_"Meet the Press"_
When Tony stepped back into the hallway, Rhodey had been joined by Mel, Sara, and Happy. "It's almost showtime. You ready?" Mel asked.
He shrugged. "You tell me. Do I pass muster?"
Sara and Mel both looked him over. "You'll do," Sara said with a slight grimace. "I would have been happier with some makeup on you, but Natasha knows her business." She turned to Rhodey. "Let me show you to your spot."
"Front row, right? I think I know the drill." Rhodey seemed to hesitate even as Sara headed for the lobby doors.
"Go. I'm good," Tony said.
"Who said it was about you? Maybe I was thinking about using the bathroom," Rhodey teased, but turned to follow Sara.
"We'll go out in a couple of minutes, I'll introduce you, and then it's all you," Mel told him, moving her notebook from one arm to the other and back again. "Mr. Mortimer and I will be in the front row so we can signal if there are any questions you shouldn't answer. There is a cup of water on the shelf inside the podium, should you need it. Would you like me to tell them how many questions you'll take?"
"No, I want to see how it goes," Tony said, his hands straying to his pockets to check for his cards and his sheet of notes.
"Maybe there won't be any questions," Mel said hopefully. "The statement we prepared is quite thorough."
Happy snorted. "There are always questions."
Mel's watch beeped before she could reply. "We're up," she said briskly, her heels tapping rapidly as she led the way through the doors. A grey backdrop had been set up just beyond the doorway; Mel went around it, but Happy held Tony back with a light touch on his arm.
"Good afternoon and thank you for coming," Mel said, her voice amplified and slightly hollow-sounding. "My name is Mel Brooks and I am the Avengers Public Relations Coordinator. Should there be questions left unanswered at the end of this event, please reach out to me for comment. Without any further ado, I will turn over the mike to Mr. Tony Stark, a man who needs very little introduction. He will be presenting a prepared statement before taking a few questions."
Tony knew a cue when he heard one, so he stepped into the glare of dozens of cameras with Happy close on his heels. Natasha was in position on the far side of the platform and a handful of security personnel were stationed around the room; he identified Wanda and Rogers by their sunglasses. Rhodey, Sara, and Hugh were in the front row, with an empty chair in their midst that was likely for Mel. Happy took up a spot that mirrored Natasha's on the other side.
All this he noticed in the short distance to the podium. He held out his hand to help Mel down the small step and gallantly kissed her knuckles before stepping up onto the platform in her place. He looked no further than the podium and the half dozen microphones mounted upon it as he pulled the notecards out of his pocket, tapping them against the angled surface as he prepared to speak.
"I know it's been a while. Hello, I'm Tony Stark." He gave a little wave and there were a few scattered chuckles. "I'm sure you're wondering why you're all here, so buckle your seatbelts and bear with me while I read my statement and then we can get to the real fun." He took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the crowd while he let out the breath slowly. There were a number of familiar faces, and he lingered on them a little longer before turning his gaze back to the stark words on the lined cards.
"I am here to announce that the United States federal government is conducting an investigation into the tragic events in Sokovia as an act of terrorism and, to my knowledge, I am the sole target of this investigation. As a result, my assets have been seized and I have been asked to turn over a significant number of documents related to my interactions with the various individuals who have been members of the Avengers. In the interest of transparency, I will be releasing all but the classified files publicly. We will, of course, notify you fine people when those documents are available.
"Let me be clear: I have nothing to hide. I took responsibility for my role in the devastation of Sokovia soon after the event and have personally provided the funds needed to house the survivors and rebuild the city. I am painfully aware that money cannot and does not replace lives lost, but everything I am capable of doing is being done. Fortunately, these efforts and the many grants and projects funded by the foundations I have started will not be affected by the seizure of my assets.
"In order to make it clear that my company was not involved in the events being scrutinized, I have temporarily stepped aside as chairman of the board for Stark Industries. Similarly, I have informed the United Nations that Iron Man will only be available for emergencies until this matter is resolved. I will continue to assist in the efforts to revise the Accords in an advisory capacity.
