.ೃ࿔*:･𝐱𝐯𝐢𝐢𝐢. let the games begin

𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐃 𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌, her fingers lightly grazing its surface as she took in the advanced technology before her. She quickly got up from her stool when she saw Tony enter.

"Anything on Nat?" Bruce asked, quickly approaching Tony with a look of concern.

Tony shook his head, a grim expression settling in. "Haven't heard. But she's alive, or Ultron would be rubbing our faces in it," he replied.

Clint, who had been meticulously inspecting the Cradle, looked up and frowned. "This is sealed tight," he said, his voice laced with frustration.

"We're going to need to access the program, break it down from within," Bruce suggested.

"Hm. Any chance Natasha might leave you a message, outside the internet, old school spy stuff?" Tony asked, turning to Clint.

"There's some nets I can cast," Clint said, his tone more confident now. "Yeah, alright. I'll find her." With a determined nod, he headed for the door.

"I can work on tissue degeneration, if you can fry whatever operational system Cho implanted," Bruce said, his voice steady and focused as he addressed Tony.

"Yeah, about that..." Tony trailed off, his eyes shifting away.

Bruce and Ingrid shared a confused look, their expressions mirroring each other. Bruce's brows knitted together in concern, while Ingrid's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing something off.

"No," Bruce finally said, his voice firm and laced with disbelief as he turned back to Tony.

"You have to trust me," Tony said.

"Kinda don't," Ingrid chimed in, crossing her arms as she fixed Tony with a skeptical look.

"Our ally? The guy protecting the military's nuclear codes? I found him," Tony announced, bringing up the 3D image of Jarvis's consciousness on the holographic display.

"Hello, Dr. Banner, Ingrid," Jarvis greeted, his voice calm and reassuring despite the tense atmosphere.

Bruce and Ingrid stared at the floating image, their expressions a mix of surprise and relief. Bruce took a step closer, studying the digital construct. "Ultron didn't go after JARVIS because he was angry," Tony continued, his voice urgent and intense. "He attacked him because he was scared of what he can do. So JARVIS went underground. Okay? Scattered, dumped his memory. But not his protocols. He didn't even know he was in there, until I pieced him together." Tony explained.

"So, you want me to help you put JARVIS into this thing?" Bruce asked, gesturing towards the Cradle.

"No, of course not!" Tony exclaimed, shaking his head vehemently. "I want to help you put JARVIS in this thing." He could see Bruce's skepticism and added, "We're out of my field here. You know bio-organics better than anyone."

"And you just assume that JARVIS's operational matrix can beat Ultron's?" Bruce said, his voice filled with doubt.

"JARVIS has been beating him from inside without knowing it. This is the opportunity, we can create Ultron's perfect self, without the homicidal glitches he thinks are his winning personality. We have to." Tony said.

"I believe it's worth a go." JARVIS said.

"JARVIS has been beating him from inside without knowing it," Tony insisted. "This is the opportunity. We can create Ultron’s perfect self, without the homicidal glitches he thinks are his winning personality. We have to."

"I believe it’s worth a go," JARVIS chimed in, his tone ever rational and supportive.

"No, I'm in a loop!" Bruce yelled, frustration boiling over. "I'm caught in a time loop, this is exactly where it all went wrong."

Tony sighed. "I know, I know. I know what everyone's going to say, but they're already saying it. We're mad scientists. We're monsters, buddy. You gotta own it. Make a stand. It's not a loop. It's the end of the line."

.ೃ࿔*:･

"I'm gonna say this once," Steve announced, stepping into the lab with the Maximoff twins close behind. Ingrid narrowed her eyes at them, creating a fistful of fire, her stance ready for a fight.

"How about 'nonce'?" Tony quipped, not missing a beat.

"Shut it down!" Steve demanded, his voice firm and unyielding.

"Nope, not gonna happen," Tony replied, his defiance clear.

"You don't know what you're doing," Steve said, taking a step closer, his eyes locked on Tony.

"And you do? She's not in your head?" Bruce shot back.

"I know you're angry," Wanda started, stepping out from behind Steve.

"Oh, we're way past that," Bruce scoffed. "I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade."

"Banner, after everything that's happened—" Steve began, trying to calm the situation.

"That's nothing compared to what's coming!" Tony interrupted, his voice rising.

"You don't know what's in there!" Wanda yelled, her voice trembling with urgency.

"This isn't a game--" Steve started, his tone firm and commanding.

Before he could finish, a silver blur zoomed past them as Pietro sprinted around the lab, unplugging all the equipment. "No, no. Go on. You were saying?" he taunted, his voice echoing through the room.

Suddenly, a loud bang reverberated through the lab, and the glass beneath Pietro shattered, sending him flying down. "Pietro!" Wanda screamed, rushing towards her brother.

Clint smirked, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "What? You didn't see that coming?"

A sharp beep pierced the tension, drawing everyone's attention to the computer. Tony's fingers flew over the keyboard. "I'm rerouting the upload," he announced.

