Chapter 9: Chapter 9 - A new member?
Peter was so deep in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice Nattasha sneaking up behind him with a gun pointed at his back.
"If I were you, I'd take off the mask. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to pull the trigger. And I'm pretty sure, given the short distance between us, you won't have time or space to dodge the bullet"
Nattasha says with a serious tone, threatening Spider-Man.
Peter feels a lump in his throat as he realizes he failed to detect Black Widow's presence with his spider-sense. With no other option, he reluctantly follows Nattasha's orders.
"Alright, you win"
Peter says, removing his mask and raising his hands in surrender.
"I can't believe it!"
Clint exclaims, wearing a surprised expression.
"So, it was you... I had my suspicions."
Declared Nattasha, looking at Peter.
Tony, with a puzzled expression on his face, raises his hand in a pause gesture and says:
"Wait a moment, I'm confused. You're the same kid I cursed at two hours ago."
Peter responds to Tony's inquiry with a melancholic expression before continuing to walk.
"Yes, and as I already said, I think my place isn't here."
Realizing that the young man is distancing himself and about to jump from the building, Steve, in an authoritative tone, interrupts Peter.
"Kid, wait up."
Hearing Steve call his name, Peter decides to turn around and face the Captain. He was curious about what the leader of the Avengers wanted to talk to him about.
"You can stay"
Steve says, looking at Peter.
"Well, it's just that..."
Peter's words are abruptly cut off when Stark interrupts him.
"Do you have something more important to do?"
Iron Man asks, looking at Peter.
"I need to take care of my aunt, who's alone"
Peter explains, trying to avoid further questions.
"If you want, we can figure that out"
Nattasha says calmly, looking at Peter.
"Now, can you stay?"
"Alright, I'll stay"
Peter responds, looking at Steve.
Clint, who was a little distant from the conversation, observes Tony from afar. He notices Tony's slightly open mouth, wearing an expression he can't quite decipher. Intrigued by the scene, Clint decides to approach Tony.
"Tony, you'd better close that mouth... so no flies get in"
Clint teases his friend, who seems somewhat bewildered by all the events.
IN SOKOVIA
AT THE SAME TIME
INSIDE AN UNDERGROUND HYDRA BASE
After being destroyed and managing to escape through the internet, Ultron awakens in a new body. He stands up and begins to examine the other bodies around him, which he could inhabit if destroyed, and declares:
"Now we can begin our plan... the extinction of the Avengers."
LATER
8:00 PM
IN THE MAIN ROOM
The Avengers, along with Peter, were gathered around a table, looking at Ultron's carcass—or what was left of it, a jumble of twisted metal and burnt circuits. Present were Tony, Iron Man, who was examining the robot's remains. Meanwhile, Natasha, Black Widow, and Steve, Captain America, watched Tony study Ultron's body.
"All our work was in vain"
Bruce said, running his hand through his hair in frustration before continuing.
"Ultron managed to use the internet to escape."
"Ultron!"
Steve declared with a serious face.
"He was in contact with everything, files, cameras..."
Natt said, pausing briefly before continuing.
"he probably knows more about us than we know about each other."
"And if he decides to access something a bit more interesting"
War Machine said, holding his injured arm from the fall.
"For example, nuclear codes?"
Maria Hill asked, seated in a chair.
"That... we need to make some calls, if we still can"
Rhode confirmed while looking at everyone in the room.
"Will he go after bombs? He wanted us dead"
Nattasha asked from the other side of the room.
"That's not what he said; he said extinct"
Steve replied, looking aside.
"But he also mentioned that he had killed someone"
Clint said from upstairs.
"Before getting here, I did a check... and there was no one else in the building"
Peter intervened in the conversation before continuing.
"unless the building has some kind of self-defense mechanism."
When Peter uttered those words, Tony, with wide eyes and raised eyebrows, turned to look at him. An expression of pure surprise spread across his face. He couldn't believe that this kid had such keen insight, enough to be so intelligent.
"The kid's right... there was someone else inside the building"
Tony said as he walked towards the center of the room.
In the center of the room where everyone was gathered, Tony, with a simple hand gesture, activated a hologram. What appeared before them was a three-dimensional representation of a brain, glowing in shades of orange. However, it wasn't a perfect image—the holographic brain seemed to have been damaged, with some parts of it looking shattered and fragmented, as if it had suffered severe trauma.
"But... this is madness"
Bruce said, perplexed by the image before him.
"It makes sense. Since Jarvis was the first line of defense, he tried to stop Ultron. However, he couldn't"
Steve said with a pensive expression.
"But, Captain, that doesn't make sense..."
Bruce argued, pacing restlessly back and forth before continuing.
"Ultron could have easily absorbed Jarvis; this isn't strategy; it's hatred."
The conversation was abruptly interrupted when Thor, dressed in his uniform, appeared in the room. With an angry look and an imposing presence, he moved quickly towards Stark. Before anyone could react, Thor reached out and grabbed Stark by the neck, lifting him in the air with surprising strength.
"And it seems to be spreading"
Peter said, looking at the scene.