Chapter 151 (edited)
Kara's expression changed drastically, which was enough to indicate that something was very wrong.
Dr. Manhattan stopped arguing with Laurie and turned his attention to Earth. Suddenly, it seemed as though a deafening roar could be heard, and brilliant blue explosions erupted across the surface of the planet.
"That's your power," Kara snapped, glaring sharply at Dr. Manhattan. "What did you do? Did you just kill millions of people?"
Despite her earlier complaints, Kara stepped forward instinctively. She was, after all, a hero. Even without precise numbers, she didn't need a statistician to confirm that the death toll was already in the millions. Major cities worldwide were devastated in an instant.
Kara clenched her fists, a dangerous black aura flickering around her right hand while mysterious energy gathered in her left. She wasn't Dr. Manhattan's match in sheer strength, but she wasn't completely powerless either. She had her own trump cards if it came to it.
"What's going on, Jon?" Laurie asked anxiously. She couldn't see what Kara and Dr. Manhattan saw, but Kara's reaction and Jon's grim expression were enough to clue her in.
Kara rolled her eyes, her frustration evident. "Seriously, you don't know what he did, and you're asking him if he did it?"
"It wasn't me," Dr. Manhattan said firmly. His voice carried an edge of frustration. Despite his near-omniscient intellect, even he had been blindsided.
He glanced at Kara. "You saw me designing a device at the start of our time in this world."
Kara nodded begrudgingly, her expression skeptical.
"Someone tricked me," Dr. Manhattan continued. "They asked for my power model and used those devices to simulate and release my power." His tone grew heavier as he spoke, the betrayal gnawing at his calm demeanor.
"Come with me," he said, his voice commanding as he turned to leave.
"No," Kara replied sharply, raising her hands in refusal. "I'm not going with you. You go first; I'll follow."
Having experienced his method of transport twice already, Kara had no desire to endure the disorienting sensation again. She had her doubts about Dr. Manhattan, and her instincts told her to keep some distance.
Dr. Manhattan didn't argue. He left with Laurie, leaving Kara to follow in her own time.
Kara sighed, her irritation evident, before taking off and streaking toward Earth like a golden comet. She landed moments later in Antarctica, mere seconds behind Dr. Manhattan.
The sight that greeted her was unexpected. A massive, futuristic base sprawled across the icy landscape. Floating in the frigid air, Kara scanned the structure. The cold didn't faze her as her sharp eyes picked out details.
"There are three men and... a cat?" Kara muttered, baffled. "What kind of weird combo is this?"
She shook her head, brushing off her stray thoughts as Dr. Manhattan and Laurie entered the base. Laurie's voice echoed as she called out, "Dan! Dan! Are you okay?"
Inside, voices rose in accusation.
"It was him! He's behind all of this. The comedian's death, everything—he even used your power, Jon, and killed millions," an angry voice growled.
Kara entered quietly, her movements barely making a sound. She surveyed the room, noticing the stark contrast between the imposing Dr. Manhattan and the ordinary humans present.
Well, mostly ordinary. The man at the center of the confrontation was exceptional in his own way—his physique, his presence, his charisma. Even without superpowers, he radiated the kind of perfection that could win Olympic gold in every event and shatter every record.
Still, Kara knew better than to underestimate human cunning. She eyed the man, Adrian Veidt, also known as Ozymandias. The self-proclaimed smartest man in the world was clearly unfazed by the tension in the room.
"Jon, you're here," Veidt said calmly, stepping forward. Despite the chaos around him, his composure remained intact.
"Have you noticed you can't see the future?" Veidt continued, his voice measured and deliberate. "Yes, that's my doing."
The room fell silent as his words hung in the air.