Looking at the overwhelming amount of news circulating online, Nick couldn't help but smile wryly. In just half a day, the story of their performance, along with deep-dives into his and Tyler's personal lives, had spread everywhere.
If the coverage had stayed factual, it wouldn't have been an issue. But the sensationalism and clickbait from "influencers" and marketing firms had twisted the story beyond recognition. As a result, a segment of the internet was already jumping to conclusions, lining up to tear them down. In the age of viral outrage, any spark—true or false—can ignite a firestorm that consumes everything in its path.
Some people seized on the fact that Nick's team had previously spoken with SpaceX at a tech conference, spinning a narrative that they were selling "national secrets" to a foreign corporation. Within hours, the comments sections were flooded with people calling them "modern-day traitors" and dragging their families' names through the mud.
It was one thing to take the heat personally, but once the trolls started targeting their school and their parents, they had to break their silence. If they didn't push back now, there was no telling how far the harassment would go.
Militech Technology's official X account, which had been a ghost town since they registered it, suddenly dropped its first public statement.
"Regarding the false statements circulating online, Militech issues the following response:
First, all of our business operations are in full compliance with federal and state laws. We welcome any scrutiny from the proper authorities and will cooperate fully with any legitimate investigation.
Second, our technology was developed independently by our own R&D team. It is proprietary, original, and protected by multiple domestic and international patents.
Third, while we did have a brief interaction with SpaceX during a recent conference, we were unable to reach a cooperation agreement at that time due to different strategic visions.
Fourth, our company has already secured several major domestic partnerships. This drone show is just the tip of the iceberg. We look forward to continuing our work with DJI to bring even more spectacular displays to the public.
Fifth, Militech reserves the right to take legal action against those spreading defamatory or malicious lies. We have already retained a law firm in Tampa to begin collecting evidence for litigation.
The internet is not a lawless wasteland. We urge everyone to verify the facts before spreading rumors and to help us maintain a productive online community."
The statement, backed by a formal letter from their legal counsel, had an immediate effect. The loudest trolls suddenly went quiet. Dozens of "news" accounts and influencers who had been leading the charge began quietly deleting their posts before going dark.
It was a classic move. If these people actually believed their own "facts," they wouldn't have scrubbed their profiles the second a lawyer got involved.
Watching the chaos subside, Nick finally caught his breath. In the attention economy, traffic is money, and some people are willing to fabricate anything to get a "hit" that grabs eyeballs. They operate on a low-risk, high-reward model: post a lie, reap the ad revenue, and if things get too hot, just hit delete.
They're essentially bullies—they prey on whoever looks like an easy target, but they fold the moment they hit a real wall.
Nick didn't actually have the time or energy to sue every random person on the internet; collecting digital evidence is a nightmare. But the threat was enough to clear the air, which was all he really needed.
Still, the storm left a mark. The team spent half the night scrubbed their old social media posts, terrified that some innocent comment from three years ago would be dug up and used as leverage against them. Nick's follower count had also jumped from a hundred to over a hundred thousand overnight, forcing him to get verified just to keep the impersonator accounts from causing more drama.
Then there were the logistical headaches. The company was being flooded with interview requests, all of which Nick turned down flat. However, the massive success of the show meant that festivals and cities across the country were calling with offers. DJI was also eager to capitalize on the momentum and keep the partnership going.
Since this aligned with their long-term goals, Nick delegated the business side to Tyler.
"Get the office sorted out, then fly down to Miami to hammer out the next round of deals with the DJI team," Nick told Tyler over the phone.
"Got it," Tyler replied. "I'll get a crew together and head down there ASAP. Are you not coming back to Tampa first? You've been running on fumes."
Nick looked over at Terry, who was already checking their flight status. "I wish. D.C. has been blowing up my phone. If I don't show up soon, Bill Dye and the research team are going to have my head. I have to go straight there, and I need to stop in Tampa to check on Zack's progress with the SpaceX warehouse."
"I talked to Zack this morning," Tyler said. "He says things are moving along pretty smoothly."
Nick smiled. "That's a relief. I was worried he was over his head. In that case, I'll take Terry and the others and fly straight to Atlanta. They're pressing hard for the next phase of the swarm tests."
"Alright, bro. I've got things covered here. Take care of yourself—don't burn out." Tyler's concern was genuine, and for a second, it made the crushing workload feel a little lighter.