The Stage Is Set
Avengers Base.
A very important meeting was taking place. All of its members were gathered, their expressions completely serious as they watched the same recordings that were also being viewed at V.I.T.A.E.
The ones with the worst expressions were the Captain and Bucky. Every time the footage showed images of the explosion, it seemed as if both of them were carrying the full weight of what had happened, although in Bucky's case it was even more evident.
"What happens now?" Scott Lang asked while looking at the others in the room. He had joined the Avengers, even if he did not take part in missions constantly. Still, he helped them quite a bit. He had decided to join the Avengers and not V.I.T.A.E. for a single reason: Professor Pym still had no interest in working in a place where someone with the last name Stark was involved. Even if they had done a good job with Ultron and Vision, he still despised that name.
"This is bad. Not only did it happen in a very delicate location, it also occurred at the same time those kids caused a major problem," Vision said in a serious tone, his gaze moving across the room.
"It's my fault. I shouldn't have…" Bucky looked genuinely ashamed.
But the Captain interrupted him immediately.
"It's not your fault. The mission failed. We didn't know what they were planning from the start. We were just a distraction. If that's the case, then we all failed," he added seriously.
"Well, that's not what the people looking for someone to blame are going to think," Natasha said with an annoyed tone. "And having a piece that fits perfectly for that purpose could speed up the process they've been looking for," she added, looking directly at Bucky.
That made the Captain frown.
"What are you talking about?" Scott asked.
Falcon looked at him for a moment before answering.
"Bucky is, so to speak, on probation thanks to the general, as long as he helps track down other dangerous super soldiers and fights crime. But with this mess, the higher ups won't hesitate to dump all the blame on him to wash their hands of any trouble that might come up. And on top of that, the superhuman registry will clearly move forward in their favor," he explained.
"That's the one that forces anyone who works as a hero or has powers to register, right?" Scott said in surprise. "But I'm not even a superhuman. I just use a suit," he added.
Falcon looked at him. After all, he also fell into that category.
"It applies to everyone who works as a vigilante, according to the statute. If you want to keep working, you have to register yourself and your entire family. If not, you retire. Although, obviously, that's not a real option for many," he said.
Pulling that many heroes out of the field wasn't an option. Not when the number of villains had already outnumbered them for a long time. And registering wasn't ideal either, since many preferred to keep their anonymity so they would not be hunted behind a mask and put their families at risk.
"The DODC is here," Vision said suddenly in a serious tone.
Silence immediately fell over the room, while the Captain looked at Bucky for a brief moment.
…
"Are you being serious?" Tony said, looking at Owen, while the folder on the meeting table remained open. Everyone seemed to have already read the files related to the superhuman registration law.
The expressions of those present were just as confused and bewildered as Tony's. Even the general was staring at Owen, with a small smile on his lips.
"Of course I am. It's the most valid and advantageous option for everyone. Besides, it could solve a lot of hidden problems this stupidity has," Owen said with a faint smile.
Even Spider Man and Kamala showed clear expressions of confusion.
"You know what you're proposing is insane, right?" Tony told him, even though he already seemed interested, his mind beginning to create different possible scenarios based on Owen's plan.
"When have I not done something insane?" Owen replied with an amused smile.
"Pff, hahaha. I like it," Nicolás said, being the first to accept Owen's idea, and with quite a bit of enthusiasm. Pietro also seemed genuinely interested.
Wanda, on the other hand, was thinking it through seriously. She analyzed every point Owen had mentioned, nodding slowly as she realized that, in reality, the plan was quite plausible and also fit within the new laws that were about to be voted on.
"But wouldn't we need to accept the registration law first?" Peter Parker asked, raising his hand as if he were in class.
"That's true. Yes. That's the slightly annoying part. Basically, first we have to look like we support the idiots who want to control us," Owen said as he sat down, crossing his arms. "It's also possible that many heroes will turn against us because of that," he added.
"Wouldn't it be simpler to just tell them your plan?" Kamala asked innocently.
"There are a lot of stu…" Before Owen could finish the sentence, Wanda stared at him, making it very clear that he was about to say something rude in front of a child.
"Ahem. A lot of airheads who wouldn't understand it. They might even think we're trying to trick them. Besides, being honest, if you explain it with words, it really does sound insane, right?" he said with an amused smile.
"So, are you ready to stand against everyone?" the general asked, looking at him seriously, arms crossed.
Owen did not answer. He simply returned a slightly excited smile. Maybe it was not that he did not want to explain his plan to the world. Rather,
it was the perfect excuse to face, without restrictions, some of the most powerful beings on the planet.
He was the same man who, from the very beginning, had only wanted to prepare himself for a world full of dangers. When he arrived at that place, he had chosen to hide in a quiet corner after his retirement. And now he had the chance to stand face to face with the most powerful humans in the world. Of course that was exciting.
The general watched him with an amused smile.
"There better not be any civilian casualties, or the last one you will have to face will be me," he said, as he seemed ready to leave the room.
"Where are you going, old man?" Nicolás asked when he saw him walking away just like that.
"Do you think the idea of this basta…" The general felt Wanda's and Owen's gaze at the same time. Then he looked at little Kamala. "This clown's idea will be as easy to implement as he says, but it will need a lot of political support. So I am going to do everything I can before my definitive retirement from the forces," he explained, clearing his throat.
"To make it a bit easier for you, old man," Owen said suddenly, stopping him. "Tell them that if they are so stubborn about wanting to know the hidden faces of heroes, then they themselves will have to reveal the technology and weapons they keep hidden in their countries," he added with a smile. "Especially Wakanda," he finished, pointing at the television.
On the screen, the king of Wakanda, visibly upset by the death of some of his citizens during the explosion, seemed to support the superhuman registration one hundred percent.
"Sure," the general replied before leaving.
"Wakanda? That completely empty, poor, isolated place?" Tony asked with a confused expression.
Owen looked at him slightly, with an amused smile.
"The fact that you still have not noticed proves they have technology even more advanced than yours," he said, with a small jab that made Tony frown.
"Hey, you're not suggesting they have nuclear bombs hidden under their elephants, right?" Tony said with a somewhat playful tone, but when he saw Owen's look,
Tony turned around for a moment and wrote something on his phone, or maybe he had already given Friday an order to investigate Wakanda, showing just how much he trusted Owen by taking those words so seriously.
"So… shall we prepare our stage?" Owen said, looking at the others with a smile.
It did not seem like they had any option other than accepting.
"That's a pun, right?" Peter interrupted, drawing everyone's attention. "I mean, the plan… and the stage thing. It is not, is it?" he asked, a bit embarrassed.
"Yes," Owen replied, rolling his eyes, seriously wondering if that kid really was one of the geniuses of the Marvel world. Maybe he still needed to grow up a bit more.
"Alright, you two, follow me," he said, pointing at the two boys.
Both of them immediately wore confused expressions.
"In the underground, I created a training base with the latest technology. I am sure you are going to like it," Tony said with a smile, looking at Owen before turning his gaze to the two youngsters.
"Good. That will be helpful," Owen replied calmly, nodding.
Meanwhile, Pietro and Wanda looked at the two boys with slight pity for their souls. They had been the first ones trained by Owen in the past and knew perfectly well what awaited them from now on.
Even so, no one said anything about Owen's decision, even knowing they were young. The fact that he himself would be in charge of training them was enough to make it clear that they would have the skills necessary to survive an uncertain future.