I grumble as I look at Steve's outstretched hand apprehensively. "Alright, whatever. Fine, I'll help." I huff and take the outstretched hand.

My toe gently grazes the ground as I spin myself in circles upon the stool. Curiosity is wild within the confines of my mind. It threatens to plunge me into a white haze as I break down every little thing that's happened to me in the past four days. I feel like I'm sleepwalking. Like I'm somewhere in the middle of reality and delusion. This feels like another HYDRA trick and I'm not sure I trust all of which is happening around me. How can they trust us? Just like a snap of the fingers? Is it a cover? Is it sincere? Are they just keeping us around to probe our minds for HYDRA intel? Do they still think we're actually part of that death squid, ahem, octopus, cult?

Despite the fear of rejection, the fear that this is all a mind game, I still hung around the lab with Stark and Banner all night. I spoke very vaguely about myself when questions arose, this new hesitancy restricting my words. I offered as little information possible that still acceptably answered their prying questions. What were they expecting? That I would open up like flood gates and spill my entire life's history to them? No, surely that's not what they were expecting of me. Right?

It was late in the morning when Dr. Banner decided to retire for the rest of the dark hours. The rest of the morning went smoothly, uneventful. I assisted Stark with getting his wireless communications back online, along with setting up some new firewalls and protective coding for his systems. He was curious about my intelligence in computer sciences but left the topic alone for the most part. There were a few comments about my skill, one or two rhetorical questions he hoped I'd actually answer instead of letting slide. Then he gave up when I mostly ignored him in favor of focusing on my task of fortifying his network.

"Iris I'll cut your goddamn foot off if you don't stop spinning in circles." Murk threw a small plastic pen at me from across the room with a scowl. I planted one foot on the ground just as I caught the pen in my palm.

"Bold of you to assume you'd even get close enough to me to do so." I twirl the pen between my fingers expertly, a taunting smile in place on my lips.

"I will poison your food." He grumbles under his breath.

"You'd accidentally poison yourself first." I chuckle before tapping away at the tablet Stark loaned me. That's when Steve comes in holding a tablet of his own.

I didn't know the old man knew how to work tech like this. Maybe Tony has a 'Grandpa Initiative' for him.

Rogers holds the device out to Thor. "What's this?" Tony leaves my side where he was watching my deft fingers work their magic. The three boys stand near Natasha, who is working on one of the computers in the room. Once by Thor, the Asgardian angrily slaps the device against Tony's midsection until the scientist grabs hold of it.

"A message. Ultron killed Strucker." Steve declares and Natasha looks up at him before turning to Tony with an eyebrow raised. My interest is piqued as I sit upright quickly. Murk's head shoots up, eyes wildly trained on my face. Banner makes his way over to see the photo on the tablet as well.

"And he did a Banksy at the crime scene just for us." I roll my eyes at Tony's childishness.

"He's dead...like for real now?" I ask hesitantly while standing up from the stool and making my way over to the tablet. I'm curious to see what the robot has done to the man I'd believed had perished in the destruction I caused years ago. Thor and Steve look at me then. I grow still for a moment, staring at the image. "He was there that day." I whisper with a quiet waver to my voice. "He was there the day they made me what I am. Malicious smile on his face, dark excitement in his eyes. Now look at him. A cold corpse. He'll never be able to touch another living soul." Murk approaches from behind and slips an arm behind my back and pulls me close to press a kiss to my hairline. I can sense the tension leave his body too. The relief. It makes me feel like I'm walking on air. "It's what he deserves." Before this can be discussed further, Natasha redirects the conversation.

"It's a smokescreen. Why send a message when you've just given a speech?" The assassin asks, inferring to a lecture I missed by none other than Ultron himself. I hand off the tablet after Murk has his chance to get a good long look at the man who's plagued our nightmares for years. I offer the older pyro a minimal smile, one that reveals how tired this whole ordeal has made me.

"Wait..." I turn my attention to the fiery-haired assassin. "As you said, this is a smokescreen — a welcome one, no offense, but still. What's he trying to hide then?"

"What are we missing?" Murk tacks on. Tasha looks away from the two of us as she frantically types away at the computer.

