Under Captain America's unparalleled reputation and moral authority, the Superhuman Registration Act—which once sparked fierce resistance—was pushed through with almost no opposition. By reframing registration as joining Captain America's personal command, the law no longer felt like a threat to freedom. Superheroes no longer feared their identities being misused by the government. Public support surged.
Everyone trusted that any team led by Captain America would act with justice.
Even the most rebellious vigilante could not deny that Steve Rogers was the only man worthy of holding such power.
Under his leadership, registered heroes quickly replaced the government military in handling riots and unrest across the country. Miraculously, they minimized casualties on both sides, and the public viewed their interventions far more favorably than those of the armed forces.
Media sentiment swung decisively behind Captain America. Each successful operation only strengthened that momentum.
Then came their greatest achievement: a mission deemed impossible.
They subdued the rampaging Hulk and brought him safely back to the United States.
No one knew how they did it. Even the heroes present swore they had done nothing—they had merely watched Captain America walk up to the enraged Hulk… and watched Hulk collapse, reverting into Bruce Banner.
This mystery was too great for Tony Stark to ignore.
As the newly appointed Secretary of Defense, Tony headed to the White House seeking answers. He and Steve often disagreed politically, but cooperation between them had remained solid—thanks to Marcus's prior instructions urging Tony to avoid direct confrontation with Steve wherever possible.
Without Marcus's influence, Tony would never have tolerated Steve's idealistic policy decisions.
Tony pushed open the door to the Oval Office and saw an unusual sight:
Captain America buried in paperwork.
Not training.
Not leading troops.
Just drowning in administrative chaos like any other overworked bureaucrat.
"Hey, Tony," Steve groaned without looking up. "Don't tell me you're here to dump another stack of reports on me. As you can see, I'm already buried alive."
He spread his hands helplessly. He simply wasn't suited for this work. Even with only four hours of sleep a day, he could barely keep up with the endless demands of Congress and the federal departments.
Tony held up a bottle of red wine.
"Relax. I'm not here for paperwork. I'm here to talk."
"Oh, thank God." Steve leaned back with visible relief. He pressed the intercom.
"I need privacy for an important discussion with the Secretary of Defense. Hold all calls and meeting requests until I say otherwise. Thank you."
His secretary's panicked voice crackled through the speaker:
"But Mr. President, you already have over ten urgent—"
"I'll handle them later," Steve cut in and ended the call without hesitation.
He exhaled heavily.
"If you're not busy, Tony… I'd prefer this talk to last a while."
Tony smirked.
"When am I ever not efficient? My workload for today is already done."
Steve shot a longing look at the mountainous pile of documents on his desk.
"For once, I'm genuinely jealous."
He rubbed his temples.
"Congress has rejected nearly everything I propose. The only thing I've managed to get passed is the Registration Act—and that was your draft. Everything else is 'revise and resubmit.' I can't keep this up."
Tony understood.
Becoming president didn't erase Steve's conflict with Congress—it inflamed it.
But Tony wasn't here to discuss politics.
"Alright, Steve. I'm not here for your therapy session." He leaned forward.
"I want to talk about the Hulk."
"Hulk?" Steve blinked, confused. "What did he do now?"
"Nothing. He's resting peacefully."
Tony's voice lowered.
"I want to know how you calmed him. He wasn't in a 'punch him until he knocks out' mood. What exactly did you do?"
Steve's expression shifted instantly. The discomfort was obvious. After several seconds of hesitation, he finally admitted:
"You're right. I didn't do it alone. Someone helped me. But… he doesn't want his identity known."
"Not even to me?" Tony pressed.
"I swore I wouldn't reveal it."
Tony froze.
This wasn't a small secret.
Someone powerful enough to pacify the Hulk was aiding Steve in the shadows—and was hiding deliberately.
"Fine," Tony said, standing up. "If you won't tell me, I'll find out myself. That doesn't violate your oath, does it?"
"Tony, you don't understand," Steve warned.
"If people find out he's still alive, it'll cause a massive crisis."
That only confirmed Tony's suspicions—this mysterious ally wasn't some new hero.
It was someone presumed dead.
Someone dangerous.
But Tony Stark was Tony Stark.
Warnings only fueled his curiosity.
He said nothing more, turned, and headed out.
He had learned enough.
If the answer wasn't with Steve, then he would go directly to the other witness—
Bruce Banner.
Tony slid into his car and drove straight toward the military hospital where Banner was recovering.