The Before [Prequel- Part 1]

Jarvis

~~~Catherine's pov~~~

"All our work is gone. Ultron cleared out. He used the internet as an escape hatch." Bruce sighed after he checked the database.

"He's been in everything. Files, surveillance footage. He probably knows more about us than we know about each other." Natasha shook her head. 

Then Rhodey spoke up. "He's in your files, and he's in the internet. What if he decides to access something a little more exciting?" 

I got what he meant, but Maria beat me to it. "Nuclear codes." 

"Nukes? He said he wanted us dead." Natasha tilted her head, confused.

I shook my head. "No. He didn't say dead. He said extinct." 

"He also said he killed somebody. Are we at least going to talk about that?" Loki reminded us. 

"He had to be lying. There was no one else in the building." Maria concluded, using a pair of tweezers to pick the glass shards out of her feet and legs.

What she said made something click for me. And my dad too, apparently. 

"Yes, there was," Dad said, pulling up a hologram of... Of Jarvis.

"No," I murmured, shaking my head. 

Bruce walked over to the fractured hologram in shock. "This is insane."

"Jarvis was the first line of defense. He would have shut Ultron down. It makes sense." Steve reasoned.

I shook my head. "No. Ultron could have assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy."

"This is rage." Dad finished my sentence. 

I nodded, about to say more, but then Thor stormed in. He did not look happy.

Before anyone could stop him, he marched over to Dad and held him by his neck in the air.

"Thor, stop. Put him down." I said, trying to keep myself calm.

"Use your words, buddy." Dad's voice was strangled.

"I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark." He spoke angrily, his grip tightening.

"Thor!" Steve got his attention. "The Legionnaire?" 

Thor set my dad down and turned to Steve. "The trail went cold about a hundred miles out, but it's headed north. And it has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it again." He said as I went over to Dad to make sure he was okay.

"You good?" I asked him quietly, helping him up. He nodded, and we both looked at Thor.

"Genie's out of that bottle. Clear and present is Ultron." Natasha remarked. 

"I don't understand. You built this program. Why is it trying to kill us?" Maria looked at Dad inquisitively. 

Dad started chuckling, and that's when I knew he lost it.

I can't deal with this right now. 

When I was sure no one was looking, I walked to the back of the room, where I couldn't be seen, and sat on one of the wooden crates to think. 

What if Ultron succeeds? What if he gains access to the nuclear codes? 

How many more would die if we couldn't stop him?

The same thing repeated in my mind over and over, and I felt myself start to shake, leading me to blink back tears. 

"Are you okay?" I glanced up from my seated position and saw Loki looking at me with concern. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." I lied, wiping away a tear that was threatening to fall. 

~~~Loki's pov~~~ 

She wasn't fine. I could tell. 

I mean, I am the God of Lies after all. I can spot a lie from a mile away.

"Are you sure?" I asked, sitting down next to her on the large storage crate.

Did those words just come out of my mouth?

Why did I care so much? I'd known her not even a week, but for some reason, a need to be sure she was okay came over me.

"Yes. No? I don't know anymore." She held her head in her hands, her voice wavering.

I was about to say something, but then Stark walked over. 

The question is, why was I so bothered by his interruption?

~~~Tony's POV~~~ 

I noticed that Catherine wasn't standing next to me anymore and looked around to see where she could be. 

To my utter disappointment, she was in the back of the room with Loki.

My disappointment was short-lived, however, as I noticed something was clearly wrong. 

How do I know that you might ask?

The answer; I'm her father, and I know her better than anyone else alive. 

...also she was wearing a bracelet that gives me access to her vitals and brainwaves...

"You good, kiddo?" I asked when I made my way over to her. 

"Yeah, Dad. I'm fine." She nodded.

"You sure?" I wasn't convinced. When she was fifteen, she was diagnosed with severe anxiety. She gets panic attacks if something triggers her. Meaning I have to be extremely careful around her. 

~~~Catherine's pov~~~ 

"I'm okay. Really. We just need to figure out what's happening with Ultron. Where he is." I said, trying to take the attention off me.

Dad nodded hesitantly before walking over to where the group was and started to plan with the team. 

When he was out of sight, Loki shook his head and sighed. "You aren't okay. What's wrong?" He asked me, worry etched on his face. 

I finally gave in. "If we don't catch Ultron, he could kill us. Once we're gone, who's to say he'll stop there? He could kill hundreds more." 

The thought of so many people dying terrifies me. 

He grabbed my hand and held it gently, stopping the shaking. "He won't. We'll catch him before he can cause any more damage." He looked at me earnestly. 

I felt my cheeks start to heat up as he smiled at me. This was the start of a very interesting relationship. If that was friendship or something more, only time would tell.

~~~Tony's pov~~~

I watched as Loki and Catherine walked back over to the group.

I can't say I approve of whatever is going on between them, but for right now, it might be best not to interfere.

"The world is a big place. Let's start making it smaller." Steve said before walking out.