Authoress Note: Welcome to Chapter 59 of God of Lies and Mischief and the Woman of Many Faces. Thank you to those who have left reviews. It really does mean a lot to me that you guys are enjoying this chapter. I'm trying my best to write this story and make it as good as I can. I hope that this chapter turns out well. And I hope that you guys enjoy this. Without further ado Chapter 59. ENJOY!
Chapter 59
Steve sat in the room looking over the Accords.
Sam and Rhodey were arguing behind him.
Everleigh rubbed her temples slowly knowing that this wasn't going to be easy on any of them.
"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have." Rhodey snapped at the younger man.
"So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Sam questioned what Rhodey was insinuating that they should do.
"A 117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, "No, that's cool. We got it. ""
"How long are you going to play both sides?"
"I have an equation." Vision said, looking up at the two arguing men.
"Oh, this will clear it up." Sam said with a groan rubbing his face in frustration.
"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."
"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve questioned looking over at Vision.
"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."
"Boom." Rhodey said, agreeing with Vision.
Tony laid on the couch with his hand over his eyes. He looked over at Natasha when she began to speak.
"Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal."
"It's because he's already made up his mind." Steve pointed out in frustration.
"Boy, you know me so well." Tony said, getting up wincing, rubbing the back of his head. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache." He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a mug. "That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?" He put his phone in a basket and tapped it. The phone projected an image of a smiling young man. He looked down, then back up, and then pretended to notice the photo for the first time. "Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid. 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. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where, Sokovia."
The others looked at Tony rather alarmed.
"He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass." He took a pill with some of the coffee he had gotten. He then faced the rest of his team. "There's no decision-making process here. 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 said, looking at his friend.
"Who said we're giving up?"
"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blames."
"I'm sorry. Steve. That - that is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA." Rhodey said, shaking his head lightly.
"No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change."
"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing." Tony said as he put his coffee mug down.
Everleigh let out a breath, rubbing her face softly. She hated the fact that the team was starting to crumble in upon itself. Perhaps this wasn't what was supposed to be. This was the family she chose, but the family was falling apart thanks to other thoughts that they needed to be in check.
"Tony, you chose to do that. 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 is somewhere we need to go, and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own." Steve said, shaking his head lightly.
"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty." Tony snapped looking at Steve.
"You're saying they'll come for me." Wanda said softly.
"We would protect you." Vision said, looking over at Wanda.
"Maybe Tony's right." Natasha said thinking.
Tony looked at Natasha, surprised that she was even agreeing to what he had said.
"If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off -"
"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Sam questioned looking at Natasha shaking his head lightly not understanding why she would change her stance on what she thought.
"I'm just . . . I'm reading the terrain. We have made . . . some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back." Natasha pointed out.
"Focus up. I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony questioned looking at Natasha.
"Oh, I want to take it back now."
"No, no, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay, case closed-I win."
Steve's phone buzzed and he pulled it out to check it. He put his phone back in his pocket. "I have to go." Steve said getting up sharply, dropping the Accords onto the table and headed down the stairs.
Everleigh slowly got up to her feet. She slowly left the table and followed Steve slowly. Concern was growing upon her face. She was concerned about what happened. She saw Steve leaning over a rail with his head in his hands. "Steve."
Steve looked up sharply seeing Everleigh. "Leigh."
"I know something is wrong." She said softly, putting her hand on his arm squeezing it lightly.
Steve sniffled slightly trying his best to keep the tears at bay.
"Something happened didn't it?" She asked softly, trying to get him to answer her in a calm way. She knew that there was no point in forcing him to tell her. She knew that she had to do it the easy way to make the blow softer.
"Peggy…" He said softly.
Everleigh took a breath knowing that Peggy was up there in age meaning that she had died in her sleep. "I'm so sorry Steve." She said softly.
Steve swallowed the lump in his throat.
"I can go with you Steve. You don't have to be alone."
"You don't have to come with me, Leigh."
"I want to." She said softly, patting his arm softly.
Steve nodded his head slowly, agreeing to her going with him.
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This is the end of Chapter 59. I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. I am trying my best to make it through this part of the story. One of my most favorite Marvel movies and it of course is taking time to get through it. I hope that the chapters are long enough and good enough that you guys enjoy it. I can't wait to see who you guys think Everleigh will side with as this part of the story goes on. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. I'll see you all next Monday with the next installment of this story. Until next time.
