The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind It (Part Five)

"Damn it. If it's Ultron, we're in real trouble."

A shadow fell over Black Widow's beautiful face. "The Iron Legion alone has pushed us to our limits. If Ultron has three Helicarriers too, I don't know how we're supposed to beat them."

Hawkeye slumped against his pillow and covered his face with his uninjured hand. He drew a deep breath, unable to hide the defeat in his voice. "S.H.I.E.L.D. has been destroyed. We've lost our base, and Ultron has taken those superweapons. I don't know how we fight this war anymore."

Maria Hill lowered her head in silence.

Silence settled over the hospital room again.

They all knew they faced an enemy who seemed almost impossible to defeat.

Ultron was unlike any human enemy they had encountered before. He had no physical body, no emotions, and no weaknesses they could exploit.

He was more like a killing machine created for the sole purpose of wiping out humanity.

But the bad news did not end there.

Tony Stark pressed his dry lips together. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Guys, I know this isn't the time, but there's something even worse you need to hear."

As he spoke, he worked his phone and projected footage of the attack on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Building onto the hospital room wall. Friday had reconstructed it with her formidable processing power during his return trip.

He pointed to six enormous figures on the far bank of the river. They had not joined the attack, but they were impossible to miss. "The three Helicarriers weren't the only things taken. Ultron also got the six Titan Jaegers the Security Council had temporarily taken over."

"What did you say?!"

Nick Fury shot upright in his hospital bed and grimaced as the movement pulled at his wounds. But all his