(MCU) Arcs Collide: Chapter 17 – Not the Same

Chapter 17 – Not the Same

Tony watched as Rogers turned his entire body to Barnes with a frown on his face and said in a firm but what he must have thought was a friendly tone, “Bucky, don’t take that. We can’t know what Tony could have done to it. It could hurt you.”

Tony scowled. That man was either very paranoid or truly delusional. Tony leaned toward the latter.

Barnes frowned at his old friend and replied with a simple word, “No.”

Rogers looked shocked at the response, and Tony wanted to stand up and dance. But then Rogers aimed that disappointed look at Barnes. When that didn’t work, Rogers shook his head and said, “Well, you should at least give it to Wanda so she can check if there isn’t anything wrong with it.”

Barnes’s entire frame tensed, but before he could say anything, Phil snorted, drawing the attention of all the Rogues. When the director saw it, he mocked them, “Ms. Maximoff is nowhere near the level of Dr. Strange. Holding his amulet would most likely kill her.”

Maximoff’s face immediately turned red, and she shouted, “No one is stronger than me!”

Phil gave another snort before responding, “Your power is not equal to his experience, witch. And even then, I’m not so sure your raw power is greater than his. He is called the Sorcerer Supreme for a good reason, after all.”

There was a long silence after that, and Phil filled it calmly. “I will step out of the room for two minutes, allowing you to discuss the offer with the information you have. If you choose to accept, once I return, you will be signing your contracts and the Accords.”

With that, Phil stood up and left the room using the same door he came in. Tony was sure he had screens there so he could monitor the following discussion as well as them.

Romanoff spoke first, “We should accept, Steve.”

Maximoff exploded at the redhead, “What?! And play into Stark’s hands?!”

Romanoff shrugged and replied calmly, “For now, yes. It will be easier to change the system from inside it.”

Rogers gave her a firm nod. “Nat is right. Once the world sees us back in action, they will come to our help, and the pencil pushers will have no choice but to put me back as the leader.”

Maximoff huffed, “You better change things back to how they were, Steve.”

Rogers gave her a reassuring smile and said confidently, “I will make sure the Avengers are exactly as they should be.”

Tony heard many snorts around the room he was sitting in, but all he could do was wonder at the way this man’s brain worked. He needed to check Howard’s notes on the super-soldier program—there must be something about the serum’s effects on the mind. Or was Rogers always like that, and Erskine was just a bad judge of character to begin with?

They all watched as Phil came back into the room holding a few file folders. He sat back in his chair across from the six Rogues and handed each of them a folder, saying calmly, “In this folder, you will find all the conditions in which you can receive a strike and get closer to going to jail. Sign it on the marked lines and hand it over to the King by the end of the day.”

Phil then stood up and turned to leave the room, but before he crossed through the door, he looked over his shoulder and spoke without any emotion in his voice. “The folders include each of your restraining orders from Dr. Stark. Oh, and Mr. Barton, I believe you will find in yours the divorce papers Ms. Bishop sent along. You will also find restraining orders for both you and Ms. Romanoff to stay away from the Bishops’ kids.”

And with that, the Director was gone, and their feed into the room went black at the moment Barton snapped from the shock and began yelling something.

Five minutes later, the screen came back to life with the face of Phil Coulson filling the frame.

The director looked around and asked, “So, what are your thoughts?”

Rhodey let out a heavy sigh. “They are going to be a huge headache, if not a danger, around here.”

Phil nodded. “I agree, but then again, that’s the reason we installed the three-strikes system. It might be an easier way to get them behind bars than dragging them by force from Wakanda.”

The next voice that spoke surprised Tony—it was Nebula. “Now I can see why, after his investigation of the failed invasion, Thanos declared that Iron Man was the only threat, while most of the others, as he said, were barely a nuisance, just ants to step on and forget.”

Phil raised an eyebrow. “Most? What does that mean, Ms. Nebula?”

