For which there are, unhappily, no shortcuts.
[Wanda touches the regeneration cradle and receives a vision.
WANDA
[aside:] Alack! What madness, terror, fear, and dread! 20
[To Ultron:] How couldst thou, metal fiend?
ULTRON
—How could I what?
WANDA
Thou said’st we would destroy th’Avengers, that
All to a better world might, then, be led.
ULTRON
It shall be better.
WANDA
—When we all are dead?
ULTRON
The human race shall have the chance t’improve— 25
Each opportunity shall proferr’d be.
PIETRO
If they do not as fast as thou dost wish?
ULTRON
Ask Noah.
WANDA
—Thou a simple madman art,
And I have play’d the harlot in thy scheme.
ULTRON
O, judge not me. There were more than a dozen 30
Extinction-level incidents before
The dinosaurs receiv’d their recompense.
When earth begins to settle, it is then
God hurls a stone from heav’n to havoc wreak.
E’en now, the deity is winding up, 35
Preparing such a strike as none have seen.
We must evolve—there is no room upon
The bench for players who are easy outs.
PIETRO
Who makes a quick decision o’er who’s weak?
[While Pietro speaks, Wanda plies magic on Helen Cho’s mind, releasing her from Ultron’s power.
ULTRON
Life doth, and always hath, and shall, decide. 40
Yet soft, what yonder signs through my mind breaks?
The Quinjet cometh—we must move anon.
CHO
’Tis not a problem, we may flee most swiftly.
[She presses buttons on the regeneration cradle, pausing the upload of information.
ULTRON
How cross I am when purposes are cross’d.
[He shoots Cho. Pietro lifts Wanda and they exeunt at great speed.
Wait, friends, you have my deeds misunderstood! 45
[He shoots the assistants.
They shall see soon—then shall they understand.
More time is all I need, as I have plann’d.
[Exeunt Ultron and his bots, bearing the regeneration cradle.
SCENE 5
A cave.
ENTER DOCTOR ERIK SELVIG AND THOR.
SELVIG
This is the place—the water of pure sight.
THOR
In ev’ry realm there some reflection is.
Should, now, the spirits of the water grant
Me their acceptance, to my dream I may
Return and there discover what I miss’d. 5
SELVIG
The legends of the folk who enter th’water
Do not end well.
THOR
—Tell me no stories, then.
[Thor undresses and submerses himself in the water. His hallucination returns.
Once more—the hall, the gathering, the flames—
I see it all before me yet again!
Heimdall doth choke me, yells at me, “Awake!” 10
Then lightning floweth outward from me—ah!
SELVIG
Thor, are you well? O, speak to me, my friend.
THOR
’Tis Ultron that I spy, with horrid word
Upon his robot’s lips: “extinction” ’tis.
The earth grown helpless by a mighty blast, 15
Whilst Stones most colorful are gather’d up
To do the bidding of an evil one!
Alack, I fear our band may be undone.
[Exeunt.
SCENE 1
Oslo and the U-Gin genetics research lab in South Korea.
ENTER TONY STARK ON BALCONY, WITH WORLD HUB TECHNICIANS IN OSLO.
STARK
Is there a hacker faster yet than Ultron?
He could be anywhere, yet as this is
The center of the very internet,
I am a simple farmer who doth seek
A needle in the biggest haystack e’er. 5
TECH. 1
STARK
—It is effortless:
Bring thou a magnet, thou shalt needles find.
[Sings:] Decrypting nuclear codes,
Whilst singing lovely odes,
Tra-la, tra-lee, tra-lay! 10
If thou wish I would not,
I must, by thee, be sought,
Tra-la, tra-lee, tra-lay!
[Exeunt Tony Stark and technicians.
ENTER NATASHA ROMANOFF AND CLINT BARTON BELOW, IN SOUTH KOREA, FLYING THE QUINJET. ENTER STEVE ROGERS JUMPING FROM THE QUINJET. ENTER DOCTOR HELEN CHO ASIDE, IN LABORATORY, WOUNDED.
ROGERS
[into radio:] Two minutes—stay ye close should I need
help.
[He runs inside the laboratory and sees Cho.
Good Doctor Cho, alas! What’s Ultron done? 15
CHO
He hopes to upload his mind to the body.
ROGERS
Where hath he gone? Could he still be herein?
[Cho shakes her head.
CHO
The power true is in the cradle, Cap’n.
The gem—its pow’r is uncontainable.
You shall not blow it up an ’twere a mine; 20
The cradle must you bear to Tony Stark.
ROGERS
First must I find it, which I shall.
CHO
—Then fly!
[Exit Doctor Helen Cho.
ENTER ULTRON AND HIS BOTS, DRIVING IN A TRUCK WITH THE REGENERATION CRADLE. ULTRON CONTINUES TO UPLOAD HIS CONSCIOUSNESS TO THE BODY IN THE CRADLE. ENTER MANY PEOPLE AND DRIVERS IN THE CITY.