"In short, I intend to cooperate fully with the investigation and have cleared my schedule to accommodate any demands that may arise. I hope I will be given the opportunity to address those responsible for the investigation directly to clear up whatever misunderstandings have brought us to this unpleasant turn of events." He slowly lowered his notecards to see nearly every audience member had a hand raised.
He took a leisurely sip of water and pulled his sheet of notes out of his other pocket as he considered his options. "Ben! Surely you're high enough on the totem pole by now to send a junior staffer to these things in your stead?"
"Yes, sir," the reporter replied. "But since it's you, I wanted to be here myself."
"That's very kind. What's your question?"
"It's two parts. First, will you confirm that you have been single-handedly funding the Avengers since the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"Yes, that is true. I also supplied substantial funds while S.H.I.E.L.D. was still alive and kicking, but I suspect that's beside the point."
"Second, since you have been funding the Avengers, what happens to them now that your assets have been seized?"
"That is an excellent question." He paused for a moment to formulate his response. "The Avengers have some funds available to them in the short term. In the long term, the United Nations will be providing a percentage of the operating budget required by the team." He skimmed the faces until he found one he thought he'd noticed earlier. "Angie, you're looking well. What's your question?"
"With your health scare and now this investigation, have you considered giving up Iron Man for good?"
"No, I haven't," he said flatly. There was much more he could say on that subject, but he was quickly growing tired of maintaining a somewhat cheerful facade over the exhaustion and the headache. "Next question. You, in the yellow shirt."
"Amir Shah, Daily Bugle. Will the lack of available funds hinder the Avengers' operations in any way?"
"Will there be minor activities that have to be deferred? It's entirely possible. But the Avengers will respond when called upon even if it requires taking out a few short-term loans. It's not like there's a shortage of collateral-Captain America's shield alone is worth more than several small countries."
"Who will be making those decisions?" the young reporter persisted even as Tony was looking for his next interrogator.
"The U.N. panel would make such decisions in consultation with the Avengers, specifically Colonel Rhodes and-" he faltered when Rhodey began shaking his head and gesturing. Tony took another sip of water while he fixed his eyes on Rhodey, trying to understand what he was getting at. Finally, Rhodey borrowed Mel's notepad and pen and scribbled the word 'Cap' with a no symbol over it. Tony cleared his throat and finally finished the thought. "-specifically Colonel Rhodes and any other personnel deemed pertinent to the discussion."
He gestured for a woman in a floral headscarf to go ahead, but his thoughts were still stuck on what might have happened between Rhodey and Rogers so he missed her introduction and the beginning of her question. He refocused his attention in time to hear her conclude, "-be criminal charges against you?"
It seemed easy enough to fill in the blanks, but he glanced at Hugh to see if there was any objection to him responding. The lawyer simply shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "Nothing has been said yet about filing charges, but I've only known about this for a few days. It seems reasonable to assume they think there's something worth pursuing or they wouldn't be doing an investigation, but I do not think my actions can accurately be described as terrorism and I am absolutely willing to go to court to argue that point if necessary."
As soon as he finished, someone else spoke up. "Mr. Stark, as I'm sure you're aware, there are segments of the population that do not agree with the decision to allow Captain Rogers and his allies to go unpunished for the amount of property damage and physical injury they caused in Europe. Your willingness to concede to the agreement is mystifying in light of your public opposition to Captain Rogers during those events. Surely you agree that justice must be served-"
"Let me stop you right there," he interrupted firmly, having finally located the speaker along the side of the crowd, a young man who looked like he wasn't even out of high school. Two security personnel shifted closer to the kid's location. "Some advice for you, since you evidently haven't attended or even watched a press conference before: First, you don't get to ask your question until you're called upon.
