บท 133: A Reality Check

Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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[▪︎Guardians Of The Globe Headquarters, Utah▪︎]

[▪︎29th April 2003▪︎]

"Do you know how many died today because of your actions?"

Standing next to me on my left, in the fairly large and brightly lit meeting room with black and cream colored metallic walls and ceiling with dark blue flooring, Cecil questions coldly with a frown on his scarred face to the Guardians quietly standing before us.

It's been just a few hours after the invasion and as of now, it's in the evening around seven.

Before coming to the base, I sent an angry and conflicted Invincible and a worried but happy Eve away, not after telling assuring her that we will meet later.

The government is already doing its part by sending its experts to move the rubble and bodies from the city and I'm confident that by now, the media are criticizing the team and by extension me. Something, I hardly care about.

Moving my eyes from left to right, they all look away in shame and guilt except a stoic Crysela and Ruddy who is hiding away in his Robot persona, unable to answer the question.

"Report indicates that approximately five percent of the Rayleigh population were killed, that's thirty thousand people for GOD'S sake! If it were up to me, you'd all be fired for incompetence, especially your co-leader."

Cecil adds viciously, his gaze now on Robot but he just remains quiet.

"Why didn't you lethal force? I know Seraph made that thought come into your mind so why didn't you do it?"

I ask Ruddy calmly, bringing his and everyone's attention to me, my face neutral as usual as ever.

To be honest, I know why he didn't do it but I just want him to say it.

I've been gradually changing his naive and hero-complex mindset that's stuck on only using the notion that heroes don't kill or even take lethal action through his idolization of me, compelling him to adapt to my ways but it seems he needs a push.

In fact, they all do. Just the thinking of the fact that they could've done a much more clean and effective job by putting away that based hero mindset is pissing my inner perfectionist off.

"...I considered it, yes, but a part of me was conflicted and afraid of doing it so I made it slip my mind. It didn't feel or look like the right course of action. I take full responsibility for the inadequate work of the team and I'll gladly take any punishment."

Robot straightens up and explains, ending solemnly as he stares unflinchingly into my eyes while most of the team shake their head in refusal.

"It's not your fault Robot. Nothing like this has happened before so we were all confused and didn't take the right actions soon."

Monster Girl—in her human form—shifts closer to him and says with a wry smile, patting his arms comfortingly.

"Yeah, besides, none of us signed up for this with killing in our minds...well not all of us."

Shrinking Ray steps up and adds naively, drawing nods from Bulletproof and Black Sampson, taking a glance at a silent Crysela who just shrugs casually in response. The rest just keep silent.

"I hate to agree with them Prime but you know that this isn't a good thing for our P.R. There are already all sorts of activists in this country —some of them even praise Omni-man's objective and declare that we should apply human rights to invading aliens—so that was indeed not the best option. They could've done much better though if they had a perfectly crafted plan."

Cecil runs his hand across his grayish-white hair and sighs helplessly in addition, but crossing my arms, I turn my head to him with cold eyes, making him flinch subtly, and then turn to look at the now nervous Shrinking Ray.

"You enter your home one day and find your wife and kids being held captive by a team of robbers with guns pointed to their heads. Shocked and afraid, you try to do something but they shoot the legs of your wife and kids, making them bleed while screaming in pain.

"Powerless, you have nothing to do but watch in horror but luckily your robbers are sick psychopaths so they throw you a gun and give you a choice. Shoot and kill them or they will kill your wife and let your kids bleed themselves out to death. What would you do as an upright citizen who has never taken a life before?"

I stare into his eyes and ask softly while I project an extremely realistic image of that scenario into his mind stealthily.

"I-I-I can't——"

Fumbling, he stops and gulps deeply, droplets of sweat forming on his forehead as his eyes become unfocused. Sinking deep in his vivid imagination.

"Answer the question."

I slowly remark forcefully as his sweat increases— trembling slightly—making those in the room visibly disturbed as they glance at me and Shrinking Ray, noticing the hint of something wrong.

"I-l-l kill them, I'll kill them all."

Shrinking Ray lets out and almost falls to the ground as the mental scenario disappears from his mind, breathing heavily as he swipes the accumulated sweat off his brows, looking left and right with a little fear and confusion.

"Exactly, you see given the right motive anyone can kill. It's not about the morality of the situation. Do you think those aliens don't know killing is wrong?

"They know but they decided to invade us, slaughter innocent people—not excluding children and babies—and destroy property. To them, this was a war of conquest and in war, people die, unfortunately.

"If they won, we would possibly be slaves or even worse, wiped out from root to stem with no trace of us left in the ever-expanding universe.

"They were soldiers, soldiers who would do anything to get this planet if no one sacked them off, and do you think knocking them unconscious was going to produce that result when they were trying with every fiber of their beings to take your life?"

I pause and ask them seriously, making the team quiet as they start thinking, their faces contorting to frown as the realization of the consequences sinks into their naive minds.

Beside me, Cecil is also quiet and just stares at me weirdly.

"The problem is you guys think the name 'Guardians Of The Globe' is just theatrics. We are soldiers, the only difference between us and regular soldiers is that we are charged to protect the whole planet from external and internal threats and as such, we are supposed to use any means necessary.

"Do you think if had your mentality during my fight with Omni-man, I would be able to injure him and make him leave? No, we were fighting to the death, this is the part Cecil and the media won't tell you.

"I'm not telling you to be murderers. All I'm telling you is that like soldiers we are entitled to use lethal force if absolutely necessary and that is what you should've done.

Those deaths wouldn't have happened if you hadn't pulled your punches and decided to let that whole hero crap cloud your judgment.

Those thirty thousand deaths are on you. I wish you could see all the faces of those who died in your sleep so that it will keep you up at night."

I add coldly and stop to allow this to sink into their minds, making Cecil's eyes widen as overwhelming sadness and guilt takes hold of most of them especially Robot and Rex Splode.

"From today onwards, let it stick to the back of your minds that you are also 'The Soldiers Of The Globe' not only pretty faced overly smiling heroes that the press like preaching about.

"I'm not going to tolerate weakness in this team so if you think you aren't up for the task, you have the chance to leave the team now and never look back."

I end and at this point, as if a bomb just went off, everyone's eyes are open as wide as saucers in shock, surprise, and slight fear except Crysela who is just grinning and looking at me with worship in her eyes.

"Prime, call down this is going too far. You've scolded them as you should, but this isn't something you can just leave on them. Th——"

"Calm down? Sigh, I'm as calm as I'll ever be and I'm as serious as ever. If you don't know this about me, I'll tell you now. When it comes to work or important business, I value logic and practicality above all else. You gave me a job and I intend to do it fully, I don't care what the public thinks. I'll say it again.

"Immortal, Dupli-Kate, Shrinking Ray, Bulletproof, Monster Girl, Black Samson, Rex Splode, Krys, Robot.

"If any of you can't get rid of your shallow and selfish black-and-white view of the world and instead steel your hearts and minds to be capable soldiers who will risk their lives for the sake of this planet, then I suggest you leave and do what you think its best for you.

"I will give you till tomorrow morning to think about it so as you think about all the deaths on your hands due to your incompetence during your sleepless night, add this to the list."

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