Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Compound V
[Perspective: Aryan’s Clone, Stan Edgar]
The Grand Atrium of Vought Tower’s executive level was the site of the most important shareholder meeting in the history of the corporation.
The massacre in the Appalachian mountains, the heroic "deaths" of The Seven and the miraculous debut of the new heroes had sent Vought’s stock on a rollercoaster ride that left the world’s most powerful investors incredibly greedy.
I sat in the high backed leather chair at the head of the colossal mahogany table.
Eighty five of the wealthiest men and women on the planet sat around the table and in the tiered seating behind it.
They were the primary shareholders, the board of directors, the political liaisons and the silent partners who truly ran the gears of American capitalism.
They were murmuring among themselves, a buzzing hive of anxiety and ambition. They were waiting for Stan Edgar to assure them that their billions were safe.
I remained perfectly still, my hands steeped beneath my chin. I let their anxiety build until the murmurs died away.
"Ladies and gentlemen," I began, the gravelly baritone of Edgar’s voice rolling across the room. "We have weathered a storm of unprecedented magnitude. The enemies of this corporation attempted to strike at our very heart."
I stood up slowly, buttoning my suit jacket. "But as you have seen over the past few days, Vought International does not bleed. We adapt. We evolve. And we conquer."
While my mouth delivered the charismatic corporate rhetoric, my mind was preparing for a far invasive operation.
These eighty five individuals were the true power brokers. They were inherently selfish, driven by profit margins and personal agendas. If Vought were to truly become my unquestioned empire, I could not rely on their fluctuating greed.
Telepathy (Tier 1).
I released the overwhelming weight of my consciousness, blanketing the minds of every single person present.
The sensation was akin to stepping into a multi level library where every book was screaming its contents simultaneously.
I felt the jagged spikes of an aging oil tycoon’s paranoia regarding his offshore accounts. I tasted the bitter envy of a junior board member plotting to unseat her superior.
I saw the twisted secrets, the infidelities, the bribes and the sheer hubris that fueled these masters of the universe.
"The introduction of Justice, Flash and Electro has catapulted us into a new era of public adoration and military indispensability," I continued speaking aloud, pacing slowly down the length of the table.
My physical voice commanded their ears, while my psychic presence breached the deepest vaults of their subconscious.
As I spoke, I began the psychic surgery. I found the tangled neuro pathways that coded their anxiety regarding Vought’s security and general market instability.
I erased the concept of vulnerability. In its place, I implanted a sense of monolithic safety directly tied to the image of Stan Edgar.
"The tragedy in the Appalachians has proven one irrefutable fact to the American public," my voice echoed, dropping an octave to convey solemnity. "Without Vought, they are defenseless against rogue factions and foreign threats."
While their conscious minds nodded in agreement, my telepathy reached deeper, into the core of their motivations.
I took the ambition they held for their own personal advancement and tied it to the preservation and expansion of Vought under my leadership. I wove intricate suggestions into the bedrock of their personalities.
’You exist to serve the company. Stan Edgar is infallible. His vision is absolute. You will never question a directive from the CEO. Betrayal is a concept you are physically incapable of considering.’
I watched the physical manifestations of the mental rewrite occur in real time. The nervous twitch of an investor’s hand ceased entirely. The skeptical frown of a rival executive melted away, replaced by a look of profound respect.
"We are entering an era of unprecedented expansion," I concluded, returning to the head of the table. "Our defense contracts will double. Our pharmaceutical division is poised for historic breakthroughs. We are the future of human evolution, ladies and gentlemen."
I withdrew my psychic presence, snapping back the invisible tethers holding their minds.
Eighty five of the most powerful people on Earth were now my loyal flock. They would die before they betrayed a single word I spoke in this room. They would authorize any expenditure, approve any project and bury any secret I commanded them to.
I looked at them. The room was silent, save for the reverent gaze directed entirely at me.
"Any questions?" I asked, a slight smile touching Edgar’s lips.
A senior board member, a man who had notoriously opposed Edgar’s policies for a decade, stood up immediately.
"No questions, Mr. Edgar," he said, his voice ringing with absolute devotion. "We follow your lead, sir."
A chorus of murmurs, all echoing the same sentiment of total surrender, filled the room.
"Excellent," I nodded, smoothing my tie. "Meeting adjourned."
[Edgar’s office]
I sat back in the heavy leather chair, the skyline of Manhattan sprawling beneath the massive window. I rubbed my temples, exhaling slowly.
Three rhythmic knocks echoed against the heavy oak doors.
"Enter," I commanded.
Graves stepped inside. He closed the doors securely behind him, engaging the biometric locks with a soft click.
"Mr. Edgar," Graves began, approaching the desk.
"Did you finish all the work, Graves?" I asked, my voice calm.
Graves nodded. "Yes, sir. We have successfully executed the global recall protocol. The sheer scale of the operation was staggering, but leveraging the fear generated by the ’Red Unit’ attacks and the media narrative of the ’Z Drug’ crisis allowed us to move without facing significant pushback from the regional directors."
I steepled my fingers, leaning forward. "Give me the specifics."
"Every single vial of Compound V, stabilized or otherwise, has been removed from the market," Graves reported. "We initiated a complete sweep of all regional hospitals, pediatric research centers, offshore black sites and private athletic enhancement clinics. We utilized the full breadth of our paramilitary contractors to ensure absolute compliance."
"And the transportation?"
"Secured under maximum armed guard, sir," Graves continued. "We utilized decoy convoys to throw off any potential interceptions by rogue military factions or international spies. The entire global supply, every drop of the mutagen, has been consolidated and delivered to the central vault beneath Vought Tower."
He placed an encrypted tablet on my desk. "As of right now, there are no samples of Compound V remaining in the outside world."
I looked at the tablet, a cold smile touching the corners of my mouth.
Graves believed the Compound V was sitting in the impregnable titanium vault fifty floors below us. He believed the armed guards and the biometric lasers were keeping the world’s most dangerous secret safe.
He didn’t know that the moment the armored trucks had deposited the crates into the vault, I had utilized a micro sized clone and Tier 1 Teleportation to empty the entire room.
The entire global supply of Compound V, the foundation of Vought’s empire, was currently resting securely within the System’s inventory. No one could ever create a Supe again without my explicit permission.
"Excellent work, Graves," I said, my tone conveying a genuine approval. "You have secured the future of this company. Take the rest of the week. You’ve earned it."
"Thank you, Mr. Edgar," Graves said.
[Aryan’s Perspective, Penthouse]
I walked toward the master bedroom. I stepped into the walk in closet and retrieved the bespoke tuxedo I had tailored specifically for this evening.
It was a midnight blue velvet jacket with a black satin shawl lapel, perfectly fitted to my muscular frame. A crisp white shirt, a black bowtie and polished oxfords completed the look. I looked in the mirror, adjusting the cuffs.
I checked my watch. 7:00 PM.
I walked out into the living room and poured two fingers of scotch from the crystal decanter on the bar, the amber liquid catching the ambient light. I took a slow sip, letting the warmth settle my nerves.
I was a man who could freeze a city or tear a mountain apart with a thought, yet the anticipation fluttering in my chest felt entirely human.
I heard the soft click of a door opening down the hall.
I turned around, setting the glass down on the marble counter.
