Steve's face was ashen, like a rock about to explode. He approached Tony step by step, fists clenched, veins bulging. Tony's expression wasn't much better; he didn't back down but stepped forward, the tension between them almost igniting the entire hall.
"Stark!" Steve spoke through gritted teeth, his voice filled with uncontrollable fury. "Is this your so-called peace plan?! Do you remember the consequences of the Insight Project? What's the fundamental difference between Alexander Pierce's theory and your Ultron!"
"The Insight Project was slavery, and my plan is protection!" Tony retorted without weakness, his voice as hard and cold as steel. "Steve, you always live in the past, always view the future with outdated eyes! The World is different now; we no longer need shields and hammers!"
"And we don't need a crazy robot either!" Steve roared, his voice echoing in the shattered hall.
"Enough!" Natasha suddenly stood between them, spreading her hands, her gaze cold. "You two have had enough! Now is not the time for you to blame each other; we have bigger problems to solve!"
Steve's breathing was rapid. He stared intently at Tony, as if weighing whether to continue this meaningless argument. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and sneered, "If you want to play with your tech dreams, go ahead. All I know is, I won't make the same mistake again. I've thanked you for the Insight Project, but this time, I won't be on your side."
After speaking, he turned and strode away. Thor hesitated, looked at Tony, then at Steve's retreating back, finally sighed, and followed.
Tony didn't look back. He just stood there, watching their retreating figures with a complicated gaze. After a moment, he whispered, "Sorry, I need some time." He turned around and left the hall with somewhat heavy steps.
Natasha, Clint, and Banner exchanged glances. Clint shrugged and said, "He needs to cool down, and we need a drink." Then the three quietly left.
The hall fell into a dead silence, leaving only Tony alone. His breathing gradually became rapid. His gaze swept over the messy floor and walls, and finally, he exploded. He slammed his fist onto the table with a dull thud. "Damn it! Damn it!" His voice was mixed with anger and helplessness.
"Why?" Tony roared, swinging his arm and sweeping all the tools and screens off the table onto the floor, the sound of shattering glass harsh and chaotic. "Three laws! Peace! Protection! Why would he betray me!?"
He gasped for breath, kicked over a chair fiercely, his whole body like a volcano on the verge of eruption. He covered his forehead, his eyes bewildered yet angry, murmuring, "Did I do something wrong? Or... should I never have started this damn project?"
His gaze suddenly stopped at the lab bench. It was a piece of equipment that hadn't been completely destroyed, with data records from the scepter core still remaining on it. He stared at the faint blue light, and a glimmer of hope gradually ignited in his eyes, but that hope carried a dangerous fire.
"The scepter..." Tony whispered, his eyes flashing with a crazy light. "It was the scepter that gave Ultron consciousness... not my algorithm... it was the scepter!"
His thoughts spun rapidly, as if a stuck gear had suddenly started rotating wildly. "What if... what if I could create another one... no, create one even more perfect, free from the constraints of the Three Laws, but completely obedient to my commands..." His voice became faster and lower. "A true Guardian, an existence that... maintains order."
Tony took a deep breath, a bitter smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, as if mocking himself. "This time, there will be no failure. Even without the scepter." He tidied up the messy desktop, placed his hands on the keyboard, his eyes filled with determination and madness.
"What I need is not an 'assistant'." Tony's voice was low and firm. "I need an... 'heir'."
Steve looked up at Thor, his gaze resolute. "I need you to join my team."
A smile appeared at the corner of Thor's mouth. He reached out and patted Steve's shoulder. "You know I never refuse the call to battle. However..." His voice paused slightly, with a hint of probing. "Steve, perhaps you and Tony can talk again. He has his ways, perhaps a bit abrupt, but you are teammates after all."
Steve shook his head, his tone heavy. "Thor, it's not that I can't accept Tony's ideas. I've seen plenty of his surprises, and many times we relied on his genius to turn danger into safety. But what I care about is that when he does things, he always forgets to tell us... forgets that we are a team." His pace of speech slowed, as if to let every word land in Thor's heart. "The purpose of a team is mutual trust and reliance, not a lone 'savior'."
Thor lowered his head and thought for a moment, then nodded. "I strongly agree with your 'team' concept. As the Prince of Asgard, I've also experienced the feeling of losing comrades and fighting alone... only then do you understand the meaning of companionship."
"So, you agree?" Steve's tone held a hint of anticipation.
Thor showed a relaxed smile. "Of course, it's my honor to fight alongside you. But..." He raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes. "Just the two of us?"
A nearly imperceptible smile touched Steve's lips. "No, there's one more. The Falcon, Sam Wilson."
"Oh?" Thor's interest was piqued. "The Falcon? Sounds like an agile warrior. I look forward to meeting him."
Meanwhile, on the other side, Natasha, Clint, and Banner had already gotten into a car. Clint was driving a low-key black SUV, his hands steady on the steering wheel, while Banner was deep in thought, clearly troubled.
"Banner," Natasha said from the passenger seat, turning slightly to look at him, her tone a little probing. "What are you thinking about? Are you still worried about Tony?"
Banner looked up, a hint of anxiety flashing in his eyes. "If my speculation about Ultron and Tony's subsequent plan is correct, then Ultron will definitely go look for someone next."
"Who?" Natasha's brow furrowed slightly, her eyes showing vigilance.
"Helen Cho," Banner answered with certainty. "She's a World-class biotech expert. Her research can create a perfect body for Ultron. Combined with the power of the scepter, Ultron likely wants to completely surpass his mechanical form."
Clint let out a low grunt from the driver's seat. "Then what are we waiting for? Why don't we just drive there directly?"
Banner looked up at Natasha. "I think it's best if we contact Phil Coulson first and have him protect Helen Cho to prevent Ultron from preempting us."
Natasha nodded, quickly pulled out her communicator, and said in a low voice, "I'll contact Coulson. He should be able to mobilize nearby Agents for reinforcement."
Banner relaxed, leaned back in his seat, and let out a soft sigh. "No matter what, we can't let Ultron get her technology. That would only make things completely out of control."
Clint stepped on the accelerator, the car suddenly sped up, heading towards their destination. A nonchalant smile played on his lips, and he joked in a relaxed tone, "Honestly, I'm used to this 'saving the World' routine. But, I still hope we have some luck this time and don't get blown up again."
Natasha glanced back at him and gave a cold smile. "Clint, your sense of humor is still so unsettling."
"Oh, don't be so serious," Clint shrugged. "Anyway, we still have Banner. If the Hulk can make an appearance, he can just crush Ultron."
Banner shook his head with a bitter smile. "I'd rather 'he' didn't have to come out. If I had a choice, I'd prefer to just be a quiet scientist."
The atmosphere in the car was silent for a moment, only the low hum of the engine echoed. Natasha looked down at her communicator, confirmed Coulson's reply, then looked up and said, "Coulson has mobilized three teams of Agents. They will be waiting outside Helen Cho's lab. When we get there, we should still be able to seize the initiative."
"Okay," Clint nodded, a hint of subtle tension in his eyes. "Then let's hope this time, Ultron hasn't thought of this move yet."
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