"Go fuck your orders" and then the line went dead.
Phil put down the phone, as the call had gone exactly as he'd expected. Across the desk from his General Ross sat, looking just as angry as Peter had sounded and the lead members of the Avengers, Captain America and his protege Agent Webb were sitting outside, angrily holding slips of paper, which Colouson knew were their orders.
Sam and Scott had read them and shrugged. Sam was used to Shield's operating procedure and Scott was on probation for his involvement in Hank Pym's very illegal and very dangerous quantum field technology. They had both accepted the orders, much to Steve's annoyance and headed out. They were to contain and confiscate any illegal technology at the Parker Inc building.
That had left Steve and Flash, and right now Steve was not in a good mood. He had dealt with laws like before, campaigned against them and had thought that the US had grown up from the last time. He knew refusing this order could land him in trouble, but principles were more important than orders.
As Ross looked out of the door and motioned to Steve he put a hand on his shoulder, "Behave, son. Getting angry doesn't solve this problem, getting arrested won't do anyone any good." and Steve clenched his teeth but nodded.
Steve stood with his hands behind his back. He had told Flash to sit outside, that it was better if he was there as moral support but left the talking to him. He would teach him how to argue with the top brass, but for today, it was too important for there to be any mistakes.
Coulson leaned back in his chair, "Cap. I can't do anything. My hands are tied, I already phoned Parker and asked him to stand down and he said no," Phil grimaced, "he really said no. I can't send the Avengers out into the streets until this is over. I can however send the Avengers to contain and control Parker's little group. It would be a lot easier on everyone if you just said yes."
Steve said nothing and just glared at Phil. "Fine Fine." and lifting the phone he dialled the number for the command centre. "Get me Senator Malik. It's Coulson."
As the trio waited, Phil nodded, "Yes Sir, I understand." and put down the phone. "The Avengers are grounded. No arguments. Until the Sentinel program completes its mission, You are to stand down. We'll let the orders slide, you get that much for your service Captain."
Steve tensed and let his hands fall by his side, "This is wrong. The Avengers were created to protect people, and I accepted that. I also accepted that the government wouldn't be using untested robots to round up its citizens. I put a stop to Doom doing it, and I will put a stop to my own government," and Steve turned to leave.
"Leave the shield," was all Coulson said,
Steve stopped and turned, "I'm sorry?"
Coulson leaned back, picking up a pen and writing something down. "You heard. You're grounded, Captain. You and Flash disobeyed a direct order. Leave the Shield. What you do in your free time, even if it is visiting Russia, is none of my business. But I won't have you sully that name by using it to disobey an order."
Steve raised an eyebrow, "No. The only stain I'm seeing right now is the one the government is making. So no. This shield was a gift, and it's not government property."
Ross stepped forwards, "Sorry son, not this time. As the officer in charge of the Enhanced Unit, you fall under my command. Leave the shield, Captain Rogers. That is an order."
Steve saluted, "Under Article Ninety of the Uniform Code, I am officially ignoring that order. It is unethical and unconscionable, plus I remember the president saying 'this bullshit order' so I guess, my real commander agrees."
Ross clenched his fist, and steam started to rise from it, "Son, that's a big commitment, you know we don't get to choose. You know civilian lives are at stake here. You-" but Steve raised his hand,
"And that's all bullshit. What did they promise you? A better formula, Stark tech armour of your own. No, this is illegal detainment of innocents, and I won't stand for it, and I'm leaving." As Steve looked Coulson and Ross over, "and you know you can't stop me."
Ross stepped in front of him, "I ain't asking son." and his uniform began to smoke as he swelled to massive proportions. "You ain't the only Enhanced anymore Cap. Now, drop the Shield and we do this nice and easy."
Flash had started speaking to Parker, he really hated anyone being in his mind, even if Webb laughed at him. It was too personal, too intrusive,
Look, I won't blame you if you do, but I'm not holding back. Parker had just said and Flash was about to reply when he heard a roar, and a smouldering Steve crashed through the door of General Ross's office. As he shook himself, and stood, dusting off his armour, he watched as Red Hulk ripped the rest of the door away as he strode through it,
Flash watched as Steve readied his shield, dropping behind it, and readying for Red Hulks attack. His body armour was scuffed and as he bruised off the burned fabric Flash could see the thick armour plated underneath, blackened by the heat from Red Hulk. Webb coated him and he cursed, he was unarmed but he could still help.
Yeah, not an issue. Flash sent him, as his Webb armour slid over him, and he charged towards Red Hulk.
Steve shook his head, "This is my fight Flash. Stay back unless I need you," and Webb nodded.
"Oh, he'll stay out if he knows what's good for him. Striking a superior officer, that's a court-martial Cap. Now, will you come quietly, and we put this down to emotions running high or do we do this the fun way?" Red asked and he cracked his knuckles.
"Fun way it is," and with an underhanded throw Cap's shield ricocheted off a wall and struck Red on the side of the head.
"Cheap shots won't work against me, Cap. Army's training got a lot better since you were at boot."
