𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 || 𝘍𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘖𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘴

BEING IN SEOUL REMINDED JAXON OF THE MANY MISSIONS HE CONDUCTED ON FOREIGN SOIL WHEN QUANTUM WAS STILL AROUND. If it be espionage or assassinations. Working in untouched waters felt like a breath of fresh air despite the clear threat that loomed over them and the world as it was.

Yet, the difference was he accompanied Steve on the ground instead of going alone.

Stepping toward the edge of the rooftop Clint and Natasha dropped them off at, they had the perfect view of the U-GIN. A laboratory of science where Helen was last seen from Jaxon's sources. "Two minutes. Stay close." Steve led Jaxon as they leapt from building to building. Steadily closing the gap from their drop point to the target location.

The team had split up with Bruce heading back to the tower, Tony going to Nexus, and the rest of the team left to pursue Ultron. After the twisting of arms, Jaxon had managed to convince Harry to deploy a team to secure the location and any intel left behind in Ultron's escape. Managed to gain substantial control of his team after telling his boss the news of Ultron's goals. So now, it was open season for Jaxon to send his men wherever he wished.

As Steve and Jaxon dropped down to an alley, a whistle sounded out. Steve opened his mouth to speak but stopped when his partner whistled in response. From detours in the alleyway between buildings, soldiers appeared. Outside of their casual dress, they wore Kevlar vests with little spheres attached to the front with the patches of Talon resting in the center of their chests. AR15's fully loaded and slung on their backs to seem at least a little inconspicuous.

"These your men?" Steve asked.

Jaxon stepped forward as the rest of the group formed around him. "The best money can buy," he replied before sighing. "All right, to go over the goal right now, we secure the location and HVT until officials arrive. If you run into any resistance from Legionnaires or police, you brute force it. And that being said, no lethal force on any humans. The robots are the ones to kill, understood?" When a collective response was earned, Jaxon nodded. "All right, burn those patches and let's get moving."

As the group began to tear off the Talon insignia and started lighting them on fire, Steve glared at Jaxon. Grabbing his shoulder and turning him around. "This is a data retrieval mission? This is a search/rescue/and apprehend mission."

A twisted delight bubbled in the pit of Jaxon's heart as his lips twitched into a smile for a moment. Glancing back at his soldiers, he turned his attention to Steve. "My commitment is to the betterment of our species. If Ultron wants to wipe us out, then we need every bit of information we can get," he explained. "So, this is a data retrieval for my men. And if they come under resistance, they are cleared to use non-lethal force to get out with said data."

Stepping toward the supersoldier, he lowly offered, "Unless you think you are capable of leading again after what happened to your squad. To Bucky."

Inner turmoil between the pair wasn't a brewery anyone was interested in seeing blossom, Jaxon included. And he wasn't insecure about his position of power. But he didn't like the idea of everyone thinking his heart was undivided to the Avengers. Their paths were simply aligned with the end goal being to take out Ultron. Everything else? Well, that was just cookie crumbs left behind that Jaxon fully intended to utilize.

When Steve begrudgingly gave up the conversation, Jaxon led the group toward the facility. But upon entry, the story had played out the further they made their way forward. Plasma burns were scattered across most of the bodies they passed by going to the top floor.

The two Supersoldiers made their way to the top floor as the Talon Mercs dipped off into rooms, clearing them methodically before moving to grab intel.

Entering the lab, Jaxon and Steve were greeted by the bodies of scientists. But as Jaxon moved to check to see if any were Helen Cho, a weak groan could be heard with their eyes flickering to see Helen with a sizable wound on her chest. As Steve went to check on her, Jaxon called up one of the mercs to provide medical assistance while the others gathered up and grabbed any intel in the lab.

Grasping his rifle, he backed toward Steve, who talked to an injured Helen Cho. "You have to get the Cradle to Stark. Ultron can't have the stone."

"First, we have to find it," Steve corrected.

The woman nodded, inhaling sharply. "Go."

Jaxon cleared his throat, gaining the merc's attention. "Get everything you can and get her downstairs. Once she's there, get the hell out and get this all back to Henry. Understood?" Once he got the collective understanding, he followed Steve out.

"Did you guys copy that?" Steve called out, both him and Jaxon making it outside.

"We did," Clint confirmed.

"I got a private jet taking off across town. No manifest," Natasha announced to the group. "That could be him."

