CHAPTER FOURTEEN —
( Phase Four of the 'Stark Global Defence Plan.' )

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The Quinjet touched down on the Avengers Tower landing pad with a soft metallic thud. The hum of the engines began to fade as Clint powered down the controls, glancing over his shoulder at the pair still lingering by the rear hatch.

Steve stood with Evelyn still perched on his back, her chin resting on his shoulder, her arms draped lazily around him like she had no plans of moving.

"You're seriously not walking?" Clint asked.

"Nope," Evelyn said without opening her eyes. "I think I've earned this."

Steve shifted her weight with a chuckle. "I think I carried you longer than the train was even moving."

"And I love you for that," she muttered, then kissed his neck.

Behind them, Wanda and Pietro followed in heavy silence. Pietro kept his arms rigid at his sides, his jaw tense, while Wanda stared at the floor, her expression unreadable and haunted.

Clint moved ahead. "Alright, let's see what Stark cooked up while we were saving civilians."

Steve caught Clint's shoulder "Any way you can start looking for Nat? Old spy tricks, anything that might help?"

Clint gave a single, sharp nod.  "I'll start digging. Meet you once I find her." He headed off in a seperate direction.

Once he was gone, Steve leaned his head against Evelyn's. "What do you think Stark's planning to do with the cradle?"

She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Hopefully? Turn it into a sentient espresso machine."

Steve huffed. "That'd be nice. If it doesn't develop murderous tendencies like his more recent machines."

Evelyn's humour softened, giving way to something more wary. "But if we're being real, he's activating the vibranium body. The one Ultron was building."

Steve sighed. "Activate another murderbot? That'd be... idiotic. But yeah. That's something he'd do."

Evelyn leaned her forehead briefly against his shoulder, voice low. "Tony acts first and gives the consequences a minor thought. Give him a magic gem, and we're suddenly in Phase Four of the 'Stark Global Defence Plan.'"

Steve kept walking, his features tight. "Whatever's in that gem—it's not just power. It gave the twins abilities we've never seen before."

"It's more than energy," Evelyn agreed. "It's something ancient. And the last person who should be poking around with that is Tony Stark."

"Especially when he treats 'don't' like a mild suggestion," Steve muttered.

As they entered the corridor leading to the lab, a cold, uneasy silence settled between the group. Then, from behind them, Wanda finally spoke—quiet but sharp enough to cut through the tension.

"I've seen inside his mind," she said. Her voice didn't rise; it didn't need to. It was steady, grim. "He won't stop. He believes he can protect the world. No matter the cost."

Steve slowed slightly, glancing back at her with something unreadable in his eyes. He didn't answer.

Evelyn slid off Steve's back and looked towards the door ahead, voice edged in something colder now. "And that's what scares me the most."

As they approached the lab door, Wanda slowed, falling into step just behind Evelyn. Her face twisted with guilt, her voice a whisper.

"I didn't know what Ultron would become. If I did, I wouldn't have helped him."

Evelyn paused, then turned her head just slightly. Her voice was softer now, not unkind, but clear. "It's okay. None of us knew he'd end up like this. So I'm not blaming you."

Wanda nodded once, but the guilt didn't leave her eyes.

Steve stepped forward and pushed open the lab door.

"I'm gonna say this once."

"How about "none-ce"?" Tony countered.

"Shut it down."

"Nope, not gonna happen," Tony shot back, unbothered.

"You don't know what you're doing," Steve said, striding toward the Cradle.

Tony whirled around. "Ha! And you do?"

"She's not in your head?"

From behind Evelyn, Wanda quietly stepped forward. "I know you're angry."

Bruce turned to her, and something dark shifted behind his eyes. "Oh, we're way past that," he said, voice disturbingly calm. "I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade."

Evelyn winced. What Wanda had shown him in that vision hadn't just scared him. It had shaken him to the core.

"Banner," Steve tried to interject, "after everything that's happened—"

Tony snapped. "It's nothing compared to what's coming!"

"You don't know what's in there!" Steve barked, gesturing at the Cradle.

"This isn't a game!"

Pietro blurred into motion in a flash, sprinting around the lab and yanking every cable from the Cradle in seconds flat. Lights flickered. Monitors sparked. Silence fell.

"No, no—go on," Pietro said, stepping back with arms folded. "You were saying?"

