Author's Note: To avoid confusion, the people present in this chapter are Tony, Bruce, Scott, Logan, Mordo, Surfer, Medusa, Sue, and Ben.
"I'm going to cut right to the chase. The world needs the Illuminati. If we're telling them it's gone, we need to decide if we're announcing their replacements right off the bat or if we should buy some time while we're still deciding who is most suited to fill those shoes."
Tony was… He knew other heroes would say he was apathetic. The public would probably say he never had heart to begin with. Those who knew him would say his swagger was a coping mechanism. To Tony, it just felt like he'd never stopped moving.
"Shouldn't we at least discuss whether or not the Illuminati is something worth keeping around?" Bruce asked, glancing among the assembled heroes. "I mean, Strange created it as a failsafe and that failsafe, well, failed and… I mean, look at us. We're all falling apart here."
Tony wasn't. It felt like he'd fallen apart a long time ago. He just kept moving, more and more pieces falling off in the process. Not the healthiest move, he knew, but it dulled big blows like this one, for both himself and those around him.
"A failsafe might've been what Strange intended it to be but it became something a lot more than that and I don't know if I like it," Logan said, crossing his arms. Looking right at Mordo, he continued, "You guys had a lot of power. Sure, all of you were already leaders but making it formal made an impact on the real world. Was starting to smell a bit too much like S.H.I.E.L.D. if you ask me."
Tony was a leader. His father would probably say he was born to be but Tony tried to shake that way of thinking a long time ago. That didn't change the fact that he was the type to step up when times called for it. Everyone here was. That was what the Illuminati was supposed to be, at least that's what Tony believed.
"I gotta agree with you there, Wolvie, but that doesn't change the fact there's a power vacuum among us supers," Ben pointed out. "Magneto and Maximus have been sniffing around more. And without strong leadership, someone might be barking about the Accords again. We need someone showing a united front."
The Accords. It was their biggest failure as… Tony didn't know what as. A community? As friends? Representatives of all superpowered individuals? Whatever it was, they failed, the Avengers especially but no team was blameless.
"This could be an opportunity to change," the Surfer pointed out. The room's eyes drew to him and the way he ominously floated above them. None of the assembled knew him fairly well but his presence was a reminder of just exactly why they needed the Illuminati. "Be the leaders of heroes only. Be a liaison between mutants, inhumans, aliens, and the human governments. Be neither. Be both. You trusted your former leaders but they were not perfect and you can learn from them. Choose leaders who will do better."
They needed to be better but how could they if the best of them were gone?
"Black Bolt was the best of us," Medusa spoke up, voicing Tony's thoughts, "and he was the one who wanted the Inhumans to have contact with the outside world. Now that he is gone, I do not know if we wish to continue… this."
That was the other thing. They weren't just dealing with heroes here. There were political groups. No, not even political. Marginalized, their existence politicized by those in power. Ben was right. There was a power vacuum and Tony didn't understand the situation well enough to know how to fill it.
"It's similar for us mutants," Scott said, sounding apologetic. "The X-Men recognize leadership within the team but mutantkind as a whole saw Magneto and Professor Xavier as leaders. With Xavier gone, Magneto will probably get more support and whatever the X-Men decide may not be accepted by other mutants. Magneto may make a push for a seat on the Illuminati or ignore it entirely and try to enact his vision now that we're losing strength.."
Balance was key but it was dangerous. Magneto represented mutants, that was true, but the X-Men didn't trust him and he was a danger to the human population. Yet, he couldn't be ignored. He needed to be dealt with on peaceful terms. His voice needed to be included. But a spot on the Illuminati could prove dangerous for humans and mutants alike.
"The Fantastic Four are… Well, we're not four anymore," Sue added. "One loss hit us pretty hard. I don't know if we have the numbers to have someone represent us in the Illuminati. Besides, we need to focus on moving forward as a family and a team. I don't think we can afford to worry about the Illuminati right now."
The Four were pillars among superheroes and well-liked among the public. Tony hated to think it but from a marketing standpoint, losing a member was bad news for them. Their whole identity and brand was built on the fact there were four of them. With three, they would never be what they once were.
"I can't speak for the Inhumans but I do know a lot of mutants respect Cyclops and the Fantastic Four have had a lot of shifting ranks through the years," Bruce noted. "I'd think mutants could learn to see Scott as a leader and I'm sure Jen wouldn't find filling in the Four while you look for a permanent member. If you want one, that is."
That was the problem, wasn't it? Change meant restarting. Restarting meant everyone had the chance to figure out what they wanted. And not everyone wanted the same thing, even if that thing was what they needed. Even Tony had his doubts. He was just so tired. He just wanted to stop and pick up his pieces. That wasn't what they needed though.
"Okay, so what I'm hearing is that all our teams need time to make some decisions before we even start thinking about who the Illuminati replacements should be," Tony summarized, resisting the urge to pinch his brow. He knew this conversation wasn't a waste of time but it sure felt like it now. This could've been an email. "I guess Mordo should take the lead on telling the public then?"
Mordo frowned and Tony remembered most people weren't very big fans of him. How unfortunate it was only he who survived. Sure, Tony was glad it was someone but he was certain there would be conspiracy theories that Mordo killed the others in history books for decades to come, not to mention questions about it in every future interaction with the press.
"Scratch that. I'll- I'll go with you, I guess. Anyone else? Surfer? Scott? Sue?"
The Surfer nodded and Tony wasn't surprised. It never seemed like the guy had much else to do. Ben and Sue shook their heads which wasn't surprising either. They had a tower filled with kids to deal with. Tony was, however, surprised that Scott nudged Logan forward.
"Aw, what the hell," Logan grumbled. "Sure. Why not? I guess I'm a pretty recognizable face to most mutants. Let's get this over with, bubs."