Rogue (Under Rewriting)

Chapter Thirty Five

Upstate New York, 2018, the next day

"Still no word from Vision?" The holographic version of Secretary Ross questioned.

"Satellites lost him somewhere over Edinburgh." Rhodey answered, leaning against a table in the compound.

"On a stolen Quinjet with four of the world's most wanted criminals." Ross stated as he shuffled through some papers.

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

"My God, Rhodes, your talent for horseshit rivals my own." Ross gave a small chuckle as he stood from his chair.

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

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

"That's right. And I'm pretty sure I've paid for that." Rhodey stated bitterly.

"You have second thoughts?" Ross asked as he looked up from Rhodeys leg braces.

"Not anymore." Rhodey stated as the fugitive Avengers enter the room. Steve, Alex and Natasha led the group. Wanda and Bailey followed shortly after with Sam supporting Vision.

"Mr. Secretary." Steve greeted as he came to a halt before the stairs.

"You got some nerve. I'll give you that." Ross took a couple step so he was standing in front of the group.

"You could use some of that right now." Natasha stated with a small smirk.

"The world's on fire. And you think, all is forgiven?" Ross questioned, anger flaring through his eyes.

"I'm not looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking for permission. Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight." Steve paused to take a step forward. "And if you wanna stand in our way... we'll fight you, too."

"Arrest them." Ross ordered as he turned towards Rhodey.

"All over it." Rhodey replied before swiping away the hologram. "That's a court-martial. It's great to see you, Cap."

"You too, Rhodey." Rhodey and Steve shared a quick hug before letting go so Natasha could get a hug.

"Well. You guys really look like crap. Must've been a rough couple of years." Rhodey states as he took them group in.

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

"How are you, Alex?" Rhodey questioned, he face slowly dropping it smile. "Tony told me what you did."

"Oh, uh," Alex paused as everyone's eyes glanced at her. "I'm okay. How are you?"

"Good." He answers shortly.

"Uh, I think you look great." A voice broke through the silence that had covered the group. Rhodey and Natasha turn around to see Bruce walking in from the opposite end of the room. "Uh... heh... Yeah. I'm back."

"Hi, Bruce." Natasha softly greeted.

"Nat." Bruce answered back awkwardly.

"This is awkward." Sam whispered causing him to get an elbow to the side from Alex.

"So we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" Rhodey questions after they had filled him in on what happened.

"And they can clearly find us." Wanda continued.

"We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?" Brice asked as he looked around the group confused.

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

"Who's Scott?" Bruce asked more confused.

"Ant-Man." Alex answered shortly from her spot beside Natasha.

"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." Bruce reluctantly informed.

"Well then, we have to protect it." Natasha stated walking forward.

"No, we have to destroy it." Vision started from his spot, leaning against a window. He continues as he slowly make his way towards Wanda. "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."

"And you, with it. We're not having this conversation." Wanda said, quickly shutting down the idea that Vision was presenting.

"Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it." Vision continued to explain.

"That's too high a price." She stated as Vision gently grabbed her face with his hands.

"Only you and Alex have the power to pay it." He explains as Wanda walks away, distressed. "Thanos threatens half the Universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him."

"But it should." Steve spoke as he looks up at Vision. "We don't trade lives, Vision."

"Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life to save how many millions of people. Tell me, why is this any different?" He questioned.

"Because you might have a choice. Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. J.A.R.V.I.S., Ultron, Tony, me, the Stone. All of them mixed together. All of them learning from one another." Bruce speaks as he moves toward the Android.

"You're saying Vision isn't just the stone?" Wanda questioned with a small piece of hope.

"I'm saying that if we take out the stone, there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts." He explains.

"Can we do that?" Alex questioned.

"Not me. Not here."

"You better find someone, and somewhere fast. Ross isn't exactly just gonna let you guys have your old rooms back." Rhodey states as he looks around the group.

"I know somewhere." Steve informs as he looks around the group.

"Do they have macaroni there? Because I've looked around this entire place and haven't found a single box." Bailey spoke as she walked back into the room.

"Kid, I'm about five second away from knocking you upside the head." Alex stared with a glare in the girls direction.

"Oh, wow. I've really missed a lot." Bruce stayed as he looked between Alex, Bailey, and Natasha. "You've gotten a kid."

"Oh, no." Natasha quickly stated. "No, Alex just took her in. That was before we even got together."

"Bruce, this is Bailey. Bailey, Bruce." Alex introduced.

"Nice to meet you." Bruce stayed with a hand shake.

"You too." Bailey said returning the hand shake. "So macaroni or no macaroni?"