"What does the Malik family want?" Even after years of paperwork in an office, General Hale still drew on the bluntness from her military career as a disguise. She skipped over the negotiating trap Gideon Malik had laid for her. "I don't think I have anything the Malik family needs. You must have people of higher rank than me in the Pentagon, so why give this benefit to me?"
"I know you used to follow the younger faction, but Alexander Pierce is dead now, Dr. Whitehall is dead, and there are no more disagreements between us. Business is business, General Hale. Slogans alone can't give us this much power." Gideon Malik offered a pleasant official line, but it failed to persuade General Hale. She believed that the descendants of these old families had no idea what their younger faction had suffered in the training camps, much less what price she had paid to climb this high. "Perhaps in your eyes, we are all stubborn antiques. But in truth, only the younger faction values connections. We old families are more interested in bringing in fresh blood. We don't mind entrusting you with inspecting military Cybernetic Prosthetics and Super Soldiers because we believe in your abilities."
General Hale nodded without arguing.
"Of course, we also need some help."
So the fox finally shows its tail. I knew you had to be desperate. General Hale thought. She raised her wineglass to hide her smile. "I'd be happy to help," she said. "But I need to know the details."
Gideon Malik pretended to be troubled. He first glanced at Stephanie, and only after his daughter nodded did he put on a helpless expression. "What I'm about to say would certainly be considered madness if it got out. But the truth is that humanity had