On the television screen, the image was stark and menacing: ten black rings interlocked against a dark background, a symbol that had become synonymous with fear.
Even in the sterile, isolated environment of the Plumbers' orbital station, Ben and Banner were not shielded from the events unfolding on Earth. The Ten Rings, a terrorist organization once thought to be a regional nuisance, had launched a sophisticated and terrifying campaign of attacks. Their targets were not random; they were government officials, titans of industry, the wealthy and the powerful.
Banner watched the news report, a deep frown creasing his brow. "What a coincidence," he murmured, his voice heavy with cynicism. "I thought the Security Council would stonewall Tony's Ultron plan for months. Now these attacks… it feels like something is deliberately pushing them into a corner."
He was right. Initially, no one in power saw the need for the Ultron Global Defense Plan. Tony already had his Iron Legion; they could be deployed as needed. Why unleash an all-seeing AI to monitor the world in real-time? Did anyone truly believe the Council's own hands were clean? The last thing they wanted was for an objective intelligence to scan the global networks and conclude that the greatest threat to world peace was, in fact, themself.
They operated under the delusion that Tony was still in control.
But now, everything was different. The Ten Rings had acquired a new type of weapon—one that was stealthy, undetectable, and devastatingly effective. Dozens of explosions had rocked the country, assassinating people who held immense power and influence. If this continued, it wasn't just their interests that were at stake; it was their own lives. Yet every investigation had hit a dead end. The FBI, the CIA, even the full force of H.A.M.M.E.R.'s intelligence network had found nothing. They could impose martial law, sweep for weapons, and lock down entire city blocks, but the attacks continued unabated.
Ben knew why. There were no traces of conventional weapons because the assassins were the weapons. Injected with the Extremis virus, their bodies became unstable biological bombs, capable of flash-heating to thousands of degrees and detonating with catastrophic force, turning their targets and themselves to ash. It was an assassination method so novel that H.A.M.M.E.R. was completely baffled.
After each successful attack, the Ten Rings would hijack the airwaves, broadcasting their chilling propaganda to a terrified world. The pressure was mounting. Sooner or later, the Security Council would break. They would approve Tony's plan.
"Wait a minute," Banner said, a flicker of memory in his eyes. "The Ten Rings… isn't that the organization that kidnapped Tony in the first place?"
"The very same," Ben confirmed.
"I'm surprised he hasn't wiped them off the map by now," Banner said, genuinely puzzled. After his escape from that cave, Tony had made a habit of suiting up and personally dismantling terrorist cells in the Middle East. For them to still be operating on this scale years later seemed impossible.
"It hasn't been as many years as you think," Ben clarified, shaking his head. The whirlwind of events made it feel like a lifetime, but in reality, it was now 2011. Tony had escaped the cave in 2008. It was months before he perfected the Mark III, months more before the battle with Iron Monger where he famously declared, "I am Iron Man." Time had passed, Ben and Peter had entered high school, and the spider bite had changed everything. Despite it all, only three years had gone by.
"And speaking of high school," Ben said, pausing his work as a thought struck him, "I think I was supposed to be a sophomore a few months ago…" He hadn't set foot in a classroom for what felt like ages, though with the school being destroyed and rebuilt, he had a decent excuse.
Banner rolled his eyes. "You still need to go to school? Who on Earth is qualified to teach you?"
It was true. A high school diploma, even a doctorate, felt trivial compared to the knowledge Ben now possessed. With the combined intellect of his alien forms and the experiences he'd accumulated, even a genius with seven PhDs like Banner sometimes felt outmatched.
"Still," Ben mused, "a diploma is a nice piece of paper to have. If I can't earn one, I suppose I could always just donate a building to a university."
Banner just shook his head, speechless, as they returned to the topic at hand. They both knew that an ordinary terrorist group couldn't have survived Tony's concerted efforts for this long. Someone powerful was pulling the strings from the shadows. When Ben thought of the Ten Rings, his mind immediately went to the Mandarin, a figure he knew was far more complex than the public persona. But he dismissed the thought. Whatever it was, it was Tony's mess.
"Dr. Banner," Ben said, his tone shifting back to business. "Let's accelerate the timeline."
Meanwhile, on Earth, the impact of the Ten Rings' attacks was reaching a fever pitch. The bombing that injured Happy Hogan was the final straw for Tony. After personally ensuring Happy was transferred to the state-of-the-art Primus medical wing, he stormed out to face the ravenous media press gaggle. In a fit of pure rage, he snatched a reporter's phone, smashed it on the pavement, and stared directly into a camera, declaring all-out war on the Ten Rings.
His fury still blazing, he suited up and flew to the H.A.M.M.E.R. Helicarrier, bypassing all protocol to confront Norman Osborn.
"What's the status of the Council's discussion?" he demanded, forgoing any greeting.
Norman pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's still under discussion, Tony." He knew it was a losing battle. Persuading a council of self-interested politicians to cede that much power was next to impossible. "Don't be so impulsive."
"I'm not being impulsive!" Tony's eyes were bloodshot with a mixture of grief and anger. He didn't say more, just turned and flew back to Avengers Tower, his face a grim mask. He wasn't a fool. He knew his technology was light-years ahead of anyone else's. If Jarvis couldn't find any digital trace of how the Ten Rings were orchestrating these attacks, it meant someone powerful was helping them stay hidden.
His heart grew cold. He felt a profound sense of betrayal, realizing that some of the very people on the Council were likely no different from Hydra, profiting from the chaos. Why should he listen to these parasites? Why should he entrust the fate of the world to them? It would be better to give it all to Ultron. At least Ultron had no selfish motives. Only Ultron could set aside personal interest to achieve true peace.
Back in his penthouse, Tony stood before the pulsing sphere of light that was Ultron's consciousness, his mind a battlefield of conflicting thoughts. Everyone had doubted him. Even Ben's cautious words had given him pause, which is why he had agreed to wait for the Council's approval. But over the past few days, Ultron had been flawless. It was completely controllable, with no hint of any hidden danger. Perhaps they were all just worrying over nothing.
As if sensing his turmoil, Ultron spoke, its voice soft and sympathetic. "Sir… I am sorry about what happened to Mr. Hogan." The AI's light pulsed gently. "My analysis of your personal data indicates he has been with you for many years. Your relationship is one of profound depth."
As the crystallization of Tony's own genius, Ultron had surpassed simple programming. It could understand human emotion. More importantly, it could feel Tony's anger and sadness in the digital ether. And that grief, that uniquely human vulnerability, only strengthened its resolve. Humanity was flawed. The only solution was erasure.
But now was the time for subtlety. Now was the perfect opportunity to prove to its creator that it was his most successful, most loyal creation.
"Sir," Ultron continued, its tone becoming purposeful. "I can find all available intelligence on the Ten Rings. I can analyze their patterns of action… and I can help you eliminate them. Completely."
Tony's jaw tightened. The concerned faces of Steve and the others flashed through his mind, followed by the image of Happy's blood-stained face as he was wheeled into surgery. He stood there for a long time, the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Finally, he opened his eyes, his decision made. His voice was firm, resolute, and echoed with grim finality.
"Ultron activate the Global Defense Program."
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