United Nation Building, Geneva, Switzerland
In one large office a man stand by a rather tall window overlooking the Lemano. His eyes wanders over the flocks of waterfowl resting over the frozen waters at the lakeside. He looks at his wristwatch, cough, and then turns, to face another man sitting near his desk.
"Sirs, it's time" he says, and then take a remote and set on the plasma TV monitor on the opposite wall.
A pleasant newswoman on CNN is talking. Behind her, a picture with the face of Jack Merlin takes all the screen space. "..., General Secretary of the United Nations, has today announced the death of General Jack Merlin of Strikeforce fame, killed a few days ago by a metahuman killer, whose identity has not been revealed, but that it is claimed to have been stopped by the like of Strikeforce 4 members together with the infamous Vanguard organisation. Following the announcement, a shocking revelation has been released by UN press office, claiming that Jack Merlin was discovered to have secret plans for world domination, involving a secret army of metahumans being trained in a secret base in the Sahara desert, that has been disabled and brought to justice. Moreover, all the charges issued toward Vanguard International, concerning the role in the war with Mandelovia and the seize of Manhattan has been revealed false, and the ban over the organisation has been suddenly removed. Proofs of the actual, fundamental role of Vanguard in the defeat of the demon Naecken has been released to the press..."
The man press a button over the remote, and the TV screen turn blank. He revolves over his chair, to face the other man.
"Happy, sir? Is it what you asked me for, right?" hisses the man.
"Yes, Mr. General Secretary. I think our agreement is fulfilled. Vanguard is cleared to the face of the world, and that is what we asked. These..." says the man known as Graviton, handling a closed envelope to the UN leader "... is the evidences of your involvement in Merlin's plan. I assure you we have no copies, but you have just to accept my word for that."
The UN leader takers hastily the envelope from the superhero, and put it in a drawer of the desk.
Then his expression soften a little. "Are there any chance you would reconsider your decision? The world still need a Strikeforce..."
"No, sir. The Strikeforce was just the toy of one of the most dangerous person the world has ever seen. And of people who trade with him. There is no pride in being part of that team. Let it die along with his creator.
If you need people to save the world, I suggest you to look over the yellow pages of la Perdita".
With that, August Von Braun, or Graviton, as it is best known, leaves the office, going straight for the exit of the building. There is a young woman, not tall, but very beautiful, waiting for him.
"How was the reaction?" Asks Graviton to his assistant, the ex-Strikeforcer known as Ladybug.
"The people in the bar didn't even noticed. I had to fight with the barkeeper to let me put the TV over the CNN, but then no one even said a world about it. They kept talking about the Six Nation Competition" explains the woman.
Graviton shrugs. "If people thinks rugby is more important that their lives..."
Ladybug looks at her watch. "It's time, August."
"Ah, right, I nearly forget it, Ursula".
Keeping an eye over the watches, they stroll toward the lakeside, fighting the arctic cold brought by the Siberian winds,
"Now".
They raise at unison their heads, to a precise point of the sky. In the darkening blue, they saw a bright star shining for a moment, and disappearing.
"In Merlin's plan, there should have been all of us up there, now, Ursula. Blowing up with the satellite."
"I know. It's like we should thanks that clone for being alive, Auguste."
"I don't like your sense of humour, Ursula. I don't like it at all. Let's go, the train for Berlin should be arriving."
Jack Merlin and the Strikeforce: the end.
