Apart from Colonel Stryker, whose face had darkened considerably, the rest of the room fell into thoughtful silence. None of them were really thinking about military academies or intelligence training programs anymore. What they heard instead was the possibility of shaping a new symbol of American power.
After all, Ethan hadn't simply suggested training mutants. He had talked about creating another Captain America.
In the United States, heroic figures held enormous cultural influence. The public admired individuals who stood tall against impossible odds. No one embodied that image better than the legendary World War II soldier Steve Rogers. Even decades later, his name remained known in every household across the country.
Now imagine if the government could produce another hero like that.
The implications were enormous. Such a figure could rally the public during difficult times, support government policies with unmatched credibility, and serve as a living symbol of American ideals. With someone like that standing beside them, political victories might come much easier.
Perhaps it would mean effortless reelection campaigns. Perhaps it would ensure smoother passage of controversial policies. Or perhaps, if things went well enough, it could even lead to a fifth face carved into Mount Rushmore.
Watching the president's expression gradually soften as he considered these possibilities, Stryker began to feel a rising sense of urgency.
"Mr. President," he said quickly, his tone sharpening, "I already possess technology capable of directly controlling mutants."
The words cut through the quiet room.
"We don't need to spend billions building schools or training programs," Stryker continued. "Just hand the mutants over to me, and I'll ensure they obey any order you give."
Ethan smiled faintly.
"So, Colonel Stryker," he said casually, "perhaps you could explain how exactly you control mutants."
He paused for a moment before adding another question.
"And if what you're saying is true, would you be willing to hand that technology over to the government?"
Ethan's broad smile didn't change, but his eyes remained fixed on the colonel.
The effect was immediate. The president, Director Brennan, and Senator Kelly all turned to look directly at Stryker.
The colonel's expression instantly turned ugly.
Inside his mind, alarms were ringing.
Who exactly was this man named Ethan Voss?
From the beginning of the meeting, he had seemed disturbingly familiar with Stryker's operations. For a moment, the colonel suspected Brennan might have leaked information. But that idea quickly collapsed under scrutiny. The CIA director knew nothing about the hidden facilities at Alkali Lake.
Could there be a mole somewhere inside his organization?
Stryker remained silent for several seconds before answering carefully.
"The technology is still… under development," he said vaguely. "At the moment, I'm the only one capable of controlling those mutants."
The president's expression immediately darkened.
Ethan clicked his tongue softly and shook his head, looking at Stryker with undisguised disappointment. The expression on his face clearly said everything he was thinking.
You're a letdown.
Only after the colonel's face turned an embarrassed shade of red did Ethan finally speak again.
"Mr. President," he said politely, "if you'll forgive my bluntness, I cannot support Colonel Stryker's approach."
He spoke calmly, but his words carried clear weight.
"Handing absolute power or military strength to a single individual is always a dangerous decision. Especially when that individual is not you."
The room grew quiet again.
"If we can command an army," Ethan continued, "then commanding mutants is not fundamentally different."
Stryker felt the conversation slipping away from him. His eyes narrowed as he let out a cold sneer.
"Blind faith in mutants is a foolish idea," he said harshly.
"Even if most mutants are willing to cooperate with the government, there are always extremists. Some of them oppose the government completely. Some commit crimes against humanity."
His voice grew more intense as he spoke.
"These people possess incredible power. If they decide to act, we might not be able to stop them at all."
He looked directly at the president.
"Mr. President, you might not realize what some mutants are capable of. Some of them can change their appearance at will. Some can walk through solid walls. Others can move anywhere they want and steal anything they choose."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Now imagine one of them attempting an assassination."
The room fell completely silent.
"Who could stop them?" Stryker demanded. "Could the Secret Service detect an invisible enemy?"
His voice rose with each sentence.
"What if someone teleported directly into the Oval Office? What if someone transformed into one of your trusted advisors?"
By the time he finished, the colonel was practically shouting.
"All of these powers must be placed under strict government control!"
The president and Brennan exchanged uneasy glances. After witnessing the chaos earlier that night near the Statue of Liberty, it was impossible to ignore the possibility that Stryker's concerns were valid.
Ethan had no intention of allowing the discussion to spiral further in that direction.
"Mr. President," he said calmly, "the issue we've been discussing tonight has always been the same."
He folded his hands casually.
"How do we bring mutant power under government control? The only difference between us is the method."
He gave a small shrug.
"I simply proposed a solution that is more humane, more stable, and more sustainable."
Stryker looked at him with obvious contempt.
"Then tell me," the colonel said sharply, "how exactly do you plan to deal with mutant attacks? And how will you guarantee the president's safety?"
Ethan felt a small spark of satisfaction.
At last, the conversation had arrived where he wanted it.
He stood up slowly from his seat. When he spoke again, his voice carried more authority.
"Mr. President, it's my honor to introduce something new."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"FDSW—Future Defense and Individual Weapons Company."
