Chapter Four
One of the most crucial moments in this book: the visions are here - and I think you'll be surprised by a few. This has the Wakanda battle and the aftermath.
***
Ultron would have smiled if he could have when Klaue handed over a bit of vibranium. "Upon this rock, I will build my church. Vibranium."
"You know, it came at great personal cost," Klaue looked at him. "It's worth billions."
Ultron chuckled, eyes whirring for a moment. "Now, so are you. It's all under your . . . dummy holdings? Finance is so weird. But I always say, 'Keep your friends rich and your enemies rich, and wait to find out which is which.'"
Klaue scowled. "Stark."
"What?"
"Tony Stark used to say that to me. You're one of his!"
"What?" Ultron roared. "I'm not - " He grabbed Klaue angrily. "I'm not! You think I'm one of Stark's puppets, his hollow men? I mean, look at me! Do I look like Iron Man? Stark is - " He chopped Klaue's arm off, surprising them all. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I am so - oh, I'm sure that's going to be OK. I'm sorry. It's just . . . I don't understand! Don't compare me with Stark!" He kicked Klaue down the stairs angrily. It's a thing with me. Stark is . . . he's a sickness!"
"Ah, junior," Tony complained as he approached, Thor and Steve flanking him, Jessie and Martha behind them both. "You're gonna break your old man's heart."
"If I have to," Ultron turned.
"We don't have to break anything," Thor shook his head.
"Clearly, you've never made an omelet," Ultron shook his head.
"I have!" the Doctor leaned over a catwalk, grinning like a madman. "I beat them all! Even Thor!"
"Ah, this is funny, Mr. Stark," Pietro chuckled. "It's . . . what, comfortable? Like old times?"
"This was never my life," Tony shook his head.
"You two can still walk away from this," Steve warned the Maximoffs.
"Oh, we will," Wanda smirked.
"I know you've suffered - " Steve began.
"Ugh!" Ultron groaned, interrupting him. "Captain America. God's righteous man, pretending you could live without a war. I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but - "
"If you believe in peace, then let us keep it," Thor interrupted.
"I think you're confusing peace with quiet."
"Yuh huh," Tony's voice said just how much he believed that. "What's the vibranium for?"
Ultron sighed. "I'm glad you asked that, because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan!"
The Iron Legion rose from their hiding places to attack, and Steve quickly raised his shield over Martha to block the first shots. "This is why I didn't want you to come!"
"Like that would stop me!" she shot him a look.
The Doctor ran across the balcony, sonicking a few droids to make them faulty, when some of Klaue's men started shooting. "Oh, for - " He turned, summoning a wave of the Aether, knocking them over and out. "That was rude!"
"I think that's the whole idea!" Jessie flew past, decapitating one of the droids.
Clint's arrows soon flew back, disabling a few droids, and then Natasha began shooting as well. Jessie landed back down to help the other Avengers when Thor threw his hammer. A flash of silver went by, and then the hammer collided into the ground, tugging Pietro with it. Jessie was there in an instant, smirking. "I'd stay down if I were you," she advised with a wink. She turned to get to Thor, then paused, seeing him look . . . odd. "Thor?" she waved a hand in front of his face. "Status?"
"The girl tried to warp my mind," Thor answered, walking off. "Take special care. I doubt a human could keep her at bay. Fortunately, I am mighty!"
He stopped dead in his tracks again, and Jessie huffed. "Mighty indeed," she mumbled, turning around . . . and suddenly found herself on Asgard. "What the hell?" she looked around.
***
From the Quinjet, where Saleen was waiting with Bruce, they heard the sounds of fighting. "Er . . . guys?" Saleen tapped the comm. "Is this Code Green?" She paused, not hearing an answer, then turned to Bruce. "I'll go check," she said, heading out.
***
Clint looked down at everyone being manipulated, then heard a whisper of movement behind him. Quickly, he pulled out an electric arrow and stuck it on Wanda's forehead, making her gasp and collapse. "I've done the whole mind control thing," he told her. "Not a fan." Pietro sped in, knocking him down, then took Wanda and ran off again. "Yeah, you better run," he said darkly, then stood. "Whoever's standing, we gotta move. Guys?"
***
Steve was about to answer Clint's call when he found himself in a 1940s dance hall. He looked around, then checked his uniform to see it was the 1940s army uniform he had worn back during World War II.
A whisper of noise came from behind him, and Steve turned to see Peggy Carter walk up, wearing a dress and a smile. "Are you ready for our dance?" she asked, tilting her head.
***
"You . . . " Jessie gasped, spinning to turn, seeing Frigga approaching, her eyes milky white, glaring at her if she could. "You are the cause of this destruction."
"Frigga?" Jessie breathed, eyes wide, looking around. "Where . . . how?"
"They see everything," Frigga hissed. "They are leading my son to Hell. Wake up and warn him!"