As the Shield ricocheted towards Red he stuck out a meaty arm, blocked it and flicked it over his arm, burying it into a side wall, "Not good enough." and as Steve crouched to receive his attack, Red brought his hands together, clapping and sending a shockwave through the corridor, stunning Steve and forcing Flash to cover his face with an arm. The screams of the office workers could be heard throughout the building.
As Red Hulk then stuck Steve with a haymaker and he flew down the corridor, tumbling along it before, rolling and righting himself. Slapping out the smouldering top cloth where the heat from Red had set him alight.
Agent Webb had watched as the two combat veterans duked it out, and while Steve was strong and fast, and his shield gave him a huge advantage, it wasn't good enough against a Hulk. Ross was not as strong as Hulk was, but a lot faster and more in control, and Webb knew that he would lose.
It didn't matter though, Steve gave as good as he got, and even the thick red knuckles of Red Hulk were bruised and bleeding as Steve used his superior speed to block each blow with his Shield. As Red Hulk smoked and smouldered the sprinkler system triggered, dousing the trio in water, "Flash, sorry, but run." and Webb looked confused as he saw the haze of steam rising from Red Hulk
"You ain't going nowhere, soldier boy. You're under my command, and I say stand down." but Webb had ignored him.
With a thick fist wrapped around the webbing it smoked and burned as Red realised his heat, "I said stand down," and Webb knew Steve was beaten.
As the Shield swung out once more Red grabbed it in a bigger hand, his form was still swelling, and he lifted Steve off the ground and gut-punched him several times before Steve dropped to the floor, coughing up blood.
"You stay there," Red Hulk stated, and he slammed the shield into a wall, burying it up to its edge. He snorted as Steve tried to stand, "Yeah, see. Parker's little girlfriend might have stabbed me, but she got it all wrong." and as he wrapped a hand around Steve's throat he lifted him from the floor and Steve screamed as his skin began to burn, "That formula, it was enough to let me gamma up again, an' I'm through playing. Nobody can beat me, not you, not that tin can, not Parker, and not even Hulk. Red Hulk is the strongest one there is," and tossing Steve up he grabbed him by the feet and smashed him into the ground repeatedly.
Flash watched on in horror as Red decimated Steve, and he knew he was next. Red might be stronger than Hulk but the look in his eye told Webb he was crazier as well.
One of Steve's lessons had always been, if you can't win, or it looks like you'll lose, there is no shame in retreating to regroup and retaliate, and right now Webb needed to do that.
Coming to meet General Ross they had taken his pulse pistols, and even his armoured form was without its modified web-shooters. In a match of strength, Weeb was outmatched, in a battle of wits and strategy he was beaten by years of experience, so he did what Parker had taught him.
He cheated.
Yelling with the full force of Webb behind him, the psychic shockwave he sent out got Ross reeling, and Webb slid under his legs, and towards the nearest window. Two balls of sticky webbing, a simply acidic formula even Flash could memorise thudded against the bomb and bulletproof glass and as they smoked and hissed he crossed his arms over his face, thickened the symbskin to create a shield like Caps and smashed through it, sending out a web line and swinging out into the skyline.
If Ross followed protocol, he would take Steve to Enhanced holding at the new Gamma camp before they were shipped to the Raft. Webb knew it was somewhere in the Pacific but nobody but the brass knew where.
Steve would be fine. Ross and Coulson wouldn't hurt him, they would take him into custody. As long as he could get free again he would be fine, treated well, and most of all, safe from the repercussions of what came next.
He needed backup and he needed to get to them before they left.
Heading to the warehouse, he hoped that Peter or at least one of the others could help him. He couldn't do this alone.
Red Hulk shrank back down and put the newer power dampening cuffs on Steve. They were supposed to work on Enhanced, but as they had stolen the design and he doubted very much Parker would have helped test them properly he didn't care if they worked on Steve or not. "Coulson. You okay in there?" he yelled and the Director of Shield stepped over what was left of the door.
"You know you should have just let him go. He isn't one of yours." Coulson looked around at the devastation, and as he smoothed down his tie, Ross snorted and shrugged,
"He pissed me off."
"Doesn't matter. Webb's gone, and he'll probably head for Parker. Make sure there aren't any more incidents. There are enough problems without adding in a bunch of hot-headed Gamma troopers as well."
He reached into his pocket he threw Ross his phone, "I mean it. The Thunderbolts are containment, not engagement. The Sentinels are bad enough."
And sneering Ross dilled, calling each of his commanders in turn. "My Gamma troopers follow orders, you don't need to worry."
Coulson raised an eyebrow and looked at the wreckage in the hallway, the dents from the fight and the melted glass where a supposed bomb-proof window used to be, "Sure, no reason at all to worry," he said as he headed back into his office Coulson poured himself a drink. "Make sure you take care of Parker though, unless you think Stark will actually win."
Ross snorted, "You know. If I was a betting man, it seems like you planned this. You knew Cap would never give up his shield, and you knew Webb would defend him. I don't like games, Coulson, and I don't like them being played with my men's lives. Parker might be a boy scout now but we know he doesn't pull his punches when something he cares about is on the line."
Coulson sat back down in his chair, and as he picked up the glass, he swirled it around, "Why'd you think we sent Stark."