"Everything we had on Strucker has been erased. That was a good guess, kids." A smile tugs at my lips at the compliment.

"Not everything." Everybody's heads snap to Tony and I immediately groan, knowing exactly what happens next. Not but moments later, the lot of us are herded upstairs to an office-like space. Nothing like combing through dusty old files for a lead, right?

A few hours in, another box is dropped in the space next to the pile of dusty files I'm scanning. All of us have our eyes peeled in an attempt to find anything that could lead us to Ultron or his next move. I look up and receive a sympathetic look from Clint before he moves away to continue sorting through another box at the other end of the room. In the background, the rest of the group are discussing amongst themselves.

"Punched him." I slide a file across the table to Bruce. "Broke his arm." Another file slides across to the doctor without me looking up. "Ooo...think I shot him." A horrified look comes from Banner. Similarly, Murk sits next to me with a stack of his own files. He also slides his to Banner.

"Had an affair with him." The brunette slides the file towards the doctor. "Shared a drink with her then stole her phone...and almost her man." Another file rustles across the table accompanied by a dejected sigh. "Slept with her then stole her laptop and banking information..."

"Damn, Murk, you player."

"It's because I have more charm than you." He tilts his head towards me with a taunt stuck on the tip of his tongue.

"It's because you were the hustler and I was the muscle." I blow him a kiss before tossing another file down the table. "Broke his nose..." I'm about to continue on before Tony sharply declares he knows that guy. I look up. Stark takes the file from Bruce and starts explaining how he knows the Vibranium thief. Steve isn't the least bit amused as he gives Tony a dirty look. The doctor sitting next to me simply shakes his head before looking directly at me. "Do we want to know why you're both associated with these criminals?" I laugh.

"Did the octopus cult get to your brain also?" My partner asks when we lean back in our chairs, brows lifted. I see the lights die behind Banner's eyes as he remembers the one glaring blotch in both of our pasts.

"No those are tattoos, this is a brand." Thor is looking at a picture of the guy from the file, pointing to a raised symbol on the man's neck.

"I can tell you what it means," I say and Thor perks up while offering me the photo. I simply shake my head, refusing it. Everybody's attention is on me as I sit back in my chair.

"It means he's a dick."

Okay, so maybe my humor didn't come at the best of times considering we're on a clock. Murk and I continue to sift through the files out of curiosity, regaling our tales seeped in blood. It's not all a bad thing, it actually seems to help the team update the files with better background information — what their vices are, what they have their hands in, what their ties to HYDRA may be. Either way, it's a good distraction while Banner works on finding the actual meaning of the brand on our best lead. Nevertheless, after declaring my version of the meaning of the brand, Clint had let out an ungodly snort, Tony cracked an approving smirk, and Natasha looked ready to put me out of her misery. Steve looked half amused and half disappointed and Thor...well I'm not sure. He looked as stoic as before. That was about thirty minutes ago. Clint still seems to be trying to get a grip after breaking into hysterics. However, every time he gazes at me he looks like he's going to start crying from the pressure of not laughing. He only sobers up when Bruce declares the brand means 'thief' in the Wakandan dialect. Tony looks like he's seen a ghost.

"If this guy got out of Wakanda with some of their trade goods..." Stark begins uncertainly.

"I thought your father said he got the last of it..." Steve continues for Tony.

"I don't follow. What comes out of Wakanda?" Bruce asks the question all of us are asking ourselves.

"The strongest metal on earth." Steve answers and casts a somber look at his shield that lies against a nearby desk.

"Because this whole situation wasn't complicated enough." I kick my feet up on the desk.

"Now we're going after a fictional nation? What's next? We invade the fire nation?"

"Murk shut the fuck up." I laugh at him before my face falls stoic. "We all know the fire nation is actually the government."

"Holy shit." If Murk's eyes could grow two sizes and his pupils could constrict into stars like an anime character, they would've.

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"No, I'm not leaving Murk behind." I stand my ground, arms tightly crossed as I stand with a straightened back. Like a stormy torrent, my eyes bore into the righteous ones on Captain America.

