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"If this counts as a team application, I'm afraid I won't be able to complete it," Scott said after a moment of serious consideration. "Do you really think Hank would listen to me?"
"Alright, no problem," Arthur chuckled. "All I need you to do is tell him about this. Besides, we don't have any formal application process. You're already one of us, part of the team."
"When can I meet the other superheroes?" Scott asked excitedly. "Can I ask them for autographs?"
"Sure, whatever..."
After giving Scott a tour of the base, leaving him wide-eyed and impressed, Arthur led him to the office.
"So, you're probably still a bit dazed about everything, right?" Arthur said. "But now that you're one of us, you can choose a civilian identity for everyday use and find a job you'd like to do."
"Superheroes are becoming so human these days," Scott remarked with mild surprise. "So, our organization actually pays salaries?"
"It's not just about salaries," Arthur replied. "If you're willing, you could even be the one issuing paychecks."
"The relevant regulations are all outlined here," Arthur said, handing Scott a document. Scott took it and studied it for a while before rubbing his forehead and saying, "You know, I always thought that if a bill like this were to come up, it would be a matter for the authorities. After all, superheroes aren't hiding in the shadows anymore. Ever since Iron Man set the example, many of them have become part of everyday life. Without proper regulation, it could easily lead to chaos..."
The more he spoke, the stranger Arthur's gaze became.
Finally, Scott couldn't hold back any longer. "Stop looking at me like that! Hope said all these things."
Arthur's face cleared in sudden understanding. "That makes perfect sense."
"...Why doesn't that make me happy at all?" Scott scratched his head. "What surprises me is that such contract documents actually exist here. Does this mean I can choose my own job? And if necessary, our organization would even provide funding for me to run a company?"
"Exactly," Arthur said, watching Scott intently. "Of course, if you were planning to start a thieves' guild, I'd probably have a hard time supporting that."
"...Of course not!" Scott's eyes widened. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But the opposite of thieves is security guards. Leveraging my expertise in that field, I could definitely build a security company."
"An unexpectedly brilliant idea."
Arthur picked up the phone and called Natasha. She soon entered, carrying a stack of files. "Unless it's urgent, please don't call me over so often. You know, mission keeps me busy."
Scott glanced at Natasha. "Black Widow!"
"I don't like that name," Natasha said, shooting Arthur a sharp look.
Arthur cleared his throat and explained Scott's idea.
Natasha's eyes lit up. "That's a brilliant idea! Security... hmm, wait, do you have enough personnel for this? If it's just security, we'd need to recruit a lot of retired veterans... We have excellent resources we could leverage in that area."
"Wait!" Scott shook his head frantically. "Not that kind of security. I mean... a security system!"
"A system, huh?" Natasha nodded. "That's a solid choice. If you can formulate a truly groundbreaking concept, you could have the lab guys design a one-of-a-kind system based on your ideas and operate it..."
She paused, glancing at Arthur. "Perhaps this could finally solve the global surveillance issue."
Arthur, however, looked at Scott. "My only worry is whether he can handle the pressure."
"Pressure from what?" Scott asked.
"The pressure of being the CEO of a multinational corporation," Arthur said, spreading his hands.
Scott nearly choked on his own saliva. "A multinational corporation?"
"It could become the only one of its kind globally," Arthur continued, "potentially even surpassing giants like Stark Industries..."
"Oh my god... what have I heard today? I think I need my mom..."
Scott stood up from the sofa, then slumped back down. "But you're right. I definitely can't handle that kind of pressure."
"Why not give it a try?" Natasha said. "Besides, you think you're alone in this? Don't worry, plenty of people will be helping you soon. This has been a major plan of ours for a long time, we just haven't found the right candidate until now..."
"Wait a minute... a plan? What plan?" Scott asked, puzzled. "Didn't I come up with this idea?"
"You did propose it, but it perfectly aligns with our existing plans," Natasha explained. "Global surveillance has been a long-standing project for us. We need to monitor super-criminals worldwide so we can respond to incidents immediately. But there's always been one problem: what pretext or justification could we use to implement such a system? Now, we have our reason."
"So you're planning to use the security system I proposed—ostensibly to prevent theft—but actually to monitor the entire world?"
Scott glanced at Arthur, then looked back at Natasha to confirm her expression. "Am I really not in some supervillain's lair? Your ideas are far more insane than I ever imagined!"
Arthur and Natasha exchanged a look. Finally, Natasha spoke: "It's just that... this world is far more insane than you realize."
"Listen, Scott," Arthur said, fixing him with a steady gaze. "I know what you're thinking. I know you have your own convictions. We all do. If we didn't share a common goal, we wouldn't be sitting here talking like this. Global surveillance is undoubtedly a mad idea, a bold plan. But if used properly, it could ensure global security. Conversely... it could lead to unparalleled chaos. I don't deny that... But would you let it descend into chaos? Would we?"
(End Of This Chapter)