At night, New York's lights had just come on, glittering brilliantly against the darkness.
Inside a Four Seasons Hotel controlled by S.H.I.E.L.D., only General Ross and Steve Rogers sat in the top-floor Western restaurant.
General Ross listened absentmindedly as Steve Rogers spoke. The steak on the table gave off an appetizing aroma, yet neither Ross nor Steve Rogers had any desire to eat.
"Ross, Ross!" Seeing that General Ross was distracted, Steve Rogers called out to him twice.
"Hmm?" Ever since leaving the president's office of the Earth United Government, General Ross had been absentminded.
What He-El had told him had been far too shocking.
And the task entrusted to him—placing the next several centuries of humanity in his hands—was an overwhelming burden.
General Ross had remained dazed, his mind unsettled by He-El. He hesitated, wondering whether he could do as well as He-El had.
Of course, that was impossible. No one could possibly do better than He-El.
No successor could ever accomplish what He-El had.
After hesitating, drifting, and wavering, General Ross finally came back to himself. He looked at Steve Rogers, suppressed the thoughts of the future that had been swirling through his mind in the president's office, and expressionlessly tucked his napkin into his collar.
"Steve, I believe you don't truly want to join my military. Go ahead. There's no one else here, and I removed all my communication devices after your people reminded me to. What did you want to see me about?"
General Ross picked up his knife and fork and began cutting into the steak on the table.
Steve Rogers hesitated before saying, "No, I do want to join your military. Recently, under the president's orders, I went to Asgard as a member of the Avengers and came into contact with cosmic forces beyond