"Second, if you're called upon, get to the point. Save your editorializing for your audience; I'm not interested. Third, I am not here to comment upon the U.N. arrangement concerning Captain Rogers and the rest of them, and your rambling tells me you haven't done your homework on that arrangement in the first place. Now, if you promise to be quiet, you can stay to the end of this party. Otherwise, those very nice security people will be happy to show you the door," he finished.
The wannabe reporter visibly swallowed; despite his interest in the disgraced Avengers, he didn't seem to recognize Rogers as one of the looming security guards. Tony vaguely recognized the other as one of the tower's regular staff. "I-I'll be quiet," the kid said meekly.
"Good choice." Tony sighed and surveyed the murmuring crowd of reporters. "I'd rather not end it there, so let's have one more question," he said. "You, in the green. Make it count."
"Andrea Clemente from CNC. Mr. Stark, what are you hoping to achieve by announcing the investigation publicly like this?"
"See, kid, that's a good question. And what can I say? I've missed my adoring fans," he joked.
The reporter looked unimpressed.
"Seriously, though, I'm doing this to emphasize what I said before: I have nothing to hide. I don't like the idea of a shadowy investigation, so I'm dragging this sucker into the light. That way we all can figure out what it is and if it's hiding some ulterior motive. If that answers your question?"
"It will do," she said.
"Thank you ma'am, everyone. Any remaining questions can be directed to Ms. Brooks over here, and hopefully I won't have to see you all again until we're announcing this mess is done and over with. Good evening." He turned on his heel and headed back the way he came, Happy falling into step behind him as he rounded the backdrop curtain.
Once they were through the door and into the hallway beyond it, Tony slowed his pace said, "I think that went as well as it could have. How did the kid get in?"
"He had credentials from some blogger news site," Happy replied.
"We're letting bloggers in now? Who the hell thought that was a good idea?" he asked sourly, punching the elevator button even though Friday had probably already summoned it for him.
"Ask your PR girl, she managed the list. I just enforced it."
"Whatever, it doesn't matter," he sighed wearily, stepping forward when the doors slid smoothly open.
As the elevator ascended, Happy said, "Pepper would have come if you'd asked."
"No," Tony said shortly. "She needs to stay as far away from this as possible. I'm the only one who can deal with a mess of this size."
After a moment in which the only sound was the whirring of the elevator, Happy remarked, "I know you're the genius here, but that's stupid. A bigger mess means more people would get it cleaned up faster."
Tony waved dismissively as he turned to step out onto the Avengers common floor. "You don't understand."
Happy remained his persistent tail as he made a beeline for the nearest couch and dropped into it with a sigh. "You need me to get anything, boss?"
"I'm good, Hap, just . . . check in, see if they need anything downstairs. I'll be fine," he said, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye so he wouldn't have to move his head from its cushioned perch.
Happy nodded and moved away. Tony threw an arm over his eyes to see if limiting the light would help his headache. He could hear Happy in a far corner of the room, talking in his comm; he'd meant for him to go back downstairs, but that also worked.
He felt limp and empty, the adrenaline of facing dozens of reporters draining away and leaving only exhaustion in its wake. He felt like he could sleep for a week.
Happy stopped talking and Tony could hear his footsteps coming nearer. They stopped a few paces behind him, but Happy didn't speak. After several slow breaths, he realized Happy was standing guard between him and the elevator.
With his arm still over his eyes, Tony lost all track of time though he would swear he never fell asleep. Every so often he could hear Happy shift his weight and clear his throat. His own breathing sounded harsh in his ears, but wasn't as jarring as the sudden whirring of the elevator. His heart rate sped up at the thought of someone else intruding on the peace and quiet, though he knew full well that anyone on that elevator was allowed into this part of the building.
The absence of footsteps and the sound of wheels thumping over the gap between the elevator car and the floor set him at ease. Rhodey greeted Happy and they spoke in low voices briefly, quietly enough that Tony couldn't hear what was said.
