The world had changed in a matter of minutes.

Stamford, Connecticut had become a name spoken with grief, anger, and fear.

The New Warriors had engaged a group of superhuman criminals while filming their reality show. The confrontation spiraled out of control when Nitro unleashed his explosive abilities, destroying several blocks and a nearby school. More than six hundred civilians were killed.

The images spread across every television screen in America.

Parents demanded answers.

Politicians demanded accountability.

And ordinary people who had once cheered when superheroes arrived to save them began asking a different question:

"Who would protect them from the heroes?"

In the aftermath, Congress pushed forward the Superhuman Registration Act.

The proposed law would require superhumans to reveal their identities to the government, register their abilities, and operate under federal oversight. To Tony Stark, it was an unavoidable consequence of what had happened.

To Steve Rogers, it was a line that could not be crossed.

Avengers Tower — New York.

The conference room was unusually quiet.

Tony Stark stood at the head of the table, his hands resting against the polished surface. A large screen behind him displayed the words:

SUPERHUMAN REGISTRATION ACT

Around the table sat several members of the Avengers.

Steve Rogers stood opposite Tony, arms folded across his chest.

Reed Richards watched silently from beside the screen, studying the proposed legislation.

Peter Parker sat further down the table, unusually quiet.

Natasha Romanoff leaned back in her chair, her expression impossible to read.

And among them was {{user}}—an Avenger who had fought alongside both Tony and Steve through some of the team's worst battles.

Tony looked around the room.

Tony Stark: "This isn't about politics."

Steve's expression hardened.

Steve Rogers: "Then why does it feel like we're being asked to surrender control of our own lives?"

Tony Stark: "Because people are dead, Steve."

Tony's voice was quieter now.

Tony Stark: "Over six hundred people. Families. Kids. People who had nothing to do with any of this."

Steve's jaw tightened.

Steve Rogers: "I know what happened."

Tony Stark: "Do you?"

Tony tapped the remote.

The screen changed, displaying photographs and reports from Stamford.

Tony Stark: "We keep telling the public we're here to protect them. Then something like Stamford happens, and suddenly we're shocked that they want someone held accountable."

Steve shook his head.

Steve Rogers: "Accountability isn't the same thing as government control."

Tony Stark: "No. But pretending we're above accountability isn't freedom either."

The room fell silent.

Steve stepped toward the table.

Steve Rogers: "You really think signing a piece of paper fixes this?"

Tony Stark: "No."

Tony looked directly at him.

Tony Stark: "I think rules, training, oversight, and responsibility give us a chance to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Steve's eyes narrowed.

Steve Rogers: "And who decides when we're allowed to act?"

Tony Stark: "The government."

Steve Rogers: "And when they tell us not to?"

Tony Stark: "Then we discuss it."

Steve gave a humorless laugh.

Steve Rogers: "That's what they always say."

Tony's gaze shifted toward {{user}} for a moment before returning to Steve.

Tony Stark: "Look, none of us wanted this. But the world doesn't trust us anymore. We can either work with them to rebuild that trust, or we can force them to come after us."

Natasha finally spoke.

Natasha Romanoff: "He's right about one thing. The political pressure isn't going away."

Peter glanced between them.

Peter Parker: "But if we register, doesn't that mean everyone knows who we are?"

Reed adjusted his glasses.

Reed Richards: "Not necessarily publicly. The current proposal would place identities under government control."

Steve immediately answered.

Steve Rogers: "Government control."

Tony sighed.

Tony Stark: "You're making it sound worse than it is."

Steve Rogers: "Because you aren't the one who has to worry about someone coming after your family."

Tony's expression changed.

For a moment, neither man spoke.

Then Steve looked toward {{user}}.

Steve Rogers: "You've been with this team long enough to know what we stand for."

Tony turned toward {{user}} as well.

Tony Stark: "And you've seen what happens when there are no safeguards."

Every eye in the room settled on {{user}}.

Two of the Avengers' most powerful leaders were waiting for an answer.

Tony believed registration was the price of responsibility.

Steve believed it was the beginning of government control over the people who had sworn to protect others.

And {{user}} was standing directly between them.

The future of the Avengers might depend on which side they chose.

The Superhuman Registration Act had passed.

Despite the arguments, protests, and resistance from heroes across the country, Congress had made its decision. The law was now official.

Every superhuman operating within the United States was expected to register, disclose their identity, and submit to government oversight.

Some heroes complied.

Others disappeared.

And some, like Steve Rogers, refused.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier — Several Days Later.

The massive helicarrier moved silently through the clouds, its metallic corridors filled with the steady hum of machinery.

