Chapter Text
Tony Stark would have been happy to never see Thaddeus Ross ever again.
He'd experienced a terrible sense of déjà vu when the Secretary of State had ordered a meeting, only to drop a stack of documents in his lap to “read through and sign by tomorrow”.
“What are they?” Tony had asked, skimming the opening document.
“Amendments to the Accords. By tomorrow,” was all Ross had given as an explanation.
It was nearly 1 am before Pepper came down to the workshop to drag Tony to bed. She caught him scanning over the documents, a copious pile of notes on the tablet next to him.
“Hey,” she said softly. Pepper took a seat next to him, taking his hand in his. “You coming to bed?”
Tony tried to give her a smile, hating the worried expression on her face—the one he always seemed to be the cause of.
“Don’t tell me you’re fine,” she said before he could reply. “Honesty, remember? No more surprises.”
“Right,” he muttered. By way of answer, he pushed the stack of documents her way. Her worry turned to shock as she scanned them.
“They can’t do this,” she breathed.
“They can.” Tony put his head in his free hand. He couldn’t remember the last time he didn’t feel tired. “They are.”
“Tony, this orders all of your equipment to become government-regulated property. Including the Iron Man suits.”
“Yep.”
“You can’t sign this.”
“They’re Accords amendments. If I don’t, I’m officially breaking the Accords.”
Pepper was quiet for a long time, and Tony could almost hear that magnificent brain working. “We’ll appeal,” she said finally. “You’re entitled to hash this out in court. And I think our lawyers are better than theirs.”
“Ours certainly cost more than theirs.”
Pepper stroked his hair, pulling his head onto her shoulder. “That’s going to be one hell of a fight,” Tony said quietly. More fighting. Of course. Because why would he ever get a break?
“We’ve fought worse.”
Tony lifted his head so he was looking at her. “This isn’t your fight, Pep.”
“If they’re coming after my company’s tech then yes, actually, it is.” She gave him a small smile. “And if they’re trying to arrest my fiancé after all the deposits have already been made on our wedding? Then that is definitely my fight. No one is messing with my big day."
The words were meant to lighten the mood, but they just made the weight in Tony’s gut feel heavier. “I should be helping more,” he muttered. “You take on too much, Pep.”
“Takes one to know one.” She caught Tony looking at the documents again. “They’ll be there in the morning.”
“I know.”
“But I’ll be in our bed tonight.”
She stood, not letting go of Tony’s hand. He took the hint and stood with her, pulling her in for a kiss on the cheek. “The most capable, qualified, trustworthy person I’ve ever met,” he murmured in her ear.
“Correct. Now come to bed.”
The meeting with Ross went every bit as badly as Tony had thought it would—and then some. Even after his fourth cup of coffee, his brain was still swimming as Ross detailed all the jargon in the hundreds of pages of documents. At least he wasn’t alone. Rhodey was to his right, Pepper to his left, and it was hard to tell whose expression was angrier.
“The Accords were made to rein in the loose cannons that were the Avengers,” Ross was saying. “And yet we allow this technology to be out of control as well.”
“It’s not out of control,” Rhodey argued. “It’s very much in control—our control. Mine and Tony’s names are on the Accords. Why isn’t that enough?”
“And this isn’t the first time this issue has been raised,” Pepper added. “The military tried to persuade Mr. Stark to turn over the Iron Man technology in 2010. The case was closed.”
“And now I’m re-opening it,” Ross said.
“Mr. Stark has signed the Accords and therefore can only use his equipment in accordance with them,” Pepper replied coolly. “The actual acquisition of any of Mr. Stark’s personal or Stark Industries’ technology or patents by the government is off the table.”
“I assure you, Miss Potts—"
"Ms. Potts."
"—it is not.”
“With all due respect, sir,” Rhodey stepped in, voice level. “May I ask what prompted this amendment? The Iron Man suit has never been used against the American government, and Iron Man has only used it in defense of the Accords, risking his personal safety and wellbeing to do so.”
Tony was zoning in and out of the conversation. He knew he should be focusing, but it was all he could do to keep his eyes open. Even after curling into Pepper’s arms last night, he hadn’t found the solace of sleep. He drained his coffee and was looking around for the assistant to order a fifth cup, when Ross’s next words snapped him to attention.
“Stark will sign these amendments, and the government will thereby control all Stark-affiliated technology, including but not limited to any and all variations of the Iron Man suit—including the War Machine—as well as the arc reactor technology, and the synthezoid known as Vision.”
“What?” Tony, Pepper, and Rhodey all spoke at once but Tony was loudest. He hadn’t spoken in nearly half an hour, and all heads turned to him. “Vision isn’t…he’s not mine.”
“The synthezoid is based on your previous AI, JARVIS, is he not?”
“Okay, yes, but—”
“So you designed his programming. You built him.”
“Partly. Some of it was Banner’s.” Tony saw Ross’s nostrils flare at the mention of Bruce’s name, but plowed on. “But he’s not Stark property. He’s not anyone’s property.”
“He is a synthezoid,” Ross said flatly, as though that explained everything.
“He’s a person,” Tony snapped back. “And an Avenger. One of the few who are actually on your side, Ross. So I suggest you don’t piss him off.”
Ross leaned forward on the table, his eyes fixed on Tony. “The amendment is non-negotiable. Either you sign and hand over your technology and designs willingly, or I can arrest you and they become government property anyway—the synthezoid included.”
Tony wasn’t even aware he was standing until he felt Pepper grip his arm in warning. “Our lawyers will be in touch,” the CEO said, her voice all cold professionalism.
