Artemis (A Steve Rogers Story)

2- She's Gone

We all gather into another area of the compound, as we talk over what Ross has delievered to us. I sit on the arm of the chair Steve was seated in as he looks over the Accords. "Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor which is one more than you have" James is arguing with Sam.

"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?" Sam argues with him.
"117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, 'No, that's cool. We got it'" James says.
"How long are you gonna play both sides?" Sam asks him.

"I have an equation" we then hear Vision say and look over at him.
"Oh, this will clear it up" Sam remarks.
"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, and Miss Harper came out in the open as Artemis again,  the number of known enhanced persons had grown exponentially. And during the same period...the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate." Vision says to us all.

"Are you trying to say that it is our fault?" I ask him.
"I'm saying there may be a causality" he says looking at me, "Our very strength invited challenge. Challenge incites conflict, and conflict...breeds catastrophe. Oversight...Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand" Vision says looking around at all of us.

"Boom" James comments.
I look over at Tony who had his hand over his face, still not having said a word since the meeting, "Anthony you have been uncharacteristically quiet about this whole ordeal" I comment at he looks at me.

"Because he's already made up his mind" Steve says looking at me too.
"Boy, you know me so well" Tony remarks as he then sits up, "Actually I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache" he says as he walks over to the breakfast nook, "That's what's going on, Cap, Aunt, it's just pain. It's discomfort" he comments as he takes a mug, then looks into the sink, "Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal?" he asks as he turns to look at all of us, "Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?" he says as he then places his phone in a bowl, and displays a picture of a young boy for all of us to see. "Oh, that's Charles Spencer, but 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" Tony says as he looks up at us, after making himself a drink, "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" Tony says this and we all get a sadden look on our faces. "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 says looking directly at Steve and I and we both have to look away from him.  "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 goes on to tell all of us.

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

"Who said we're giving up?" Tony asks him.
"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame." Steve says.

"I'm sorry Steve. That is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Counsel, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA" James says to him.
"No it is not but it is going to be run by people with agendas, and trust me agendas can change" I say looking at him.

"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands...You were there for this Willow, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing" he says to me.
"You choose to do that Anthony" I say to him.
"If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose" Steve says to Tony who looks away from him. "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" he says as he looks at Tony.