Donovan Glost strode up to the guards in front of High Speaker Levin Valtus' office accompanied by Frederich, his handler, who trailed close behind. With a sideways glance from both guards, the pair were allowed passage into the office.
"Donovan Glost, here at last I see. You know, normally when one of our own enters I like to make them feel welcome. A cool beverage. An intoxicant of their choice. Perhaps even a man or woman for comfort and company."
The High Speaker, leader of all members of the Final Word, rose from his seat, turning his back to Donovan.
"I do not believe you merit such hospitality, Glost. What you have done has acted against the interests of the Children of Omega and myself. You have manipulated your cronies into a position we would rather not be in. What do you have to say for yourself, boy?"
"Well, I respectfully disagree with your assessment, High Speaker Valtus. I believe it is in our best interest to set ourselves against the mutants and metahumans of this world early, since they pose the clearest and greatest threat to the consolidation of power beneath the Children of the Omega. If any one individual can make a stand and provide difficulty to our greater plans, it is they."
"Listen to me, Speaker Donovan. It is I who shall dictate the Final Word's response toward this virus. By spreading false information, you threaten the credibility of your pawn, burning him from further use, and essentially destroying an otherwise useful puppet."
"With all due respect, High Speaker Valtus, if we do not take advantage of this phenomena now, while knowledge on it is young and immature, and misdirection is at its most influential, then we are only crippling ourselves. You have been with the Children of Omega longer than I, but I have been manipulating the politics of the United States much more intimately. You have to use every tool in your arsenal, strike hard, and from multiple angles to—"
"Enough! I will not be lectured by a whelp who only recently was drawn into our number! You would do best to keep in mind, Glost, that your position is a tenuous one. I took you in on the recommendation of the others who claimed your influence could be a powerful boon to us, but so far you have proven nothing but a liability. From here on, you act only when you are called upon. You are to do nothing, and I mean nothing, unless I ask it of you. Do you understand?"
"...I understand, High Speaker."
"Good. You are an arrogant mutt, Glost, but we may make something of you yet. Just do not make the mistake of thinking I will hesitate when bringing you to heel."
"Yes, High Speaker."
"You are dismissed, mutt. Now leave. I must speak to the other Speakers, ones who know how to follow orders. We will decide on a course of action, and you will pursue it. Now get out!"
Later that night...
"I take it the task is complete, Mitchell?"
"Uh, yes, Donovan. I had the boys pull samples of mud from what Diaz left behind— safely, of course, but—"
"And you extracted the water from those samples, prepared it as I asked?"
Yeah, Don. I did that too, but well... You know how dangerous this Sapien Flu thing is, right Don? Just what are you going to do with it?"
"Don't you worry about that, Mitchell. Just know that the HFF's won't have to worry about funding for quite some time when I'm finished."
72 Hours Later
"It is with great solemnity and regret that I announce my successorship to the seat of High Speaker for the Final Word. High Speaker Valtus, Speaker Green, and Speaker Thomas were all men of great courage and integrity, and to lose them to all so close to one another, so suddenly, it is almost too much to bear."
"But I will not let their work be in vain. I will carry on the will of the High Speaker before me, which he elaborated to me in person only three days ago. We will complete his legacy, and forge a new world where the Children of Omega can guide humanity through their darkest hour into the world we forge, a peaceful world, without conflict and pain. We will bring humanity into that age pictured by High Speaker Valtus, an age of peace and prosperity that shall go unbroken for the rest of time. We will bring about the Final Enlightenment, rest assured my friends, and I will do all I can to help us reach that goal!"
"For the Children of Omega! For all mankind! This I pledge to you! Now go forth, and make our vision reality!"
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