"There. It's a truck from the lab. Right above, you guys. On the loop by the bridge," Clint pointed out. Steve slightly tapped Jaxon's chest and the two began to run toward a ladder, giving them a perfect way up. "It's them. You got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver."

"Negative. That truck crashes, the gem could level the city," Steve told him, climbing over the ledge of the highway. Reaching over, Jaxon took his hand as the man said, "We need to draw out Ultron."

Jaxon moved to the edge of the freeway and saw the U-GIN truck approaching. Moving to the other end, he pulled out his knife and dangled it above. He waited, instincts moving in high gear and prioritizing skill and timing over stupidity. The rumbling of vehicles flying past him and below him didn't shake his thoughts that counted down the seconds until he finally let go of the knife.

The knife didn't embed itself in the flimsy figure of the truck. But when he teleported, his balance was immediately tested as his feet fought to find sound footing. His mind focused on his well-being to have ignored Steve's landing which resulted in him rolling across the top and grasping the back doors at the last second.

"Leave me alone!" A blast sounded inside the truck with the back door swinging open, Steve grunting in pain as his body collided with the side of the truck.

Grasping his pistol, Jaxon began to fire at random as the door Steve hung onto was shot again. The hinges came loose with the supersoldier lying on it as it stayed attached by a thread, dragging across the pavement with a painful screeching. "Jaxon, be careful!"

A blast shot up through the roof of the cargo bed as the warning fell from the man's lips. The classical timing aggravated Jaxon as he fired a few more rounds into the truck. "Then get the hell up here!"

"Just help me keep him that way then!" Steve replied.

"You're no match for him, Cap," Clint announced.

"Thanks, Barton."

Jaxon continued to fire rounds into the truck with the care of the cradle falling to the wayside, along with the gemstone. His gaze snapped to Steve who had been sent flying onto the front of a car following the truck. Quickly recovering and using one passing by to propel him over. Jaxon moved quickly and caught the man's arm, pulling to stable ground.

From the back of the truck, the two watched as Ultron appeared with his repulsor aiming at them. "You know what's in that Cradle?" He fired which Steve used his shield to deflect. "The power to make real change. And that terrifies you."

"I wouldn't call it a comfort."

The three began to fight with Steve throwing his shield at the bot as Jaxon used his knife to teleport to the robot and slice at the metal body.

When Steve was sent flying back from one of the repulsor blasts, his shield discarded off the truck as well, Jaxon watched the man struggle to regain his footing, trying to recover and make his way back.

His attention shifted to Ultron who landed on the roof of the cargo bed and stared at him. Jaxon licked his lips and waved a hand dismissively. "If it's between me and you, I don't like him either."

"And is there much to like about you, Jaxon Carter?" Ultron questioned, amusement clear in his voice, mocking Jaxon.

Pulling his knife from his sheath, he twisted it with a certain finesse as it fell into a reverse grip in his grasp. His lips curved into a large grin and the glass spheres on his hip began to glow. "Why not come over here and find out?"

Ultron closed the space, commencing the blur of the fight. Both of them exchanged blows and moved with a certain level of inhumane speed. Bright flashes of Jaxon's teleportation and Ultron's repulsor popped like fireworks.

Using one of the explosive glass vials on his hip, his powers embued in the object exploded on the impact of meeting Ultron's frame. But the instant the red energy inside was released, it tore a chunk of the robot's frame. Scales of metal ripped messily from his arm, reducing it to a skeleton.

"You're like her." Ultron looked up from his disfigured limb and to Jaxon. "You're like Wanda."

Jaxon laughed, tossing his knife in the air. "Don't compare me to that fuck."

Ultron had no time to respond before Jaxon was teleporting to his knife which had lined perfectly above the bot. Driving the knife into the bot's throat, Jaxon began to twist, using it as a handle to keep balance on the bot's shoulders.

It'd been a blur for Jaxon who had been grabbed by the skull and slammed through the cargo bed roof. Body colliding with the cradle, head bouncing off the edge and sending his thoughts spiralling.

Holding back the heaving twist of his stomach came as a challenge while standing to his feet. Too deep in a daze to prepare for the two blasts that sent him flying out the back of the cargo bed. He first made an impact with the pavement; a cascading seeing pain spreading across his body like a flame beneath his skin. Then he hit a car that sent him rolling over where another and another waited for him.

