The dispute over an outside expert's post, undercurrents in the Standing Committee
The orange light gate of TVA completely dissipated into the air, leaving no trace.
The deathly silence in the abandoned server room of C-7 Zone was even more profound than before.
Sylvie leaned against the cold, lead-plated cabinet door, breathing heavily, trying to calm her racing heart. She watched Lynn's retreating figure; the man calmly straightened his cuffs, as if he hadn't just driven off an entire cross- Dimension armed Enforcement Team.
Lynn did not turn around.
"Director Gwen, notify all department heads that the Standing Committee will hold an emergency meeting in the Hall of Bones in fifteen minutes."
"Yes, Director." Gwen Stacy put away the Data Pad and immediately turned to carry out the order.
Lynn then turned to the side, his gaze falling on Sylvie.
"You, come with me."
The White Bone Hall.
The atmosphere was somber around the enormous conference table.
Stability Maintenance Office Director Hela; Wanda, the Director of the Technology Integration Department; Gwen Stacy, the Director of the Liaison Office; and Jean Grey, the Director of the Mutants Management Committee, were all present.
Lynn sat in the main seat, her fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the table.
Each tap sent a slight jolt through the minds of the powerful figures present.
"Gwen Stacy has already briefed everyone on what happened," Lynn's voice broke the silence. "TVA's reaction was faster and more direct than we expected. Now, we only have one issue to discuss."
His gaze swept over everyone present.
"How can we legally keep that woman in the Negative Zone?"
Hela snorted coldly and was the first to speak, her tone as direct as ever.
"She's a potential liability that could attract pursuers at any moment. The safest way is to lock her in a dungeon, extract all the information about TVA from her mind, and then get rid of her."
Lynn offered no comment, but instead turned her gaze to Gwen Stacy.
Gwen Stacy adjusted her glasses and said seriously, "Director, from a procedural standpoint, her identity and origin are unknown, and she has a direct connection to an external organization that is hostile to us. Keeping her within the Management Committee's jurisdiction does not comply with any current personnel management regulations. I suggest that she undergo at least seventy-two hours of isolation and investigation, and that we discuss further action after completing a background check and risk assessment."
These words were watertight, representing the Liaison Office Director's standard stance.
Lynn nodded, acknowledging Gwen Stacy's professionalism.
His gaze finally settled on Wanda. From the start of the meeting, Wanda hadn't uttered a word, but Lynn could sense the aura of rejection emanating from her, which was even more unsettling than Hela's murderous intent.
Wanda, what's your opinion?
Wanda raised her head, her Scarlet eyes showing no emotion.
I object.
Her voice was soft, yet it seemed to lower the temperature of the entire hall.
"I object to her remaining in Negative Zone in any form."
Hela raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, seemingly somewhat surprised.
Wanda ignored everyone else, her gaze fixed on Lynn, as she explained, word by word, "I can sense the aura emanating from her. Chaotic, primal, and full of uncertainty. She's like an untamed Beast, not intelligence, nor an object that can be defined by a program. Leaving her here is like planting a bomb in our core system that could explode at any moment."
Her reasoning sounded entirely like a security concern, and was impeccable.
But Lynn understood the true meaning behind those words.
It was an almost instinctive vigilance against the invasion of "territory," and an absolute aversion to any uncontrollable variable that might come close to Lynn.
The atmosphere in the meeting room fell into a stalemate because of Wanda's resolute objection.
Hela advocated for physical removal, Gwen Stacy demanded procedural isolation, and Wanda called for complete expulsion. The three parties held completely contradictory views.
All eyes were once again focused on Lynn.
Lynn's tapping stopped.
Hela's concern lies in the risk itself. Gwen Stacy's concern lies in the uncontrollability of the risk. Wanda's concern lies in the nature of the risk.
He first gave a slow and deliberate summary, affirming the opinions of all three parties.
"What you all said makes sense."
He then changed the subject.
"But what we're facing now isn't a risk we can avoid, but a problem that's already come knocking. Since the TVA can send the first batch of hounds, they'll definitely send a second, and a third. You can't stop them."
"To solve this problem, the first thing we need to do is to thoroughly understand it."
Lynn looked at Wanda and Gwen Stacy.
"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. This principle applies in any Dimension."
He leaned forward slightly and presented the final solution.
"I propose that a temporary position be added to the Management Committee's expert pool."
"The job title will be ' Cross-Dimensional Risk Assessment Consultant '."
"Assigning Sylvie to this position as an external expert will allow us to consult specifically on the TVA's internal structure, operational logic, and technical weaknesses. This addresses both Director Gwen's procedural concerns and fulfills our strategic intelligence gathering needs."
Gwen Stacy frowned, as if she wanted to say something, but Lynn didn't give her a chance to speak, and instead turned directly to Wanda.
"Of course, Director Wanda's concerns are of paramount importance."
"Safety is always the top priority."
Lynn's tone became unusually serious.
Therefore, this new 'consultant' will not have a private office or any advanced privileges for the time being. Her temporary position is attached to the Technology Integration Department.
"Director Wanda, you will be in charge of her 24-hour close surveillance."
"Until you believe that the safety risks posed to her are completely under control."
These words immediately created a subtle atmosphere at the conference table.
She handed over a dangerous individual to the very person who most opposed her staying to supervise him.
This sounds like both a punishment and a check.
It's more like a kind of... authorization.
Wanda gave Lynn a deep look, and the turbulent emotions in her Scarlet eyes slowly subsided.
She understood what Lynn meant.
This arrangement not only gave her absolute power to scrutinize and control Sylvie, but also effectively satisfied her desire to bring this "unstable element" under her control.
"I have no objection," Wanda said slowly, breaking the deadlock.
Seeing that the Department of Technology had given its approval, Gwen Stacy did not insist further. After all, Lynn's plan did indeed find a procedural loophole by using a temporary staff. As for the subsequent political review and quarantine observation, it was not inappropriate to assign them to the Department of Technology for internal implementation.
Hela pursed her lips and said nothing more. To her, as long as this troublesome person didn't waste food living in the Stability Maintenance Office office's dungeon, that was fine.
"Alright, since no one has any objections, this matter is settled."
Lynn made the final decision.
Meeting adjourned.
As everyone rose and left, the White Bone Hall quickly returned to its empty state.
After finishing up the meeting minutes, Gwen Stacy also prepared to leave.
As she passed a side hall that had been temporarily set up as a rest room, her steps involuntarily came to a halt.
The heavy stone doors of the side hall had been tightly closed at some point.
Visible streaks of Scarlet Energy, like living things, spread and intertwined along the cracks in the door, eventually forming an impenetrable net that completely sealed off the entire room.
There was no sound coming from inside the door.
Gwen Stacy stood outside the door, silent for a moment, but ultimately did not go forward. She turned and walked away quickly.
Inside the room, completely sealed off by Scarlet Magic.
Sylvie stood against the wall, all her muscles tense.
Opposite her, Wanda stood quietly, saying nothing, but scrutinizing her inch by inch with eyes that seemed to see right through her soul.
After a long silence, Wanda finally parted her lips, her voice revealing no emotion.
"Let's talk."
"Let's talk about you, and what value you have to Lynn."