The avengers compound was quiet, eerily so.
Ever since the team had gotten back from that mission in Lagos, everything has been tense. The others have been walking on eggshells around Wanda, trying not to upset her. Though she has spent most of her time in her room.
I could hear the noise of the news coming from Wanda's room through the walls. I could hear the voice of the king of Wakanda speaking about the incident.
The main topic of the news has been the Lagos incident, and understandably so. As much as Wanda didn't hurt those people on purpose, I knew I couldn't just expect people to not be upset by it. They wouldn't just brush an incident like this aside.
But I also knew that this incident was taking a huge toll on my friend.
I huffed softly as I looked up at my plain white celling. I hate that she is beating herself up over this when it wasn't her fault, but I know that if I were in her position I would feel the same way. The guilt of the situation would eat me alive.
I picked up my phone that was resting on my bed beside me and started to scroll through Twitter. I very quickly got annoyed as my eyes skimmed over the tweets about the incident in Lagos. People calling her a monster, a villain, a murderer. After a moment I turned my phone off and set it on my bedside table. There was no point in torturing myself over their bitter words.
Of course people were angry. They had every right to be. But I just wish that I had a way to erase all this to protect my friend.
I glanced towards my door as I heard the noise of footsteps going down the hallway in the direction of Wanda's room. Then the noise of the TV fell silent.
"It's my fault." I could hear Wanda say through the walls.
"That's not true." Steve. That's who was checking up on Wanda. It didn't surprise me in the slightest that he was checking up on her. I'd already checked up on her this morning and she had been incredibly self deprecative about it.
"Turn the TV back on. They're being very specific" Wanda replied to him
"I should've clocked that bomb vest. Long before you had to deal with it." Steve retaliated, trying his best to take the weight of guilt of her shoulders.
"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."
I felt my chest squeeze tightly at his words. I knew about Bucky Barnes, Steve had told me about him one night when we were alone in the lounge area. He had told me about how they grew up together, that Steve thought he had died in the war only to find him still alive as an assassin for Hydra.
Steve said that Hydra had done something to him, made him into a weapon instead of the kind man he knew. I believed him, even though others may not. I know exactly what Hydra was capable of first hand. It wouldn't surprise me if they had turned him into the winter soldier. It made my heart ache for a man that I didn't know. If he has been in their clutches for 70 years or more, I don't want to imagine what they have done.
"It's was both of us" Wanda said to him.
I felt guilty for listening in to what they were saying, I couldn't help that I could hear things that I shouldn't. But the guilt of eavesdropping dropping was building up in my chest so I picked up my headphones and blasted some music. Blocking out any other sounds.
After a few minutes, I heard a knock at my door. I paused my music and got up to answer it, Placing my phone in my pocket and headphones on my bedside table.
I pulled open the door and was greeted with Steve, he gave me a kind smile that I easily returned.
"Hey, Steve. What's up?" I asked him
"Tony's back. And he's brought the Secretary of State with him, We've been called for a meeting." Steve said in a serious tone.
"A meeting? About what?" I asked with furrowed brows, surely this can't be good.
"I'm not sure, but I have a feeling it's not good." Steve replied
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The avengers all sat around a long conference table. At the head of the table stood the Secretary of State. Tony Stark sat in the corner of the room. I shifted in my seat as I waited for the man to speak.
"Five years ago, i had a heart attack." He mimics playing golf. "And dropped right in the middle of my backswing. 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."
I felt myself tense up, I have a feeling I know where he is going with this. I reached forward and picked up a pen that was placed on the desk in front of me, absentmindedly fiddling with the object to try and ease my nerves.
"The world owes the avengers an unplayable 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."
There it is, exactly where I thought he was going with this meeting. I glanced slightly to my right at Wanda, knowing that this meeting was the last thing she needed right now.
"What word would you use Mr. Secretary?" Nat asked him
"How about "dangerous"?" He replied
"What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals. Who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose."
I felt a rush of mixed feelings, part of me felt guilty that we have been so careless while trying to save people. Another part of me felt frustrated, I didn't choose to be an "enhanced individual" and all I want to do now is help people. What else can I do with these powers? If I don't do anything then what is the point in having them.
"And who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind." He continued
I felt even more frustration wash over me at his statement, knowing just how torn up about the aftermath of battles my teammates and I felt. The nightmares and the guilt of those we have or could have harmed. The people who we couldn't save. I had spent too many nights screaming myself awake to be called unconcerned by someone who didn't understand.
"New york." The secretary had pulled up a video on the screen of the battle of New York, against Loki and his army. There was the sound of people screaming in the background as the hulk crashed into the side of a building.
I remember that day clearly. I was sat in with my parents in their home, watching the news with my heart in my throat. I had wished that I could do something to help, I guess you really do have to be careful with what you wish for.
"Washington DC." Another video of three large planes of fire in the sky and then crashing into the ground. I only heard about what had happened from Steve, Sam and Nat. Apparently that was the time when Steve found out that Bucky was still alive.
"Sokovia." A place I remember all too well. I remember being held there. The torture that I was forced to endure. but I also remember that battle. The first time I fought with the avengers against ultron and his army. I was unprepared and terrified.
A video is pulled up of the city flying up to the sky, of people running in terror. Seeing all of those clips made me feel saddened and also guilty. It reminded me of all the people that we couldn't save, and of the people who lost their homes. I know that we can't save everyone, but it doesn't make it any easier.
"Lagos." The secretary brought up a video of the building on fire. There were also videos of the victims, injured and ash covered people being dragged out from the building.
I looked over at Wanda and saw her flinch at the video and looked away. I looked back over at Secretary Ross with a slight scowl etched upon my face.
"Okay. that's enough." Steve said, taking notice of her pain.
