The Determined Survivor
Amanda Waller was not a good person; she could even be described as a ruthless villain.
She was an absolute human supremacist who despised all non-human beings, including aliens, metahumans, superpowered individuals, robots, and so on.
She was someone who would use any means necessary to achieve her goals. She operated with a unique, self-contained mindset, executing her plans with rigid stubbornness, never crossing any lines she didn't choose herself.
It was this set of qualities that led Dick Cheney to select her as the head of A.R.G.U.S. Her return on investment was substantial: in just a few years, she transformed a small, three-person group into a powerful, privileged agency spanning the East and West coasts of America. Every brick and mortar of A.R.G.U.S. was built with Amanda's sweat; it was like her own child.
Now, someone was trying to take that child away. There was no way the mother would agree.
A Cold Reception
An unusual guest arrived at the Shaw Manor. The person walked with a cane, their head secured by a brace, looking like a seriously ill patient, yet their eyes were as cold as ice.
An'an and Bei'bei disliked the sudden appearance of the strange woman and barked frantically.
Luke turned and glanced at her, saying indifferently, "My dogs don't welcome you."
"I don't mind the dogs not welcoming me, as long as the master does."
Amanda put down her cane and said soberly,
"Luke Shaw, I need to talk to you."
Luke took out two sausages and tossed them into the dog bowl. An'an immediately clamped down with its massive jaws. Luke nudged it with his foot. An'an whined twice and reluctantly spit out one sausage. Bei'bei quickly snatched it and devoured it in two or three gulps, then looked up at its master with pitiful eyes.
Luke gave it a light kick, poured the rest of the sausages into the bowl, and let them fight over it themselves.
"Mr. Shaw is very fond of dogs."
"They are fond of me far more than I am fond of them."
After washing his hands, Luke walked with Amanda in the backyard.
"Three hours ago, a guy named Floyd came to see me. His purpose was similar to yours: to talk. I'm curious, will your conversation be the same as his?"
"No."
Luke chuckled. "How is it different?"
Amanda scoffed. "He is a dog, just like your An'an and Bei'bei. He only follows his master's commands. I'm different; I am a person—the master of A.R.G.U.S."
"But Floyd told me that the head of A.R.G.U.S. is Floyd Russell. You, however, are merely the predecessor." He paused, then added, "Or perhaps, the pawn that was discarded."
"A pawn that has been abandoned, a useless pawn. Why should I risk offending the Vice President to talk to an outcast?"
"Give me a reason, Ms. Waller. Otherwise, I'll have to ask you to leave."
The message was clear. Luke was giving Amanda a chance without beating around the bush. Whether she succeeded was up to her.
They paused their stroll and came to a long bench in the backyard.
Amanda's injuries hadn't healed, so she couldn't walk much. She grasped the armrest and slowly sat down. After a long silence, she spoke slowly,
"The power of A.R.G.U.S. is in my hands."
"I'm not surprised by that."
Luke shrugged. How could that fool Floyd possibly be a match for Amanda?
"I'm curious about what you plan to do next. Regain Dick Cheney's support? Or find another backer and go up against him?"
"I won't look for another backer. It's better to rely on yourself than to beg others. I intend to change A.R.G.U.S. from the ground up."
Amanda stated emphatically, "Aliens, city vigilantes, and superpowered criminals have become problems the country cannot avoid. The White House has no good solution. The police, the FBI, even the military—they're all insufficient. Their power is too singular; they can't cope. The Mummy Case murders are the best example."
"The White House needs a special department capable of handling supernatural cases. A.R.G.U.S. is the best choice. I want to turn it into a powerful agency on par with the CIA, FBI, Police, and Department of Justice—not commanded by anyone, possessing independent operational and decision-making power. It will belong to the government, but not be controlled by the government."
"That is what the true A.R.G.U.S. should be."
Her words were powerful and demonstrated enormous ambition, but Luke shook his head.
"A great idea, unfortunately, lacking the conditions for implementation. Your former master, Dick Cheney, and the other military elders will never allow the dog they raised to sit at the same table as them. You won't get past their opposition."
Amanda sneered. "If they won't agree, then we'll put people in charge who will agree."
Luke paused, giving her a deep look.
"That kind of thinking is very dangerous. You sound like a gambler with only one dollar left."
Amanda was unyielding. "What if I can win?"
Luke said resignedly, "Betting your future is a foolish act. Only with these words, you can't convince me."
Amanda took a stack of wrinkled documents from her coat and placed them on the table.
"Read this, then give me your answer."
Luke took the file, flipping through it with a skeptical look. After only half a page, the smile vanished from his face, replaced by extreme seriousness.
"Amanda, you truly are a madwoman!"
The document detailed the ugly, previously unknown side of Dick Cheney and certain high-ranking military officials: corruption, bribery, sex scandals, and illegal arms trade, among other things.
Every single point, if leaked, would cause massive upheaval.
"This is insane. You're even crazier than I imagined."
"They forced me to do this. I didn't want to," Amanda said, taking a deep breath. "Now, what do you think?"
Luke frowned and remained silent. After a moment, he held up two fingers.
"A twenty percent chance of success."
"If you help me, that chance rises above fifty percent."
Luke put down the document and slowly shook his head.
"I won't put my stake on a gambler. That's foolish, and unnecessary."
"You're right. It is foolish. I wouldn't do it either. However..." Changing her tone, Amanda suddenly smiled, tapping the document with her finger.
"If a billionaire comes across a high-risk, high-reward investment where investing one dollar could yield a thousand-dollar return, do you think he would be willing to put in one hundred dollars to try it out?"
Luke leaned back in his chair, saying expressionlessly,
"From an investment perspective, there's no problem, of course. But looking at it through a politician's eyes, the problem is huge. It's easy to get on the boat, but difficult to get off. That much I understand clearly."
Amanda gritted her teeth, feeling a flicker of inexplicable anxiety. She had laid out everything, yet he still wouldn't budge. This guy is too difficult to deal with.
"Tell me your condition, then. What will it take for you to invest that hundred dollars?"
"It's both hard and easy."
Luke sat up, saying pointedly, "You're an excellent entrepreneur—strong, cunning, smart enough, and cautious enough. Investing in you is the right choice. However, an investor's money doesn't just fall from the sky. To get it, you need more than words; you need a guarantee."
Amanda smiled with resignation.
"Luke Shaw, I finally understand how you managed to become Coast City's crime boss at the age of twelve. People like you are not suitable as opponents."
She then took out a ballpoint pen and quickly wrote a list of names, addresses, and phone numbers on a piece of paper.
"These people are my bottom line. They are the guarantee I give you."
Luke picked up the paper, glanced at it, and smiled.
"Ms. Waller, now we can talk about that hundred dollars."
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