Capítulo 100: Betrayal?
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The council of I-Island was in an uproar. The recent exposure of the Bayen and Japan government's corruption had put their plans in jeopardy. They had been working with Bayen Pharmaceutical to develop a highly beneficial drug that would give them a significant advantage over other countries that were torn on their sides for years. But now, with Bayen's reputation in shambles and the Japan's Prime Minister exposed to work with Bayen, the council was scrambling to come up with a solution to raise a new puppet to rule Japan. They didn't even dream of rescuing the current one; it was a foregone conclusion.
The leader of the council, a man that looked like in his thirties with a sharp mind and a stern demeanor, called the meeting to order.
"Silence!" he barked, his voice echoing through the large conference room. "We must address this issue with the utmost urgency. Our plans for the drug had been delayed for years with this incident."
"What are the responses of other countries?" An elderly looking woman asked with a grim expression.
"The situation is grim. Many of the major nations are on the hunt for anyone associated with Bayen. The United States, Russia, China, South Africa, Brazil, India, and the UK are investigating every Japanese company in search of any possible connections to the recent events. This will undoubtedly cause a great deal of trouble for us. We will be forced to postpone many of our plans, and will need to lay low for an extended period of time." The leader's words were heavy with despair, and his frown deepened as he spoke.
"Is it possible for us to continue operating in smaller countries where we won't attract too much attention?" inquired another member, with a note of hope in her voice.
"We will figure it out, but we can't just blatantly kidnap children en masse. That's just asking for trouble. Plus, dealing with just two protectors at once is already risky enough. If they catch wind of what we're up to, they'll send more protectors after us and we can't handle that. I mean, if four protectors showed up at once, even I-Island would be screwed." His irritation and anger were evident in his voice, but there was also a hint of despair and hopelessness.
"Four? Getting two protectors to work together is already a challenge, let alone four. It's not like they're easy to move," the old woman spoke with a frustrated tone and snorted in disapproval.
The old man interrupted her with a sharp slap of his hand on the table. "Yes, it's difficult, but that's under the assumption that no children are in danger. You all need to remember that heroes hate to see children hurt."
"What the hell is he doing?" the young man blurted out impatiently, breaking the silence that had settled over the council. He shot a pointed glance around the room. "Why is Bakin acting alone in granting heroes more autonomy? And who the hell authorized it?"
"What's happening?" The leader asked, a sense of foreboding creeping into his thoughts.
"Listen for yourself," the young man said, tapping his device. Bakin's voice filled the room, breaking the silence. "As many of you know, I have proposed a plan to grant greater autonomy to our heroes. I firmly believe that they possess the necessary capabilities and qualifications to make important decisions on behalf of themselves"
A voice from the crowd interrupted him. "But how can we trust them to make the right decisions? They're just people like us, after all."
Bakin turned to face the speaker, a middle-aged man with a skeptical expression. "That's a fair point, sir," he said. "But let me ask you this: would you trust a group of people who have risked their lives countless times to save others, or would you rather leave important decisions to politicians who may have never even left their cushy offices?"
"What the hell is he doing?" the old woman shrieked. "Call him now! Summon him here this instant!"
"We can't. Just call him," the leader said with a guffaw.
"Sir and Madam, Bakin is at your service," he began, but the old lady cut him off, saying, "Who instructed you to deliver that speech?"
"Mokami Yaoyorozu did." Bakin answered honestly.
"That brat?" the leader asked with a tired sigh. Then he asked, "Why didn't you let us know first?"
"As you know, I have been working closely with Mokami for the past eight years with the aim of keeping him under close watch and preventing any threats to our council's interests. However, it seems that our mission may have reached a critical point. It was a time-sensitive matter, and eight years ago, you ordered me to gain Mokami's trust. I didn't want to expose the truth, so I followed his orders. My election to the presidency wouldn't cause you any harm, but would instead increase your reach, so I acted without asking for permission," Bakin reported without a hitch in his voice.
The members of the council leaned forward in their seats, their expressions tense and expectant. Bakin's words carried logic and had merit, making it difficult for the council to blame him.
"Recently, Mokami approached me with a proposal. He wants me to run for the presidency in this time of crisis," Bakin continued. "He claims he can help me win the election, and together we can accomplish great things for this country. If I don't accept his offer, I know I'll be putting myself out of his pocket, and by extension, the council's interests, in jeopardy."
The council members murmured amongst themselves, their brows furrowed with concern.
"But if I accept Mokami's offer," Bakin continued, "I could increase the trust and bond that I have built with him over the years. This may result in not losing our watchful eye over him altogether. We wouldn't have to find a new way to keep him in check. Not only that, I would be under your rule, governing a country."
A member of the council, a young man with fiery ambition, spoke up after putting the call on hold so Bakin couldn't hear them. "Why not put another puppet in the presidency? Someone who will follow our orders and not put the council at risk. Bakin is a trustworthy pet, but he is not a puppet."
The leader shook his head. "While that may be the safer option, it would also mean that we miss the chance to appoint someone truly competent and loyal to the council's interests as the president. We need to carefully consider our options. Although having a puppet can be advantageous, the public is currently in an uproar. If we appoint a random person, the public will be skeptical, and a competent person may not be easily influenced by us."
The council members discussed the matter further, debating the risks and benefits of each course of action. Ultimately, they concluded that Bakin's loyalty to the council was paramount, and they agreed to support whatever decision he made.
Once they gave Bakin the green light, they shifted their attention to other matters. The remaining council members nodded in agreement, their expressions tense with concern.
"We can no longer rely on Bayen," one of the younger council members spoke up. "We need to find a new partner to work with."
The leader nodded thoughtfully. "I agree. However, we must act quickly. Our competitors will not hesitate to take advantage of this situation if we do not move swiftly."
"I suggest we consider China," one of the council members proposed. "Their pharmaceutical industry is rapidly growing, and they have a large market we can tap into."
"I just said that China is eliminating anything related to Bayen," the leader said, looking at the member as if he were an idiot, although he knew he was not.
"Hide the tree in the forest," the member smiled. "China has its own underground. Although that old monster is protecting the country, she cannot watch over every single person all the time. If we can convince one of the companies to work for us, I bet we can run our operation under their nose without risking our interests."
The leader nodded. "That's a good suggestion. We will explore this option further. But we must also consider the potential risks of working with a new partner. We cannot afford any more exposure. And this time, there should not be any connection to us. Unlike Japan, China will not hesitate to retaliate harshly."
The council continued to debate their options late into the night. They knew the stakes were high, and failure was not an option.
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