Chapter 569

"So you’re planning to recruit her?"

Allen Brandy had already changed and left the low-pressure chamber, but it would take her a little while to reach the office.

Ross used the opportunity to gather up the speech he’d left on the desk.

Yes, the entire interrogation had been an act.

Every shift in his expression, every change in his tone, every carefully chosen word had been part of the performance. Most of what he’d told Allen wasn’t true.

Technically, Allen’s actions were serious enough that she could have been treated as one of Killian’s accomplices and charged with treason.

The problem was that nobody knew who she was.

Killian had maintained a secret partnership with the military for years. Now that his operation had collapsed, quite a few senior officials in the Department of Defense and the armed forces were being dragged into the fallout.

Some had taken bribes and deliberately looked the other way.

Some had known exactly what Killian was doing and conspired with him.

Others had simply been so negligent in their oversight that they might as well have been accomplices.

The CIA and FBI were already busy tearing through those connections.

Someone like Allen Brandy had barely registered on their radar.

And even if they eventually remembered her, what could they do?

Everyone knew that Killian’s people had been caught in Evenson’s raid.

They had all been reduced to ash.

There were no bodies to count.

No way to determine exactly how many had died, how many had survived, or whether anyone had escaped.

As far as the authorities were concerned, Killian’s entire organization had vanished in the fire.

"I originally assumed you were collecting these people as experimental subjects," Ross said. "I didn’t realize you intended to recruit her as a combat operative."

He spoke about human experimentation without the slightest emotional reaction.

Given how much of his life had been spent researching enhanced humans, he’d seen more than enough human experimentation to become numb to the subject.

"She is an experimental subject," Salorass said, sitting with one leg crossed over the other. "But we already have enough people strapped to operating tables waiting to be dissected."

Maya Hansen was already working for the company.

With someone who had participated in the Extremis research from beginning to end, they only needed a small number of additional subjects to completely reverse-engineer Killian’s technology.

"Besides, there are many ways to conduct an experiment."

Salorass glanced toward Ross.

"Studying their combat capabilities, observing their behavior, determining their physical limits. All of those qualify."

"I see."

Ross stroked his beard.

"Still, something doesn’t add up. Your company’s biological technology is obviously far more advanced than Killian’s. I heard that the big guy you sent after him defeated Killian almost single-handedly."

He looked between the twins.

"So why are you interested in technology that’s clearly inferior to yours?"

"Killian’s enhanced soldiers were weak and riddled with defects."

Oleses sneered.

"That’s a reflection of his abilities, not necessarily of the path he discovered."

She leaned back.

"The enhancement method itself represents a new direction."

"We’re not purists."

Salorass smiled.

"When someone comes up with an interesting idea, we have no problem borrowing it, improving it, and turning it into our own product."

Ross raised an eyebrow.

"Isn’t that just plagiarism?"

For once, he allowed himself a rare joke.

"Did you at least burn the man a check for the licensing fees?"

"Heh."

Oleses shrugged.

"Even if I had, I doubt he’d be in any position to collect."

As a high-ranking warlock, the flames Oleses had unleashed were very different from Evenson’s.

When she destroyed Killian, she hadn’t merely obliterated his body.

The fire had consumed his soul as well.

There was nothing left to receive a royalty payment.

The green light above the office door suddenly flashed.

A moment later, the door opened.

Allen Brandy walked in wearing a black cowboy outfit.

The Eredar twins rotated their chairs toward her.

"Not bad, McKenna."

Allen was still getting used to hearing her new name.

She straightened immediately and saluted.

"Very good, ma’am."

"Relax."

Salorass waved a hand.

"You don’t have to be so stiff. You’re not a soldier anymore."

"Yes..."

At the reminder, McKenna’s expression dimmed.

She thought about the conspiracy she’d been dragged into.

Not only had it left her branded a traitor, but she now had to live with the knowledge that her life could still be taken at any moment.

"You don’t need to be depressed about it."

Oleses’s voice softened.

"You still have a chance at redemption."

She looked directly at McKenna.

"Not as a soldier. As an agent."

"An agent who continues to watch over this country, this world, perhaps even humanity itself."

She paused.

"Are you willing to accept that mission, Watcher?"

"Of course."

McKenna answered almost immediately.

"I’d be honored."

She knew this wasn’t an invitation she could refuse.

"May I ask what organization I’m joining?"

"Overwatch."

Salorass gave her the answer.

"It’s a special organization we’re currently building. Its purpose is to respond to any crisis beyond conventional human capabilities."

"Like the Avengers?"

"Exactly."

Salorass nodded.

"Although, in my view, there’s no reason your organization couldn’t eventually replace the Avengers."

Oleses reached across the desk and pushed a finely crafted sandalwood case toward McKenna.

"Here’s the weapon we’ve prepared for you."

McKenna stared at the box.

Demonic figures had been carved into its surface with exquisite detail.

