Sure enough, Veidt was not dead. He caught the bullet with his bare hand, though his palm was slightly torn.
In contrast, Laurie and the others, who had originally dismissed the warnings as a joke, were caught off guard. They were each quickly taken down by Veidt, one by one.
Kara stood by with her arms crossed, watching the entire scene without intervening.
After dealing with his "old friends," Veidt turned his attention to Kara, who had been observing everything. He gave her what he thought was a charming smile—unsurprising, considering his narcissistic nature. He believed himself not only the smartest but also the most beautiful person alive.
"Who are you? Are you here to stop me as well?" Veidt asked.
Kara shrugged nonchalantly. "Let me make it simple. If I wanted to deal with you, you'd already be dead."
Veidt's confident smile grew, but before he could reply, Kara's eyes glowed a brilliant red. In an instant, she unleashed two searing beams of heat vision. The temperature skyrocketed, the air itself seeming to shimmer. Her heat vision tore through every obstacle in its path, leaving a massive void in the wall behind Veidt.
Veidt froze, staring in disbelief. For the first time, he realized the woman standing before him—who was easily twenty times more stunning than he considered himself to be—was anything but ordinary.
Kara's expression remained calm. "The only reason you're still alive is that you belong to him." She pointed upward with a finger.
Veidt looked up, and through the transparent skylight, he saw a towering blue figure outside.
Dr. Manhattan. The man who, against all odds, was very much alive—and had reconstructed himself faster than anyone could have anticipated.
"Adrian, you've disappointed me," Dr. Manhattan said, his voice calm but carrying the weight of absolute authority. With a wave of his hand, the entire skylight shattered. Shards of glass rained down, forcing Veidt to shield himself.
Kara snapped her fingers. The falling shards transformed midair into a cloud of butterflies, which fluttered away harmlessly.
Without even looking up, Kara muttered, "So, want me to help you get rid of your cheating girlfriend while we're at it?"
Dr. Manhattan didn't acknowledge the snark. Despite the collapse of the skylight, he hadn't directed his attack at Silk Spectre and the others. It seemed he wasn't truly interested in harming them. If he had wanted to kill his former lover, he wouldn't have needed such theatrics.
The massive form of Dr. Manhattan dissolved into shimmering particles and reformed beside Kara. She sighed and rubbed her temple. "For the love of... Could you at least wear something? Even I'm getting uncomfortable here."
Dr. Manhattan nodded slightly at Kara before turning his attention back to Veidt. Veidt had scrambled near a wall of TV monitors, clutching a remote tightly in his hand. Instead of fleeing, he remained seated, watching Dr. Manhattan approach with a peculiar calmness.
"Adrian, no matter how smart you believe yourself to be, it means nothing to me. Do you think this plan of yours will kill me? You must have forgotten—I was created by an accident that obliterated my physical form. Reconstructing myself was the first thing I learned."
Dr. Manhattan's tone was matter-of-fact, devoid of mockery.
"You cannot begin to comprehend the universe as I perceive it. You wouldn't even believe me if I told you I've walked on the surface of the sun," he continued.
"Nice place," Kara interjected with a smirk. "Though the core's a bit toastier."
Dr. Manhattan paused and turned slightly. "I haven't ventured to the core. Perhaps I'll go there next."
"Let me know. Sounds like fun," Kara replied casually, genuinely intrigued.
The room's tension shattered. Even Veidt didn't know how to respond. Who was this woman? How did she fit into all of this? And how could she interact with Dr. Manhattan so naturally?
But Veidt's thoughts were interrupted as Dr. Manhattan raised his hand and said, "Even the smartest human is an insect in my eyes. You, Adrian, are little more than a clever termite."
Veidt, unfazed, smiled and held up the remote he'd been gripping. His calm demeanor remained intact. "Termite or not, I've planned for this."
The monitors flickered to life, playing a globally broadcasted press conference. Various world leaders condemned Dr. Manhattan as a threat to humanity, branding him a mass murderer responsible for millions of deaths. Calls for unity echoed as countries urged each other to prepare for war against him.
Kara couldn't hold it in any longer. She burst out laughing, doubling over and clutching her stomach. "Oh, this is rich! Are they serious? They think they can fight him?" She waved a hand dismissively. "No, really, are they all brain-dead? Because if Jon were actually an enemy, they wouldn't even have time to hold a press conference before he wiped them off the map."
Her laughter echoed in the tense room.
Dr. Manhattan's expression remained stoic as he observed the scene unfold. He didn't need to defend himself. Reality itself was on his side.