Several hours later, we were hiding in Dr. Cho's lab, waiting for Ultron to come back with her. Pietro and I were leaning on the wall next to each other, and Wanda was standing a few feet away. I caught her eye and realized she was smirking, and I tilted my head in confusion. She grinned before speaking in my head.

"Just remember I can read minds," she said before looking away. My eyes widened, and I glanced at Pietro, but he didn't seem to notice. Utron walked back into the room with Dr. Cho right behind him, and we pushed ourselves off the wall.

"Now," he said, "we're in business." Dr. Cho and her staff started up the regeneration cradle, which Ultron had told us was being used to reprint tissue, and added the vibranium to the chemical formula. Before long, we were beginning to see the outline of a body, in which the cells were being strengthened by the metal.

"It's beautiful," Dr. Cho said. "The vibranium atoms aren't just compatible with the tissue cells, they're binding them. And S.H.I.E.L.D. never even thought to-"

"The most versatile substance on the planet," Ultron said, "and they used it to make a Frisbee. Typical of humans. They scratch the surface and never think-" He looked at the scepter, which was being cracked open. "-to look within." Soon, Dr. Cho had Ultron plugged into the cradle and was beginning to upload him into the body.

"Cellular cohesion will take a few hours," she said, "but we can initiate the consciousness stream. We're uploading your cerebral matrix...now." Wanda stared at the cradle in confusion, walking over to it.

"I can read him," she said. "He's dreaming." Dr. Cho looked at her.

"I wouldn't call it dreams," she told us. "It's Ultron's base consciousness. Informational noise. Soon-" Ultron looked up at her.

"How soon?" he asked. "I'm not being pushy." Dr. Cho chuckled.

"We're imprinting a physical brain. There are no shortcuts. Even if your magic gem..." Wanda placed her hands on the cradle before crying out and stepping backwards, where Pietro caught her. Ultron stood up, watching her carefully. She looked up at the metal man.

"How could you?" she asked.

"How could I what?"

"You said we would destroy the Avengers," she said, "make a better world." Ultron nodded.

"It will be better."

"When everyone is dead?" My eyes widened, and I looked up at him.

"That is not-" He sighed. "The human race will have every opportunity to improve." I gritted my teeth.

"And if they don't?" Pietro asked him.

"Ask Noah." I shook my head.

"You are a madman," I said quietly.

"Says you. There were more than a dozen extinction-level events before even the dinosaurs got theirs. When the Earth starts to settle, God throws a stone at it. And, believe me, he's winding up." I chuckled dryly.

"I've never been one for religion." He shook his head.

"We have to evolve," he said. "There's no room for... the weak."

"And who decides who's weak?" Pietro asked him.

"Life. Life always decides." He looked at one of Cho's machines. "There's incoming. The Quinjet. We have to move." Wanda freed Cho from the scepter's influence quickly and quietly.

"That's not a problem," the Korean woman said when she got her bearings. She stopped the upload on the cradle, and Ultron groaned. He shot her away, and Pietro picked Wanda up quickly before we ran away from the insane robot. We didn't stop running until we were down in the back streets of the market. Pietro set Wanda on a crate to rest, and I leaned on a wall, holding my head in my hands.

"Are you okay?" Pietro asked. I looked up at him and shook my head.

"No," I told him. "I left the only family I've ever known to help that-that madman! This is my fault." The blond cupped my face in his hands, brushing the hair out of my face.

"Hey, hey," he said softly. "This is not your fault. He tricked all of us. The important thing is we're not helping him anymore. We're good. We're gonna be alright." He wrapped his arms around me comfortingly, and I buried my head in his chest, his heartbeat calming me down. "We're together, and that's what's important."

i'M nOt ReLiGiOuS bUt FuCk It ThE mUsIc Is-

*clears throat* anyway

why tf are these chapters so short

okay, well i'm super excited for the chapters soon to come so maybe another?

i'll have to see about that one