Chapter 36: The Fallout

Miss Christine's report had caused a stir, just as she had expected. People were hardly interested in whether some playboy was having an affair or throwing lavish parties. Those kinds of gossip were just distractions for leisure time—people could take it or leave it. What truly mattered were things that could impact their future lives, and Christine's report perfectly matched that concern.

"Our living environment is indeed not optimistic," one of two well-dressed scholars on a live interview show said, addressing the camera. "I have seen an unpublished federal government report that suggests radioactive dust left over from nuclear tests during the Cold War may have caused 15,000 cancer-related deaths. Additionally, there are at least 20,000 more who have developed mild forms of cancer due to this radiation."

"Biologists have deeply studied human genetics, and we can confirm that the increase in mutants is indeed influenced by radiation. The nuclear era accelerated the process of genetic mutation."

The scholar's words concerned the host, who frowned and asked, "So, as reported by journalist Christine, is it true that any of us could become mutants?"

That was exactly the question the audience was waiting for. If mutants were far from their reality, they could ignore them. But once it began affecting their own lives, things would be different.

No one wanted to end up like a monkey in a cage or strapped to an operating table, subjected to experimentation.

The scholar's answer only deepened the fears of those watching.

"Currently, there is no reliable data suggesting that ordinary people exposed to excessive radiation could mutate into mutants. One thing is certain: fetuses are more likely to mutate than adults. There's a theory in the academic community that only those carrying mutant genes have a chance of mutating, while most others who are exposed to radiation will develop serious illnesses, such as cancer."

Whether it was mutation or cancer, both seemed awful. But, compared to cancer, most people would prefer the chance to become a mutant. After all, they didn't experience the pain of being excluded from society, and they focused more on the powers mutants seemed to possess—they were just too dazzling.

The host seemed to share this sentiment. "I'd rather be a mutant than get a terminal illness. And becoming a mutant might actually be interesting. Maybe I could be as powerful as Bruce Lee. I could become a superhero and protect world peace."

As he said this, he jumped around like a monkey and struck martial arts poses, pretending to fight.

The scholar looked at him like he was an idiot. "You'd better think about whether your wife will divorce you and take half of everything. Also, what if the neighbors kick you out of the community? And what about all the other practical problems that might arise?"

"Is it really that scary?" the host responded with a clueless expression.

The biologist nodded. Another scholar interjected:

"Our society isn't friendly to those who are different. For example, during the European war, the government treated half a million German-American citizens as enemy aliens, arresting thousands on suspicion of 'aiding the enemy,' even though they hadn't committed any illegal acts. They were thrown into prisons, and the Foreign Alien Property Custodian seized nearly $500 million in private property from them."

"There was a young immigrant from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a translator and editor, who wrote a simple poem. The police gave him a spot in a detention camp. In fact, he had already been under federal surveillance for years. That poem simply gave them a reason to arrest him. Though they found no evidence to charge him with, the government justified it by saying he was skilled at writing, and his work could cause trouble if published."

The scholar's explanation was chilling, and the host nervously laughed. "Sounds like something the Gestapo would do under Nazi rule. Did this really happen in our country?"

The answer was, of course, yes.

"It looks like we need to approach the mutant issue cautiously. If one day mutation happens to us, it would cause a lot of trouble. As our scholars have said, your partner might turn on you, friendly neighbors might show their true faces, greeting you with baseball bats and golf clubs. Worst of all, the bank might demand you pay back your mortgage in full, and you'd be homeless."

Although the host wasn't taking things seriously, his words resonated with ordinary people more than the scholars' arguments.

In a shopping mall on the streets of New York, a young couple was browsing when they saw a group of people gathered around the big screen watching the program. Out of curiosity, they stopped to watch, catching the part where the host was acting out.

"Tom, do you think our baby could be a mutant? I'm so scared," the wife said anxiously, rubbing her pregnant belly.

"No, I'll protect you both. No one will take you from me. Don't forget, I have a gun," the husband reassured her, though he was nervous himself.

The husband began regretting some of his previous decisions. Not long ago, a senator had proposed a mutant registration act, and he had enthusiastically supported it, even voting in favor. If the worrying scenario came to pass, he would have been caught in his own trap.

The same thoughts crossed the minds of thousands of others. They didn't want to suffer the same fate as mutants.

However, their views were hard to sway against the more influential ones, whose opinions carried more weight.

