"He's not dead?!"
Hidden deep within an underground bunker, the former President stared at the satellite feed displaying Adrian drifting through space.
At first, only a mutilated body remained, stripped of muscle and flesh. Then, before everyone's disbelieving eyes, his body began restoring itself. Torn tissue reformed, damaged flesh regenerated, and within moments he had returned to perfect condition.
The impossible sight left the entire room speechless.
The former President's eyes lost focus. His face went blank, and all strength seemed to drain from his body. He collapsed into his chair, abandoning every trace of presidential composure.
Unable to move, he could only stare at the images on the screen.
Within the transmission, Adrian's figure floated amid darkness, surrounded by blazing energy. The sight shattered the final fragment of hope the former President had desperately clung to.
The room remained silent.
Several retired military commanders sat pale-faced while a senior party senator suddenly erupted.
"How is this possible?! That was a nuclear weapon! How could any living thing survive it? The last time he avoided the strike, but this time it hit him directly! Why is he still completely unharmed?"
His voice trembled with panic.
No one criticized him.
Everyone shared the same thought.
He survived.
Completely unharmed.
"Completely... unharmed..."
An elderly Army general spoke in a trembling voice. His hands shook as his breathing grew uneven.
The reality before them defied all logic.
Their opponent had endured a nuclear explosion with nothing but his own body.
They had believed they understood Adrian's strength. They had believed they had accounted for every possibility.
They had been wrong.
The power he displayed had completely redefined what they considered possible for a living being.
He had endured a nuclear blast.
And not just survived it.
He had emerged untouched.
The implication was terrifying.
If nuclear weapons could not harm him, then no weapon on Earth could.
No army could stop him.
No nation could contain him.
He could walk through any defense ever created by humanity.
The thought alone filled the room with dread.
Perhaps there had never been anyone like Adrian in the entire history of the world.
Perhaps there never would be again.
A crushing atmosphere settled over the office.
The nuclear weapon had been their final source of confidence.
Their last insurance policy.
Now even that had vanished.
Helpless despair spread through everyone present.
"What will become of America now...?"
The former President sat slumped in his chair, staring into nothingness.
His thoughts spiraled uncontrollably.
He thought about history.
About the presidency he had fought so hard to obtain.
About how future generations would remember him.
Not as a leader.
Not as a statesman.
But as the President who destroyed everything.
The man responsible for catastrophic decisions.
The man who had committed unforgivable mistakes.
The weight of those thoughts crushed what remained of his spirit.
Then even worse news arrived.
General Rosslyn stepped forward, his expression grave.
"A nuclear warhead launched from Greenland suffered a malfunction during flight and struck Coast City."
"Struck?"
The former President slowly looked up.
He already understood the implication, but part of him still hoped he had misunderstood.
Perhaps hearing the answer directly would somehow lessen the pain.
"To be precise, it didn't simply strike the city."
Ryan was silent for a moment before continuing.
"It detonated above Coast City."
The President immediately sat upright.
"How is the city? How many casualties?"
"I..."
Faced with the President's desperate gaze, Ryan struggled to answer.
Ultimately, he remained silent.
Someone switched the satellite feed.
The screen displayed Coast City.
The devastation spoke for itself.
The former President immediately understood.
Pain flashed through his eyes.
Not because of the destruction.
Not because of the countless lives lost.
What consumed him was fear.
He knew exactly what would happen next.
He would become the scapegoat.
The entire tragedy would be placed on his shoulders.
The nation would blame him.
The world would blame him.
His face turned pale.
With trembling hands, he opened a nearby drawer.
Inside rested a custom-made Glock pistol.
The firearm's polished surface possessed a smooth, almost jade-like appearance. Years of handling had worn parts of its frame, and the grip showed signs of frequent use.
It had been a gift from an old farmer friend.
He had taken it hunting countless times, using it to shoot rabbits on rural farmland.
Never once had he imagined the weapon would eventually be pointed at himself.
In quieter days, he often held the pistol while thinking through difficult decisions. He remembered the reassuring weight in his hand and the way the cold metal gradually warmed against his skin.
Now that same weapon felt different.
His hands shook violently.
Slowly, he raised the Glock beneath his chin.
His finger settled on the trigger.
Fear and despair guided every movement.
He knew what awaited him.
And he wanted no part of it.
General Rosslyn noticed the action.
His face remained unreadable.
The other military officials were still overwhelmed by the revelation of Adrian's survival and failed to notice what the former President was doing.
Only Ryan and several congressmen saw the pistol pressed beneath the President's chin.
Though shocked, many understood.
In some ways, it seemed inevitable.
Compared to enduring public condemnation, criminal investigations, and eternal disgrace, death appeared easier.
Someone would have to answer for Coast City's destruction.
Many in the room feared they already knew who that person would be.
As silence filled the office and everyone awaited the inevitable gunshot, a former Air Force officer suddenly stepped forward.
In one swift motion, he grabbed the President's wrist and tore the Glock from his hand.
"No, Mr. President! You can't do this!"
The officer held the weapon firmly.
"This isn't over. We still have a chance. Right now, the most important thing is getting out of here."
The former President stared blankly at his empty hand.
For a brief moment, he had found the courage to pull the trigger.
Now that courage evaporated.
Fear returned with overwhelming force.
"Yes..."
His voice shook.
"We still have a chance. We need to leave."
Immediately, he began ordering staff members to prepare for evacuation.
Unfortunately for them, their location had already been discovered.
Metropolis, Justice Society Headquarters.
The large circular table at the center of the headquarters was covered in computers, cables, and advanced communication equipment.
Lex Luthor sat before a monitor, rapidly typing commands.
Bart Allen and the Wonder Twins stood nearby.
"I found the signal," Lex said without looking away from the screen. "The one communicating with military installations in Canada and Greenland. I've traced its source."
He read the coordinates aloud.
"I'll handle it."
Bart immediately stepped forward.
"So will we," Zan and Jayna answered at the same time.
Only a handful of members remained at headquarters.
Most of the Justice Society had already departed for either the Metropolis Government Building or Gotham City.
The Gotham team had a different objective.
Using sophisticated surveillance systems and cutting-edge technology, Lex had successfully identified the individual who had been intercepting their communications.
Barbara had been correct.
Someone had been listening to them.
That person had underestimated Lex Luthor.
After joining the Justice Society, Lex had brought in his own advanced computer systems and technical specialists. Through a combination of expertise and technology far beyond conventional standards, he discovered a vulnerability within the communications network.
Using that weakness, he traced the source of the intrusion.
"You need to be careful," Lex warned. "Cornered people are dangerous."
"I don't care what they try."
Jayna's voice carried barely restrained fury.
"They're going to pay for what happened."
She had already seen the images from Coast City.
The destruction had ignited a burning rage within her.
Bart and Zan remained silent, but the anger in their eyes was unmistakable.
Moments later, the three heroes departed.
The headquarters grew quiet.
Lex slowly stood from his chair.
His emotions were complicated.
Too much had happened in too little time.
Sunlight streamed through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the room in warm light.
For the first time all day, he was completely alone.
He stood silently, gazing out over Metropolis.
Then suddenly...
Bang!
A loud impact echoed from outside the window.
===
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