The moment they were out of the meeting room, Tony turned to Rhodey and Pepper only to find Rhodey’s hand on his back, pushing forward. “Not here. Just keep moving. Where can we talk?”
“Workshop,” Tony said in a low voice.
They didn’t say a word until they had got there. “FRIDAY?” Tony said. “Grab Vis, would you? He should be a part of this conversation.” He turned to face his best friend and his fiancée. “This is why I hate meetings.”
Pepper was already on the phone, no doubt calling every lawyer on SI’s pay list. A few moments later, there was a distortion around one wall and Vision drifted through, his face concerned.
“Your AI has informed me of an issue related to the Accords,” the synthezoid said as he landed beside Tony.
“Issue is one word for it.” Tony quickly summed up the meeting for his teammate. “So they want all my shiny toys, essentially. Everything I’ve ever built—including you.” He winced as quickly amended, “Not that I think of you as…that.”
Vision gave him a small smile. “Thank you. But I can understand their logic.”
“I can’t,” Rhodey cut in. “Why are they going after us? We’re on their side.”
Vision considered. “My hypothesis is that the Accords were intended to lead to the government having the entire Avengers team at their disposal. As that is not the case, they are looking at increasing their military force in other areas.”
Tony and Rhodey glanced at each other. “Always weapons,” Tony muttered.
Pepper hung up her phone with a “First thing tomorrow, no exceptions” before rejoining the conversation. “Weapons?”
“The suits want to give the US army a makeover.” Tony leaned back on one of his workbenches, his knuckles turning white as he gripped it. “An army in red, white, and blue Iron Man suits. And I’m guessing they wouldn’t mind a few of you, Vis, either.”
“They couldn’t build another Vision, could they?” Pepper said.
“The circumstances of my making were rather unique, and would be difficult to replicate,” the synthezoid supplied.
“Yep, you’re one of a kind, bud. But I don’t think Ross and his lackeys see it that way.” Tony looked at the others. “So. We need a plan here. Preferably a legal one.”
“Our legal advisory is looking into it now,” Pepper replied. “We should have a rebuttal to the amendments by morning.”
“In the meantime, we'll be putting in some fail-safes,” Rhodey added. “Getting any technology we can, including the suits, somewhere as safe as possible so, if it comes to a raid, they find nothing.” He looked to Pepper. “That goes for Stark Industries too.” Pepper nodded.
“It may be convenient timing to send Vis on one of those top-secret missions he sneaks away on,” Tony said.
“What top-secret missions?” Rhodey frowned. “I haven’t heard about any missions.”
Tony glanced back at the synthezoid and, for a split second, he could have sworn the purple face looked guilty. “Vis?”
“I go where I am needed,” Vision replied simply.
“Right now you’re needed to not be here,” Tony said. “Pepper—you deal with the tech at Stark Industries. Rhodey—lock up anything we have lying around the Compound.”
“Tones, we don’t leave top-secret weapons lying around.”
Tony ignored Rhodey and said, “I’ll stay here and make sure everything online is untouchable as well. Which it is, but no harm in checking twice. Was meaning to do a security upgrade anyway.”
“And what purpose do you have for me?” Vision asked.
“Just hang back five minutes, cool?” Tony clapped Rhodey on the shoulder and gave Pepper a kiss on the cheek. “We’ll get through this. We always do.”
After they had left, Tony turned to see Vision watching him with a curious expression. “Going to let me know what’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Simply that leadership could suit you, if you let it.”
Tony scoffed at that, quickly changing the subject. “FRIDAY, begin the Alcatraz Protocol. Lock everything down—suits included.”
“On it, Boss.”
“Thanks, Fri.”
“Did you have a question for me?” Vision asked. Tony had a second rush of déjà vu—JARVIS’s voice echoing through his workshop. Not JARVIS, though. Tony had to suppress a sigh. He adored FRIDAY, but she hadn’t quite filled the hole JARVIS had left.
“Those top-secret missions…” Tony turned back to the synthezoid. There it was again—that faint look of guilt. “They’re not related to this, are they?”
Vision seemed to relax slightly at the question. “I can assure you, they are not.”
“Yeah, okay.” Tony picked up a stray pen from one of the workstations and started beating it against his palm. “You know, I’m not really a fan of being out the loop. It feels nice to be included—invited to the party, as it were.”
Vision gave him a small smile. “I apologize for not being able to divulge more information. Please be assured it is in your best interests not to know.”
“I’m of the strong opinion that knowing things is generally a good thing.” Like when your so-called friend’s old military buddy turns out to have murdered your parents.
“It would place you in a compromised position that I would not like to be responsible for.”
“I am all about compromised positions.” Tony grinned before realizing the innuendo was lost on the synthezoid. “Never mind. Whatever it is, I am asking you to tell me.”
“And I am asking you to trust me.”
The tapping pen finally paused. “Alright,” Tony relented. “I trust you.”
“Thank you, Tony.”
“Vis?” Tony went from tapping to twisting the pen in his hands. “You know…I mean I know you know, but just checking. I don’t think of you as something I built or created or whatever Ross is going to call it when he comes from us. I know you’re your own person. You know that right?”
“That I am my own person?”
“That I don’t consider you…property.” He winced. “Sorry."
“Of course I am aware of that.”
“Okay. Because I think this battle with Ross…it’s going to be a tough one. And he might throw some terminology out there that’s…not the best. And I just wanted to be sure—”
Tony stopped when he felt a heavy metal hand on his shoulder. “I consider you a friend too, Tony.” Then the synthezoid left the room. Through the wall.
Tony took a deep breath, the tiredness returning in full force. He should sleep. Get a full night’s rest before he went toe-to-toe with Ross in the morning.
Instead, he turned back to his screens and got to work.