A Month After The Antics Discovery

  DNI James Cartwright sat in his office, video-conferencing with CIA Director Webb, FBI Director Chen, NSA Director Torres, and DIA Director Hassan. On his desk was an unusual proposal that had come, surprisingly, from Perseus himself.

  "Let me get this straight," Webb said, rubbing her temples. "Perseus Jackson, the two-thousand-year-old immortal we've been protecting for seventy-eight years wants us to conduct a public opinion poll about him?"

  "Not about him specifically," Cartwright clarified, reading from the email Perseus had sent. "He wants us to gauge public reaction to the concept of someone like him. His exact words were: 'I'm curious if regular people would be horrified or supportive. Also, the memes will be hilarious.'"

  "The memes," Chen repeated flatly.

  "He's two thousand years old and understands internet culture better than my teenage son," Torres said. "That's both impressive and disturbing."

  Foster was reading the proposal on her tablet. "He's actually thought this through. Vague polling questions that don't identify him but describe the situation. Reddit AMAs with hypotheticals. Twitter polls. He even suggested we monitor conspiracy theory forums to see if anyone connects the dots."

  "Why would he want this?" Webb asked.

  "According to his email, and I quote: 'I've been operating in shadows for two millennia. I'm curious what people would actually think if they knew someone like me existed. Plus, watching you all get nervous about public opinion will be entertaining.'"

  "He's trolling us," Chen said.

  "Of course he's trolling us," Cartwright agreed. "But... I'm actually considering it. Think about it. We've kept Perseus classified at Omega level for decades. But what if the public would actually be supportive? What if knowing someone like him exists would be reassuring rather than terrifying?"

  "Or it could cause mass panic," Webb countered.

  "That's why we test it with vague hypotheticals first," Foster said. She was warming to the idea. "We don't mention Perseus by name. We just ask questions about the concept and see how people react."

  Torres pulled up a document. "I actually drafted some potential questions based on Perseus's suggestions. Listen to these:

  'If someone spent decades preventing disasters before they happen, and their only request is to be left alone, would you support protecting their privacy?'

  'If you discovered your quiet neighbor was actually a retired elite soldier who had prevented global catastrophes, but sometimes had to break laws to do it, what would you do?'

  'Would you support a government protocol that protects someone who has saved countless lives, even if it means they're above normal law enforcement?'"

  "That last one is basically asking if people support the Echelon Protocol without naming it," Webb noted.

  "Exactly. We're testing the waters."

  Cartwright leaned back in his chair. "Perseus has approved this. He thinks it's funny. And honestly, I'm curious too. We've been operating under the assumption that public knowledge would be catastrophic. Maybe we're wrong."

  "Or maybe we're about to learn why keeping secrets is important," Chen muttered.

  "Only one way to find out," Cartwright said. "All in favor?"

  Four hands went up, albeit reluctantly.

  "Let's do it. But we coordinate this carefully. Multiple platforms, different demographics, various countries. And we monitor everything."

  Two Weeks Later - Reddit r/AskReddit

  u/TotallyNotTheGov: "Hypothetical: If someone spent 50+ years preventing terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and wars before they happened, but had to operate outside the law to do it, and their only request was to be left alone and have their privacy protected, would you support a government policy protecting them? Why or why not?"

  The post exploded. Within hours, it had 50,000 upvotes and over 10,000 comments.

  Top Comments:

  u/PhilosophyBro42: "Yes, absolutely. If someone's been saving lives for that long, they've earned the right to privacy. This is like asking if we should harass John Wick after he retires. Leave the man alone."

  u/ConspiracyCarl: "This is 100% about that FBI incident, months ago. Something happened there that got buried DEEP. Word is they arrested someone they shouldn't have and there was a whole military response. This is the government testing if they can reveal what happened."

  u/LegalEagle2024: "From a legal standpoint, this is fascinating. You're asking if we'd support someone being above the law. Philosophically, I say yes IF they've proven themselves over decades and only break laws when necessary. The social contract is supposed to serve the greater good. If someone embodies that better than our systems do, maybe they deserve special consideration."

  u/MemeLord5000: "This is literally the plot of every action movie. Badass operative saves world repeatedly, government tries to control them, operative says 'no thanks,' government has to choose between accepting it or losing them. Always choose option 1."

  u/HistoryNerd1991: "People saying 50 years—what if it's longer? There are legends throughout history of an 'Eternal Soldier' who appears during major conflicts. Thermopylae, the Crusades, WWI, WWII. Always the same description: experienced beyond measure, ancient eyes, fights for the righteous side, then disappears. What if it's all the same person?"

  u/SkepticalSally: "That's ridiculous. No one lives that long."

  u/HistoryNerd1991: "Then why do the descriptions match? Why are there documented accounts across 2000 years of the same warrior archetype? I'm not saying it's definitely one person, but... what if?"

