Stryker's expression remained unchanged...
He knew these vulture-like capitalists wouldn't approach him without reason... they must want something.
The cold-hearted military man gave a slight nod, acknowledging Marcus' words. His lifelong ambition was to drag every mutant hiding in human society onto the dissection table, watching their filthy lives end in screams and agony.
Sensing the timing was right, Marcus dangled the bait, "Worthington can offer you assistance, Colonel."
His lab needed more mutant genetic data for comparative analysis, but bluntly requesting it would only earn Stryker's refusal. Those core research files were the colonel's life's work... no one could get their hands on them without paying a steep price.
Stryker smirked faintly. He had nothing to ask of Worthington, and dealing with these wolfish corporate giants meant the benefits never trickled down to him.
His mentor, Bolivar Trask, had been more than just a visionary scientist... he was also a shrewd businessman...
As the founder of Trask Industries, Trask had maintained close ties with the government since the Nixon administration, securing his first fortune through political investments and hostile takeovers.
Later, while studying human DNA, Trask discovered the X-gene hidden within mutants. He proposed to the government the creation of anti-mutant weapons, fearing humanity would face extinction like the Neanderthals, replaced by the next evolutionary step.
Unfortunately, this politically savvy genius fell from grace during the Watergate scandal. With Nixon's downfall, Trask was branded a political criminal and thrown into a lightless prison.
Stryker seized the opportunity to take all of Trask's research, inheriting his mutant studies and later developing the "Weapon X" program.
Marcus narrowed his eyes, "From what I hear, Colonel, your Weapon X project hasn't yielded much success. The military isn't satisfied... they want mass-producible killing machines for the battlefield. Mutant-based bioweapons don't interest them..."
He knew full well the colonel's recent struggles. Despite some breakthroughs in mutant research, both the White House and the military had lost interest in these hidden freaks. Funding was drying up, and whispers of shutting down the Alkali Lake facility grew louder...
Stryker's gaze darkened. Marcus wasn't wrong. Military resources were finite... they couldn't keep pouring money into a project with no visible returns. Worse, General Ross, scion of a powerful Northern military family, had recently launched his own initiative to revive the "Super-Soldier Program" from last century, garnering widespread support.
Resources were a zero-sum game. If some got more, others got less.
The dire situation had even driven Stryker to consider an insane plan... orchestrating a mutant attack on the White House, assassinating the president, and staging a spectacle to convince the government of the mutant threat. Only then could he secure the funding and backing he needed.
"General Ross has far more connections than you, Colonel. With his prestigious background, reviving Captain America and creating a super-soldier army... Now that's a project worth investing in. Compared to that, what future does mutant research have?" Marcus chuckled softly, sending a chill down Senator Kelly's spine.
These corporate titans were like devils from a Faustian bargain, slowly dragging men into an abyss of temptation.
Stryker's eyes flickered. He knew cooperating with these capitalists often came at a steeper price than imagined. One misstep, and he'd be discarded like trash.
"What does Worthington want from me?" He couldn't imagine what a mere Army colonel had that would interest a behemoth like this.
If Worthington wished, generals at the Pentagon would gladly welcome such a "generous friend."
"The mutant gene database." Marcus said it as casually as ordering coffee.
He knew Stryker had inherited Trask's life's work. Through mass mutant captures, the colonel had compiled a genetic archive... a treasure trove of mutant DNA with incalculable scientific value.
At Marcus' demand, Stryker's eyes flashed with fury, like a cornered wolf baring its fangs. The mutant gene database was his life's achievement. He would never hand it over, not even at the cost of his life!
"Worthington's appetite is... excessive." Stryker's voice was icy.
Even if his funding was on the chopping block, Marcus dreaming of snatching the database so easily was pure fantasy.
"Don't misunderstand." Like a seasoned hunter, Marcus didn't press his prey into a corner. Instead, he loosened the noose, "I only ask for partial access to the database. In return, I'll leverage my White House connections to ease your troubles. Trust is built gradually, no? Worthington never expects a free lunch..."
"...We're developing a mutant suppression serum and need more experimental data, which you can provide. As a show of goodwill, the Pentagon won't cut your funding or axe your project. On the contrary, you'll get more..."
Marcus spoke with absolute confidence, the kind that could sway even the most stubborn minds. He has participated in countless negotiations and knew exactly how to dismantle an opponent's defenses.
This was like hunting... tightening the encirclement slowly, never cornering the prey too abruptly. Give them an escape route, lull them into complacency, then strike the killing blow!
Many cunning politicians and greedy businessmen had fallen at Marcus' feet, becoming mere stepping stones on his climb to the top.
Stryker remained silent, lost in thought. He removed his glasses, polishing the lenses meticulously as an internal war raged within him. The colonel loathed sharing his work, but hoarding the prize also meant bearing the risks alone.
"Let's hope Worthington doesn't disappoint me." Stryker exhaled heavily, his shadowed eyes glinting with unreadable intent. For now, he needed Worthington's help to survive this crisis.
As for future cooperation? A cold laugh echoed in his mind. Perhaps the Worthington patriarch would enjoy witnessing mutant power firsthand.
Once their agreement was settled, Stryker didn't linger. After a few curt pleasantries, he left. Senator Kelly, unlike the no-nonsense colonel, saw more room for negotiation with Worthington...
After a "pleasant" private discussion, the senator departed with promises in hand, his mood light and cheerful.
Settling into his car, Kelly recalled Marcus' final words and smirked...
"Oscorp and Umbrella... such weak opponents..."
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Read ahead on my P@treon...
[email protected]/MayaMatengele01