Out Of Time

hundred nine

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor," Rhodey argued. "Which is one more than you have."

"So let's say we agree to this thing," Sam said. "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.'"

"How long are you going to play both sides?"

"I have an equation," Vision stated, interrupting their bickering.

"Oh, this will clear it up." Sam grumbled sarcastically.

"In the six years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man," Vision started, "the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And 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 questioned, as he looked up from the Accords.

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

"Boom," Rhodey said.

"Tony..." Nat called, causing everyone to look at him. "You're uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal."

Tony, who had been laying down, moved his hand off from over his face and looked at Nat. She was right. He's always very open about his opinion. Y/N had to keep pushing down the urge to read his mind, let his thoughts in.

"It's because he's already made up his mind," Steve stated.

"Boy, you know me so well," Tony said sarcastically. Tony stood up and walked into the kitchen, rubbing the back of his head as he went. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache." He opened a cabinet and grabbed a mug. "That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort." Tony looked into the sink. "Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed-and-breakfast for a biker gang?" He tried to causally pull up a holographic image on his phone.

"Oh, that's Charles Spencer by the way," Tony continued. "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." Y/N closed her eyes. "He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass."

Tony threw some pills in his mouth and took a drink before continuing. "There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, we're boundary less, we're no better than the bad guys."

"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up," Steve stated.

"Who said we're giving up?" Tony questioned.

"We are, if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame."

"Sorry," Rhodey interrupted, "Steve, that, that is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA."

"No, but it's run by people with agendas and agents change."

"That's good. That's why I'm here," Tony said. "When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing them."