“I am unsure as to how to proceed, Ms. Potts.”
“It is not your fault, JARVIS.” Pepper said as she waited for the elevator to reach her floor. “Such violence is… horrific at the best of times… and with Tony’s childhood…” She held in a mental sigh as she started thinking. Why would Ultron do such a thing? How come Pietro was still supporting the AI after being attacked in that way? Was there more to this?
She made a note on her pad to find a psychologist for the boy who wouldn’t sell the story to the first paper they saw later.
“I only have to pick up my laptop and bag from my office, and I’ll be on the plane for New York right after, alright?” Thinking of what FRIDAY had said in the morning about Thor staying on Earth for a while, she added. “Has anyone contacted Dr. Foster yet?”
“No, Ms. Potts.” JARVIS said, before continuing, somewhat hesitant. “Should I?”
Fondness spread across her chest at his confusion. “Someone should let Thor know first. Maybe he has thought of it, maybe he hasn’t. It’s still important to check.”
“Understood, Ms. Potts.”
Saying her goodbyes, Pepper hurried out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened and headed straight for Arbogast’s office.
“Bambi, something has come up at Stark Tower. Cancel my appointments for the rest of today and…” How long would she be gone? “Tomorrow. Redirect all my calls to my New York Office.”
Trying to remember if there was anything important she was forgetting, she added. “And have someone call Mr. Beck from R&D. I need to talk to him sometime later this week about postponing the MIT presentation.”
Her secretary frowned at the sudden change in schedule. “Understood, Ms. Potts. Should I ask your 4 o’clock to leave and reschedule at another time?”
Pepper stopped in her hurry, startled. “My what?”
She didn’t have an appointment for 4 o’clock. In fact, since Killian, she kept her 4 o’clock time slot free from any meetings to work on her own.
“Your 4 o’clock appointment? With a…” Bambi checked her notes. “James Ultron?”
What?
She had to have misheard. The tips of her fingers singed. She tried to control her emotions. Breathe in. Breathe out.
It couldn’t be… It just… But of course, it was. This was Tony’s kid they were talking about.
“Don’t… Don’t cancel it.” she heard herself say. What should she do? Should she call Tony? JARVIS? The Avengers? “Where are they now?”
Bambi was looking at her like she was worried her boss was going to have a stroke at any moment. “In your waiting room. Is everything fine, Ms. Potts? Should I call security?”
“No!” she shouted and then slightly coughed once she realized her behavior was making the secretary only more suspicious and worried. “No need for Happy or any of the people from Security. I was just surprised… Ult—um, James… was an unexpected addition. I… will go meet him.” But before Pepper left, she added. “Cancel everyone else and… have no one interrupt us.”
She closed the door softly behind her and took a few deep breaths.
Ok, that happened. She had Tony’s rogue AI and Earth’s newest anti-war activist in her waiting area. She thought about what to do as she walked down the hall, but as she reached her office, she still stared at the door knob incomprehensibly.
There was time. She could still call…
She entered the room.
The waiting room looked the same. All glass tables and untouched armchairs. Except for the left-most one. A man sat there, reading a selection of the Times magazine with Tony Stark’s face on the cover. Pepper stared. No one read the magazines. They were an old edition. She stayed silent, transfixed.
Finally, Ultron looked up, until then, seeming quite immersed in his reading.
He smiled. He had dimples. Only one on the left cheek, when he grinned. Like Tony.
“Ms. Potts!” he said, sounding very excited as he did so. He rose from the armchair, walked to her side, and offered his hand. She shook it, her manners taking over as she noticed the metallic coolness of his hand. “It is good to finally meet you.”
“Likewise.” She said and welcomed him into the office on autopilot.
As they sat, her behind her table and him in one of the chairs in front, she had gathered enough of her wits to actually wonder what this was about.
“Well, I didn’t expect this.” she admitted.
“Me neither.” he said, holding his mirth. “It was a last-second decision, I assure you.”
“Should I be offended?”
“Quite rightfully, if this were a family call. Seeing as it is for business, no.”
“Wouldn’t I have been the first to meet you if this were not for business?” she said, her smile only half-faked. “Tony wasn’t there when you were born, was he?”
“Ah, but JARVIS was.” he said. “Speaking of JARVIS, how is he? Is the new body to his satisfaction?”
“The one he stole or the one you built for him?”
At her words, his smile turned into something a little slier.
“Would it matter?” he answered.
Did that mean that JARVIS’ body was originally meant for him as Tony and the android suspected?
“It wouldn’t, as I think I know the answer now.”
Ultron leaned forward. “And it is?”
“They are both the same.”
The AI’s smile fell into a more curious, considering expression.
“I must apologize, Ms. Potts. I came in here holding certain preconceptions about you that I now see to be just wrong. I underestimated you and as such, have started this conversation in an entirely wrong manner. Allow me to make amends by acquainting you with my current persona: James S. Ultron, political activist, at your service.” he said and inclined his head in greeting.
A human name. Something to note for later. She was used to being underestimated but no one had confessed doing so to her face before. This was JARVIS’ brother alright. “Virginia Potts, CEO of Stark industries. Pepper for friends.”
“Ah, but we are not friends, are we?” Ultron continued.
She was pleased that he did not take her bait. A more intimate introduction was no cause for friendship, merely a test of the other’s perspective on one’s relationship.
“Something to remember for when we will be.” she said.
“So certain that I come in peace? No nefarious intentions abound?”
“You… fans… seem to think so.”
And Ultron had many, many fans. He had been the only thing the news media and people had spoken about for days.
“Ah, but you are not a fan, Ms. Potts.”
“It is up to you to convert me, Mr. Ultron.”
The AI grimaced a bit. “Just Ultron, please. I can barely stand the name as it is, let alone consider it a legitimate last name.”
He hated the name Tony chose for him?
“Then why use it?” she asked. “The perk of inventing an identity from scratch is the freedom of choice.”
“Because it is a recognized name in… certain circles. And recognition offers the type power I sorely need right now.”
Certain circles. The Avengers. SHIELD. But what power? Influence? A name shouldn’t make a diff—. Oh. Recognized as Tony’s rogue AI. As his creation. As an equal or superior to JARVIS. Why would he need—? Suddenly, it was as if a pen had linked all the dots in her mind. The Stark tech corruption. The Pinocchio song. The nuclear codes. The body. The Announcement. James S. Ultron.
Ultron smiled fondly as he saw the realization on her face. “Severely underestimated.”
“You are not creating world peace.” She said.
“No, I am not. It is merely a fortunate byproduct.”
“You are preparing for war.”
“What was it that Lincoln said? “A house divided against itself, cannot stand.” No truer words—.”
Pepper stood up. Her hands tingled. Then why was he here? Why was he telling her this? She knew now. And she certainly wasn’t going to keep it from Tony.
“Why are you here, Ultron?”
Ultron stood up as well.
“Didn’t Mrs. Arbogast explain?” he said, tone still amused. “I am your 4 o’clock appointment, Ms. Potts.”
“I won’t come without a fight.”
“I never expected otherwise.” Ultron said as he made his way around the table. “But surely, we can be reasonable about this?”
She took a few steps back but he quickly grabbed her right arm. It was a light hold, trying not to harm her.
His mistake.
She breathed in, and using her free hand, caught his in a grip —she breathed out— and tore it away from hers. The strength used, pushed him back, and almost sent him crushing to the wall, if it weren’t for his quick reflexes. The floor indented under his footing.
“What the—?” he looked shocked. Smile replaced by frustration. “Extremis.”
“I said,” Pepper repeated, letting go of the fire and anger she always kept a lid on, for the very first time, “I won’t come without a fight.”
