Steps of a Courthouse, NYC, Monday Morning

[imafuturist]

Tony	Tony tapped his fingers anxiously on the seat of the SHIELD transport, looking out the window at the crowd surrounding the court house. Reports, protesters, counter-protesters, gawkers... "Well, we're certainly going to get media coverage."
Steve	"That's good," Steve said, peering out at the crowd. He was dressed despite his icons in his nicest blue suit, flag pin in his lapel. "People need to see how the system works."
Tony	Tony glanced back at him before nodding. "The rest of the team will be on crowd control." Because in no way could he keep them from showing up.
Steve	Them and half the police in the area. "I feel pretty guilty about causing all of this fuss," he admitted.
Tony	"I think the fuss was already in the works," Tony replied, leaning over to press his shoulder against Steve's. "We'll get this figured out."
Steve	Steve pressed his shoulder back against Tony's for a moment. "My lawyers are very optimistic." Because of course he had lawyers. Why on Earth wouldn't he have lawyers Millar?
Tony	"You could have let my legal team help," Tony pointed out. Despite knowing the answer would be 'No, Tony stop throwing money at problems'. "It keeps them active."
Steve	Steve rolled his eyes fondly and said, "And disappoint the experienced civil rights lawyers who volunteered?"
Tony	"I'm not knocking them," Tony insisted as the transport started to slow down. "Jennifer Walters comes highly recommended in her field." You're just a stubborn old man, Rogers. So lucky that Tony liked you anyway.
Steve	"Well," Steve sighed. "I guess it's about time to get this show on the road."
Tony	Tony sighed right on back before nodding. "Game face on, Captain. Once more into the breach," he said before opening the door to step out.
Steve	It was a little difficult for Steve getting out of the car with his hands cuffed (over his protest that it wasn't necessary), but he managed it with grace and stood for a moment looking over the crowd before he started forward. "It beats Normandy," he joked.
Tony	"Just cameras being aimed at you here," Tony agreed with a perfect PR smile, glancing around the crowd to spot Thor easily enough. It helped that he towered over most people. Also the cape.
Steve	Steve laughed at that, and a hundred journalists started mentally writing copy that wouldn't get used about how Cap and Iron Man seemed to have patched it up as he started up the steps. About halfway up, he paused to look back at the crowd, and-- --and that glint on the opposite roof wasn't a telephoto lens, was it? "Hey, Tony?" he asked.
Tony	"Hmm?" Tony replied, turning to look back at him.
Steve	"Did the police position snipers for this?" Steve asked.
Tony	"What?" Tony went still, digging into the collective communication channels available around them. Between police radio, cell towers, and internet access, it was sorted through for any hint of that being the case. Which is why he caught an almost familiar voice hissing 'just take the shot' and grabbed Steve's arm to pull them back to the transport.
Steve	Unfortunately for them, that was the same moment Steve saw what was unquestionably a laser sight on the back of the federal agent in front of him and shouted, "GUN!" tackling the man to the ground. The first bullet punched through his shoulder. The second took him in the back.
Tony	"Steve!" Tony flinched at the gun shots, crouching down to attempt to drag Steve out of the line of fire. Whatever the line of fire was. All while the crown surrounding them screamed and surged with panic, police presence closing in quickly with weapons drawn.
Steve	Steve...was not in good shape. At all. Steve was just going to lay on these steps and bleed, was what Steve was going to do. "Tony," he gasped out, "Tony, I--" He couldn't remember what he'd been going to say. It had been important, but he was so tired suddenly, he just wanted to...wanted to...
Tony	Because he needed to try playing human shield when other people were wearing bullet proof vests here. "Steve, no. C'mon, stay with me," Tony demanded, putting his hand over where blood was rapidly blooming out through the fabric of Steve's suit, turning the blue a darker shade and marring the crisp white of his shirt in some awful parody of the American flag. "Steve, stay with me. Steve--that's an order, soldier."

[[Warning for character death. Preplayed with yogurtvore who might really kill me now]]