124 Trick 123: A life is a life, no matter who it is!

A little bit later

They were lounging around in the lounge area, Sam looked at Rhodey saying "So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Rhodey replied "117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, 'Nah, that's cool. We got this.'"

Sam chuckled and crossed his arms retorting "Man, how long are you gonna play both sides?" Rhodey gave him a confused look, saying "Really?" Sam snorted and confirmed, "Yeah. Really."

Ace was sitting in the air with his legs crossed, reading a copy of the Accords. Vision said "I have an equation." Sam said "Oh, great! This'll clear it up." Vision waved his hand to Tony, saying "In the 8 or so years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced individuals has grown exponentially…"

Ace looked up and said "It's normal. People with powers feel they no longer have to hide. There's many, many more 'enhanced beings' that are just known as people in secret communities. They have governments and systems in place, the United Nations is, quite frankly, overstepping their bounds."

Vision raised a finger, retorting "How many World-Ending events have there been in such communities?" Ace replied "I can assume 2 from my research and experience. Oh, no, three."

Everyone looked at him as he continued "The first war between Wizards and Man, so long ago that it has been lost to history. The first Wizarding World War by a Dark Wizard, and the Second Wizarding War that I took part in stopping." Steve asked "Wizards versus people?"

Ace looked at him and said "You know the words Abra Kadabra?" Steve nodded and Ace added, "The words have been mangled by normal people, but the original words are Avada Kedavra, which is a curse that instantly kills you, no wounds, just death. Poof."

Steve was shocked and Sam asked "You know that one?" Ace nodded, "Naturally." before turning back to the accords, adding "But you have to have a real intent to murderer someone, otherwise it would only hurt a bit."

Rhodey sighed, "Magic is so weird, man." Sam muttered "You can say that again…"

Vision said "So you can say the correlation between enhanced beings and dangerous situations is a given… And in this case, our strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict breeds catastrophe."

Ace fell silent as Vision looked at him, saying "I expect you can agree with this. Surely." Ace frowned and replied "Yes, of course. But to say that the very existence of the Avengers is what is the cause for these events, is absurd." Vision asked "But how so? I-"

Ace held his hand up and went on, "Loki invaded Earth, not to challenge the Avengers. We responded in kind. Would you disagree?" Vision shook his head and retorted "I was not implying that we are the root cause for these events. I was simply suggesting that in certain situations, our existence has incited others to create violence."

Ace shook his hand and said "I don't disagree, it is very true that there will always be challenge. You cannot force peace, there will always be chaos. People are more inclined to evil when given power, this is obvious. What I'm saying is, these things are inevitable. We've tried our best in all situations and as much as I hate to admit… We cannot save everyone. This is a fact of life."

He paused for a moment before adding softly "The Mistress of Death always claims a soul. Some of us may be lucky to have survived death, others have a predestined fate. No man is greater than his neighbor, to have a group send us out like dogs going for a walk is, if I may, delusional at best."

Tony said "So you'd rather us keep on keepin' on?" Ace retorted "I cannot and will not sign these papers. I will not be shackled down, unable to save people when I can. I was shackled once, it will not happen again." Tony sighed and got up as Natasha asked "So?"

Steve said "Don't mind him. He already made up his mind." Tony tapped on a phone and displayed a child saying "Oh that's Charlie Spencer by the way. Computer Engineering Degree. 3.6 GPA. Decided to get some experience in life, where did he go? Sokovia."

Ace flipped the pages and stayed silent, Steve said "Tony." Tony wasn't hearing it as he continued "He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. We won't know because we dropped a building on him when we were kickin' ass."

Ace looked at the kid and said "Like I said. Very unfortunate but-" Tony threw a coffee press in the sink, raising his voice "That's right! It IS unfortunate! And you know why? Because a kid wasn't the only body in Sokovia!"

Ace retorted loudly, "I tried! What do you want from me?! I'm not god! As much as I would love to, I can't save everyone! Turning a country to flower petals isn't easy! I don't know if you've noticed! That kid wasn't the only one dead! But how many lived!? What about Ultron? Hm? Ultron died too. What about those arms dealers in Klaue's ship? They're dead as well!"

