My Lust System: I Inherited The Sin Of Lust And His Three Wives

Chapter 368: Playing God

The Oval Office remained silent long after Damian’s departure.

President Vance sat motionless behind the Resolute Desk, his elbows resting upon polished wood while his fingers remained interlocked beneath his chin. His breathing had long since steadied, yet his mind refused to do the same.

Across from him, his secretary sat in complete silence, her eyes unfocused as though struggling to remember why she was even inside the room. Right before his eyes, Damian had wiped his secretaries memories clean.

This was all he needed to confirm this man’s power. Whether Damian is truly God or not did not matter because right now President Vance felt the urge to help Damian even now he is no longer here.

The President slowly lowered his gaze to the mountain of intelligence reports spread across his desk. Satellite photographs. Financial transactions. Intercepted communications. Lists of missing civilians. Religious organizations. Smuggling routes. Political figures. Every page painted another piece of a picture he somehow felt he had ignored for far too long.

None of it looked fabricated or exaggerated. This was even more reason to help Damian.

He picked up the telephone.

"This is the President."

The operator immediately recognized his voice.

"Wake them all."

"Sir?"

"The National Security Council. CIA Director. Director of National Intelligence. Secretary of Defense. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. NSA Director. Secretary of State. Homeland Security. I want every principal in the Situation Room within thirty minutes."

The operator hesitated only briefly.

"Yes, Mr. President."

The line went dead.

President Vance remained seated for several more seconds before standing and collecting every file Damian had left behind. He slid each document into a classified presidential folder, locked it shut with his security seal, then walked out of the Oval Office without another word. Unknown to him, his shadow did not match his figure but Damian’s.

The White House, usually calm during the early hours of the morning, erupted into motion.

Telephones rang throughout Washington.

Government vehicles rolled out from secured residences and Helicopters lifted into the night.

Convoys carrying cabinet members raced toward Pennsylvania Avenue beneath flashing lights. Nobody knew why. Only that the President had personally ordered an emergency meeting.

Half an hour later, the Situation Room was filled.

The atmosphere carried the quiet irritation of people dragged from their beds for an unknown crisis. Coffee cups rested beside classified tablets while intelligence officers hurried between terminals updating secure displays.

President Vance entered without greeting anyone. Every conversation immediately died as he placed the thick classified folder onto the conference table.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "effective immediately, Lebanon has become our highest intelligence priority."

Confused glances spread around the room. The Director of National Intelligence frowned.

"Mr. President... has something happened?"

"Something has been happening for years."

He opened the folder.

"I want everything we have regarding a militant organization known as the Blood Dunes."

Several officials exchanged puzzled looks and the CIA Director leaned forward.

"We’ve heard the name mentioned in isolated regional reports, but nothing concrete."

"Then your reports are inadequate."

Nobody expected such a harsh response but he didn’t seem to care. The President continued turning pages.

"I also want every available intelligence asset redirected toward locating one individual."

He slid a photograph across the table. It was the picture of Karim Haddad. The image reached the CIA Director first before being passed around.

"A lawyer?" the Secretary of Defense asked.

"A reformist," the President corrected. "Possibly the single most influential civilian voice opposing extremist influence inside Lebanon."

Another photograph followed. It was Karim speaking before thousands. Then there was another of Karim shaking hands with judges.

"This man survived an assassination attempt days ago."

Silence settled over the room as everyone exchanged shocked glances. Clearly they were not aware of this.

"The latest intelligence indicates he has now disappeared."

The CIA Director frowned.

"We’ve received no such confirmation."

"Then confirm it."

The President’s voice remained calm but absolute. Everyone could sense a change in him but no one dared question it.

"I want CIA field assets diverted immediately."

He looked toward the Director.

"I want every station in the region assisting."

The Director nodded while making notes.

W

"It’ll take time."

"You have twelve hours."

His attention shifted toward the NSA Director.

"I want every satellite covering southern Lebanon repositioned."

The Director blinked.

"Mr. President, those assets are currently tasked elsewhere."

"They’re not anymore."

"Yes, sir."

"The NSA will begin full spectrum interception of communications linked to organizations named in this dossier. Phone traffic. Encrypted messaging. Financial transfers. Radio frequencies. Everything."

The Secretary of Defense finally spoke.

"Sir... with respect... this is an enormous intelligence commitment."

"It is."

"What’s the justification?"

President Vance looked around the room.

"For years we’ve underestimated what is growing in that region. I believe we’re looking at an extremist organization that has penetrated political institutions far deeper than previously assessed."

He paused.

"And if I’m right then we’ve already waited too long."

Nobody questioned him further, not because they fully agreed. But because the conviction in his voice left no room for debate.

Orders began flowing immediately.

Within minutes, encrypted directives left Washington. CIA stations across Europe and the Middle East received priority taskings marked Presidential Directive.

NSA analysts abandoned ongoing projects and began reallocating interception resources toward Lebanon.

Military intelligence satellites altered orbital observation schedules, shifting their attention toward suspected Blood Dunes territory.

Special Operations Command quietly received contingency planning requests should direct action ever become necessary.

Embassies throughout the region were instructed to begin discreet information gathering without alerting local governments.

Across half the world, analysts who had never heard Karim Haddad’s name suddenly found his file appearing at the top of every classified priority list.

None of them knew why but no of them questioned it.

From their perspective, the President had simply reached a conclusion before everyone else.

Only President Vance himself sat alone after the meeting had ended, staring through the reinforced glass toward the sleeping city beyond.

He could no longer remember exactly what had convinced him. He only knew one thing with absolute certainty.

Finding Karim Haddad had somehow become the most important decision of his presidency.