By the time his body stopped its velocity and left him rolled out on the pavement, his ears were ringing and his head was pounding. The sudden lurch of his stomach forced him to sit up despite the pain. Ripping off his mask and vomiting up blood and his last meal. He wobbled on his knees, groaning with his parted lips propelling panted breaths from his lips. Unable to shake the sour and repulsive taste off his tongue.

"Jax, on your left."

Lifting his head, the roaring sound of a motorcycle drew his attention. He spotted Natasha racing through the line of cars with her hand extending out to him. His body was persistent in keeping him stationary for the time being. But Jaxon's stubbornness, although it was a positive trait, was also his greatest weakness. So, he forced himself to his feet despite his best interest and began to jog. Eyes constantly flickering back to Natasha who was quickly approaching. With the right amount of timing, he caught her hand and felt her yank him onto the bike.

"Are you okay?" Natasha questioned, glancing over her shoulder at the man.

Swallowing the sour and metallic taste in his mouth he said, "Just get me up there."

Natasha forced down whatever worry she had and focused on the destroyed road in front of her. They took a detour and continued to tail the truck the best they could. Left to watch Steve and Ultron continue to fight as they looked for a select opening.

The queasiness of his stomach dazed his vision. Shook his thoughts around his skull as he watched through blurred vision as police began to block the road ahead.

"The two bots are heading back towards you," Clint announced. "Nat, whatever you're going to do, do it now."

"Jax and I are going in. Cap, can you keep him occupied?" She asked.

"What do you think I've been doing?" Steve huffed.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, Jaxon twisted his knife and exhaled sharply. "Hold on." She did as told and he tossed the knife into the cargo bed where they teleported. Jaxon's body slammed into the cargo bed wall with a groan, shaking his head with a low gag as his stomach twisted in knots.

They both moved to the monitor at the end of the Cradle, tapping on the screen before "USER OVERRIDE DENIED," appeared. Jaxon nearly voiced growing resentment to the giant platinum asshole. But before he could two loud thuds were heard, making the pair glance around for a moment. Eyes flickering to the back doors to see the ground slowly becoming farther and farther.

Without warning, the container of the truck jostled before lifting into the air, the back end tipping. It threw Natasha's balance off as she began to roll back and toward the opening. Jaxon acted quickly by driving his knife into the floor, feeling it slice through the material with ease. But just as Natasha fell out, he caught her hand with a grunt.

Lifting her and allowing her to use his body as a ladder, he was then pulled inside. Climbing up to grab ahold of the straps. Jaxon let out a shaky laugh, he quipped, "I feel like you owe me more times than I can count."

Natasha let out a laugh, smiling despite their current predicament. They quickly began to cut the straps anchored to the floor. 

"Okay, package is airborne," Clint announced.

Jaxon groaned in annoyance. "Don't fire, Clint. Nat and I are still inside."

"What the hell are you two-"

"Just be ready. We're sending the package to you," Natasha interjected, forcing herself up toward the top of the cradle.

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

Natasha let out a nervous laugh. "Uh, you might wish you hadn't asked that."

As Clint lined the cargo bay of the Quinjet with the back of the truck, Jaxon and Natasha continued to work on the straps of the cradle. Unsure of where Steve was and what the situation on the ground was.

But as if their thoughts were spoken to fruition, Steve announced, "I lost him! He's heading your way!"

"Guys, we gotta go," Clint urged.

Cutting the last strap, Jaxon mounted the cradle. Natasha planted an explosive before following suit as they rode the Cradle out of the truck. The instant howling pierced Jaxon's ears as he watched anxiously as Clint lined the Quinjet up perfectly, catching them. But the moment it did, Carter heard a grunt and spun around, seeing Ultron starting to fly away with Natasha in his grasp.

"Nat!" Leaping off the cradle, he threw his knife that stabbed into Ultron's back. Teleporting to the weapon he immediately began to use it as an ice axe, climbing up the robot's back and tearing at the metal. The elbow and punches to his body and face fell ill of their power as he shook them off with a bloody grin.

As Jaxon lifted the knife to stab Ultron's head, a blast sent him flying off. The shock spiderwebbing across his chest. Able to make out the wavering image of Natasha through crystalized eyes.

His body numbed to absolution as the impact of his body meeting the cradle was lost upon him. Nor could he hear Clint's muffled voice in his ear as the ache of his skull grew to an unbearable rate, leaving him to fade.