ROGERS
[into radio:] Clint and Natasha, did you copy that?
BARTON
[into radio:] As clearly as the crowing of the cock.
ROMANOFF
[into radio:] A jet is taking off across the town, 25
’Tis private, shrouded neath some secrecy.
No manifest it hath—it may be he.
BARTON
[into radio:] Below I see the truck come from the lab.
It is above thee, Cap, if thou wouldst soar
Upon the looping roadway near the bridge. 30
’Tis them—three with the cradle, one who steers.
The driver I could slay if thou dost wish.
ROGERS
[into radio:] Nay, negative, for if the truck should crash,
The gem within could crush the city whole.
We must draw Ultron out from where he hides. 35
[Rogers runs to where the truck is passing and jumps on top of it.
A bump, a fall, a shake, yet I’ll prevail!
ULTRON
Nay, nay—not the Avengers. Let me be!
[He fires at the truck’s back door, where Rogers is trying to get in, and nearly knocks it off, so it hangs loosely. Rogers rides on top of the door.
ROGERS
[into radio:] In making him unhappy, we succeed!
I shall attempt to keep him thus annoy’d.
BARTON
[into radio:] Thou art no match for one of metal
plumage. 40
ROGER
[into radio:] Tremendous, Barton, is thy confidence.
&nbs
p; ULTRON
Mine upload I must once again suspend
T’address this man who swarms like pesky gnat.
[Ultron shoots at Rogers again, knocking him back onto another car.
ROGERS
Would that he might, one moment, still his shots.
Upon this passing truck I’ll take my hold, 45
Then swing atop of Ultron’s truck again!
[Rogers swings on top of Ultron’s truck again. Ultron flies up to meet him.
ULTRON
Are you aware what in the cradle lies?
The power to create real change at last,
Which terrifies you.
ROGERS
—’Tis no succor, nay.
[Rogers throws his shield at Ultron, knocking him back. They spar. Captain America’s shield sticks in Ultron, and Ultron knocks it out onto the road.
ULTRON
Cease, knave! Thou art no match for my vast pow’r. 50
[Ultron shoots at Rogers, who falls to the front of the truck and begins climbing along the side.
BARTON
[to Romanoff:] If thou wouldst fly, thou hast a window
now!
[Romanoff is released from the Quinjet, riding a motorcycle. She sees Rogers’s shield and picks it up.
ROMANOFF
[into radio:] Must I e’er pick up after ye dim lads?
BARTON
[into radio:] Beneath the overpass they soon shall drive—
I have no shot—they hide neath concrete wings.
ROMANOFF
[into radio:] In which direction is the grim truck bound? 55
BARTON
[into radio:] Ride fast as eagles, thou may’st catch them yet.
Hard right upon my signal—now, Natasha!
[Romanoff rides toward the truck, arriving in time to throw Rogers’s shield to him. He strikes Ultron with it. Ultron shoots at Romanoff, forcing her to brake.
ROMANOFF
On my front wheel I brake most suddenly—
My path obscur’d but momentarily.
[She pursues them again, dodging the shots from Ultron’s bots.
ROGERS
The villain knocks me from the truck again, 60
And in the crashing I am near caught up.
A little dodging, though—I rise again,
And use the flailing car as launchpad thus!
[Rogers jumps back up to Ultron’s truck, resuming his fight.
ROMANOFF
[into radio:] Clint, canst thou draw the gloomy guards
to thee?
BARTON
[into radio:] Let us discover if they’ll flock to me. 65
[Barton aims the Quinjet at Ultron. Ultron’s bots rise in the air and begin shooting at the Quinjet.
Ye shall not pull my ship apart, you fiends!
ENTER WANDA AND PIETRO MAXIMOFF, ASIDE.
PIETRO
Behold the news reports upon the screen—
It seems th’Avengers swiftly come to fight
With Ultron!
WANDA
—Fate, tell us where spins this thread!
[Rogers and Ultron fight, falling off the truck and landing inside a train car filled with passengers. The bots immediately leave the Quinjet and fly toward Ultron.
BARTON
[into radio:] The chickens do come home to roost, my
friend— 70
Whatever thou wouldst do, Natasha, do.
ROMANOFF
[into radio:] I shall within, the dark one to pursue—
Cap, canst thou keep him occupied ’til then?
ROGERS
[into radio:] What dost thou think I have been doing, eh?
[Romanoff jumps from her motorcycle into the truck. The bots fly alongside the truck and grab it, hoisting it in the air.
BARTON
[into radio:] The package hath gone airborne suddenly. 75
A clean shot may I make—give me the word.
ROMANOFF
[into radio:] Nay, I am still inside the horrid truck.
BARTON
[into radio:] What art thou doing, turkey?