Gamora was the one to answer. “Thanos did mention some Asgardian and a green monster that he would enjoy a short battle with.” She shrugged before adding, “But for him, the only true enemy he has is Iron Man.”

Quill tried to get everyone back on track. “That Captain America man is really crazy. If he gets what he and his team of idiots want, everyone else will die.”

Groot looked up from his game for a moment and said, “I am Groot.”

Tony wondered what the tree said, and his interest only grew when Quill and Gamora gasped, Rocket and Drax began to laugh, Nebula looked bored as usual, and Mantis reprimanded Groot, “Even if they are very bad and stupid people, there is no reason for this language.”

Tony chuckled a little when Groot just lowered his head in shame and went back to playing his Game Boy. Tony really needed to introduce the tree to a modern PSP.

Nebula spoke again, and once more what she said surprised him. “Their target seemed to be mostly Stark.” Phil nodded to her, and she gave another determined look. “Then we shall remain and guard the only chance the galaxy has against Thanos.”

Tony blinked and was about to protest when Gamora chimed in, “It is a good idea, sister. I agree with her; we will stay.”

Quill shrugged and added, “It’ll be nice to hang around my old home for a while, and you people look cool to be around.”

Carol smiled widely at the group, as did Rhodey. Phil gave a sincere, small smile as well and said, “We appreciate it, Guardians. We’ll make sure to accommodate you as best we can for your stay here.”

With that, Tony kept his mouth shut, knowing there was no way to win this battle. Phil then released a deep sigh and announced, “The Rogues will arrive in three days. You better be prepared and update the rest of the team.”

Carol stood at the entrance to the landing pad on the top of the tower, wearing her new and improved Captain Marvel outfit made by her wonderful fiancé.

Right now, she was feeling part annoyed, part angry, and a small part gleeful. Annoyed because as the co-leader of the team, she had to be here to “welcome” the Rogues. Angry that those vile people, if she could even call them that, were getting to come back here with the idea of trying to torment the one person she cares most about. And gleeful because of her position, which now allowed her to exact a little vengeance for what they had already done to him.

On her left was Rhodey, wearing his War Machine suit. Most would see his blank face and think that the man was the personification of professionalism, but Carol knew him long and well enough to see through it and know he was going through the same emotional range as herself.

And on Rhodey’s left stood Dr. Stephen Strange, wearing his sorcerer robes and his fancy, smart cloak. The man might look bored on the outside, but she knew he was fuming about Maximoff’s deal.

She was drawn away from her musings by the Quinjet beginning its landing.

When the door opened, the first two people to step out were two men. One of them was a tall, dark-skinned man without any hair on his head and a lot of muscles. The second was a thin, average-sized man with spiky blond hair.

Rhodey gave both of them a smile and called, “Mack, Lincoln. It’s been a few weeks since you were around.”

Both chuckled. Mack was the first to speak in a deep voice, “It’s good to see you again, Jim. Had a hectic month hunting down Ward and finally putting an end to him.” Then the man lowered his voice and added, “Though I’d better go back on the hunt for him rather than babysit those morons for another hour.”

All three Avengers snorted in understanding. Lincoln nodded his agreement before changing the subject, “Is Daisy around?”

Carol smirked and informed him, “Nope. Sorry, she’s on a date with a certain blonde spy you know.” Lincoln let out a heavy sigh, but then she added, “But Mercy is in the cafeteria with Holly right now.”

The blond man perked up and began walking toward the door, calling, “See you later. And good luck.”

While Strange looked unaffected by the entire exchange, she could see the same amusement in his eyes that she and Rhodey were displaying on their faces.

Of course, all amusement left fast when a familiar voice called, “Rhodey! It’s good to see you.”

Out of the jet walked a tall, broad blond man with a small smile on his face. Behind him came his team.

