Project Willow

The top floor office towered over the Rochester, New York skyline. Billionaire weapons mogul Alister Vega's corporate dynasty was a high-tech haven of wealth and opulence; an idol worship of Alister's own vast achievements and overblown ego. Outside the building stood a statue of his own likeness, a testimony of how much he relished in his own glory. The monument shadowed the city streets, in full view of the sky-high window panorama that arched around the room.

His office had a cold, stark business appearance. Yet standing out from the office's white, black, and chrome contemporary decor, stood a portrait of the only thing in the billionaire's world that he loved more than money. His family.

As he listened to reports from his staff, he admired the large red-framed, black-and-white portrait of his loved ones that hung over the marble fireplace. There were the smiling faces of his wife Lydia, son Shane, and his pride and joy - his youngest daughter, Monroe. The painting stood out as the only personal item that adorned the walls of Vega Enterprises. He didn't permit employees to bring in photos of their own families or anything that changed the pristine aesthetic of his treasured castle of money and greed.

A handsomely distinguished man to the public eye, Alister was the silver fox of the corporate world. To the public, they deemed him a hard-hitting genius icon. With the help of his publicist, he allowed only the most upstanding image of himself to be seen to those on the outside world, and was vigilant about maintaining his reputation.

Those who knew him well saw him as he truly was, the ruthless business owner that never took no for an answer. Only his family witnessed his true, loving nature. Kindness that seldom came to light, unless it involved them. This was especially clear when regarding his daughter, Monroe, the epitome of a spoiled daddy's girl.

Alister paced behind his desk with his hands clasped firmly behind him. Determined to push forward with his biggest project to date, he was in no mood for incompetence and felt the project had stalled as of late.

"I want the new testing done this week to increase the project's mental strength. She needs to move bigger objects and push her powers to the limits. We've wasted enough time on this venture, as is. It's time we see some actual progress being made."

The CEO of Vega Enterprises turned and hit his desk with a loud bang to make his point. Everyone in the room jumped from the sound that reverberated off the walls as he glared at them with stern intensity.

"Father, our test subject is responding well. By the time I get finished with Project Willow, we will have the biggest weapon in military history. My team is ahead of the training schedule," Monroe boasted, sitting back on the plush leather couch as she crossed her long, lean legs while giving a sexy wink to the security officer in the far corner.

Shane Vega, son of the CEO, adjusted his lab coat with nervous tension. The oldest of the Vega siblings, having taken after his mother, grew to be a caring yet serious man. Unfortunately, he lacked inheriting his mother's social graces. Knowing Shane's dedication to his work, Alister trained him to be an obedient minion to the cause, and he did just that. He knew to keep his focus on the job and not ask questions, no matter what. The socially awkward man would do anything to please his father in hopes to gain his affection. Unfortunately for the devoted son, he lived in the world of a weapons mogul. Their work left little room for the feelings and emotions that he craved so deeply.

Shane was a technological genius and the company's biggest asset to his father's pet project. He seldom got the credit he deserved for his part in the company because of his sister's overwhelming need to suck up all the attention for herself.

Increasingly concerned about pushing their test subject further, he grew frustrated with his sister's dismissal of his warnings. Project Willow was getting stronger, and the thought of the subject being released into the world terrified him. He had even had some regrets about his own involvement overall. The guilt weighed on him day in and day out. Regardless, he remained loyal to his father.

Shane shifted in his seat next to his sister as he watched her sending flirty signals to the security officer.

Shane huffed in annoyance and interrupted, "Dad, I have to be honest. I think the more we push Willow, the stronger she's getting. This could be dangerous for all of us. Even our security is having a hard time controlling her. Right, Chris?"

The security guard grumbled under his breath as he ran a thumb over his black eye. His last run-in with the subject didn't end so well. Security was quickly learning to not take the woman for granted, constantly staying on guard.

Monroe scowled as she elbowed her brother in the ribs. "Stop being such a worrywart. We have it under control. Are you getting soft again, Shane? Worried poor little Willow will go rogue?"

"She's our sister. Have some damn compassion."

"Adopted sister. She's a freak. Dad says she needs to be pushed harder, so do it."

