At the Avengers Compound. Steve is watching a news report on the Lagos attack, "Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria, last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred."
"Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil" King T'Chaka says, "Not only because of the actions of criminals, but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent, is no victory at all."
"The Wakanda king went on to" Steve turns his computer off, but sound drifts toward him from another room, "They are operating outside and above the international law. Because that's the reality, if we don't respond to acts like these" Wanda is sitting on her bed, watching the news on her TV, "What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeri."
The TV turns off. Steve sets the remote down and leans on the door frame, "It's my fault" Wanda states.
"That's not true" Steve tells her.
"Turn the TV back on" Wanda demands, "They're being very specific."
"I should've clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it" Steve tells her, "Rumlow said Bucky and all of a sudden I was a 16-year-old kid again, in Brooklyn. And people died. It's on me."
"It's on both of us" Wanda corrects.
"This job we try to save as many people as we can" Steve sighs, "Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if we can't find a way to live with that, next time maybe nobody gets saved."
Vision materializes through the wall. "Vis! We talked about this" Wanda says.
"Yes, but the door was open" vision defends, "so I assumed that" He gestures at the door and stops, "Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving."
"Thank you" Steve says, "We'll be right down."
"I'll use the door" vision tells them, "Oh, and apparently, he's brought a guest. Along with his daughter."
"Olivia's here?" Steve questions with a sigh, "We know who the other guest is?"
"The Secretary of State" vision answers.
•
The Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross, is standing at the head of a table. Rhodey, Natasha, Steve, Tony, Olivia, Sam, Vision, and Wanda are gathered around, "Five years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my back-swing. Turned out it was the best round of my life, because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass I found something 40 years in the Army had never taught me: Perspective. The world owes the Avengers an un-payable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives but while a great many people see you as heroes, there are some who would prefer the word vigilantes."
"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha questions.
"How about dangerous?" Ross answers, "What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"
Ross activates a screen behind him. News footage from past Avengers and shield matters flash on the screen as he speaks.
"New York" A Chitauri leviathan. Terrified citizens. A soldier firing a gun. The Hulk smashes into a building and sends a dust cloud to engulf the camera. Rhodey looks regretful. He glances behind him at Natasha.
"Washington DC" The three Insight helicarriers, firing on each other. The destroyed Triskelion. A helicarrier crashing into the Potomac and throwing up a massive wave, engulfing citizens and the camera. Sam looks down.
"Sokovia" Terrified citizens, running. The city rising. A building falling over, Wanda stares at the screen, as does Tony and Olivia.
"Lagos" The burning building. Paramedics moving a body. A dead girl.
Wanda is particularly affected by the footage from Lagos. Steve sees this and intervenes, "Okay. That's enough."
Secretary Ross nods to an aide and the images disappear, "For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution" An aide hands him a thick book, which Ross slides across the table to Wanda. She picks it up, then slides it to Rhodey, "The Sokovia Accords. Approved by 117 countries it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary."
"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place" Steve states, "I feel we've done that."
"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Ross asks, Steve looks up and meets Ross's eyes, "If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."
"So there are contingencies" Rhodey states.
"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords" Ross tells them, Steve glances at Tony, "Talk it over."
"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha questions.
"Then you retire" Secretary Ross answers. Natasha stifles a smile.
•
The Avengers are gathered at HQ. Steve is sitting, studying the Accords, while Rhodey and Sam argue behind him, "Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have."
"So let's say we agree to this thing" Sam starts, "How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?"
"117 countries want to sign this" Olivia reminds them, "117, Sam, and you're just like, No, that's cool. Fuck you. We got it."
"I have an equation" vision states.
"Oh, this will clear it up" Sam scoffs.
"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially" vision tells us, "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 questions.
"I'm saying there may be a causality" vision corrects, "Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict breeds catastrophe. Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."
"Boom" Rhodey smiles.
Tony is lying on the couch. When Natasha speaks, he looks at her, "Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal."
"It's because he's already made up his mind" Steve states.
