The room was so quiet, the only sound that could be heard, even in the far corners at the back of the auditorium, was the beating of one man’s heart. A vast hall seating sixty-thousand souls, and the only sound...was the rhythm of the man on the stage. No microphone was needed; the tall black walls made sure that the sound of a pin drop was clearly carried, to the note. And he had their attention. Their respect. Their expectation. Held out so brazenly, worn with such raw candor, it was as delicate as blown glass in the moment. Whatever he said now, would either secure his position, or dismantle it to the point of criminalization.
He was a powerful man. The word was almost tailored for him. Tall, at least six foot three, maybe bigger, and built. Not in the burly, heap of meat sense that modern bodybuilders enjoy, but like an astute hero from some legend. He was Perseus upon the stage. Superman. King Arthur. Why, his eyes shone like the very blade of Excalibur if you were looking at him right. Him in a navy blue pinstripe, sporting a fine red tie, was like watching American patriotism come to life before your very eyes. His blond hair must have been unruly in the morning; it was too thick and wavy to be believed otherwise, but whoever combed the lion’s mane made it out in a way that struck one like molten gold. His teeth were so white and straight, his smile flashed in your peripheries. No man in the room could decide whether they wanted to be him, be his father, or shoot him for stealing the heart of his wife. And his heart beat so strong, it was heard, and felt, throughout the amphitheater.
But upon this moment and his lips they teetered, waiting for him to say something; to say anything. His eyes swept the crowd almost as slowly as his head, piercing through the dark like winter wind following the northern lights. His tongue was either silver or lead, but either way his words would be heavy. He grinned. He couldn’t help himself. These sorts of things were always funny to him, or, at least, mildly amusing. But this one was special to him. He had waited a good while for all of this to come together. He knew exactly what he was doing; he just wanted to savor it for a few beats of silence.
“You all know, that today...is a day of singularity.” He began, slowly, his voice clear and bright; filling the hall with the earnestness of his youth. “Today, seventy million American lives are avenged.”
The crowd swayed, responding like a sea of heat sensitive tendrils.
“Today, the brave men and women who believed that you...that me...that this country was worth something more than what could be communicated at the end of a barrel of a gun...Those men and women see justice. Today, liberty is secured everywhere, in every way, completely, and indefinitely. Today, world suffering, crimes against humanity, war, poverty...come to an end. Perhaps too late. Perhaps. But better now, than never. Today our soldiers, American soldiers, return to United States soil. Return home. Because there is no more need to run, no more need to stand for those who cannot protect themselves. The cruel and powerful will never again stand upon the shoulders of the kind and underprivileged. Today, ladies and gentlemen, nobody will weep, because today terrorism died.”
There was still silence. They were caught; moths to the flame. Entranced and hypnotized by his words, words that held weight, just as he knew they would.
“For years the heavens were a place of uncertainty, every country deploying thousands of satellites into orbit. The Soviet Union once used this freedom to oppress its own people. Castro, Kim Jong Un, Mao Zedong; leaders who used the infinite potential of a watchful eye to create a very finite potential for the world. Those days are over. As of yesterday evening, every non-American satellite in the sky...was thrown into history. The United States of America controls one hundred percent of the information network around the globe. A world connected by the internet, but only now is it unified. By us. By you; the people who suffered through miscellaneous bombings, faced absolute fear, but still shouldered the responsibility of the world like Atlas held the heavens. First we found liberty. Later we established racial equality. Today, we finally ensure peace. Thanks to the people of this country, thanks to you, the ultimate goal of humanity is finally more than a fantasy.”
The audience exploded forth, screaming and jumping out of their seats and clapping manically. He always had a difficult time understanding how this was an expression of approval; it always seemed so abrasive. But he relished it all the same. He was good at his job. The best. And the way he saw it, if people knew what was best for them, he would be out of business. Lucky that none of them did. So that was his job; to tell them what was good, what was bad, and how to feel about it. They were very good listeners, and he liked the sound of his own voice, so it was what one might call a symbiotic relationship.
He smiled and held up a hand. They hushed on cue.
“It is when we are closest to success, that we must assert the most diligence. Arrogance is as much our enemy as radicals ever were. Making the world one, liberating all; these are not things to be worn like medals of war upon the American visage. Medals are designed to set others apart and assert distinction. The American dream has never been to parade our superiority over the peoples of the world, but to share with them the great liberties of our own Nation, and to add to those liberties with every passing age. We have brothers and sisters out there; it is our job to welcome them.”