Gulp.
President Matthew Ellis swallowed hard.
Galactic… President?
The promise Antony had just painted was enormous—so enormous it almost suffocated him.
And yet…
It was too tempting to refuse.
Because of his blind trust in Homelander's past achievements, and because of that burning political ambition inside him, the fear in Ellis's heart quickly vanished.
In its place rose a blazing fanaticism.
He shot to his feet and grabbed Antony's hand tightly.
"Let's do it!"
"Just tell me what you need, Antony. I'll handle Congress. If the budget isn't enough, I'll print more money!"
"We'll show those alien bastards that humans aren't helpless lambs waiting to be slaughtered!"
"We're hunters… and we're armed."
"Those things can wait," Antony said calmly. "Right now, we deal with the immediate problem."
He glanced at the clock on the wall.
"Tomorrow morning, you'll hold a White House press conference."
"You'll inform the world about this alien invasion threat. And issue an evacuation order for every resident around St. Charles, Missouri."
"So soon?" Ellis hesitated. "That could cause panic. Social order might collapse…"
"Panic comes from ignorance and helplessness," Antony said with a confident smile.
"But this time is different."
"I'll be there."
"As long as I'm standing on that stage, the public won't see panic."
"They'll see hope."
"They know Homelander will handle everything."
"And there are two new policies I want you to announce as well."
Antony leaned close and whispered a few sentences into the President's ear.
Ellis's eyes widened instantly.
He was a Republican.
Behind him stood countless powerful corporations and financial elites.
The policies Antony proposed practically overturned the very rules those people lived by.
"This… Antony, this will offend a lot of people," Ellis said nervously.
"Wall Street will lose their minds. My phone will explode…"
"Wall Street?"
Antony slowly turned his head.
A faint red glow flickered through his eyes as a mocking smile appeared on his lips.
"Matthew… at a moment like this…"
"Do you really think those Wall Street vampires matter?"
Ellis shuddered.
Suddenly, clarity struck him like lightning.
Wall Street?
To hell with Wall Street.
Could those capitalists stop heat vision?
Could they make him Galactic President?
No.
But the man standing in front of him could.
Ellis straightened his back, putting on an expression of righteous determination.
"For the sake of the people, offending a few capitalists means nothing."
He stood and buttoned his suit jacket, his expression solemn.
"Tomorrow morning."
"9 AM."
"Rose Garden."
…
After leaving the White House, Antony made a routine patrol around his territory before returning to Vought Tower.
He pushed open the office door and let out a quiet breath.
Pouring himself a glass of milk, he said casually:
"Skynet, dim the lights and switch to the nurse outfit… actually, forget that—switch to the tight leather one. The Catwoman version."
But the response he got wasn't Skynet's gentle voice.
Instead—
SMASH!
A bottle shattered against the wall.
Antony looked up.
Jessica Jones was sitting on his desk.
Skynet was nowhere to be seen—clearly smart enough to remove itself from the situation.
"Sorry," Jessica said, her voice slightly slurred.
"I didn't bring a nurse outfit. But I did wear leather."
"Jessica?"
Antony blinked in surprise, then smiled.
"What's this? Couldn't sleep, so you came here to steal my liquor?"
"Cut the crap."
Jessica jumped down from the desk and staggered toward him.
"You're going to space?" she asked.
"Yes."
"I heard it's dangerous."
"Eh. Maybe a little more dangerous than fighting housewives for discounted eggs at the supermarket."
"Can you be serious for once?!"
Jessica suddenly exploded in anger.
She shoved Antony hard.
He obligingly stepped back half a step.
"That thing is a planet! Some goddamn Celestial!"
Her eyes were slightly red.
"Who do you think you are? Superman? Okay, fine—you look like Superman."
"But what if you die out there?!"
"You expect me to collect your corpse?"
"From hundreds of light-years away in space?!"
"I won't die, Jessica."
Antony reached out to touch her face.
But she grabbed his collar first and yanked him close.
"You know something?"
"You're an asshole, Starr."
"Jessica, you've had too much to drink…"
"I'm not drunk!"
Their faces were inches apart.
Their breaths intertwined.
"If you're going to march off to your death…"
"Then there are some things I'm not holding back anymore."
And before Antony could respond—
She kissed him.
For a moment, Antony froze.
Then amusement spread across his eyes.
"Well… you asked for it, Miss Bad Temper."
He wrapped an arm around her waist and turned the tables instantly.
The sound of a leather zipper breaking echoed through the room.
Files, pen holders, and a laptop crashed onto the floor.
"Easy… you jerk…"
"Weren't you the one who started it?"
"Shut up… and kiss me…"
Outside the window, the city lights glittered.
Inside the office, a storm of passion erupted.
Notification! Special Popularity Value +50,000!
(From Jessica Jones)
-----
The Next Morning
Sunlight poured into the messy office.
Jessica lay sprawled in Antony's arms, sleeping like a rock.
Antony opened his eyes, refreshed and energized.
As expected…
A little exercise was excellent for relieving stress.
He carefully pulled his arm free and put on his uniform.
Glancing at Jessica—still fast asleep—he chuckled softly before leaving the room.
"Good morning, sir," Skynet's voice greeted him. "The President's press conference will begin in thirty minutes."
"Got it."
"Make sure the promotional campaign is ready afterward."
After adjusting his cape, Antony strode toward the launch platform.
-----
Later That Morning
Washington D.C. – White House Rose Garden
Even though the announcement had been sudden, every major news outlet had arrived.
Cameras filled the lawn.
Helicopters circled overhead.
At exactly 9:00 AM, President Ellis and Homelander walked onto the stage side by side.
No pleasantries.
No delays.
"My fellow Americans… citizens of Earth."
Ellis's voice echoed across the world through the microphones.
"I regret to inform you that we once again face a serious threat."
"According to monitoring by Vought's V.G.D. division, an extremely dangerous alien biological weapon is awakening beneath the soil of Missouri…"
As the President spoke, portions of the truth about the Celestial Seed were revealed.
The information had been softened slightly.
But the destructive implications still left viewers across the globe breathless.
"For safety reasons, I have signed an executive order mandating the evacuation of St. Charles and surrounding areas."
The crowd began to stir.
Reporters shouted questions all at once.
Panic was about to reach its breaking point—
When Antony stepped forward.
He took the microphone.
He simply stood there.
That tall, unwavering figure.
That star-spangled suit.
Like a pillar holding up the heavens, his presence alone suppressed the rising fear.
"I know you're afraid."
Antony's voice was calm and powerful.
"And I know what you're really afraid of."
"I've seen the comments."
"Some people say they're more afraid of going bankrupt and homeless than being killed by aliens."
"That… breaks my heart."
He paused.
His gaze locked onto the cameras—as if looking directly into the eyes of every ordinary person watching.
"Today…"
"I'm standing here…"
"Just to tell you all one thing—!"
--------------
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