Tony Stark allowed the silence to ripen, understanding with a seasoned politician's instinct that to rush a response was to surrender the high ground.
Tony activated the device within his watch. A pale blue light manifesting as a hologram of a fractured world. It was a map of global security, but it looked more like a shattered stained-glass window. Intelligence nodes flickered and died; command chains trailed off into nothingness; response pathways stretched into dangerous lengths.
"This," Tony said, "is the current state of our global security. Or rather, what is left of the bones after S.H.I.E.L.D. collapsed under its own weight."
He expanded the projection with a flick of his wrist. "S.H.I.E.L.D. did not fall for a lack of money or muscle. It failed because it made secrecy its religion. They operated in the dark because the world allowed them to have the keys to every basement and every closet without ever asking for a status report. When oversight is kept entirely behind closed doors, accountability vanishes. Hydra outpaced them because S.H.I.E.L.D. was too blinded by its own shadows to see the rot."
Tony swiped his hand, "We're proposing something fundamentally different: a 'Parliament of the Supernatural.' We're talking about a semi-governmental body that handles the things regular diplomacy and standard military forces simply aren't equipped to touch. When a rift opens in the sky or a biological anomaly pops up that defies the laws of physics, you send experts who understand the 'impossible'."
T'Challa leaned forward, "The old treaties were designed for a planet that thought it was alone. They cannot account for the mystical, the extraterrestrial, or the highly advanced. This Parliament would bridge that gap, acting as a specialized council that operates with the Federation's backing but maintains the autonomy needed to move faster than a legislative committee."
"It's about specialized jurisdiction," Aryan interjected, "The Federation handles the billions; we handle the anomalies. We provide a buffer so the average citizen doesn't have to wake up wondering if a space-god is going to land on their lawn. We take the burden of the 'unnatural' off your shoulders so you can focus on building a functioning global society."
Tony nodded in agreement. "Think of it as the ultimate escalation protocol. Regular diplomacy for regular problems. The Parliament for everything else. We aren't looking to replace the government, Chancellor; we're looking to be the firewall that makes sure the government can actually do its job without being incinerated by a stray lightning bolt."
"We move toward Directed Transparency," Aryan explained, "For decades, the world has been governed by a 'blackout' mentality. S.H.I.E.L.D. and its predecessors operated under the assumption that the public was a child that needed to be kept in a dark room for its own safety. But as we've seen, darkness only breeds fear, and fear breeds Hydra."
Aryan continued "We stop the total blackout. We tell the world the truth: that the galaxy is crowded. We disclose the existence of Tier-1 civilizations like the Kree and the Nova Empire. Why? Because the human race needs a reason to look up. We show them the wonders of the universe to inspire a new generation of scientists and explorers. We give them a target to reach for. If we want humanity to evolve into a spacefaring Federation, we have to stop pretending the ceiling is the limit."
He paused, "But transparency must be 'directed.' We disclose the empires and the possibilities to build a new era of global science. However, we contain the terrifying things—the existential threats that would cause immediate mass hysteria and the collapse of the social order."
We will forward a complete intelligence package to the Federation," Aryan said. "It will include verified records on known interstellar civilizations, their political structures and threat profiles. Each file will carry a clearance tag. Material marked public can be disclosed for scientific and civilian preparation. Material marked restricted remains confined to Federation and Council review."
Wanda watched him, her expression serious as she saw the weight of his words landing on the Leader.
The Leader tapped his chin, his analytical gaze sweeping over the assembled group. He played the role of the cautious statesman to perfection, his voice echoing with the skepticism of a man responsible for billions. "It is a bold vision. But history is littered with 'bold visions' that ended in blood. How do I know this isn't just a new version of the World Security Council? How do I know that in fifty years, you won't become the very tyrants you seek to replace? You are giving yourselves the power to decide what the world knows. That is the ultimate form of control."
"Because we are fundamentally incompatible," T'Challa added. "The World Security Council failed because they were bureaucrats seeking to maintain a status quo. We are a system of checks and balances born from necessity. I am a King of the Land, bound by the traditions and spirits of Wakanda. Namor is a King of the Sea, whose loyalty lies with the depths. Stark is a Genius of Technology, a man driven by the need to innovate and protect."
T'Challa gestured to the circle they formed. "We do not share a single ideology. We share a single goal. If I overstep, Namor's tides will rise to meet me. If Stark's ambition blinds him, my wisdom will pull him back. We are accountable to each other, and through that friction, we find the middle ground that serves the Earth. We are not a monolith; we are a council of rivals united by a common threat."
Tony Stark smirked. "He's right, Chancellor. I don't even like half the people in this room on a good day. We're too stubborn to let any one of us become a dictator. It's the most stable form of government there is: mutual, highly-powered supervision."
Wanda Maximoff leaned forward, her presence grounding the high-level debate in a more visceral reality. "My involvement ensures this oversight isn't just structural. I feel the resonance of intent. If the logic of this council begins to deviate from the preservation of life, I will know. My magic serves as the final barrier. I am here to protect the frequency of this planet."
Aryan Spencer remained the calmest figure in the room, his posture relaxed as he watched the Chancellor process the weight of their collective power. "The Illuminati functions because it accepts human nature rather than trying to legislate it away. We are a collection of absolute authorities who have agreed that the survival of the species outweighs our individual egos. We provide the infrastructure and the strategic backup, but the friction between these individuals is the real security measure. If we ever agree too easily, that is when you should be worried."
The Leader's eyes finally landed on the man standing at the back of the group. Bucky Barnes met his gaze with a clarity that hadn't existed in his eyes for seventy years.
"And you, Sergeant Barnes," The Leader said softly. "The world knows you as the Winter Soldier. A ghost story told by Hydra. Why are you here?"
Bucky walked toward the desk, his vibranium arm gleaming under the office lights. "For decades, I was a weapon used to tear this world apart. I committed more sins in the name of Hydra than I can ever count. Even when they had control of my mind, there was always a part of me that hated what I was doing. My morals were buried, but they never died. Now that Umbrella has cleared the fog, I have a choice. I want to spend the rest of my life serving the people I once hurt. It's the only way I can live with what I've done. I'm here to prove that even a broken tool can be used to build something better."
The Leader smiled. "The Federation needs symbols of redemption, Sergeant. Your presence here is more powerful than any speech I could give."
The Leader picked up a ceremonial pen, but he didn't sign yet. He looked at the Aryan, then at Stark.
"I have one condition for the Federation's backing," The Leader stated. "If the Illuminati is to be the supernatural arm of this government, the Federation must have a seat at your table. As a bridge. I will join the Council as its member—representing the billions of ordinary people who don't have magic or supernatural power."
Tony looked at his teammates. They all nodded. "Deal. You're in, Chancellor."
The Leader signed the Illuminati Accords, officially establishing the Council as a sovereign entity under the Earth Federation.
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