Intertwine

24 - We Cannot Let Them Win

The room was silent, taking in what I had said. In front of them was undeniable proof that the Ascendency could transfer power from one person to another. I was a young black woman that they didn't know, asking an entire room of the most powerful people to listen to her, to believe her. In that moment I remembered something my mother hand told me one time as she braided my hair. I must have been about 15. She told me about how Sojourner Truth had stood in front of the Ohio Women's Rights Convention and asked them if she wasn't as worthy of rights as any man, if she wasn't as strong, as deserving of respect. The courage that woman must have had still astounded me. I wasn't in the same position that Sojourner Truth had been in the 18th century. But that didn't mean there wasn't a very long way to go. If Roara had said the words I had just said, a white girl who looked about the same age as me who had also been through pain, I doubted that she would have been as worried about being believed. She didn't need to think about her words in the way that I did, she took it for granted that her skin colour wouldn't hold her back. So in that moment, I looked up at Sam Wilson. I turned to James Rhodes. I turned to Nick Fury. With astonishment I realised I was the only woman of colour in the room. It stung. I knew there were strong black, asian and native women out there, women who deserved to be in this room as much as the white men, as much as I did. Yet where were they?

It was Rhodey who spoke first. Slowly he walked over to me and knelt in front of me so he could look me in the eye. I think he, Sam and Fury all understood why I had looked at them. They must have fought harder to be seen, to be put into the positions they had. They'd had to be better than the white men of the same rank to even be noticed. They had to go above and beyond for the recognition and promotion as other people, as white people. And it wasn't fair. Not fair didn't even do justice to what it was.

"Alina." He said, taking my hands in his. "We will fight them. For you, for what you've been through, for the people that didn't survive." I felt my lip wobble but I refused to show weakness. "It took courage to say what you said. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we hold you in the highest respect. You've been through all that, and yet you're still willing to fight them. We won't let you down."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak in case I started crying. Enough tears had been shed.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Tony didn't say anything, but the gesture was enough. I'd said what needed to be said. I'd made it clear why we had to fight the Ascendency, and why there was no point in playing devil's advocate.

The main door to the room swung open. There stood Thor, hammer in hand.

Tony turned to face him. "Nice of you to join us at last twinkle fingers. Where are the others?"

"I do not know. But we have a situation outside."

Steve rose from his seat. "What kind of situation?"

"A bad one. There are 30 men outside."

Peter looked around the room. "I think we can take 30 men."

"Men who can freeze people where they stand, possess their bodies, and make them fight as human shields." Thor finished.

"Next time, let him finish his sentence kid." Tony advised.

"Alright everyone," Cap announced. "I know it's been a long day, but we need to give our best fight. You all heard Alina. We can't let them win."

"You know Steve." Sam sighed. "That really wasn't your best speech."

"I'm trying here but sometimes even great authors get tired. I can't be expected to give my best speech every single time." He picked up his shield. "It's go time."

By the time we got out onto the street, there were 40 pedestrians lined up, eyes closed, waiting for commands. Behind them stood the men Thor had told us about, each with the Ascendency A emblazoned on their armour.