[Seoul, South Korea. The U-Gin Genetics Lab.]
"He's uploading himself!" Dr. Cho screamed, clutching her bleeding shoulder. "The body... the gem... you have to stop him!"
Captain America didn't hesitate. He threw his shield through the glass partition.
Ultron, disconnected from the data cables mid-upload, roared. He blasted the Captain back, grabbed the Regeneration Cradle (the metal casket holding the synthetic body), and smashed through the wall.
"He's in the truck!" Cap yelled into his comms. "Clint, I need eyes!"
[The Highway. 5 Minutes Later.]
The massive 18-wheeler barreled down the suspended highway, smashing through traffic. Ultron was in the trailer. Cap was on the roof, holding on for dear life.
BLAST.
Ultron fired a concussive beam through the roof of the trailer. Cap was thrown backward, barely catching the edge of the truck. His boots scraped sparks against the asphalt as he dangled off the back.
"I could use some backup!" Cap grunted, pulling himself up.
"On my way," Natasha's voice crackled. She was riding a motorcycle, weaving through the chaos.
"I am also... en route," a calm voice added.
Cap looked to his left.
In the lane beside the speeding truck, weaving between terrified drivers and honking taxis, was Sebastian Michaelis.
He was running.
He wasn't sprinting like a track star. His arms were at his sides, his posture perfect. He moved with a terrifying, supernatural fluidity, his dress shoes tapping rapidly against the pavement. He was matching the truck's speed of 90 mph without breaking a sweat.
"Show off," Cap muttered.
Sebastian looked at the truck, calculated the trajectory, and leaped.
He cleared the gap, landing silently on the roof of the trailer next to Captain America. He adjusted his tie, which had been slightly skewed by the wind.
"Good afternoon, Captain," Sebastian shouted over the wind. "I believe this vehicle is exceeding the speed limit."
"Just get the box!" Cap yelled.
The roof exploded.
Ultron rose from the trailer, flying on his thrusters. He looked at the two figures.
"You," Ultron pointed a metallic finger at Sebastian. "You are extremely persistent for an obsolete operating system."
"I aim to please," Sebastian replied.
Ultron fired.
Cap raised his shield to block the blast. Sebastian didn't block. He slid under the beam, sliding across the metal roof on his knees.
He grabbed Ultron's ankle.
"Get down here!" Sebastian roared, his eyes flashing red.
He yanked. The force was incredible. Ultron, despite his thrusters, was slammed down onto the truck roof. The impact dented the metal trailer.
Cap threw his shield. CLANG. It bounced off Ultron's chest.
Ultron backhanded Cap, sending the soldier flying toward the edge again.
Sebastian intercepted. He grabbed Ultron's arm mid-swing. The metal groaned.
"You are strong," Ultron observed, his faceplate inches from Sebastian's. "But I have Vibranium plating."
"And I," Sebastian smiled, "have a schedule."
Sebastian drove a knee into Ultron's midsection. He twisted the robot's arm, using leverage that shouldn't work on a machine. He threw Ultron off the truck.
Ultron engaged his flight stabilizers, hovering above the highway.
"Enough!" Ultron yelled.
He raised both hands. The air around the truck warped. He used his gravity manipulation tech to lift a section of the road.
"Sebastian! The Cradle!" Cap shouted. "He's trying to flip the truck!"
"I have it," Sebastian said.
He jumped into the hole in the trailer roof.
Inside, the Regeneration Cradle was sliding around. Ultron sent two flying sentries into the trailer to retrieve it.
Sebastian drew two silver butter knives.
Thwip. Thwip.
The knives embedded themselves in the sentries' central eyes. They dropped dead.
"Miss Romanoff!" Sebastian yelled into his comms. "The package is ready for transfer!"
Outside, Natasha rode her bike alongside the trailer. Clint brought the Quinjet down low, opening the ramp.
"Cap! Secure the transfer!" Clint yelled.
Cap jumped down into the trailer. He and Sebastian grabbed the massive Cradle.
"On three!" Cap yelled. "One... two... three!"
They threw the heavy Cradle out the back. Natasha, having ditched the bike, guided it with magnetic tethers into the Quinjet's cargo bay.
"Package secure!" Natasha yelled. "Go!"
Ultron roared in fury. Seeing the body—his future—flying away, he abandoned the fight with Cap and chased the jet.
"Tony!" Cap yelled. "You got a bogey on your six!"
"I see him," Tony's voice came through. "I'm introducing him to the new kids."
A missile barrage struck Ultron from the sky. The Mark 45 landed on the highway, flanked by Rhodey (War Machine).
Ultron stopped. He looked at the lost Cradle. He looked at the Avengers gathering.
He turned and fled.
[The Quinjet. 10 Minutes Later.]
The team was breathless. The Cradle sat in the center of the bay, humming ominously.
"We got it," Clint exhaled from the pilot's seat. "We actually got it."
Cap sat on a bench, wiping blood from his lip. He looked at Sebastian, who was using a lint roller to remove road dust from his coat.
"You run fast," Cap said.
"Cardio is important, Captain," Sebastian replied.
"No," Cap shook his head. "I've run with Bucky. I've run with Sam. That... that wasn't running. That was hunting."
Sebastian stopped rolling. He looked at Steve Rogers.
"We are all hunters, Captain. Some of us are simply more... honest about our prey."
Suddenly, the comms beeped. It was Wanda Maximoff.
"Avengers," her voice was frantic. "Ultron... he's changing the plan. He's not trying to escape. He's trying to turn the city... into a meteor."
"Sokovia," Tony realized. "He's going back to the source."
"Then so are we," Cap stood up. "But first... we have a science project to deal with."
He pointed at the Cradle.
"Stark. Don't do anything stupid."
Tony looked at the Cradle. He looked at the glowing blue gem inside.
"Me?" Tony feigned innocence. "Never."
He looked at Sebastian. He gave a subtle nod.
Prepare the lab.
[End of Chapter 31]
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