CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:
SOKOVIA ACCORDS

THEY ENTERED THE ROOM, SITTING down at the table where all of the other Avengers were. Secretary Ross stood at the front of the room, patiently waiting to get started. Salem glanced towards Steve, asking him a silent question, and by the look on his face, she had a feeling that this meeting wasn't going to go how she thought it was. Secretary Ross looked at the group before he started speaking.

     "Five years ago, I had a heart attack." Ross started. "I dropped right in the middle of my back-swing. Turned out it was the best round of my life, because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I found something 40 years in the Army had never taught me: perspective. The world owes the Avengers an un-payable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives. . . but while a great many people see you as heroes, there are some who would prefer the word 'vigilantes'." Salem clenched her jaw, already not liking the way this was going. The Avengers were her family. Being a hero gave her a purpose. She wasn't going to let this man take that from her.

     "And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha was the one to speak up, a curious smile falling on her face as she rose an eyebrow at him.

     "How about dangerous?" He suggested. "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?" Suddenly, the screen comes on behind him. He moves out of the way and footage starts to show.

     "New York." The destruction of the Chitauri army was shown, Hulk smashing into a building was shown as well. The screen changed. "Washington, DC." The three helicarriers appeared on the screen, firing at one another and then crashing into the water below. It showed people being engulfed by the water. Sam looked down at the table. The screen changed again. "Sokovia." People were running, it showed the city flying into the air, as well as a building falling over. "Lagos." This time it showed a burning building, paramedics moving a body, and a dead girl. Salem immediately grabbed Wanda's hand, watching the pain and regret that crossed her girlfriends face. She narrowed her eyes dangerously at Ross.

     "Okay. That's enough." Salem lightly snapped. Her jaw was clenched and if she wasn't holding her girlfriend's hand in order to comfort her, she would've teleported behind the man and thrown him from the building. The Secretary nodded his head and the screen was turned off.

     "For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution." He placed a thick document on the table, right in front of Wanda. Salem continued to glare at the man, squeezing Wanda's hand. The female looks at the document before they all look at him for an explanation, and Wanda passed the papers on to Rhodey. "The Sokovia Accords. Approved by 117 countries. 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."

     "The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that." Steve spoke up, the document still being passed around the table.

     "Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Steve looks up, meeting eyes with the man whilst Natasha's shoulders tense at the mention of Bruce's name. "If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes. . . you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."

     "So, there are contingencies." Rhodey states, looking at the man.

     "Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords." Ross informs them. Salem was the one with the accords in her hands, glancing through them before looking up towards the man. She didn't notice the look that had passed between Steve and Tony. "Talk it over." As Ross starts to walk away, Salem shakes her head.

     "And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Salem asked the man, glancing away from the papers. Ross stops for a moment, turning slightly in order to look at the group before he simply shrugged his shoulders.

     "Then you retire." He simply answers. Natasha tries to hide her smirk at this whilst Salem just lets out a scoff shaking her head again. Nodding his head once, Ross turned around and walked out of the room, leaving the Avengers headquarters. And leaving all of them there to think over what the man had said, and what exactly it was they were going to be doing with the choice he had given them.