  u/MilitaryVet2010: "I served in Afghanistan. There were stories about a contractor who would show up, fix impossible situations, and disappear. Guys called him 'The Ghost.' Nobody knew who he worked for, but everyone said if The Ghost showed up on your op, you were coming home alive. If this hypothetical is about him, then yes, a thousand times yes. Protect him."

  u/PhDInSnark: "Everyone's assuming this person is good. What if they're not? What if 'preventing disasters' is subjective? Who watches the watchmen?"

  u/PhilosophyBro42: "If they've been doing it for 50+ years and we only know about it because the government is asking this question, they've clearly shown restraint. A bad actor would have tried to take over by now."

  u/TheRealMVP: "The fact that we're having this conversation means someone like this exists and the government is trying to figure out if they can tell us. My answer: tell us. I'd rather know there's someone out there preventing catastrophes than be ignorant. Also, I want the memes."

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Twitter Poll by @TotallyLegitGovAccount:

  "If you found out your neighbor was secretly an ultra-elite retired soldier who had saved thousands of lives but had to break some laws to do it, would you: A) Report them B) Leave them alone C) Become friends and ask for stories D) Bake them cookies"

  Results after 500,000 votes:

  A) Report them: 3%

  B) Leave them alone: 31%

  C) Become friends: 44%

  D) Bake cookies: 22%

  Trending Replies:

  @MemesDaily: "Option E: All of the above except A. Make friends, get stories, bake cookies, respect privacy. This is the way."

  @ConspiracyWatch: "The government is 100% preparing us for a reveal. Something happened. Someone exists. They're testing if we'd freak out. Answer: we wouldn't. Now tell us who it is."

  @JohnWickFanClub: "This is literally John Wick but real. The answer is obviously bake cookies and leave them alone. DO NOT shoot his dog."

  @PhilosophicalMinds: "The interesting thing is 97% of people would NOT report this person. That's a massive vote of confidence in individual judgment over institutional authority. The social contract is shifting."

  @MilitaryHistory: "The 'Eternal Soldier' legends are real. There's documentation across millennia. Someone exists who has been fighting humanity's wars for thousands of years. And now the government is asking if we'd be okay with it. My answer: YES. Tell us. We deserve to know our guardian."

  4chan /pol/ Thread:

  Anonymous: "Government is running weird polls about protecting someone who operates outside the law. Thoughts?"

  Anonymous: "It's about that FBI thing. Something went down at Hoover's Building. Military extraction. Huge coverup."

  Anonymous: "I heard it was a special operator they accidentally arrested. Black ops dude with Omega clearance."

  Anonymous: "Omega clearance isn't real. That's conspiracy theory bullshit."

  Anonymous: "Then explain why every intelligence agency on Earth has the same classified file. Same designation. Same protocols. I've seen the database flags. They exist."

  Anonymous: "Post proof."

  Anonymous: "Can't. Would be arrested. But it's real. Name is Perseus Jackson. Look him up. You won't find anything, which is the point."

  Anonymous: "Perseus? Like the Greek hero? That's fake as hell."

  Anonymous: "Or it's someone who's been using that name for a really long time. Greek mythology is 3000 years old. What if some myths are based on real people?"

  Anonymous: "You're saying Perseus the Greek hero is real and working for the government?"

  Anonymous: "I'm saying someone named Perseus has been showing up in historical records for 2000+ years and governments are very interested in protecting him. Make of that what you will."

  Anonymous: "This is the dumbest thing I've ever read."

  Anonymous: "RemindMe! 6 months - Check if Perseus Jackson is revealed as real."

  The Memes

  The internet, predictably, created memes faster than the government could track them.

  Popular Meme Formats:

  John Wick + Mister Rogers Combo

  Image of Keanu Reeves as John Wick with Mister Rogers' cardigan photoshopped on Caption: "When you've been saving humanity for 2000 years but just want to be left alone with your coffee" Variations: "POV: You're a terrorist and the nice neighbor who helped you move in is actually an immortal warrior," "Nobody: / Absolutely Nobody: / The 2000-year-old soldier my government is protecting: flipping a coin, minding his business"

  Distracted Boyfriend Meme

  Boyfriend (labeled "Government"): looking at "Arresting random people" Girlfriend (labeled "Not arresting the 2000-year-old immortal warrior"): looking annoyed Caption: "FBI months ago"

  Drake Hotline Bling

  Drake disapproving: "Respecting the privacy of a 2000-year-old warrior who saves the world" Drake approving: "Accidentally arresting him and causing an international incident"

  Increasingly Verbose Meme

  "Leave him alone" → "Respect his privacy" → "Do not interfere with the millennial guardian's requested solitude" → "The ancient one who has witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations requests only that you cease your attention"

  Is This a Pigeon? Meme

  Butterfly labeled "A 2000-year-old immortal warrior" Person labeled "FBI agents": "Is this La Cebra?" Caption: "Narrator: It was."