Jessie gasped, starting to choke when Frigga's hand wrapped around her throat.
***
"Jez?" the Doctor looked around, frowning in confusion, seeing he was on a lakeshore, the sun setting. "Jez?"
"Doctor."
He turned, blinking when he saw Amy and Rory walking towards him, anger in their eyes, River right behind them. "Ponds?" he asked. "River?"
"Why didn't you come?" Amy screamed at him, making to grab his shoulders, but the Doctor caught her hands just in time. "Why weren't you there when she died?"
"What?" the Doctor gawked at her, looking around. "Where's - ?"
"Answer her!" Rory glared. "Where were you when the Bad Wolf died?"
***
Martha was running down a hall when she suddenly found herself in a familiar TARDIS console room. "Right," she looked around. "Nice trick! Wanda, was this you?"
"Who's Wanda?" an equally familiar voice asked.
Martha turned, surprised, to see the Tenth Doctor looking at her strangely. "Er . . . friend," she passed off. "Sorry, I was just talking to her." She looked around, frowning. "Where's the Bad Wolf?"
The Tenth Doctor frowned. "Don't you remember?"
"Remember what?"
"Martha," the Tenth Doctor said slowly. "We dropped her off a long time ago."
Martha stared at him in shock. "We . . . did." It took tons of effort not to squeak and to not phrase it like a question.
"We did," the Tenth Doctor nodded, confirming her statement. "And I told her never to come back."
***
"The war's over, Steve," Peggy coaxed, walking up to Steve. "We can go home. Imagine it!"
Steve was sorely tempted, but he shook his head. "I have Martha," he said firmly. "I gave you up a long time ago." He glared up at the ceiling. "Maximoff, get out of my head!"
***
"I'm sorry you died to save me," Jessie shook her head, tearing away from Frigga's grip. "But I can still save the others!"
"We are all dead!" Loki's voice snapped, and Jessie turned, eyes wide, to see him with white eyes as well. "Can't you see? You're a destroyer, Bad Wolf! Do you not know where your power leads?"
Jessie screamed, gripping her head as images flared by, with glows of blue, gold, red, purple, green, and orange.
***
"I don't understand," the Doctor shook his head, looking around, eyes wide. "She can't be dead. I would be dead!"
"Then why are you still here?" River yelled at him.
"She's dead, Doctor, and you weren't here for her!" Rory glared. "What do you have to say to that?"
"I can't live while she's dead," the Doctor mumbled, looking around. "This . . . " His eyes narrowed. "Maximoff!" he shouted loudly, making the others jump.
***
"OK," Martha tried very hard not to panic as she walked around the TARDIS console. "OK. So, the Bad Wolf's gone."
"Yes," the Tenth Doctor nodded.
"We're on our own."
"Yes."
"I seem to be rather forgetful," Martha turned to him. "What did we just do?"
"The Family of Blood's gone," the Tenth Doctor answered, turning to the console. "They won't bother us anymore."
"Right," Martha eyed him. "And Joan?"
The Doctor froze for a moment. "She didn't want to come."
Martha narrowed her eyes. "Did you love her?"
The Doctor didn't answer. Finally, Martha made him turn, and she slapped him, hard. "I want to wake up!" she shouted, looking up. "Where am I?"
***
"Ah," Ultron smirked as Tony watched the vibranium be taken away. "The vibranium's getting away."
"And you're not going anywhere," Tony glared.
"Of course not," Ultron chuckled. "I'm already there. But first . . . you might need to catch Dr. Banner."
Tony's eyes widened, and he shot at Ultron before flying up and out of the factory. "News or footage, keyword: Hulk," he ordered. His vision lit up with news footage of the Hulk destroying the city. "Saleen, I could really use a lullaby!"
"Well, that's not going to happen," Clint's voice answered. "Not for a while. The whole team is down, and she's helping me get them back to the jet. Even the Doctor and Jessie are out. You got no back up here."
***
By the time everyone had woken up from their visions, Bruce had nearly thoroughly destroyed Wakanda, and Tony had just managed to knock him out with the Hulkbuster armor. Clint and Saleen were flying the jet, and Natasha still looked thoroughly shaken. Thor and Jessie were talking together quietly, seeming to connect things from their visions, while both Steve and Martha wouldn't look at each other. "The news is loving you guys," Maria said via the video feed Tony was speaking to her with. "Nobody else is. There's been no official call for Banner's arrest, but it's in the air."
"Stark Relief Foundation?" Maria asked.
"Already on the scene. How's the team?"
Tony looked over everyone. The Doctor was the only one who gave any kind of response. He just sort of shrugged, looking over at Jessie. "Everyone's . . . we took a hit," Tony decided to say. "We'll shake it off."
"Well, for now, I'd stay in stealth mode, and stay away from here."
"So run and hide?"
"Until we can find Ultron, I don't have a lot else to offer."
