In The Name Of The Law (Osborn)

[Revan]

I'M GONNA FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT
today i'm speaking my mind
AND IF IT KILLS ME TONIGHT, I WILL BE READY TO DIE
--------------------

Carol would be lying if she said she had expected things to work out like this. After her talk with Tony, she decided the best course of action really would be to go to President Osborn himself. That being said, meeting with the POTUS wasn't exactly someone could just did. She had sent a letter to him, though didn't know if he would even receive it. Apparently he had, because now she was sitting in the freaking White House waiting for her meeting with him. The letter she had sent him had been one of importance for her:

Dear President Osborn,

I know you are busy with a lot of things at the moment, but I feel this is an issue that needs to be brought to you directly. After my part in the events at McKinney Texas, I have learned perhaps better than most the importance of regulating superhuman activity. The potential damage we can cause is immense if we're not careful. While not something I intended, I feel the Superhuman Registration Act is needed. It helps us keep track of powered individuals, what they can do, and provide training to those interested in using their powers for good. This is a good thing for the country and the world.

The problem is that there are still those actively flaunting their dissent of this law. This has been happening since the act began and continues to this day. I'm sure this is information you already know, however, the issue at hand is how SHIELD and the Avengers have become more and more lax about enforcing this law. When registration first came about, both of those groups actively fought to apprehend everyone that broke the new law. Except, once the face of the opposing group, Steve Rogers, was apprehended things started to calm down. There are still so many unregistered that remain active. Even teenagers running around as if this is a game. They could get hurt, or worse, unintentionally cause someone else harm. Someone innocent. That is not a guilt a child should have to live with. I know that guilt well. And you, I know your past. It's said you've reformed, and if that's true than you must know that guilt too. Causing the harm of an innocent, even if unintentional or because of outside influences - that guilt doesn't just vanish. We both know that guilt, but we should make certain that a child never does. And that's just the impact of the individual, never mind the impact on those caught up in one, single, accident. It's too much for us to just blindly ignore because some of those individuals are former allies and friends. We can not become complacent in this.

I believe SHIELD has. Unregistered superhumans are constantly engaging in battles and we just let them go. Excuses are thrown about, 'bigger fish' or 'we'll just get them next time'. We can not fall into this habit. It's too dangerous and the cost will be far too great before we realize the error of our ways. We need to go back to taking a firm stance against allowing unregistered to run free. It's the law, and an important one. There's no point to the act at all if we don't hold everyone too it. I have already spoken with Tony Stark, my Avenger superior, about this. He seems willing to allow it to continue. To let our people decide to enforce it or not based on their own viewpoints. I do not agree with this stance.

This is why I now write to you. As President of the United States, I would say your position on this is all the more important. I'd like to know where you stand. Do you agree with Stark? Perhaps I'm over sensitive because of what happened in Texas and you think he has the right approach. Or do you agree with me? If so, I would like to see some action to get us back on the right track. I will help with that in anyway I can. I don't make it a habit of going over my CO's head, but I feel this is too important to leave you out of the conversation. Either way you choose however, Mr. President, I will follow your orders.

Thank you for your time,

Colonel Carol Danvers, former US Air Force/Captain Marvel, Avenger

And now here she was. She didn't know why yet, but she had to hope he didn't have her come all the way to Washington to tell her to just follow Stark's orders. Could have just sent that in a message. Still, she was a bit nervous. She fidgeted in her seat every now and again and kept fixing her outfit. She had made sure to dress up properly for the occasion. The anxiety came from this being a big step. Plus, she wasn't sure how Tony would feel about all of this. He had mentioned Osborn, and even that the president didn't seem to see eye to eye with him on the matter. Which would mean that he probably was on her side here. Still, even having suggested Osborn, she didn't know if Tony expected her to throw his name in with the people she felt being too lax. In fact, Stark was at the core of it all being in charge of both SHIELD and the Avengers. He claimed he still enforced the law, but she just wasn't seeing it. It was her duty to report that.

Finally Carol was broken from her thoughts when a secretary told her it was time. She was lead through the halls and shown through the door to Osborn's office. Carol took a deep, steady breath and walked in. She had to do this. The door was closed behind her.

"Thank you for meeting with me, Mr. President." she said as her eyes fell on the man himself, "I know there are a lot of demands on your time."