"I thought you wanted to help-"

"I do want to help, but I am not leaving my only family behind while I hang my ass out on the line. Murk's had my back for as long as I can fathom, and no offense, but I trust him more than I trust all of you."

"Iris, you even said that we don't know the extent of his abilities. He's a wild card that could put all of us in danger."

"So could I, Rogers. I'm a ticking time bomb, probably more dangerous than he is if I were to lose control, yet you still want me on the front lines with you. Against a psychic who could do who knows what. She's more of an unknown than Murk and I."

"You said that the two of you were kept apart because of the untold destruction you could do when together. I can't risk it."

"Then leave us both here. Those are your options. You take both of us or neither of us, we're a package deal." Steve sighs heavily, dragging his hand down his face. Murk sits on the counter, legs crossed with dark shades obscuring his vision.

"Fine. Be ready to go in thirty minutes." The Captain relents, backing down. I refuse to break eye contact, holding my ground until he ends up leaving to suit up.

"You know you didn't have to-"

"I won't leave you behind again." I cover one of his hands with mine.

As the jet rocks to the side, I tighten the grip I have on the support bar. Murk is fast asleep on the seating across from me, mouth wide open as soft snores escape him. "Scared of flying?" Banner jokingly asks.

"No. Just not fond of heights or the thought of a fiery death."

"I thought HYDRA didn't have fears." Tony retorts, swiveling around in the pilot's chair. I scowl.

"I am not-"

"That was in poor taste, Tony." Natasha reprimands him with a sharp look.

"Just like his sense of style." I give Stark a cold look before refocusing on the exit of this mechanical death trap. Only seconds later does the perceived sense of movement cause me to reach out and catch a hunter green jacket from the air before it hits me.

"I'll have you know my style is just too expensive for you to comprehend."

"Whatever you say." I evaluate the article of clothing. It's not horrible, but no way will I give him the satisfaction of knowing that.

"Your shivering was distracting." I look down and take note of the chills that run up my arms, and the faint shivers. I don't necessarily need a jacket considering I can keep myself warm just by manipulating the energy around me, but that'd use up valuable strength which would better be used for the impending fight. I reluctantly slide the jacket on before averting my gaze again, not wanting to see that cocking smirk I know the billionaire is wearing.

Within a few more short moments, we've landed on the outskirts of a salvage yard, hidden in the treeline. As we begin to disembark, I note that Murk doesn't move from where he's now awake and sitting. "You coming?" I pause on the ramp, waiting for the fiery individual to join my side. That's when I note the apprehension in his demeanor in his eyes. "Murk?"

"You go. I'm gonna stay back with Bruce." I let silence befall the two of us, gauging his state.

"Are you sure?"

"What, you afraid I'm gonna seduce him while you're off strong-arming Strucker's newest toys?"

"Well, I am now." We share a short laugh. I can see there is a small amount of fear simmering beneath the usually playful aspect of his hazel eyes. Perhaps this reminds him too much of what we were forced to do, or perhaps this is just too far out of his comfort range. Maybe facing two more people who's lives have been disturbed in such a way as ours is too painful for him. I just know that if he didn't trust the Avengers to have my back, he'd be by my side in a flash — apprehension or not.

"Okay. I'll see you both soon. Stay safe, watch each other's backs, be on guard."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say mom." Murk taunts with a fresh smile, giving me the confidence that he'll be fine. I turn away from him, eyes glancing over the waterless shore before following in the footsteps of the rest of the team.

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"Stark is...he's a sickness!" We arrive just in time to witness Ultron kicking the man we've come for down a flight of stairs. Ulysses' bodyguard rushes down the steps after him.

"Ah, Junior." Iron Man lowers himself onto the rusty platform, gaining both Ultron and the Maximoff's attention. "You're gonna break your old man's heart." I watch as the male Maximoff twin, Pietro, casually throws a tube of vibranium to the side. He's either unaware, or doesn't care, just how expensive that metal is. The twins' attention shifts between the Avengers before settling on me. I can see the growing disgust on their face. How dare I side with them? But the joke is on them, they're being led astray by a soothsayer.

"If I have to." Ultron responds to Tony with a casual tone.

"Nobody has to break anything." Thor says, trying to keep things civil.

