Chapter 171: The Colonel (2/2)

Tellyou what I can do"

Thehis head "Alright then, you've seen right through me Let me start this over My naulars Departulars?" said Aldrich He had never heard of this department before "We aren't known to the public," said Davos "But to give you a brief rundoe handle unexplainable phenoated to disclose to you," said Davos "But just know that your powers and what you did tonight with that Locus falls under the category of ‘unexplainable phenomena’" "I see," said Aldrich "Then what is it you want from me?" "First and foreovernment need to knohether you are on our side On humanity's side" "Lam," said Aldrich "Good Then you understand that for national security, no, global security, that your powers are crucial, correct? You yourself stated how important they could be," said Davos "I'e for your services to the governive you back your freedoovern to go by, then these deals usually never ended well Granted, that was just fiction, but it was grounded in co a shadow department like this was to remove any sense of accountability To keep Aldrich on a leash that could be terminated at any moment with no consequence "My freedom? Colonel, you seem to be under the very mistaken impression that I lack freedom," said Aldrich

Colonel Davos's eye looked down at Aldrich's cuffs "You don't seem very free to me" "Freedom is all a matter of perspective, colonel," said Aldrich as he raised up his cuffed arms "These ht now, | don't feel particularly chained down In other words: freedoain with otiating with the government, the

AA, the Panopticon, the current power structure of the world, because he wanted to give them a chance If they made it too hard for hio out into the Wastelands to amass his power or even try to join and overtake a villain organization from within

Aldrich was the one with the freedom to act here "What? You think you'll walk away scot free in that hearing you talked about?"

Colonel Davos shook his head "You think that just because you broadcasted on national news that you would get that hearing that you're entitled to it?

It's entirely possible you never ht encounter an unfortunate accident-" "T'll only say this once, colonel, but threatening ," said Aldrich His voice, usually calm, perhaps a little sarcastic, now turned icy cold, laced with an inhu this voice, the colonel instinctively shi+vered, his survival instincts flaring and forcing hiain, regaining his confidence "I', there's no guarantee that the tribunal there will be lenient to you

No, I would betyou have, your knowledge, your troops, access to your powers, and if you disobey that, then you overnment, but the AA and the Panopticon

I don't have the power to change the- that's outside of my jurisdiction But what I can do is induct you into my department

You would disappear from the public eye forever, but you would still be free, and you wouldn't have to worry about the entire governle day of your life" "Free? Now that doesn't sound like freedom to me," said Aldrich "I would be little more than your pet at that point, wouldn't I?" "Call it what you want It's either that or you get hunted down," said colonel

Davos "Because you're far too dangerous to be kept alone"