"Oh? Isn't this the Secretary of State?" Tony drawled as he walked in. "What's the matter—got bored of bossing people around in your big office today?"
He didn't give Ross an inch of face. At Tony's current status, even the U.S. President greeted him with a smile. He'd personally saved the President before, and as the owner of the nation's largest clean energy company, Ross really couldn't do much to him.
"Hmph. Since you're here, sit down. I have something important to inform you."
Ross deliberately used the word inform. That meant the decision had already been made—this was just a formality.
Tony frowned slightly. He already had a bad feeling. The Secretary of State showing up in person could only mean one thing—the incident from the morning news. And the victims… were Wakandans.
He was in a difficult position. After all, among everyone present, his relationship with T'Challa was the closest.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Ross stood and faced the group.
"A few years ago, I came to realize something that forty years in the military never taught me—foresight."
He began with his usual preamble. As expected, politicians never got straight to the point—they always started with a long-winded introduction.
"The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. That is an undeniable fact. The Battle of New York—you were instrumental. You held back an alien invasion. You fought for us."
More fluff. The room collectively rolled their eyes inwardly. Even Ross, once a decisive military man, had become long-winded after entering politics.
"But—" Ross shifted tone, "while many still see you as heroes, there are others who prefer to call you something else… a potential threat."
Classic political maneuver: praise first, then pivot.
"And what word would you use to describe us, Secretary?" Natasha asked coolly. She could already tell—Ross hadn't come in good faith.
"Dangerous," Ross replied without hesitation. "How does that sound?"
The room fell silent. As Secretary of State, his stance effectively represented the U.S. government.
"What would you call a group of enhanced individuals stationed in your country—who routinely ignore national sovereignty, go wherever they want, do whatever they want, and show little regard for the consequences? What would you call them?"
Ross's gaze swept across everyone—including Nick Fury.
Fury remained silent. He had long anticipated that this day would come.
Ross picked up a remote and activated the display. A world map appeared, marked with several highlighted locations.
"New York."
He tapped the red dot.
The screen switched to footage from the Battle of New York—Hulk smashing a Leviathan, Tony firing countermeasures, Thor summoning lightning… and finally, a massive purple figure cloaking Manhattan in storm clouds and violet thunder.
Every scene showed not just the battle—but the destruction left behind. Especially under Ram's lightning—almost no structure remained intact.
"We were saving the world!" Steve shot back. "If it weren't for us, New York—hell, the entire world—would've been overrun!"
He knew the situation better than anyone. Civilians had been evacuated, and those who couldn't be were protected by Wanda and Skye—under his direct orders.
Rhodey and Sam hadn't participated in that battle, so they exchanged uncertain glances.
Ross ignored Steve and continued.
"Washington, D.C."
The footage changed—clouds swirling, yellow and blue energy forming. Meteor-like projectiles rained down, obliterating buildings.
Everyone recognized it immediately—Carl's doing. He'd dropped fireballs onto the Senate building.
No one could argue that—but it also wasn't their action. Yet Ross had lumped it in anyway.
The screen shifted again—another meteor strike, this time destroying the Triskelion, former S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Also Carl's work—Zodiac Meteor.
No one spoke. Natasha pressed her lips together. Even Steve stayed silent this time—he'd been directly involved in that incident.
"Sokovia."
The footage changed once more. Amid screams and chaos, the landmass of Sokovia rose into the sky, blue anti-gravity engines glowing beneath it.
Then—a colossal yellow stone titan appeared, tentacles piercing into the city above while its massive arms held the falling landmass aloft.
Carl again—in his Demon Titan form.
Everyone subconsciously held their breath. Whether then or now, that overwhelming presence felt like a mountain pressing down on their chests—even Ross himself had trembled the first time he saw it.
Tony stared at the screen in silence. He remembered the woman from MIT—the one who said her son died in Sokovia.
"Lagos."
The screen shifted to the hospital explosion—and Wanda standing below, frozen in shock.
"That's enough."
Fury finally spoke. It was obvious now—Ross had come prepared. And Fury already knew where this was going. But this wasn't something the U.S. alone could decide.
Ross shut off the display.
"For the past several years, your operations have had unlimited authority—and no oversight. Governments around the world can no longer tolerate this situation. So, we've come up with a solution."
He gestured to a bodyguard, who stepped forward with a briefcase and pulled out a thick document—nearly an inch thick.
Ross took it… and handed it directly to Nick Fury.
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