This story is reaching its hardest stage. I've yet to flesh out the actual conflict between Maarlynd and Ace, though I know what direction it will take. Please forgive me if this chapter is poor quality; send me some constructive criticism and I'll use it to help me write.

DISCLAIMER: Paragon City is owned by Cryptic Studios. Paragon City is owned by NCSoft. Bestiality is a sin. I'm not sure how that came up, but... yeah, disclaimer is still in effect.

Chapter 7: Beginning of the End

"Ridiculous!" the mayor of Paragon City shouted at the top of his lungs. "There is no way I will stand for this! No way will the American government stand for it! This is an attack on the United States of America, do you realize that?"

Tom Maarlynd calmly sipped his tea on the other end of the video feed, letting the tirade wash over him. At this question, he looked up. "I understand quite well what I'm doing, Mr. Mayor," he said. "The one who doesn't understand is you. This is not an attack on the United States. This is a proposition, which may lead to combat if you make the wrong choice, and I'm not limiting it to America. Rest assured I will take command of the entire world by the end of this campaign, by force only if necessary."

"I will not stand for it! The Heroes of Paragon, the PPD, the National Guard... Everyone will stand against you! I'm ordering your arrest, Mister Maarlynd!"

"I was afraid our meeting would go like this, Mr. Mayor. I suppose I will next see you when our battle is won..." With these parting words, Maarlynd cut the video feed.

The Mayor sat in shock for a moment, and then picked up his phone for his secretary.

"Miss Kathleen? Yes? Send out an immediate call for all Heroes to gather in Atlas Park, and send the Statesman to me. Yes, I said ALL OF THEM!"

Corrigan forged his way through the crowd to Ace's side. "So," he said, with his usual smile—the one that could make even a robot nervous—"How'd your evening with Sophie go?"

"Oddly," Ace replied. "I still do not understand why she would invite a robot out to dinner with her. It seems contrary to logic. However, she seemed pleased with how it went, up until the call to organize came through."

Corrigan could hardly contain his laughter. "Man, you may be a badass when it comes to busting crime, but everywhere else you're about clueless!"

Unable to find a suitable reply, Ace simply stayed quiet.

Then the Statesman himself took the podium, the Mayor by his side. He looked out over the crowd, and his gaze seemed to take in every one of them equally.

"Heroes of Paragon," he said into the silence that had descended, "You risk yourselves every day to defend our great city from small evils. Each of you is mighty, each wholly dedicated to justice. Each of you has sacrificed many things—your safety, personal life, and privacy—in the pursuit of righteousness. For that, you are to be commended."

He quelled a short but spirited cheer, and then went on. "Since the Rikti Invasion, our city has been plagued by crimes; kidnapping, murder, arson, crimes many and varied, and in each situation a Hero has come to the rescue. And I don't just mean us registered Superheroes—the Paragon Police Department and Paragon division of the Nation Guard are here, too, and for good reason. They are as much heroes as we are!"

Another short cheer, mostly from the area where the PPD stood, and then Statesman continued. "Few situations have gotten out of hand to the point where great groups of heroes have been called in. These crimes were isolated, part of a larger story but still small enough to be contained and eliminated."

The crowd descended into a foreboding silence, awaiting his next words with dread anticipation.

"Heroes of Paragon, a situation has arisen here in our fair city. It goes beyond us, as Paragon City; beyond us as Americans; to affect us as people of the planet Earth. It is a situation that will require all our courage, our might and our resolve. A force has arisen that threatens to take control of the entire planet, starting here, at Paragon. A military mastermind by the name of Thomas Maarlynd has brought together an elite army, calling themselves the GAC."

At this, Corrigan gave a start. He had been listening attentively, but now his mind, as well as Ace's mind, drifted back to a warehouse they had visited not long ago...

"They have issued an ultimatum, calling for complete and uncondition surrender. We will of course stand against them. They have extended their ultimatum to include the entirety of human civilization; Maarlynd specifically stated that he intended to control the entire world. This must not happen!"

"This, Heroes, is why we have come together today, as the mighty heroes of yesterday came together to repel the Rikti, as heroes of ages past came together to repel the greatest of threats. We must stop the GAC, for if they have their way, the world will be held in an iron grip by their tyrannical dictator! He fights for power and greed, but we fight for the noble cause of freedom, and we shall triumph as we have always done before! Come together now, you the most courageous of people, and let us drive this enemy away and eliminate the madman that threatens us all!"

A cheer had been building all this time, and now it let out in full, with Superheroes, policemen, infantry and even bystanders erupting into confident calls of readiness and patriotism. Corrigan turned to Ace, and the smile was more twisted than ever; twisted by tension, by fear, but most of all, by eagerness.

"This is it," he said. "Ace... this is what we'll be remembered for."

And so, the war began... and all hell broke loose on Paragon City once more.