Yet while netizens around the world felt thrilled and vindicated, the atmosphere in several rooms where top-level decisions were made was as heavy as the air before a storm.
In the Pentagon's operations command room, General Lane's brow was furrowed twice as deeply as usual. The large screen before him was frozen on Yongye flashing a victory sign.
He sighed and turned toward President O Niu, seated at the far end of the long table.
"Supreme Leader, we miscalculated. The kid's capable, all right, but he didn't go there to negotiate. He went to provoke them!"
"General Zod will never accept all his demands."
"And Superman isn't his personal property!"
"There's no need to demand compensation, either. It'll only complicate things!"
The atmosphere in the Pentagon's operations command room was oppressive.
President O Niu rested his interlaced fingers beneath his chin. His face, so often praised by the media as "calm and commanding," now wore a look that said, I fucking knew this would happen.
The room was full of advisers, aides, generals, and intelligence chiefs, all waiting for the Supreme Leader to make the call.
President O Niu spoke slowly. "The important thing is... how has Superman reacted?"
General Lane glanced at Fury.
Fury had been allowed into the meeting as an exception because he had recommended Yongye. Standing in a shadowed corner, he narrowed his one eye and answered, enunciating every word:
"Clark Kent didn't go to work today. The Daily Planet says he called in sick, but he actually went home to Kansas."
"According to our monitoring, his emotions are running high. He may... not agree to be handed over."
"But I'm one hundred percent confident I can persuade him!"
The room fell silent for several seconds.
President O Niu drew a deep breath, as though making