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"You believe he will use Bucky?" whispered Steve.
"On me, yes. He's threatened me. The Red Book is now missing. It fits." Tony hoped he was wrong.
"He'll want to get revenge and he'll try to make it public, to try to split us apart by using Barnes." His fingers ran over his phone screen. "FRIDAY?"
"Is everything alright, boss?" her voice echoed through the room. "Something… a virus…"
"I know." Tony growled. "We're fine. Can you check on Barnes? His location?" He hoped they still had time.
If Ross got his hands on the Winter Soldier…. It didn't bare thinking about. "If I'm right about this, Ross will not get his own hands dirty publicly. He'll do it privately, behind the scenes."
"Tony… are you sure?" Natasha had caught on.
She was remembering the previous events too.
"I am."
"What is it?" Steve wasn't partial to what they knew about the future.
Their own knowledge was enabling them to jump to new conclusions of what could happen.
"Ross doesn't like the Accords as they are. He's also facing an investigation for keeping information from the President. He's looking at a prison sentence for treason though he has been given bail." Tony had been keeping that little nugget of information to himself.
"He's got nothing left to lose. He'll try to disrupt the Accords signing with the Winter Soldier and attempt to get me in the process." Tony said.
Steve fists banged on the table hard. "Damn it!"
Surprised by the outburst, Tony stepped away from Steve. "We need you here, Cap."
"I should be there for Peggy! I can't miss her funeral! But this…"
"Barnes needs you," said Natasha quietly. "Peggy is gone but you still have Barnes and if Tony is right and Ross does send the Winter Soldier after him then we need you there with us. You're the only one Barnes will listen to."
Steve sagged onto Tony's chair.
"Steve, the choice is yours," said Tony. "I'm not going to force you to do anything you do not want to do. But if Barnes shows up…"
"You need another super-soldier…" muttered Steve. "I'll stay."
"FRIDAY? Have you got a report on Barnes location?" asked Tony.
"Negative, boss," the A.I confirmed. "Barnes is gone. I've scanned the apartment, it's a mess. All the CCTV from the area has been deleted. I cannot trace him."
Steve slammed his fist down on the table again. He was angry this was happening at the inappropriate time.
"Damn." Tony had been afraid of this. "I think… we can only assume Ross has Barnes and the Red Book."
Natasha paced the office. "He must know we would realise he'd be behind this. He hasn't exactly been subtle."
"He's got nothing left to lose, Nat. We can play him at his own game."
"You've got a plan?" asked Steve.
"Sure have," smirked Tony. "The Accords signing is the perfect place to attack since no weapons are allowed. Ross has made this personal. I do not believe he will get the Winter Soldier to assassinate me. He'll make him capture me. Ross has nothing left to lose save his own life. He's at the point where he doesn't care. He knows we will make the connection between him and the Winter Soldier. My best guess is he'll have Barnes bring me to him where he will then kill me himself. And then have the Winter Soldier kill him, effectively blaming the Winter Soldier for our deaths."
"What if you're wrong and you're shot dead?" Steve grimaced.
"I won't be." If there was one thing he was certain of, it was the idea he wouldn't be shot dead.
Tony attributed it to the mysterious voices giving him that particular feeling without actually confirming it inside his head.
"If I'm right and I am taken, you can track me. I have a tracker in my arm. FRIDAY can access it and tell you my exact location. Unless Ross pre-empts that you should be able to follow easily. I suspect he'd be waiting nearby." Tony explain to Steve and Natasha.
"You'd allow yourself to be taken?" Natasha asked.
"If it was evident that was what the Winter Soldier was aiming for, yes. Best way to catch Ross. He'll hate me even more though if we stop him but he's only got himself to blame. I think it's the best option we have," said Tony. "This way we end the threat Ross poses for good."
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Wednesday 22nd June
The day of the Accords signing dawned bright and early. They'd travelled overnight to Vienna. Tony had purposefully left his Arc Reactor behind.
The whole point of the Accords was to show co-operation with the other economies of the world.
Walking into the signing with his Arc Reactor would be stating he didn't really support them.
He could have hidden it underneath his clothes but for his plan to work to expose Ross he needed to be defenceless.
Though Tony was never really defenceless.
Not these days anyway. The watch of his wrist was a testament to that.
Both Steve and Nat were combat fighters, able to fight without weaponry though Nat had hidden a few small Widow Bites in her sleeves which were undetectable to the scanners as they walked into the building holding the Accords.
Steve had been forced to leave his shield behind, something he hadn't been happy about but had ultimately accepted anyway.
Tony was dressed in a suit with a lanyard around his neck holding his badge stating both his position on the Accords Committee and his role as Iron Man.
Not all the Avengers were joining them.
Clint had elected to stay at home with his family though had signed in advance, as had Wanda, Vision and Sam.
Rhodey had decided to attend the ceremony in Vienna and Tony had informed him of Ross' threat to him and his feeling he would be attacked here.
Rhodey hadn't been too happy about his best friend putting himself in danger but Tony had insisted.
Tony walked around the conference hall, talking to various representatives, keeping an eye out for any danger.
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POWER STONES!!!
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