"Boy, you know me so well" Tony scoffs, He gets up and winces, rubbing the back of his head, "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache" He walks to the kitchen and grabs a mug, "That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"
He puts his phone in a basket and taps it. The phone projects an image of a smiling young man. He looks down, then back up, and pretends to notice the picture for the first time, "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. 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" The others look affected by this, "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" He takes a pill with some coffee, then faces the others, "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, if we're boundary-less, we're no better than the bad guys."
"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up" Steve states.
"Who said we're giving up?" Olivia questions.
"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions" Steve says, "This document just shifts the blames."
"I'm sorry, Steve" Rhodey sighs, "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" Steve states, "agendas change."
"That's good" Tony says, "That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stop manufacturing."
"Tony, you chose to do that" Steve reminds him, "If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go, and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."
"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later" Olivia tells them, "and that won't be pretty."
"You're saying they'll come for me" Wanda says.
"We would protect you" vision tells her.
"Maybe Tony's right" Natasha states, Tony looks at her, surprised, "If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off."
"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Sam scoffs.
"I'm reading the terrain" Natasha says, "We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back."
"I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony says.
"Oh, I want to take it back now" Natasha sighs.
"No, no, no. You can't retract it" Tony smiles, "Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay, case closed. I win."
Steve's phone buzzes, and he pulls it out to check it, "I have to go." Steve gets up sharply, drops the Accords on the coffee table, and goes downstairs.
•
Olivia and Natasha stand at the United Nations conference to complete the signing of the accords.
"Excuse me, Miss Romanoff?" A man says coming over to them both.
"Yes?" Natasha says turning to face him.
"These need your signature" he tells her, Natasha quickly scribbles her signature at the bottom of the page, "Thank you."
T'Challa walks over to them both "I suppose neither of us is used to the spotlight."
"Oh, well, it's not always so flattering" Natasha smiles.
"You seem to be doing alright so far" T'Challa states, "Considering your last trip to Capitol Hill. I wouldn't think you would be particularly comfortable in this company."
"Well, I'm not" Natasha states.
"That alone makes me glad you're here, Miss Romanoff" T'Challa smiles.
"Why? You don't approve of all this?" Natasha questions.
"The Accords, yes" T'Challa answers, "The politics, not really. Two people in a room can get more done than a hundred."
"Unless you need to move a piano" King T'Chaka states walking over to them.
"Father" T'Challa greets.
"Son" T'Chaka says, "Miss Romanoff and Miss Stark."
"King T'Chaka" Olivia smiles, "Please, allow me to apologize for what happened in Nigeria."
"Thank you" T'Chaka says, "Thank you for agreeing to all this. I'm sad to hear that Captain Rogers will not be joining us today."
"Yes, so am I" Natasha sighs.
"If everyone could please be seated" a man says through the speakers, "This assembly is now in session."
"That is the future calling" T'Challa smiles, "Such a pleasure."
"Thank you" Natasha says as her and Olivia walk off to take their seats, When the two girls sit down Natasha notices Olivia looking nervous, "hey are you okay?" Olivia doesn't say anything and just nods, "you're regretting coming with me, aren't you?"
"Well it's not that" Olivia sighs, "I'm not sure I even want this. I don't want the government controlling my every move saying who I can and cannot fight. I'm probably gonna get dragged to high school and you know how that'll go."
"You don't have to listen to them" Natasha whispers to the girl, "you can pretend to be on board with everything or if you really don't want this walk out now liv because you're not getting another chance after this."
"If I walk out I ruin everything with my dad" she confesses, "I want to impress him, I want to prove myself. I want him to know giving me that suit was the best decision considering I'm only fifteen."
"Just pretend" Natasha tells the girl, "if you're a good enough actor you'll fool everyone."
King T'Chaka stands up on a podium finsihing the girls conversation, "When stolen Wakandan vibranium was used to make a terrible weapon, we in Wakanda were forced to question our legacy. Those men and women killed in Nigeria, were part of a goodwill mission from a country too long in the shadows. We will not, however, let misfortune drive us back. We will fight to improve the world we wish to join. I am grateful to the Avengers for supporting this initiative. Wakanda is proud to extend its hand in peace."
"EVERYBODY GET DOWN!" T'Challa yells seconds before an enormous explosion goes off between two buildings and destroys the conference hall.
