Crack!
The sound of bones being crushed echoed through the eerily silent Oval Office, emanating from the neck of the dark-skinned man in Hawk's right hand.
In an instant.
The man, who had been furiously kicking his feet and trying to pry open Hawk's hand, froze in expression as all his movements ceased.
Thud!
The dark-skinned man dropped to the ground, limp and wide-eyed, lying motionless.
After all, he was just another dark-skinned man, it wasn't as if Hawk hadn't killed before.
Besides.
Once dead, it's done—what can anyone do to me?
Hawk gazed calmly at the Secret Service agents who had charged in first, and those behind them rushing in from the hallway.
The leading Secret Service agents looked at the corpse of the dark-skinned man on the floor and gasped in shock.
In the next second.
They all turned back to Hawk, their fingers on the trigger...
"Don't shoot!"
"Hold your fire!"
Just as the agents were about to pull the trigger, a sharp shout echoed from a corner of the office.
The Secret Service agents looked towards the old white man who had stopped them, their pupils constricting, and they exhaled subconsciously, lowering their fingers from the trigger.
Hawk also turned towards the voice, raising an eyebrow at the white-haired old man who was climbing up from the floor.
However, he didn't speak.
Breathing deeply after getting up, the white-haired old man addressed the agents blocking the doorway, "Put your guns down."
The lead agent frowned slightly at the command.
"Deputy..."
"I said put your guns down!"
"..."
Interrupted, the agent met the sharp gaze of the old man and chose to comply, turning to his fellow agents, "Put your guns down."
Following their captain's order, all the Secret Service agents holstered their weapons.
The white-haired old man issued another command!
"Leave."
"...Yes, sir!"
The lead Secret Service captain saluted the old man, then turned and led his team out of the Oval Office, closing the damaged door behind them as best as they could.
Soon enough.
The Secret Service agents retreated to the hallway outside.
The white-haired old man surveyed the wreckage of the Oval Office, his gaze finally landing on the dark-skinned body at Hawk's feet. Taking a deep breath, he looked up at Hawk. "My name is Barron Turner, Mr. Phoenix, perhaps now we can talk."
Hearing this, Hawk looked at the white-haired old man, Barron Turner, who met his eyes. He paused, then walked directly to the historically significant desk, righted the chair that had fallen over, and sat down. He put his feet up on the desk, crossed his arms, leaned back in the chair, and looked at Barron Turner, who wanted to talk.
"Alright, how do you want to talk?"
"It's up to you, sir!"
Barron Turner didn't hesitate.
The destruction of Quantico, the decimation at the Pentagon, and the immediate killing of the dark-skinned man—any one of these would be significant events, but together they were enough to prove that the mutant Hawk Phoenix before him was intent on national destruction.
But after destroying Quantico, decimating the Pentagon, and killing the dark-skinned man, Hawk's anger had temporarily subsided.
Precisely because of this, Barron Turner considered reopening negotiations.
Fortunately.
The other side was open to it.
Over sixty, having spent most of his life in Washington's political scene, Barron Turner looked directly at Hawk, seated in a position symbolizing Federation power. "Anything I can do, I will."
Hawk listened to Barron Turner's words and sneered.
"Anything you can do, you will. But what if you can't?"
"I'll find a way."
"Heh!"
Hawk chuckled again, his eyes cold as he looked at Barron Turner. "If I destroy you, everything you have becomes mine. So, you've got one chance to convince me, Mr. Turner. I'll give you one minute to come up with a reason for me."
With that said.
He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes under Barron Turner's watchful gaze.
The atmosphere in the Oval Office grew tense again.
Barron Turner, his scalp scraped from the earlier collision, stood on the blue carpet with a golden eagle design, his thoughts racing.
The aides and senior officials playing dead on the floor dared not move, even breathing quietly, striving to enact convincing portrayals of corpses.
Again, the best performers are always in politics; thus, these officials played dead convincingly.
But Hawk had no interest in exposing their guise.
No need.
If he wanted them alive, they lived. If he didn't, once he left, they'd become actual corpses, despite their playacting.
