The perspective shifted. While the younger generation pushed forward in their own fields, some among the older ones were facing problems of their own.
In a U.S. military base in Afghanistan, an experiment was underway. On the surface, it avoided the influence of LexCorp. The man in charge of this project was none other than Dr. Bruce Banner.
Inside the command room stood General Thaddeus E. Ross, the last American general who did not fully bow to Luthor's authority. He was reviewing the latest research results.
"Good work. Keep it up, Banner. You're going to make history."
Across from him was the man married to his daughter Betty, Bruce Banner.
"I know," Banner replied, adjusting his glasses before leaving the command room.
Unlike in the films, in this world Banner and Betty were not simply lovers in 2008. They were already husband and wife.
The reason was simple. This Ross was far more lacking in manpower compared to his counterparts shown in movies or comics.
In those versions, despite Banner holding seven doctorate degrees, the general had little respect for him. He admitted that the man was a genius, but in his eyes Betty should marry a hardened soldier, not a frail scientist.
But this reality gave Ross no luxury of following his personal preferences. With LexCorp driving a massive technological explosion, the status of researchers had skyrocketed. Scientists everywhere now viewed the company as a sacred place.
Only within LexCorp could researchers truly push the boundaries of science. Outside of it, the most they could do was take others' discoveries and apply them for profit. That work was important, but it placed them beneath those within the company. No one wanted to live under someone else's shadow. Naturally, every researcher sharpened their skills and fought for a chance to enter.
In this climate, unless one nurtured talent from the start, retaining capable people was nearly impossible. The same was true for the military.
Though Ross oversaw projects with heavy investment from the White House, it excluded LexCorp, and so he faced a shortage of manpower.
It was then that Banner appeared. The general may not have liked him, but he could not deny his brilliance. Influenced by Betty, he came to the military before joining LexCorp, asking for funding to pursue his research into gamma radiation.
After a thorough review, Ross realized the potential of gamma energy might rival even LexCorp's cosmic energy. He approved the project immediately and took charge of it himself.
To secure Banner's commitment, he even subtly pushed his daughter and him closer together. Within less than a year, the two's relationship advanced from dating to marriage. Ross's role shifted from general to father-in-law, while fully binding the scientist to the military and ensuring the research stayed on track.
Now, Banner had already built a gamma bomb. Compared to a nuclear bomb of the same size, its destructive power was far greater.
"General, do we really not need to report this?"
The adjutant standing nearby shivered as he stared at the simulated explosion results on the massive screen.
Without realizing it, their general had led them into creating something so terrifying. But could they really keep such a weapon to themselves?
Even though he had followed Ross in conducting this experiment outside of LexCorp's reach, he understood that at this moment, that company had become the real master of the United States.
The puppet president elected in 2000 was nearing the end of his eight-year term, and the next election had already begun. But the outcome was obvious.
Aside from Luthor, not a single candidate had received a vote. Even those running against him did not believe they stood a chance. They had all cast their own ballots for him. Under such circumstances, was there really any room left for choice?
Once Luthor became the president, the U.S. would become his stage alone, and they would all have to pick a side.
What could Ross's army, still dependent on taxpayer funding, do to overturn that?
"Of course we must report it." Ross's response carried no hesitation. "Lex Luthor has always played by the rules. His rise to this position is America's choice. Naturally, we must follow the rules as well. A weapon like this must be reported to Congress. But the military must be the one in control of it."
His determination was firm. His decision to conduct research away from LexCorp was not born of hostility toward the company, nor out of dislike for Luthor himself.
The sole reason for that was that he loved his country.
Luthor becoming president was something no one could dispute, and Ross also believed he would make an excellent leader. As long as the man could keep America strong, he would never oppose his decisions. Should Luthor break the traditional two-term limit, the general would still support him.
He stood with whoever was best for America.
His only aim was to prepare for the unexpected. He could not be sure what might happen to Luthor. So he chose to create an alternative source of strength for the United States, making sure that if the nation suddenly lost him, it would not collapse.
This gamma project was born from that idea.
If the weapons stayed in the hands of the military, then even if LexCorp were to fall apart for whatever reason, so long as America still had a force capable of wielding gamma energy, it would remain the world's dominant power.
Now that the project had shown results, Ross could use it to persuade the other generals, those who feared defying Luthor, to join him. Together, they could exert influence and secure a place in the coming era under that man's rule.
"I see. Then I can rest easy," the adjutant exhaled, relieved by the fact that his general was not planning to wage war against LexCorp.
"What's this? From the sound of it, you care a great deal about LexCorp," Ross remarked.
The adjutant chuckled, then answered as if it were only natural, "From the quality of the floor beneath my feet to the health of the members of my family, every part of our lives is guaranteed by LexCorp. How could I possibly wish for them to just vanish?"
Ross smiled faintly at the reply. "True. And am I any different? LexCorp has already shaped everything about America. How could I not worry about something happening to that man? Besides, his ambitions extend far beyond this country. When America is no longer his only concern, it will still need its own power to maintain its place in his eyes."
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