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51.08% Marvel : Super Soldier at the Start / Chapter 118: Senate

Chapitre 118: Senate

To be fair, although Nick Fury can be a bit paranoid and even self-righteous at times, he's definitely someone without personal agendas.

Watching his Avengers Initiative basically become Blake's team was frustrating for him, but he genuinely hoped, as Blake said, that this squad could become a sharp blade.

Now that even Captain America had been found and brought into the fold, Fury was at a loss for words. So, he simply brought Dr. Banner on board as well.

Of course, sending Banner to the team was probably more about thinking he'd be safer in the air.

And of everyone, Tony was the happiest about Banner's arrival. Two genius scientists were bound to create sparks, and recently, they'd been working together on an invention — a pair of pants that wouldn't tear, no matter how much someone transformed.

Fury and Blake's conversation was a win for Blake.

Before Captain America entered the room, he had been standing outside the door, listening for quite some time. Unlike Banner, Cap didn't have strong personal opinions.

Although on the surface, he seemed to follow Blake's advice to slowly embrace new things at the Helicarrier, deep down, he had his own thoughts.

But the conversation between Blake and Fury completely dispelled Cap's doubts. In fact, he found himself agreeing with much of what Blake had said.

New York City, Brooklyn.

This was the first time Captain America had set foot in the city since waking up.

Blake drove the Acura convertible he had traded for with a house from Tony, cruising leisurely through the streets of Brooklyn.

"How does it feel, Cap? Does it look familiar?"

"I saw what Brooklyn looks like now on G-Maps. It feels strange. I know my home was just down that street."

Cap pointed to a nearby road.

"But my house has been gone for a long time."

"I still remember that alleyway where I used to get into fights with some thugs. To be exact, I was always the one getting beaten, and Bucky would always come to my rescue. Bucky..."

Blake glanced at Cap, opened his mouth as if to say something, but held back.

"What is it?"

Cap keenly noticed Blake's hesitation.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just had some thoughts. Anywhere else you want to visit?"

"Let's go to the museum. They say there's one in New York dedicated to me, with lots of old photos and videos. I'd like to take a look. At least there, I can see some familiar faces, even if it's just in the videos."

Cap stayed in the museum for a long time, especially when watching the videos left behind by the Howling Commandos.

Those videos showed his old team members, including Bucky, and even Peggy Carter's personal memoirs.

In Cap's memory, these events had only just happened. But now, sixty years had passed since he last closed his eyes, and the world had moved on, leaving nothing behind that matched his memories.

It was a truly terrifying feeling, to find the entire world unfamiliar and to have no sense of belonging.

People say you have to look forward, but that's easier said than done. If anyone were placed in Captain America's situation, few could face it with optimism right from the start.

"You're strong, Cap—stronger than I thought."

After they left the museum, Blake sincerely remarked.

"When I was a kid, I was very sickly. The only thing I could do was make my inner strength even greater."

'Alright, I'll drink to that dose of motivational talk!'

Blake thought to himself.

He realized he needed to work on his own inner strength too—at least enough to appear more mature and composed.

Just as he was about to get into the car, he noticed something bright white on the windshield.

"Oh, great. Which blind cop gave me a ticket? I parked in a legal spot!"

Blake cursed, walking over to find out that it wasn't a ticket at all—it was a summons.

A summons from the Senate, calling him, Tony, and Natasha to attend a hearing. The topics? The Helicarrier outside New York City and the Red Room organization.

As Nick Fury had said, for some people, this wasn't just a threat—it was also a juicy opportunity. It seemed someone had their sights set on him.

In the past, this would've been an annoying problem. At the very least, Blake wouldn't have been able to openly defy the government.

But now…

Blake glanced at Captain America standing beside him and smiled knowingly.

Back when Cap disappeared, the government and military had elevated him to an almost godlike status.

Even now, Captain America was seen as a symbol of American values and patriotism.

Ignoring the political implications, the government's "deification" campaign had been incredibly successful. The whole world practically believed that Cap's defeat of Hydra was what won the war and brought peace.

Over the years, countless Captain America-themed souvenirs, museum tickets, and merchandise had brought in a huge amount of extra revenue for the government.

The saintly, almost mythical image of Captain America held an overwhelmingly positive place in people's hearts. He was like a modern-day hero, capable of shaping public opinion.

--------------------------------

The Senate…

The last time Tony was there, it was over the government's demand that he hand over the Iron Man suit.

That time, Tony had humiliated the Senate on live television, using his quick wit and secret videos of government experiments to win the public over.

But this time, the Senate had come better prepared to face Blake, Tony, and Natasha.

"Mr. Blake, I have a report here that shows you recently made an illegal incursion into the border area between Ukraine and Belarus, where you destroyed a spy organization known as the Red Room without the consent of local authorities."

A senator started the hearing by confronting Blake, focusing on the issue of illegal entry.

As Nick Fury had mentioned, without S.H.I.E.L.D., Blake would have to deal with these kinds of problems himself.

"Excuse me, Senator, but illegal entry? I disagree. Natasha Romanoff and I were kidnapped from our apartment in Manhattan, New York. I have video footage from outside my building that clearly shows us being carried into a vehicle while unconscious."

Blake did have the footage, though the date had been subtly altered by J.A.R.V.I.S.

Both sides knew this argument was just a formality, and neither dwelled on it. Blake's statement allowed the issue to pass without further debate.

Then, a video was played on the screens in the hearing room.

