At the New York Air Force Base…
A helicopter brought Aaron and Helen Cho directly to this heavily guarded installation. In the past, there was no chance they would have welcomed people like Aaron or Helen Cho—both of them Asian. But today, Helen Cho finally understood just why they were being so "excessively enthusiastic."
An aide came forward eagerly the moment they touched down, clasping Aaron's right hand in both of his and shaking it firmly.
"Mr. Aaron, I'm delighted to see you. Our general loves the 'Christmas gift' you sent, and he says this year will be his best Christmas ever!"
"I'm sorry—our general is dealing with some personal health matters and can't host you himself right now. But next time, he'll personally visit Oscorp to invite you to a private gathering and thank you in person!"
The aide was so afraid of slighting Aaron that he practically bent over backward with politeness.
Aaron just nodded in understanding. "I definitely understand General Ronald's eagerness. If I were him, I'd also be in a rush to open that present—no one can refuse it, much like no normal man can refuse a beautiful woman."
Hearing that, Helen Cho blushed faintly but tried her best to stand up straight and smile, wanting at least to look the part of Aaron's companion. Even though she privately found it odd to call something a Christmas present in May—maybe that was just how they did things here? Also, from the helicopter ride to the base, not a single person had bothered to confirm her identity. Could it really be all thanks to Aaron?
Noticing Helen Cho's posture, the aide smiled even more warmly. "So this is Mr. Aaron's girlfriend, yes? She's even prettier than any Hollywood star."
Helen Cho answered with a polite smile, still quite tense and unsure what to say. She subconsciously glanced at Aaron, then hastily looked away—neither denying nor rejecting it. Being his girlfriend for a day was still being his girlfriend, right?
Seeing her nervousness, the aide wisely chose not to ask further, worried that he might displease Aaron. Leading the way, he guided them to a wide-open airfield. Along the route, various officers directed looks of deep respect at Aaron and company. While Helen Cho knew they were showing deference to Aaron, she still felt proud by association. As someone from H-Country, she'd never experienced such "face" before.
"Mr. Aaron, these are all items General gave…"
(He glanced at Helen Cho, then corrected himself)
"...handed over to you."
"Cough, the General hopes your company can further enhance them. But seeing as they're all retired models, and you're a busy man, if you don't have time to work on them, that's fine. Oscorp will always remain the Air Force's best partner!"
That line was purely the aide's last-minute improvisation. After all, they were actually giving all this equipment to Aaron personally. As for "improving" them, they could have gone to Hammer Industries. Oscorp didn't usually do military R&D, and it was hardly likely Aaron would dedicate himself to serving the US military in that way. So "improving them" was never truly on the cards.
Helen Cho missed the subtext. She was still in a daze. This was her first time at a US military base, and these men—so intimidating when facing H-Country—were abasing themselves in front of Aaron, like juniors respecting a senior. Incredible!
As for the jets?
Helen Cho vaguely recognized them, but the hastily repainted camouflage left her uncertain. Regardless of color scheme, the bodies and innards hadn't been changed. Aaron, with one glance, recognized exactly what he needed: the US's most advanced F-22, plus F-16, YF-12A, and Blackbird reconnaissance plane.
Aaron's eyes—like the highest-end scanners—recorded all the fine details, storing them in his mind. Later, he might toss this data into the Taklamakan Desert, letting "fighter jet designs" sprout from the sands. And maybe it would "accidentally" include a bilingual instruction manual—perfectly normal, right?
In 2010, these were still impressive. Aaron had no ulterior motive beyond convenience.
"So, Mr. Aaron—are you satisfied?"
the aide asked softly.
Aaron nodded. "General Ronald's speed is beyond my expectations."
The aide's smile widened. "Indeed, sir. You're the best partner we military folk have ever had. The general hopes our cooperation will continue indefinitely."
Continue indefinitely? It wasn't necessary. In Helen Cho's eyes, the military was unreachable, but to Aaron, neither the military nor the US itself was more than a stepping stone.
"Oh, by the way, sir, the Army and Navy commanders have also been asking about Oscorp's upcoming plans. If you need their assistance, they stand ready to support you wholeheartedly!"
Of course, the anti-aging and anti-cancer serums remained top company secrets, not yet past the R&D phase. If not for bridging certain financial gaps, Aaron wouldn't have revealed them. This time, Norman provided ten doses in total—first come, first served. Only the most generous or most helpful supporters could secure those life-saving serums early. For these politicians and rich elites, money wasn't an obstacle—fear of death was. So they spared no effort in propping up Aaron, praising him to the skies.
Originally, Aaron had planned to refuse outright—he wanted to do a proper reveal at the upcoming Oscorp Expo. But suddenly he remembered something, and his brow twitched:
"Actually…we can talk about it."
~~~
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