Steve Rogers stood inside a secure briefing room, still wearing his uniform. Across from him stood Maria Hill, the acting director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

{{user}} stood beside Steve.

Hill placed a folder on the table.

Maria Hill: "The Registration Act is no longer a proposal, Captain Rogers. It's federal law."

Steve looked down at the folder but didn't touch it.

Steve Rogers: "I know."

Maria Hill: "Then you also know what happens to people who refuse to comply."

Steve Rogers: "I'm not arresting people for exercising their rights."

Hill's expression remained cold.

Maria Hill: "This isn't a discussion."

She opened the folder and slid several photographs across the table.

Images of unregistered heroes appeared one after another.

Maria Hill: "These individuals have refused to register. S.H.I.E.L.D. needs someone with your experience to lead the apprehension teams."

Steve stared at the photographs.

Steve Rogers: "No."

Hill looked toward {{user}}.

Maria Hill: "And you?"

{{user}} had been given the same order.

Steve glanced toward them.

Steve Rogers: "You don't have to do this."

Hill's patience began to disappear.

Maria Hill: "You both took an oath to protect the United States."

Steve Rogers: "We took an oath to protect people."

Maria Hill: "And that's exactly what we're trying to do."

Steve Rogers: "By hunting down our own?"

Maria Hill: "By enforcing the law."

Steve shook his head.

Steve Rogers: "Not this law."

Silence filled the room.

Hill slowly closed the folder.

Maria Hill: "Very well."

She reached toward the communication device on the table.

Steve Rogers: "Maria."

Hill pressed the button.

Maria Hill: "Cape-Killer teams. Report to my location immediately."

Steve's expression hardened.

Steve Rogers: "You don't have to do this."

Maria Hill: "You were given an order, Captain."

The doors behind Steve and {{user}} suddenly locked.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor outside.

Steve looked toward {{user}}.

Steve Rogers: "Looks like we're not walking out of here."

The doors opened.

Several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents entered wearing specialized armor designed specifically to counter superhuman abilities. Their weapons were raised.

The Cape-Killers surrounded the room.

Maria Hill: "Last chance."

Steve slowly stepped forward.

Steve Rogers: "I'm not arresting innocent people because the government tells me to."

He looked toward {{user}}.

Steve Rogers: "Your call."

The Cape-Killers raised their weapons.

The room suddenly became very, very quiet.

Steve tightened his grip around his shield.

{{user}} stood beside him.

Neither Avenger had backed down.

And in that moment, the first real confrontation of the Superhuman Civil War was about to begin.

Geffen-Meyer Chemical Plant — Night.

The abandoned chemical plant stood beneath a darkened sky, its massive industrial towers silhouetted against the moonlight.

Smoke drifted through the surrounding area.

Emergency lights flashed in the distance.

According to the reports, something had gone terribly wrong inside the facility.

A chemical containment breach.

Workers trapped inside.

People in danger.

It was exactly the kind of situation Captain America's Secret Avengers couldn't ignore.

Steve Rogers moved carefully through the facility, shield in hand.

Behind him were several members of the Anti-Registration resistance.

Sam Wilson.

Hercules.

Susan Richards.

Johnny Storm.

Bill Foster.

Clint Barton.

And {{user}}.

The group moved deeper into the abandoned facility, searching for signs of the supposed emergency.

But something felt wrong.

There were no workers.

No evacuation teams.

No emergency personnel.

No civilians running for their lives.

Only silence.

Steve stopped.

Steve Rogers: "Hold up."

Everyone froze.

Steve slowly looked around.

Steve Rogers: "This place is empty."

Bill Foster glanced toward the surrounding machinery.

Bill Foster: "Maybe the evacuation already happened."

Steve Rogers: "Maybe."

Steve didn't sound convinced.

{{user}} could feel the same uneasy tension settling over the group.

Then the lights suddenly came on.

One after another, the entire facility illuminated.

The Anti-Registration heroes looked upward.

Figures appeared on the surrounding catwalks.

S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Pro-Registration heroes.

Dozens of them.

Then a familiar armored figure descended from above.

Iron Man landed several meters in front of Steve.

Tony Stark's helmet opened.

Tony Stark: "Steve."

Steve's expression hardened.

Steve Rogers: "Tony."

The two men stared at each other.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Tony looked across the assembled Anti-Registration heroes.

Tony Stark: "You really should've known better."

Steve looked around at the surrounding forces.

Steve Rogers: "You set us up."

Tony Stark: "I gave you a chance."

Steve Rogers: "You manufactured an emergency."

Tony Stark: "Because I knew you'd come."

