Marvel: I Awake the Little Cosmos-Chapter 524 - 492: Restarting the Sentinel Program
Mutant Apocalypse is dead.
Died in every corner of Hawk’s timeline.
This is the high EQ way of saying it.
Low EQ?
Apocalypse is dead, and not even a trace remains.
But...
Even though Apocalypse is dead, the wounds inflicted on this world still exist. All nuclear weapons held by the Five Great Dominators were cleared, while at the same time, severe geological disasters occurred worldwide due to Eric the Magneto reversing Earth’s magnetic force.
Take a certain country as an example.
Magneto merely tweaked the Earth’s magnetic field, and Mount Fuji—no, almost all the volcanoes in that country erupted unprecedentedly.
Blazes reaching the sky.
Volcanic clouds covered the sun and sky, although Eric the Magneto ceased after Quicksilver Pietro and others arrived, the ongoing eruptions turned that country into a mere name on a map.
Then there’s the Federation’s San Francisco. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
The Golden Gate Bridge.
Once again destroyed in this disaster.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The Berlin Wall.
In short, facts have proven that mutants, especially powerful mutants, once they truly disregard everything, can indeed destroy the world.
Perhaps after the events of today, the people of the Federation will realize they need to completely change their attitude towards mutants.
Or—
Double down?
"We must find a way to control the mutants."
"They are too dangerous."
"We cannot gamble our lives on their mercy!"
In the meeting room within the ruins of the destroyed Pentagon, a general, full of anger and indignation, slammed the table while expressing strongly the need to find a way to fully control mutants, roaring out the losses this time.
"Quantico Base has been completely destroyed."
"Soldiers, officers, and all kinds of weaponry inside the base, casualties and losses are incalculable."
"The Pentagon, its main building collapsed, General Thaddeus Ross and nine other generals killed, the Federation has suffered unprecedented massive losses."
"Then there’s Pennsylvania Avenue 1660."
"The President was killed."
"Just like a dog by the roadside."
"Especially with the trouble mutants stirred in Egypt, disasters have occurred across the Federation."
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
"They are mutants, not humans."
"There’s an old saying from the Eastern Country: ’Those not of our kin are sure to have different minds!’"
"We might not initiate an attack on mutants leveraging our technology first, but we must have the technology to counter mutants at crucial times."
"Mr. President!"
The African-American general passionately remarked in a speech, then focused his attention on the new President, who directly stepped up due to the previous President’s death, now participating in a video conference from a presidential safe house, that bewitched elderly Baron Turner, who Hawk had spared a moment.
Participating in the meeting, Baron Turner no longer appeared infinitely aged as before.
The whole person seemed to have rejuvenated.
How does the saying go?
Power is the best stimulant.
Originally, Baron Turner thought he would not have the chance to become President, yet unexpectedly, the opportunity fell from the heavens.
But one thing Baron Turner understood very well.
He wasn’t an elected President; he was a procedural President. So, if he wanted to stabilize his position, he must garner the votes of the people.
How did the previous President ascend?
Let’s put it this way.
By using the harshest clauses to restrict mutants within the Federation, he gained votes and ascended.
So, if Baron Turner wants to solidify his position, the best approach is also to exploit ’mutants’ to win votes.
Especially with respect to the Pentagon’s situation now.
In the safe house, participating in a video conference, Baron Turner cast a glance over the generals from the Pentagon listed on the big screen, feeling somewhat tempted.
But...
"That Hawk Phoenix."
In Baron Turner’s mind emerged the image of Hawk fiercely breaking through the white building, that god-like and devilish figure, and the scene of killing the predecessor like a roadside stray. Clearing his throat, he spoke in a low tone, "How much do we know about him."
"He’s a mutant."
"But he doesn’t react to the X-Gene inhibitor."
"Indeed."
The African-American general, under Baron Turner’s gaze, said solemnly, "He’s different from regular mutants; he should be a physical-type Omega-level mutant, his body is his mutant ability, because of this, our X-Gene inhibitor fails. As for rumors of him coming from another cosmos, that’s possibly just to deceive us."
Everyone knows.
Humans cannot comprehend things beyond their cognition.
The African-American even more so.
Hearing this, Baron Turner frowned, "But if Hawk Phoenix comes once more, do we have any means to deal with him?"
