Raptor

Chapter 9

Raptor wearily leaned against the wall of the genetic research facility in some part of Korea, she didn't really pay attention to which. The other two and her pack were blocking the exits as Ultron examined the container that held his future body. A young scientist trembled as he glanced over at her.

"Dr. Cho, I don't want to hurt you." Ultron spoke a softly as a robot could, yet it still seemed like a cold threat. "I simply want you to transfer my consciousness into this body."

Dr. Cho shook her head and backed away. "I-I can't let you."

Raptor growled and took a step forward only for Ultron to hold up a hand to stop her. He cocked his head a bit and seemed to reanalyze the woman. "Why not? It wouldn't take much, I may even let you live after I bring world peace."

"I can't." She said more firmly this time. "It is unorthodox and against everything I've been trained to do here."

Ultron gave a robotic sigh. "Raptor, take care of her."

Raptor gave a cruel, toothy, grin and growled menacingly before pinning the helpless woman to the floor in one leap. Dr. Cho whimpered under her claws and Raptor gave snapped at her throat, only nicking it to torment the woman. She could hear Ultron ordering the twins around, instructing them how to set up the machine, but mostly ignored it as she allowed Dr. Cho to run a few paces only to be knocked to the ground a moment later.

"Stop tormenting her and finish it!" Her head burst into pain as her humane side kicked in.

Raptor staggered a bit. Stop tormenting? I'm following an order! You're starting to sound like one of those Avengers!

"I am you!" The pain got worse and Raptor noticed the others glance at her as Dr. Cho scrambled away again. "Understand we are the same!"

My head... is... ahh! She shook herself before lunging at the woman again and sinking her teeth into her neck.

Dr. Cho screamed in her jaws as the other three Utahraptors ran over and joined her in tearing the woman to pieces. Raptor let them before turning human and going back over to Ultron and the twins.

"How much longer?" She asked, not feeling well as the room seemed to spin around her for a moment.

Pietro gave her a concerned look and subtlety shifted closer for her to lean on. "Not sure, the wires are hooked up and the status screens say it's working, perhaps about three more minutes."

Wanda's head snapped up from the doorway where she'd been looking out the window. "The Avengers are coming, "

Ultron detached himself from the computers and his new body. "Get this loaded up, we can't let them take it! Raptor, go hold any of them off. Kill on sight."

"Right away Ultron." Raptor sighed and used the chip to call Omega, Delta, and Sigma.

"Don't let them see you like that." Ultron scolded as she trudged towards the door. "They'll think I'm losing my touch. I need them to see the real power you have."

"Yes, Ultron." She took a pair of vibranium clawed gloves out of her pocket, wearing them while shifting would make her claws larger and sharper, another gift from Ultron.

He nodded in approval. "Now kill everything in your way."

Raptor shifted and made the metal spikes Ultron inserted into her neck and upper spine rise up before leading the pack out of the room and towards their enemies. She could feel the power in her steps, though the pain in her head was ever increasing. She tried not to trip up, as a wave of pain washed over her, each time since Ultron 'fixed' her it had gotten worse. She knew the others saw it despite her trying to avoid them in the short time it had started, they knew she was weakening, and her fear at the moment was being replaced by Wanda as Ultron's second in command.

She will never replace me! Raptor thought determinedly as she forced herself to run faster. I'll kill them all; I'll prove I'm the strongest one!

"Or he'll think you're too dangerous to keep around so he can 'keep the peace'." Her conscious argued. "Whom shall you turn to then? Pietro? Do you think he wants to help a murderer?"

Shut up! Raptor stopped running as a familiar hot rod red and gold suit flew through the air.

Instructions? Omega's thought transferred through the chip as the three Utahraptors looked at her.

Fight to wound, don't kill. Raptor wasn't sure why she refused to let them kill, perhaps it was the pain, or her conscious, but it didn't matter. The command was given and she didn't feel like correcting it.

Not killing is a weakness. Raptor thought bitterly before running towards Captain America. I wasn't created to show weakness. Whatever's wrong with me... I'll fight it.