White House, Situation Room.
After briefing him about their suspicions regarding the situation in Eden, the CIA director asked President Obama, "Sir, what course of action do you suggest we pursue?"
"Firstly, how certain are you about this information?" Obama inquired about the level of confidence in the intelligence, seeking assurance before making a decision that would rely heavily on it.
The CIA director responded, gesturing towards the screens displaying satellite feeds. "There are two potential interpretations of the current situation. One possibility is that it signifies a coup, while the other suggests that the military is attempting to compel Adolf to disband his private forces." A few of the screens showed satellite feed of military personnel blocking the routes to the palace and the others showed the military surrounding the headquarters of Adolf's pirate forces, providing visual evidence to support the director's explanation.
Shortly thereafter, the screen displaying the soldiers encircling the private forces' headquarters revealed the sudden arrival of fighter jets. In a dramatic turn of events, the jets unleashed a devastating bombardment upon the building, leaving destruction in their wake.
"Seems like it's indeed a coup," remarked the CIA director, realizing that the military's decision to eliminate Adolf's private forces without attempting any negotiation indicated a complete lack of intention to engage in dialogue with him.
As soon as the CIA director concluded his statement, President Obama turned to the secretary of defense and issued a decisive order, stating, "Instruct the Pacific fleet to reposition one aircraft carrier group towards their location."
The secretary of defense inquired, "Sir, are you planning to support the military in overthrowing the dictator?"
"I will decide once we have a clearer picture of how the situation develops. However, we must be in proximity to effectively enforce any decision we reach." With his decision made, Obama stood up and departed the situation room, returning to his office to resume his duties.
The secretary of defense selected one of the numerous phones and dialed Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr., the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, to relay the president's directive.
....
Morning.
The online world erupted as viewers witnessed the press conference featuring Adolf and Alexander.
Speculation and humorous memes flooded social media platforms in response to the announcement.
Numerous individuals engaged in speculation regarding Adolf's circumstances during his speech, pondering how he was coerced to give power.
Countries that maintained amicable relations with the former dictator, remained conspicuously silent throughout the ordeal. However, they did clarify that their ministers had safely returned despite the occurrence of the coup.
The global response to the situation appeared relatively subdued when considering the typical scale of reactions from different countries.
This was primarily due to many nations grappling with the aftermath of a recent flash crash that occurred just a month prior. As a result, they opted to adopt a watchful stance, intending to observe unfolding events before expressing their opinions on whether to acknowledge the new government or adopt a more stringent approach akin to the treatment of Taiwan.
Amidst the tumultuous situation, the United States announced the dispatch of an aircraft carrier battle group to ensure a secure transition of power in the country.
However, astute observers recognized this action as a veiled warning to the new leadership of Eden. It served as a clear message that the United States was closely monitoring the developments and would not hesitate to respond if Eden aligned itself with Russia or China, implying that such a choice would be met with regret.
The United States found it imperative to take such measures due to their strategic positioning. With China and the rest of Asia to their northwest, the USA to their northeast, Australia to their southwest, and the American continent to their east, Eden's location held significant importance.
Any nation that established a friendly relationship with Eden and managed to establish a base there would gain a substantial advantage over the other, thereby necessitating the United States' proactive approach.
If China were able to establish bases in Eden, it would grant them direct access to America, resolving their predicament of having their navy confined to the Indian Ocean due to the absence of nuclear-powered submarines. With a military presence in Eden, they could also pose a threat to ships transiting through the Panama Canal, potentially exerting control over a part of the American economy through a chokehold.
The same holds true for Russia. Despite their proximity to America, they would gain a new avenue of attack by utilizing long-range bombers while avoiding the heavily guarded North, where NORAD is mostly focused on.
This would allow them to launch strikes on the US from a different direction, necessitating a considerable amount of time and money for the United States to prepare effective countermeasures similar to those in place for the northern border shared with Canada.
But they could only watch with curiosity as Eden faced the challenge of resolving this predicament. The question remained: which side would they choose to align themselves with?
...…
Eden, the presidential palace.
"Which side do you believe I should align with?" Alexander asked Aron, who was in the room with him.
