X2
Chapter Six: Oval Office Meeting
The Oval office had been buzzing all day since the attack this morning. Some of the secret service men had to be seen by doctors. The president himself had been on edge. Rightfully so. The man almost got killed. The knife that almost killed him still sits on the desk. A man in his early sixties is examining the knife. He appears to be a wealthy man who has seen his share of wars in his days. He rubs the mark with his finger. The man's name is William Stryker.
"It was close, wasn't it? Closer than anyone's admitted." Stryker said.
President McKenna is pouring two glasses of brandy.
"What do you need William?" President McKenna asked.
"My division needs your authority for a pencil operation." Stryker told him.
The president sighs, takes a sip of his brandy. He saw this coming.
"And somehow I thought you were here to talk about school reform." President McKenna said.
"Funny you should say that." Stryker responds.
There's a knock on the door. The assistant opens the door and in steps Senator Kelly.
"Mr. President. Thanks for having me." Senator Kelly said shaking hands with the president.
"I don't believe you two have met. Senator Kelly, this is William Stryker." President McKenna said introducing the two.
"No we've never met…but I've followed your career for years. It seems that your ideas about the mutant problem have changed recently." Stryker said to him.
"For the best, I hope." Senator Kelly said.
"Senator Kelly's been at the forefront of both sides of the issue for some time I brought his point of view would be worthwhile…particularly during this crisis." President McKenna said.
"If you think that's appropriate…." Stryker said.
"So what are you proposing, Mr. Stryker?" Senator Kelly asked.
Stryker, clearly not comfortable with Kelly's request, begins to place surveillance photos of Xavier's mansion on the president's desk.
"My people have gathered these surveillance photos of a mutant training facility in the Salem region of upstate New York." Stryker told them.
"Where did you get this information?" President McKenna asked.
"Interrogation of one of the Liberty Island terrorists." Stryker told him.
"Erik….Erik Lensherr? You have access to him?" Senator Kelly asked.
"My group developed the technology that built his prison, when I might add, the defense department couldn't find room in their budget." Stryker told him.
President McKenna continues looking at the photos then hands them to Senator Kelly who gets a look at them. His face is blank.
"This facility is a school." Senator Kelly said to him.
"Sure it is." Stryker said then throwing down a series of black and white photos of the mansion. In them, the basketball court opens up to reveal the X-Jet. "Now you ask yourself: how could this have happened?" He continues turns and glances at a damaged wall. "How could it not have?" President McKenna stands up and takes another sip of his drink and sighs deeply. "If we'd been allowed to do our jobs…before this incident…Don't misinterpret my goals, Senator. We just want to go in there –see what they're up to." Stryker said hiding his real agenda. He holds up another photo. "Oh. One last thing, Mr. President. For over a year, we've been tracking this mutant." Stryker said handing the photo to President McKenna, who looks up at Stryker in shock, because…. "This photo was taken three months ago." He continued as the surveillance photo shows that of Nightcrawler, the same mutant who attacked the president earlier today.
"William, you enter, detain and question. The last thing we need is a mutant dead body on our hands." President McKenna told him. Stryker nods.
Stryker emerges from the president's office to greet Yuriko-his personal assistant. They walk through the outer hallway which is being repaired from the attack.
"Mr. Styker." Senator Kelly caught up to him. Styker and Yuriko stop and turn around to see the Senator Kelly.
"Senator Kelly, this is Yuriko, my director of special projects." Stryker told him.
"My pleasure." Senator Kelly said shaking her hand. Yuriko grips his hand tightly. A little too tight for his liking. She's stronger than she looks. "That's quite a grip you got there." Senator Kelly said.
"What can I do for you Senator?" Stryker asked not really caring to speak with the Senator.
"Eric Lenshur's prison, I'd like to arrange a visit if possible." Senator Kelly asked. They really don't know that the actual senator is dead and that's actually Mystique impersonating him.
"This isn't a petting zoo Senator. In this conflict, he is the enemy and you're merely just a spectator. Why don't you sit this one out?" Styker said slapping the Senator's shoulder.
"Conflict, Mr. Stryker do you really wanna turn this into a war?" Senator Kelly asks. Stryker stops in his tracks turns and goes over to him.
"I was part of the black ops in the jungles of vitenam while you were still sucking on your mother's tit at some Woodstock concert. Don't lecture me about war. This already is a war." Stryker said then walking away from him. Senator Kelly stares smugly at Stryker and Yuriko's backd as his eyes glow yellow.