He must have spaced out for a minute, because the next thing he knew, Rhodey's hand was on his arm. "Hey, if you're going to nap, you might as well use the whole couch," Rhodey teased gently.
"What if I like completely screwing up my neck?" he grumbled, lowering his arm and squinting at the brightness of the room.
"At least do yourself the favor of taking something else for that headache before you add a neck ache to the equation," Rhodey said, holding out the tin of pills and a bottle of water.
He took the tin without comment. While he considered his options, Rhodey set the water bottle on the cushion next to his leg. "Has everyone left?" Tony asked before throwing back a pill and chasing it with a gulp of water.
"Nearly," Rhodey replied. "Most of the team was helping Mel clean up when I left."
"Were you sent to babysit me?"
"No, that's what Happy was for," Rhodey said without missing a beat. "I'm just not that good at stacking chairs anymore."
"That's what I pay the facilities staff for," Tony said, then corrected himself, "Paid. That's what I paid them for. I wonder if they realize they aren't getting paid."
"I think that's why the others are handling it," Rhodey said uncertainly.
"No, Rogers is enough of a Boy Scout that he'd help regardless. I'll have to check whose payroll covers this building. If it's ours, I might as well send most of them home until this blows over." He sighed heavily. "If it blows over."
"Of course it will," Rhodey said confidently.
There was a question he needed to ask, if he could only remember it. Something . . . Right. Rogers. "What happened with Rogers and the U.N.? I had them put both of you in charge, I thought, but then you're scribbling notes while I'm in the middle of an answer that he's not involved?"
"He declined," Rhodey said simply. "Said he didn't think it appropriate under the terms he agreed to when coming out of hiding."
"You don't mind being the boss-man?"
"I mind less than you did. Remember, I've had training for it. And if Rogers doesn't think he's fit for command, we're all better off for him admitting it."
"If you're good, then I'm good," he said, dismissing the matter from his mind.
Rhodey tilted his head slightly, appearing to listen to something. "They're on their way up," he reported as the elevator whirred to life again.
"Why didn't I get an earpiece?" Tony groused half-heartedly. "I'm the one who upgraded them."
"As if you needed the distraction of voices in your ear," Rhodey countered.
"I deal with way more input in the suit and do just fine," he said dismissively, letting his head fall back onto the cushion again. Sometimes it felt like his head was too heavy for his neck.
"Because you have an AI to help," Rhodey said.
He had already lost track of the conversation and what an AI had to do with anything. "Yeah, yeah," he said with a sigh. He would fall asleep right there if the pounding would only let up.
They could hear the sound of voices almost before the elevator doors opened. At first the words were lost as several people spoke over one another, but then Wanda's voice rose above the fray. "You don't understand. This is wrong!"
"What's wrong?" Happy demanded.
Tony could imagine what Happy looked like, suddenly on high alert, even without turning around to look, so he didn't bother opening his eyes as the conversation continued.
"All of this," Wanda said vehemently. It sounded like she was pacing. "This-this investigation about Sokovia. It is wrong."
"No, Wanda, this is politics," Clint said gently.
"Your government does not care about Sokovia. Why do they do this?"
"Because they can," was Clint's reply.
"Because Ross has it in for Stark," Natasha added.
There was a beat of silence, then Wanda said brokenly, "But it is also my fault."
Tony had to open his eyes then, and turned in his seat to peer over the back of the couch. This, he had to watch.
"What do you mean?" Rogers asked.
"Sokovia. Ultron. These are also my fault," Wanda repeated. "If there is to be an investigation, I must be a part of it too."
"What do you mean, it's your fault? How?" Clint asked.
Wanda cast a glance toward Tony before turning toward the others around her. She drew herself up straighter as she confessed, "I was there when Stark found the scepter. I infected his mind with fear before I let him take it. Pietro wanted to stop him, but I allowed it."