  Area 51 Raid Format

  "They can't stop all of us from: Baking cookies for the immortal soldier" "Let's show up with: Casseroles and respect for his privacy"

  Ancient Aliens Guy

  "I'm not saying it's a 2000-year-old immortal warrior, but it's a 2000-year-old immortal warrior"

  Arthur Fist Meme

  "When the government asks if you'd protect someone's privacy and you realize they're asking because that person exists"

  Two Weeks Into The Experiment - Intelligence Community Assessment

  The directors gathered again to review the results.

  "The memes," Cartwright said, pulling them up on screen. "There are so many memes."

  "The John Wick/Mister Rogers combo is actually kind of accurate," Webb admitted. "Perseus does have that energy—extremely dangerous but also weirdly wholesome."

  Torres was scrolling through Twitter. "Public opinion is overwhelmingly positive. 89% of respondents said they'd support protecting someone like Perseus. 76% said they'd want to know if someone like him existed. Only 11% said it would make them nervous."

  "The conspiracy theorists are connecting dots," Chen reported. "They've figured out something happened at Langley. Some have even guessed the name Perseus Jackson, though they think it's fake. They're researching the Eternal Soldier legends."

  "Should we be worried about that?" Foster asked.

  "Not really," Cartwright said. "Without confirmation, it's just speculation. And honestly? The speculation is mostly positive. People are calling him a guardian, a protector, humanity's secret weapon."

  "What about the international response?" Webb asked.

  Torres pulled up global data. "Similar patterns worldwide. Europe, Asia, South America—all showing high approval ratings for the concept. Russia and China are interesting—their populations are slightly more skeptical of government protection, but still generally supportive of the individual."

  "Has Perseus seen this?" Chen asked.

  "Oh yes," Cartwright said, pulling up an email. "He sent this this morning."

  The email read:

  "The memes are indeed hilarious. The John Wick/Mister Rogers comparison is surprisingly apt—I did used to help children, though that was a few centuries ago. The conspiracy theorists are getting warmer, which is entertaining. I especially enjoyed the person who calculated that if I've been at every major battle, I must have killed at least 10,000 people personally. Their estimate was low by half, but I appreciate the effort. The public response is encouraging. Humanity has matured. A few centuries ago, they'd have wanted to burn me as a witch. Now they want to bake me cookies. Progress. - P"

  "P.S. Tell Chen the FBI meme about the distracted boyfriend made me laugh for ten minutes."

  Chen groaned. "I'm never living that down, am I?"

  "Not in this lifetime," Torres agreed. "Or the next several lifetimes, knowing Perseus."

  "So what's the assessment?" Cartwright asked. "Do we move forward with gradual disclosure?"

  The directors looked at each other.

  "The data supports it," Torres said. "Public opinion is positive, conspiracy theories are manageable, and international response is favorable."

  "But it's Perseus's decision," Webb added. "He suggested this experiment. We should ask him what he wants to do with the results."

  "Agreed," Cartwright said. He composed an email:

  "Perseus - Public response is overwhelmingly positive. 89% approval for protecting you, 76% want to know you exist, memes are off the charts. Conspiracy theorists are connecting dots but mostly in a positive way. Question: How do you want to proceed? Do we maintain current secrecy, or is it time for limited disclosure? Your call. - JC"

  The response came back in two minutes:

  "Let's stay secret for now. The memes are fun, but actual attention would be annoying. Besides, I enjoy watching people speculate. It's like a game. Maybe in a few decades, when humanity is more mature, we can revisit. For now, I'm content being an internet legend and a classified file. Thanks for the experiment. It was enlightening and entertaining. Please send me the meme collection for my archives. Yes, I keep archives. 2000 years of memories need organization. - P"

  "He has archives," Foster said faintly. "Of course he has archives."

  "I want to know what else is in those archives," Chen said. "Can you imagine? 2000 years of documented history from a firsthand source?"

  "We'll never see them," Webb said with certainty. "Perseus protects his privacy. That includes his personal records."

  "Probably for the best," Cartwright agreed. "Some things are better left mysterious."

  He composed a final response:

  "Understood. We'll maintain current protocols. Meme collection attached (347 images, somehow created in just two weeks). For what it's worth, the public would love you. But we'll respect your privacy as always. Stay safe out there. - JC"

  The response was immediate:

  "The cookie memes are my favorite. Tell your analysts they did good work. And James? Thanks for asking instead of deciding. That's why I still work with you people after all these years. You treat me like a person, not an asset. That matters. - P"

  Cartwright closed his laptop and looked at his colleagues. "Well, that's that. Perseus remains classified, the public continues to speculate, and somewhere out there, a 2000-year-old warrior is laughing at memes about himself."

  "As it should be," Webb said, smiling.

  "As it should be," they all agreed.