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"Then what are the X-Men trying to do? Have I become some evil target in their eyes that must be eliminated? Is it because of the war in Iraq? We didn't start that war. Those mutant freaks should be able to figure that much out."
Faced with the President's anger, Dick Cheney chimed in at just the right moment. "Exactly. Who wants to go to war? It was all caused by those crazy turban-wearing fanatics."
Even Senator Robert Kelly followed suit, cursing them a few times.
William Stryker, however, could not make such a statement. He was merely a subordinate who had come to report the situation, while also hoping to make a request of his own.
He opened another file. The photographs inside showed a nineteenth-century manor-style building, along with several children playing in an open area. William Stryker said:
"According to our intelligence, this is the X-Men's headquarters. With your permission, Mr. President, we can launch an operation, arrest the assassin, and find out what the mutants are planning. At the very least, we can find out the whereabouts of this criminal."
Senator Robert Kelly picked up several photographs that showed children. "But this looks like a school."
"A school specifically designed to educate mutants. There are mutants inside who can walk through walls. Just imagine what someone like that could do to a bank vault. It's enough to send chills down your spine. And there are others who can fire fireballs or freeze people into blocks of ice…"
William Stryker listed one example after another, almost as though he were deliberately trying to frighten them. Finally, he produced a satellite photograph.
"And they have this."
George Bush looked at the blurry black-and-white satellite image, unable to figure out what he was supposed to be looking at. "What is this?"
"A jet fighter. It emerged from their basketball court. This is the most direct evidence we have of the X-Men's base. And the technology on this aircraft is more advanced than that of every bomber and fighter currently fielded by the U.S. military."
At the same time, William Stryker produced several more photographs from the files. The subject was the X-Men's X-Jet, codenamed Blackbird. Its distinctive wing configuration made it almost impossible to mistake for anything else.
Looking at the series of photographs, Robert Kelly could not help but grow suspicious. "Where did you get this intelligence?"
"From a mutant prisoner. We captured him on Liberty Island in 2000."
"You mean Magneto, Erik Lehnsherr!"
"That's right. He was once a member of the X-Men and knows them extremely well. He provided us with a great deal of useful information."
"How were you able to keep him imprisoned?"
"We built a special plastic prison specifically to deal with mutants like him who can control metal."
George Bush interrupted William Stryker and Robert Kelly's conversation.
"Colonel, then the reason you brought this information to me is because you want my permission to raid this mutant school."
"No, Mr. President. It is an X-Men base disguised as a mutant school." William Stryker skillfully provided a more acceptable way of framing it.
"Dick, what do you think?" George Bush asked his vice president.
"Do it, George. We need to let them know who's in charge of America."
There was not the slightest hesitation in Dick Cheney's voice.
That finally made up George Bush's mind. He said to William Stryker, "Go ahead and do whatever needs to be done. Arrest them, detain them, interrogate them—whatever it takes.
"But I have one requirement. I don't want to see the bodies of any mutant children on the news. Listen carefully—any mutant child. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly clear, Mr. President."
Dick Cheney leaned against the Resolute desk and waved his hand. "Colonel, gather up the files on the desk. Wait outside for now. The President and I still have a few things to discuss."
"Yes, Mr. Vice President."
William Stryker hurriedly gathered the documents from the desk and stuffed them into the hands of his secretary. The young Japanese-American woman efficiently placed every document into her briefcase without leaving behind so much as a single sheet of paper.
The two of them then left the Oval Office.
Robert Kelly followed them out.
"Colonel Stryker."
"Yes, Senator. Can I help you with something?"
"I'd like to visit a prisoner. Magneto."
The strange request made William Stryker slow his steps as they headed toward the waiting area.
"That's a rather unusual request, Senator. Is there any point in meeting a mutant prisoner?"
"He used to be the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants, right? There are a few things I'd like to confirm with him." Robert Kelly gave him a deliberately vague answer.
"All right, Senator. I'll have someone contact you and arrange a suitable time for a meeting."
"Excellent. I'll look forward to hearing from you."
Robert Kelly left the White House through another exit.
William Stryker and his loyal secretary, the mutant Deathstrike, Yuriko Oyama, entered the waiting area. However, they had barely sat down when Dick Cheney appeared.
"Let's go. We still have a lot of things to take care of."
At the entrance of the White House, Dick Cheney did not get into the car the Secret Service had arranged for him. Instead, he got into the car driven by Yuriko Oyama and sat beside William Stryker.
Only after the convoy had merged onto a regular road did Dick Cheney casually say, "I hope your next operation won't go wrong again."
"Mr. Vice President, what other mistake could I possibly make?"
"Hmph! If you hadn't screwed up the first step, I should already have been sworn in as President by now. The rest of the plan would have been much simpler. That candidate you picked was only good for scaring people. The Secret Service didn't even lose a single man."
After being sharply reprimanded, William Stryker did not dare talk back.
When Cheney had served as Secretary of Defense, what soldier would have dared to challenge him? Now that he was Vice President, his authority was only greater.
This made William Stryker hate his original choice of assassin, Henry Brown, even more.
The man had somehow resisted Stryker's control. And even if Stryker wanted to have him taken away, Henry's residence was unsuitable for a military operation.
Left with no choice, Stryker had recruited a former X-Men member for the assassination mission.
Who could have expected it to end in failure?
"Pull over."
After finishing his tirade, Dick Cheney ordered the driver to pull over. Once the entire convoy came to a stop, he prepared to switch back to the armored vehicle originally assigned to him by the Secret Service.
Before getting out, he did not forget to warn the Army colonel.
"Remember one thing. My people don't get a second chance to make a mistake. If you screw up this mission as well, you're fired. Understood?"
"Yes, Mr. Vice President."
Once the Vice President got into his vehicle, the Secret Service took control of William Stryker's car and let the Vice President's convoy depart first. Only after it had traveled a certain distance did they allow Stryker's vehicle to leave.
Yuriko Oyama resumed driving.
Sitting in the back seat, William Stryker wanted to spit on the ground, but since he was inside his own car, he forcibly swallowed the mouthful of phlegm caught in his throat.
Nevertheless, he could not stop himself from cursing.
"That damned bastard. If he didn't have George Bush's pretty face to ride on, he wouldn't even have been elected Vice President."
"Colonel, where are we going now?" Yuriko Oyama asked from the driver's seat.
"Lewisburg first. Then we'll meet up with our people."
After giving the order, William Stryker leaned back against the rear seat cushion and closed his eyes without another word.
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