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A HERO'S NOT AFRAID TO GIVE HER LIFE

[bio858]

The arrest towards the new Spider-Man proved to be a PR nightmare. With the chopper, live gunfire, bomb-threat, and the use of force upon a rogue HAMMER agent, everything that could have gone wrong did. And it frustrated Osborn to no end. Having to have constant press conferences on the daily, just to assure the public that he had Jack Lastman under the strictest security measures within solitary confinement. Yet that still wouldn't be enough to comfort his constituents. So, when he got that letter from Carol Danvers, the one who ironically helped set up this whole registration business in the first place that helped get him elected, well, he had to admit he was a bit interested.

So, with him staring out the window of the oval office, he'd hear the sound of the double doors open up. And with the sound of foot steps right after, he knew the woman had entered inside. With the security agents closing up the doors, Norman would casually turn around to address the publicly controversial Avenger.

"That's an understatement Ms. Danvers. Have a seat. Please."

Whether or not the Avenger accepted the offer, Osborn would walk in front of his desk to slightly sit down on its edge. Looking up at the would-be hero, there was a slight smirk on his face. Despite all his private frustrations, he still felt strangely in control of this situation. As if he was simply aiming to test the Captain's mettle, and see just what exactly her exact limits were when regarding registration.

"So tell me, why should I bring you into my services? I've been spending a lot of my time with PR mop up. And let's just say, the public aren't exactly your biggest fans. In fact, some of my biggest supporters claim I should make a big example by having you locked up in the Raft, rather than serve your punishment in service of the government. So again, tell me why I should bring you aboard?"

[Revan]

I'M GONNA FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT
today i'm speaking my mind
AND IF IT KILLS ME TONIGHT, I WILL BE READY TO DIE
--------------------

Osborn invited her to sit, so Carol walked into the room, entering from a corner. She headed to the center where there were a couple of couches and chairs circling a coffee table. She circled around one couch and sat in the one across from it with her back to the rose garden. She didn't want to be distracted by the lovely place during this meeting. Osborn started them off, and he was very direct. While she had certainly said she was willing to help get registration enforcement more active again and was incredibly willing to be a part of something he had in mind, she hadn't outright suggested it. She was hoping more he'd get on Tony's case about being stricter with the law breakers. Maybe people trying to get things for themselves was a constant he had to deal with in this job and he just assumed the worst. She also bristled a bit when he brought up the McKinney incident the way he did. She was here to help with enforcing the laws of this country, laws that were being fragrantly violated. Despite that, the first thing he did was bring up his PR and throw her own public standing in her face. Was that all he cared about?

"Yes, it's true there are still plenty of people who are uneasy about me being around. But I was let off because of the evidence of telepathic tampering, so my being free is perfectly justified. When you have rough patches in your history, there will always be those who find it hard to see past that. As someone who used to fly around in a green mask chucking bombs at whatever he felt like, I would think you'd understand that well." she replied coolly, her eyes narrowing at him. Not everyone bought his reformation, after all. Just like not everyone believed she was responsible for what happened in McKinney, "But if you think that's the best way to handle the situation, then go ahead and have me arrested. Lock me up right now. I won't even fight it. What happened was bad and I'll take the punishment. Of course, that wouldn't help you at all. Plenty of unregistered would still be running around, Stark would still be going easy on them, and you'd still be right where you are except minus one person that actually cared about upholding the laws of this country. If you care more about your PR than that, then you might as well lock me up. Nothings going to get done around here anyway if that's the case." she said, crossing her arms.

"On the other hand, you should want someone around who cares about enforcing the laws, especially if you are so worried about PR. People are going to start noticing the slack. Just one unregistered teen vigilante who thinks they don't have to because it just seems to be a suggestion at this point causing some damage or getting someone hurt - Then watch what happens to your PR ratings. They'll nosedive because you didn't take a more proactive stance when you should have." she stated. The last thing they needed was another McKinney before people started to listen to her, "And it doesn't need to be me. If you don't want me around because you think I'll hurt your image, then fair enough. I'll keep out of the way. I'd rather not be a detriment to any action being taken to protect the law. But it needs to be someone. And that person is going to take flak from everyone anyway. So you want to know why you should bring me aboard? Because I've already had so much shit flung at me I don't care anymore. I don't care if they hate me, I don't care if they vilify me. I'm the person willing to protect everyone whether they like it or not." she said. At some point during her impassioned speech, she had stood up without really realizing it. So it seemed she actually did want to be apart of it. Maybe because she was starting to feel like the only one that still cared enough. The only one that wanted to do things right. This wasn't an easy thing to enforce. The person doing it had to be unwavering, no matter what others said or did. And now was when she realized she believed herself the best one for the job. She meant what she had said, if she wasn't a part of it then that was fine as long as something was happening. She'd step aside. But now she felt that if this task was going to be done properly, she just might be the only person ready to make sure that it was.

