Just as Director Hansen's words trailed off, the television broadcast flickered to new footage.
The screen showed several soldiers engaged in physical drills when a neatly dressed female reporter approached them.
"Hello," she greeted with a warm smile. "I'm Flower Memi, reporting live."
She got right to the point. "Have you heard about the charges the Department of Homeland Security has filed against Homelander?"
The soldiers exchanged brief glances and nodded in acknowledgment.
Flower Memi leaned closer, holding her microphone toward one of the soldiers. "Were you part of the operation in Silver Tree Town? Can you tell us what really happened?"
The soldier hesitated, then shook his head firmly. "No comment."
The reporter feigned surprise. "No comment? Why not? Were you ordered to stay silent?"
She pressed on, frustration creeping into her voice. "Don't they realize that the public has the right to know the truth?"
Memi attempted to interview more soldiers, but none were willing to disclose any information.
Watching from his office, Hansen finally let out a breath of relief and shared a knowing grin with Senator Hope.
The broadcast switched back to the newsroom, where the anchor looked visibly upset.
"It's a shame," the anchor sighed dramatically. "It seems some officials in our country still don't believe in the public's right to know the truth."
"I'm not blaming the soldiers—they have orders to follow. But I want to remind them: Beyond being soldiers, you are also citizens. Some of you are husbands, fathers.
"And sometimes, you must speak out for justice, no matter the cost."
Just then, the newsroom's phone rang.
The anchor answered, "Hello, this is CAD Broadcasting."
A man's voice came through the line. "Hey, this is Dave—uh, just a farmer."
The anchor perked up. "Good to have you, Dave. Is there something you'd like to share with us and our viewers?"
"Yes, sir," Dave replied. "My family's been farming out here for generations. We grow the finest corn around."
There was a pause. "Oops, sorry, I got carried away."
"The real reason I'm calling is that I recorded something... Something about Homelander. I've already sent the footage to your station's email. I think you'll find it interesting."
The anchor sprang from his seat. "Footage? What kind of footage?"
"Let's pull it up!"
Moments later, the screen showed video footage shot from a phone. Though the quality was a bit rough, it clearly depicted soldiers setting up a checkpoint on the interstate highway.
Voices in the background wondered aloud what the military was doing. Then, gasps filled the air as the camera swiveled to capture what was happening.
From a distance, shadowy figures—humanoid, pitch-black, and with glowing red eyes—charged toward the roadblock like wild beasts.
In his office, Hansen's jaw tightened. His facial muscles twitched.
The creatures were vast in number, and it was clear that the military's barricade would not hold. Just as the swarm was about to overwhelm the soldiers—
A blue figure descended from the sky like a divine savior.
Homelander.
Hovering midair, his golden eyes blazed, unleashing twin beams of light that streaked across the highway like a searing lance.
The beams carved a path straight through the monstrous horde, leaving only fire and ashes in their wake. The black creatures, now engulfed in flames, tumbled one after another like kindling.
Though the camera's vantage point was far from the road, the sound of cheering soldiers carried through clearly. Homelander gave the soldiers a crisp salute before ascending into the sky, disappearing as swiftly as he had come.
The footage ended there.
"See that?" the anchor exclaimed, his voice triumphant. "This is undeniable proof of Homelander's heroism!"
"That was the interstate to New York! If Homelander hadn't intervened, those creatures would have breached the barricade and stormed into our city—right into our homes!"
"And look at that—Homelander saluted the soldiers. If that doesn't show respect for our military, I don't know what does."
"So what does Homeland Security do in response?"
"They drag a hero through the mud and haul him into court!"
"They've silenced the soldiers, trying to suppress the truth and twist the narrative!"
The broadcast cut to footage of the Supreme Court's courtyard.
Crowds surged toward the entrance, only to be held back by a line of police officers. Anger boiled over as people hurled objects at the building and raised their middle fingers in defiance.
The mob's chants grew louder and more synchronized.
"Apologize! Apologize!"
"Apologize to Homelander!"
Inside Hansen's office, both he and Senator Hope slumped into the sofa, stunned.
Neither had anticipated things spiraling so wildly out of control.
A secretary entered, phone in hand. She whispered something to Hansen, and his face soured further.
"The court wants to drop the charges," the secretary reported.
"They're asking you to make a public statement clarifying the situation and addressing the videos."
"The President's office has also called. They want this situation handled immediately. They don't want public sentiment to escalate any further."
Hansen leaned back into the sofa, rubbing his temples as if the weight of the world rested upon them.
---
Across the Ocean...
While New York City roiled with outrage, Homelander was far removed from the chaos.
Deep within the heart of the pyramid, he stepped through the grand stone gate into a vast hall.
Golden light radiated from his eyes, illuminating every corner of the ancient chamber.
The first thing that caught his attention were seven stone platforms arranged in a circle. Each platform bore an inscription in ancient Egyptian script and held a desiccated corpse, long since reduced to bone and dust. The bodies lay draped in cobwebs, untouched by time.
In every corner of the chamber stood statues of Anubis—jackal-headed guardians, watching silently over the dead.
The entire hall was steeped in eerie silence, as if time itself had forgotten to flow here.
Hovering above the platforms, Homelander noticed something peculiar: At the center of the circle was a narrow ventilation shaft covered by a metal grate. From behind the grate, a faint breeze whispered upward.
Scanning the structure, he found that the shaft extended deep into the pyramid, all the way to the mysterious chamber that had eluded his vision—the blind spot he had detected earlier.
Without hesitation, Homelander's eyes glowed, and thin beams of heat vision sliced through the metal grate like butter.
He slipped through the opening and descended swiftly.
Suddenly, he halted mid-flight.
His senses tingled—something was stirring below.
The strange, heat-emitting beings he had detected earlier were now moving through the tunnels. One of them was headed toward him.
Narrowing his eyes, Homelander fired twin beams of searing light straight down the passage.
BOOM!
The golden beams pierced the darkness, illuminating the ancient corridor like the midday sun.
And there, hidden within the shadows, a pale face emerged. It was eerily beautiful, yet lifeless—an unsettling blend of elegance and death.
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