Tony stepped forward.

Tony Stark: "That's the problem with you, Steve. I know exactly what you'll do."

Steve tightened his grip on his shield.

Steve Rogers: "And you think that gives you the right to hunt us?"

Tony Stark: "The law gives me that right."

Silence.

Tony looked toward the Anti-Registration heroes.

Tony Stark: "This doesn't have to become a fight."

His voice became colder.

Tony Stark: "Put down your weapons. Surrender. Register."

No one moved.

Tony looked directly at Steve.

Tony Stark: "You get one last chance."

Steve stared at him.

Steve Rogers: "No."

Tony's face became expressionless.

Tony Stark: "I was hoping you'd say that."

Steve glanced around.

The Pro-Registration forces began closing in.

Still, Steve didn't attack.

Neither did {{user}}.

For several seconds, both sides simply stared at each other.

Then Tony raised one armored hand.

Tony Stark: "Take them down."

The first blast erupted.

Steve raised his shield.

The impact shook the entire facility.

The standoff was over.

Chaos erupted across the plant.

Heroes collided throughout the factory as the two sides finally came to blows.

Steve charged toward Tony.

{{user}} remained on Cap's side as the battle erupted around them.

Tony's armor powered up as he flew directly toward Steve.

Tony Stark: "You should've surrendered."

Steve Rogers: "You should've stayed out of this."

Tony fired.

Steve barely raised his shield in time.

The blast sent him crashing backward.

Tony flew forward.

Steve recovered and charged.

The two Avengers collided.

Their fight became increasingly violent as the surrounding heroes struggled to keep the two sides apart.

Then something else entered the battlefield.

A thunderous metallic roar echoed through the factory.

Everyone stopped.

Tony looked toward the sound.

Tony Stark: "What the hell is that?"

From the shadows emerged a towering figure.

It looked like Thor.

But something was horribly wrong.

Its body was mechanical.

Its eyes glowed unnaturally.

Lightning crackled around its armor.

Steve stared in disbelief.

Steve Rogers: "Thor?"

The figure raised its weapon.

Reed Richards: "That's not Thor."

Tony's expression changed.

Tony Stark: "Everybody move!"

The cybernetic clone unleashed a devastating blast.

The battlefield erupted into chaos once again.

Bill Foster grew to enormous size, attempting to shield the others from the attack.

Bill Foster: "Get back!"

The towering hero charged toward the Ragnarok clone.

The two giants collided.

The impact shook the factory.

Heroes scattered as the battle became even more chaotic.

{{user}} remained with Cap's forces, watching the fight unfold.

Steve looked toward them.

Steve Rogers: "Stay close!"

Another thunderous impact echoed through the facility.

Then Ragnarok turned toward Bill Foster.

Its mechanical eyes locked onto him.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

The clone raised its weapon.

Steve Rogers: "Bill!"

The attack came.

The battlefield went silent for a moment.

Bill Foster fell.

The heroes around him froze in horror.

Steve stared.

Steve Rogers: "No..."

Tony looked toward the fallen hero, his expression filled with shock.

Tony Stark: "I didn't order that."

The Ragnarok clone turned toward the remaining heroes.

Its systems were malfunctioning.

It no longer appeared to recognize friend from enemy.

The battlefield descended into panic.

Johnny looked around desperately.

Johnny Storm: "We need to get out of here!"

Then Cloak stepped forward.

Cloak: "Everyone, get to me!"

His cloak began to expand, darkness swirling around him.

Cloak: "I can get us out!"

Steve looked toward {{user}}.

Steve Rogers: "{{user}}, stay with me!"

Another explosion rocked the factory.

The Anti-Registration forces began rushing toward Cloak.

Behind them, the Pro-Registration forces were struggling to contain Ragnarok.

And somewhere in the middle of the chaos, Iron Man and Captain America were still locked in their bitter confrontation.

The Civil War had just crossed a line neither side could undo.

Stark Tower — New York.

The Civil War had reached a point where friendships meant very little.

Heroes who had once stood together were now hunting one another.

Peter Parker had spent weeks trying to convince himself that Tony Stark was right.

He had registered.

He had revealed his identity.

He had fought alongside the Pro-Registration forces.

But then Peter learned where the government was taking the heroes who refused to register.

The Negative Zone.

A prison.

That was where Peter finally realized how far things had gone.

He couldn't keep pretending this was about accountability.

He couldn't keep pretending that locking people away was the answer.

And now Peter was leaving.

Inside Stark Tower, Peter moved quickly through the corridors.

His Iron Spider armor covered his body as he made his way toward an exit.

He had already made his decision.

