Chapter 152: Vote Slade Wilson

While Arias had gone off the grid, the aftermath of his actions still shook the country, with him becoming the focal point of nearly every news network. This was largely due to the commissioner following Arias's orders and handing over the audio recording of the conversation between Arias and the president to Vicki Vale.

She, in turn, knew the risks of releasing the story. But after careful consideration with her superiors, they decided to break it, capitalizing on the surge in views it would bring. As for potential backlash, they weren't too concerned—many of the owners were foreign investors. If the government made a move, it would only worsen the situation.

The story broke just a few hours after Arias left Gotham, and the shockwaves it sent were immense.

Those who had been badmouthing Arias on social media either reversed their views or labeled the audio recording a forgery. Regardless, the damage was done. Those whom Arias had helped trusted the evidence and believed he was being unfairly targeted. After all, it made sense. If Arias supported any one presidential candidate, they were guaranteed millions of votes, at the very least.

The government quickly tried to control the damage by declaring the recording a fake and demanding that news stations take it down, citing it as the spreading of false information. Stations within the country complied, but it was too late—the international outlets continued to discuss it, with experts even declaring the recording authentic.

This division spread across the country. Some labeled Arias a killer and a liar, while others viewed him as a hero trying to change the world, stifled by the selfish elite.

Among the younger generation, just as Arias had predicted, many idolized him even more. He was seen as a figurehead who refused to bow down, even when the odds were against him.

With such an aftermath, Arias could comfortably say his plan had been mildly successful. Though there was no official way to gauge how much support he had, social trends suggested a significant following. Having displayed his power and defied the government, people now saw him as a threat to the establishment.

But for the government, the more immediate concern was Slade Wilson, who was still running for president. His views aligned with Arias's, and since he worked closely with him, those who supported Arias naturally gravitated toward Slade. Even without officially launching his campaign, Slade was considered a top-five candidate—the only independent to achieve such a feat since Lex Luthor.

This led to many interesting debates and views, particularly surrounding Slade. He made several appearances via video call, with the most popular being a debate between him and a top Republican candidate—a wealthy attorney and top graduate with what seemed like the perfect family. His name was Joe Burtman, and he saw Slade as an easy target to boost his own image.

Appearing on the video call, Joe sat with his family in his living room, with a backdrop showcasing numerous accolades and photos of him with important world figures. The presenter, a stern-looking man with glasses, nodded as the feed connected and spoke.

"Thank you, Mr. Burtman, for taking time on your family day to join us in the studio. We welcome you and your lovely family."

Joe Burtman smiled, while his wife and three children waved, each wearing almost static smiles. His wife looked like the perfect housewife; the youngest child, a boy, wore an adorable sailor suit. The teenage son donned a blazer, shorts, and high socks while holding a lacrosse stick, and the eldest, a daughter, wore a dress so modest even nuns would admire it.

"Thank you, Jimmy. I'm glad to be on the show. It's a shame our friend seems to be running late," Joe said, his comment clearly aimed at Slade, who had yet to join the discussion.

Before the presenter, Jimmy, could respond, Slade finally connected. He sat in his office, dressed in casual military attire, with a background starkly different from Joe's. His backdrop featured a collection of guns, his framed Marine uniform, and numerous photos of him and his former squad. A weathered American flag hung in the corner.

"Sorry about the delay, I was busy with preparations for my campaign and all," Slade said.

Joe saw this as an opportunity to attack. Laughing, he shook his head, purposefully drawing the attention of both Slade and Jimmy. 

"Oh, sorry, I just find it funny that someone who can't even properly manage his time wants to manage a country," he remarked. His family chuckled in unison, almost as if scripted.

Slade furrowed his brow but laughed as well. "That just shows people I'm a normal guy like the rest of them, who understands their struggles and lifestyle. You, on the other hand? Your family looks like the prelude to a murder story."

Joe Burtman's smile faded, and he looked at Slade with hostility. "Excuse me? Are you insulting my wife and children?"

Slade grinned and shook his head. "Of course not, I was just stating the obvious. I have no problem with transgender marriages."

Joe stood up abruptly, while his wife looked visibly offended. The teenage boy and girl, however, seemed to be holding back laughter.

"What?! My wife is a woman in every sense of the word, and you'd do well to show her the respect she deserves," Joe said, his voice raised in anger.

Slade raised his hands in mock surrender. "Whoa, calm down, Jamal. Her little mustache just made me assume."

Joe's wife immediately began touching the area above her lip, visibly worried. She turned to her children and asked if it was true, receiving hesitant replies.

Growing angrier, Joe tried to steer the conversation back on track. "Can we get back to the matter at hand? My family and I are going to watch my son's lacrosse game this afternoon. It's the state championship semifinals."

Slade raised an eyebrow. "Your son must not be very good if his stay-at-home mother has more masculine legs than him."

Even Jimmy, trying to maintain professionalism, was struggling to hold back laughter. "Gentlemen, please, we don't have much time..."

Joe, now visibly frustrated, tried to fire back. "I'll have you know my wife played tennis in university, so she's naturally still fit. The same can't be said about your daughter, who looks like some commando."

For the first time, Slade went silent, pulling out his phone. 

"Umm, Mr. Wilson?" Jimmy called out, but Slade gestured for him to wait.

Finally, Slade raised his head. "Found it," he said before holding his phone up to the camera. 

"At least my daughter isn't on OnlyFans. Oh, and I just bought her premium bundle. You should put some respect on my name—I'm technically a source of income for your family now."

Seeing the debate spiral out of control, Jimmy hurried to end the broadcast. "Oh, would you look at that? We're out of time."

Before the broadcast cut, Slade smiled and saluted. 

"Vote Slade Wilson, folks, for an honest and non-hypocritical America."