"Clearly you've never made an omelet." Ultron fires back.

"I don't think he's made any sort of food before." I mumble. Isn't that what his servants on Asgard are for?

"He beat me by one second." Tony half turns his head in Thor's direction.

"Yes. This is funny, Mr. Stark." Pietro begins while walking out from behind Ultron. I grimace. Mr. Stark has such an odd sound about it. "It's what? Comfortable?" His sister, Wanda, gives all of us a cold glare from where she stands. "Like old times?" The speedster glances down at all the nukes and missiles below us.

Well hopefully none of them will blow while we're in here.

"This was never my life." Stark retorts solemnly as he glances down at the weapons.

"And what about you?" The speedster's accusatory tone prompts my eyes to meet his. "Are you their prisoner now? Their puppet? Or was it that you couldn't live without someone giving you orders?" I scowl at the male, my nose wrinkling in anger.

"For the first time in a long time, I made my own choice. Or did Strucker not tell you that? That we were nothing but science experiments, prisoners held against our will? That what followed was beyond control? No...he'd tell you whatever you'd want to hear to keep you under his thumb. And now look where you are. Helping a would-be murderer."

"No, we're looking at the murderers." Wanda sneers.

"You two can still walk away from this." Cap steps up.

"Why, so we can join your ranks to prove ourselves to you? To become your pawns, like Iris?" My gaze suddenly returns to the Maximoff's. I scowl at the platinum-haired male.

"How do you know-"

"-your name?" He smirks cockily, enjoying my discomfort. "As I said before, Strucker told us all about you. I mean, he thought the same about you at the time — that you were dead after you leveled that facility with everyone still inside." Pietro easily states and my eyes grow wide.

"I had no control over that." I couldn't help but be furious that he would speak to me like I enjoyed death and destruction. Did he not really know what actually happened? Was he goading me? "It wasn't-"

"-your fault? How many people died that day, Iris?" The blonde continues to prod as if he's trying to get a certain reaction from me...or from the Avengers. My blood begins to boil and I can feel energy building up around my hands.

This is their plan. Rile me up and make the Avengers turn against me so I'd be forced from their graces and have no choice but to side with Ultron. He's trying to prove that the Avengers are a group of biased criminals dressed up as heroes.

"I'd love to see how well you control your panic, your fear after they send someone to put a bullet in your brain. After they come to you in the middle of the most painful experience you will ever encounter as your abilities fluctuate out of control before realization strikes you down like lightning to a tree. You. Are. Nothing." I sneer while taking a few steps towards the speedster, who mimics my actions. Before I'm out of arms reach, Steve grabs my upper bicep. I rip my arm from his grasp until the Maximoff twin and I are face to face. We're both seething, but for two different reasons. We're both stubborn, that much is obvious. I just seem to have a bigger temper. Ultron glares at the two of us but his eyes end up settling on me. He appears to be sizing me up, evaluating me. He turns his unnerving red gaze away from me after a moment and chuckles, not ready to address me quite yet. He goes on to speak to the rest of the team while I confront Pietro. "Who do you think you are?" I snarl.

"The one who's gonna save this world from the ones who keep endangering it." Pietro snaps back with the same intensity.

"And yet you're helping the man who wants to end it. Do you really think that thing actually cares about the two of you? You're just like us. You're a threat to him, a threat to his plan, disposable the second your opinion differs. The two of you are a means to an end. Mark my words."

"Just like you were HYRDA's means to an end?" He taunts. That's when I snap. I'm swinging before I'm thinking. But Pietro being a speedster makes it easy for him to catch my fist with a smirk. It seems like my action is a catalyst for the now ensuing commotion erupting behind me as Ultron begins his attack on the rest of the team. "They'll never see you as one of them, Iris. They're just using you too." Pietro warns before releasing my fist as one of Ultron's miniaturized bots grabs me by the shoulders and yanks me towards Steve and Thor.

I nearly crash into Steve, who's in the process of fighting a robot himself, before getting my balance. I glare right into the illuminated eyes of the robot with its sight set on me. I allow a transparent energy shield to surround myself as the first line of defense when it lunges for me. When the robot tries to force itself through the energy barrier, I begin to absorb whatever source is powering it. However, I quickly notice that the energy signature is different from that during the fight in the Avengers tower. It's sharp, like feeling shards of glass pierce your skin. Yet it also feels like there are needles in my bloodstream.

