Earlier, there had been a safe window between the Spatial Rift being moved above New York and the insects emerging from it.
It was hard to say whether Tony's "Rift Closure Method" would work, because when Vision carried the equipment to Mars for installation, the spatial breach suddenly seemed to sense danger like an animal. It came alive and automatically began flying toward Earth, impossible to catch no matter how they pursued it.
Once the Spatial Rift reached the skies above New York, the method that could originally be used in outer space might no longer work within Earth's gravity well.
With the atmosphere and a whole series of related variables involved, Tony needed a long time to recalculate everything. All he could do was immediately notify S.H.I.E.L.D. of the development.
The news passed through the major departments until, at last, the city government issued a notice, requesting that schools, businesses, and factories take a day off and that residents remain at home.
Yes, they had no way to order anyone around. They could only request it, because they had to respect "freedom." Keeping people from going outside meant taking away their freedom. So they could not say it outright or force anyone; they could only "request" and "hope."
Naturally, not many people followed the guidance. American politicians knew perfectly well what their citizens were like. As long as they showed the right attitude, what did they care whether anyone listened or how many people died?
The political credit was secured. Once the disaster passed, they could come back out and show their faces again. Lovely.
Officials who knew what was going on had all gone into hiding, whether in underground shelters or secret bases. Those with connections to the military or S.H.I.E.L.D. used them; those without such connections went