Steve Rogers held the burner phone in the palm of his hand, unable to officially make the decision to actually answer it. It had been a full year since he'd penned the letter to Stark, and Steve wasn't sure he was the right man even if the world needed saving. The news outlets were quiet, so he was fairly sure there was nothing major going on in the cosmos that would require his particular level of expertise. So, why was Tony calling him?

"When phones ring, most people actually answer them," Sam urged. "Maybe he wants to make a mends."

Of course, that was the real problem. Steve had thought a lot about his actions over the last year. He had been so sure he was standing on the side of right. Honestly, he still believed the Sokovia Accords were inherently flawed, but he was ashamed of so many of the decisions he had made trying to save Bucky. Steve has always been someone who was prone to tunnel vision. It served him well as a soldier. He focused on the mission and only the mission. That's what he'd been trained to do during the war. This time, it had failed him miserably. If he'd just looked at the bigger picture, he wouldn't have been so quick to throw away his other friendships to save his "brother" and half the team wouldn't be wanted fugitives. He should have leveled with Tony when he first suspected the Winter Soldier had killed Howard, but Tony was a hothead and, in Stevens mind, it could have jeopardized the mission at hand-saving Bucky.

Finally, he put the phone to his ear. "Rogers here."

"Took you long enough. I was beginning to think you weren't going to answer," Tony replied.

"Didn't expect to hear from you unless things looked really bad. What do you need Stark?"

"I've got a mission for you, an important one."

"You know I'm no longer an avenger. Why would you call me?" Steve demanded. He couldn't believe Tony would actually think this was acceptable. "I'm a fugitive, and I'm retired."

"Fugitive, hmm, I thought you preferred the name Nomad now. I know you're still working. T'Challa's purse strings fitting the bill now? I've read about your work," Tony paused, "look, if this wasn't important, do you really think I would call you?"

"I'm listening."

"Good. Since Hydra fell, I've been tracking some of the minor players, especially the science and technology experts. You know the saying, 'for every head cut off, two more rise up'?"

"I remember, but could we get to the point, Tony? Has something happened to make you think the world is in danger?"

"Oh, I can think of many reasons why the world is in danger, but this isn't about the world per say. It's about the Avengers."

"Avengers isn't much more than a name on a tower nowadays, Tony."

"That's not true. We made a lot of mistakes. I'm definitely to blame for the lion's share of them, but you didn't exactly help matters."

"You're right. I am sorry, Tony. I've had a lot of time to think. I should have come to you with my suspicions instead of letting you find out from Zemo. There are a lot of things I wish I'd done differently."

"Me too," Tony sighed, "but we can't change the past. The Accords weren't the right move. I'm trying to work on them from the inside, but it's not going well. Steve, there's a real chance these scientists were working on ways to disable us individually. With the team separated, we are all sitting ducks. If the government gets a hold of this information before we do then they'll use it to destroy you, Romanov, the witch, and Banner, if they can find him. I can't let that happen." Tony was silent a moment then in a quieter voice he added, "something big is coming. I can feel it, and it's going to take all of us to keep Earth safe."

"You've got my attention, Tony? What do you need me to do?"

"I've set up a dummy tech company in Suva, Fiji. I arranged for it to get some pretty good attention internationally, but no one has met the brilliant CEO and company founder who is interested in procuring some very special and very specific technology if you get my drift."

"You want me to pose as the CEO?"

Tony laughed, "of course not! You'd never pull it off! You're a soldier, not a spy. I want Romanov to pose as the genius and you can be her eye candy husband."

"Tony, Nat is off the grid. I have no idea where she is and if she doesn't want to be found then nobody is going to find her."

"That's where your wrong, Rogers. I know exactly where Romanov is hiding. I'll admit, it took some work, but Vision and I have known where she was for months. I'll send you her coordinates and all the details. Retrieve Romanoff and get this meet and greet scheduled. Don't take anyone else with you. The others will just rouse suspicion and we might not have much time," Tony paused again, "if she's resistant, tell her I think they have a way to separate Hulk from Banner. That'll get her attention."

Steve exhaled as he put the phone into his pocket.

"Well? Are you going to fill me in?" Sam asked with a smile.

"It's a mission. Tony has a mission for me and Nat."

"Wait, have you even spoken to her since the airport?" When Steve shook his head, Sam laughed. "Cap, this could get complicated fast. She sacrificed everything to get you and Bucky on that quinjet. I'm not sure she's going to want to look at you now. Need back up?"

"No, I'll handle it. And, don't call me Cap. He's gone, Sam. I can't be Captain America ever again." Steve sighed, "guess I have a flight to arrange. See you soon. Take care of the others."

Steve couldn't sleep that night. He silently went over the information that Tony had sent him. Tony had really gone all out setting up this elaborate scheme, and there was no way he was going to pull it off without Nat. She was so good at just stepping into a role and making it work. Fury once told him there was nothing Romanoff wasn't comfortable with and Steve believed it. She was the most amazing woman, heck, person, he had ever met. She'd been the best partner he could have asked for and he missed her. He really didn't realize how much her friendship meant to him until he lost her. She'd warned him. If he'd listened to her and rallied the team, maybe they could have saved Bucky and they could all be working to overturn the Accords. He couldn't wait to see her again and it terrified him. Chances were really good that she wouldn't be very happy with him finding her hiding place. How on earth would he convince her to help him?

In Avengers tower, a very tired Tony Stark sat in the common area with a glass of brandy. He wasn't sure he had done the right thing. Soon, Rogers and Romanoff would discover the real reason it had to be them on this mission and it would change everything again. Something bad was coming. He was sure it would require all of the Avengers and he wondered if even they would be enough, and this little side project of Hydra's might very well keep two of his power players out of the game. But, if Project Leviathan really was being reborn in this terribly twisted way, there was no other choice.