Chapter 416: The Illuminati's Six Seats
"The Eternals? Welcome, welcome." Reed's words carried a note of confusion. A complicated expression crossed his face: surprise, curiosity, and a trace of forced cheer.
Ever since joining the Illuminati, he seemed to have gotten used to discovering some new race every few days.
But every new race that joined reminded him that humans didn't always hold the upper hand on this Earth, even though humans were clearly supposed to be its masters.
These newly discovered races usually outclassed humans in fighting strength, and that made Reed uneasy about the future.
Watching Director Pierce lead the two in, he immediately understood. These were the new Eternal member Pierce had mentioned, and the Golden Sentry's colleague.
The scene stirred up a tangle of feelings in him. A bitter, resentful anger spread through his chest.
The Illuminati and the Avengers held very different places in Reed's mind.
If the Avengers were humanity's elite superhero force, the Illuminati was more like a diverse cosmic alliance.
It took in all kinds of races, working together toward a larger goal.
But that diversity also put an inexplicable pressure on Reed.
The Illuminati had been designed with six seats, each held by a leader, but so far only four had been filled.
Reed held one as humanity's representative, alongside Black Panther, king of Wakanda; Namor of the Kingdom of Atlantis; and the late Black Bolt of the Inhumans.
Black Bolt's death, of course, had let the mutant Baron Zemo take over his seat as its new leader.
Now, with the Eternals and the Golden Sentry joining, the Illuminati seemed to have all six seats filled at last.
Reed had long since accepted reality. The grand ambition he'd had at the start, to make the Illuminati flourish under his leadership, was gone.
If he hadn't been a founder, he probably would have been kicked out of the Illuminati long ago.
Every day, Reed felt like he was walking on thin ice, every step needing the utmost caution.
On the surface, humanity's representative seemed to hold the dominant position in the Illuminati. But behind the scenes, HYDRA's shadow always loomed over him.
Pierce had gone out of his way to bring the Golden Sentry, Kang, into the Illuminati and give him one of the precious seats. It was a huge threat to Reed and the human faction he represented, and the clearest sign yet that HYDRA didn't trust him.
As for Wakanda's Black Panther, though he was human too, Wakanda's fierce autonomy and insular attitude left Reed feeling helpless.
Black Panther, T'Challa, would lend a hand when Earth faced a major crisis. But on the Illuminati's internal affairs, especially anything touching other humans' interests, Wakanda always held itself aloof, as if Wakanda were the only place in the world they truly belonged to.
Reed knew that of the Illuminati's six seats, the human faction he represented was already on shaky ground. Kang's arrival laid that fragility bare.
He thought back to what he'd observed of the other factions. Even the newly founded mutant kingdom had powerhouses like Cassandra, plus the Freedom Force under Mystique, a force not to be ignored. It was made up of mutants who refused to bow to Hell's Kitchen's rule, united and strong.
And him? He had a roster of backup superheroes, but in the end, they were only substitutes.
Former heroes like Captain America and Hawkeye no longer wanted anything to do with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s infighting. So Reed had to rely on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s remnants working with HYDRA to cobble together a team called the "Avengers Substitutes."
There was U.S. Agent, standing in for Captain America; Yelena, the second Black Widow; Taskmaster; the military's General Ross as Red Hulk, standing in for the Hulk; and, standing in for Hawkeye, his own brother, the trick-shot marksman Charles Barton.
Honestly, Reed wasn't very satisfied. These so-called substitutes weren't bad. They were fine for missions against ordinary people. But the moment they ran into anyone from Hell's Kitchen, they were done for.
The strongest of them, Red Hulk, was a general in the military, so Reed couldn't even give him orders.
So in truth, Reed's faction was the smallest in the Illuminati. Fortunately, Reed still had an ally: Mordo, a sorcerer who had defected from Kamar-Taj, along with his mages.
The Illuminati was a microcosm of Earth. As alien civilizations, mysterious forces and mutant races kept appearing, humanity's voice on Earth was steadily weakening.
If the Illuminati didn't share a common enemy in Hell's Kitchen, there might no longer have been any place for Reed in it, and Earth would have fallen under the rule of other races.
But Reed hadn't given up. Once he fully mastered the Reality Stone, he'd still have a chance.
Reforge the glory of humanity! It is our sacred duty!
He would be the king of a new era!
Gilgamesh of the Eternals, a one-punch man with Don Lee's face, merely nodded by way of greeting. It wasn't that he didn't want to say more.
He wasn't the Eternals' brains. He was only attending this meeting in place of their leader, Ajak.
Negotiating this kind of thing really wasn't his strong suit!
"Someone will answer your questions about the Eternals shortly." Director Pierce seemed to be in especially good spirits today. Maybe it was because of these two new members. He was more talkative than usual.
"And our other guest is HYDRA's treasure, the scientist Kang. I don't imagine he's a stranger to you, is he, Reed?" Director Pierce smiled at the Golden Sentry, Kang, his voice full of admiration and pride.
Reed immediately offered Kang his hand, a practiced smile on his face. "Of course. Dr. Kang's name precedes him."
Kang wore a pair of somewhat old-fashioned glasses. He gave off the impression of a harmless bookworm, someone who wanted nothing to do with the world.
But Reed knew exactly how formidable this scientist was. This Kang was the most dangerous person in the room, even more dangerous than the Eternals.
"Dr. Kang, you're the first person ever to make a place like Hell's Kitchen eat dirt. Truly admirable." Reed's words carried a hint of teasing and probing.
At that, a sly glint flashed across Kang's honest-looking face. He smiled wryly. "You flatter me, Mr. Richards. Hell's Kitchen is not to be underestimated. I was simply lucky enough to recover a research product that belonged to me. It was a close call, to be honest."
"I never imagined Kingpin would come hunting for me. Quite unexpected," Kang went on, his voice carrying a mix of helplessness and resolve. "I've always admired the Illuminati. I believe only the federal government can lead humanity to greatness again. This incident has only strengthened that conviction."
Director Pierce smiled in satisfaction at Kang's words. He clapped Kang on the shoulder approvingly. "Well said! A place like Hell's Kitchen is nothing to worry about. I'm certain that once Dr. Kang can mass-produce the Golden Serum, no one will be able to stand against us!"
Then Director Pierce turned to Gilgamesh of the Eternals. "Brother Gilgamesh, there's something I'd like to discuss with you privately." To Reed he said, "Reed, show Dr. Kang around and help him get familiar with the place."
Reed nodded to show he understood.
Director Pierce led Gilgamesh out of the room. Once they had gone,
only Reed and the Golden Sentry, Kang, remained, and the air immediately turned serious.
"So, Dr. Kang. What's your real goal?"
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