AJ Watson: Codename - Shadow

The Accords

It's been one month since the mission in Lagos and the team was still feeling the ramifications of their failure. For the past month the public opinion of the Avengers was split down the middle, with people calling for action against the group for the damage they've caused or showing their support for the heroes actions despite what's happened.

The team was called to the conference room where the Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross, wanted to speak to the Avengers. Everyone was waiting for the last two to arrive which was AJ and Yelena. Ross was starting to get annoyed by their tardiness and was about to question where the Commander and Widow were but he stopped when he heard two voices that sounded like they were approaching. Except they weren't speaking a language he understood.

"Сегодня был очень хороший спарринг, спасибо, детка." (That was a really good sparing session today, thank you baby.) Yelena said in Russian.

"Добро пожаловать, куколка. Я не причинил тебе вреда, не так ли?" (Your welcome, doll. I didn't hurt you did I?) AJ replied in Russian.

Natasha and Becca looked at one another and smirked. Knowing they were the only ones present who could understand the conversation between the two.

"Вовсе нет, мальчик-солдат." (Not at all, soldier boy.) Yelena assured AJ right as they entered the room.

"Sorry were late. We lost track of time in the gym training." AJ apologized as he pulled a chair out for Yelena so she could sit down. She kissed his cheek then sat down.

"It's about time you two decided to grace us with your presence." Ross spat at the two as they rolled their eyes.

Ross was stood in front of the table with his assistant a few feet away from the man, near the projector screen. Tony was also in attendance, he was sitting in the corner of the room by himself.

"Five years ago I had a heart attack and dropped right in the middle of my backswing." Ross said and mimicked his golf swing. "Turned out it was the best round of my life because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I had found something 40 years in the army had never taught me... Perspective."

The team listened as the man went on.

"The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives, but while a great many people see you as heroes there are some that would prefer the word vigilantes."

"What word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha asked.

He looked directly at Nat and spoke. "How about dangerous?"

AJ had to bite his tongue to not say something that would land the team in more hot water.

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

And there was AJ's tipping point. "I'm sorry, but these 'Enhanced Individuals' saved the city of New York from an alien army invasion, stopped a terrorist group that grew right under the US Governments nose, stopped an army of murder bots from killing all life on the planet, and just saved  a bio-weapon from being used. So excuse me if your reasoning seems like a load of bullshit."

"I'd watch that tone if I were you, Commander." Ross threatened as he looked at the man.

"Why? Because you know I'm right?" AJ shot back with a raised brow.

"Because I can have you sent to the raft for all the bodies you've left behind." Ross countered but AJ seemed unfazed.

Ross, knowing he couldn't get to the man turned back to the screen as his secretary turned it on and handed Ross a remote.