Zola? Ultron? Vision? (Part Two)

Click.

A faint sound of gears locking into place rang out.

The gemlike Miniature Arc Reactor, freshly fitted into the recess, activated at once. It gradually blazed with dazzling blue-white light, as though a nebula swirled inside it. Steady, powerful waves of energy radiated from it, throwing the face of the Vibranium body into vivid relief.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to witness a miracle—"

Tony Stark rubbed his hands together and walked to the main computer. A rare look of gravity crossed his face as he announced, "We're about to give this new-century Frankenstein a soul!"

His finger hovered over the Enter key. He glanced at Bruce Banner, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, apparently seeking their consent.

All three nodded almost in unison.

Click.

His finger pressed Enter with a soft tap. The computer began uploading Arnim Zola's personality and consciousness architecture data from the connected portable hard drive into the Vibranium body inside the Life Cradle.

Tony Stark stood before the computer, eyes fixed on the screen. "Personality architecture matched. Consciousness-stream data is uploading again. Estimated time to completion: about twenty minutes—"

Everyone turned to the Life Cradle's display.

Sure enough, the long-stalled notice reading "Consciousness-stream transfer disconnected. Current progress: 89%" flashed red once, then changed to "Consciousness-stream transfer started. Current progress: 89%." The progress bar began moving slowly but steadily to the right.

"Phew."

Several relieved breaths sounded around the barn, and the tense atmosphere eased.

Black Widow's rigid shoulders relaxed. Hawkeye unclenched his fists.

That seemingly insignificant progress bar was a glimmer of light at the end of a dark tunnel—the first scrap of good news they had received in far too long.

But the respite was destined to be brief.

Black Widow turned to Hawkeye, resolve written across her striking face. "Clint, there's less