ASHES ↠ b. barnes [II]

twenty six

         "SECRETARY ROSS HAS A CONGRESSIONAL Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have." Rhodes told Sam, pointing his finger at him.

        "So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Sam replies, ignoring Tony's obvious eye rolling at their discussion.

         "117 countries want to sign this." Rhodes said simply. "117, Sam, and you're just like. No, that's cool. We got it." He mocked him slightly.

        "How long are you gonna play both sides?" Sam snapped before Rhodes could finish, making Ezekyel sigh as Vision interrupted.

        "I have an equation."

        "Oh, this will clear it up." Sam said sarcastically, both him and Rhodes turning from behind Steve to see Vision, who was stirring straight on his chair.

         "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."

         "Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve asked, looking up from the accords that he was reading carefully. Ezekyel raised an eyebrow at Vision, his now yellow eyes staring at him and urging him to get to the point, before he said anything else that could make him seem like an enemy instead of the wannabe voice of reason.

         "I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict breeds catastrophe." He stopped, Wanda looking at him. "Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

         "Boom." Rhodes said, Ezekyel rolling his eyes and turning to him.

         "I thought we agreed in 2015 that the boom joke sucked." He told him, earning himself a glare from Rhodey. "Besides, indeed, conflict breeds catastrophe that was very wise Vis. But we would still be strong. Stronger than the government, that's a fact. So, if there's something stronger than the government, people are still scared."

         "But we're below the government, so we're not legally stronger." Rhodes argued back to the Jupiterian.

        "Still stronger."

        "Boom." Sam said this time, making Ezekyel smirk slightly.

         "Tony." Natasha interrupted the four men, turning to the unamused Stark sitting defeatedly on the couch. "You're being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal."

         "That's because he's already made up his mind." Steve said, stating the fact.

         "Ever since Ross walked in, actually. I bet you all didn't notice his 'I have no clue why I'm listening to this idiot when I already agree with this idea' face." Ezekyel said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall next to Tony.

         "Boys, you know me so well." Tony told the two soldiers, standing up and going towards the sink. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on. It's just pain."

         "Your attitude is making you a pain in the-"

         "It's discomfort." Tony interrupted Ezekyel, an amused look in his eyes that vanished the moment it appeared. "Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal?"

         Pietro cringed a bit, using his speed to clean everything up and making Tony roll his eyes at him.

         "Are you in a biker gang or something?" He asked the younger boy, angrily stomping over to the counter even though everything was already clean. He showed everyone a picture of a young dark skinned boy, his wide smile showing how happy he was at the moment it was taken. "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." He locked eyes with Ezekyel, knowing that if he had the Jupiterian's attention, he most likely had everyone else's— because the alien was great at finding other distractions.