Steve tossed his shield across the room, the vibranium disc bouncing off the Cradle and crashing into Tony's machines before slamming into the equipment near Bruce. Sparks erupted, raining down over Bruce, who quickly ducked and pulled Ingrid down, covering her head.

Tony called for his Iron Man glove, the metal snapping onto his hand as he took aim at Steve and fired.

Bruce suddenly lunged from behind Wanda, grabbing her before she could react. "Go ahead, piss me off."

Steve's glare intensified as his upper body armor flew to him, wrapping around his back and shoulders with a metallic click. The room buzzed with tension as both sides readied for a confrontation.

Before Ingrid could join the fight, Thor appeared with a thunderous leap, landing on the Cradle. He raised Mjolnir high, summoning lightning. "Wait!" Bruce shouted, trying to halt Thor's action, but it was too late.

Thor brought his hammer down onto the Cradle, lightning surging through it and electrifying the lifeless body inside. The room fell into a tense silence, everyone bracing for what was to come. Suddenly, the Cradle burst open, shards of metal and glass flying everywhere. Everyone ducked for cover as the figure inside sprang to life, landing on all fours.

Ingrid watched as the man stood up, seeming to test his new body. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the chaos, before finally locking onto Thor. Without hesitation, he lunged at the Asgardian.

The man flew at Thor, but Thor was quick enough to grab him by the torso and toss him towards the tower's window. The man stopped himself before crashing through more glass, hovering in mid-air as he looked outside.

Ingrid glanced between Bruce and Tony, a mixture of awe and confusion on her face. "I think you guys did it," she said, pointing at the man—or android.

The team quickly moved towards the lounge area, ready to attack, but Thor held out his hand, signaling them to stop. Placing his hammer down on a table, Thor slowly crept closer to the creature, who was now gazing at the city's lights outside Avengers Tower. The room fell into a tense silence.

"I'm sorry, that was...odd," the red man said, his voice sounding strikingly like Jarvis. He turned to Thor, nodding in gratitude. "Thank you." He then looked at Thor's cape and flexed his shoulders, a golden cape materializing around him.

"Thor," Steve said, approaching cautiously, "you helped create this?"

"I've had a vision," Thor explained, his eyes never leaving the man. "A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life, and at its center is that." He pointed to the golden gem embedded in the man's forehead.

"What, the gem?" Bruce asked, slightly confused.

"It's the Mind Stone. It's one of the six Infinity Stones, the greatest power in the universe, unparalleled in its destructive capabilities." Thor said.

"Then why would you bring it to..." Steve trailed off.

"Because Stark is right," Thor said, his voice filled with certainty.

"Oh, it's definitely the end times," Bruce muttered worriedly, glancing between Vision and the others.

"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron," Thor stated plainly.

"Not alone," Vision added, his calm demeanor contrasting with the tension in the room.

"Why does your 'Vision' sound like Jarvis?" Steve asked, still trying to process everything.

"We..." Tony said, taking a step toward Vision. "We reconfigured Jarvis' matrix to create something new."

"I think I've had my fill of new," Steve said, his skepticism unwavering.

"You think I'm a child of Ultron?" Vision asked, tilting his head slightly.

"You're not?" Steve questioned, his tone sharp.

"I'm not Ultron," Vision replied, shaking his head. "I'm not Jarvis. I am... I am."

"I looked in your head and saw annihilation," Wanda said.

Vision turned towards her, his expression calm yet resolute. "Look again."

"Yeah," Clint scoffed, his skepticism evident. "Her seal of approval means jack to me." He turned and walked back into the room.

"Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself—they all came from the Mind Stone," Thor interjected, his voice grave as he addressed the team. "And they're nothing compared to what it can unleash. But with it on our side..."

Steve cut in, his gaze steady as he looked at Thor. "Is it?" he asked pointedly, his eyes then shifting to Vision. "Are you? On our side?"

"I don't think it's that simple," Vision replied after a moment of contemplation, his tone measured.

"Well, it better get real simple real soon," Clint retorted, his stance defiant.

Vision turned to face the assembled Avengers, his presence commanding yet serene. "I am on the side of life. Ultron isn't. He will end it all," he stated firmly.

"What's he waiting for?" Tony asked, glancing around the room, tension evident in his voice.

"You," Vision replied.

"Where?" Pietro asked.

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

Bruce stepped closer to Vision, his eyes narrowing. "If we're wrong about you, if you're the monster that Ultron made you to be..."

Vision met Bruce's gaze calmly. "What will you do? 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."

Vision glanced at his hands, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. "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 turned around, revealing that he was holding Mjolnir in his hands.

The Avengers stared in shock, their eyes widening as they processed the sight. Thor stepped forward, taking Mjolnir from Vision, a mixture of respect and surprise in his expression.

"Right," Thor turned to Tony, patting him on the shoulder. "Well done," he whispered, acknowledging Tony's success.

Steve quickly took command. "Three minutes. Get what you need," he ordered, his voice firm.