Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Accusation
"Damn it!"
Tony Stark slammed his palm against the console, his frustration echoing in the quiet confines of the makeshift command center at Leipzig Halle Airport in Germany. The latest news replayed in his mind, making his already tense situation feel insurmountable.
"That guy—does Thor think the situation isn't chaotic enough? Now he's practically daring the world to escalate into open conflict between superhumans and ordinary people!"
His irritation was justified. Yesterday's events had already spiraled out of control. With the help of Black Panther and the CIA, the Winter Soldier had been captured and held securely for transport. But during a routine medical examination, Bucky Barnes had gone berserk. In the chaos that followed, Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson helped him escape. Now, the situation teetered on the edge of catastrophe.
Adding to the pressure, General Ross had issued an ultimatum: Tony had 36 hours to bring in the rogue Avengers, including Steve, Bucky, and anyone aiding them. Failing that, harsher measures would be enacted.
But Tony had realized something far more disturbing. The council's true objective wasn't Bucky. They were using him as bait, a convenient excuse to eliminate Captain America and his faction—anyone who resisted the Sokovia Accords. The Vienna bombing had been a spark, and now the fire was spreading uncontrollably.
Tony sighed, his unease growing. "Steve and his group… we can still talk to them. They want better terms for the Avengers, something fair. But Thor? He's made his stance painfully clear. That press conference wasn't a discussion—it was a declaration of war."
Vision, standing nearby with his usual calm detachment, spoke in his measured tone. "Perhaps that was his intent all along. Lord Thor may desire the conflict to escalate."
Tony's jaw tightened, his knuckles whitening as he clenched his fists. "If that's true, then those morons on the council are playing right into his hands."
Shaking his head, Tony refocused on the task at hand. Across the tarmac, Steve Rogers and his team stood firm, waiting for him to make the next move. Activating his communicator, Tony raised his voice, directing it toward his old friend.
"Steve, listen to me. Come back with me. You, Bucky, and everyone else—you'll all get a fair trial."
Steve's voice came through, resolute as ever. "No, Tony. You're chasing the wrong man. Bucky didn't do this."
Tony groaned in frustration. "Steve, your judgment's clouded. Your friend killed people—yesterday, dozens of them. How can you deny that?"
"It wasn't him," Steve countered firmly. "There's a doctor—Zemo. He's the real threat. There are five other super-soldiers like Bucky. If we don't stop him, he'll find them first. Trust me on this."
Tony's patience was wearing thin. "Trust you? Steve, I'm trying to hold this team together, but you're making it impossible! And you've dragged Clint into this mess—"
"Tony," Steve interrupted, his tone cold and final, "the moment you signed those accords, the Avengers were gone."
The words hit Tony like a blow. For a moment, he stood there, stunned, before his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Maybe you're right," he admitted quietly. "But none of that matters now. Hand over the Winter Soldier. Don't make this harder than it has to be."
Steve shook his head, his voice heavy with regret. "I can't do that. I'm sorry, Tony."
With those words, the fragile peace between them shattered. For the first time since the Avengers' founding, the team was on the brink of tearing itself apart.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Thor reclined on a sunlit terrace at Trudheim Manor. The tension that plagued the rest of the Avengers seemed nonexistent here. Instead, Thor appeared utterly at ease, lying on a chaise lounge while Peggy Carter massaged his shoulders.
From nearby, Sharon Carter smirked. "I don't know about your sore shoulders, but the noise from last night? That's definitely why my back hurts."
Thor chuckled, the sound rich with mischief. "Ah, Sharon. Perhaps I should've invited you to join us. A little exercise might've helped you sleep better."
Sharon rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her amusement. "As if I'd risk that. You two were loud enough as it is."
Natasha Romanoff, seated at a nearby desk with her laptop, typed away, her brow furrowed as she scrolled through social media feeds. "You're a trending topic, Thor," she said flatly. "Half of Twitter is calling for your head. Some are even comparing you to tyrants like the Red Skull. They're demanding you be charged with crimes against humanity. Care to respond?"
Thor laughed heartily, waving a dismissive hand. "Explain myself? Hardly. This outrage is exactly what I wanted."
The others exchanged uneasy glances. "Why would you want that?" Natasha pressed.
Thor's expression turned cold, his eyes glinting with the weight of millennia. "Let me tell you a story," he began, his tone almost mocking. "There was once a bully—hated by everyone in his village. One day, he performed a good deed, and suddenly he was praised as a hero. Meanwhile, a kind man who had always helped his neighbors fell ill, and the same villagers turned on him, calling him selfish."
His gaze swept over them, hard and unyielding. "Mortals are fickle. Gratitude is fleeting. If reason can't solve a problem, violence will."
His words hung in the air like a storm cloud, their implications chilling. Yet Thor remained unbothered, his smile as carefree as ever.
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[Chat Group For The Dead : Start From One Piece]
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