Hammond remained unaware of the resentment and dissatisfaction festering within Hector. However, even if he had noticed, he wouldn't have changed his attitude, as deep down, he'd never truly held any fondness for Hector. Hammond's disdain for his son was simple to explain: as a U.S. Senator and a man of considerable wealth, he commanded a position of power and respect. While not at the very top of American society, he was certainly among the influential elite, admired by many.
Hector, on the other hand, despite his privileged family and background, was neither attractive nor refined. Lacking elegance or tact, his actions exuded none of the noble qualities Hammond valued. Even Hector's ideas seemed to Hammond as naïve, frustratingly disconnected from reality. In short, Hammond didn't merely look down on Hector—he held a complete disdain for his son in every respect. Even though Hector had achieved some success in researching Abin's body, Hammond still regarded him with contempt.
"You know, Hector's always had an active imagination since he was young. Unfortunately, his ideas have always been empty talk; he never tries to put them into action…" Hammond continued to chat with Carol, dismissively patting Hector's shoulder as if to support his words.
Hammond's intent was clear: he couldn't allow any information regarding Abin to leak, not even a sliver. Even if Carol didn't seem to believe in it, he intended to eliminate any suspicion she might have.
"Goodbye." To Hammond's surprise, Hector slapped his hand away, forcing a reluctant smile toward Carol before turning and leaving.
Hammond's expression remained neutral, showing no sign of displeasure. He maintained a warm smile, playing the part of a tolerant father.
"Actually, he's improved a lot," Carol remarked, her gaze flickering as she watched Hector walk away. "He's not the same person he used to be."
Hammond, however, didn't realize that both Carol and Hal had known for years that he didn't like Hector. Despite Hammond's well-maintained façade of a loving father, those close to him were aware of the strained relationship, the roots of which lay in Hector's childhood experiences and how they shaped his personality.
"Senator, sorry to interrupt, but we need to go," Hammond's assistant said softly, appearing at his side.
"Oh, excuse me, Carol. I must be going. Good night." Hammond offered her a polite smile before departing with his assistant.
"Good night." Carol's polite smile faded as soon as she turned away.
As Hammond bid farewell to the guests, he didn't notice that Hector was watching him from a distance, his gaze unreadable.
Before long, Hammond boarded a helicopter. From his seat, he cheerfully waved at the guests below, who enthusiastically waved back, some raising their glasses to toast him. The scene reflected the atmosphere of a successful gathering.
But then, an unexpected incident occurred.
As the helicopter began to rise, Hector's eyes flashed with anger, and a streak of yellow light appeared in his gaze.
"Buzz!"
"Crash!"
An outdoor faucet inexplicably burst from the ground and struck the helicopter's tail rotor. Instantly, the helicopter lost control, and despite the pilot's efforts, it began to plummet.
Panic erupted as guests scrambled to get away from the falling helicopter, screaming in fear. Though it hadn't risen far enough to explode upon impact, the craft skidded a considerable distance upon landing, its engine still running, propelling it forward along the ground.
For the guests, it was a disaster. Many were injured in the chaos, and Carol's expression changed as she saw her father lying near a platform. She rushed over to help him up, but just as she managed to do so, a panicked guest knocked her to the ground. At that moment, the out-of-control helicopter hurtled toward her.
Suddenly, a green light surrounded the helicopter, creating a viscous, swamp-like barrier that quickly slowed it down. The rescuer was none other than Hal, using his Green Lantern ring.
However, as previously noted by Sinestro and others, Hal's willpower was not exceptionally strong. While he had a vivid imagination, his swamp construct couldn't fully contain the helicopter, and the green material began to distort and break apart. The helicopter was close to breaking free of the barrier.
Hal took the opportunity to fly to Carol's side, pulling her to safety just in time. He then launched two large green nets toward the helicopter, anchoring them to nearby structures to finally bring it to a stop.
"Who is he?"
"Thank goodness he stepped in; there would have been serious casualties otherwise!"
