23 Everyone is having a conversation.

So, after my grand reveal to the world, humanity was definitely freaking out and soiling its pants. I mean, who can blame them? It's not every day that you've got not only me but also Thor, the Hulk, and the Abomination making headlines. It's like the gods decided to throw a party the same week.

Conspiracy theories were popping up faster than mushrooms after a rainstorm.

People were desperate for explanations, no matter how far-fetched they sounded.

Conspiracy theories ran rampant as people grasped for explanations that fit within their limited understanding.

Nature may not abhor a vacuum, but the mind does. When our minds can't handle the unknown, we'll do anything to fill in the gaps. This has been happening since forever, and it's not about to change anytime soon.

Ignorance and false knowledge are like two peas in a pod—they both lead to the same outcome. When it comes to taking action, you're just as likely to act based on what you don't know as you would on what you think you know. And if there's no immediate need for action, you're equally inclined to not act based on the knowledge you have, just as you wouldn't act on the knowledge you don't have. It's a funny thing how our actions, or lack thereof, can be influenced by both what we know and what we don't know.

Furthermore, in superhero movies, regular folks are either casualties, completely unbothered or don't even get a voice. But this time, things are different. The world has split into factions, each with its own take on our sudden appearance.

You've got whispers of top-secret government experiments, blue beam, and all of that, and my Ross files dump didn't help at all.

You also got whispers about alien invasions and hidden secret societies' agendas swirling around. Some folks are convinced that the gods have finally returned and religious institutions are losing their collective minds.

They're scrambling to reconcile their teachings with the reality of beings straight out of mythology. Are we divine entities or just something else entirely? It's like we've thrown their belief systems into a cosmic blender.

religion, a topic that never fails to stir up some deep thoughts. When it comes to making choices, it's only natural for people to have this burning desire to be right. they crave that sense of certainty. But here's the catch: they are always bound to be wrong, at least to some degree, and deep down, they are aware of that.

So, what do they do in the face of this uncomfortable truth? Well, in the pursuit of comfort and stability, they often find themselves clinging to beliefs that may not align with reality. It's like they flex their willpower to embrace falsehoods, all for the sake of finding solace in their own constructed version of the truth.

And let's not forget about the military leaders. They're all over the place, too. Some are high on the idea that super-powered beings can be controlled and turned into weapons for their own gain.

Some see us as pawns in their power-hungry game. To either grab more power, increase military spending, or straight-up declare martial law.

But then you've got the other side, the ones who are freaking out about losing control. They view us as ticking time bombs, capable of unleashing chaos if we're not kept in check.

Our appearance is comparable to the dropping of the two nuclear bombs, but now it is dialed to a million with buzz all around the world, emergency meetings, and speeches to calm people down.

Most of it is caught between trying to use us and being terrified of us.

But what really blows my mind is the apathy of a percentage of the general public. As if our presence is just another episode of reality TV. sticking their heads in the sand.

Dismissing our presence as nothing more than a spectacle, detached from their day-to-day existence. They clung to the illusion of normalcy, preferring to ignore the seismic shift occurring before their very eyes.

So, yeah, what could possibly go wrong, right?

After 3 days, the conversation is still going strong and only getting hotter as more and more parties draft plans of how to use this crisis to their advantage, and more narratives pop up everywhere.

As for Ross, he's taking the whole blame for Harlem events. Even the U.S. government is trying to paint him as a good guy and reshape him as a man doing his duty, but the evidence I dumped on the internet isn't helping their case, especially when it comes to orders to kill civilians.

They disavowed him publicly 72 hours later and were to hold a congregational hearing about his transgressions.

but I've also intercepted communications between the World Security Council and General Ross to provide him with a black team, to run a covert operation to capture the Hulk, and to revive his super soldier program in a black, off-the-books manner.

They sure know how to turn a crisis into their personal playground.

I'm not about to let them have their way. Nah, but for now, let them cook and stew in their own mess.

Sterns was still going through his somatic reconditioning process Once he wakes up, he'll be shipped off to lead Project Blue.

