Just before he left, Grimm received a call on the com-link. It was Miss X, requesting him at her office.
"Yes?" he said coldly, as he opened the door, the puppy under his left arm. As the leaf opened indoor, he saw first Miss X behind her desk, a worried look on her face, then Nuriko, her light strabismus making her face even more mysterious. And finally appeared the back of a man of medium height, with long white hairs, wearing a costly Armani suit. There was something familiar in that features, though Grimm, but the sensation lasted a mere moment, and was instantly confirmed when the man turned to face Grimm, revealing the fierce expression of Jack Merlin.
"Mr. Grimm, I presume" said the man, a broad, false smile enlarging on his face, his right hand darting toward Grimm, ready to shook his own.
Grimm merely nodded, his hand resting firmly on his side.
Victoria Xiang stood up. "Grimm, Mr. Merlin has come with an offer I can't value by myself. It's something the team should decide over, and I want first hear your opinion about it. You see, Mr...."
"I have come to say that I have admired vastly your performance during the war, Mr. Grimm. Your personal and the one of your team. I never have seen such incredible gifts among metahumans, and even more such skill in using them. Not mentioning your strategy, your team-play, the high level of thechnology at your disposal..."
Grimm raised an open hand, to stop the flood of words. "Mr. Merlin, I have personally killed one of your men. We have captured all the ones you had in Mandelovia, and we have destroyed your own orbital ship. I don't see how you can come here to..."
"Now now now" said Merlin, his both hands raised and opened toward Grimm" that exactly what I have admired. My men where not first time folks. They were the best of the world. And yet you beat them so easily. I have no regret for what you did. we were on opposite side of the battle at the beginning, but then we have fought on the same side. The Strikeforce One has been destroyed, Mr. Grimm, Hero has died at your hand, but the world love them as anything else before. The people at large feel secure now, because they know there are gifted people ready to protect them from anything bad and evil could appear to harm them and their style of life. Plus, Mr. Grimm, there is a lot of money involved..."
Grimm frowned, even if it was technically impossible. Merlin noticed it instantly, and did a last second save.
"...money that could be used to buy the best technology the world has to offer. The founds from the UN, from the USA, from Europe and Far East countries are huge. The threat from the Metahuman Brotherood for Liberation is something that worries the whole world, and the whole world wants a new Strikeforce. To make it short, Mr. Grimm, do you want that Vanguard will become the Strikeforce 2?"
