Not-so-Peaceful Transfer of Power (Prologue)

Elena Machtig got everything she wanted in life from an early age. While very much a spoiled brat, she also worked unusually hard at times to make sure she was the best at whatever she did. She had to be the fastest on the athletics track, had to be top of her class, had to be seen as the most beautiful girl in the world. Indeed, by the time she was 25 she was on the cover of Vogue, by 35 she was the richest woman the world. By 40 she used her endless resources to become a senator. It had all led to here. She knew this. The road to the top.

"It's looking really good, Elena," said one of her closest advisors, William. He had been at her side for the last two years of her nascent political career and had guided her to this point, though she'd never admit it openly how important his contribution had been.
"It'll only be 'looking good' if I win," she whispered without turning to actually face him.

Power in name and Power by nature, Elena collected it very much like wealth, and often just for the sake of it. There was nothing much more to it than that. It always made her feel good to be the best. To have control. A lot of people would find her life an exhausting, shallow, and lonely existence, but it was all Elena had.

She went asleep that night and struggled to rest, tossing and turning in her sheets and constantly checking social media and any news outlets that were chiming in during the late hours of the night. She was still none the wiser, however. The only report that was circulating revolved around a certain famed superhero saving people from a small earthquake on the west coast. A popular story which bled into the next day and was in danger of even eclipsing the election, as important as it was; a fact which irked Elena a little, but she didn't reveal that to William.

Both stood now back where they were the day before i.e. at the rear of their campaign's war room watching various counties and states being called, waiting for one of the stations to draw up the guts to make the BIG call. Then, suddenly, one did. William turned up the television in a panic.

"We can call the election for senator Elena Machtig. We can announce that she will be the next president of..."

As the newscaster spoke, a huge cheer went up in the room drowning out the full results; but William was thrilled. After all the planning, all the stress, they had won the biggest prize of all.

"Congratuations, Elena!' he cried, shaking her hand. "We've done it. You've just added another accomplishment to your long list."

As he spoke, Elena continued to stare at the monitor where news of her incredible and historic election result was immediately pushed aside for another story centring on the aforementioned superhero.

"Have I?" she said, strangely despondent. "That's nice."

'Nice?! Is that all you can say after becoming the literal president? You've just become the most powerful person on the planet!" William exclaimed.

"No," she replied coldly amidst all of the celebrations. "No, I haven't," she continued. She finally turned to him and looked her manager straight in the eyes for a moment.

"Not yet, at least," she finished before walking away in the direction of the podium out on the stage with all the waiting press and cameras below, remembering to feign delight to every person she met and shook hands with along the way.

William watched on in shock, and then stared back at the television. He understood then. Elena Machtig wasn't done yet. There was still one person out there more powerful than her. One that had something that she didn't have. One that bested her in some way. A person she needed to overcome in the end. A super human.

To be continued...