Whatever power courses through the machine, it has evolved like a poison. Instead of feeling more empowered, I feel like an infection has laid hold and is dragging me towards death. It's like life itself is being choked out of me. My barrier drops around me. Where I was once warm, I feel cold and sluggish, lightheaded and more exhausted. It feels like my blood is being replaced by water. I reach out for the platform railing in order to stay upright. It's then that I notice the veins of my hands and arms are flickering an odd yellow to blue, then shifting to a deadly looking scarlet.

Whatever this is, it needs to go.

The longer I retain it, the weaker I feel and the more hyper-aware I become of the sounds around me. With a weak groan, I create an expulsive wave of energy to get rid of the infective power. The resulting outcome leaves me feeling like I haven't eaten in days. I have zero energy, there's a throbbing in my temples, and I'm fighting to just keep my eyes open as I await my own energy to replenish. On the other hand, the little blast I release short-circuits the two robots that Cap and Thor are fighting. This leaves Steve able to charge at the female Maximoff, only to encounter a blast of her energy that sends him back to the grated floor. In an attempt to regain my strength more quickly, I focus on taking in energy being given off by the dim lights illuminating the freighter. The hull flickers in and out of darkness for a few moments while I weakly stumble over to Steve. I offer him a hand up just as gunfire rings out through the entire ship.

I hope Natasha and Clint have this.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Steve asks once on his feet.

"There's something different with what the robots are being powered by. It's like taking poison." I note the concern in his eyes before the two robots begin to reboot. I'm quick to form small spheres of golden light around my fists while Steve throws his shield. That's when a blur of blue whips past me and Steve's falling. The Miximoff's punch sends the Iced Americano back to the floor. Pietro begins to double back as Thor throws his hammer at him.

If he's faster than any of us how does Thor suppose he's gonna hit him?

Much to my surprise, the male twin seems to think it'd be a good idea to try and snatch the weapon from the air. He must not know the whole 'whoever shall be worthy may possess the power of Thor' thing. Amusement floods me as I watch him break through the guardrail and tumble into some crates below, groaning as he tries to sit up. I wonder whether or not I should attempt to do something with him. However, two men carrying heavy artillery make it impossible at that moment. I flick my wrist in their direction and watch as the burst of energy leaving my fingertips catches them off guard, sending them directly into the far wall with enough force to render them unconscious.

Movement from the shadows gives me just enough time to bend backward as another man emerges with the butt of his firearm poised and ready to make contact with the side of my face. I manage to evade the rain of bullets fired when he repositions the weapon. As his finger hovers over the trigger, a barrier erupts between us before the gunshot resonates through the confines of the small space. I watch as the bullets deflect off the shield embed in his chest. I stand over his body for a brief moment, watching as his heat signature begins to chill.

The distraction proves strong enough that another manages to clamp their hand over my mouth while an arm around my throat drags me into the darkness. I create a charge in my palm and reach backward to release it. The force knocks them into the far wall while I turn on my heel to face my attacker, none other than Wanda Maximoff. I scowl and allow a new charge to build around my hands while she clutches the side of her face. Her eyes illume a poignant scarlet as she assesses me. "How are you resisting me?" She snarls before flicking her wrist in my direction. A faint scarlet trail leaves her fingers but dissipates about an inch from my face. There's a spark of fear that she quickly buries beneath a cold look. I gape at her. Is she referring to her telepathy? Can she not invade my mind?

My temporary moment of shock is taken advantage of as she sends another wave of energy my way, only this time my eyes blur out of focus and I'm stumbling backward into the wall. My eyes feel like I've splashed alcohol into them as they shift sporadically between bright gold and crimson. Eventually, they settle on a sunlight hue as my vision slowly returns. When I manage to gauge my surroundings, the girl is gone. A headache begins to pound against my skull.

Okay, rude.

