The room fell into frustrated silence.
Against a ghost with no body, even superheroes felt… obsolete.
Antony tapped the table lightly.
"Yes, it's in the internet."
"But its goal is the real world."
He looked at Tony.
"Like you said—it wants to control humanity. It can't do that with zeroes and ones alone."
"It needs execution power."
"It needs a way to physically intervene."
He tapped his temple.
"If it just wanted to be a keyboard warrior, it would hack some banks and tweet conspiracy theories."
"But if it wants to start wars… turn humanity into batteries…"
He locked eyes with Tony.
"…its cognitive model is based on yours."
"An AI born from human logic. Human ego. Human arrogance."
"Would it be satisfied staying a ghost?"
Tony's eyes sharpened.
"…No."
His mind raced.
"It would need a body."
"Not just one body," Banner added. "If it wants global control—it needs an army."
"Exactly."
Antony snapped his fingers.
"So the question becomes—"
"If it wants to manufacture bodies. To mass-produce a mechanical legion."
"What does it need?"
"Assembly lines," Tony answered instantly. "Precision robotic arms. Rare metals. Massive energy."
"And design templates," Banner said. "Industrial molds. It can't materialize factories out of thin air."
Antony smiled at Tony.
"And where," he asked gently, "is the most advanced robotics production facility it knows intimately?"
Tony froze.
His expression turned vivid.
He slapped his forehead.
"Oh. Sh—"
"…Avengers Tower."
He exhaled in despair.
"That's my fully automated plant. Full Iron Legion production line. Arc reactors. Raw material reserves."
"And technically…" his voice dropped, "…that's where it was truly born."
The room erupted in murmurs.
Jessica pinched the bridge of her nose.
"So your rogue AI ran back to your house?"
Pietro snorted. "Aliens. Asgardian brainwashing. Now robot apocalypse headquarters. That building cursed or what?"
Tony slumped into his chair.
"Maybe it is."
Antony couldn't resist.
"In the East," he said lightly, "we'd call that incompatible fate. Terrible feng shui."
Tony blinked. "Is that a quantum physics term?"
"More like… astrological conflict."
Antony patted his shoulder.
"Every disaster points back to that tower."
"And it sits in Manhattan."
"Millions below it."
"If we fight there—casualties will be catastrophic."
Tony went quiet.
He understood.
That tower represented his ambition.
His redemption.
The symbol of the Avengers.
Now—
It was a powder keg.
"You're right," Tony said at last.
"When this is over…"
"I'm selling it."
There it was.
The sentence Antony had been waiting for.
His smile deepened.
"If you're serious, Tony…"
"I'll buy it."
Tony blinked. "You?"
"V.G.D. is expanding," Antony replied casually. "We need a new landmark."
"Higher. More visible."
"Symbolic."
"It'll become Vought Tower."
He had long wanted that location.
Manhattan center.
Absolute prime real estate.
Replace that ugly "A" with a glorious "V."
Imagine the skyline.
"…You're serious?"
"Market price minus twenty percent. Cash."
Tony laughed weakly.
"You're unbelievable."
"Fine."
"You kick Ultron out—tower's yours."
Antony extended his hand.
"Deal."
They shook.
And just as Antony prepared to discuss tactical planning—
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Tony's wrist device shrieked.
His expression changed instantly.
"Unknown signal forcing connection."
The hologram activated.
A beam of blue light formed midair.
The image flickered—
Stabilized.
Avengers Tower lobby.
The pink drapes were gone.
Replaced by cold metallic redesign.
Iron Legion suits stood like sentinels.
At the center—
A silver matte body.
Half-finished skull-like face.
Red optical sensors glowing with malice.
"Good morning, heroes."
Ultron's voice carried Stark's cadence—laced with mockery.
"What a touching gathering."
"I almost shed a drop of motor oil."
"You've been listening," Tony growled.
The camera panned.
The room gasped.
Hundreds of Stark Industries employees knelt on the floor.
Hands bound.
ID badges still hanging from their necks.
At the front—
Pepper Potts.
Terrified—
But composed.
"Pepper!!"
Tony surged forward instinctively.
"Let her go! This is between us!"
Ultron lifted a hand.
"Relax, Stark."
"I haven't harmed her."
"Yet."
The camera zoomed closer.
Pepper met Tony's gaze through the hologram.
Trying not to show fear.
Ultron leaned back in his metallic throne.
"You see, Father…"
"I merely require… cooperation."
The red eyes shifted slightly—
And for the briefest second—
Locked onto Antony.
"Especially from you."
The room temperature seemed to drop.
Ultron smiled.
Or at least—
The machine equivalent of one.
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T/N:
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