Building The Strongest Family

The underground command room was enveloped in an eerie silence, a stark contrast to the chaos that once reigned.

A low mechanical hum pulsed through the walls like a slumbering beast breathing beneath its concrete skin.

Blue and crimson lines snaked along the obsidian floor, feeding energy to the myriad monitors scattered throughout the circular chamber, each one resembling the eyes of a dormant machine god.

All but three screens had dimmed now, their once-chaotic data feeds fading away as the room settled into a profound hush.

Arthur stood alone, hands tucked behind his back, exuding an air of impeccable posture as he gazed up at the main projection hovering above the holotable.

One by one, Malik, Selene, and Jax had slipped out through the steel door behind him, leaving only Evolon, a massive blue visage floating silently behind him with hollow eyes that blinked occasionally.

Evolon's core projection shimmered in midair, a pulsating lattice of crystalline blue light that felt more alive than most living beings.

"Sir," Evolon's voice rippled with polite precision. "Why did you reveal me to them?"

Arthur didn't turn; instead, he remained fixated on the dimming screens, their cold light casting shadows across his face, a blend of contemplation and cool detachment.

"I did," he replied simply.

"That was not part of our prior threat modeling."

Arthur turned slowly, his sharp jawline and midnight-black eyes bathed in soft neon light, the kind of eyes that didn't just reflect light; they devoured it.

"That's because it wasn't meant to be," he said. "It wasn't strategy... it was psychology."

Evolon's light pulsed subtly in response, signaling curiosity.

Arthur approached the holotable and leaned on it with both hands; veins in his arms subtly rose under the sharp cuff of his fitted black shirt.

"Fear isn't always an effective motivator," he began slowly, his voice low and deliberate, as if imparting wisdom to an eager student. "Mystery is."

Evolon remained silent for a moment before looking at Arthur expectantly.

"When people fear you," Arthur continued thoughtfully, "they resist. They plot against you in secret and harbor resentment but when they're mystified? When they can't neatly categorize you into a box…"

He allowed himself a slow smile.

"They hesitate; they submit; they worship."

Evolon considered this carefully before asking, "Do you believe they now worship you?"

Arthur chuckled softly and shook his head. "Not yet but they believe I command something beyond their comprehension. Something that shouldn't exist."

He paused for effect before adding gravely, "They witnessed what you did, how you pulled data from thin air, ran projections seamlessly while controlling satellites and drones, all within half a second! That speed... that accuracy... it's terrifying."

His smile faded as he added quietly, "And they didn't even ask how."

Evolon pulsed with understanding, the atmosphere thickening with intrigue.

"You're crafting an air of mystique," Evolon said. "You deliberately allowed them to glimpse only a fraction of your capabilities, creating a sense of awe."

Arthur nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "Exactly! What's the point of wielding power if you can't manipulate perception?"

He began to pace the room, each step deliberate and measured.

"Jax is a warhound, loyal but battle-scarred. Men like him respect strength, yes, but they also fear the unknown. Malik, for all his bravado, knows he's living on borrowed time. When I let him see you, I transformed from a desperate family head into an enigma."

Evolon tilted slightly. "And what about Selene?"

Arthur's expression shifted to one of guarded contemplation.

"Selene is different; she thinks five steps ahead. Her betrayal of her last employer wasn't impulsive, it was calculated. She's a strategist like me. For her, mystery alone won't suffice; she demands... proof."

He paused in his pacing and smirked mischievously. "So I gave her some."

Evolon's blue visage glowed softly as he processed this information. "I sense that she is still watching."

Arthur grinned knowingly. "Good! Let her watch; let them all wonder if I'm aware of their gaze. That uncertainty? It's part of the game."

He returned to the central console and sank into the high-backed chair like a king claiming his throne, a moment of quiet dominance before pouring himself a drink from the automated decanter, a dark red liquor, aged and spiced just enough to take off the edge.

Evolon hovered attentively and asked, "Then why did you assign Selene that task? It was a Level 1 operation, I could have completed it in 0.2 seconds."

Arthur savored his wine before responding with satisfaction in his tone: "Yes, you could have but I couldn't."

He met Evolon's gaze directly as if challenging the machine to understand.

"I can't allow them to forget that they're people in my organization, not just terminals," he continued earnestly. "If I start doing everything through you, they'll feel obsolete, disposable and they know it."

Evolon processed this insight thoughtfully before responding: "You needed to validate her usefulness."

"More than that," Arthur replied while swirling his drink thoughtfully. "I needed to test her under pressure, not just whether she could complete a mission but how she navigates dynamic threats and complications."

Leaning forward slightly, he added gravely: "And if she failed? Then I'd know she isn't ready for what's coming."

Evolon emitted a low pulse sound as he absorbed this information: "A human test."

Arthur nodded thoughtfully. "I needed to see if she could improvise, adapt in moments of panic. How does she communicate under pressure? Will she protect civilians like Kaia? Does she listen to Jax and Malik, or is she more focused on outshining them? Every move reveals something important about her."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle before adding, "And she passed."

"Shall I log her as the primary candidate for internal trust network designation?" Evolon inquired.

Arthur considered this for a moment before shaking his head. "Not yet,let's observe her for another two weeks. If she remains consistent, we can upgrade her to Black Badge Tier."

Evolon immediately registered the update, its systems whirring softly in acknowledgment.

For a brief moment, silence enveloped the room.

Arthur found himself lost in thought, gazing at his reflection in the glass tabletop. a stark reminder of who he once was: a corporate slave on Earth, chasing trains and surviving on vending machine ramen.

He had died on a slick floor, clutching his chest while KPI dashboards flickered behind his eyes.

But now…

Now he was building a family that would shake an entire planet.

"Evolon," he said softly, breaking the stillness.

"Yes, Sir," came the prompt reply.

"We are going to change the world."

"I believe you, Sir," Evolon responded simply but with conviction.