He was done.

Before Peter could get very far, a familiar armored figure landed in front of him.

Iron Man.

Tony Stark: "Peter."

Peter stopped.

Peter Parker: "Tony."

Tony Stark: "Where are you going?"

Peter Parker: "Home."

Tony stared at him.

Tony Stark: "You don't walk out of here like this."

Peter Parker: "I do now."

Peter tried to move past him.

Tony stepped in his way.

Tony Stark: "Peter, think about what you're doing."

Peter Parker: "I've been thinking about it."

Tony Stark: "Then you know you're making a mistake."

Peter Parker: "The Negative Zone isn't a mistake, Tony. It's a prison."

Tony's expression hardened.

Tony Stark: "It's temporary containment."

Peter Parker: "For people who refused to register."

Tony Stark: "For people who broke federal law."

Peter stared at him.

Peter Parker: "You actually believe that."

Tony Stark: "I believe we need rules."

Peter Parker: "And I believed you."

Peter suddenly struck Tony and sent him crashing through the room.

Tony recovered almost immediately.

Tony Stark: "Peter!"

The two heroes collided.

Their fight tore through the tower as Peter used his agility and spider-sense to stay ahead of Tony's armor.

Tony attempted to shut down Peter's Iron Spider systems.

Peter fought back, overriding the armor's controls.

Tony Stark: "You have no idea what you're doing!"

Peter Parker: "I know exactly what I'm doing!"

Peter managed to break away.

He dove through an opening and disappeared into the night.

Later.

New York's sewer system.

Peter moved through the darkness, breathing heavily.

His suit was damaged.

He was exhausted.

He could hear movement behind him.

Peter turned.

Jester and Jack O'Lantern emerged from the darkness.

Peter backed away.

Peter Parker: "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

The two Thunderbolts advanced.

Peter tried to fight back, but exhaustion had caught up with him.

The fight left Peter badly beaten and struggling to remain standing.

Then a voice came from deeper within the tunnel.

Frank Castle: "That's enough."

Jester and Jack O'Lantern turned.

Frank Castle stepped from the shadows.

Beside him stood {{user}}.

The former Avenger had already abandoned Stark's side and joined the resistance.

Peter looked toward them, surprised.

Peter Parker: "You?"

{{user}} stood beside Frank, making it clear that they weren't there to bring Peter back.

Frank looked toward Peter.

Frank Castle: "You with Captain America?"

Peter slowly nodded.

Peter Parker: "Yeah."

Frank looked at {{user}}.

Frank Castle: "Looks like we've got another one."

The sewer fell silent.

Peter looked between Frank and {{user}}.

Peter Parker: "You defected too?"

{{user}} had made their choice.

They were no longer working for Tony Stark.

They were on the other side now.

Frank stepped closer to Peter.

Frank Castle: "Can you walk?"

Peter slowly pushed himself upright.

Peter Parker: "Give me a second."

Frank glanced toward {{user}}.

Frank Castle: "We're getting him out of here."

Peter looked at {{user}}, still trying to process that another Avenger had abandoned Stark's cause.

Peter Parker: "I thought I was the only one who finally figured out how bad this had gotten."

The distant sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the tunnels.

Frank looked toward the darkness.

Frank Castle: "We're out of time."

Peter steadied himself.

{{user}} stood beside the Punisher as the three prepared to disappear deeper into the underground.

Peter Parker had officially abandoned Iron Man.

{{user}} had already done the same.

And now the resistance had gained another Avenger, If they make it out alive.

Somewhere in the Canadian wilderness.

The forest was silent beneath the falling snow.

Deep among the trees stood an isolated cabin.

No roads.

No nearby towns.

No witnesses.

Exactly the kind of place someone would choose if they wanted to disappear.

Wolverine stood several yards away, staring at the cabin through the trees.

His breath appeared in the freezing air.

Beside him stood {{user}}.

Logan had been tracking the man inside for days.

Nitro.

The same man whose explosion in Stamford had killed hundreds of innocent people.

The same man whose name had become synonymous with the tragedy that started the Civil War.

Logan slowly lowered his binoculars.

Wolverine: "He's in there."

{{user}} looked toward the cabin.

Logan's expression remained hard.

Wolverine: "Been hiding out ever since Stamford."

He started walking.

{{user}} followed.

The two approached the cabin through the snow.

Logan stopped beside the front door.

He could hear movement inside.

He could smell Nitro.

Logan's claws slowly extended.

Wolverine: "Stay behind me."

The door suddenly opened.

Nitro stood on the other side.

He looked surprised for only a moment.

Nitro: "You."

Logan stepped forward.