"Fire, cold, steel bodies, the ability to break through obstacles. I've even heard mutants can control human minds—these powers are enough to shock anyone. I can't help but wonder: if one of them were to walk into the White House or appear near us, what would happen? Maybe, after a 'bang,' all your hard work would be gone. I must remind you all: nuclear weapons need to be kept in secure bunkers to ensure national safety. If we let mutants roam freely on the streets, soon enough, someone will use them against us. Don't forget the lesson from President Kennedy and the conspiracy during the New York summit—mutant threats are real, and ignoring them will lead to harm." A senator declared firmly in front of the Capitol.

Behind him, dozens of supporters waved flags, passionately chanting slogans.

Inside the White House, the president hurried into his office, turned on the TV, and after watching for a while, instructed his assistant to convene an emergency cabinet meeting.

Soon, the cabinet members took their seats, and the president turned to face them.

"We have a problem. I don't want it to turn into a political crisis. I need you to tell me who they are, where they come from, how big the threat is, how we should deal with them, and what to do with the stalled registration act. I need real information, no more word games—based on my experience, this could lead to big trouble. Also, is it really possible for anyone to become a mutant?"

The president's unhappy expression was directed at the cabinet members.

"We believe the key is the mutant gene. Military lab tests have shown many test subjects were exposed to radiation, but very few turned into mutants, which supports this theory. However, we can't release our research process; it's a technical issue," one of the academic advisors answered part of the president's questions, then looked to another advisor to help with the remaining questions.

"We've seen mutants like Jean Grey and Hank McCoy. Their abilities are formidable..." The advisor hesitated. He was in charge of domestic security and supported the bill but didn't know much about mutants.

Luckily, someone interrupted him.

"They have a training facility in the northern suburbs of New York, specifically for mutants," a burly older man stepped forward. His hair and beard were completely white, but his eyes were still sharp.

It was Stryker.

"Is the information reliable?" The president picked up a pile of photos Stryker had put down.

"We learned it after interrogating a terrorist from the Liberty Island incident," Strick replied, not wanting to reveal his past with mutants. Doing so would make his words sound like personal revenge rather than serving the public good.

"Erik Lehnsherr?" the president asked, remembering the ringleader.

"Yes, that's the one who looked like the mutant from the Duncan Elementary shooting incident," Stryker gritted his teeth.

"I saw the report from Miss Averkert. He really is a clone... Who did this?" The president asked, looking at those around him.

"We don't know for sure, but he was seen at a bar in a small town in Canada. I have over sixty eyewitnesses to confirm it, but beyond that, there's nothing else." The intelligence officer replied honestly.

The president then turned to Stryker.

"It wasn't me," Stryker quickly clarified. He dreamed of revenge, but mutants coming to the forefront had complicated the situation. Before he could gather enough resources to restart his research, he didn't want to stir up more trouble. He and the academy knew each other well—if another conflict arose, it wouldn't be solved with a practice match like last time.

Unfortunately, the president wasn't about to let him off.

"Because of the Liberty Island incident, we had to temporarily compromise and shelve the relevant bill, but I think mutants are a long-term threat, and our major supporters believe we should deal with them firmly." The president stood up. "William, you're the expert on mutants. If I authorize you to search, detain, and interrogate them, can you give me the results I want before the public gets stirred up? Of course, the condition is that I don't want to see any mutant children's bodies on the 6 o'clock news."

Finally receiving the attention he'd longed for, William Stryker should have been overjoyed. But instead, he felt bitter. The authorization came too late; he had already lost all his trump cards—results from decades of research accumulated during his time at Trisk's. No one knew more than him. Even a few months earlier, it could have led to a decisive shift. But what could he do now? Yes, he could gather resources, re-arm his team, and find ways to fight against the mutant who controlled magnetism and his allies. But what about Charles? Once discovered, he could almost become god-like with the mind amplification device. After their crushing defeat last time, it seemed unlikely they would ever get another chance like that.

As Stryker thought about this, a deep resentment simmered in his heart. He almost wanted to leap up and strike these ungrateful bureaucrats.

Meanwhile, the president was pacing around, muttering to himself.

"We need to thoroughly research them, understand their abilities, and find a way to transfer those abilities to loyal soldiers, making them a new sword of the nation. During my term, we will solve the mutant problem once and for all."

Stryker swallowed dryly, then spread out the documents in his hands and bent forward, explaining to the eager president.

"Sir, the mutant power system is highly disorganized, and researching them for practical results is incredibly difficult. So—" He glanced at the president's quickly darkening face and hurriedly added, "So, I used the related research to find other discoveries."

Stryker took out a small thermal container, opened it, and removed a vial of serum.

"This is a bloodline cell extract agent. It has powerful healing and body-enhancing effects, comparable to the long-lost super soldier serum, and it can even extend lifespan. It's the best choice. Most importantly, it doesn't come with the complications mutants bring."

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