T'Challa finds his father lying on the floor with his eyes closed. He grabs his father's wrist and feels for a pulse, but his father lies still. Devastated T'Challa lies across his father. He lifts him up and rocks him in his arms.
•
"Dad I'm fine" Olivia tells her father who's on the other end of the phone.
"Are you sure?" Tony asks, "or are you just telling me that so I don't worry?"
"Dad I'm perfect" she answers, "no lies. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
"Just don't get involved in the hunt for Barnes" Tony tells her, "I don't want you getting hurt."
"I'm not going to get hurt dad" Olivia promises, "dad if don't want me to join in why'd you give me the suit?"
"I was going to start you on something easy" Tony replies, "like a bank robber or something."
"Dad I've been training for three years I'll be okay" she tells him, "better to start in the deep end than the shallow."
Olivia walks over the Natasha after finally getting off the phone to her father and Natasha is getting off the phone to Steve, "let me guess he's not staying out of this" Olivia sighs.
"Nope" Natasha answers.
•
Steve approaches Sam sitting at the counter of a coffee shop, "She tell you to stay out of it?" Both of them have a cap and shades on, "Might have a point."
"He'd do it for me" Steve states.
"1945, maybe" Sam states, "I just want to make sure we considered all our options. The people that shoot at you usually wind up shooting at me."
Sharon Carter arrives beside Steve, "Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public. Everybody thinks the Winter soldier goes to their gym. Most of it's noise. Except for this" She slides Steve a file, "My boss expects a briefing, pretty much now so that's all the head start you're gonna get."
"Thank you" Steve says.
"And you're gonna have to hurry" Sharon tells them, "We have orders to shoot on sight."
•
In his dark blue, armored suit with his shield on his arm Steve is in a small apartment. He looks around, there's a mattress with disheveled covers and various bits of cheap looking furniture.
The kitchen and bedroom are in the same room. Steve finds a notebook on top of the fridge. He picks it up and opens it. There are tabs of varying colors sticking out from amongst the pages, "Heads up, Cap" Sam starts from the radio, "German Special Forces, approaching from the south."
"Understood" Steve says, Steve slowly turns around to see Bucky who's stood behind him, "Do you know me?"
Bucky stares at him, "You're Steve. I read about you in a museum."
"They've set the perimeter" Sam states.
"I know you're nervous" Steve says, "And you have plenty of reason to be. But you're lying."
"I wasn't in Vienna" Bucky pleads, "I don't do that anymore."
"They're entering the building" Sam updated.
"Well, the people who think you did are coming here now" Steve tells him, "And they're not planning on taking you alive."
"That's smart" Bucky sighs, "Good strategy."
"They're on the roof" Sam states, "I'm compromised."
"This doesn't have end in a fight, Buck" Steve pleads.
Outside the door a cop readies a battering ram, "It always ends in a fight."
"5 seconds" Sam says.
"You pulled me from the river. Why?" Steve asks.
"I don't know" Bucky answers.
"3 seconds" Sam yells.
"Yes, you do" Steve states.
"Breach! Breach! Breach!" Sam says, A grenade crashes through the window. Bucky kicks it to Steve, and he smothers it with his shield.
The cop slams the battering ram against the door. Bucky shields himself with the mattress against an attack from the window. He blocks the door with a table as cops swing in on cables.
Steve pulls the rug from under a policeman, sending him flying. Bucky slams another policeman into the wall, "Buck, stop!" Steve yells, "You're gonna kill someone."
Bucky slams Steve down and punches a hole in the floor, "I'm not gonna kill anyone."
Bucky grabs a backpack from under the floorboards and throws it out of the window. Bucky and Steve get behind Steve's shield to avoid gunfire.
Bucky shoves Steve and he knocks a cop over. Bucky holds up his metal hand and repells bullets, then slams a cop into shelves. Bucky picks up a large cement brick and slams it into a cop.
Steve fights a cop on the balcony. A cop shoots around the door outside. Bucky punches through the wall beside he door. He lays into the cops. A cop descends through a sky-light on a zip wire.
Bucky grabs the cop's gun and slams him into the wall. Bucky bashes a couple of cops with the battering ram. More of the police team hurry up the stairwell. Bucky jumps on the zip-line-guy and swings down a level.