She hesitated before opening it.

Then she froze.

She hadn’t expected an advanced energy weapon.

She hadn’t expected alien technology.

She’d certainly never expected this.

"You’re kidding."

She lifted the enormous revolver from the case.

"Dragoon?"

The weapon was technically a handgun, but its barrel was longer than an adult’s forearm.

Its craftsmanship was exquisite. The grip was ivory, while elegant patterns decorated the barrel and frame.

"I have one at home. It belonged to my great-great-grandfather."

McKenna turned the weapon over in her hands.

But despite its craftsmanship, the gun looked hopelessly outdated.

It was a relic of the American frontier.

Sure, it could still kill someone.

But it was the twenty-first century.

Carrying a weapon like this into a fight felt absurd.

"Colt."

Oleses examined the revolver.

Evenson had acquired it from Malik through what could generously be described as creative procurement.

"You’re from Nevada, and your family has a history of cowboys. You should know the name."

"Colt?"

McKenna’s eyes widened.

"Which Colt?"

She immediately began inspecting the revolver more carefully.

"No way..."

Among cowboys, Colt was practically a legend.

According to the old story, a legendary gunsmith had forged a pistol called Colt, a weapon capable of killing any living thing.

Even demons from Hell were supposedly vulnerable to it.

Its reputation rivaled that of the Winchester, the legendary rifle said never to miss.

McKenna looked up.

"This can’t really be that Colt, can it?"

"It is."

Oleses smiled.

If it isn’t, I’m kicking Evenson’s ass the moment I get back.

"The stories about it are exaggerated," she continued. "But not entirely false."

McKenna stared at the revolver.

"So..."

A faint red glow appeared along the long barrel.

Runes slowly surfaced across the metal.

Her eyes widened.

"It really is magical."

"Then what exactly am I supposed to fight?"

McKenna wasn’t stupid.

If these people were handing her a weapon this unusual, there was no way her future enemies were going to be ordinary.

"I already told you."

The smile disappeared from Oleses’s face.

Her voice became serious.

"Anything beyond conventional human capabilities."

"Beyond conventional..."

McKenna nodded slowly.

"I understand."

She slipped the revolver into the holster attached to her new outfit.

"There is only one thing left."

Before Salorass had even finished speaking, she appeared beside McKenna.

She moved so quickly that everyone except Oleses lost track of her entirely.

A syringe flashed in her hand.

She drove it into McKenna’s neck and injected the contents.

"Ah..."

McKenna staggered.

Pain tore through her body.

She collapsed onto the floor, trembling violently.

"What... what did you do?"

"I just gave your powers back."

Salorass tossed the empty syringe aside.

"Don’t worry. We’ve optimized the formula."

She turned away.

"You’ll be stronger than you were before, and the obvious defects have been removed."

"Really?"

After several moments, McKenna shakily pushed herself back to her feet.

She could feel it.

That familiar power was flowing through her again.

But this time it wasn’t wild and unstable.

There was no constant agitation beneath her skin.

The energy moved smoothly through her body, completely under control.

"You can go downstairs and rest now."

Oleses waved her away.

Then, just before McKenna left, she added:

"Get accustomed to your new identity. Have a drink of whiskey. Learn to smoke a cigar. Do your best to look like a proper cowboy."

She flicked something toward McKenna.

"And don’t forget your badge."

McKenna caught it.

A small badge, roughly the size of a coin.

Its design matched the detention chamber downstairs: a red-and-white octagon.

"Yes, ma’am."

McKenna pinned the badge to her cloak and left.

The room fell silent.

After several moments, Ross finally spoke.

"You two enhanced yourselves?"

The speed Salorass had displayed had genuinely shocked him.

She had moved so quickly that the human eye couldn’t follow her.

That wasn’t something an ordinary person could do.

"You think?"

Salorass laughed.

"Believe it or not, we’re the strongest people in the entire Umbrella Corporation."

Ross was silent for a moment.

He had spent years researching enhanced humans, but he’d never seriously considered enhancing himself.

The twins had apparently done exactly that.

It was a rather impressive demonstration of how mature their technology had become.

"Then why do you need bodyguards?"

"Being powerful doesn’t mean we have to do everything ourselves."

Salorass shrugged.

"Besides, don’t you think people of our status would look rather undignified running into battle personally?"

Ross stared at her.

"Fair enough."

"Ah."

Oleses glanced at the elegant watch on her wrist.

"Time’s up."

She stood.

"We have another appointment."

"Oh?"

Ross rose as well.

"Then I’ll leave you to it. See you tonight."

There was something conspiratorial in his expression.

"I hope the entertainment you’ve prepared is enough to satisfy our little sightseeing group."

He paused.

"And apparently they’ve received a special assignment directly from the President."

His smile widened.

"Could be a profitable job."

"Thanks for the warning."

Salorass smiled.