A cold tension filled the air in the dimly lit boardroom of the Pentagon. The walls were lined with screens displaying surveillance footage, grainy satellite images, and classified reports stamped with TOP SECRET in bold red letters. Around the long mahogany table sat some of the most powerful figures in the United States intelligence community—officials from the NSA, CIA, FBI, and high-ranking members of the military.

  The mood was grim.

  At the head of the table, Director Malcolm Graves of the NSA adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. “Let’s get started,” he said, his voice low and controlled. He tapped a button on the remote in his hand, and a massive screen at the front of the room flickered to life. The footage played: shaky cell phone video from New York City showing a man in a hoodie lifting a car with one hand while bullets ricocheted harmlessly off his skin. The video cut to another clip—this time, a woman moving at impossible speeds, disarming a group of armed robbers before they could react. The next clip showed an explosion ripping through a warehouse, followed by a figure walking out of the flames completely unscathed.

  The screen went black.

  “This is just a small sample of what we’ve been dealing with over the past three months,” Graves said, setting the remote down. “Supers. Hundreds of them. Most of them appearing in and around New York City after the solar eclipse in March. We still don’t know how or why.”

  A heavy silence followed.

  Director Jennifer Hayes of the CIA leaned forward, lacing her fingers together. “This isn’t the first time we’ve seen something like this.” She tapped a folder labeled PROJECT REVENANT – CLASSIFIED in front of her. “Back in the 1960s, there were incidents—individuals with abilities that defied explanation. The government covered it up, buried the evidence, and ensured the public never found out.”

  FBI Director Daniel Colton scoffed. “Well, we can’t exactly cover this up, can we?” He gestured at the screen. “Half of these videos are already viral. Social media is flooded with conspiracy theories. People know something’s going on.”

  “Containment isn’t an option,” Graves admitted. “But control is.”

  General Raymond Carter of the Department of Defense leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. “So the question is, how do we handle this?”

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  A younger analyst at the table, Agent Sophia Langley from the NSA, cleared her throat. “We’ve identified at least 346 confirmed supers so far. Some of them are using their abilities openly—stopping crimes, showing off on social media, or just trying to live their lives. But others…” She flipped through a dossier and slid a file to the middle of the table. “We’ve seen an increase in violent crimes committed by supers. Robberies. Assaults. Murders. Some of these people are dangerous.”

  Hayes picked up the file and frowned. “And let me guess—law enforcement can’t handle them?”

  Langley nodded. “New York PD has already suffered multiple casualties trying to stop these enhanced individuals. Standard weapons are ineffective against some of them. We’ve had reports of officers being burned alive, shot at by criminals who can redirect bullets, and one case where a suspect froze an entire SWAT van solid before shattering it.”

  A murmur went through the room.

  “We’re dealing with gods on the streets,” Colton muttered.

  “Gods bleed,” General Carter said, his voice like steel. “We just need the right tools.”

  Graves folded his hands on the table. “Which brings us to the next issue—how do we respond? If we allow them to operate unchecked, the situation will spiral. But if we go in too hard, we risk turning them against us.”

  Hayes narrowed her eyes. “You sound like you’re suggesting we recruit them.”

  Graves leaned back in his chair. “Some of them, yes. Others… we neutralize.”

  Colton exhaled sharply. “Neutralize? You mean kill?”

  “If necessary,” Graves said bluntly. “We’re not dealing with normal criminals. If one super-powered individual decides they don’t want to follow the law, they could level city blocks. This isn’t just a domestic issue—it’s a matter of national security.”

  A long silence followed.

  General Carter finally spoke. “We need a tiered approach. Identification, containment, and control. First, we find out who they are and what they can do. Second, we categorize the threats—who’s a danger, who’s cooperative, and who can be… persuaded.” He let the word linger. “And third, we develop countermeasures for the ones we can’t control.”

  Langley hesitated. “That’s easier said than done. We don’t even know how they got these powers.”

  Hayes tapped her fingers on the table. “You said the solar eclipse was the common factor?”

  Langley nodded. “Every single super we’ve tracked down was either in or near New York during the eclipse. We have no idea why the eclipse triggered this, but it can’t be a coincidence.”

  Graves adjusted his glasses. “So we need more data. I want a task force dedicated to investigating the origin of these abilities. If there’s a pattern, we need to find it.”

  “And what about the immediate threats?” Carter asked.

  Graves glanced at Hayes. “The CIA has experience with black ops units. We need a response team. A specialized force trained to handle supers, equipped with whatever it takes to neutralize them if necessary.”

  Hayes exhaled slowly. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Colton rubbed his temples. “I don’t like this. We’re talking about putting together hit squads for American citizens.”

  Carter stared at him. “American citizens who can tear tanks in half. Do you really think we can afford to hesitate?”

  Another silence followed.

  Finally, Graves spoke. “We don’t have the luxury of time. The supers aren’t just appearing in New York anymore—we’ve seen reports from Boston, D.C., Chicago. This is spreading. We need to act now.”

  Hayes nodded reluctantly. “Then we start with intelligence. Identify key individuals. Monitor their movements. Offer cooperation to the ones who seem willing. And for the others…” She met Carter’s gaze. “We prepare a response.”

  Graves stood. “Then let’s get to work.”

  The meeting adjourned, but the weight of the decisions made that night would shape the future of the country.

  Because the age of secrecy was over.

  And the age of superhumans had begun.