Ch - 38 Racist?

Seeing the tracker, Ms. Sans Souci immediately alerted the others that General Eiling must have tracked her to S.T.A.R. Labs.

Upon hearing her warning, Harrison Wells immediately checked the CCTV cameras. Seeing General Eiling and his men arriving at the entrance, he hastily instructed, "Lock down the pipeline and get Ms. Souci out of here. I'll handle Eiling."

Everyone acted swiftly, gathering the necessary equipment for testing Ms. Souci's abilities before hastily leaving S.T.A.R. Labs—all except Swayam.

Swayam stayed with Harrison Wells, just to be safe. Considering what Ms. Souci and Harrison Wells had said about General Eiling's character, Swayam didn't want to risk Eiling taking action against Harrison Wells if he didn't find Ms. Souci at the lab. Additionally, since Swayam couldn't remember the plot, he wasn't certain what the disguised Eobard Thawne might do to General Eiling. So, he found it prudent to stay with Harrison Wells.

After everyone else left, Harrison Wells and Swayam went to greet the uninvited guests.

Seeing the duo approach, General Eiling first glanced at Swayam before addressing Harrison Wells. "Harrison Wells. How the mighty have fallen."

Harrison Wells noticed General Eiling's gaze toward Swayam but refrained from commenting. He greeted, "General."

General Eiling continued, looking around the place. "S.T.A.R. Labs. This place used to be so important." He briefly glanced at Swayam again before focusing on Harrison Wells. "Tell me, what does one do after such a spectacular public failure?"

Realizing Eiling's sarcasm and attempt to rile him up, Harrison Wells remained calm. "One adapts. One evolves. One becomes intent on reversing one's fortune."

Eiling scoffed. "Always the idealist."

Seeing that Eiling wasn't getting to the point, Harrison Wells crossed his arms and asked directly, "What do you want, Wade?"

General Eiling got serious. "Before I answer that question, I want to know, who is this?" He looked at Swayam.

Both Swayam and Harrison Wells, unaware of each other's thoughts, quickly processed the possible reasons for Eiling's question.

Without waiting for a reply, Eiling continued, "And can you explain to me why you are trying to make an illegal immigrant a US citizen, Wells?"

Harrison Wells immediately understood Eiling's angle. If he didn't find Ms. Sans Souci, he would likely try to force their hand by either proving Harrison Wells to be an anti-nationalist or by falsely accusing Swayam of being in cahoots with the bomber.

Knowing Eiling's nature, Harrison Wells gave a stern reply, "It doesn't matter what he was. What matters is that Swayam is an employee and a member of S.T.A.R. Labs, and he hasn't harmed anyone. So I will ask again, Wade, what are you here for?"

Seeing Harrison Wells being serious, General Eiling dropped the facade and sternly questioned, "Where's my asset?"

Harrison Wells, still serious, replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Seeing Harrison Wells feigning ignorance, Eiling continued with a threatening tone, "Don't try to be oversmart with me, Harrison. We tracked her here. Turn her over before you see the rest of your precious palace crumble."

Harrison Wells remained indifferent and shook his head. "Wade, Wade, Wade."

Frustrated, General Eiling silently signaled his men to search the place. While walking past Harrison Wells, he said, "We could have changed the world, you and I."

Before heading inside, Eiling gave Swayam another look.

After Eiling left, Swayam asked Harrison Wells, "Will it be alright to let them search the place?"

Harrison Wells, moving his wheelchair, reassured him, "Don't worry. They won't find anything."

As Harrison Wells predicted, they didn't find anything or anyone, which made General Eiling extremely angry. Walking toward Harrison Wells, he angrily questioned, "Where is she, Wells?"

Harrison Wells remained firm. "I don't know what you are talking about."

Seeing Harrison Wells's demeanor, General Eiling's blood boiled. He angrily slammed his hand on a nearby wall in a threatening manner and spoke, "Mark my words, Harrison Wells, if I don't find my asset, I'll make your life and your employees' lives a living hell. And I'll start with this illegal immigrant." He pointed toward Swayam before storming out angrily.

Swayam was puzzled by General Eiling's behavior. He thought to himself, "What enmity does he have against immigrants?" Is he behaving like that because he's a racist?

Being an orphan had thoroughly prepared him against any type of discrimination. Whether it was direct or indirect discrimination, comparative or justifying discrimination, discrimination due to disability, harassment, victimization, or even sexual harassment, Swayam had encountered it all. All those years in the orphanage and later in society, he met all types of individuals who, either consciously or subconsciously, were discriminatory. By now, he could identify who engaged in which type of discrimination.

Although he never faced discrimination from the members of S.T.A.R. Labs, he still encountered it from others wherever he went. However, General Wade Eiling's discrimination against immigrants was completely new to him.