Tony retorted "It doesn't matter! The fact is we're responsible!" Ace shouted "And killing the bad guys is okay?! When one kid dies it's a big deal but nobody cares about the bad guys!? They're all life! So when you go blasting a hole through someone's chest, think about his life! How about that?"

Tony held his chest saying "I'm sorry are you telling me, we should protect the bad guys too? Excellent opinion! Next time someone lifts a country, I'll be sure to tell him to stop being so bad!" Ace retorted "That's not what I-"

He let out a breath and calmed down, saying "What I'm saying is, this is a lot more complicated then, this person or this person died. You make the call when you kill someone. You hold the life of that person and you rarely choose mercy. So tell me how are you different from Ultron? Did you even think, for even a moment, that maybe Ultron just wanted to live?"

Tony shouted "ULTRON, mind you, wanted to exterminate the planet!" Ace retorted "ULTRON was a life! A life YOU created! Nevermind the way things turned out, because I don't blame you for creating Ultron! It's unfortunate what happened after, but he was still a life! Why can't you understand that? Criminals are also people!"

Tony put his tongue on his cheek, looking at Ace as he gripped the counter, replying with a smile "Oh. I see. Should I call you Saint Cloak?"

Steve stood up saying "Let's all calm down. Forget about who's right and wrong and focus back on these." as he waved the accords in his hand. He looked at Tony and said "Tony, somebody dies on your watch, you don't just give up."

Tony retorted "I'm not saying we give up." Steve rebuffed him, holding up the Accords, saying "We are if we sign these. This Document only shifts the blame, we need to take responsibility for our actions." Rhodey spoke "I'm sorry, Steve. That is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about… Not the World Security Council. It's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA."

Steve sighed and looked at him, retorting "No. But it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change." Tony walked over and said "That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons could do in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing."

Ace replied "But we're not weapons." Tony looked at him and retorted "You're looking like a weapon to me, Boss. I also have missiles that reduce builds to ashes." Steve replied to Tony, "Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose!"

Tony licked his lips and looked away in frustration as Steve looked around, continuing "What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."

Tony looked at him and said "Here's the tea, Steve. If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty."

Wanda looked at him and said "You're saying they'll come after me." Ace retorted "They won't." Wanda looked at him as he glanced at her, saying "You are safe so long as you don't step out of line." Vision nodded and said "We would protect you."

Wanda looked at Vision as Natasha sighed "Maybe Tony's right." everyone looked at her as she cleared her throat, continuing "If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off…"

Sam leaned in asking "Excuse me, but aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Natasha looked at him and replied "I'm just reading the terrain."

Ace muttered "I bet you'd rather be a dog than get shipped to a soviet prison, eh?" Natasha looked at him and smiled "Oh no, you'd love it. Want me to send you there personally?" Ace snorted and asked "Can you?"

Steve said "Easy." as he looked at the duo, Tony leaned on the couch, asking "I'm sorry. Did I just mishear you… or did you just agree with me?" Natasha looked at him and replied "I want to take it back now…" Tony waved his finger saying "No, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented."

Steve's phone went off and he looked at it, saying "I have to go." Ace's phone rang and he pulled it out, reading the message from Sharon, saying 'I need you… Right now.' Ace didn't say anything, only disappearing instantly.

Tony clapped and said "Two gone. Great, we'll catch up later?" Vision was frowning and Pietro looked at him, glancing at Wanda, before turning back to Vision as he asked "What's wrong?"

Vision frowned and said "I- It may sound absurd but… I think Mr. Cloak is right." Tony looked at him in surprise "You agree with the saint himself?" Vision frowned strangely, saying "Not with everything, but the life matter… I too find that we judge who is important, or rather worthy, of mercy… I think we shouldn't be the ones to cast judgment… A life is a life."

Everyone fell silent and Tony frowned, but stayed silent in the end.

Ace returned home and Sharon hugged him, crying "Aunt Peggy, she…" Ace sighed and hugged Sharon, saying "It's okay, love. When's the funeral…"

A few days later