Safe and Sound [PIETRO MAXIMOFF]

↳ NINE

CHAPTER NINE:

↳ HEROS VS. MACHINE

       IT WAS DEAD SILENT IN THE ROOM as everyone watched the talking robot move. I held my breath as the tension in the room built and everyone began to prepare themselves against this new threat.

"Stark," Steve asked lowly not taking his eyes off of the broken machine in front of us, a frown pasted on his face.

"Jarvis." Stark called out, hoping his system would reply– it didn't.

"I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or I was a-dream." The machine groaned out. 

"Reboot Legionnaire OS. We got a buggy suit." Tony said into his interface but nothing happened.

"There was this terrible noise. And I was tangled in... In... Strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."

"You killed someone?" Steve tried to clarify, all eyes on the machine that came to life.

"W-Who?" I asked loudly, the machines eyes snapping to me. I gulped as its red eyes trained itself on me. 

"Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices." I felt my heart pounding in my chest as we felt the tension in the room rising.

"Who sent you?" Thor asked, clenching his hand tightly on his hammer.

"I see a suit of armor around the world." The machine hummed.

"Ultron." Bruce muttered, his eyes flitting between the machine and Tony. I narrowed my eyes as I made a connection about the two scientists.  

"In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on mission." Ultron, apparently, continued.

"What mission?"

"Peace in our time." The machine called Ultron said before a fight happened. It was a huge blur for me as I tried to avoid Ultron and his minions that flew into the room to attack us. I hid behind a couch, gun in hand and ready to fight. 

It was utter chaos as we tried to fight the machines but it seemed impossible– even with a God on our side. 

"That was dramatic. I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to... evolve? With these? These puppets. There's only one path to peace. The Avengers' extinction. I had strings, but now I'm free...."

"There are no strings on me..."

The haunting voice of Ultron echoed in my head for the rest of the night.

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     THE GROUP GATHERED DOWN IN THE LABS after everything had settled down. I held onto my arm gently, knowing I had twisted it trying to fight against a machine.