"People of Earth, tomorrow a great battle may decide the future of our world."
Adrian's voice carried across every television, radio station, and digital broadcast connected to the emergency transmission.
His expression was serious as he looked directly into the camera.
"I never wanted this conflict, nor have I sought war. Yet our world now faces the threat of invasion by a powerful extraterrestrial force. These beings, who call themselves the Guardians of the Universe, intend to take away everything we have built and everything we hope to achieve."
The room fell completely silent.
Even the production crew, who had spent their careers covering major political events, found themselves holding their breath.
This was not an ordinary presidential address.
This was history unfolding in real time.
Thomas sat among the reporters, staring at Adrian without blinking. Years of journalistic instinct had him sketching notes and impressions across his pad almost automatically.
The scratch of his pen was the only sound he noticed.
Adrian's presence filled the room with a pressure that was difficult to describe. It wasn't fear alone. It was certainty.
For a brief moment, Thomas wondered if his hand might actually start shaking.
"We brought order to a nation consumed by unrest. We dismantled terrorist networks that threatened innocent lives. We ended riots that spread chaos through our cities. We established the Super Peacekeeper program to safeguard the people of America."
Adrian's voice remained steady.
"If these Guardians and their Green Lantern Corps succeed, everything we have achieved could be lost."
Millions of viewers watched in silence.
Families gathered around televisions.
Workers stopped what they were doing.
Even people who disliked Adrian found themselves listening.
The Green Lantern Corps was no longer a distant rumor whispered among government officials and superheroes.
It had become a global concern.
"But Earth does not stand alone."
As he spoke, Adrian briefly glanced toward both sides of the room.
Mera stood at his left.
Sinestro stood at his right.
Both represented powerful forces that had chosen to stand beside him, at least for now.
Whether trust truly existed between them was another matter entirely.
The speech itself had been prepared by Betty and reviewed by government officials throughout the day.
Adrian had little patience for overly emotional political rhetoric. He preferred action over carefully crafted sentiment.
Still, he understood the value of public support.
Looking directly into the camera once more, he continued.
"I call upon every man and woman on this planet to stand united against those who would impose their will upon us. Do not allow outsiders to decide your future. Do not surrender your world without resistance."
His voice became even more forceful.
"I ask you to step forward, stand together, and fight for the future of Earth."
The speech contained no dramatic theatrics.
There were no exaggerated gestures.
Yet the confidence behind every word struck viewers far more effectively than any emotional performance could have.
Thomas felt himself swept up by the momentum of the speech.
Before today, he had never viewed Adrian favorably.
Now, sitting only a short distance away, he could not deny the man's leadership.
For the first time since entering the room, he genuinely understood why so many people followed him.
As Adrian concluded the address, Thomas instinctively began applauding.
Others quickly followed.
The room filled with applause.
At that moment, Thomas found himself sounding surprisingly similar to the neighbor whose opinions he had mocked for years.
Across the country, millions continued discussing the speech.
Some felt inspired.
Some felt frightened.
Others questioned whether the threat was truly as severe as Adrian claimed.
Regardless of opinion, everyone was talking about it.
The message had achieved its purpose.
The coming conflict was now impossible to ignore.
At the Daily Planet, Chloe Sullivan sat at her desk organizing research materials.
The conversation she had shared with Adrian the previous day remained fresh in her mind.
Rather than resigning herself to disappointment, she had spent the morning gathering information connected to Adrian and the events surrounding his administration.
"Chloe, what exactly are you working on?"
Lois Lane suddenly appeared behind her and casually draped an arm around her shoulders.
"Digging through old Smallville mysteries again?"
"No."
Chloe smiled faintly.
"Just researching some recent developments involving Adrian."
"Uh-huh."
Lois picked up several pages from the desk and skimmed through them.
After a few moments, a teasing grin appeared on her face.
"You know, Chloe, there's an old saying. Taking an interest in a man is usually where trouble starts."
"I've been interested in Adrian for years," Chloe replied with a shrug. "That doesn't automatically mean anything."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Chloe leaned back in her chair.
"The truth is, I thought I understood him. I was convinced I knew exactly what kind of person he was."
"And now?"
"Now I'm not so sure."
Yesterday's conversation had completely overturned many of her assumptions.
She had expected indifference.
Perhaps even ridicule.
The Adrian she remembered had always seemed distant, intimidating, and impossible to approach.
Instead, he had listened.
His words had not been gentle, but neither had they been dismissive.
He had taken her dreams seriously.
That alone had surprised her more than she cared to admit.
"I thought he'd see my goals as childish," Chloe said quietly. "Turns out he didn't."
Lois stared at her cousin for a moment.
"That sounds complicated."
"That's because it is."
Before Lois could continue teasing her, someone nearby switched on a television.
The newsroom's attention immediately shifted.
Adrian's emergency address appeared on screen.
The image showed Adrian seated at his desk, with Mera and Sinestro standing on either side.
As his speech continued, Lois's eyes widened.
"Wait a second."