A cop starts speaking German into a radio before Steve grabs it and crushes it. Steve jumps down a level as Bucky keeps punching the cops. Bucky tosses one of them over the railing and Steve catches him, stopping the cop from falling. He looks at Bucky wearily, "Come on, man."
Steve throws the cop up onto the landing. Bucky breaks a banister and swings down on it. Steve hurls a cop over his shoulders. Bucky lays into jet more cops and takes them out.
A cop aims at Bucky and Steve knocks the gun from his hands with his shield which sticks in the wall. Bucky leaps down the stairwell and catches onto a railing.
Steve pulls his shield out of the wall. Bucky climbs up then runs along a corridor and leaps off a balcony. He tumbles onto the lower roof of the neighboring building where he finds where his backpack. he picks it up and runs.
A muscular man entirely in black, Black Panther, slams into Bucky from behind, knocking him down. He has a full face mask with pointed ears. He extends his fingers and sharp claws pop out. He attacks Bucky with sweeping kicks and slashes.
Bucky fights back but is kicked into a wall. Black Panther swipes his claws and spins gracefully. Bucky narrowly avoids being slashed, he holds up a metal bar to protect himself.
Steve looks down at them as Sam swoops from the sky, "Sam, southwest rooftop."
"Who the hell's the other guy?" Sam questions.
"About to find out" Steve tells him, as he leaps from the balcony down onto the neighboring building as a chopper flies up.
Black Panther lunges at Bucky with his claws, but Bucky grabs his wrists. A soldier fires a machine gun from the chopper. The ammo bounces off Black Panther's armored suit, "Sam."
"Got him" Sam flies down and shoves the chopper off course. Then swoops towards street level.
Bucky breaks free from his attacker, slings his bag on his back, runs and jumps down a level. Black Panther slides down the wall using his claws for traction. He lands at street level and the chase continues.
Steve follows and lands rolling along the ground. Gunfire from the chopper tears up the sidewalk. Bucky jumps down through an opening and lands in an underpass, he runs through the traffic.
Black Panther and Captain America drop down and chase after Bucky. A Special Forces Vehicle pursues them, "Stand down! Stand down!"
The vehicle closes in, blue lights flashing. Steve leaps onto the vehicle and splinters the windshield. The driver stops, Steve yanks him from the vehicle and kicks the windshield out, then drives off.
Bucky runs over the top of a speeding car, outpacing it. Black Panther is a few cars behind, keeping pace with Bucky. He leaps on the back of the 4x4 that Steve's driving. Steve swerves from side to side, trying to throw him off, "Sam, I can't shake this guy."
"Right behind you" Several police cars join the chase. Steve side-swipes another car and drives on.
Up ahead Bucky reaches a fork in the road and faces oncoming traffic. He leaps over a barrier. Steve drives through the barrier.
A motorbike speeds towards Bucky. Bucky grabs the handlebar and spins the bike around in mid air, throwing the rider off. Bucky gets on the bike and rides away sending cars careering out of the way.
Steve keeps on Bucky's tail with Black Panther holding onto the back of the 4x4. They all rocket through another underpass. Sam flies into the underpass. Black Panther leaps off the front of the 4x4 onto Bucky's motorbike.
Bucky flings him over his head and the bike leans down on its side. Bucky kicks his assailant away, straightens up and rides on. Black Panther catches a ride on Falcon's leg.
Sam tries to kick Black Panther away. Bucky throws a sticky bomb and blows up the roof at the end of the underpass, bringing down tons of rubble. Black Panther leaps off from Falcon and throws Bucky off the motorbike.
Steve swerves the 4x4 through the rubble, leaps out and pulls Black Panther away from Bucky. Steve stands, facing sleek and muscular Black Panther.
Armed police arrive and surround them, guns aimed. War Machine leaps down from above and raises both hands, "Stand down, now" Rhodey demands, Bucky stands beside Steve who puts his shield on his back, "Congratulations, Cap. You're a criminal."
Police move in and force Bucky to his knees. Black Panther raises his hands. A cop moves Steve's arms behind his back. Black Panther retracts his claws and pulls off his mask revealing his face. It's T'Challa. Steve and Rhodes look curious.
•