weapon of mass destruction they called Goliath—but were they scripture, or fact?”
She paused, and scanned the room. No one spoke. None of them wanted to give voice to views that might come back and haunt them. Especially not theories that were biblical in nature. No, they didn’t have the answer, but she did.
She continued.
“The question is, how did ancient societies deal with these exceptional individuals? In general, by appeasement, by coercion, and often cooperation. But this isn’t the ancient world. In this day and age, what should we do?”
Their expressions remained blank. Amanda preferred it that way. First, explain the problem. Let them stew in it, then provide them with the answer. She was leading them by the nose.
“I want to build a team,” she explained, “of very bad people who I think can do some good—like fight our next war, or defeat the next Superman.”
The chairman crossed his arms. His body language said he wasn’t buying it.
Before Waller was done, he would. She was certain of it.
“Not on my watch, Amanda,” he replied. “I read your list. You’re not putting these monsters back on the streets. Certainly not in our name.” If he had planned to discourage her, though, he was going to be disappointed.
“General, under my plan we run them covertly,” she said. “Non-attributed, strictly need to know, and if they get caught, we throw them under the bus.” She looked from face to face. “Whether we want to accept it or not, the next war will be fought with these… meta-humans.”
That made them pay attention. Wars were something they all understood. They wanted the best soldiers on their side, and that meant meta-humans. It was bound to happen someday. Better to get ahead of it.
“Those meta-soldiers will be ours—” she said firmly, “—or the advantage will be theirs. We’re not the only ones kicking over rocks, looking for these extraordinary people. You must know that. And ours isn’t the only belief system they’d fight for.”
“But you can’t control them,” the chairman protested. “Nobody can.” He sounded adamant, but his voice was low. He was teetering. She had him. Yet she didn’t answer directly. Instead, she turned to the only one in the room who could prove her case.
“Doctor Moone.” The young woman looked anxious. Waller nodded to her. “Now, Doctor.”
June stood and took off her glasses. She placed her hands on the table, gulped anxiously, then whispered one word. Softly, and to herself.
“Enchantress.”
It took three long seconds.
New fingers sprouted from her wrist as her old ones were sucked back into the skin. The top of her hand became her palm, then spun back into a normal hand again, only now tattooed. Her torso twisted around itself as parts of her face bulged out, while other parts sunk inward.
Gasps rose as the chiefs stared in disbelief, and she transformed in front of them. Transformed into something that might not even be human.
Within moments, June Moone was gone.
Replaced by something very different. Something ancient.
A crescent moon headpiece fit over her thick black hair, which hung dark and loose, almost like vines. Her clothing was animal skins decorated with leather, chains, jade, and even stone. She peered around the table, her dark eyes staring at each of the so-called leaders of America.
“Fantastic,” she laughed. “A meeting. Let’s do something fun. Perhaps get a drink?”
Waller stepped in front of her.
“I’d like you to meet Enchantress,” she said firmly. “Everything we know about her is in your briefing packs. She walked this Earth a long time ago—maybe as far back as the beginning, and she’ll likely be here when we’re long gone.”
“So,” the chairman interrupted. “This meeting is now a magic show?”
Waller smiled, and didn’t even try to hide her contempt.
“General, the issues we face strike at the core of our beliefs. Our science. Magic or not, this lady can do
She paused, and scanned the room. No one spoke. None of them wanted to give voice to views that might come back and haunt them. Especially not theories that were biblical in nature. No, they didn’t have the answer, but she did.
She continued.
“The question is, how did ancient societies deal with these exceptional individuals? In general, by appeasement, by coercion, and often cooperation. But this isn’t the ancient world. In this day and age, what should we do?”
Their expressions remained blank. Amanda preferred it that way. First, explain the problem. Let them stew in it, then provide them with the answer. She was leading them by the nose.
“I want to build a team,” she explained, “of very bad people who I think can do some good—like fight our next war, or defeat the next Superman.”
The chairman crossed his arms. His body language said he wasn’t buying it.
Before Waller was done, he would. She was certain of it.
“Not on my watch, Amanda,” he replied. “I read your list. You’re not putting these monsters back on the streets. Certainly not in our name.” If he had planned to discourage her, though, he was going to be disappointed.
“General, under my plan we run them covertly,” she said. “Non-attributed, strictly need to know, and if they get caught, we throw them under the bus.” She looked from face to face. “Whether we want to accept it or not, the next war will be fought with these… meta-humans.”
That made them pay attention. Wars were something they all understood. They wanted the best soldiers on their side, and that meant meta-humans. It was bound to happen someday. Better to get ahead of it.
“Those meta-soldiers will be ours—” she said firmly, “—or the advantage will be theirs. We’re not the only ones kicking over rocks, looking for these extraordinary people. You must know that. And ours isn’t the only belief system they’d fight for.”
“But you can’t control them,” the chairman protested. “Nobody can.” He sounded adamant, but his voice was low. He was teetering. She had him. Yet she didn’t answer directly. Instead, she turned to the only one in the room who could prove her case.
“Doctor Moone.” The young woman looked anxious. Waller nodded to her. “Now, Doctor.”
June stood and took off her glasses. She placed her hands on the table, gulped anxiously, then whispered one word. Softly, and to herself.
“Enchantress.”
It took three long seconds.
New fingers sprouted from her wrist as her old ones were sucked back into the skin. The top of her hand became her palm, then spun back into a normal hand again, only now tattooed. Her torso twisted around itself as parts of her face bulged out, while other parts sunk inward.
Gasps rose as the chiefs stared in disbelief, and she transformed in front of them. Transformed into something that might not even be human.
Within moments, June Moone was gone.
Replaced by something very different. Something ancient.
A crescent moon headpiece fit over her thick black hair, which hung dark and loose, almost like vines. Her clothing was animal skins decorated with leather, chains, jade, and even stone. She peered around the table, her dark eyes staring at each of the so-called leaders of America.
“Fantastic,” she laughed. “A meeting. Let’s do something fun. Perhaps get a drink?”
Waller stepped in front of her.
“I’d like you to meet Enchantress,” she said firmly. “Everything we know about her is in your briefing packs. She walked this Earth a long time ago—maybe as far back as the beginning, and she’ll likely be here when we’re long gone.”
“So,” the chairman interrupted. “This meeting is now a magic show?”
Waller smiled, and didn’t even try to hide her contempt.
“General, the issues we face strike at the core of our beliefs. Our science. Magic or not, this lady can do
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