Until now, Theodore Navaro held absolute leverage over the room. As the sole possessor of the Bael-countering technology, the only weapons proven capable of slowing, let alone defeating, the creatures, he had cornered every nation into reluctant compliance.
For months, world leaders had endured his terms, swallowed his condescension, and accepted an arrangement that stripped them of bargaining power. They cooperated not out of trust, but because they had no alternative. Survival left them no choice.
But the moment a second option emerged, however fragile or untested, the atmosphere shifted with remarkable speed. The leaders, long chafing under Theodore's dominance, seized upon the opportunity like men granted a sudden reprieve from execution.
A rustle swept through the chamber as attention swiveled toward Lucas. Hope, cautious, restrained, but unmistakably alive, it lit the eyes of presidents, chancellors, and prime ministers alike.