His eyes glinted slightly.
"The first company dedicated entirely to countering the mutant threat."
Stryker blinked in surprise.
So after all this talk… you're just an arms dealer?
But another thought quickly followed that realization.
Since when did weapons manufacturers have the authority to lecture the president on national strategy?
Ignoring the colonel's reaction, Ethan reached into his pocket and removed something that resembled an ordinary pen. With a simple press of a button, a holographic projection appeared on the wall of the Oval Office.
A translucent dome-shaped barrier materialized in the projection, glowing faintly with futuristic energy patterns.
"Mr. President," Ethan explained, "this is a high-energy particle shield that we have already tested successfully."
He pointed toward the glowing barrier.
"It can block almost any form of attack—including mutant abilities."
He continued speaking steadily.
"As long as the energy supply remains stable, the shield can remain active indefinitely."
Ethan switched to another slide showing test simulations.
"We've conducted hundreds of combat simulations. If the power source is strong enough, the shield could even withstand the blast of a small nuclear weapon."
The room fell silent once more.
CIA Director Brennan stared at the projection, clearly stunned.
"I had no idea we possessed technology like this," he murmured quietly.
The president leaned forward slightly in his chair.
"Is this shield system ready for deployment right now?"
Ethan nodded.
"It can already be used in several critical locations."
He began listing them calmly.
"The White House, the Capitol building, the Pentagon. If you authorize it, I can install the systems immediately."
He changed the projection again.
"However, the size of the generator limits mobility. At the moment, only Air Force One could carry a shield system during flight. Army One and Marine One helicopters simply don't have enough internal space."
Ethan gestured toward another schematic.
"That said, we could design specialized shield vehicles or shield-equipped helicopters. These units could accompany presidential motorcades or flight formations and provide layered protection."
He met the president's gaze directly.
"With these systems in place, the president's personal safety would increase at least tenfold compared to current conditions."
He finished with a simple statement.
"This would provide comprehensive protection."
By the time Ethan finished explaining, the president had already made up his mind.
Of course he wanted it.
He worked tirelessly for the nation every day. Purchasing some defensive technology for personal security hardly seemed unreasonable. After all, protecting the president meant protecting national stability and long-term peace.
Stryker finally snapped out of his stunned silence.
"Shield technology is impressive," he admitted reluctantly, "but it cannot provide total protection."
He pointed toward Ethan sharply.
"Your system only addresses external threats."
His voice grew heated again.
"I've already told you—mutants can infiltrate our ranks!"
Ethan didn't look offended at all. Instead, he simply smiled calmly.
"The shield system I showed you is only the first generation of our technology."
He tapped the projection device again.
"I've already instructed my team to begin development of the second generation."
A new concept image appeared on the wall.
"Portable personal shield systems."
He allowed the idea to sink in before continuing.
"If the government provides sufficient financial and technical support, we can accelerate development dramatically."
His tone became slightly more confident.
"Once that technology is complete, most threats will become insignificant."
Stryker opened his mouth to argue further, but Ethan spoke again before he could interrupt.
The projection changed once more.
This time the image showed a weapon slightly larger than an assault rifle. The barrel was thick and heavy, and the muzzle flared outward like the bell of a trumpet.
"Mutants may possess extraordinary abilities," Ethan explained, "but most of them are still human."
His finger pointed toward the weapon on the screen.
"That means they still share human weaknesses."
He nodded toward the device.
"This is our newest sonic weapon prototype. It's designed for individual soldiers."
Ethan continued calmly.
"The weapon isn't lethal. However, the sonic frequencies it emits disrupt neural concentration. Most mutants will struggle to use their abilities while exposed to it."
He highlighted several technical features.
"It produces a wide-area sonic wave, which means precise aiming isn't necessary. That makes it particularly effective against speed-type mutants."
He switched to another development slide.
"In addition, we are currently researching neural inhibitors and mutant suppression force fields."
His voice remained steady.
"If these technologies succeed, we'll be able to restrict mutant movement—or even neutralize their abilities—from hundreds or potentially thousands of meters away."
Ethan folded his arms.
"At that point, defending against mutants will be no more difficult than defending against ordinary criminals with firearms."
The president nodded slowly as he listened.
What interested him most wasn't simply the ability to defend against mutants. The real value of Ethan's proposals was something much broader.
Every piece of this technology could be used against any threat.
Including ordinary humans.
The assassination of a U.S. president had already happened several times in history. That fact would never change.
But if these systems were deployed, the possibility of such an event happening again might finally be reduced.
More importantly, these technologies represented the future of warfare itself. Right now they might seem imperfect or experimental, but so had countless inventions when they first appeared in science fiction.
If the United States mastered these technologies first, the nation could remain the dominant global power for another century.
.....
Join my p@treon and read ahead by more than 60+ chapters.
Link : [email protected]/InfinityWeaver
Free members can read the next two chapters for free on my p@treon