![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
After the fiasco in Macau, Steve had known the UN was itching for a reason to implement the resolution that was much further along than they'd been telling him.
God, but he hated people not being truthful.
So now he was sitting in a conference room with the Avengers, forced to listen to Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross ramble about his heart surgery while going through footage of the Avengers' greatest explosions as Wanda stared at the table in front of her and fought back tears. Steve's jaw clenched stubbornly. He truly regretted the loss of Wakandan life in the explosion in Lagos--even if the Chinese were being much more over-the-top in their outrage than the countries who'd actually been injured--but this had been an operation where there'd been no good choices. He hadn't been going to let Rumlow or HYDRA get its hands on biological weapons and while, yes, Steve'd frozen for a second when Rumlow had gone off about Bucky, once Rumlow's suicide vest detonated Wanda had done her very best to keep the blast contained.
It could've taken out the entire market. They could all be dead. His hands balled into fists under the conference table as Ross flicked through photos of New York, Cape Town, Sokovia, and Lagos. "For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision," Ross concluded. "That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution."
He slid a thick book across the table to stop in front of Wanda, who bit her lip. "The Sokovia Accords," she read.
Ross nodded. "Approved by 117 countries--" he said and Steve winced while Natasha sat up straighter, eyes assessing. China must've thrown its weight and those of its allies behind it. There hadn't been so many supporters three months ago. Half of the 195 delegates had still been wavering. "It states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary."
It took a long beat before Steve felt that his voice would be calm enough to reply. "The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that."
Ross arched an eyebrow at him. "Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?"
Steve fought back a glare. Even if he did, he wouldn't tell.
"If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences," Ross said, smiling tightly at Steve before turning his attention to the rest of the team. "Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."
"So there are worse options too," Rhodey said from his seat, glancing at the document.
Ross didn't answer that. "The UN will ratify the accords in Vienna on Monday. Talk it over."
"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha asked.
"Then you retire," Ross said, sweeping out of the room.
( Where the Avengers have a mature discussion and come to a rational conclusion. Wait, no, the opposite of that. )
[OOC: Following this! Warning for NPC off-screen death.]
God, but he hated people not being truthful.
So now he was sitting in a conference room with the Avengers, forced to listen to Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross ramble about his heart surgery while going through footage of the Avengers' greatest explosions as Wanda stared at the table in front of her and fought back tears. Steve's jaw clenched stubbornly. He truly regretted the loss of Wakandan life in the explosion in Lagos--even if the Chinese were being much more over-the-top in their outrage than the countries who'd actually been injured--but this had been an operation where there'd been no good choices. He hadn't been going to let Rumlow or HYDRA get its hands on biological weapons and while, yes, Steve'd frozen for a second when Rumlow had gone off about Bucky, once Rumlow's suicide vest detonated Wanda had done her very best to keep the blast contained.
It could've taken out the entire market. They could all be dead. His hands balled into fists under the conference table as Ross flicked through photos of New York, Cape Town, Sokovia, and Lagos. "For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision," Ross concluded. "That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution."
He slid a thick book across the table to stop in front of Wanda, who bit her lip. "The Sokovia Accords," she read.
Ross nodded. "Approved by 117 countries--" he said and Steve winced while Natasha sat up straighter, eyes assessing. China must've thrown its weight and those of its allies behind it. There hadn't been so many supporters three months ago. Half of the 195 delegates had still been wavering. "It states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary."
It took a long beat before Steve felt that his voice would be calm enough to reply. "The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that."
Ross arched an eyebrow at him. "Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?"
Steve fought back a glare. Even if he did, he wouldn't tell.
"If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences," Ross said, smiling tightly at Steve before turning his attention to the rest of the team. "Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."
"So there are worse options too," Rhodey said from his seat, glancing at the document.
Ross didn't answer that. "The UN will ratify the accords in Vienna on Monday. Talk it over."
"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha asked.
"Then you retire," Ross said, sweeping out of the room.
( Where the Avengers have a mature discussion and come to a rational conclusion. Wait, no, the opposite of that. )
[OOC: Following this! Warning for NPC off-screen death.]
