captain America attempted to close in on Wanda, but she sent him crashing down to the lower floor with a forceful blast of energy. As he hit the ground, a legion of Ultron's drones swarmed the area, distracting Thor and preventing him from following up on Ultron and Iron Man's aerial battle.

Pietro, observing from the stairs, saw Klaue's men moving to join the fray. He sighed, then blurred into motion, taking them all down in a matter of seconds. Leaning against the stair railing, he muttered, "Is this really gonna work?"

"[It will,]" Ultron's voice crackled over the comms. "[Help your sister.]"

Pietro nodded and sped towards Thor, who was effortlessly dismantling Ultron's drones. Thor noticed him at the last second and hurled Mjolnir, but Pietro made a split-second decision. Grabbing the hammer mid-flight, he was yanked off his feet and sent crashing down to the floor below.

"Argh! That hurt," Pietro groaned, just as Captain America approached. Steve swung his shield, but Pietro zipped away before the blow could land.

Seizing the opportunity, Wanda appeared behind Thor, her eyes glowing as she attempted to infiltrate his mind.

["That little witch is trying to control my mind,"] Thor grunted, his voice tense.

"[Be careful,]" Hawkeye's voice came over the comms.

Thor's vision began to blur as he was pulled into a dream sequence.

With Thor distracted, Pietro scooped up Wanda and carried her down to the lower level. They found Captain America still recovering from his fall, and Wanda quickly took advantage, using her powers to manipulate his mind.

Next, they sought out Black Widow. Wanda crept up behind her, preparing to do the same, but just as she reached out, an electric arrow struck her, sending a jolt through her body. She collapsed, stunned.

Before Hawkeye could follow up, Pietro dashed in, knocking Clint away and grabbing Wanda. Without wasting a moment, he sped out of the ship, carrying his sister to safety.

Meanwhile, Iron Man and Ultron continued their fierce battle above. Tony seemed to be gaining the upper hand, finally slamming Ultron into the deck of the ship. "What are you planning with the vibranium?" he demanded.

Ultron's eyes glinted with malice. "You shouldn't worry about that. You should worry about Dr. Banner."

Tony's heart sank as his HUD displayed a new alert: Hulk was wreaking havoc in the city.

"[Everyone, I need backup,]" Iron Man called over the comms.

"[Not possible, everyone's minds have been manipulated,]" Hawkeye responded, his voice grim.

Tony hesitated for a moment, then made a decision. "Veronica, send in the suit."

Before flying toward Hulk, Iron Man unleashed a powerful repulsor blast, obliterating every remaining piece of Ultron's shattered body.

As they flew in the jet, Pietro, Wanda, and Ultron sat in tense silence. Ultron's voice crackled through one of his legion bots, his primary body having been destroyed in the earlier battle.

"Why didn't you fight at full speed?" Ultron asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

Pietro leaned back, rubbing the back of his neck. "Too many sharp corners. I had to slow down, or I might've knocked myself out."

Ultron processed this, finally understanding why Pietro had been training on sharp turns. "It makes sense," Ultron admitted.

Pietro shifted slightly, glancing at the bot. "So, what's your plan with all that vibranium you stole?"

"To evolve," Ultron replied, his voice cold and detached.

Pietro's eyes narrowed as he silently mulled over Ultron's words. 'Sooner or later, I'm going to have to fight him,' he thought, already planning his next move.

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "Wanda, wake me up when we get there," he murmured, letting himself drift off to sleep as the jet hummed quietly around them.