"Is he a new member of the Avengers?"
"I doubt it; the Avengers announce new members, and his uniform is way too ugly for their standards."
As calm returned, guests resumed their earlier composure, but many couldn't help discussing the mysterious figure. Carol's father, meanwhile, quickly approached Hal, took Carol from him, and expressed his gratitude. "Thank you."
Hal didn't respond, choosing instead to maintain his mystery. Even though he was technically a hero-in-training, he wasn't ready to reveal his identity. Only a few Avengers had publicly unmasked, and Hal understood the risks to his family and friends if he did.
With a nod to Carol's father, Hal took one last glance at the still-shaken Carol before flying away.
"Who is he? If he's not with the Avengers, perhaps we could recruit him," mused Hammond, who had managed to calm down after the crash. He gazed at the spot where Hal had disappeared with a look of interest.
The presence of superhuman abilities intrigued government officials, who longed to control these powers for themselves. While superhuman occurrences were no longer rare, few empowered individuals were actually under government control.
In fact, many government officials aspired not only to control such powers but also to acquire them for themselves, craving not just authority but the divine strength that came with superhuman abilities. However, despite their grand ambitions, the existing technology and means of obtaining powers had proven either inadequate or too risky. Until a completely safe and effective method was available, these officials were unwilling to endanger themselves.
Meanwhile, a unique power, distinct from the Avengers, had surfaced right in front of Hammond, sparking his interest. Unbeknownst to him, however, Hector had slipped away.
Having acquired his powers through an invasive yellow substance, Hector was unable to fully control his abilities, let alone precisely aim a faucet at the helicopter's tail rotor. His powers backfired on him, and the yellow substance's invasive effects intensified with his efforts, causing his head to swell painfully as if something were trying to burst out.
From across the galaxy, a monstrous entity known as Parallax halted in its path toward Oa. It sensed the power it had imparted to someone on Earth—a unique signature it had previously left only in Abin and Sinestro.
Seeing Hal return home, he barely lay down when he heard a noise from his window. A man in a red suit slipped in casually, clearly no stranger to sneaking in like this.
"Can't you knock or, I don't know…not be so sneaky?" Hal asked, exhausted and exasperated.
"Why criticize me for climbing in the window but not that bug guy who wears a similar suit?" Wade protested indignantly.
"Because you're the only one I know!" Hal retorted.
"Well, congrats. You'll soon meet them, too! You're famous now! The Avengers contacted me. They want you to come to their base when you're free to introduce yourself!" Wade laughed, clapping Hal on the shoulder. "I'm counting on you, Green Man!"
"What Green Man? I'm Green Lantern!" Hal said, annoyed. Then, hesitating, he asked, "Can I really join the Avengers?"
"Not exactly join—they want to hear about your trip to space and your powers. They've reviewed your file, and, fortunately, because you're relatively reliable—and thanks to me—they trusted you enough not to summon you immediately." Wade shamelessly took credit.
"I think anyone's reliable compared to you," Hal muttered.
"No, no. Without the suit, maybe you are. But once suited up, who knows?" Wade teased.
"Do you really think I made up the 'Green Man' title? Some even call you 'Green Light Hero.' Technically, it translates to Green Lantern, but it doesn't exactly convey 'lantern.' Trust me, if that nickname sticks, no one will think of translating it as Green Lantern!"
"You really think you can keep that name and still be seen as reliable? And don't forget, Vanessa has stayed by my side despite my powers. With the way you look now, I doubt Carol would accept it. Or do you plan to hide it from her forever?"
"Best not to tell her anything about this world…" Hal replied, his expression stiffening. Eager to establish his reputation, he was willing to put off flaunting his powers to Carol. "Right now, we need to make sure 'Green Lantern' is out there, and there's no one better than the Avengers to help with that!"
"Alright, I'll let them know…" Wade shrugged. After contacting Jarvis, an invisible portal opened in Hal's home, leading him and Wade to step into a new world.
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