Chapter 131: Thirteen Stripes
"Why the hell did Grandpa turn into a baby!? Does your premonition not say anything about that, huh!? And you call yourself an S-class!"
"Whatchu talkin’ bout!? I was still right about the time and place where he would be, ok! You try lookin’ into the millions of possible scenarios that can happen in the future, see if you can still keep your birdbrain intact. Women. Pah!"
"Alright, no more arguing. The important thing is that we retrieved him just in time."
"But they were testing his DNA. What if they found out—"
The commotion was interrupted by the slamming of a fist at the table where a bunch of people argued in a dark underground headquarters.
The people immediately shut their mouths. A single lightbulb illuminated just half the face of the man sitting at the head of the table. Casting shadows on the grim expression of a man with a mustache, and...
A soldier’s uniform.
Well, almost. It was embellished, the medallions larger and the suit more form fitting. He also wore a cape, with five stars forming a pentagon in the center.
The symbol of the General of the Army of the United States.
"Infighting would do us no favors. Have some dignity for yourselves. The fate of the world is in your hands, and yet here you are squabbling like children."
Everyone replied apologetically. "Sorry, General Militia."
General Militia was not a hero but he was an S-class power-user since birth. The world outside does not know that the head of the military has powers. After all...
After the American Civil War, power users higher than D-rank were prohibited from becoming politicians.
The only ones aware of his powers were a selected few, specifically those working with SHIFT...
And the Thirteen Stripes.
A conclave of chosen power users that had existed since the ’Norman Law’ had been passed.
Short for the ’Normal Man Law’, which was the rule prohibiting high ranking power users from any position of power in the government. And there was quite a valid reason for that.
Everyone at the table were part of the Thirteen Stripes, including General Militia. There were 6 of them here, with the other 7 occupied with their own occupations and clandestine missions.
"I just don’t understand. Grandpa could not use Rewind on himself." A high-pitched woman’s voice said. "How could he turn into... this?"
The woman had spiky white hair, and was wearing a thick coat with feathers instead of fur. She had a prominent hawkish nose, and narrow eyes.
"That must have something to do with the thing attached to him, Eaglette." Said the one who mediated the woman’s argument with an outspoken man.
They do not show their features at all. They were wearing a hood and bandages that covered them from neck to toe.
The outspoken man scratched his head. "That thing... It gives me the creeps, man. Not just because it looks like uncooked whole chicken... But I can’t see shit about it."
He was covered in tattoos and wearing a leather jacket with ripped sleeves to show off his huge biceps. He had one gold tooth, and was polishing a gun.
"Really? But that has never happened with your Manifest Destiny before." The woman who was concerned about the DNA testing spoke out.
She had Einstein-like frizzy hair, as if she was electrocuted. She wore huge glasses and kept jotting down in her little notepad.
She continued rambling. "W-What if it’s the ’core’ that those Voidlings were talking about!? What if it’s an alien creature that was sent to kill us all? What if it’s a rare disease that we get from anti-mutant vaccinations—"
General Militia slapped her!
"Liberty, please keep your conspiracy theories to a minimum." The general said sternly.
"S-Sorry, General. And thank you." The woman finally calmed down.
They all stared at the cylinder glass case in front of them. It was big enough to fit its contents, having them float in some kind of glowing green, preserving fluid....
The contents were none other than Eirwyn and his malformed ’child’.
"It’s unlikely that they would find much about anything besides confirmation that this was indeed ’Eirwyn Curacio’." General Militia said. "After all, the records have been burned the moment that the SHIFT had been dissolved."
"Those ungrateful little shits." The biker gang guy gritted his teeth. "Why do we have to bow down to a bunch of Normans anyway? We’re working our asses off just to save the world, and then they stab us in the back once the non-powered losers complain about ’ethics’. Pah!"
"The majority of the world is non-powered, Manfred. Majority wins, as they say." The hooded figure said.
"It’s Freddy now, Ally." Manfred corrected them.
"Either way, Ally has a point." Eaglette countered. "You’re just used to Haven City being full of power users. But that’s exactly why it’s Haven City in the first place, duh! A haven for heroes. A haven for those who were not like the rest of society."
Liberty raised her hand. "A-Actually, the data states that might not be the case soon enough. With all this Global Warping going on, everyone would soon have powers! Maybe that’s how the Void plans to take over, and we just didn’t notice! They’re turning us into them—"
General Militia gave her a look, and she did a ’zipping my mouth now, sir’ gesture.
He then stood, hands behind his back. "While I understand your frustrations, those of us who were gifted are always obligated to help those who are not. So we must appease the masses. That is why the secrecy of our group matters."
He turned to Ally. "There are no traces of retrieving The Soldier, is there?"
"Not at all, General." Ally replied. "You know that I am the most discreet. Not a single evidence of someone taking the specimen."
"Good. I have a new task for you." General Militia placed a file in front of them. "I want you to observe these people."
Ally opened the file...
And inside were the documents of Cael McNamara, Aphrodite Luxuria, Ymir Glace, and...
Of course, Hermes Potentia.
"Very well, General." Ally nodded, and slipped the file inside their long sleeve. It vanished out of sight.
He turned to Eaglette and Manfred. "The two of you will send the Soldier to the Scientist. He will know what to do with this.... situation. Also, contact Betsy for the necessary alterations."
"Alterations!? I can’t wait, Sir!" Liberty asked with a frantic excitement. "I have 1000 headlines and article ideas ready to go for our new paragon of heroism!"
"Paragon, eh? That has a nice ring to it..." The general mumbled.
He saved the thought for later and clapped his hands. "Now that everything is settled, this meeting is thus adjourned."
The authority in his voice sent everyone standing, and they all saluted. It was not just his presence... It was his power.
"Yes, General!"