The Avengers are gathered at HQ. Steve is sitting, studying the Accords, while Rhodey and Sam argue behind him.
James Rhodes: Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have.
Sam Wilson: So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?
James Rhodes: A 117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, "No, that's cool. We got it. "
y/n scoffs in amusement.
Sam Wilson: How long are you going to play both sides?
Vision: I have an equation.
Sam Wilson: Oh, this will clear it up.
Vision: In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, 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.
Steve Rogers: Are you saying it's our fault?
Vision: 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.
James Rhodes: Boom.
Tony is lying on the couch. When Natasha speaks, he looks at her.
Natasha Romanoff: Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal.
Steve Rogers: It's because he's already made up his mind.
Tony Stark: Boy, you know me so well.
He gets up and winces, rubbing the back of his head.
Tony Stark: Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache.
He walks to the kitchen and grabs a mug.
Tony Stark: 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?
y/n shifts his eyes suspiciously. Tony 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.
Tony Stark: 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.
Tony Stark: 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.
Tony Stark: 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.
Steve Rogers: Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up.
Tony Stark: Who said we're giving up?
