8am - London, UK
There was the sound of heavy breathing and footsteps backstage. Vincent was pacing, going over his speech out loud, enough for him to hear, but quiet enough to be inaudible to anyone else backstage, or in the crowd. This was going to be a difficult speech, but a necessary one. The world was scared, and something had to be said. Before he got any more lost in thought, a member of the backstage crew waved over at Vincent, signalling him that it was time. Deep breaths. Vincent went over to the side entrance, waited a moment, and walked on stage.
The room was mostly silent, a tone of somberness in respect to the events in New York and Pacifica City. Vincent walked over to the podium, taking a moment to look down at a script, and then back up to the crowd. He was silent as his gaze worked its way across the room, not a sound escaping his mouth. The time began to stretch, a slight sense of anxiety building as people waited intently to hear what he had to say. In a way, the silence was almost discomforting. Vincent looked down again at his script, and then spoke.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want to start by telling you how truly sorry I am for the events of last night. What happened in New York and Pacifica City were, make no mistake, an absolute tragedy." Vincent paused, allowing his words to take a second here. "The script I have here is full of kind remarks, important sentiments, sympathies. I want you all to know that I personally stand with New York City and Pacifica City now in their time of need. We mourn the lives lost, and the innocents who may very well suffer from hunger and starvation because of this. All the world weeps with you. But... I am going to be frank, because I think that's what you all want. You don't want just sympathies. You want action."
Vincent pulled the mic away from the podium, and strode to the front of the stage. As he continued to speak, he made his way across each side of the stage, seemingly using every inch of it for every moment he spoke. "These atrocities are unacceptable. For too long now has this deranged terror group, and MANY other like it, been terrifying the people of this world. They have no respect for freedom, for happiness, or for the safety of innocent people. It is no longer enough to simply mourn. It is no longer acceptable to simply shed tears. I want to make this clear: From this point forward, Nobis, and I personally, have a new policy on these crimes." Another pause, another moment for the message to sink in.
"Zero tolerance." He stopped at center stage, continuing to deliver the speech from there. "I cannot be open with you about the details, but Nobis, and the governments we have been elected to, are pooling together resources to both bring the evils of the world into the light, and... To destroy them." Vincent paused, his seeming stern. "Before... Before, many people have only acted when they deemed it necessary. They acted when thousands were already murdered. They acted to late. Not any more. I want Commedia dell'Arte, and all other tyrants and terror groups to know this: Nobis, WE the people, will act immediately. We will act decisively. We will act effectively. And we will no longer be scared. It's your turn to be scared."