055. Victory Is a Fluke?

In the emergency meeting center, Chief Matthew Ellis frowned as the phone cut off with a harsh "beep." His expression made it clear to General Chris that communication with the superheroes had not gone well, which Chris saw as an opportunity. Since the rise of superheroes, the public's expectations had shifted. The military and government now felt sidelined, seen as irrelevant. It rankled him and his men, who were now criticized for collecting taxpayer money without delivering results.

"Chief Ellis," General Chris began, "these so-called superheroes aren't trustworthy. They don't respect your authority or the government's efforts."

Ellis remained silent, his expression hardening as Chris continued.

"You've treated these powered individuals with respect and given them leeway. But they're dismissive and self-centered. If they ever abandon their so-called justice, they could easily become a threat to ordinary people." Chris leaned in. "Our weapons have been upgraded. We're just as capable as they are of facing down these alien threats."

Ellis's mind was clouded with conflicting thoughts. He couldn't ignore Jiang Chen's recent criticism of their handling of the Mandarin situation. Jiang Chen had bluntly questioned the approach, voicing doubts about the plan to confront the Mandarin head-on. The plan seemed airtight, developed meticulously by S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Ministry of Security, yet Ellis couldn't shake his own unease. Mandarin was elusive, and previous attempts had only fueled his spree of terror. But the success of this mission seemed too easy, almost suspicious.

Drawing a deep breath, Ellis turned to address the gathered councilors. "Pyro has expressed doubts about our current plan," he announced, "so he may choose not to participate."

The room erupted with displeased murmurs. A senator rose, his voice sharp. "Pyro has no knowledge of our strategy, yet he questions it?"

"Chief Ellis, it seems these so-called superheroes are arrogant. They think force alone is enough to win a fight. Real battles require strategy, and our plan is nearly flawless!" another added.

"Are they seriously under the impression that we'd be lost without them?" an advisor scoffed.

General Chris watched the room with satisfaction. Seeing the councilors' frustration emboldened him. As he visualized the success of their plan and the capture of Mandarin, he imagined the news hailing his achievements the following day. If the plan worked, he could show the public that heroes were unnecessary.

Clearing his throat, Chris addressed Chief Ellis. "Chief, Pyro's hesitation is nothing more than fear of the Mandarin!"

The room grew silent.

"I know he's saved you before," Chris added smoothly, "but let's examine his recent track record." He gestured to an aide, who played a clip of Jiang Chen's fight with Killian. In the video, Killian looked disoriented, barely aware of what he was doing as he kneeled before Jiang Chen.

"Everyone here knows about the Extremis project," Chris continued, his tone serious. "It's powerful, sure, but it has significant side effects. Killian's submission may have been the result of an Extremis backlash, not Pyro's strength."

The councilors murmured in agreement as Chris wrapped up. "This suggests that Pyro's victory over Killian was sheer luck, not skill."

As the councilors nodded and whispered, satisfied with Chris's assessment, a voice cut through the din: "I disagree. That wasn't a fluke."