Time ticked on.
A minute wasn't long, nor short, and it quickly passed.
Hawk opened his eyes, looking at Barron Turner, who stood in front of the desk, silent, trembling slightly but determined not to fall.
"So, can't think of a reason why I shouldn't kill you all?"
"Sorry."
Barron Turner forced a wry smile, "I can't give you a reason that I can't back up, at least not right now."
Hawk listened to Barron Turner's reply, raising an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"I'm just the Vice President."
In the Federation's political system, let's put it this way, the President holds real power, the Secretary of State also holds real power, but the Vice President exists only dependent on the President.
To put it bluntly.
In the Federation's system, the Vice President isn't even considered a mascot, yet at the same time, the Vice President is the closest to the center of power.
Because once something happens to the President, the Vice President smoothly steps in, without having to campaign, and instantly gains the highest power.
Of course.
This takes time, after all, the power isn't official until the oath is taken on the Bible.
Hawk was naturally aware of this too.
After all, he studied law, and before he acquired the power of the Little Cosmos, his goal was to become the lifetime Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
So—
Hawk listened to Barron Turner's answer and then, under the latter's gaze, pulled up the corner of his mouth into a small smile.
"I appreciate your honesty, Mr. Turner."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Hawk smiled and said, then shifted the topic, looking at Barron Turner.
"X Academy, where did the surviving mutants go?"
"Akali Lake Dam."
"Who led them?"
"Eisen Brook, the second deputy director of the Sentinel Special Service Bureau."
"The one who escorted William Stryker over?"
"No."
Barron Turner shook his head, "Originally it was Adia who went, he was the first deputy director, but after you left Quantico, Adia was hospitalized at Memorial Hospital due to a sudden illness."
Hawk couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head at these words.
"This Adia seems to be a clever man too."
"Yes."
"It's a pity that many of you aren't as clever as Adia."
Look at Adia's maneuvers.
Feigning illness!
If the military won, Adia, as the first deputy director, could naturally inherit the director's position.
If Hawk won, he still won in a way, as long as Hawk didn't destroy Earth, living was itself a victory.
Barron Turner listened to Hawk's teasing, stayed silent for a moment, and nodded.
"Yes, Adia is very smart."
"I enjoy dealing with smart people."
Hawk said as he retracted his feet, got up from the chair, straightened up, and looked at Barron Turner: "And you, Mr. Turner, in light of your honesty, I can give you a chance."
As he spoke.
Without waiting for Barron Turner to react, his voice turned cold.
"Three seconds, if you don't get up, I'll really turn you into a corpse."
"Whoosh!"
Just as Hawk's words fell, one after another, the senior officials who had been lying on the floor pretending to be dead quickly got up, showcasing a dramatic resurrection scene.
Except for one.
Hawk noticed someone lying on the ground not far away, eyes closed, looking more like a corpse than anyone. In an instant, he appeared beside this guy.
The next second.
The person on the ground felt the pressure coming down on them and saw the sole of a shoe descending towards their head, pupils contracted.
He instinctively opened his mouth.
And then…
"Poof!"
"If you're so eager to be a corpse, I'll fulfill your wish."
Hawk looked at the lifeless body beneath his feet, sneering, then turned and swept his gaze across the resurrected senior officials, finally landing his gaze on Barron Turner: "I've given you a chance. I hope you don't mistake my mercy for weakness, Mr. Turner!"
Barron Turner maintained a serious expression.
"I assure you of that, Mr. Phoenix, as long as I'm still here."
"Your assurances are worthless to me."
Hawk listened to Barron Turner's guarantee without paying attention, his gaze sweeping over the senior officials around: "Just remember my words, do this again, and the Federation on this Earth will cease to exist."
With that!
At the moment Hawk looked up, with a roar, he flew straight through the hole he had come through and soared into the sky, hovering high above.
The next second.
Boom!
A sonic boom echoed over the ruins of the White House, which seemed as though it had been struck by a meteorite.
With a thud.
Inside the Oval Office, Barron Turner could no longer hold out, plopping down on the floor, his back soaked with sweat!
...