"Neither do we," Tony muttered, switching the feed off, then walked up to Clint. "Hey, either of you wanna switch out?"
Saleen simply shook her head. "No, we're good," Clint said. "If you wanna get some kip, now's a good time, 'cause we're still a few hours out."
"A few hours from where?" Tony asked, confused.
"A safe house," Clint shrugged.
***
"Nice house," Jessie tilted her head to look up at the farmhouse they were walking towards, Clint still supporting Natasha, who looked shaken.
"What is this place?" Thor asked.
"A safe house?" Tony suggested.
"Let's hope," Clint shrugged, using a key to unlock the door. "Honey, I'm home!" he called. Jessie's eyes widened when a heavily pregnant woman emerged from the kitchen, her eyes wide. "Hi," Clint smiled at her, gesturing to the others, all of them looking at the woman, surprised. "Company. Sorry. Didn't call ahead."
"Hey," she walked up to him.
"I thought he said he didn't have a girlfriend?" the Doctor whispered to Jessie, who snorted.
"This is an agent of some kind," Tony tried to find an explanation.
"Gentlemen, ladies," Clint turned, his arm around the woman, "this is Laura."
"I know all your names," Laura blushed.
"Oh, incoming," Clint turned as running feet came from the stairs.
"Dad!" a young girl shouted, running up.
"I see her," Clint laughed, picking her up. "Hey, buddy," he leaned down to kiss a young boy's head, the others still trying to comprehend what they were seeing.
"These are . . . smaller agents," Tony mumbled.
"Look at your face!" Clint laughed, loving seeing Tony stunned. "Oh, my goodness!"
"Did you bring Auntie Nat?" the little girl asked.
"Why don't you hug her and find out?" Natasha managed a smile, and the girl ran to her, and Natasha picked her up.
Steve cleared his throat. "Sorry for barging in on you."
"Yeah, we would have called ahead, but we were busy having no idea that you existed," Tony added, then yelped when Jessie's hand made contact with the back of his head.
"Yeah," Clint looked sheepish. "Well, Fury helped me set this up when I joined. He kept it off SHIELD's files. I'd like to keep it that way. I figure it's a good place to lay low."
"Honey," Laura smiled, moving to hug Natasha. "Ah, I missed you."
"How's little Natasha, huh?" Natasha looked down at Laura's swollen stomach.
"She's . . . " Laura looked embarrassed. "Nathaniel."
Natasha blinked, then scowled and leaned down. "Traitor," she hissed.
The Doctor snorted, then paused when Jessie tugged on his arm. "Yes?" he leaned down.
"Thor and I are going," she said.
" . . . what?" the Doctor blinked.
"We had nearly the exact same vision," Jessie looked at Thor, who seemed lost in thought. "He thinks it isn't a coincidence."
The Doctor frowned. "I would like to - "
"Go with us, I know," Jessie smiled at him. "We won't even leave Earth."
The Doctor hesitated. "He better not let anything happen to you."
"He won't," Jessie smiled, kissing him before heading for the door.
Thor left with her, and the Doctor followed them. Steve, however, did as well. "Thor!" he called. "Jessie!"
"We saw something in those dreams," Thor turned. "Visions do not come to people the same way. And yet we dreamed the same vision. We need answers. We won't find them here."
He wrapped an arm around Jessie and used his hammer to fly off. The Doctor watched them go, then winced when Amy's voice came back to him. "Why weren't you there when she died?"
He turned to see Steve had winced as well. "All right?" the Doctor asked.
Steve paused a bit too long. "Yeah," he looked back out at the field. "I think so."
***
Cho walked into her lab in Korea, then gasped when she saw Ultron was inside. "Scream, and your entire staff dies," Ultron warned, turning to her. "I could've killed you, Helen, the night we met. I didn't."
"Do you expect a thank you note?" Cho asked sarcastically, proud of herself when she didn't sound as scared as she felt.
"I expect you know why."
Cho looked down to see her creation sitting in the middle of the lab. "The cradle."
Ultron nodded, playing back her voice. "This is the next thing, Tony." "This . . . this is the next me."
"The regeneration cradle prints tissue," Cho frowned. "It can't build a living body."
"It can," Ultron nodded. "You can. You lacked the materials. You're a brilliant woman, Helen." He turned and raised Loki's scepter, pointing it at Helen's chest, watching her stiffen as the mind control took effect. "But we all have room to improve."
***
There is a very good reason why the Doctor dreamed of Lake Silencio. Natasha had a flash to the past. Steve and Martha got alternate pasts of what could have been. Thor and Jessie saw what the Infinity Stones could do. All in all, mostly outrageous alternate paths. Why should the Doctor believe this happened?
Well . . . better hope he doesn't find the Tesselecta's records, then.
Also, if there are funny parts and details missing, I do not have the best transcript right now for this movie, but I'm making it work. If I miss a very crucial part, just let me know.
The second chapter should be coming soon!
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