The seasoned Susan knew Madelyn was playing dumb. She also knew Madelyn would never admit anything unless she produced more evidence.
But as head of the CIA Operations Directorate, Susan would not have come in person unless she was reasonably sure of her case.
"Then let me tell you what it is," Susan said coldly. "It's a drug called Compound V. It can give an ordinary person superpowers, and Vought International has been using it to produce Espers in bulk..."
As she spoke, Susan watched Madelyn's face.
Madelyn still leaned back in her chair without betraying a thing, seemingly listening closely. Inside, however, her mind was in turmoil.
How had the Central Intelligence Agency found out?
Compound V was the lifeblood of Vought International. Very few people knew it existed.
If the CIA knew only that much, the revelation would do serious damage to the company, but at heart it was a question of ethics. Even if Vought betrayed the public's trust, it would not face a fatal crisis.
At worst, its use of Compound V would be regulated because it possessed critical genetic technology, and superheroes would fall sharply in the public's esteem.
That would be a severe blow to Vought International, but it would do the CIA little good. It was a great deal of trouble for little reward.
Madelyn knew it could not be that simple.
If the government wanted to use the knowledge that superheroes were Vought International's private creations to pressure the company into serving the country, senior officials could have approached Vought and spoken openly. There was no need for tactics like these.
The head of the CIA Operations Directorate had come in person, clearly prepared. It was equally clear that the government had something far worse in mind for the company.
Susan's next