Spaceship Nibiru, orbital headquarter of Strikeforce 1
Jack Merlin's eyes are glued to a monitor screen. On it, the image of the death of Hero at the hand of a skull faced man, one of the Vanguardians, runs incessantly. The image is not clear, being filmed trough a night visor, from a distance, yet it leaves no doubts. The mouth of the Strikeforce secret leader is distorted in a grimace, his temples pulsating.
"June, send the footage to the public relations office. I want a press release as soon as possible: "Strikeforce 1 Hero died valiantly to save the world at the hand of renegade metahumans" hisses Merlin. Then he sighs heavily, and then stands up from the armchair.
"How's the count?"
"Hero, Digigirl, Bat, Spider, Darkstar, Eden dead for certain. Rose, Morphina, Fangs, ACK, O'ken, Shadow, Fire and Shock probably captured and held in Mandelovia, while Amock tracker signaled all the way to La Perdita" says a soldier sitting in front of a complex apparatus of monitors.
"La Perdita... where the Vanguard ship has returned...." Merlin looks pensive.
Ekorre walks in. "We are going with the reserve plan? The bombing of the continent?"
Merlin raises his head. "No, not yet. I am sure they will find Naecken..."
"How can be so sure, Merlin?"
"I am not. But this is my planet... I must hope."
