But there was likely no one else on Earth who could match his current speed. If he ever used this power in the future, Omni-Man would figure it out eventually.
And if it was known that he'd visited the HQ, found his uncle dying, and just walked away? That would look very bad.
Boom!
"Go! Go! Go!"
A metal door was blown open by a precise explosive. A fully armed special ops team in stealth armor stormed in. Seeing all the dead heroes and one person still standing, they panicked and prepared to fire their EM net launcher.
To them, it looked like Russell had slaughtered the Guardians.
"Wait!" A voice shouted from the remote control room—Global Defense Agency Director Cecil Stedman had seen the footage. Recognizing Russell, he grabbed the mic and gave the urgent command.
"Don't shoot! Wait for me to get there."
Cecil had met Russell before during visits to Omni-Man's house. He was just a regular 18-year-old high school student—not someone who could've killed the Global Guardians.
When Cecil arrived, his face looked like thunder.
"Wait—I know you. You used to be at my aunt's house a lot. You'd come looking for my uncle." Russell saw the man in a suit with a burn-scarred face and urgently gestured to him. "My uncle's hurt—he needs help!"
"Russell Hansen. How are you here? Did Omni-Man bring you to visit? What happened?"
He waved off his men's weapons. Looking at this bewildered teen standing at a massacre site, Cecil rubbed his temples and sighed.
The special ops team confirmed there were no threats. Medical personnel rushed in, checking for signs of life and recovering bodies.
Everyone was stunned.
The strongest superhero team on Earth, now lying in pools of blood—their corpses brutalized beyond recognition.
"Who did this?"
"Omni-Man's still breathing—get over here!"
"Immortal's dead."
"War Woman's vitals gone."
Russell repeated his lie, the same one he'd told Omni-Man.
"I just got here. Everyone was already dead, and Uncle was lying on the floor, seriously injured. I don't know what happened."
"Awakened speed powers, huh? Alright, you should go get some rest. I'll have someone give you psychological counseling. This must've traumatized you."
Cecil patted his shoulder gently and told his men to take Russell away. Once he was gone, the director couldn't hold back anymore—he kicked over a medical trolley.
"Goddammit!"
As two medics escorted him out, Russell took one last glance behind.
Cecil had every right to be furious. As the head of the Global Defense Agency, he was responsible for Earth's safety. And now, in the span of one quiet morning, the planet's most powerful defenders had been wiped out.
Without the Global Guardians, how could they maintain global stability?
Omni-Man was critically injured. His family was notified immediately.
His wife Debbie and son Mark rushed to the special medical ward. Seeing the towering, mighty man now surrounded by life-support equipment left them in disbelief.
"What happened to Dad?"
"Oh my God, Nolan…"
They stared at the bedridden figure in shock. Omni-Man and hospital beds were supposed to be mutually exclusive concepts.
Debbie collapsed beside him, gently running her fingers through his hair, barely holding back tears.
Russell embraced her, gently patting her back to comfort her.
Regardless of Omni-Man's cold exterior, Debbie had always treated Russell like her own son. She cared for him, shared everything equally with both boys, and always favored Mark slightly when sacrifices were needed.
When Omni-Man's true identity is eventually exposed, it will be Debbie who suffers the most—caught between her love for family and the betrayal that shattered their world.
"Russell, how's your fever? Are you feeling better?" she asked, wiping away tears…
"I'm fine now, Aunt."
Aunt Debbie simply assumed that Russell had been brought here from home earlier than the rest.
"My dad… he's not in any real danger, right?" Mark's eyes scanned the steady readings on the medical monitors one by one, then he turned anxiously, seeking confirmation.
"By Earth standards, that seems to be the case. But we lack sufficient medical experience with Viltrumites," said Donald, the Director's assistant. He looked like an ordinary office clerk—chubby, gentle-faced—and didn't give a definitive answer.
"Who did this?" Knowing that Viltrumites were far more resilient than Earthlings, Mark was certain his father's life wasn't in danger. Clenching his fists in anger, he immediately followed up with the question.
"We don't know yet. The investigation is still ongoing.
When we arrived, the only person still conscious at the scene was your cousin Russell—but he didn't see anything either," said Director Cecil, leaning against the wall with arms crossed, his expression grim.
"You were there, Russell?" Mark turned back, stunned at the revelation.
"Russell?" Aunt Debbie looked at him, equally confused.
Her nephew had called in sick with a low fever—how could he have ended up at the Global Guardians' headquarters, thousands of miles away?
"Yes. But I truly didn't see who attacked Uncle." With the attention now on him, Russell calmly repeated the same explanation he had given before about why he was there.
"You've awakened powers too, Russell?" Grabbing Russell's shoulder, Mark was surprised—and a little relieved, even happy. It was like a childhood friend finally getting the same cool toy. They'd have more to share now and wouldn't drift apart.
"It happened not long after the fever."
Once Cecil looked away from him, Russell subtly glanced at the man, then continued chatting with his aunt and cousin.
As expected from the ever-suspicious Director of the Global Defense Agency.
That earlier question—so pointedly directed at him—was clearly a test, meant to observe whether Russell would show any signs of guilt or inconsistency while speaking in front of his family. A tactic to gauge the truth.
But Russell had already prepared for that. Besides, his story was meant to protect his aunt and cousin, so he could tell it with a clear conscience.
"We still don't know why Omni-Man was at the Guardians' headquarters last night, but we suspect the killer lured him there, intending to eliminate him too," Cecil said after a moment of thought. He stepped forward and extended his hand toward Russell and Mark, his tone solemn.
"Regardless of who that terrifying mastermind is, one thing is certain: all the supervillains around the globe have long wished for the Guardians and Omni-Man to disappear. Now, some of them are gone forever, and the others can't show themselves for a while.
The world's supervillains are probably celebrating already."
"We've met many times before, but let me formally introduce myself this time. I'm Cecil Stedman, Director of the Global Defense Agency."
Russell instantly recognized the cunning old fox's intent.
Mark didn't quite understand why Cecil was suddenly saying so much, but he appreciated the respectful tone—like being treated as an adult—and reached out politely to shake his hand.
"Cecil, how dare you…" At that moment, Debbie, who had been focused entirely on her husband's condition, stood up. Like a mother hen seeing a wolf approach her chicks, she stepped between the two boys and Cecil, glaring at him.
Having dealt with Cecil for many years, Debbie knew full well that he was someone who could be utterly ruthless and unscrupulous if it meant protecting Earth.
The moment he made a move, she wanted to know exactly what kind of game he was playing.
"Debbie, I'm sorry…" Cecil softened his expression, trying to sound apologetic as he attempted to persuade her. "But—"
"Sir, there's been a very unusual attack in the city center," Donald interrupted suddenly, having received a report through his earpiece. He stepped forward and whispered the news.
"What? That fast?" Cecil frowned.
.....
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