Tony noticed she didn't reveal the content of his vision and he was grateful. He wasn't sure his fears were quite the same anymore and revealing the old one wasn't likely to serve a useful purpose.
"Tony, is that true?" Rhodey asked, speaking up for the first time.
Suddenly all eyes were on him. He focused on Wanda's pale face as he said, "It matches what she told me once before."
"Damn," Clint said softly.
Rogers looked at him, then at Wanda, then back at him. "Stark, I have just one question."
"Only one? I'm surprised," Tony said sarcastically, then let out a breath as he felt Rhodey glaring at him. "Fine, carry on. What's the question?"
"Would Ultron have happened without that scepter?"
The choice of question surprised him just a bit. "Ah, no," he admitted. "Ultron was a thought experiment Bruce and I worked on, but even my AI expertise wasn't up to snuff for a project of that scale. The Iron Legion was as far as it went. But we needed to get the scepter for Thor, so it was pretty much inevitable I'd try something with it. That's what I do."
"Were you in your right mind when you did it?" Clint asked next, presumably thinking of how out-of-sorts Natasha, Thor, and Rogers had been after their encounters with Wanda's abilities.
"How would I know?" he replied with a shrug.
Footsteps approached from behind him, and he turned back around to see Wilson in his full gear approaching from the direction of the landing bay. "Everyone has left and we're all clear. Vision remained behind to keep an eye on things," Wilson reported. "What's going on?"
"I'll explain later," Rhodey said, then changed the subject. "We should head back to the compound."
"Why do you allow this to happen?" Wanda demanded, advancing in Tony's direction several paces before Clint stopped her with a hand on her arm. Red tendrils whirling around her hands and wrists expressed her agitation. "It is not just for you to bear the blame alone."
"Making yourself a target wouldn't accomplish anything besides getting yourself deported," Tony said patiently, resisting the urge to rub a throbbing spot near his temple. "If Ross wanted to make an example out of you, he'd already be doing it. He's not after you, he's after me. If Ultron were off the table, he'd find something else I've done and exploit that instead."
"Why does he target you? Why not all of us?"
"Because I have money?" He shrugged. "There are several possible reasons, but none of them really matter."
"They might," Natasha interjected. "If we can determine why he's doing this, we'll have some idea of how far he's willing to go with it and whether he's going to target all of us eventually. You said some of Fury's people are looking into it?"
"Yeah. Don't ask me who. Hill might know."
"Then let's get back to base and start doing what we can to unravel Ross's plans," Rhodey said briskly.
"Sure thing, boss," Tony replied sarcastically, not budging from the couch.
The others, however, began moving in the direction of the quinjet, talking quietly amongst themselves. Happy brought up the rear, looking wary.
"Hap, you got your glasses back?"
"Sure did. Where do you want me to be?" Happy answered, still watching the retreating Avengers.
Tony sighed and massaged his forehead. "Stay here, keep an eye on things for me? And tell you what, we'll have the staff do an inventory, top to bottom. That'll keep them busy for a while."
Happy looked skeptical but didn't comment. "Anything else, boss?"
Tony shrugged. "Don't think so." He glanced over to Rhodey, who hadn't left with the others. "You ready?"
"I'm waiting on you," Rhodey said evenly.
"Then let's rock and roll." He stood up from the couch and his vision went hazy for a second but quickly righted itself. The headache just wasn't letting up. He remained in place for a minute, trying to remember what else he'd intended to say. "Friday, is the armor still in the chopper?"
"Yes, boss."
"Move it to the armory when the chopper gets back to base." He couldn't remember if the chopper was on the list of seized property, but he knew the armor wasn't. Just in case, better safe than sorry, and all that.
He ignored her affirmation and finally headed for the landing bay, Rhodey rolling alongside. He was tempted to take the helicopter back to the compound rather than joining everyone else in the jet, but it sounded like Natasha wanted to ask him things about Ross and he might as well get that over with since she wasn't going to let it go until she had answers. Spies were annoying that way.