章 20: Chapter 20

In a secured room at the Whitehouse, before President Jackal his advisors alongside military leaders and homeland defense sat before him. On the screen playing on a loop was a low definition video of a teen crashing down a street before vanishing after punching a blur. Each holding in their frowns.

"What can you tell me about this?" The President demanded answers rather than asking politely. "This is no gas line like the media is saying."

President Jackal is a man in his late forties with grey sides and cleanly shaved face. Due to the stress of his job, he gains a bit more grey and age wrinkles than he should. Now however, he had dark circles under his eyes as it had been a couple days since the incident.

Speaking up was the head of the FBI who was tasked with investigating. His name was Jack Lint who was a balding old man without a single hair on top of his head. Adjusting his large black glasses, he began the current results.

"While a team attempted to improve the video quality. We can only make out what we believe to be a teen or young adult fighting. From eye witness and some discovery we know the fight broke out along the coast before entering an unnamed forest a fair bit away." Jack paused for a momented.

"We have managed to collect a few drops of blood from the various scenes. From initial findings we discovered something interesting about the blood samples." With a deep pause, "We believe neither are human."

A small uproar soon took hold, as no one believed him. There is no such thing as aliens or so everyone believed inside the room. Finally as the President raised his hand to quiet everyone down.

"You aren't suggesting aliens are you? This is real life and not a comic book." President Jackal narrowed his eyes. He could not tolerate nonsense during what could be a crisis. From the evidence and destruction, what would stop these two 'beings' from destroying cities or the country.

Clicking on his remote, Jack pulled up some videos of men and women in lab coats. In a sealed off room, two dishes with a couple blood drops were on a table.

"While aliens are on the list of possibilities we are leaning more toward mutants. The reason I said what I did is these cells are still alive. On the right we have what appears to be the clear teen in the video. At first we observed it and only found that it was a whole lot denser than normal. It wasn't until a lab assistant who since been put under investigation tried to destroy it after he was found dead."

In the video a man who appeared in his twenties with a piercing holes and shaved head appeared. They watched as he attempted to dispose of the blood but no matter what he tried the blood appeared unharmed. It wasn't until he dropped an unknown mixture on it did the blood react only not like they assumed. The blood vanished and a very toxic and deadly gas filled the room and watched as the man fell like his strings were cut.

"After a couple tests, we found the blood normally harmless. However, we believe it is a self defense mechanism to keep it from being cloned or experimented on." Jack explained, slightly relieving most of those gathered.

Clicking on the next video, where it was the Viltrumite blood. "This one on the other hand. No matter what we threw at it. It just didn't care at all, but like the previous sample it is resistant and denser than human blood. However, unlike the last one, we believe it to be safer."

Finishing his report, Jack took his seat before the next one to go was the Head of Health and Human Services department. She was a woman in her mid to late fifties.

"While since Jack kindly already covered most of what I had to say. I will add that while it would take some time, we believe studying these samples might improve our race health overall, granting longer lives and less prone to diseases."

"Can these samples be weaponized?" The General in the room asked.

While it might have sounded a bit greedy and could help with his troop in surviving the battlefields. He was slightly afraid of other countries getting their hands on it and giving it to their troops. If the video was anything to go by, an army of such strength could be worse than nuclear warfare.

Shaking her head, "Sadly our samples are too small. Unlike in comic books we can't create flashy or stunning results with a couple strands of blood nor in a few days."

"Is there anything else to report?" President Jackal asked with no one answering. "Very well, I want the investigation to continue and hope we can find them. We can't have another such battle on our soil as this time we got lucky and only a few casualties. Who knows how bad it will be next time. Now what next on the agenda."

While the government was debating and on the search. The one they were looking for was face down on the couch moping as the news played on in the background. On the screen, it showed the five that died due to battle and among them was a nine year old boy.

"Jason, it wasn't your fault. It was already amazing that it was only five." James tried to comfort his son. "You saved countless lives trying to keep the battle away from cities. That in itself is amazing as the battles or events require our assistants; it is considered low even if it is a few hundred."

"Dad, that is not making me feel any better." Jason groaned.

"It's not supposed to, but this is the reality of being a hero. Yes, we can save countless lives, but remember. We aren't gods nor perfect and prone to mistakes and can't save everyone. We can only try to do better to minimize the ones we lose." James said as he rubbed his son's hair.

"Now, how is it going between you and Lala?" James gave a teasing smile as Jason blushed.

Jason could still remember the kiss she gave him at the beach and her soft lips on his. While they haven't talked about it since, as both would avoid the topic. Mainly as it would bring up the memories of Thragg arriving. They were closer than they were before the kiss and neither quite understood where they stood at the moment.

"You know son, while you may deny it but you basically have been dating her. So you might as well just go for it." James said as he stood up. "Now why don't you take her flying. Many of my lovers loved it."

Grumbling about the old man being nosy and busybody. Jason slid off the couch and went towards Lala's room. Taking a seat by her side as the pain he felt from the death from the battle subsided. He watched silently as she worked on a new invention.

In an unconscious or conscious move, he didn't know which, Jason hugged her from behind. While it surprised her a bit, she just smiled as she patted his arm as if assuring him everything will be fine.