"But Dad, you don't understand. She torched the new brainwave system and -"

Monroe glared at him, daring him to speak another word. As always, the mild-mannered man cowered before his bossy sister.

Alister lifted his chin, questioning, "Is there a problem, Son?"

Looking at his sister's intense glare, Shane shook his head. "No, Sir."

He felt sorry for the test subject under his sister's watch. Being put through such rigorous training was a lot of physical and emotional stress for anyone to endure. Even someone as powerful as the young woman, Willow.

Shane hated the whole idea behind the project, but knew there was no use arguing with his father when he had his mind set on something. Alister had become a power-hungry monster, but it wasn't always this way. What started with an idea to correct the world of its violence and self harm turned into a power-hungry grab for dominance, led by Shane's own sister.

"Everything's fine, Daddy. Shane is just being melodramatic, as usual. Don't worry. I have everything under control," Monroe said with her typical know-it-all smirk.

Shane rolled his eyes as his jaw clenched in disgust, thinking, "If she wasn't my sister I'd knock her out right now."

As a child, he was close to his sister, but power and money changes people. She had grown to be a heartless tyrant. Emotionally distant and greedy, Monroe was more concerned with power than being a decent human being. The test subject was the future of military weaponry, and that was all she cared about.

Alister couldn't help but notice his daughter's demeanor and knew her well enough to see she was talking over her brother for a reason. "That's a little hard to believe, Monroe. Shane's right. You push her too hard and she's going to buck against us. You came up with the idea to start the project while working alongside the military. They gave you the boot for thinking you were a threat to military security. If they only knew how right they were. Get this straight, daughter, you seem to think I don't realize you feed into my ego to allow you to head this venture. This is the most controversial weapons project known to man, and you're using your adoptive sister as a guinea pig."

"But Daddy, she's the world's first human super soldier, with superhuman powers and abilities. You know as well as I do how amazing this is." Boasting, she lifted her head as if she was already queen of the world, taking credit for her part in the plan. "Code Name: Project Willow. The goal - to control Willow's powers. The world will bow to our will. With a woman with extraordinary skills under Vega's stronghold, nothing would stand in our way."

Shane mumbled, "You sound like a supervillain in a damn cartoon. Now who's being melodramatic?"

Monroe Vega was a weapons design specialist, inheriting her talents from her father. After working alongside the US military as a liaison, they forced her from her former position when it became clear she was a potential security risk. Now, she was the heiress to the multibillion-dollar Vega Enterprises under the cloak of being a run-of-the-mill accountant for father's firm. Because of her past discrepancies, it forced Alister to keep his daughter's real work top secret. If anyone knew the truth, it would be the end for them all.

Vega developed weapons for countries all over the globe, but there was also a dark side to the business that was growing by leaps-and-bounds behind the scenes, all under Monroe's watch. The power of the company extended to all corners of the globe, with governments in their back pockets. Even crime syndicates, who could afford to pay their high prices, were at their doorstep waiting for the next massive weapon of destruction. Nothing was beyond Vega's reach.

Everyone in the weapons game knew Alister was a force to be reckoned with. People died under his watch or came up missing without a trace. No one questioned Alister Vega... No one dared.

"That's enough from you. I'm sure our partners are more interested in hearing progress than you two bickering all the time."

The two men who were sitting quietly in the room agreed.

Instead of allowing his children to speak, he decided it best to explain things himself. It was clear he was getting nowhere at this pace. "Gentleman, Monroe recently developed a new device that will use Willow's mind skills to control people through various media outlets with the help of your joint ventures. We will use her device with Omega Communications Worldwide, as a catalyst. It will magnify her power through all forms of media communication. With your help, we can carry her message across the globe. The people will not even know what hit them."

"Mind control? I like it." One man asked excitedly.

"Yes, and that's only the beginning," Monroe said with a maniacal smirk, knowing of the secrets behind the scenes that required Willow to be in her captivity. Not even Alister himself knew of the extent of his daughter's warped plans. He didn't even think to question her. Monroe was daddy's little girl and would never cross him.

Or would she?

Time would tell.