He knew what he was talking about.
Baron Turner was also clear about the promise he made to Hawk.
But come on.
He’s a politician, and an old-school one at that. How does the saying go? When standing in front of an unknown situation’s door, there’s a politician and a demon at the side.
You should trust the demon.
After all—
Compared to the promises of politicians, Demons seem far more honest and trustworthy.
The most important point.
Even if he doesn’t want to be an enemy of Hawk, he has to appear unwilling to coexist peacefully with Mutants for the sake of votes.
Obviously.
Baron Turner fears offending voters more than offending Hawk.
So!
"Do we have a countermeasure?"
"Yes!"
"What?"
"Trask!"
"Who?"
Baron Turner listened to this name, subconsciously frowned, but had a feeling he had heard it somewhere before.
In the next second.
He remembered who the person was.
"You mean Bolivar Trask?"
"Yes, Mr. President!"
The African-American General nodded, then said solemnly, "Sir, it’s time for us to restart the Sentinel Program."
Ten years ago, because of Eric the Magneto’s rampage at the White House, the Sentinel Program was suspended. However, Trask didn’t die; instead, he has been living in a secret prison for the past ten years.
After all, the president back then announced reconciliation with Mutants, but the military has always believed that one day they might need the ’Sentinel Program.’ So, they protected Trask in secret.
Indeed!
The time has come to restart the ’Sentinel Program.’
Baron Turner listened to the Pentagon talk about Trask not being dead and was bewildered, as he, like everyone else, thought Trask had died ten years ago.
But apart from being shocked that Trask wasn’t dead, he was more shocked by the ’Sentinel Program.’
"Arrest Mutants."
"Analyze Mutants."
"Eliminate Mutants."
"Hiss!"
Baron Turner listened to the Pentagon General’s account of the ’Sentinel Program,’ subconsciously took a cold breath and frowned slightly: "Generals, what we need are things that can protect us."
The African-American General said solemnly, "This is the weapon to protect us."
Baron Turner frowned.
"But we signed a memorandum of understanding with Professor X."
"The content of the memorandum is that Mutants must not attack humans without reason. Now, they have attacked us, not only destroying all our nuclear weapons but also paralyzing our military base and the Pentagon."
The African-American General slammed the table: "Mr. President, we can no longer sit idly by."
Although the memorandum included Mutants not attacking humans without reason and humans not attacking Mutants without reason.
But it’s like this.
The agreements signed by politicians are less reliable than the words of politicians.
Baron Turner’s expression showed struggle.
Even though he also felt that once the Sentinel Program was initiated, when the Mutants next attacked, he could rely on the Sentinel Program to gain a huge amount of votes.
But...
Thinking is one thing, doing is another; acting is also a basic skill of a competent politician.
He has to show his struggle over this plan so that if it fails, he can blame the military, as this plan was agreed upon under military insistence.
Baron Turner showed a conflicted expression, glancing around the other generals on the big screen: "So, gentlemen, is this what you all want as well?"
The other generals responded affirmatively.
Baron Turner saw this, sighed helplessly, and then signed his name on the Sentinel Program restart memorandum, which had been prepared beside him by a general.
Soon.
The moment he signed his name, it indicated that the ’Sentinel Program,’ suspended ten years ago, was officially restarted.
Meanwhile.
In the secret prison under a military base in Texas.
The not-so-tall Bolivar Trask, with a high spirit, has been staying in this secret prison for ten years.
In these ten years, he neither argued nor caused trouble but stayed in his small room, continuing to perfect his Sentinel Program with pen and paper.
Even though his Sentinels were suspended, Bolivar Trask believed that as long as he was alive, the plan would eventually be activated again.
Clearly.
Today is the day.
Bolivar Trask heard the different footsteps from usual, jumped off the bed, and met the eyes of a soldier who walked to the door.
Four eyes met.
Bolivar Trask spoke first.
"Are you here to kill me?"
"No."
The soldier at the door said solemnly: "The General asked me to ask you, can your Sentinel Program ensure we have absolute superiority in the war against Mutants?"
Bolivar Trask laughed.
His gaze shifted to his Sentinel design pencil sketches pinned on the wall.
Bolivar Trask looked back at the soldier at the door.
"My Sentinels!"
"Are invincible!!"
"..."
