(Here's the next chapter.)
gemm1mt: Thanks. No, he doesn't. You'll see.
Noble Six: Thanks.
Chapter 1: White House Foundation
(Washington D.C., Washington Plaza, the next day)
Connell Lewis woke up in his hotel room. His class had gone on their field trip to Washington D.C. for historical research and excitement. Their class is from New York University who had saved some money for one of the professors' American History class to come to Washington D.C. Connell walked into the bathroom and turned the water on at the sink. He cupped his hands under the water and began splashing his face. He turned the water off and looked into the mirror. His dark hair is a shaggy mess and his stubbled facial hair is dripping with water.
'Today's our last part of our trip…the White House tour…great…' Connell hissed in his mind.
He did not want to go to the White House, he did not want to go anywhere near that place. But he didn't really have much of a choice.
(The White House, a few hours later)
The group is on their tour, looking at the portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Their guide talking about the man. A bit of a distance away, a group of men in S.H.I.E.L.D. uniforms are walking through a hall. At their head is a woman giving orders, then something catches her attention out of the corner of her eye. She saw a six-foot-tall figure. He has a mane of dark hair and facial hair, caucasian skin. He's wearing a dark gray leather jacket with a black hood, black shirt, dark gray pants, and black shoes. However, what caught her attention the most is the necklace around his neck.
"Ms. Hill? Is something wrong?" One of the men said.
She had been unusually quiet, her gaze on the group. Maria Hill's eyes narrowed suspiciously. She then recalled where she had seen him: the museum. She could see his dark bangs and the stubble from the visible part of his chin. But the necklace was the key to her memory picking him out.
"That one in the black hood…with the necklace…who is he?" Maria asked.
"Him? He's just a kid…nobody to concern yourself with." One of the men answered.
"He looked at the president in a way I didn't like. Gyrich said it was no cause for concern…but I have an odd feeling about him." Maria replied.
"Want us to question him?" Another of the men asked.
"No…but keep an eye on him." Maria answered.
Connell wasn't sure how, but he sensed something...eyes on him…and he didn't like it. However, he didn't acknowledge that he felt it.
"Now are their any questions?" The tour guide asked.
"Ummm…yeah…what would President Lincoln think of the country today?" A short young man asked.
Connell's eyes lit with interest, however, there was a feeling of The tour guide's eyes widened in surprise. Suddenly out of the corner of her eye she saw the S.H.I.E.L.D. group several feet away. Maria Hill narrowing her eyes at her.
"He would be glad our government finally managed peace. There is little to no crime, which soon there won't be any. Any and every threat our country's stability is overcome. If saw us, he would be amazed by how far we've come." The tour guide answered, her eyes having a hint of fear.
Connell looked at the short guy who had asked the question. He is scrawny and frail looking, he saw little muscle mass on him. He looked at the tour guide skeptically, it is quite obvious he didn't believe her. Connell eyes narrowed in suspicion, his deep gray eyes locked on the woman suddenly. He could see the sweat dripping down their brow.
"Ah! Mr. President!" The professor said excitedly.
The group moved over to the man, taking pictures and asking questions. The young man grunted and stood a bit of a distance away. He actually walked over to the tour guide.
"Are you ok?" He asked.
"H-Huh? I'm f-fine." She replied, her response a little too quick and raspy.
He turned to see the president smiling and chuckling. Connell didn't realize it, but both his hands curled into fists. The bones in his knuckles cracked as his fists tightened. He grunted as he shook off the feeling, he turned to the tour guide. But her attention was nervously on the president and the woman behind him, whose attention is on the crowd.
"Excuse me, where is the bathroom?" Connell asked.
"Huh? Oh…down the hall and to the right." She answered.
"Thanks." He replied, nodding.
He walked off. President Gyrich shook hands and walked off. Maria Hill and her men followed him. She used a few hand signals, and her agents nodded. The formed a wall several feet from Gyrich and Hill.
"How has your day been sir?" Maria Hill asked.
"Back to business as usual…so just busy…and bored." Gyrich sighed.
Maria Hill raised her right eyebrow in curiosity, but then lowered it in understanding. Being Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't always the most exciting job in the world, but someone had to do it.
"Glad we have visitors, it's always nice to have new faces." Gyrich said.
She looked around her, checking for any prying eyes.
"Of course, sir…Sir…you know it will soon be the anniversary of…" She started to say.
"I know…it…it was a difficult…trial…that we had to overcome." President Gyrich sighed, his former upbeat tone now filled with dread.
"It had to be done, sir…if we didn't respond appropriately…" Maria Hill started to say.
"I know, Ms. Hill…I know…I know…we won…despite the deaths, it had to be done…with them around, there couldn't be peace…there could be no rebellion, no resistance to the government's will and authority." President Gyrich said.
"I know…they had to die…they weren't heroes, sir…they were vigilantes…even those who had former good ties with the government." Maria Hill said.
President Gyrich nodded in agreement, sighing as the memories of seeing the bodies, all of them.
"If we didn't lie about everything…we wouldn't have obtained peace…and kept our society from chaos. Now new mutants, inhumans, other superhumans, and vigilantes have to sign up to keep the peace…or pay the consequences…for their refusal." President Gyrich said.
On the other side of the door, Connell had heard everything. His face is a mask of rage and disgust. He now realized all his suspicions, all his skepticism, all his questioning of the government…had been dead on right. He didn't realize it, but his eyes glew the same green as before with a fire or mist like aspect extending out or around his eyes as the young man's mind and heart filled with rage.
To be continued…