She pointed at the screen.
"That's Adrian?"
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
"Who else would it be?"
"No, seriously."
Lois looked genuinely stunned.
"The guy I know always looks like he's annoyed at the entire world."
She folded her arms.
"If a million people suddenly vanished, I'd expect him to stare for three seconds and ask who's cleaning up the mess."
Chloe laughed despite herself.
"That's a little unfair."
"Maybe."
Lois watched the broadcast for another minute.
Then she reached her conclusion.
"Politics really does turn people into professional actors."
Behind them, Jimmy Olsen nearly jumped out of his chair.
"Adrian is awesome!"
He pumped his fist enthusiastically.
"Did you hear that speech?"
Lois stared at him.
"When exactly did you become one of his supporters?"
"After Lex Luthor's press conference."
Jimmy answered immediately.
"The one where Kalibak attacked."
Chloe nodded.
"That was probably the moment."
Both she and Jimmy had witnessed Adrian's intervention firsthand.
Watching him defeat an alien invader capable of destroying entire city blocks left a lasting impression.
Jimmy crossed his arms confidently.
"Anyone who can send aliens flying like that deserves some respect."
Chloe smiled but quickly looked back toward the television.
The concern in her eyes became harder to hide.
"I just hope nothing happens to him."
Lois turned toward her cousin.
The comment sounded unusually personal.
Far more personal than Chloe would normally allow.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lois quietly filed that observation away for future investigation.
Thousands of miles away, high in the mountains of Nanda Parbat, another audience watched the speech.
Ra's al Ghul sat in silence as the broadcast ended.
Standing nearby, Talia observed her father's expression carefully.
"Homelander is facing serious pressure."
She folded her arms.
"If he believed he could solve this alone, he probably wouldn't have addressed the entire world."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Perhaps this creates an opportunity for us."
"No."
Ra's immediately dismissed the idea.
"We wait."
Talia frowned.
"You believe this could be a trap?"
"Possibly."
Ra's slowly rose from his seat.
"Anger can grant strength. It can also destroy judgment."
He walked toward the open balcony overlooking the mountains.
"The patient hunter survives longer than the reckless one. Sometimes waiting is the most effective strategy."
Talia nodded thoughtfully.
"Still, I don't think the Green Lantern threat is fabricated. My investigations confirmed their existence. The Corps operates throughout the known universe."
"I am aware."
The wind rustled Ra's al Ghul's robes.
"I have heard stories of the Green Lantern Corps for centuries."
He looked toward the distant horizon.
"They are warriors chosen for exceptional willpower. Through their rings, they wield extraordinary energy and maintain order across countless worlds."
"Like a cosmic peacekeeping force?"
"Essentially."
Ra's turned back toward his daughter.
"A lone Green Lantern presents limited danger."
His eyes sharpened.
"An entire Corps is another matter entirely."
For several moments he remained silent.
Then he made his decision.
"Prepare the jet."
"We're leaving?"
"Yes."
"Should I accompany you?"
"You will."
Talia expected their destination immediately.
"Gotham?"
"No."
Ra's shook his head.
"Star City."
"Why Star City?"
"Because Gotham is watched too closely."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Star City offers greater freedom of movement. More importantly, some old acquaintances still reside there."
Outside the chamber, hidden within the darkness of the corridor, a silent figure listened carefully.
Damian Wayne remained perfectly still.
Every word reached his ears.
When he heard Ra's mention America, his eyes immediately lit up.
A war between Adrian and the Green Lantern Corps?
That sounded far too interesting to ignore.
Excitement quickly replaced boredom.
More importantly, his mother had once told him that his father lived somewhere in America.
If he traveled there himself, perhaps he could finally meet him.
Of course, sneaking aboard an international flight without anyone noticing would require preparation.
A lot of preparation.
Damian began constructing an elaborate plan in his mind.
Step one: reach America.
Step two: find his father.
Step three: somehow avoid being dragged home immediately afterward.
As far as Damian was concerned, it was a flawless strategy.
Back in Gotham, deep inside a concealed operations base, Barbara Gordon stared at the monitor in surprise.
"It's really him."
On the screen, Adrian continued addressing the world while Mera and Sinestro stood beside him.
Black Canary stood behind Barbara and crossed her arms.
"Quite the performance."
Her tone carried a hint of sarcasm.
"He just convinced millions of people to volunteer as potential shields in his war."
Barbara considered the statement.
"Maybe."
Her gaze remained fixed on the screen.
"But if civilians truly rally behind him, the Green Lantern Corps will face enormous complications. They won't be able to attack freely."
Before either woman could continue, the air inside the room suddenly distorted.
A strange vibration spread outward.
Purple light emerged from nowhere.
The energy expanded rapidly, tearing open a glowing crack in space itself.
Barbara and Black Canary immediately became alert.
The rift widened.
A moment later, a woman stepped through.
She wore a tall magician's top hat, black fishnet stockings, and a confident expression that suggested she belonged exactly where she was.
The dimensional portal slowly closed behind her.