My earpiece starts making static mixed with a garbled voice. Grumbling as I try to gather my sanity, I begin to make my way back towards the ongoing fight. Before I reach the action, I'm faced with an absolutely pissed looking blue-eyed Maximoff. Before I can do anything I might regret, there's a 'woosh' and I'm suddenly in the middle of a shipyard, disorientated, alone, and probably plagued with whiplash. I struggle to keep my stomach contents down as I sway from side to side for a moment, my hands finding my knees as I hunch over.

Wow, does the rude personality trait run in the family or something?

I take long, deep breaths until I'm confident my lunch is going to stay down before standing upright. With a quiet shuddering exhale, I turn in a full circle before deciding to walk in the direction of the trees. A dark cloud seems to hang over my head at being overpowered by the twins, having seemingly underestimated their abilities. At this point I have a better chance of finding Bruce and Murk than returning to the Avengers in time to finish off Ultron. I sigh and then begin carefully jogging around puddles. Not but maybe three minutes later do I see a silver-blue streak ahead of me. A frown makes its way onto my face.

Maximoff.

I start sprinting. Murk and Bruce are sitting ducks and I need to get to them before the twins do. Unfortunately for me, I have no cover to hide behind and the two see me sprinting across the mud bed.

Should have brought me somewhere else if you wanted to get me out of the way, buddy.

As I begin closing in on the treeline, I can see Bruce sticking his head out from the jet. Before I even open my mouth, I'm knocked onto my back as a muscular Pietro holds me down. "Run Banner!" I yell at full volume before the male twin has his hand pressed over my mouth to silence me. I squirm fruitlessly beneath him as he struggles to keep me down before my knee shoots up and a groan escapes him. I shove him to the side and roll onto my hands before tripping to my feet. I make it maybe two yards before I'm tackled back into the mud, arms tight around my waist. "Murk!" I screech.

This is not how football works, Pietro.

"Do you ever run away!?" I shout and try to pry myself out of his arms. I even try to jab him in the ribs with my elbow, to no avail. Between the strands of hair that have fallen loose from my ponytail I can see Murk sprinting across the shore towards me. My heart stills knowing that he's safe at least.

"Do you ever stay down?!"

Okay despite my position, an angry Sokovian accent is pleasant to the ears.

"Do you sleep at night knowing who you're helping!? He doesn't want to save the world! Humans are too problematic to save!" The arms that are wrapped around my waist suddenly disappear and get to my knees just in time to see Bruce shift into the Hulk. I turn and look at the Sokovian male also sitting in the mud. "Whatever he does, and whoever dies, is on both of you." I snarl at him. He looks at me with wide eyes, only just now understanding all the lives the two of them just condemned to death. "Now tell me again that he wants to save the world." My arm outstretches in the direction the Hulk has disappeared. I stand to my feet. "The Avengers may not be perfect, Pietro, but at least they care about the lives of anybody and everybody in danger. They're trying to protect Earth."

"How do you know-"

"-your name?" I smirk at him as the corner of his mouth twitches upwards in a grin. "You're not the only one who's done their reading." My smirk then turns into a frown. "You should really consider what it is Ultron truly is trying to achieve..." Before I'm able to get any response from Pietro, his eyes widen while his mouth opens, like he's about to warn me.

"Iris!" Before I can turn to Murk's distant shout, a sharp pain overtakes my senses as it erupts from the back of my skull. I find myself back on hands and knees, eyes swimming as I groan in pain. Then there's the infamous 'whoosh' and I know the twins are gone. Murk reaches me seconds later, one hand on my back and the other guiding my face upwards towards his. I can vaguely make out his outline with my vision shifting in and out. "Iris, can you see how many fingers I'm holding up?"

"No, I can't." I weakly try to stand up, ready to forge ahead but find myself just falling sideways.

"You've got a concussion."

"I underestimated their abilities."

"Everybody did."

"I was getting through to him...Pietro. I was getting through to him, Murk. I was so close, I could see the gears turning. He was thinking about abandoning Ultron. I was so damn close, Murk." I groan in frustration and allow him to guide me to my feet, one hand gripping his arm tightly.

"You've planted the seeds of doubt Iris, don't worry. You might not have my charm, but if anybody can change someone's mind, it's you."