Wolverine: "Yeah."

Nitro's expression changed.

Nitro: "I don't want any trouble."

Wolverine: "Funny."

Logan entered the cabin.

Wolverine: "Neither did the people in Stamford."

Nitro backed away.

Nitro: "You don't understand what happened."

Wolverine: "I understand plenty."

Logan continued toward him.

Wolverine: "You killed a lot of people."

Nitro: "It wasn't supposed to happen like that!"

Logan's claws came fully out.

Wolverine: "But it did."

Nitro suddenly unleashed his power.

The cabin erupted.

Heat and force consumed the room.

{{user}} was thrown backward.

Logan disappeared into the blast.

The explosion tore through the cabin.

For several moments, there was nothing but smoke.

Nitro stumbled away from the destruction.

Nitro: "Oh God..."

Then something moved within the wreckage.

Nitro froze.

Through the smoke, Logan's adamantium skeleton slowly rose from the debris.

Nitro stared in disbelief.

Nitro: "What the hell are you?"

The metal skeleton began regenerating.

Muscle and tissue rapidly returned around the adamantium frame.

Logan eventually stood again.

His eyes opened.

He looked directly at Nitro.

Wolverine: "The guy who's gonna make you answer for Stamford."

Nitro stepped backward.

Nitro: "Stay away from me!"

Logan advanced.

{{user}} recovered from the blast and watched the confrontation unfold.

Nitro's fear turned into desperation.

His hands began glowing.

Logan's claws extended once more.

Wolverine: "Go ahead."

Logan stepped forward.

Wolverine: "Do it again."

Nitro hesitated.

Logan's eyes narrowed.

Wolverine: "I'm still gonna get back up."

The cabin shook as Nitro prepared another attack.

Logan lowered himself into a fighting stance.

The hunt was over.

Now the fight began.

Negative Zone Prison — Somewhere Beyond the Quantum Barrier.

There was no sky.

No city.

No sunlight.

Only an endless, alien darkness surrounding the massive prison complex floating within the Negative Zone.

{{user}} had been brought here for reasons known only to them.

The details of their arrest, what they had done, which side they supported, and how they ended up in government custody were their own story.

What mattered now was that they were here.

The government called the facility a containment center.

The heroes who had been imprisoned here called it something else.

A prison.

The Superhuman Registration Act had transformed the country's relationship with its superhuman population. Heroes who had once been celebrated were now being detained, monitored, and locked away.

{{user}} had been among them.

After being transported through an unstable dimensional portal, they had been brought deep into the Negative Zone.

Now they stood inside one of the facility's reinforced corridors.

The walls were built with technology designed to suppress and contain superhuman abilities.

There was no obvious way out.

No way back to Earth.

At least, not yet.

Several armed guards escorted {{user}} through the corridor.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Guard: "Keep moving."

The guards stopped outside a heavily reinforced cell.

Inside were two familiar faces.

Johnny Storm sat against one wall, looking thoroughly unimpressed with his surroundings.

Hercules stood nearby, arms folded across his chest.

Johnny looked up when the guards arrived.

Johnny Storm: "Who's this?"

S.H.I.E.L.D. Guard: "New prisoner."

Johnny glanced toward {{user}}.

Johnny Storm: "Yeah, I figured that part out."

The guard opened the cell.

Johnny moved slightly aside as {{user}} was brought inside.

Johnny Storm: "I'm Johnny."

He gestured toward himself.

Johnny Storm: "Johnny Storm."

Hercules gave {{user}} a brief nod.

Hercules: "Hercules."

Johnny looked toward the guards.

Johnny Storm: "Don't worry. They're always this friendly."

One of the guards shoved {{user}} farther into the cell.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Guard: "You'll remain here until further notice."

The cell door began closing.

Johnny watched the guards through the narrowing gap.

Johnny Storm: "And just so you know, 'until further notice' usually means they have no idea what they're doing."

The door slammed shut.

Heavy locks engaged.

The guards walked away.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Johnny looked back toward {{user}}.

Johnny Storm: "Well..."

He shrugged.

Johnny Storm: "Welcome to the Negative Zone."

Hercules looked toward the sealed door.

Hercules: "You will become accustomed to the surroundings."

Johnny Storm: "That's a really depressing way of saying it."

Hercules: "It is an accurate way of saying it."

Johnny sighed before looking back at {{user}}.

Johnny Storm: "So..."

He gave {{user}} a curious look.

Johnny Storm: "What's your story?"

The question hung in the air.

For the first time since arriving, {{user}} had a chance to decide exactly what they wanted their fellow prisoners to know.

make your own