Raptor

Chapter 10

Raptor was almost to the Avenger's leader when he started running off towards a bridge that led away from the facility. She skidded a bit as she turned before motioning for the pack to spread out to circle him; they almost succeeded until Captain America jumped onto a large semi truck and out of their reach. She was trying to figure out how to jump down and follow when the back of the truck exploded as Ultron glared out, looked like he loaded things up quickly. Unfortunately the blast didn't seem to lose Captain America, as the hero was still hanging on for dear life. She backed up a bit before jumping down and landing on top of a truck a few cars back, it screeched to a halt as the driver was crushed under her and Raptor began jumping from car top to car top to catch up with her prey.

She flinched as the man's shield flew back near her head before watching it skid to a stop behind her; good, he was now defenseless. Raptor put on a burst of speed before leaping at Cap. His unsteady grip was released and they both fell onto the pavement where cars were now crashing around them to avoid the fight. Raptor felt a heavy punch hit her side and winced before using her vibranium claws to swipe at his chest. Blood sprayed the pavement and she was about to give him a second taste of her new weapons when a jet passed by over head and Hawkeye gave her a warning shot that skimmed her arm painfully.

"Leave us!" Captain America shouted into a communicator. "Go after the cradle!"

No... Raptor watched as the jet flew off towards Ultron and the new body before snarling down at the man below her. New orders. Keep this one occupied. Do not kill.

Yes Raptor. The three chorused to her through the chip.

Raptor bolted off after the truck as it reached an overpass, overhead the jet began flying over it, and she could guess the archer's aim was off for the moment. A shudder suddenly went through her as she heard the sound of something dying. She whipped around and found Captain America, who had apparently found his shield, bring down the weapon down on Delta's neck. She could feel static in her mind from Delta's chip as he was slowly beaten down, Omega and Sigma were slowing down the process but they were still being beaten back by the well-trained man. She knew she wouldn't make it back in time to save Delta and the dying shrieks were stirring up bad memories. With regret she stopped watching and continued to go back to protect Ultron with Pietro and Wanda.

Alpha, save me! The static from Delta stopped for a second to reveal one last message before the line went dead completely.

She didn't turn around, Omega and Sigma had stopped their attack and were now giving roars of sorrow as Captain America got away and quickly started catching up after getting on a motorcycle abandoned on the road. Raptor was almost to the over pass when a rain of bullets from the jet forced her to stop before she ran into the line of fire. She growled and felt a few breeze by her snout before being hit square in the new spikes on her neck by Cap's shield.

"Ready to see you're on the wrong side now?" Captain America asked as he steadily walked over to her while catching his rebounding shield, his motorcycle left on the ground once more.

Raptor snarled and crouched closer to the ground before sprinting towards him. He held up the vibranium shield in defense and Raptor lowered her head even more, when she hit the metal a harsh metallic scrapping sound came from the vibranium and the Avenger staggered back from the force of the attack. She felt dazed for a second however and he had time to recover and kick her back before slamming his shield into her jaw. Blood dripped to the ground from the wound and Raptor dizzily staggered back before shaking herself and looking for a new angle of attack. When she finally recovered though and her vision stopped spinning, she saw her opponent had left. Raptor turned in a circle before hearing a crashing sound and seeing Captain America and Ultron go through a train's window as Hawkeye managed to take the cradle. She wasn't quite sure where the twins were at the moment but she did know the cradle was lost.

A blur came from the train and Raptor growled as Quicksilver stopped in front of her. "We need your help, forget the body."

Raptor turned human and looked back at where her remaining pack-mates were nudging Delta's body, or eating it, she couldn't quite tell. "Is it Ultron? Did he get destroyed?"

She swore there was annoyance in his gaze at the mention of Ultron but his voice was kept even. "The train is going to crash and kill people."

"Okay." Raptor wasn't sure what the problem was. "Can't you run out and save them?"

"Wanda can't force it to stop on its own, it could get some I may miss."

"Why does Ultron want to save them?"

"Ultron left us!" He replied impatiently. "Now help us!"

She watched him run off before scowling, she had her orders to kill, why should she save people? Then another thought came to her. Ultron had told her to get rid of anyone who stood in her way of protecting the body, if Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch were suddenly helping people and ignoring the Avengers... did that mean she had to kill them as well?

"Ultron abandoned you here." She reminded herself. "You shouldn't owe him any loyalty, he's just like HYDRA and my original family."

But why should I help innocent people? Raptor shifted forms and started sprinting towards the out of control train as she still debated with her options.

"They don't need to die. They've done nothing to you!"

I wasn't created to save people. Raptor stopped as she watched Scarlet Witch using her powers to slow the train down and her brother running to get people out of the way.

"But were they? They wanted revenge and now look, they're helping that Avenger get people to safety..."

She shook her head as it throbbed again before running ahead of the train and preparing to do the same thing she did the Cap's shield. Omega, Sigma, come to me. Help stop the train.

Omega and Sigma ran over a minute later and copied her movements. Raptor waited until Quicksilver had gotten the last person out of the way before giving the signal to run. The three of them charged the incoming train with their heads lowered, she had her spikes raised up, they would take most of the force, but Omega and Sigma could only rely on the metal strip running down to protect their spines. It would do nothing if their heads cracked open. The impact jarred her and she changed her stance as the train continued to slide forward, slowly agonizingly slow in her opinion. Her front claws ripped up the ground as she was pushed back but finally she felt the force lift and the loud crashing sound from the train as it finally came to a stop. She staggered back, pain flooded through her and fresh blood pooled the ground from one of her ripped neck spikes and her feet. Omega and Sigma had blood on their heads and feet as well but otherwise acted fine as they shook the blood off.

"Raptor!" Pietro shouted as he walked over with Wanda and Captain America. "You okay?"

Am I okay? I was just pushed down a street by a train. Raptor thought before forcing herself to change form.

"I'm fine." She panted, her head hurt even worse now and it took her a moment to realize her vision was growing blurry.

Raptor shuddered and sank to the ground while Omega and Sigma gave cries of fear and nuzzled her roughly. She commanded them to stop but only felt more pain as she tried to use the chip; it felt like her brain was being fried. She felt someone pick her up as the two Utahraptor growled threateningly at whoever it was, but didn't have the strength to try commanding them to stop. Voices came from around her but still she didn't open her eyes once they'd closed, soon even the voices disappeared from her senses.

What will happen now? They're taking me to the very heart of enemy territory; I'll be killed for sure now... Raptor thought sluggishly.

"If they wanted me to die they would've left me here." Her conscious reasoned.

Unless they want to dissect my dead corpse...

"Pietro won't allow it."

He betrayed Ultron!

"Ultron betray me! Next time we meet I'll rip that metal heart out of him!" She dully felt someone laying her down before blacking out completely.