What had once been several months away was now less than two weeks from beginning.
The government had spent the entire time preparing everything President Morstell intended to present at the summit.
The summit was being held in Veronoth that year, southeast of Conjora, in a coastal city called Cape Mistam.
Ning had heard of the place before through Valen’s memories, but had never visited it.
Cape Mistam was one of Veronoth’s largest cities and served as a political center whenever foreign leaders visited the country.
The city had been constructed around a wide natural harbor, surrounded by green cliffs that remained covered in mist during most mornings.
Images showed ancient stone buildings mixed among modern towers, with bridges crossing narrow rivers that flowed down from the hills and emptied into the sea.
Veronoth itself was a kingdom.
Unlike Conjora, which elected its president, Veronoth was ruled by a royal family whose bloodline had remained in control for hundreds of years.
Ning found that interesting.
He had met emperors, kings, queens, and rulers from countless worlds, but every nation developed its own traditions surrounding royalty, and he was curious to see how Veronoth’s royal family behaved in a world filled with superheroes and modern technology.
A week before their departure, Ning was summoned to Gargan City.
He arrived at a restricted government airfield outside the capital, where President Morstell waited inside a secure hangar with Sharron Shoults and several military officials.
Four large metal cases stood in the center of the room.
Each case had been sealed with several electronic locks, while a portable suppression field surrounded them.
Ning looked at the cases.
"Are those what we’re taking?"
"Yes, all of them," President Morstell answered.
She wore a dark formal suit rather than the clothing she used during public speeches, and several folders had been tucked beneath one arm.
Sharron stood beside her, looking even more nervous than usual.
The scientist had probably spent the past several months manufacturing, testing, and retesting everything inside those cases.
"What did you decide to reveal?" Ning asked.
"Everything. The portable suppression device, the temporary suppression spray, the ability-enhancing serum, and the awakening serum. Although, I’m getting some pushback on my decision to reveal it."
Ning raised an eyebrow.
"You’re taking it anyway?"
"We need physical proof that it exists, and this is the best place to show it," she said. "We will be selling it anyway. It’s just that I need to find a way to convince the old fools to do it sooner rather than later."
Ning looked back at the cases.
"I can’t imagine just how envious others will bee when they see this. They will likely want it all for themselves. It’s quite dangerous, isn’t it?"
"It is," President Morstell replied. "Which is why you will be responsible for it."
Ning looked toward her.
The president gestured at the cases.
"From the moment these leave this facility until the moment they return, you will be responsible for every device, vial, and piece of equipment we intend to reveal."
Ning raised an eyebrow. "I don’t think that was included in the paper I signed."
"No, but you are the best for the job, and I had long since decided to let you be the one to look after it," the woman said as she turned toward him. "Are you refusing?"
Ning shook his head slightly.
"Not really. Though I would appreciate it if you told me this stuff beforehand. What exactly does this responsibility entail? Do I just keep them safe from others, or from our own people too?"
"No one opens these cases without my permission or Doctor Shoults’ supervision," she said. "No one removes anything without you watching. If someone attempts to steal them, you stop them."
Ning nodded. "That’s perfectly doable."
"I also need you to prevent other countries from studying the technology beyond what we choose to demonstrate."
Ning nodded.
He could do that.
Even if every person attending the summit attempted to steal the cases at the same time, none of them could take anything while he was present.
The president knew only a fraction of what he could do, but she understood enough to trust him more than any military unit she could have assigned.
"When are we leaving?" Ning asked.
"Three days from now."
Ning looked at the cases once more.
"Who else is going?"
"You will meet them at the airfield."
Three days later, Ning returned to Gargan City wearing his Blackfang costume.
The government aircraft waiting for them was larger than the plane Ning normally used when traveling between cities, although it was still small enough to land at Cape Mistam’s royal airfield.
Soldiers surrounded the runway.
Government officials moved between vehicles, checking documents and loading supplies while members of the president’s security detail searched everything for a final time.
The four sealed cases had already been placed inside the plane.
Ning inspected them personally before boarding, confirming that none of the locks had been disturbed.
When he entered the main cabin, he found three other heroes waiting inside.
The first was Lightspeed.
The hero wore his usual white-and-red suit, with the black mesh covering his eyes and the rest of his face hidden beneath his mask.
He was seated near the front of the cabin, impatiently tapping one foot against the floor.
"Blackfang," Lightspeed said when he saw him. "I was wondering when you would show up."
"I didn’t expect you to be here, though I’m not surprised you are," Ning said. "How are you doing?"
"I’m doing great. What about you?"
"Just the same."
Lightspeed laughed.
The second hero was a female Orc seated near the center of the plane.
She was tall enough that her head nearly touched the ceiling when she stood, with dark green skin, short black hair, and two lower tusks that curved slightly upward from her mouth.
Her costume consisted of thick gray armor covering her chest, shoulders, and legs, although Ning suspected the armor existed more for appearance than protection.
He recognized her from the gathering of heroes at the government research facility.
Her hero name was Stonewall.
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