CHAPTER 109 - PRELUDE TO CHANGE

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[Vision POV]

I can't say I didn't see this coming. 

[Breaking News: The Avengers to face arrest for denying sanctions – says government] 

"Well that happened. I half thought that they'd send out another warning before branding us as criminals." Steve said with a frown on his face as he watched the news.

He then turned to look at me and asked, "What of Tony? Are they going after him too?"

"Unfortunately for them, they can't." I said and waved a sheet of paper in front of him while snickering at the irony. "On paper, he's no longer part of Avengers. Funny that all it takes is ink on a piece of paper and they can't do anything."

Steve sighed in relief since Tony wasn't embroiled in this mess. He was the only one they could publicly attack by placing a lot of sanctions on his company since he's the sole sponsor of the Avengers. 

"What now? I don't think it'll look good if we start beating up law enforcements coming for our arrest."

"True. Can't have them bitching about it and whatnot. We don't have to do anything though." I said, much to his confusion until he looked around where we were and realization dawned on him. 

"Language. Hiding in plain sight?" He asked and I nodded. "None of their satellites can track the Overwatch's location so realistically, we don't have to go anywhere. Well we have to vacate the ground base as that's now private property."

He scratched his head and though he was finding it hard to say, I knew exactly what was bugging him. This overly passionate bear wore his emotions like his suit. 

"Relax, it's temporary. Hell, we don't have to move a bit. We can still use the Compound after the authorities do their check. They'll be begging us to come back with full pardons very soon, just watch." I reassured Steve. 

Unlike me and the Maximoff's who couldn't care less about being branded outlaws, the others had their homes here. Even my logical thinking can clearly see that they'll miss being free men one way or the other. 

"What now?" He asked as we started walking. 

"Turns out that us taking a stand against the Accords and the Registration Act pushed a lot of people to our side. I took the opportunity and sent out a few invitations to local vigilantes and crime fighters, some even across the country and the response has been positive so far."

No one, not even Steve and Tony, had an idea of just how much power we had under us. 

The ULTRON kept a close surveillance on all members who accepted the invitation, making sure that they weren't doing anything questionable. This was why I refrained from inviting those morally gray heroes. Let them just do their own thing. 

All of us were surprised when even the members of the Fantastic Four, minus Reed Richards, accepted the invitation. 

"Our focus now should be on the mutants, thankfully I foresaw this and have a few avenues planned out." I said and we came into a room full of people, mutants specifically. 

Letting Magneto out at the last second was the real pincer. And after two months of back and forths of exchanging ideals, with me pointing out all his flaws, I was glad that I could at least get him to listen. 

I think most of it had to do with his children since Pietro visited him a lot and Wanda sent messages. 

Having him, Raven, and Charles working together on the same front created the result in front of us. 

"I'm still surprised by this. Who knew there were this many displaced mutants across the country?" Steve said in wonder.

"How come they can all fit inside this room? Did you increase the inside of the room?" He asked after seeing over a thousand people fitting easily inside what was once a small room. 

"The opposite actually. Everything that steps inside this room gets shrunk down." I explained. 

"Oh, so that's why I feel a tingle every time I come in here."

"Steve, Alexander." Oh, speak of the devil. 

"Susan, any problems?" Steve asked as Sue called us over. 

"Not really. I think we might need some dampening bracelets for some of the younger mutants. Some have powers prone to sporadically going out of control." She was dressed in a typical doctor's gown with a tablet on her hand, looking completely in her element. 

"Tony and I are working on them." I said after giving her the ones I had stored inside me. 

These bracelets were more like regulators than blockers for mutants still struggling with control. 

It's one of the avenues Sarah was working on for mutants in society. They came in different forms and shapes like earrings, bracelets, watches, necklaces, rings, belts, braces and a lot more. 

Since they weren't blockers, the energy required for them was far lesser than the ones we use to restrain criminals. 

"Thanks. I've sent over the biologics for all the mutants here. No contaminable or harmful bacteria or virus detected." She said as she looked at her tablet. "I was quite surprised at that given most of their diverse anatomy."

"What can we say? We know very little when it comes to species evolution, much less when it's ours. I'm looking over the data you sent over, I'll notify you if I find something." I said to her to which she nodded and left. 

"You know we can't keep sheltering them here, right?" We did a round of checking and after making sure everything was alright we left. 

I shifted back to my android form and touched my chin and mused over my options before answering. "Raven and the others down below are looking into that. We just need a secluded community for the time being until I'm done with the government."

"And that is?" 

"Show the people what they'd be losing if the heroes and mutants leave them on their own."

"And I don't think I need to remind you that you have to keep the civilians out of whatever it is that you're planning, right?"

"Relax Steve. It's just some political games with a little bit of publicity, nothing else. I have it detailed on the network if you want to read through it." I waved off his concerns. 

After Steve and I went our separate ways, I gave Raven the phone call she's been expecting. 

<Hey there, partner. I was beginning to think you've forgotten about me.>

"You can start releasing those information. Is Emma Frost's full cooperation assured?" I asked. I can't have her playing both sides at this juncture.

<You don't have to worry about that. She's been forthcoming with her cooperation.>

"Erik?" She kept quiet for a few seconds before answering, her tone carrying a hint of suspicion. 

<… I don't know what you told him, but he's been strangely cooperative. I'm curious.>

"Don't be. We had a talk is all." I cut the call after that. 

I'm glad I got Raven at my side from the beginning because she's one hell of a capable woman. Along with Emma, they targeted a few politicians on my hit list and some of the information they got were things even I had no idea of. 

Regardless, America and any other county following in its footsteps are going to be shocked speechless. 

If the debacle with Buckman caused a ruckus, then this one was full blown panic, probably civil war if I don't correctly fan the flames towards where I want. 

°°°°°°°

[A few days later] 

America, and the world watching, woke up to the vice president's apology and the internet buzzing with secret files, all stamped from the president's office about the country's agenda for seizing power through wars. 

Not only that, the 'real' reason for the mutant Acts and the plans to force them into signing it and elimination if they refused, came to light. 

Structured blackmail against the country was bare for all to see and the shark's all over the world didn't hesitate to take a bite of it. 

The reason why the Vice president came forward in tears was because his son just awakened as a mutant. 

Whether it was drugs, weapons, fanning the flames of war, black deals, plans for global power, why the Avengers were forcefully sanctioned etc. Everything came out in an unexpected fashion that no one knew how to react until it was too late. 

The stunned world watched in shock and even greater disbelief as they saw the head of the vice president's guard detail pull out a gun and shoot the president in the head for all to see. 

For the next 24 hours no one knew how to correctly react but they knew one thing. 

Everything was about to blow up in a hot mess. 

World War 3? Maybe. 

On the whole earth, less than ten people were privy to why this had happened and even they were shocked as they watched everything play out. 

"Unfortunately for them, a few politicians and military generals are going to be sacrificed for the groundwork." I said as I took a pleasing sip from my cup of tea. 

I was about to take another sip when a red foggy portal started forming a few feet away from me until someone walked through. 

"Hey, Wanda. Good to have you back." I said. I walked towards Wanda who was smiling at me. 

"Heard you've been busy?" She said. 

"Nothing I can't handle." 

All her intended words died as I pulled her close and kissed those red smokey lips of hers. 

I think I've been a little busy recently.