Chapter 56: Sokovia

''So Ethen, tell me where have you hidden Tonya?'' Asks Tony, as the Quinjet carrying the Avengers enters the airspace ontop of Novi Grad.

Looking at Tony suspicious Ethen tells the inventor. ''I am hiding her nowhere. She just has the stuff to deal with on her earth. But how is that your problem?''

Before Tony can make a witty comment, Steve steps in between the two men. ''It is all our problem. What Tony wanted to ask as if we could get some reinforcements like Iron Maiden. So where exactly is Ultron now?''

''We have located Ultron's new avatar in the city center...'' Reports Natasha, as she steps out of the cockpit further elaborating while showing a 3D projection. ''... Scans show him constructing some kind of device.''

Seeing the 3D scan, Tony shakes his head, while Banner thinks out loud. ''These scans are really bad... Going by these readings, whatever he is building is needing a massive amount of energy... What are you doing Tony?''

Looking up from the partly distorted projection, Ethen finds Tony once again suited up opening the gangway. ''Me? I will just get us better scans. I can not work under such bad conditions.''

That said, Tony jumps out of the jet, flying away.

-Fuck you, I can go way faster than that!- Tells Ethen himself, suppressing the pain of being temporarily handicapped.

''What about my brother?'' Asks Wanda suddenly spotting her brother on the still activated 3D projection.

Looking from the open gangway to Natasha, who is refraining from commenting, while loading her handgun, Ethen states. ''We will get him...'' Looking around, seeing everybody node, he tells Wanda. ''... But I think you should go first and talk to him before we start our assault on Ultron. He must think, that we are still keeping you, hostage...'' Stepping beside Natasha retrieving a black box from behind her, he whispers to her. ''... We might be able to turn him, so please don't kill him.''

Showing understanding in her eyes, Natasha changes from a magazine filled with bullets to one with tranquilizer darts.

''Mmm...'' Chuckles Thor looking amused, while spinning his hammer on his fingertip like a basketball.

''Entertained?'' Asks Steve the God of Thunder in an attempt to lighten the theall-around tense situation.

''Always. It is so much fun seeing you mortals struggle in relationships.'' Comments Thor, his eyes jumping from Wanda to Natasha to Ethen.

Chuckling himself, Steve sits town next to Thor, stating. ''I guess not everybody is cut out for monogamy as us.''

''What do you mean?''

Smirking, Steve tells Thor, looking at Ethen. ''He has let me think... I guess five women.''

#Clank# Hearing Steves words, Mjolnir falls down to the floor still spinning. Looking from his hammer to Steve, Thor asks in disbelief. ''Excuse me?''

''Yeah, that what I thought when Furry told me...'' Is Captain America able to say, before getting interrupted by Banner, who updates the 3D scan of Sokovia? ''Stark sends us his latest scans.''

''What are we dealing with?'' Asks Steve, as Iron Man comes flying in.

Retracting the helmet of his armor, Tony states. ''The device Junior is building combines Vibranium and Chitauri technology...''

Having seen the scans, Banner interrupt Stark explaining. ''It's purpose is to lift Novi Grad...''

Annoyed about getting interrupted, Stark jumps back in saying. ''... and then use the city as a meteor to wipe out all of humanity.''

Nodding Steve comments. ''Just like the one that whipped out the dinosaurs.''

Surprised Banner asks Cap. ''You guys knew that already ack in the day?''

''No, but I do now...'' Says Steve smirking. ''... National Geographic...''

Seeing the city below come ever closer, Natasha interrupts the discussion between Steve, Banner, and Tony, as well as the growing rosa atmosphere between Wanda and Ethen, by saying. ''Ahm guys I think our timetable just shifted...''

That said, everybody looks out of the still opened gangway, seeing the city below come dangerously close to crashing into the plane. Narrowly avoiding a crash, the Quinjet land onto the streets of Novi Grad.

