Sunshine | Pietro Maximoff

CHAPTER 20

For the last hour since Secretary Ross left, the team and I have sat around the lounge area going over the accords. Steve was flicking through the pages while Sam and Rhodey stood behind him arguing over the logistics of signing. I didn't pay much attention to their words, my gaze fixed on the floor. Tony laid on the couch beside where I stood, one hand covering his face.

There was only one right answer in this situation; to sign the accords. Everywhere we went, chaos followed; what happened in Lagos was only the latest in the thread of events. Sooner or later, we were going to have to own up to our mistakes. These accords were a step in the right direction. Sure, it wouldn't undo any of the hurt we had caused, but at least it would show people that we were willing to change. That we truly did have their interest at heart.

"I have an equation." Vision spoke up.

"Oh, this will clear it up." Sam said.

"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." Explained the android.

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Asked Steve.

"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." Vision said.

"Tony." Said Nat, causing him to drop his hand and look up for the first time. "You are being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal."

"It's because he's already made up his mind." Steve said, turning his head in Tony's direction but not quite meeting his eyes.

"Boy, you know me so well." Answered Tony.

He got up from the couch with a wince, holding the back of his head.

"Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain."

Tony trudged over to the kitchen and picked up a mug from beside the sink. Everyone remained silent, waiting on his next words.

"It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal?" He asked, turning around and walking to the kitchen island. "Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"

Tony put his phone in a basket and the image of a young man appeared projected on the screen. A lump grew in my throat and I felt my heart sink. It's the woman from MIT's son. Tony sighed and waved a hand at the screen.

"Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid." He poured himself a cup of coffee before continuing. "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."

From across the room, Pietro's eyes met mine for a second. He stood behind Wanda and Vision, a hand resting on his sister's shoulder. I could tell she wasn't feeling much better from the way her vacant gaze stayed fixed on the floor.

"Charlie didn't wanna go to Vegas, or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do." Tony said. "He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds like fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where? Sokovia."

A grave look of realization made its way around the room. I dropped my eyes from Pietro's, fixing them somewhere on the wall instead.

"He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped on him." Tony took a sip of his coffee before walking to stand on the other side of the island. "There's no decision making process here." He crossed his arms over his chest. "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 speaks up.

"Who said we're giving up?" Asked Tony.

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame."

"I'm sorry, Steve. That is dangerously arrogant." Said Rhodey.

Steve shook his head in disbelief.

"This is the United Nations we're talking about." Rhodey continued. "It's not the World Security Council, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA."

Steve spoke up before Rhodey could finish. "No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change."

"That's good, that's why I'm here." Tony said, walking back over to the lounge. "As soon as I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing." He came to a stop beside me, hands in his pockets.

"Tony, you chose to do that." Steve said. "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's somewhere we need to go and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."

"The hands that have Charlie Spencer's blood on them?" I asked.

I felt everyone's eyes turn to me.

"And countless others." I continued. "If a group of super-powered individuals showed up and caused the death of your son, wouldn't you want them to be held accountable for that? To have someone to answer to? It's like Tony said, if we act without boundaries, how are we any better than Utron?"

"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later." Tony said. "That's the fact. That won't be pretty."

"You're saying they'll come for me."

Pietro placed a hand on his sister's shoulder when she spoke.

"Wanda, that won't happen." He said. "Vision and I- we'd protect you."

Pietro's eyes met mine, something like hurt in his gaze. I felt a pang in my chest. There was no guarantee that anything would happen to Wanda from these accords. If anything, signing these accords would show people that Wanda meant no harm. 

"Ophelia makes a good point." Nat spoke up. "Maybe Tony's right. If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off..."

Tony looked at her with surprise. Sam scoffed.

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her-"

"I'm just reading the terrain." Nat cut him off. "We've... made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back."

"Focus up. I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Asked Tony.

"Oh, I want to take it back now."

"No, no, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay, case closed--I win."

"I have to go." Said Steve, eyes fixed on his phone.

He stood up, dropped the accords onto the coffee table, and left the room without another word.