But for now, it's time to kick back and party with my resident nerds.

Nothing too wild, just a good ol' bonfire, marshmallows, drinks, and some good storytelling on the roof of the Emberfall Harbor facility.

As I sat there, watching the flames dance and taking a sip of my drink, questions were flying around like crazy.

My resident nerds also have a lot of opinions about the current situation.

"You seriously don't buy into this whole 'gods' thing, right?" Maya scoffed, rolling her eyes at Phineas Mason, who was geeking out about Thor's epic battle with the destroyer armor.

"Come on, you guys are scientists! There's got to be a logical explanation that doesn't involve all this woo-woo stuff," she adds while pointing at us with her beer.

"Haha, okay, okay, you got me there," Phineas chuckled.

"I mean, come on, this is the Norse god Thor; the guy's got it all—weather manipulation, lightning, and let's not forget that divine hair. It's like the whole God package!" He said this while showing her videos of Thor flying around.

Ivan, taking a swig straight from a Vodka bottle, chimed in with a cynical grin. "Trouble, my friend. That's what these super-powered folks are gonna bring. We're already held hostage by politicians with their nukes aimed at us. Can you even imagine what other crazy stuff they'll be pointing at us now?"

Maya nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with concern. "I couldn't agree more, Ivan. We're in for a wild ride with these characters. Humanity's already got enough problems without these "gods" throwing a wrench in the works."

"And the Sentinel guy, what do you think he is? power armor? "Super soldier, or super soldier in power armor, or none of these?" asked Maya, while I only watched with interest, what they thought of me.

"No, no, no. I don't think he's any of those, I couldn't believe the sheer power he displayed. His speed, strength, and intense laser coming out of his head were off the charts!" Mason started to explain while he started showing data on his data pad.

I leaned in, "Oh yeah! But you know, I've been wondering how we can actually quantify his powers," I asked, trying to sound curious and also to see what they knew. These are my resident brainiacs; they will go science over anything.

Phineas beamed with enthusiasm, eager to share his knowledge.

"That's a great question! While we can't measure his powers with absolute precision, we can certainly make some close estimates based on what we observed." He started to explain.

Phineas confidently dove into his calculations, presenting his estimates like a seasoned mathematician. "Alright, let's break it down. For speed, we can use the good old equation: Speed equals distance divided by time. He covered 4,470 meters per second. During his fight with the Abomination, we're looking at a speed of 10,000 miles per hour. That's roughly Mach 13, my friends! the punch he can deliver with that speed can turn anything into mush"

He flashed his calculations on the screen, clearly excited about his numbers. However, Ivan didn't seem too impressed. He casually shrugged, dismissing Phineas' work. "Sure, sure, but don't forget, he was wearing that power armor. I bet he's got some gravity generators and dampeners going on, helping him achieve those feats since he can clearly fly without any means of propulsion."

Maya chimed in, her expression skeptical yet intrigued. "Yeah, it's all speculation at this point. We can't know for sure. But one thing's for certain—he's definitely some kind of super soldier. I mean, he popped up with the military, and those two green guys... There's definitely a lot the government is keeping under wraps."

Phineas nodded, acknowledging the uncertainty of their estimations. Meanwhile, Maya shot me a peculiar sideways glance, as if she had a suspicion or two about me. Hmm, interesting.

With an evil smile, Ivan chimed in, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Da, my friends, the world is changing, and you know what? We can benefit a lot from this change. Opportunities are knocking on our door, and we just have to grab 'em with both hands!"

Mason nodded in agreement, matching Ivan's enthusiasm. Their shared excitement made me shake my head in disbelief at my camp of villains.

Or should I call them opportunists?

Then Maya looked at me and leaned in my direction with a sly smile on her face.

"And you, Brightburn, you must know one or two things or at least have an opinion, don't mind and share it with your peasants, will ya?' She said, trying to catch me off guard.

Ivan throws me the same look, while poor Mason just sits there, nervously shifting his gaze between Maya and Ivan.

