Chapter 414: Notify the Avengers!
As soon as he was back in the suit, Tony heard Rhodey's familiar voice.
"It's nothing, just some thief took something and now they're pinning it on me," Tony said nonchalantly. He didn't take the matter to heart; his only concern was what that person would do with the Scepter after having it for so long.
"Oh, oh, oh~ The problem is, it doesn't seem quite as simple as you're making it sound."
On the other end, Rhodey held the phone while the black-clad "One-Eyed Pirate" sat nearby, twirling a pencil in his fingers. Nick Fury looked up at Rhodey, then lowered his head again to listen to the conversation between the two.
"Hmph, blame it on our S.H.I.E.L.D. Director only having one eye," Tony remarked as the suit sealed shut. He glanced back at Pepper one last time before launching directly away from Stark Industries.
"Oh yeah~ True, I feel the same way, though I'm the one missing a leg right now," Rhodey joked, patting his cybernetic brace.
Hearing Rhodey join Stark in mocking him, Nick Fury stood up without a word and left the room. There was no point in staying; it was clear the Scepter wasn't on Stark.
"Alright, talk to me. What's really going on?" Tony could tell from Rhodey's tone that it hadn't been convenient for him to speak freely earlier.
"That 'one-eyed marinated egg' was just here," Rhodey said, sounding exasperated. He hadn't expected Nick Fury to seek him out and explain the situation with Stark. "By the way, is that thing really not with you?" Rhodey asked curiously, given Tony's history with the Scepter.
"Rest assured, if I had it, the first AI I made would be sent to chop off your other leg," Tony joked.
"That'd be great. Save me the trouble of feeling unbalanced between my two legs," Rhodey chuckled.
"I'll leave you to it for now. I have things to handle," Tony said before cutting the communication.
Rhodey set the phone down. He needed to keep practicing with his mechanical braces to master them as soon as possible. Only then could he don the War Machine armor again; otherwise, it would just sit in the hangar gathering rust.
"Phew~" Rhodey leaned on the sofa and stood up with effort, beginning to walk around the room with a slight limp.
Outside the door, Nick Fury lingered for a moment. Once certain he wouldn't get any more information from Rhodey, he finally turned to leave.
"Notify Coulson. There's a mission," Nick said to Maria Hill.
"Understood, sir," Hill nodded and immediately went to contact Agent Coulson.
Nick, meanwhile, headed to a private room alone. He needed to contact someone else—the only person who could stabilize the current situation.
At the same time, all the Avengers who had participated in the Civil War received a message from Director Nick Fury: The Scepter was highly likely in Tony Stark's hands, and he was likely using it to create another Ultron. The news shocked everyone!
Wakanda
"Tony..." Steve Rogers frowned, turning the communicator over in his hand.
"It seems something is brewing with your Avengers again." T'Challa, the Black Panther, had also received Nick's message. However, he showed no reaction. He wasn't an Avenger; he had only joined the Civil War because Bucky Barnes had supposedly killed his father. Blinded by revenge, he had joined Tony's side. Now, T'Challa would no longer let hatred cloud his vision.
"Yeah," Steve replied, his heart heavy as he looked out over the distant plains. He had thought that after the last conflict, he might never see Tony again, assuming Tony would never contact him. He hadn't expected that, given the circumstances, a reunion was imminent. Steve couldn't stand by; the Sokovia incident had nearly seen Ultron destroy the world.
"I have something for you—consider it an apology for our last fight," T'Challa said, turning to an attendant. "Get him a shield."
Steve's lips quirked up slightly. He took a long breath and said, "Thanks~"
A Distant Location
A beautiful woman had just emerged from a mission against a target organization when she received Nick's message.
"The Scepter..." Natasha Romanoff paused, holstering her weapons. She hadn't expected the long-lost Scepter to be with Stark, though it was certainly possible. "This is getting more and more headache-inducing."
She rubbed her temples. Things were different now. She was a fugitive wanted by the government, yet she still operated as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, quietly completing their missions. She had even traded her signature red hair for a golden blonde, saying goodbye to her past self. "Stark, what are you thinking?" Natasha mounted her motorcycle, put on her helmet, and sped away.
Canadian Wilderness
Thwack!
Bruce Banner exerted himself as he split a log in two. Wiping sweat from his brow, he was quite satisfied with his current life. Living alone in the quiet woods, drinking spring water, and eating wild game made for a comfortable existence. He kept a radio in his cabin specifically to listen for news about the Avengers.
Hearing that Steve and Tony had completely broken off ties made Banner glad he hadn't been involved. His presence would only have made the situation more uncontrollable. Gathering the firewood, he brought it inside and tossed it into the fireplace. Sitting on a small wooden stool, he picked up some plain water and switched on the radio.
"I should head to town next time and buy some tea leaves," Banner muttered, pulling some coins from his pocket. After finishing his water, he lay on the cool wooden bed and closed his eyes.
"Today, Tony Stark, the former CEO of Stark Industries, is reportedly under house arrest by the government..."
"What?!" Banner snapped his eyes open. He sat up in disbelief and tapped the radio. No way—how could Tony be under house arrest? Besides, Tony had been on the government's side during the Civil War. "Is the radio broken?"
Suddenly, the radio's voice changed.
"To our dear Hulk and Dr. Banner, this is S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury. The Scepter is currently suspected to be in Stark's hands, and we believe he intends to create another Ultron. We need your help, Dr. Banner."
The radio then returned to normal. Banner was utterly dazed. Had he been isolated for too long? "The Scepter? Stark? Ultron?" Banner put the radio down. He obviously knew Nick. He hadn't expected the Scepter to be with Tony! Was Tony really that obsessed with creating an AI? Banner supported Tony on many things, but why hide the Scepter?
"No, no, I can't go. If I go, things will definitely escalate." Banner shook his head, trying to banish the thought. But any sleepiness was gone. After pacing the room, he hurried toward the door.
New York
"What?! The Scepter is with Stark?!" Scott Lang shouted, cookies falling from his mouth. His reaction startled the two people eating with him.
"What happened?" Hope van Dyne asked quickly.
"What did you just say about Stark?" Hank Pym asked, the name etched into his memory.
"I just got a weird message saying the Scepter is with Stark and he might create an AI that threatens the world," Scott explained hurriedly.
"What's the Scepter?" Hope frowned. She knew about AI, but the Scepter was news to her.
"I don't know either," Scott shrugged helplessly.
"Then why are you so surprised?!"
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