There was a shot of a gun sounding out, and the glass below Pietro was suddenly smashed and he fell through. Evelyn looked down and noticed Clint smirking at him, "What? You didn't see that coming?" He asked him.

Tony spun back to the console. "I'm rerouting the upload!"

Steve reacted instantly—he hurled his shield across the room, slicing through the main interface.

Tony didn't hesitate. A repulsor flared to life as he raised his hand and fired at Steve, just as Wanda lifted hers to stop him with a blast of magic—but Bruce moved and grabbed her by the throat.

Eliza stepped back, watching the chaos unfold with a growing look of horror. Evelyn mirrored her, arms crossed, jaw clenched.

"Men," was all Eliza said. Evelyn hummed in agreement.

Tony suited up mid-motion, armour snapping into place as he launched himself at Steve. The two collided in a storm, shield against repulsor.

Then, without warning, Thor charged into the room.

With a roar, he summoned lightning with Mjolnir and sent it crashing into the Cradle. Energy surged and fully charged up the cradle. The Cradle lit up until the doors burst open, sending a wave of light and wind through the lab. And from it... stepped a man, or something close to one.

Naked and shimmering with residual energy, the figure stood at the edge of the Cradle. The room went utterly still. It looked around, eyes wide and unblinking. Curious. Childlike. Then, suddenly, it lunged toward Thor. But the God of Thunder was faster. He hurled the figure backward with a simple pivot, sending him flying towards a window.

The others rushed after him. Meanwhile, Evelyn stayed a step back, poised and alert, ready to intercept the being if it managed to slip past the others. The figure hovered mid-air near the front windows, gazing at the city below. Then he turned and, with a ripple of energy, conjured clothing onto himself.

"I am... sorry," the figure said slowly. "That was... odd. Thank you." He looked at Thor, then, almost bashfully, conjured a cape around his shoulders.

Steve turned to Thor, frowning. "Thor. You helped create this?"

Thor nodded. "I've had a vision. A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life, and at its center... is that." He pointed to the glowing gem in the figure's forehead.

"Is that... an Infinity Stone?" Evelyn asked, already knowing the answer.

"It is," Thor confirmed. "One of the six greatest powers in the universe."

Steve took a step closer. "Then why bring him to life?"

"Because Stark is right."

Bruce blinked. "Oh, it's definitely the end times."

"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron," Thor said.

The figure turned to face them, calm and still. "Not alone."

"Why does your Vision sound like J.A.R.V.I.S.?" Steve asked.

Eliza, who had inched closer, answered quietly. "Because we used J.A.R.V.I.S. to help build him. We didn't know he would sound like him, but we gave him the AI's framework."

Steve ran a hand down his face. "I think I've had my fill of new."

"You think I'm a child of Ultron?" the being asked, stepping forward. "I'm not. I'm not J.A.R.V.I.S., either. I am... I am."

Wanda narrowed her eyes. "I looked into your head and saw annihilation."

"Look again," he said softly.

Clint scoffed. "Her seal of approval means jack to me."

Thor nodded gravely. "Their powers, the horrid in our heads, Ultron himself, came from the Mind Stone. And they're nothing compared to what it can unleash. But with it on our side..."

"Is it?" Steve asked, then turned. "Are you? On our side?"

The figure paused. "I don't think it's that simple."

"It is," Evelyn said sharply. "Do you want to save the world and humanity, or do you want to see it destroyed. Yes or no."

"Then I believe I am on your side. I'm on the side of life. Ultron isn't. He will end it all," it said.

"What's he waiting for?" Tony asked.

"You."

"Where?"

"Sokovia. He's got Nat there, too," Clint said.

Bruce stepped up. "And if we're wrong about you—if you're what Ultron made you to be?"

"What will you do?" It said. "I don't want to kill Ultron. He's unique, and he's in pain. But that pain will roll over the Earth. So, he must be destroyed. Every form he's built, every trace of his presence on the net. We have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the others.

"Maybe I am a monster. I don't think I'd know if I were one. I'm not what you are, and not what you intended. So, there may be no way to make you trust me. But we need to go."

He reached out and effortlessly lifted Mjolnir. Everyone froze. Even Thor looked stunned as the hammer left the ground and floated in the figure's hand.