--------------------

A HERO'S NOT AFRAID TO GIVE HER LIFE

[bio858]

After Carol had finished her impassioned speech, Norman couldn't help but applaud. Though said applause would be followed up by a bit of a chuckle, but that was less out of amusement and more out of awe.

"Haha, bravo Ms. Danvers. Bravo. That's all I needed to hear. But I have to correct you on one thing. That whole episode with the green mask and glider, well, those crimes are all alleged. Brainwashing to cover up the original's trail and frame me for their crimes. Not the first time something like that has happened of course. The FBI are still looking into the other Green Goblin imitators, all in the hopes to find the real deal. I'm sure you of all people can relate."

Everything he said was of course a lie, but he had made sure to leave quite the paper trail with his newfound resources as President. The only real way to confirm his lie was through telepathy, but given his claim of brainwashing, such evidence could be thrown out in court given his manipulated mental state at the time. In short, he had covered most of his bases. But enough about him. More about the woman in front of him. The would-be Avenger could prove a tremendous asset in his goals. Though he had to be careful how to use her. If she suspected for a second of his more nefarious plans, well...she could prove more trouble than she's worth.

"Anyways, you're right. I need someone like you taking charge in the registration front. I could tell Tony to be more stringent, but you and I both know he's a loose cannon. Always has and will forever be one, till the day he dies I imagine. I need someone like you who can actually set their foot down, especially with these new line of vigilantes on the rise. I've tried to be forceful in our arrests, but the one of our superhuman assets went rogue within the field. I need someone more trustworthy. I need you, as much as I hate to admit it. Though, I imagine you still have some questions you want answered first before filling out all the paperwork to make your joining official?"

[Revan]

I'M GONNA FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT
today i'm speaking my mind
AND IF IT KILLS ME TONIGHT, I WILL BE READY TO DIE
--------------------

It seemed she had managed to say what he wanted to hear. She didn't really like being toyed with, but the ends could justify the means so she'd forgive his little goading to see how committed she was. She just needed to get things operating properly again. The thing is, once everyone got used to the law then it would be easy enough to follow. But before that they had to be unyielding in their enforcement of it. Draw the line. Once people got used to where the line was, they'd stop crossing it. At least, the good people would. The bad ones never did care about where the line was.

"Fair enough. Then you were mind controlled and I was mind controlled. Seems we're on the same page." she replied to his own defense as she retook her seat on the couch. She had already chosen to believe he was reformed now, so there was no point in debating the matter. She'd just operate as if that were true. In this moment that was the best thing for all parties involved, including the country. And as long as he kept operating toward what was best for the people, then she had no issues with him. One thing she was liking about Norman Osborn though - he was getting right to the point.

"Tony is like that, yeah. He wants the registration, I believe that, but he wants to enforce things his way. Personally..." Carol hesitated a moment as she considered bad-mouthing her superior and friend, but it was his fault things came to this in the first place, "I get the feeling he's intentionally letting people off. For deeper reasons than just sentimentality. Kinship isn't enough for him to play nice like that. I don't know what his plans might be, but I don't think it's right to pick and choose when you enforce the law." she said.

"As for questions, I do have some. Since it seems you want me in charge, I'd like to know exactly what your expectations are and how you'd like me to operate. Do I do this solo, or do I have people to work with? If so, how many and who?" she asked.

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A HERO'S NOT AFRAID TO GIVE HER LIFE

[bio858]

"Hmmm, you know what Carol? I can call you Carol right? How about I let you have a team of whoever you want? Provided you all deliver results of course."

Osborn was used to having his Director personally vet each and every member for each team within the HAMMER agency. Especially since some of the recruits were former villains. Though he learned from personal experience that such vetting didn't turn out entirely in Osborn's favor, especially in regards to the one codenamed Mr. Malicious.

"There is one particularly target I would wish to test you and your chosen team on, just to help reassure the public that registration does NOT restrict our heroes from properly capturing these so called villains. That is, whenever you accept my offer. I've learned that the American people seem quite concerned that registration has somehow distracted our heroes from properly doing their jobs, given they seem concerned that my bureaucracy is simply focused on forcing hero against hero. So I need people like you to prove overwise. That we can take out these so-called villains and focus on keeping the people safe by keeping these illegal heroes from performing violent acts out on the streets."

He'd pause a bit, before addressing the Avenger further to see what else she wanted to ask.

"Hopefully an offer like that sounds appealing to you? Granted, your team would also answer to my Director of HAMMER and ultimately to me by the end of the day. You're fine with that, right?"