ROMANOFF
[into radio:] —Stand thou by:
The dreary package I shall send to thee.
BARTON
[into radio:] How wishest thou that I receive the thing, 80
Which is both large but delicate as eggs?
ROMANOFF
[into radio:] Thou mayst yet wish that thou hadst ask’d
me not—
No sun will rise ere we two clear the clouds.
[As Rogers and Ultron continue to fight, Pietro runs at high speed, knocking Ultron aside. Wanda then threatens Ultron with magic.
ULTRON
What’s this? Mine allies unto traitors turn’d?
Nay, do not this, I bid ye.
WANDA
—Yet what choice 85
Hast thou, with thy dread future, given us?
[Ultron shoots at Pietro, then jumps out of the train car, flying off toward the airborne truck.
ROGERS
[into radio:] I lost him—unto thee he comes again!
[Romanoff holds onto the cradle and cuts the rope securing it to the truck. She and the cradle drop out of the truck and into the Quinjet. Ultron grabs her and she and Ultron both fall. Exeunt Ultron carrying Romanoff.
BARTON
Nay, Nat! [Into radio:] Cap, canst thou see where Nat
hath flown?
ROGERS
[into radio:] If thou dost have the package, move along!
Get it to Stark, and quickly!
BARTON
[into radio:] —Canst thou see 90
Where Nat hath flown?
ROGERS
—Soar, Barton, hurriedly!
[Exit Clint Barton in the Quinjet with the cradle.
[To Pietro:] This train doth run away at fright’ning speed—
Civilians may yet stand athwart its route.
[Pietro rushes off at high speed to help civilians.
[To Wanda:] Canst thou constrain the train ere it doth
crash?
[Wanda plies her magic on the train, grinding its wheels to a halt. Wanda rushes to Pietro.
PIETRO
O sister, I am well, though I did move 95
With swifter steps than e’er I ran before.
One moment I require, to rest my legs.
ROGERS
I am sore tempted to deny thee such.
WANDA
The cradle—did th’Avengers snitch the thing?
ROGERS
Our Tony Stark shall have the care of it. 100
WANDA
Nay, he shall not. His madness is widespread.
ROGERS
Thou knowest not the matters which thou speak’st—
He is not mad; He shall ensure ’tis well.
WANDA
He shall do anything to make it right,
Which shall set ev’rything amiss instead. 105
ROGERS
[into radio:] Stark, come thou in. Is anyone on comms?
WANDA
Dread Ultron doth not know the difference
Twixt saving and demolishing the world.
Whence cometh that inheritance of mind
But from the android’s own progenitor? 110
ROGERS
[aside:] Though she was once a foe, there’s sense in her.
[Exeunt.
SCENE 2
Stark Tower and Ultron’s lair.
ENTER TONY STARK, BRUCE BANNER, AND CLINT BAR
TON IN THE LAB AT STARK TOWER, WITH THE REGENERATION CRADLE.
BANNER
Hath any word of Nat come back to us,
Be it news great or small?
STARK
—I have not heard.
She is alive, methinks, or Ultron would
Have rubb’d our faces in the muck thereof.
BARTON
The cradle’s fasten’d tight as closèd beak. 5
BANNER
We must have access to the whopping program
That seal’d it so and break it from within.
STARK
Is’t possible Natasha would deliver
Some message for thee sans the internet,
As if she were an antiquated spy? 10
Mayhap a pigeon as her messenger?
BARTON
Some other nets exist, which I may cast
And, like an osprey, hope to snag a fish.
I’ll find her—this I vow to thee and her.
[Exit Clint Barton.
STARK
[aside:] It’s like a fam’ly, his concern for her. 15
BANNER
On tissue generation shall I work,
If thou couldst fry the program Cho implanted
Within its massive operating system.
STARK
Indeed—about that topic.
BANNER
—I can see
Th’enormous thoughts that round thy psyche swirl, 20
And I say nay.
STARK
—I bid thee trust me, Bruce.
BANNER
Yet I do not. Too large thy pride hath grown.
STARK
I found the unknown ally, who protects
The military nuclear codes—behold!
HE FLICKS A SWITCH. THE STRUCTURE OF JARVIS APPEARS.
JARVIS
Ho, Doctor Banner, sir!
STARK
—Indecent Ultron 25
Attack’d not JARVIS out of anger mere;
He did attack because he was afraid
When he saw JARVIS’ abilities.
Our clever JARVIS vanish’d underground.
He scatter’d, dump’d his memory entire, 30
Yet not his protocols. He did not know
He was within until I piec’d him back
Together.
BANNER
—This, then, is thy grand idea:
Thou wantest me to help thee as thou dost
Implant thy servant in this cradl’d form? 35
STARK
Imprudent man, of course not—no such thing.
I want to help thee as thou dost implant
My servant in this cradl’d form. Far diff’rent.
We’re far afield, Bruce, from mine expertise—