Secretary Ross nodded at the person with him to turn it off. "For the last four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement that the governments of the world can no longer tolerate."
"But I think we have a solution." He placed a thick folder in front of Wanda. "The sokovia accords."
"Approved by 117 countries, it states that the avengers shall no longer be a private organisation. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary."
"The avengers where formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that." Steve stated
"Tell me, captain. Do you know where Thor and Banner are right now? If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes you can bet there'd be consequences."
"But that's not the same thing."I interjected. "Thor and Bruce are people, they aren't the same as a nuke. You can't "misplace" people. And if I'm not mistaken, wasn't it the government that attempted to Nuke the whole of New York. Which would have done nothing against the chitauri army."
"They are the same thing. They are just as dangerous." Secretary Ross answered back forcefully. "And that incident was a mistake. We have learned."
"Oh, so you can make mistakes like that but we can't?" I fired back.
Secretary Ross chose to ignore me and turn back to everyone else again. I clenched my fists in anger at the way he blatantly ignored me. "Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."
"So, there are contingencies." Rhodey said
"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna, to ratify the accords. Talk it over." Secretary Ross said
"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha asked.
"Then you retire." He stated firmly
Secretary Ross walked out of the conference room, leaving the avengers to mull over what had just been proposed.
It didn't sound like they had much of a choice then, sign the accords or find another job.
I don't even know what to think. I mean of course I think that they should sign something like this, we should have someone to report to, someone to reel us in. But having a panel who would decide whether we could even intervene at all? It didn't sound like the best plan.
What if something happened in the world that needed the avengers, like another invasion from another planet. And instead of sending the avengers, the panel decided to send the military and nukes instead. Putting even more lives in danger.
There had to be a better middle ground than this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Secretary ross has a congressional medal of honour, which is one more than you have." Rhodey argued at Sam.
I sighed softly as I sat on a long white sofa beside Wanda. I was using my powers to make a coin levitate off my hand and between my fingers. It's become a nervous habit of mine to fiddle with objects by using my powers. This argument had gone on for at least an hour. And it was getting tiresome already.
"So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it going to be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Sam asked.
"117 countries want to sign this. 117. Sam, and you're just like no, that's cool. We got it" Rhodey argued
"How long are you going to play both sides?" Sam snapped.
"I have an equation." Vision interrupted both of them.
"Oh, this will clear it up." Sam said sarcastically
"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. During the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate." Vision said
"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve asked, looking up from the accords.
"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge, challenges insights conflict. And conflict...breeds catastrophe. Oversight...oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand." Vision explains.
I couldn't help but agree with him, the very existence of the avengers almost encourages people to challenge us. But nothing can be done about that unless all enhanced people and superhero's cease to exist.
"Boom." Rhodey said, looking directly at Sam.
"Tony. You're being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal." Natasha said. Turning to the man who has been slouched over with his head In his hands. I looked up from my hands to look over at the man. He was laying in another couch with his head in his hands.
"It's because he's already made his mind up." Steve answered.
"Boy, you know me we well." Tony grasped his head as he sat up. "Actually I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache."
Tony stood up from his chair and made his way towards the kitchen area. "That's what's going on, cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort."
"Who's putting coffee ground In the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?" Tony deterred from the conversation.
He then placed his phone down and projected the image of a boy. "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 he of service." Tony explained.
"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." Tony voice raised in anger. "Guess where. Sokovia."
Everyone was silent. Pain and guilt evident on their faces. I frowned as I looked at the boys picture.
"He wanted to make a difference,
I suppose. I mean we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we where kicking ass."
My heart felt heavy, Charlie was doing something kind, something good for the world and in return he was killed.
Tony took a swig of coffee that he had made. "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, if someone dies on your watch, you don't give up" Steve said
"Who said we're giving up?" Tony asked him
"We are if where not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame." Steve responded.
"I'm sorry, Steve. That is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we are talking about. It's not the world security council, it's not S.H.I.E.L.D., it's not hydra." Rhodey said
"No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change." Steve argued.
"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realised what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing." Tony interjected.
I felt extremely torn, I could see the sides forming and a line being drawn between them. These accords were splitting my family up. My family was unraveling and all it took was one document.
"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to chose." Steve said, his voice starting to raise.
Steve was right. Tony is a good man, the best. But not everyone would make the same choices he made. Some people have much different agendas.
"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 out own." Steve argued. And I couldn't help but agree with him again. That's exactly what I was worried about with the accords.
"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty." Tony said
"You're saying they'll come for me." Wanda said
"We would protect you." Vision automatically replied.
"Maybe Tony's right. If we have one hand on the wheel we can still steer, if we take it off..." Natasha stated
Tony looked baffled that she was agreeing with him. "Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" He asked her
"I'm just reading the terrain. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back." Nat replied
"Focus up. I'm sorry. Did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony asked her in feigned shock
"I want to take it back now." Nat said
"No, you can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented." Tony replied
I smiled lightly at the two of them, feeling the tension ease slightly by their jokes.
Steve's phone started to buzz on the table beside him.
"Okay, case closed. I win." Tony said. And I honestly wish that it would be that easy, for all of us to just agree to one side and have this over with. But I have a bad feeling that it wouldn't be that easy.
Steve read a message on his phone and then stood up "I have to go." He said, before leaving the room.
Everyone watched him leave in concern, unsure as to why he had left so suddenly.
I wish that there was an easier way to decide this, my mind went over each side and the points my teammates had made but I still couldn't make up my mind. The people on both sides of the argument had made good points. Deciding this would be hard. And I don't know what it would cost me. It will take a big swaying factor for me to be able to chose a side. Is such a factor even exists.