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"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have" Rhodey said to Sam
"So keys say we agree to this thing" Sam started, "How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?"
"117 countries want to sign this. 117 Sam, and you're just like no that's cool, we got it" Rhodey fired back
"How long are you gonna play both sides?" Sam questioned
"I have an equation" Vision said, cutting in
"Oh. This will clear it up" Sam said, keeping his arms crossed
"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man... The number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. During the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate." Vision explained
"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve quickly asked, looking up
"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict...breeds catastrophe" Vision said, "Oversight. Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."
"Boom" Rhodey commented
"Tony" Natasha said, "You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal"
"It's cause he's already made up his mind" Steve added
"Boy you know me so well" Tony said, standing up, "Actually I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"
Tony pulled up a photo of a person, quickly talking, "Oh that's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA. had a floor level gig, at intel planned for the fall. But first he wanted to put a few miles on his soul, before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where, Sokovia. He wanted to make a difference I suppose. We won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass."
Everyone looked around at one another. Unsure fully of what to say at this moment. Lydia felt horrible, knowing she responsible for so many deaths upon fighting to save the world, it takes a toll on you.
"We need to be put in check!" Tony said, "Whatever form that takes, I'm game"
"Tony, maybe we can still make this work..." Lydia had started but was quickly cut off
"No Lydia. There is no say in this. We need to be put in check. You'll hide like you normally do when it comes down to it because you're scared, you know what we have to do and refuse to say it to try and impress everyone else!" he raised his voice at her, making her pause as she listened.
She stood up from the couch, walking over and leaning against a walk where no one really was, trying to put distance as she didn't want to cause any more issues. Sam opened his mouth to talk when Lydia had stood up but simply just shook her head, making him sigh.
"If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less,we're no better than the bad guys." Tony added on
"Tony. Someone dies on your watch you don't give up." Steve said
"Who said we're giving up?"
"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame."
"I'm sorry Steve, that is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about here. It's not the World Security Council. It's not SHIELD, It's not HYDRA." Rhodey said
"No but it's run by people with agendas. And agendas change." Steve said
"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands I shut it down and stopped manufacturing." Tony said
"Tony, you. Chose to do that. If we sigh this, we surrender our right to choose" Steve said, "What if this panel stands us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there's someone we need to go and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own. "
"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty." Tony said
"You're saying they'll come for me" Wanda spoke
"We would protect you" Vision said, sharing a look with Wanda
"Maybe Tony's right." Natasha spoke up, "If we have one hand on the wheel. We can still steer. If we take it off,"
"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Sam asked
"I'm just reading the terrain. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back." Natasha explained
"Focus up, I'm sorry. Did I just mishear you, or did you agree with me?" Tony cut in
"I want to take it back now" Nat said to the man
"No you can't retract it" Tony said, "Okay case closed, I win"
Steve's phone buzzed, the message reading She's gone in her sleep. The man quickly stood, "I have to go" ------------------------------------------------------
Word Count: 900 Written: August 22, 2021 Published : August 22, 2021