"How many countries have reached out to you in an attempt to sway your decision regarding which side to align yourself with?" Aron inquired.
"Quite a few. The list includes countries such as America, Russia, China, Australia, the UK, France, Germany, and several others. They can all be categorized into three distinct groups: those siding with America, followed by Russia, and then China," explained Alexander.
"What were their requests, and what incentives did they offer in return?" Aron inquired, seeking further details on the discussions with various countries.
"America and its allies had proposed financial and security assistance but requested the allocation of certain islands to establish military bases.
China, on the other hand, expressed interest in building military bases as well, offering financial aid and the inclusion of Eden in the Belt and Road Initiative—a comprehensive infrastructure development program.
Russia also sought islands for military bases, and in exchange, offered financial aid and assistance in locating natural resources within our economic exclusive zones" Alexander outlined the offers and requests made by different countries during the negotiations.
"Politely decline each one of them, explaining that to prevent international turmoil, you have chosen to maintain a neutral stance," Aron stated.
His statement prompted Alexander to frown, clearly indicating his disagreement with Aron's suggestions.
Observing Alexander's reaction, Aron inquired, "What? Do you disagree?"
"Yes," Alexander replied apologetically.
"Tell me the reason," Aron said, wanting to understand Alexander's perspective.
"Looking at the country's current state, we truly need financial aid to rebuild and develop. Although these foreign nations are demanding excessive concessions in return, the financial assistance they offer is desperately needed at the moment.
Since we are transitioning from a dictatorship, we can't even request loans without excessive leverage.
However, if we negotiate with one of these countries, I believe we can remove the condition of military bases by citing citizens' disagreement pointing at Adolf's private forces as an example." Alexander explained his reasoning.
"Do you believe you possess the power to negotiate with them? NO. Whichever country you choose, they will exploit you without limits.
They will assist in a manner that turns you into a dependent nation, preventing you from rising and attempting to remove their influence from your country. And if their attempts to hinder your progress fail, they will fund and train a rebel group that will serve as their puppets, aiming to overthrow and replace you.
Remember this: they offer you nothing but addictive honey. They will make you dependent to the point that whenever you face trouble, you will be forced to turn to them for help. But in exchange for their help, you will always have to sacrifice something enticing to them." Aron said, disagreeing with Alexander's reasoning and pointing out the risk agreeing to their offer brought to Eden.
"Then what do you suggest we do? We are in dire need of a substantial amount of money to revive the economy, and it seems that no one other than them is willing to provide it readily," Alexander stated wearily, his tone reflecting a sense of being trapped with limited options.
A smile spread across Aron's face as he responded, "Don't worry. If your primary goal is to rebuild the economy, I can assist you with that."
"How?" Alexander asked with curiosity.
"All you need are investments in the country, and I can make that happen. I plan on relocating my company to this country and start injecting billions and billions into its economy. This will enable the country to uplift itself from its previous state without having to rely on another nation or compromise with them," Aron paused for a moment before he continued.
"And remember, by remaining neutral, it means that all these countries will constantly attempt to win you over to their side. They won't treat you harshly until you make a choice," Aron reminded, emphasizing the potential advantages of maintaining a neutral stance.
Even though he could compel him to do as he pleased, having someone willingly comply rather than being coerced ensures they are less likely to cause future troubles.
After a brief moment of contemplation and agreeing to what Aron had said, Alexander chose to trust Aron once again.
Recalling the first time he trusted him based on his gut feeling, and how Aron had fulfilled his promise, Alexander decided to heed that same intuition and agreed to place his trust in Aron once more.
Another reason was that Alexander had used the peculiar helmet provided by Aron. Considering the possibility that Aron might establish a manufacturing plant for those devices, which Alexander was confident would be highly sought after, it meant that Aron could generate substantial income for the country through that product alone.
He also believed that Aron had more plans up his sleeve beyond just that, which further bolstered his decision to place his trust in him.
Agreeing to remain neutral presented a new predicament for Alexander. "I can refuse the other two nations since they might only bring harm in the future, but how should we handle the situation with America, considering they have an aircraft carrier en route to our location?" Alexander questioned, expressing his concern.
"For that, I have a solution," Aron said, reaching for a phone and dialing Rina's number.
