[Takacs Highschool = Tuckers High School]
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After hearing the field report, Chief Michelle let out a quiet sigh of relief.
The death toll wasn't high—good, very good.
However—
Michelle's gaze landed on the school gate, where red brick walls framed the large golden acrylic letters spelling Tuckers High School.
Her expression darkened again.
She had nearly forgotten: an assault taking place on school grounds was bound to stir up a nationwide uproar, even federal-level attention.
Perhaps...
Michelle's eyes shifted toward Martin, who was leisurely sipping coffee while giving orders from inside a van.
Perhaps a hotter headline could be used to drown out the negative waves caused by this school assault incident.
Something like… our superhero Martin pulling off another miraculous rescue!
But of course, she needed to discuss it with Martin first.
He wasn't the kind of person one could just use as they pleased.
The former Hollywood police chief had already paid the price for making that mistake—and the story had spread throughout law enforcement circles all across North America.
…
Tuckers High was a public school aimed at middle-class families.
Compared to typical public high schools, it boasted higher educational standards.
Naturally, its tuition was also a bit steeper.
While the students' parents weren't ultra-wealthy elites, they represented the backbone of society from various industries. Which meant this incident couldn't simply be swept under the rug.
Following her discussion with Martin, Chief Michelle of the St. Clarissa Division was quite pleased—he had agreed to shift media focus onto himself, just as she'd suggested.
A temporary press conference was held right outside the school gates.
The department's public relations officer, Inspector MacLean, addressed the reporters first:
"We now have a clear picture of what happened. And yes, it was Mr. Martin Meyers who apprehended the shooter. He's a hero—he saved Tuckers High School from what could've been a bloody massacre."
Then, Martin stepped forward amidst the crowd of eager reporters.
"I'm truly sorry for what happened today... I was just doing what needed to be done. What? You say it was dangerous? I wasn't thinking about that. I just knew I had the ability to handle the situation, so I did."
After the press conference, Martin returned to where the film crew was gathered.
The moment he appeared, Elizabeth rushed into his arms, hugging him tightly. Her tears soaked his eyelashes as she peppered his face with kisses.
Between kisses, she mumbled incoherently, "Oh my God, you scared me to death... I'm so glad you're okay... You're so brave... You're my hero..."
Martin gently patted her back, smiling to reassure her. "It's all right, it's all right. I'm the miraculous Martin, remember? I can handle anything."
He was actually glad Elizabeth was letting her emotions out like this.
Earlier, after knocking out the Asian gunman, Martin had noticed something was off about Elizabeth's mood. That's why he brought her along to calm the students in the classroom building, hoping it would distract her. But the whole time, she hadn't said a word, her expression unnaturally composed.
Martin had even planned to use a touch of magic that night to draw out her bottled-up feelings, afraid she might implode from suppressing them.
Luckily, she had managed to process them on her own.
…
That evening, Martin and Elizabeth had originally planned a hot spring date.
But those plans were scrapped when all of Elizabeth's family rushed in—her two older sisters, her parents, and her younger brother all came.
Later, her parents and twin sisters visited Martin's room to thank him personally.
Meanwhile, every TV station was covering the story non-stop. Once again, Martin had earned the title of "Superhero."
"The most superhero-like actor in superhero movie history!"
That was how the anchor at Warner News introduced him.
"Martin Meyers, a true American hero."
Said the Disney channel.
"He's basically the real-life Captain America."
That came from Washington News.
The following day, even more media outlets joined in, reporting on Martin's heroic actions during the Tuckers High shooting.
Director Penny and cameraman Broly also made a killing. With Martin's permission, they sold the video footage they had.
Compared to Martin's past footage—fighting bank robbers in Manhattan or killing the "Hollywood Chest-Slasher" in the warehouse district—this one lacked some of that sharp, ruthless flair.
Compared to saving Peter Jackson from a wild beast or rescuing Michael Jackson on a collapsing bridge, it didn't quite have the same legendary twist.
But—
The moment Martin dodged the shooter's bullet and landed that flying kick—everything was meticulously choreographed. Flashy, yes, but effective. And damn good-looking.
He had even infused the kick with a bit of demonic charm, amplifying the effect of the move with magic.
It truly gave off the feeling of "Swift as a bird, fierce as a fire."
"So handsome!"
"What kind of close-combat technique is that?"
"I heard Martin trained in martial arts—could that be kung fu?"
"Only Martin can beat people up and still look that good doing it. Who else even comes close?"
"I can't help it, this has me fired up!"
…
The news coverage spread far wider than Martin had expected.
Even the BBC and Sky News in Europe were broadcasting it in real time.
The video of the Tuckers High incident had traveled from North America to Europe to Australia, causing a sensation across the entire Western world.
The Eastern media were slower to react—understandably, the story was happening half a globe away.
"This feels like there's a hidden hand behind the scenes," Martin muttered to himself, putting down the newspaper.
A theory was forming in his mind.
Most likely, one of the big names linked to the Epstein case was pushing this media frenzy, using Martin's story to divert public attention from the steadily intensifying "Epstein Scandal."
Back at Tuckers High, students and parents were gradually returning to normal, many of them interviewed by reporters.
"It was really terrifying at the time!"
An eleventh-grader said that when they heard two or three gunshots, she and her friend had just been outside the library. They immediately took cover inside after hearing the shots.
It wasn't until Martin found them that they realized they were safe.
"We were so scared. My friend was crying. But then Martin came in and said, 'You're all safe now.' You don't know how emotional I felt hearing those words."
One mother recalled that she was at work when her daughter texted her:
"Mom, I'm scared. I love you so much. Please come. Someone's trying to kill us."
She rushed out and drove straight to the school—only to receive a second message while en route:
"Mom, I'm okay now. I met Martin—Martin Meyers. He's like an angel!"