It was security footage showing Blake punching through the wall of a prison and boldly rescuing Alexei.

*******************************************

You can get access to early chapters on patr*on.

If you like my work and you want to support me then you can become my patron on patre*n.

My patr*on account is S_Pandey_0170


Chapitre 119: Vote

"I was under control. Dreykov, the leader of the Red Room, has a neurotoxin that can completely control a person's actions. I was one of his victims, but fortunately, I had injected myself with a preventative developed to block chemical control. I managed to break free not long after. It's a product from Stark Industries, and I was the first volunteer for the clinical trials!"

As Blake spoke, he lifted a file in his hand, showing it contained analysis reports on the neurotoxin, along with certifications from medical experts Tony had gathered.

"What's interesting," Blake continued, "is that Dreykov's neurotoxin originated from a 1995 product developed at Northern Labs in Ohio. I wonder if any of the senators here remember the fire at that lab in '95. I have all the data from that lab, and even two witnesses. Can the government explain why a government-backed lab was developing a chemical that's internationally banned?"

Tony chimed in, waving his phone, "Should I project this data on the screen so our friends in the press can take a closer look?"

"Ahem!" 

Another senator cleared his throat, interrupting Tony.

"This isn't a courtroom. We're not here to convict anyone or discuss a fire in '95. We can investigate those issues later."

"The primary purpose of today's hearing is to address the Red Room's Helicarrier, now located less than 100 kilometers from New York. It's a militarized flying fortress that poses a serious threat to our national security."

"There are also thousands of highly trained agents, raised from childhood to perform espionage and assassination. This kind of power should not be in the hands of private individuals. It must be under government control."

"Blake, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff—you are the ones currently in control of that Helicarrier and those thousands of potentially dangerous spies. We request that you hand over the spy records and the Helicarrier outside New York to the U.S. government to ensure the safety of our people and homeland."

"We're sorry, but we can't do that," Natasha suddenly declared loudly, addressing all the senators.

"What? What did you just say?"

The senator, surprised by Natasha's direct refusal, thought he had misheard and asked her to repeat herself.

"You heard me, Senator. I said we can't. I know what you're after—thousands of highly trained spies, yours without lifting a finger. But I need to tell you, these women have been under control their entire lives. Now, they've finally broken free of that vile neurotoxin and can live like normal people. I won't allow any organization, government, or individual to take control of them again for their own purposes. They are free!"

Natasha, having come from the Red Room herself, wasn't interested in negotiating. She addressed the issue head-on, cutting through all the diplomatic pretense.

As she spoke with fury, Tony helpfully displayed part of the Red Room's training program and the brutal selection process for the Widows on the screen.

The information caused an immediate uproar, especially among the reporters, who rushed forward to take photos and videos.

"Oh my God, this is the most egregious violation of human rights!"

"They removed the uteruses of those girls—this is murder!"

"Quiet! Everyone, please, settle down! We can discuss the reintegration of these former spies later. Let's not lose sight of today's focus, which is how to protect our national security."

The Senate Chair banged the gavel on the table, trying to restore order.

"National security comes above all else. If the three of you don't comply with our recommendations, today's hearing will end here. The Senate will propose a special bill on this matter, and if two-thirds of the vote passes, we won't rule out the possibility of using force."

A threat—a blatant threat.

"Use force? I'd like to ask, are you sure you want to use force?" Blake stared directly at the Senate Chair.

"Mr. Blake, I understand you possess abilities beyond ordinary people, but you can't seriously think you alone can stand against an entire national apparatus, right? We simply want to resolve this issue. You should consider carefully before we proceed with the vote."

The Chair smiled, but his eyes conveyed the clear message: *This is a threat*.

"Hahaha! A bunch of hypocritical politicians who only know how to beat around the bush!" Blake laughed out loud.

"You should've just voted from the start and then threatened us with force right away. Why bother with this hearing? There are plenty of senators here today—why don't you go ahead and vote now? I've even prepared the ballots for you!"

*Snap!*

Blake snapped his fingers.

A strange scene unfolded. Without a sound, a small golden circle appeared beside each senator. From the circles—each about the size of a small ashtray—hands emerged, dropping a quarter-sized white ballot beside each senator.

The hands quickly retracted and then reappeared, this time dropping a gleaming, golden bullet next to each ballot.

The room fell silent. Everyone held their breath. The senators sat frozen, none daring to move a muscle. The only sound was the soft *plink* of bullets falling on the tables.

Everyone stared, stunned. No one had seen when the hands had disappeared, or when the golden circles had vanished.

"Well? Go ahead—vote! Write 'YES,' and let's see if your force can conquer me."

Blake stood up, surveying the room, and shouted.

For a long moment, no one moved. Then, finally, one senator snapped out of the shock.

"Oh my God, what did I just see? Mama! I need to go home to my mama!"

Even though the senator's hair was already gray, the terror had clearly rattled him to the point of hysteria.

Blake casually patted Tony and Natasha.

"Let's go. Today's hearing is over. Time to head home."

At the door, Blake paused and turned back.

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention—you all, including the senators who couldn't make it today, will find an identical set waiting in your bedrooms. If you haven't made up your minds yet, no rush. You can fill it out when you get home. I'll be waiting for your response!"

"And this—this is what I call a threat."

*******************************************

You can get access to early chapters on patr*on.

If you like my work and you want to support me then you can become my patron on patre*n.

My patr*on account is S_Pandey_0170


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