Thor silently took his hammer back, and The Vision walked away. After a beat, he nodded and slapped Tony on the back. "Well done."

Evelyn stepped forward, clapping her hands with determined energy. "Alright, listen up—five minutes. Get your crap together. We've got a world to save."

Without missing a beat, she strode toward the armoury. Inside, rows of weapons gleamed under fluorescent lights. Evelyn picked up her newly forged katanas, strapping them to her back with precision, then secured her assortment of knives at her hips. She paused at a small mirror, grabbed a brush from a nearby shelf, and worked through the tangled knots of her hair before tying it back into a tight bun. She paused just briefly, meeting her own eyes in the mirror. "Focus," she whispered. "We've got this."

Outside, the jet was being prepped for takeoff. Evelyn stepped into it where Steve, Tony, and Bruce were already standing, quiet except for the soft hum of the Quinjet's engines powering up.

"No way we all get through this," Tony said. "If even one tin soldier is left standing, we're done for. There's going to be blood."

Steve turned to Evelyn. "We don't have any plans for tomorrow night, right?"

Evelyn shook her head, a small, wry smile tugging at her lips. "None that I know of."

Tony inhaled deeply. "I get the first crack at the big guy. Iron Man's the one he's waiting for."

"That's true," The Vision added from behind them as he passed, unbothered. "He hates you the most. Evelyn's a close second."

Both Tony and Evelyn looked over at him in surprise. The Vision didn't even blink, clearly not meaning it as a joke.

"...He's learning humour," Bruce murmured, eyebrows raised.

Tony just shook his head and gave Evelyn a sidelong look. "Didn't realise I was in a popularity contest with Ultron."

"You're winning," Evelyn deadpanned. "By a mile."

With everyone geared up, the jet rumbled to life, taking off smoothly under Tony's command. The city shrank beneath them as the Quinjet climbed into the clouds, flying toward Sokovia. The cabin was dim and quiet, filled with focused stillness that only came before a battle. Each Avenger was lost in their thoughts—Wanda sat with her knees pulled to her chest, Pietro bounced one leg restlessly. Bruce leaned against the wall, eyes closed. Clint sharpened an arrow with slow precision.

Evelyn sat beside Steve, noting the way his knee bounced, barely visible unless you knew to look. She reached over and gently patted his thigh.

"I think you should say something to them," she said softly. "Give them one of your famous pep talks. They're all freaking out, even if no one's saying it."

Steve hesitated. Then he leaned closer so no one else could hear. "Yeah, but how do I boost their confidence when I'm not even sure I can? What if we are walking into a death sentence? What if one of them is you?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "I can't be responsible for that. I can't lead them into something I might not bring them out of. Not again. Not after what happened to you and Bucky in the Commandos."

Evelyn's eyes softened as she slid her hand over his. "Steve, you can't think like that. All of us chose to fight with you — even Bucky and I. This burden doesn't fall on your shoulders alone." She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "We can't control the outcome, but we can control how we face it. If this team has any chance, it will come from you pulling us together, just like you've always managed to do."

He stared at her for a moment. Then nodded, jaw tight, and stood. He adjusted the front of his uniform with a sharp tug and faced the team.

"Ultron knows we're coming," he began, voice steady but resolute. "Odds are we'll be riding into heavy fire, and that's what we signed up for. But the people of Sokovia, they didn't. So, our priority is getting them out. All they want is to live their lives in peace, and that's not gonna happen today. But we can do our best to protect them. And we can get the job done. We'll find out what Ultron's been building, we find Romanoff, and we clear the field. Keep the fight between us."

He paused, glancing down at Evelyn, who gave him a nod of encouragement. "Ultron thinks we're monsters. That we're what's wrong with the world. This isn't just about beating him. It's about whether he's right."

Evelyn stood clapping her hands, a broad grin on her face. "Most of us have already fought off aliens pouring out of a space portal in the sky. A homicidal AI that has created a swarm of robots? Please. This is a walk in the park."

A few smiles broke out—Clint gave a low chuckle, and even Wanda managed a faint smile.

"We're in this together as a team," Evelyn continued, her gaze sweeping across the cabin. "But everyone needs to stay alert until the last robot is destroyed. That is how we win."

The jet flew on, engines roaring against the silence, carrying them toward Sokovia, towards the battle ahead.