Senator Brandt's political life was ended by Steve Rogers's own hands at Independence Square in Philadelphia.
This news spread like wildfire to every corner of Washington.
Inside the temporary headquarters of the Strategic Scientific Reserve.
Colonel Davis had his feet propped up on his desk, a priceless Cuba cigar clamped in his mouth.
His face wore an undisguised look of schadenfreude.
"I heard that old bastard moved out overnight, and not a single one of his old neighbors on Capitol Hill came out to see him off."
"His mistress made off with all his art collection and is now living it up on the beaches of Miami! Hahaha!"
"Well done! That's more satisfying than shooting down a Messerschmitt on the front lines, damn it!"
The officers roared with laughter, and the conference room was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
Lynn quietly stirred the coffee in his cup with a small spoon.
When one Brandt falls, thousands more will rise.
As long as that cash cow, Captain America, remains.
Covetousness will never disappear.
Sure enough.
A communications officer walked in with a grave expression and handed a newly received telegram to the highest-ranking general present.
The smile on the general's face turned into fury.
He passed the telegram around the table, and the previously joyful atmosphere instantly became extremely heavy.
"Congress has passed Senator Brandt's proposal."
The general's voice was dry and hoarse.
"Establishing a 'Congressional Special Committee for the Super Soldier Project,' responsible for overseeing all affairs of the Captain America project."
"What?!"
Colonel Davis kicked his chair away, furious.
"Senator Brandt is already gone, and they still want to swoop in and take the credit?"
"It's a compromise, Colonel."
Another general sighed.
"They don't dare touch Captain anymore, so they've aimed their spears at us. To put it bluntly, they want to reach into our purse and, by the way, strip us of our control over the project."
Everyone's eyes subconsciously turned to Lynn.
This young man was the soul of the Captain America project and the one who had planted this cash cow.
Now, a pack of even greedier wolves was coming to snatch the fruit.
Lynn put down his coffee cup.
"This is a good thing."
As soon as he spoke, the entire conference room went quiet.
"A good thing?"
Colonel Davis thought he had misheard.
"A committee with a bloated structure, rife with internal factions, where everyone wants a piece of the pie..."
Lynn looked around at everyone.
"Is much easier to deal with than a dictator who has connections everywhere and knows how to manipulate the rules."
"A lone wolf is dangerous, but a pack of hyenas tearing at each other... will only be more focused on the carrion in front of them."
...
The first meeting of the Congressional Special Committee was held in a heavily guarded conference room on Capitol Hill.
The conference table was filled with big shots from various departments.
The Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Treasury, and several veteran congressmen whose every move could cause a tremor on Capitol Hill.
Lynn was the last one to walk in.
He was wearing a well-tailored suit.
He looked like some congressman's young assistant, appearing out of place among this group of power-hungry animals with an average age of over fifty.
As soon as he sat down, the meeting began.
Or rather, the spoils-splitting meeting.
"Captain's image must be tougher! The Marine Corps needs a new recruitment poster; replacing the shield in his hand with our M1 Garand rifle would be more appropriate!"
A general from the Department of the Navy initiated the attack.
"Absurd! Captain is the pride of the Army, a symbol of the infantry spirit! He is not your Navy's mascot!"
The Army representative did not give an inch, slamming the table and roaring.
"His next tour must be scheduled at West Point to set an example for our future officers!"
"Everyone, please focus on the main point."
The Treasury official tapped the table, looking serious.
"The sale of war bonds is the core! I suggest that Captain film an exclusive endorsement advertisement for our newly issued 'Victory Bonds,' and all commercial revenue should be managed by the Treasury Department!"
"My nephew has a film company in Hollywood; he could turn Captain's story into the greatest movie ever made!"
The conference room turned into a vegetable market.
Everyone was like a starving Beast, eyes glowing as they tore at the piece of meat named "Captain America."
Lynn remained silent throughout.
He saw everyone's greed clearly and noted everyone's demands.
It wasn't until the arguing subsided and everyone was red-faced from failing to reach a consensus that Lynn gave a gentle cough.
"Gentlemen."
"Every one of your proposals is full of patriotic enthusiasm and is very valuable."
He first affirmed everyone.
"But we have all forgotten one thing."
"Captain America is, first and foremost, a person, a hero. His glory should not be stained by the stench of money, nor should it become the focus of our disputes; otherwise, how are we any different from Senator Brandt, who was just driven out?"
These words made the expressions of the congressmen present look a bit ugly.
"In order to completely eradicate corruption, to protect the purity of our hero, and to ensure that every penny can be used openly and transparently for the war..."
Lynn stood up and threw out his "perfect" plan.
"I propose the establishment of an independent, non-profit Captain America Patriotic Foundation."
"All commissions from Captain-related war bond sales, commercial endorsement fees, and all related income shall be injected into this foundation, to be jointly supervised by our committee."
"The sole purpose of the foundation is to serve the war and serve the country."
The committee members looked at each other, one by one becoming mute.
This proposal was too "clean."
So clean that they couldn't find any reason to object.
Whoever dared to oppose it would be treating a hero as a commodity.
Whoever wanted to line their own pockets would be the next Senator Brandt!
"This proposal... is very good."
A senior congressman was the first to express his stance, and his gaze towards Lynn held a bit more approval.
"Open, transparent—this is exactly the original intention behind our establishing the committee."
"Then, regarding the specific bylaws and implementation details of the foundation..."
"Since I proposed it, leave this tedious paperwork to me."
Lynn replied humbly.
"I will draft a proposal as soon as possible for everyone to review."
The committee members were relieved.
In their eyes, this was just thankless paperwork.
They had obtained the most glamorous title of "supervision."
And incidentally, they dumped the troublesome work onto this young man.
They completely failed to understand that they had just personally handed the keys to the vault into the hands of the fox guarding it.
Late at night.
Lynn's office was brightly lit.
He set pen to paper himself, drafting the foundation's bylaws that would determine the future, word by word.
Foundation Bylaws, Article 7, Section 3:
To ensure daily operational efficiency, the Foundation's Executive Director has the authority to independently approve "promotional and activity expenses" under $50,000 without reporting to the committee.
Appendix, Page 11, Definition of "Promotional and Activity Expenses": includes but is not limited to media public relations, market research, material procurement, logistics support, consulting...
He expanded the definition of "expenses" infinitely, covering almost all possible expenditures.
And that Executive Director who possessed the "independent approval authority"...
According to another inconspicuous provision in the bylaws, would be nominated by the "original planner of the Super Soldier Project."
Which was himself.
The committee members would possess the "power" to supervise the flow of millions of dollars, yet they would not see how every sum, split into $49,999, flowed into the ocean he designated.
Using everyone's money to do his own business.
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