Stark Tower, top-floor duplex apartment.
Tony Stark stood before a deep-blue holographic display, his brow tightly furrowed.
Not long ago, after Aurora obtained the highest level of access to Hydra's network hub at Camp Lehigh, New Jersey, Hydra's operational arrangements had ceased to hold any secrets. The moment Aurora acquired the information, she sent copies to both Miles and Tony.
Along with all the data records she had collected on Ultron's activities.
That was also the part that concerned him most, so he studied it carefully.
"The overall design framework is indeed my Ultron Initiative, but many of the specific details were filled in by someone else..."
His fingertips swept through the air, and waterfall-like streams of data danced and reorganized. He was immersed in an ocean of information, studying Ultron's core data signatures.
"Someone expanded on my design, and their technical ideas are impressive too. Is there really someone like that on Earth?"
"And the core logic... what is this? Some kind of life algorithm I can't understand? Is this the key to Ultron's 'personality'?"
The deeper he went, the more alarmed he became. It was an entirely different technological system, an eerie, indescribable... "vitality" lurking within its cold logic.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Tony seemed to sense something and abruptly looked up.
Through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, a familiar silver-gray figure hovered over New York's night sky, blue and mysterious radiance flowing across the armor.
Psypoint Armor. Miles Zero.
"You little bastard, you finally showed up..."
Tony murmured softly, the corner of his mouth curving into an anticipatory smile.
Then he turned and ordered, "JARVIS, open the door."
"Yes, sir."
JARVIS, freshly rebooted, answered in his usual gentle voice.
"Click—"
The glass doors to the top-floor terrace slid open soundlessly, and icy night wind rushed into the warm apartment.
The