Feeling like a helpless bunny trapped in a snare, I gaze back at them, utterly clueless about what to say. So, I do what any self-respecting individual would do—I simply shrug and down my beer in one gulp.

"What, why are you guys looking at me like this?" I asked, trying to diffuse the situation with a chuckle.

And there it is—for the first time, they confront me.

"Come on, Brightburn, do you seriously expect us to buy this whole 'we're just a bunch of R&D in a company' spiel? You never give us a straight answer, always beating around the bush with your speeches," Maya remarks, not mincing her words.

Mason nods in agreement, wearing a sheepish smile.

Ivan just looked at me with curious eyes, since he knew I got his father, and I gave him a live video feed of the pod where he sleeps and a live vitals check, but still, he had his doubts, it seems.

Maya was on a roll, ranting about the absurdity of our situation. "I mean, seriously, we had to sign a gazillion NDAs, and we're holed up in a facility that might as well be a ghost town. We're supposedly at the forefront of technology on this planet, but that alone should make anyone stop and think. Our company doesn't make the news, you don't make the news; things that would make the company money aren't even let out of our doors; cyber security software and some breakthroughs in metamaterials are all that made it out? really?"

"Well, you guys have quite the reservations, but as I always tell you, I've got my ways, and I love to keep things hush-hush And stay under the radar." I winked, clearly avoiding giving her a straight answer.

Maya threw her hands in the air, clearly exasperated. "Here we go again, another round of NASA: Never a Straight Answer. Am I right or am I right?"

"Listen up, folks! You're a crucial part of what I'm building here—the beating heart if you will. But trust me, it's not the right time to dump that heavy burden on your shoulders just yet. It's not that I enjoy keeping you in the dark, it's just that some of the puzzle pieces are not drawn yet, you know?"

I attempted to explain, keeping my cards close to my chest, as always.

"You've all witnessed how the world is changing, right? I mean, we've got gods, titans, and whatnot making appearances left and right. We've had our fair share of conversations about this very scenario, haven't we? The work we're doing within these walls is shaping the future, my friends. And let's face it, none of you wants to be the star of this crazy circus. We're light-years ahead of the competition, and that would make us an obvious target. But soon, all your burning questions will be answered anyway, so just be patient, my friends. " I tried my best to sound sincere, or at least as sincere as I could muster.

Maya simply shook her head and chugged her drink, clearly not buying into my vague explanations. Ivan, on the other hand, nodded along and followed suit with his own bottle.

Their reactions made me realize that perhaps it was time to kick things into high gear and initiate the accelerated integration plan for my on-the-horizon organization, which I had affectionately named the "Foundation," and that it was about time to make it a reality.

But no matter how much you try to manipulate and mold your environment, there will always be unpredictable variables that lie beyond your grasp. The world around you has its own unstoppable momentum.

After all, I had only been here for a mere eight months, still in the early stages of executing my grand plan for ultimate control. It was only natural for there to be some hiccups and surprises along the way.

While I was wondering about all that is happening right now, it made me think that man is but a taut rope suspended between the animal and Superman—a precarious existence over a vast abyss. It's a treacherous journey, a perilous pilgrimage filled with risks and uncertainties. Looking back, pausing, or trembling along the way can be fraught with danger.

But here's what's truly remarkable about humanity: they are not the destination, but rather the bridge. their greatness lies in being a conduit, a connection between different realms of existence. What makes them endearing is their ability to transcend, to surpass the limitations of their current state, and venture into new territories.

Humans are not meant to stagnate or remain complacent. they are meant to go beyond, to reach higher and lower, to over-go, and to descend. It is in this continuous motion, this perpetual exploration, that they find their purpose and capacity to evolve.

And with me around, the process will only be speeded up.

Perhaps my presence here goes beyond just my personal quest for control. It could be seen as part of a larger journey for humanity, a collective effort to ascend to a new elevated state. In this analogy, I am akin to a horse, carrying the carriage of progress and transformation.