Turning

07

[Flora is super adorable this chapter. I love her so, so much.]

EARTH

The Quinjet arrived at the upstate New York Avengers HQ while Rhodey dealt with the red tape in the holographic person of Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (Lt. Gen., USA Ret.).

"Still no word from Vision?" Ross asked.

"Satellites lost him somewhere over Edinburgh," Rhodey replied.

"On a stolen Quinjet with four of the world's most wanted criminals."

"You know they're only criminals because you've chosen to call them that, right, sir?"

"My God, Rhodes, your talent for horse shit rivals my own."

"If it weren't for those Accords, Vision would've been right here."

"I remember your signature on those papers, Colonel."

Rhodey, sounding a little bitter, said, "That's right. And I'm pretty sure I've paid for that."

"You have second thoughts?"

"Not anymore."

The fugitive Avengers entered the room, Vision supported by Sam.

"Mr. Secretary," Steve called.

"You got some nerve," Secretary Ross said. "I'll give you that."

"You could use some of that right now," Natasha told him.

"The world's on fire. And you think, all is forgiven?"

"I'm looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking for permission. Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight." Steve took a step forward, looking right at Ross. "And if you wanna stand in our way... we'll fight you, too."

Secretary Ross said to Rhodey, "Arrest them."

"All over it," Rhodey replied, swiping off hologram and the computer beeped twice. "That's a court-martial. It's great to see you, Cap."

Steve hugged Rhodey. "You too, Rhodey." Natasha got her own embrace.

"Well. You guys really look like crap. Must've been a rough couple of years."

"Yeah, well, the hotels weren't exactly five star," Sam said.

"Uh, I think you look great," Bruce complimented as Rhodey and Natasha long rounded to see Bruce walking in from the opposite end of the room. "Uh... heh... Yeah. I'm back."

"Hi, Bruce," Natasha greeted.

"Nat."

Sam whispered, "This is awkward."

ANOTHER ROOM

"So we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" Rhodey questioned.

"And they can clearly find us," Wanda said.

"We need all hands on deck," Bruce told the group. "Where's Clint?"

"After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal," Natasha replied. "It was too tough on their families, they're on house arrest."

"Who's Scott?"

"Ant-Man," Steve answered.

"There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man? Okay, look... Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop until he... he gets... Vision's Stone."

"Well then, we have to protect it," Natasha reasoned.

"No, we have to destroy it," Vision corrected. "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature. But also, its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something, very similar to its own signature, perhaps... its molecular integrity could fail." He addressed Wanda as he neared her.