Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday - Chapter 278

Chapter 278: Shocked Leaders
“I’m not here to beg for a seat at the table,” Grace said as she stood up. “I’m here to claim one. If you want my cooperation, you’ll give me a position in the Great Alliance. If not…” She smiled. “Well, let’s just say Starfall Isle will continue to thrive with or without you.”

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

She knew exactly what she was asking for and what it implied, and so did every other person present in that meeting room.

The President finally spoke after a long silence. “We’ll need time to discuss this.”

She nodded in response. “Take all the time you need.” But she already knew the truth, they didn’t have time. They needed her more than she needed them.

Without another word, she turned and walked out while Rune and Davian followed closely behind.

As they stepped back onto the aircraft to head back to Starfall Isle, Rune let out a low whistle. “That went well.”

A knowing smirk sprwad across Davian’s lips as he added, “They won’t refuse.”

Grace gazed out the window as the aircraft lifted off. “No, they won’t.”

She had made sure of it.

And soon, she would have exactly what she wanted.

* * *

Inside the Meeting Room, After Grace Left –

The moment the doors shut behind Grace, an unsettling silence filled the vast conference room.

Everyone was sitting frozen, digesting the weight of the encounter they had just experienced. No one dared to speak first, as if voicing their thoughts would somehow make their fears a reality.

General Alden Langley, who was the Commander of the country’s Military, exhaled sharply and broke the silence. His hand tightened into a fist as he spoke.

“She’s… beyond anything we expected.” His voice was low but carried a heavy tone. He turned to President Nathaniel Grant, who had yet to lift his gaze from the now-empty seat where Grace had sat moments ago. “What do you think?”

The President finally leaned back, rubbing his temple as if trying to soothe an incoming headache. “What do I think?” he murmured before looking up. His sharp blue eyes were carrying a rare sense of unease that he failed to hide. “I think we just came face-to-face with the most dangerous person in this country.”

His words sent a shiver through some of the officials.

“She isn’t just dangerous, she’s untouchable.” It was Senator Olivia Haynes, the Minister of Internal Affairs, who spoke this time. “We all should have known that she’s not going to be an easy one the moment we found out exactly who she is.”

Grace Blackwood was a very familiar name to most of people in the government because of the power, fame, wealth, and connections she owned.

The last world heard about her was three and a half years ago when she disappeared from public’s view after selling her company. No one had expected to meet her again… especially like this.

“That barrier ability alone is something incredibly powerful and crazy. If we don’t find a way to understand how it works, we might as well accept that she could build an impenetrable empire under our noses,” Olivia continued.

General Langley let out a frustrated breath. “She didn’t reveal much, but she didn’t need to. Did you see how she carried herself? That wasn’t just confidence, it was dominance. She walked in here knowing she already had the upper hand.”

Victor Raine, the Secretary of Defense, frowned. “And yet she still wants a seat in the Great Alliance,” he pointed out. “If she’s as powerful as we think, why would she need us?”

President Grant’s gaze darkened. “Because power alone doesn’t govern the world. The apocalypse didn’t erase the need for alliances, it made them more necessary.” He sighed. “But the real question is, are we prepared to let someone like her into our circle?”

The room fell silent again as each person considered the implications.

The Great Alliance was formed to maintain order, to prevent the world from falling into absolute chaos after the apocalypse. It was a coalition of surviving world leaders, high-ranking military officials, and the most influential figures still standing. But admitting Grace Blackwood into their ranks meant inviting an unknown entity with power none of them could control.

Senator Olivia scoffed. “Do we even have a choice? If we deny her, she’ll find another way in. And let’s be honest, with the power she’s hiding, she could take anything she wants by force.”

A low murmur of agreement spread across the room.

“What about her bases?” Minister of Intelligence Lucas Reeve finally spoke up. “We have reports on Greenstone and Hilton, but the Starfall Isle… We barely know anything about what she has stored there.”

General Langley’s jaw clenched. “That’s exactly what bothers me. She let us see just enough to impress and intimidate us, but not enough for us to truly gauge her power.”

“She didn’t even blink when we asked about the barrier,” Secretary Raine added. “It’s clear she knows how badly we want it. And yet, she wasn’t the least bit concerned. That means either she thinks we can’t take it from her… or she has something even bigger hidden away.”

The President drummed his fingers on the table before finally standing. “We keep an eye on her,” he said decisively. “I’ll talk with the other leaders. I say we allow her into the Great Alliance, but we don’t trust her. We play along, cooperate where necessary… but we do not, under any circumstances, let her take full control of any decisions.”

“And if she tries?” General Langley asked.

President Grant’s expression hardened. “Then we’ll have to find out what her weaknesses are.”

His gaze landed on General Langley, a silent exchange passing between them. Other than Grace Blackwood, there was one more person who had left them stunned with his sudden re-appearance after three long years.

The room remained tense as the realization set in – Grace Blackwood wasn’t just another survivor. She was a force that could either tip the balance of power in their favor or completely shatter it.

And no one in that room could predict which path she would take.