As everybody exits the plane, Cap comes up with a plan that everybody can agree on. ''Okay. Stark, you and Thor better get out of side just to stay stealthy. Natasha you, go with Wanda...'' Looking at the redhead, he tells her. ''... Talk to your brother. Get him to help us or at least stay out of our way...'' Seeing Wanda nod, he turns to Banner, Ethen, and Betty who until now acted as the pilot. ''Banner you stay with Betty. Try to contact Furry. We have to evacuate this city. Wayne, with me!''

As soon as they split up, some are instantly detected by Ultron Iron Legion. While Wanda and Natasha are successful in avoiding detection, Steve and Ethen are not, as they are battling on the street, while evacuating survivors to the outer districts. Even less lucky are Iron Man and Thor who are already battling Ultron in the sky above.

While Thor is batteling the Iron Legion on a large scale, Stark acts like a scalpel raising to the church in the city center where Ultron Prime is located.

Coming face to face once again with his creation, Stark hears Ultron greet him by saying. ''Come to confess your sins?''

Spotting the device Ultron is temporarily using to keep the city in the sky Tony says. ''I don't know, how much time you got?

''More than you.'' States Ultron summoning some Copies of himself.

''Uhhh. Have you been juicing? A little Vibranium cocktail? You're looking, I don't wanna say, puffy...''

Seeing through Starks deception, Ultron comments. ''You're stalling to protect the people.''

Smirking Stark tells him. ''Well, that is the mission. Did you forget?''

''I've moved beyond your mission. I'm free...'' States Ultron as suddenly the Vibranium core he's placed beneath the floor erupts. ''... What, you think you're the only one stalling?... This is how you end, Tony. This is peace in my time...'' That said, an even larger Iron Legion starts attacking the city as everyone is evacuating it.

As the earth is shaking and buildings are collapsing, rubble filling the streets, large Chitauri turrets are revealed all around Novi Grad.

''Do you see? The beauty of it, the inevitability... You rise, only to fall... You, Avengers, you are my meteor, my swift and terrible sword and the earth will crack with the weight of your failure. When the dust settles, the only thing living in this world will be metal.''

While Stark is facing with Ultron in the church, Steve and Ethen are helping some injured out of the combat zone. Via a miraculously still working headsets, Ethen hears Banner state. ''The Vibranium core has a magnetic field, that's what's keeping the rock together.''

Helping a small child and her father out of a collapsed building, Steve asks. ''If it drops?''

As Stark is thrown out of the church by Ultron, he tells the rest. ''Right now the impact would kill thousands. Once it gets high enough: Global extinction.''

Seeing Stark over his head with Ultron, Steve commands everybody. ''Furry will bring in some helicarrier. Stark, you worry about bringing the city back down safely. The rest of us have one job: tear these things apart. You get hurt, hurt 'em back. You get killed, walk it off.''

Meanwhile, Natasha gets Wanda out of the way and into a building as Ultron's robots aim straight at them. Looking at the traumatized girl, the veteran spy tells her. ''Go, go, move!''

Feeling guilty wand starts to break down asking herself. ''How could I let this happen?''

Shaking the redhead awake and out of her guilt, Natasha asks her. ''Hey, hey, you okay?''

''This is all our fault.'' Says Wanda, avoiding Natashas eyes.

''Hey, look at me. It's your fault, it's everyone's fault, who cares. Are you up for this? Are you? Look, I just need to know, cause the city is flying. Okay, look, the city is flying, we're fighting an army of robots, and I only have to guns and some gadgets. None of this makes sense. But I'm going back out there because it's my job. Okay? And I can't do my job and babysit. It doesn't matter what you did, or what you were. If you go out there, you fight, and you fight to kill. Stay in here, you're good, I'll find your brother or Ethen and send him over to get you, but if you step out that door, you are an Avenger...'' Looking up from her shaking hands Wanda just looks at her. ''... Alright, good chat...''

That said, Natasha gets up and ready to leave. ''... Yeah, the city is flying.'' As she leaves and she instantly starts shooting.