Chapter 327: The Gauntlet
The wall of sound hit me like a physical force as we stepped away from the plane. What had seemed manageable from the aircraft steps became overwhelming as we moved into the crowd. The security barriers created a narrow corridor toward the waiting vehicles, but the press of bodies on either side made it feel like walking through a canyon of voices and flashing lights.
"Mr. Reynard!" A reporter thrust a microphone toward me, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Sarah Martinez, BBC News. What’s your response to President Valeska’s statement that you pose an existential threat to democratic governance?"
I paused, caught off guard. Valeska had made public statements about me? "I... I wasn’t aware of any specific statements," I said, immediately regretting the admission of ignorance.
"Mr. Reynard!" Another voice, this one with a German accent. "Klaus Weber, Deutsche Welle. Chancellor Volkov has suggested that unregulated individuals represent a form of economic terrorism. Do you agree with that assessment?"
Economic terrorism? The question seemed to come from nowhere, and I felt my mind racing to formulate a response that wouldn’t sound either defensive or aggressive. "I think that’s a significant oversimplification of—"
"Are you planning to establish a global registry for people such as yourself?" interrupted a third reporter, this one holding a tablet that was clearly recording video.
"A registry?" The question struck me as deeply troubling, but I couldn’t tell if it was a genuine policy proposal or a hypothetical. "I don’t think—"
"Mr. Reynard, Maria Santos of Folha de S.Paulo. President Santos has expressed concerns about the environmental impact of enhanced abilities. Can you comment on the carbon footprint of your recent activities?"
Carbon footprint? I stared at the reporter, genuinely confused. "I’m sorry, I don’t understand the connection—"
"What about your involvement as the Masked Syndicate?" came another voice. "Don’t certain individuals deserve compensation for the trauma your activities have caused?"
The questions were coming faster now, overlapping and building on each other in ways that made it impossible to address any single one adequately. This was like drowning in an ocean of expectations and accusations I hadn’t even known existed.