It is early morning, the sun barely cresting the horizon as people dressed as agents and officials shuffle into the dimly lit conference room.
The sterile, underground facility is giving off a cold, oppressive air, with the walls lined with monitors displaying grainy surveillance footage, maps of urban areas, and classified files. The hum of machinery fills the silence, accompanied by the occasional murmur as the key figures of the agency take their places around the oval-shaped table.
Director Lewis is the last to enter, his tall, broad-shouldered figure casting a shadow across the room. His face is set in a stern frown as he makes his way toward the head of the table.
Director Lewis:
(grumbling as he settles into his chair)
"What's so urgent that I'm dragged out of bed at this hour? This better be worth it, Carter."
Agent Carter, already standing by the projector, gave him a tight nod. A no-nonsense looking woman in her 40s, her sharp eyes has not left the monitor since the moment she'd arrived.
Carter:
(calmly, but with underlying tension)
"I assure you, sir, it is."
She clicks a button on the remote, and the projector hums to life, casting flickering images onto the screen. Grainy footage of a man floating above the street comes into view, captured by some bystander's shaky phone camera.
The room immediately falls silent as the group watches, each of them processing what they are seeing.
Dr. Rachel Stevenson, the agency's head scientist, leans forward in her chair, her expression a mixture of skepticism and curiosity. She adjusts her glasses, the dim light reflecting off the lenses.
Dr. Stevenson:
(squinting at the footage)
"What's that, something flying. That can't be real… There must be some sort of explanation, perhaps advanced technology—drones, harnesses, something. People don't just... float."
Agent Harris, the team's tactical leader, crosses his arms over his chest, staring at the screen with a mixture of disbelief and excitement.
Harris:
(half-jokingly)
"Maybe he's a magician? Houdini 2.0?"
The faint chuckle in his voice does little to ease the tension hanging in the room. The gravity of the situation was palpable, especially given the agency's recent inability to track down the floating man despite multiple sightings.
Carter:
(raising her voice slightly, authoritative)
"Let me make this clear. This isn't the first time we've seen him. This man has been spotted on several occasions over the past few weeks. Each time, it's the same—he flies, always alone, and vanishes before we can get close."
She clicks through more slides—maps with red dots marking sightings, notes scribbled along the borders, and a photo of Cameron, a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair.
Carter:
(gesturing to the screen)
"Last night, we got our first breakthrough. He was seen floating two people—a man and a girl—as if they were weightless. We've interviewed witnesses and analyzed the footage. It's the clearest evidence we've ever gotten."
Dr. Stevenson:
(skeptically, leaning back in her chair)
"And you're sure there's no foul play here? No cables, no drones? What makes you so confident this isn't just some elaborate illusion?"
Carter:
"We've combed through every frame. There are no visible wires and no signs of drones. The witnesses described the same thing—he was floating them effortlessly. As far as we can tell, this man possesses some sort of abilities we've never seen before."
A heavy silence follows her words. Even Dr. Stevenson can't argue against the facts laid before them. The skepticism lingers, but the footage speaks for itself.
Director Lewis:
(leaning forward, his fingers steepled under his chin)
"I don't care if this is real or not at this point. The fact is, we cannot afford for this to leak. If the public gets wind of a man floating in the sky... panic will spread like wildfire."
Harris:
(leaning back, his chair creaking as he adjusts)
"So, what's our move? If this guy's really some powerful entity, we need to handle this carefully."
Carter:
(nodding, turning to the next slide)
"We have a lead. This man's name is Cameron. He was one of the two people this man lifted last night. We've tracked down his address, and we believe he has crucial information about the target's identity and whereabouts."
She clicks on a new image on the screen, revealing Cameron's details—his address, work history, and even a blurred photo of him.
Harris:
(grinning slightly)
"So, we grab him and squeeze him for info?"
Carter:
(with a slight smirk)
"Exactly. But we have to be careful. If the target is as powerful as we think, we're walking into a potentially dangerous situation. Cameron might be our best shot at finding out more before we make any direct moves."
Dr. Stevenson:
(crossing her arms, frowning)
"I'm still not convinced. For all we know, Cameron could be behind this entire act. Maybe he's using advanced tech, and this 'floating man' is just a puppet."
Carter:
(firmly, cutting her off)
"Witnesses confirmed he wasn't the one floating. The man in question was leading. We expect Cameron is just some unlucky bystander—or perhaps he knows more than he's letting on. Either way, he's our best lead right now."
Director Lewis:
(gruffly, looking at the map of Cameron's address)
"We can't take any chances. Harris, you'll lead the field team. Move in tonight, when the streets are quiet. Capture Cameron, bring him here, and question him thoroughly."
Harris:
(nodding confidently)
"Already on it. We've scoped out his neighborhood. It's quiet, mostly residential. My team is ready to move. We'll go in fast and quiet—grab him before he even knows what's happening."
Carter steps forward again, switching to a map of the neighborhood where Cameron lives. The red dots mark surveillance points, streets, and potential exit routes.
Carter:
"We'll have non-lethal containment devices ready. We don't want to attract unnecessary attention, and we certainly don't want this man slipping through our fingers."
Dr. Stevenson:
(leaning forward, more serious now)
"If this guy really has abilities… we need to prepare for the worst."
Harris:
(with a confident grin)
"Perfect. I'll make sure my team is briefed on the situation. If things get hairy, we'll be ready."
Carter:
(turning to the director)
"And what if the containment fails?"
Director Lewis:
(grimly, with a cold edge to his voice)
"Then we escalate. Lethal force is on the table if this man becomes a threat. But only as a last resort. I'd prefer to bring him in alive."
Harris:
( standing up)
"We'll be ready for whatever comes our way."
Carter:
(nodding in agreement)
"Good. Let's get moving. We've got a long list of things to prepare ahead of us."
As the meeting ends, the team disperses, each preparing for the operation. The air in the room is thick with anticipation, the weight of what lay ahead pressing down on them all.
They will capture Cameron. And if everything goes according to plan, they'd finally come face to face with the man who defies gravity itself.