Maximoff walked out with a frown. Barton was obviously angry about something; she could guess what. Romanoff didn’t display any emotion, but she walked as if she already owned the place. Wilson looked around, relieved. And finally, Barnes walked out, still with one arm, and looked fearfully all around as if waiting for an attack.

Immediately, the smiles left both Rhodey’s and her faces. Even Strange grew stiffer. All three of them turned toward the tall blond wearing casual clothes. Rhodey glared at the man and replied with a flat, “Mr. Rogers, that name is reserved for my friends, of which none of you are. So you may call me Colonel Rhodes.”

Rogers frowned, but Romanoff was the first to open her mouth. “Come on, Rhodes, we should all get past our little misunderstandings and work like the team we were again. We were good.”

Rhodey gave a bitter laugh and replied, “Your little misunderstanding ended up with me in a wheelchair, Ms. Romanoff.” Carol was glad to notice the invisible flinch that passed the widow’s eyes when she realized she was being blamed for it as well.

The Colonel was not done yet, and he said with a small growl, “And it says a lot about you that you consider the past team dynamic good. I will be clear and say that the way my little brother was treated by you will not be accepted anymore, no matter who the person is.”

“Especially if it’s Tony,” Carol added.

All the Rogues looked at her, confused. Barton was the one to speak, with a sneer coating his tone, “And who the hell are you, and the fancy-robes guy?”

Carol raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him and said without any emotion, “Captain Carol Danvers, AKA Captain Marvel, co-leader of the Avengers and the fiancée of Tony Stark. The robe guy is Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, another member of the New Avengers.”

That statement earned a variety of reactions from the group across from her.

Maximoff, upon hearing Stephen’s name, immediately began glaring at him with pure hatred and—was that a challenge in her eyes?

Barton kept sneering and tried to point out, “Co-leader? Ah, it took them two people to even come close to replacing you, Cap.”

Romanoff was frowning, and Carol could hear her mumbling the word “fiancée” in a worried tone.

Wilson and Barnes just nodded in acceptance of the new information.

Rogers, on the other hand, scowled at her and began, “Carol…”

Carol didn’t even allow him to go on before making something clear. “Mr. Rogers, first names are only for friends. We are nothing of the sort, so you may refer to me as either Captain Marvel or Captain Danvers.”

Rogers seemed to find this answer even more irritating, and he almost snapped back at her but managed to keep himself from screaming, “Then it’s Captain Rogers, ma’am, or Captain America.”

Carol couldn’t contain the snort she let out before countering flatly, “I know for a fact Director Coulson already informed you that both those titles have been taken from you.”

“Not that they were yours to begin with—just propaganda that outran its usefulness,” Strange murmured, but they all heard the jab.

Rogers had his fists clenched at his sides, and he simply stated, “It’s a temporary mistake. Tony will fix it after we have a long overdue talk.”

Carol growled at the stupid man and was about to step forward when a metal hand gently caught her. But when she turned to look at him, the man was glaring at the fake captain and said in a cold tone, “I believe the only mistake is your conclusion of the situation, Mr. Rogers. And in case you forgot, Coulson also informed you of the restraining order all of you have from Tony. So this is your only warning—stay away.”

Rogers’s face went red, and he looked about ready to start screaming and demanding, but Strange cut everything off by commenting without any emotion, “We are here for a reason, so let’s move on with that. Unlike some here, a few of us have a life and plans to go back to.”

Rhodey nodded in agreement and announced with his authoritative voice, “Follow us.”

Carol, wanting to alleviate some of the tense atmosphere around her, turned to Stephen while they were making their way to the elevator and asked in a light tone, “So, Stephen, are the wedding plans almost finished?”

The sorcerer allowed a small smile to stretch on his lips as he answered softly, “Thank goodness. Expect your invitation in a couple of days.”

Carol smirked at the man and pointed out, “Tony is one of your best men. We already have our invite.”

Stephen huffed in mock annoyance, but Carol could see the happiness he tried to cover shining in his eyes.