The atmosphere in the headquarters of the Strategic Scientific Reserve was the complete opposite of what it had been a few days ago.
Everyone was smoking cigars, their faces filled with undisguised smiles.
"That damn Senator submitted his resignation today."
"Word is, when he stepped out, he was pelted with a truckload of rotten tomatoes by angry citizens."
"Hahaha! Serves him right!"
Colonel Davis was laughing so hard tears were almost streaming down his face.
He looked toward the young man in the corner who had been quietly drinking coffee the whole time, his eyes full of awe.
"Kid."
Colonel Davis walked over to Lynn and gave his shoulder a heavy pat.
"You didn't fire a single shot, yet you won the toughest battle."
Lynn set down his coffee cup.
"I just didn't want to let Dr. Erskine down."
Deep in the night, Lynn stood holding the newspaper that had ignited public opinion.
His gaze was fixed on an inconspicuous, small advertisement: [Foreseer Pharmaceuticals, guarding your health.]
Defeating a Senator for now gave him no sense of accomplishment.
Public opinion and the hearts of the people.
Lynn could guide and shape them, and use them to destroy any enemy standing in his way.
He looked at the ocean of countless lights outside the window, wearing a genuine smile.
A hero? An idol? No, none of that mattered.
What people needed was simply a symbol in which to place their faith.
Lynn understood this clearly.
Public opinion is a fire; it burns brightly, but it also dies out quickly.
An old fox like Senator Brandt, who had been steeped in the power game his whole life, had a vitality far more tenacious than a cockroach.
The anger of the masses comes and goes quickly.
As long as he could weather this period, he would always have a chance to turn the tables by using the power in his hands to secretly trip him up.
A wounded Beast is only more dangerous.
Lynn did not intend to give him any chance to breathe.
He needed a public execution.
...
Steve Rogers had just finished a ten-kilometer weighted cross-country run and returned to the training room.
Steam rose from his body.
Sweat soaked his tank top, outlining his perfect muscular physique.
Seeing Lynn walk in, a smile appeared on his face.
He picked up a towel to wipe his face.
"Lynn, I heard... that Senator... he didn't succeed, right?"
Although he had been kept in protective isolation for the past few days, Steve had still heard rumors of the tsunami-like public outcry outside.
Countless strangers had taken to the streets for his sake, opposing a powerful Senator.
He also knew that behind all of this, it was Lynn who had been charging into battle for him.
"Of course."
Lynn handed him a bottle of water, though his expression remained serious.
"Captain, why do you think Senator Brandt wants you?"
Steve unscrewed the cap and took a big gulp of water.
He answered somewhat uncertainly: "For... war bonds? For political prestige?"
"No."
Lynn shook his head.
"He wants to turn you from a living person into a tradable vote, a trophy to be displayed in his office."
"He will make you meet the donors he wants to see, and have you displayed like a pet at various banquets."
"He will write speeches for you, making you utter lies that even you don't believe."
"He will grind down your edges, drain your soul, until you become an empty politician just like him."
Steve thought of Dr. Erskine, and his hand gripping the water bottle tightened involuntarily.
"I... I won't let him succeed."
"He won't give you the chance to choose."
Lynn took a step closer, looking him straight in the eyes.
"Unless you take the power of choice back from his hands yourself."
"You possess more powerful strength than anyone else in this country, Steve. But I'm not talking about your muscles."
Lynn pointed to where Steve's heart was.
"It's here. This is a power that people like Senator Brandt can never understand, and can never defeat."
"Tomorrow, at Independence Square in Philadelphia, there will be the largest war bond sales ceremony."
"You can tell him, in front of the national media, in front of all the people who support you..."
Lynn's voice lowered, carrying a seductive tone.
"What does a soldier from Brooklyn really want?"
...
The next day, Philadelphia, Independence Square.
It was packed with people, and the red, white, and blue flags formed a literal ocean.
The atmosphere was at a fever pitch.
As a special guest, Senator Brandt sat in the most prominent position on the podium.
He smiled, calmly waving to the crowd.
He looked as if the national traitor who had been reviled by the public over the past week had nothing to do with him.
He was a natural actor, knowing how to play a tolerant and magnanimous patriot in such a setting.
He had even prepared a passionate speech.
As long as this show was successful today, he could turn public opinion around and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Lynn stood in the shadows on the side of the stage, watching his performance with cold eyes, preparing to enjoy a farce about to come to an end.
Finally, it was Captain America's turn to take the stage.
"USA! USA! USA!"
When Steve Rogers walked onto the stage wearing his iconic uniform, the cheers from the entire square threatened to tear the sky apart.
The Captain stood quietly in the center of the stage, sweeping his gaze over the excited and sincere faces below.
The host handed him the microphone, and Steve walked to the center of the stage.
The whole place went quiet.
All cameras and gazes were focused on him.
"Senator."
Steve turned his head to look at Senator Brandt, his voice carrying through the microphone to every corner of the square.
"I am just a soldier."
He looked into Senator Brandt's eyes.
"I want to stay with my unit and be with my friends, not become someone's tool."
The smile on Senator Brandt's face began to twitch.
The mask was cracking.
Steve bowed slightly, and in a tone that was almost like a plea, delivered the most fatal line that Lynn had prepared for him.
"Please... let us continue to fight for this country, in our own way."
As the words fell, a landslide-like roar of cheering and applause erupted!
"Well said! Captain!"
"Don't touch our Captain!"
"Senator Brandt, get out!!"
The roar of the crowd converged into an unstoppable torrent, crashing against Senator Brandt's pale face.
The camera flashes captured his dejected appearance, engraving it onto film forever.
He had become the laughingstock of the entire United States.
A clown who tried to claim a national hero as his own, only to be rejected by the hero in public.
He was finished.
Steve held the microphone high, facing the crowd.
In that moment, he was no longer a pawn in Lynn's hands, nor was he an actor on a stage.
He had become the embodiment of his own beliefs.
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