The room remained still after the heavy silence of Ethan’s warning. Ethan had set aside the address of Aaron Jenkins but continued to scan the thick folder Congressman Thompson had provided, particularly the section dedicated to Celestial.
"What can you tell about Celestial?" Ethan asked, looking up from the docunts. "The file on Olympus is extensive, but this section feels deliberately sparse."
Congressman Thompson sighed, a genuine note of apprehension in his voice. "Celestial is a different beast entirely, Ethan. Unlike Olympus, which is largely European organized cri, Celestial has deeply entrenched Jewish roots and connections. After I realized they were your enemies, I beca genuinely worried, if I’m being honest."
"Worry isn’t a strategy, Thompson," Ethan said, taking a asured sip of his whisky. "Detail their power."
"Their power isn’t asured in muscle; it’s asured in influence," Thompson explained, pacing slowly. "They don’t run drugs or engage in petty extortion. They deal in geopolitical positioning and corporate leverage. They have deep connections with major financial investnt firms—think of ’Aethel Partners’ or ’Solomon Holdings’—firms that move trillions globally."
Old Falcon, who had remained silent during the Olympus discussion, finally spoke up, lending his weight to the warning. "Their connections reach the core of the governnt, Ethan. They are masters of neutrality. On the surface, they fund both sides, ensuring they always have an ally in power. But below the surface, they are fiercely dedicated to their agenda."
"Give specifics, not theories," Ethan demanded.
"Specifics are everywhere," Thompson replied. "Consider the state governnts. Governor Stern in New Canaan—publicly non-partisan, but Celestial funds every major charity he endorses. Governor Levine in South River—sa deal. They secure the support of key state treasurers and judges, creating legislative and legal firewalls that make them untouchable."
"They ensure that certain financial regulations are passed in key states, regulations that quietly benefit their associated corporations," Vincent Halbert added, desperate to prove his continued utility. "If you tried to audit ’Aethel Partners,’ the paperwork would take five years, and three different state governors would coincidentally find reasons to block the required federal cooperation."
"They wield soft power," Mr. Stone noted. "They are masters of perception. Any investigation targeting them would instantly be frad in the dia as an act of anti-Semitic discrimination, regardless of the evidence. That kind of public backlash can break careers faster than any criminal charge."
"And the political connections?" Ethan pressed.
"They operate through congressional lobbying groups—fictional ones, but powerful," Thompson explained. "They funnel millions into specific districts to ensure Congressn who vote against their interests disappear at the next election. They don’t need to bribe the top dog; they only need to control the middle managent of the entire political machine."
"It’s a shadow governnt," Max whispered, wide-eyed, finally understanding the true scale of the opponent.
Ethan finally closed the Celestial file, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "So, Olympus is the punch; Celestial is the shield," Ethan summarized. "And that shield is backed by the full financial and political weight of the establishnt."
"Exactly," Thompson confird, relieved Ethan understood the gravity. "Fighting them is not fighting a mafia; it’s fighting the system itself."
"This is serious, truly serious," Ethan admitted, running a hand over his shaved head. "I thought I was dealing with a large corporate entity, perhaps a highly organized international mafia. But fighting the governnt itself... this is a league I wasn’t prepared for. It feels like a beetle trying to lift an elephant."
"That’s why caution is key," Thompson stated, nodding firmly.
"Chief," Lena Rossi began, stepping forward with Cassandra. "There’s sothing we need to report that happened while you were consolidating power here. It involves Celestial."
"They ca looking for explanations for the attack on their people," Cassandra confird, her voice tense.
"When was this?" Ethan asked, his attention imdiately focused.
"The day of the Lexington incident, before the news broke," Lena explained. "Old Falcon was not available, so Cassandra and I had to handle the delegation. We knew the general situation, but not the whole truth, so we had to pretend we were fully inford to maintain our cover."
"Fortunately, they didn’t link the attack directly to you or Jason," Cassandra added. "They treated it as an invasion into a contested zone."
"Celestial initially ca in very aggressively, demanding answers," Lena said, recalling the tension. "We defended our position, telling them that since we were currently at war with Olympus, we had no way of knowing their people were from Celestial. We claid we were acting purely defensively against any perceived attack on our territory."
"And how did they react to that?" Mr. Stone asked, intrigued.
"That’s the strange part," Lena replied, frowning. "After we ntioned Olympus, their entire attitude shifted. Celestial apologized for having entered our zone without our explicit permission. They then offered compensation, stating they would give us five million dollars."
"Five million dollars?" Thompson exclaid, surprised. "For an apology?"
"We were stunned, too," Cassandra confessed. "But we accepted it. Our operating funds are currently under heavy scrutiny due to your situation, Ethan, and we didn’t want to make large movents to purchase more equipnt that could be linked back to you and put more pressure on you in prison."
"Why the imdiate reversal of attitude?" Ethan asked Lena directly. "Why did they beco compliant the mont you ntioned Olympus?"
"We don’t know, Chief," Lena said, shaking her head. "But the na Olympus seed to make them incredibly agreeable."
"Incredibly agreeable is an understatent," Cassandra spoke up, exchanging a look with Lena. "They offered us an additional fifty million dollars to reinforce our position and help us annihilate Olympus. They explicitly stated we would be doing them a favor.
A heavy, confused silence fell over the room. Why would a power as imnse as Celestial offer millions to a smaller, local group to fight their apparent rival?
Old Falcon, who had been listening with his hands clasped tightly, began to shift uncomfortably. His face was etched with a mixture of nervousness and perhaps sha.
"I... I have to confess sothing," Old Falcon finally announced, his voice surprisingly soft. He looked down at the floor before eting Ethan’s eyes. "I know why Celestial acted that way, why the na Olympus changed the conversation."
"Then tell us," Ethan commanded.
"I have to first tell you how I know them," Old Falcon insisted, breathing deeply. "You need the context to understand. I wasn’t always just Old Falcon. I was part of another organization I founded years ago. It was a private security and protection company. We called ourselves... Eternal."
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