LXIX
The Eulogy
"Welcome back to Point vs. Point… I'm at a loss for words…this is truly unbelievable… in the grip of martial law declared by a fascist president that Bruce Wayne has just accused of treason… surrounded by an entire platoon of army infantry. In the middle of all that, Bruce Wayne has just accused Lex Luthor of providing the nuclear weapon to Kahndaq... And he hasn't left the stage, he's just standing there, staring at that black car…"
"I think that's a dead man walking right there, Lana. We're about to see a live assassination…Did he say the president was going to speak?"
"I believe he said the president had requested to speak... That limousine surrounded by security, you don't suppose?!... Summer, can you get over there?!"
With Bruce Wayne's last words still hanging in the silent air, the atmosphere became even heavier with tense anticipation.
For a while, the crowd stared in disbelief, questioning if this was really happening. They waited for the army to rush to the podium and drag Wayne off to some prison deep in the bowels of the earth.
They waited for a sniper's round to be the final answer to his questions.
And then… all eyes moved from Wayne to the long, black limousine parked behind them, the one where Bruce Wayne had fixed his steely gaze. Members of the press were advancing towards the lone car in a sea of security. And then they waited for something to happen.
A moment later, the limo's door was opened.
Their commander-in-chief emerged from the vehicle with a woman, dressed in black flowing robes and a niqab which revealed only her eyes. As if a switch were flicked, the press surrounding the limo went insane, hurling questions at the president while being repelled by secret service. Men in black suits cleared a path for the solemn pair who slowly made their way to Wayne, who glared at Luthor for every step he took.
There was absolute silence in Gotham as the two men locked stares.
The far-off bells of the Gotham Cathedral broke the silence as Luthor stood before Wayne, looking up at him upon he stage.
"If you're finished, Mr. Wayne…" There was no emotion in Luthor.
Wayne moved to the steps, eyes still focused on Luthor, slowly returning to his seat, brushing past the men in black. He watched Luthor – with his sultry lady by his side – slowly ascend to the podium, remove a written speech from his coat pocket, and finally address the crowd.
"I would like to thank Mr. Wayne for allowing me the opportunity to address all of you today. I felt it necessary to express my profound condolences to his family and all those who were close to Captain Richard Grayson in their time of grief. I have promised Mr. Wayne that I would set the record straight.
To begin, I did indeed provide the nuclear weapon to Kahndaq. It was however, never my intention to take the lives of any American soldiers, including Captain Grayson… that was an unfortunate accident, brought about by my predecessor in her attempts to save her lover, its true target.
This was a weapon designed specifically to end the life of the alien Big Blue, an agent of the American government. I will not trust the future of this country to an alien, even if he was sleeping with the late president Lane.
However, it is obvious that my zealous oversights in this matter not only cost the life of one of the Air Force's finest officers… but also provoked the terrorist response from Kahndaq upon our government, an attack we all witnessed yesterday morning. An attack which resulted in the loss of many lives, the greatest of our elected officials, crippling our democratic process and necessitating drastic action.
Further investigations have revealed that there is no nefarious League of Assassins… This was simply a ploy used by the Kahndaqi government to shift the focus of our investigations into terrorism. Simply, this was a mercenary attack upon our sovereign soil funded and planned by another nation. By this act alone, Kahndaq has declared war.
And since yesterday, I have been barraged by questions concerning Kahndaq... Are we going to war? Will the U.S. insist on sanctions? Should we retaliate? Should we negotiate? My answer is this…
There is no Kahndaq.
At this moment, eleven million men, women and children now lie dead within the borders of Kahndaq. In moments, worldwide news agencies will begin to show countless bodies littering the streets and countryside of Kahndaq… No one was spared.
Today we begin a new era. On this day, as of this moment, all wars end. This is the end of war, of international conflict. This I dedicate to the legacy of Captain Richard Grayson.
The last weapon, the ultimate weapon, the engine of destruction, has been invented by America. For that alone, I give thanks to Bruce Wayne. There is no defense. There is no retribution. There is only America and those who serve America. Embrace the beginning of this new era, the era of world peace governed by a righteous hand, our hand.
Those who do not bow to America will perish. Their nation will die. Any attacks upon America will be met with the utter and final destruction of that country. Let Kahndaq be the shining example to aid other nations in their time of decision. Reflect well upon the lesson.
There will be no treaties. There will be no negotiations. There will be only terms of surrender. Nations of the world must sign and abide by these terms… or they will die by our weapon.
Governments of the world will be presented with their documents of surrender by day's end. This will become their new charter in our new world. I will expect an answer within 24 hours from that time.
Stand tall America.
We have won."