Forgotten

2

Sophia sits in-between Natasha and Sam at the table with Secretary Ross standing at the head of the table. He had summoned them all to a meeting and none of them knew why. Well, apart from Tony who was quietly sitting in the corner of the room

"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 never though me: Perspective" Ross said, slowly walking back and fourth "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 asks

"How about 'dangerous'?" Ross suggested "What would you call a group of US-based enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign border and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"

He activates a screen behind him. New footage from past Avengers and SHIRLD 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

"Washington DC" The three insight helicarries, 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, not wanting to watch anymore

"Sokovia" Terrified citizens, running. The city rising. A building falling over

"Lagos" Sophia's breath hitches as she watches footage from that day. The burning building. Paramedics moving a body. A dead girl

Sophia starts playing with her hands, picking at the skin around her finger, Steve notices and so does Natasha. Natasha puts her hand over Sophia's and Steve says to Ross "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" he places a thick document on the desk and passes it to Sophia

She picks it up and flicks through some of the pages then slides it to Rhodey

"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 were formed to make the world a safer place" Steve says "I feel we've done that"

"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Steve meets Ross's eyes but doesn't have anything to tell him "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"

"Bruce and Thor are people, not inanimate objects that you lose" Sophia says, annoyed

"Maybe not, but they do have the power of 30 nukes, and you don't know where they are, so it's just as bad"

"So, there are contingencies" Rhodey says

"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords" Ross informs them "Talk it over"

"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha asks

"Then you retire" Ross says simply

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