Marvel Comics: The Sentinel(Sentry)

The cool autumn wind swept through the tall trees lining the road, sending yellow leaves spiraling in the air before they eventually fluttered to the ground or drifted into the lake...

Sean stepped out of his car as it arrived in Washington, D.C. His black trench coat fluttered slightly as he stood beneath the Lincoln Memorial.

Not far away were the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument. Even from a distance, he could clearly read the inscription on the statue: «Lincoln shall live immortal in the hearts of his people»...

The most renowned president in U.S. history sat solemnly, his hands resting on the arms of the chair, his lifelike eyes seemingly exuding a hint of sorrow.

Beside the young man stood a Japanese woman dressed in office attire, her black ponytail tied neatly behind her head. Her sharp, professional clothing contrasted with her delicate, cold expression, making her quite striking.

This was his first secretary, Yuriko, who was once Stryker's right-hand assistant. She's a genetically enhanced mutant whose abilities were nearly on par with Wolverine's.

After Stryker's death at the dam base, all research data and genetic material on mutants had been reclaimed by Sean and stored in Umbrella Corporation's secure facilities. As for the late colonel's "Weapon X" team, they had now become the young man's enforcers.

These were genetically modified test subjects implanted with mutant abilities, making them top-tier killing machines.

These men were elite soldiers handpicked by Stryker from the military, including ruthless mercenaries and highly skilled thieves. They had no concept of morality, patriotism, or loyalty... simply put, they were easily bought.

Having witnessed Sean's brutal handling of their former superior, none of these living weapons dared to resist or betray him. One mercenary, who had relied on his impenetrable, tough skin, had tried to challenge the young man only to be sliced apart by a crimson energy beam.

The horrifying display of power had cowed them all into submission...

"At 3 p.m., you and Mr. Osborn are scheduled to meet Vice President Francis Underwood near the Capitol Building in Washington."

Yuriko had adapted quickly to her role as secretary. Compared to the dark days under Stryker, she much preferred her current life at Umbrella... at least she wasn't treated as a mere weapon or tool anymore.

"Any other appointments?" Sean gazed at the sprawling buildings along the Potomac River, his tall figure standing beside the black sedan.

The pleasure-seeking young Osborn heir seemed to have no concept of punctuality. Hopefully, he wasn't too entangled with some supermodel to show up.

"Dinner with Miss Stacy at Riverpark in the evening. I reserved the best seat with a view of the Hudson East River. Chef Evans would be delighted to serve you." Yuriko paused before continuing, "Tomorrow noon, Mr. Reed Richards has invited you to his yacht party."

Sean gave a slight nod at the well-organized schedule. Since acquiring a competent secretary, he no longer had to waste energy on such trivial matters.

With Umbrella's rapid expansion and Oscorp's dominance in the biotech market, Sean only needed to remain the undisputed supplier at the top of the chain, controlling the raw materials and pharmaceutical distribution.

As for the energy sector, that depended on Stark Industries' influence. And when it came to military contracts, General Ross's support alone wouldn't be enough to secure more than a minor spot on the Pentagon's procurement list.

This was a massive pie that countless factions were fighting over. Without the right connections, Umbrella stood no chance against other well-established defense contractors, unless they could offer something truly irresistible to the military's top brass.

But Sean had long prepared for this. Once Ivan Vanko successfully replicated the Arc Reactor, plenty of buyers would come knocking with hefty contracts.

As his thoughts drifted, six or seven black Humvees screeched to a halt, forming a semicircle around him. Dozens of black-suited agents stepped out, led by a middle-aged man with an unassuming, honest face, followed by a team of formidable operatives.

"Let me introduce myself, Phil Coulson." The man with the receding hairline extended a hand, his tone polite, "I'm with S.H.I.E.L.D. We'd like to invite Mr. Sean Cyphers to come with us for questioning regarding several serious criminal cases."

Before Sean could respond, Yuriko's gaze sharpened instantly, her fragile demeanor vanishing as if she were a beast baring its fangs, ready to strike at any moment.

"It's fine." The young man gently soothed his secretary, who seemed seconds away from violence, "If you want me to go with you, you'll at least need to show me an arrest warrant, or some other legal document. Otherwise, wouldn't that be trampling on the very spirit of this nation's laws?"

Coulson studied Sean's calm demeanor. He'd encountered men like this before, those who remained unshaken even when facing arrest, as if they were merely heading out for a vacation.

Without solid evidence to break their composure, they would never yield, instead smiling as though they were upstanding law-abiding citizens.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't need signed paperwork to arrest criminals." A tall, rugged young agent beside Coulson smirked, his voice icy, "Instead of counting on your money and status to escape justice, maybe you should prepare some tissues. Wouldn't want you crying like a mess later."

Coulson immediately shut down Grant Ward's taunts. His meticulous nature never left room for mistakes.

Given Sean's wealth and influence, he could easily summon an army of lawyers, but unfortunately, S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't a court or the NYPD. As an intelligence and enforcement agency, they weren't bound by conventional legalities.

"Looks like I have no choice." Sean shrugged. He glanced back at Yuriko, "Tell Harry and our esteemed guest that I might have to cancel."

There wasn't a trace of anger on the young man's face as he extended his hands, "Do I get handcuffs, Agent Coulson?"

The mild-mannered agent didn't refuse. If Director Fury's suspicions were correct, Sean (having participated in the same extraterrestrial experiment with the Fantastic Four and Doom) might possess some unknown abilities of his own.

Agent Ward stepped forward, clamping alloy cuffs around Sean's wrists before covering them with a black suit jacket, granting the New York prodigy a shred of dignity.

"You'll love S.H.I.E.L.D.," the young agent muttered under his breath, "There's plenty of two-faced lying scum just like you."

Coulson sighed, escorting the surprisingly cooperative Sean into a specially reinforced armored vehicle. With S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters nearby, the agent couldn't shake the feeling that Sean had anticipated this arrest... It was as if he'd walked right into their hands on purpose.

Left behind, Yuriko followed her employer's instructions and dialed Mr. Osborn's number.

This was like a stone cast into still waters. The ripples would spread, and who knew, perhaps they would eventually swell into a towering wave...