Into the Fray {Marvel} ||4||

13. Seoul, Korea

"He better not be in that new body already, or we might be in some serious trouble," I said to Steve.

We're on top of the research lab Dr. Cho worked at. Natasha and Clint were standing by on the jet in the air. Steve and I were the ground team.

"Two minutes," he said into the comms. "Stay close."

We entered the lab through the roof, and we followed the damage to find Dr. Cho injured. I hung back while Steve went to check on her.

"Dr. Cho!" He knelt beside her. I could smell her blood from where I stood.

"He's uploading himself into the body," she rasped.

"Where?"

"The real power is inside the Cradle. The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark."

"First we've got to find it."

"Go."

Steve and I left Dr. Cho and exited the lab.

"If Ultron completes the upload, we're going to have an even bigger issue at hand," I said. "I don't know about you, but I don't want another repeat of New York, and instead of aliens it's robots."

"Did you guys copy that?" Steve said into the device.

"We did," came Clint's response.

"I got a private jet taking off, across town," reported Tasha, "no manifest. That could be him."

Steve and I were outside now, back on the roof. Nearby, there was a winding loop of traffic. I saw the jet that Tasha was talking about. I felt the fire grow in my palms. Though I wasn't invincible, I still had some Asgardian strength in me. I could jump that gap, with a little help from my fire.

"There," I heard Clint say. "It's the truck from the lab. Right below you, guys, the loop by the bridge. It's them. I got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver."

"Negative!" said Steve. "If that truck crashes, the gem could level the city. We need to draw out Ultron." He glanced at me. "Ready?"

"Let's poke the bear."

In unison, Steve and I jumped, and we landed on target, on top of the truck's roof. We both headed for the back, sliding down to grab the back door handles. I gripped the door tighter as Ultron blasted the doors open from the inside. I nearly lost my grip when I got crushed between the truck and its door.

"Well, he's definitely unhappy!" I yelled.

"We're gonna try and keep him that way," Steve reminded me.

"You're not a match for him, you guys," said Clint.

"Thanks, Barton."

"Not even me? I've got bloody fire power for Odin's sake!" I shouted. I cried out as the door I held onto started to break off from the truck.

"Come on!" Steve was atop the truck, and I grabbed his hand. He nearly flung me over his head when he pulled me upwards onto the roof. I stumbled back into Steve as Ultron emerged from the truck, landing on the roof to square off with us.

"You know what's in that Cradle?" Ultron said. "The power to make real change, and that terrifies you."

"I wouldn't call it a comfort."