Marvel: My Sign-in System

NOTICE: By those who got confused last chap.

Pierce got offscreen'ed

...

"Who do you think you are? You're just an old relic who should have stayed buried in history!"

Tony's angry voice echoed through the conference room at SHIELD headquarters. His face was flushed with rage as he glared at Steve Rogers, the man who had once been his father's best friend.

The room bore the scars of a recent battle. Though it had been hastily cleaned, the shattered floor-to-ceiling windows and scuffed walls were evidence of the fierce confrontation that had taken place here. Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and other SHIELD agents stood by, their expressions varied as they watched the heated exchange between Iron Man and Captain America.

"Stark—" Steve began, his tone firm despite his evident helplessness. He couldn't let Bucky be killed, no matter what Pierce had revealed.

But Tony wasn't interested in listening. His stance was resolute.

"I'll find that video," Tony spat. "And if it proves he killed my parents, he's dead. No exceptions."

"Stark, he didn't have a choice—"

"My father was your friend too!" Tony snapped, cutting him off.

With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out, leaving Steve standing there, his expression a mixture of guilt and frustration.

Logan stood to the side, puffing on a cigar as he observed the scene. A former soldier himself, he couldn't recall if he'd ever fought alongside Captain America, but something about the man irritated him. Still, Logan had no intention of getting involved.

"What a mess," he muttered.

Nick Fury gave Maria Hill a pointed glance, signaling her to leave. Once she had exited, Fury slowly turned to Steve, his one good eye scrutinizing him.

"Originally, I wanted you on board for some vengeance missions," Fury said. "But now... well, that seems unlikely."

Steve shook his head, his voice low. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm not in the right frame of mind for that."

Fury leaned back, his tone turning pointed. "You should think about it. Stark's made up his mind, and let's be honest: as the last living Hydra operative and a brainwashed super-soldier, Bucky's options aren't great. Even if he avoids death, his future won't be much better."

The brutal truth hung heavy in the room. Steve wasn't naïve; he understood Fury's implications.

"I won't let him end up in a lab," Steve said firmly. "He's suffered enough already. He was a hero once."

"No one's denying that," Fury replied. "But he's also dangerous. A ticking time bomb, ready to go off with the right trigger—a word, an image, a sound. You know what someone like him could do if he's reactivated."

Steve clenched his fists. He knew Fury wasn't wrong, but he couldn't abandon Bucky. After a moment of silence, he asked, "What are the conditions?"

Fury raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

"You've thought this through, Director. What do I need to do to protect him?" Steve's calm, measured tone betrayed his inner turmoil.

Fury smirked, unfazed by being called out. "You need to adapt. Learn to navigate this era. And contribute to this world. That's the price."

Steve sighed inwardly. He'd expected this. Fury's earlier warnings had been nothing more than groundwork for his proposal.

"Can you save him?" Steve asked.