[2 months after the Atlantis war]
[The White House]
The situation room was fuller than it had been in years.
Leaders from many countries, including presidents, prime ministers, defense ministers, admirals, and intelligence leaders, attended the meeting. These individuals typically only gather when a serious crisis has occurred.
At the center of it all stood Namor.
He wore no crown. Just a dark green Atlantean cloak clasped at the shoulder. Two guards stood behind him silently, eyes sharp enough to make seasoned generals uncomfortable.
The room buzzed with tension.
Susan Storm stood near the head of the table, tablet in hand. She looked calm as ever. She had that look people get when they know they're standing between a loaded gun and a room full of bad ideas. Either way, she already knew the result. This meeting was just a procedure to keep the politicians and government happy.
Tony was actually supposed to attend the meeting, but he was busy with the Moon and Mars program. As promised, he took the winners to the Moon first and stayed for two weeks and then they went to the newly transformed Mars, which was basically a second Earth, only pollution-free. All in all, he was enjoying his vacation on Mars. Oh, Wanda and Mystique joined him there.
Coming back to the meeting room...
A man in a tailored suit cleared his throat—President of the United States.
"King Namor," he said carefully, "let me get straight to the point. A lot of people here are wondering the same thing."
Namor met his gaze without blinking.
"Whose side are you on?"
The room went dead quiet.
Namor looked around slowly, eyes moving from face to face. Leaders of nations. Men and women who commanded armies, economies, and weapons that could scar the planet forever.
Finally, he spoke.
"There are no sides," Namor said.
A murmur rippled through the room.
Susan glanced at him, then back at the table. She did not interrupt.
Namor continued...
"Atlanteans and surface dwellers are born on the same planet. Earth does not belong to one of us." He paused. "You draw lines on maps to divide land. We do not do this. The ocean touches every shore, whether you agree or not."
A European prime minister leaned forward. "With respect, that sounds idealistic. History suggests coexistence usually comes with conditions."
Namor nodded once. "Then let us speak of conditions."
That got attention.
A military commander spoke next. "Atlantis has weapons we cannot track. Armies we cannot reach. Some here are concerned this is simply a pause before conflict."
Namor's eyes hardened slightly. "If Atlantis wanted war, you would not be sitting here asking questions."
No one disagreed because Susan provided the informants with enough information about Namor's abilities, like the power to drown an entire nation underwater or cause natural disasters. So, they knew what Namor just meant, but who's gonna argue with him?
Susan stepped in smoothly. "The goal today is clarity, not fear. Atlantis is here to define a framework for cooperation."
Namor nodded. "Correct."
He turned slightly, gesturing with one hand. "The oceans contain resources you cannot reach. We possess rare minerals, bio-organic compounds, and energy-dense materials formed under pressures your machines struggle to survive."
A few heads nodded. Everyone here had seen the reports.
"And the surface," Namor continued, "has access to raw materials Atlantis lacks. Certain metals, industrial composites, and agricultural products that do not exist underwater."
A woman from Asia spoke up. "You are proposing trade?"
"Yes," Namor said simply. "Resource exchange."
A pause.
"And conditions?" someone asked.
Namor's voice sharpened.
"You stop poisoning the water."
That landed harder than any threat.
"No toxic waste dumping," he said. "No unregulated drilling or oil spills swept under legal language and apologies. If your trash ends up in the sea, you will hear from us."
An admiral shifted uncomfortably. "And if accidents happen?"
Namor looked straight at him. "Then you fix them. Immediately. Or we will."
No one liked that answer, but no one complained as usual.
Susan leaned forward. "Atlantis is not asking for control. They want responsibility. Stark Industries released Arc Reactors, teleportation hubs, and waste processing technology to cut down pollution, but we've received multiple reports about illegal drilling and waste dumping. It's time to pay attention or face the consequences. We Ultimates will not interfere with Atlantis's actions against these eco-terrorists."
Another leader spoke. "And military conflict? What happens if surface nations go to war and it spills into the ocean?"
Namor replied with a serious expression. "Keep your wars out of our home. If you cannot, then do not be surprised when we intervene to stop them."
Someone scoffed under their breath.
Susan shot them a look sharp enough to cut steel.
Namor exhaled slowly, then softened his tone. "This is a peaceful era. You have a chance to keep it that way. So do we. Power struggles only end one way... War. We don't want war."
The room fell quiet again.
Finally, the U.S. president spoke. "So Atlantis is not allied with any nation."
Namor shook his head. "Atlantis is allied with Earth."
That sentence stuck.
Susan allowed herself a small smile.
After a moment, she spoke. "We will draft the trade framework. Environmental enforcement. Shared response protocols for ocean disasters. This does not have to be complicated."
Namor looked at her. "Good."
They talked a bit more about politics and vibranium, but Namor said no. He won't give vibranium to the surface dwellers.
The meeting did not end with applause or handshakes. Instead, it ended with something more unusual: agreement.
As Namor turned to leave, one of the leaders called out. "King Namor."
Namor paused.
"Why now?" the man asked. "Why reveal Atlantis after centuries of hiding?"
Namor looked back once.
"Because hiding did not protect us," he said. "And because someone reminded us that the future is built, not buried."
He left the room with his guards, the doors closing softly behind him.
Susan Storm watched them go, already drafting reports in her head.
...
[A few hours later, Stark Tower]
Namor waited on the main floor.
He stood alone near the massive glass windows overlooking the city, hands clasped behind his back. The cloak was gone. He wore a formal Atlantean suit.
The elevator chimed.
Susan stepped out. She was about to grab a cold drink and just relax after the long hours of political play. She noticed Namor. "I thought you went home." She said with a smile.
Namor walked forward, and then, without warning, went down on one knee.
Susan froze.
Namor reached into the pouch at his side and pulled out a large seashell, streaked with deep blues and silvers. He opened it.
Inside rested a ring.
The band looked like it had been grown, not forged. Pearlescent metal curved around a single glowing pearl that pulsed softly, like it was breathing.
Susan stared at it.
Namor lifted his eyes to her.
"Susan Storm," he said. "I am not a man who believes in coincidence. I have lived centuries. I have seen empires rise and rot beneath the waves. I have never been moved by surface politics or surface people."
He paused, then continued, more personal now.
"And then I met you. You spoke to me as an equal. You did not fear me, nor did you flatter me. Your beauty took my breath away and made my heart race like never before. I fell in love with you at first sight."
Susan's expression tightened slightly.
"I want you to be my bride," Namor said. "Queen of Atlantis. Stand beside me and help shape a future where our worlds stop bleeding each other dry."
The pearl glowed brighter.
"Susan," he finished. "Will you marry me?"
The silence that followed was thick enough to feel.
Susan exhaled slowly.
Namor watched her face, reading every microexpression like a battlefield map.
"I am sorry," Susan said gently. "I already have a man I love."
Namor opened his mouth to respond.
He never got the chance.
His body exploded.
There was no warning... Just a wet impact. Namor splattered across the polished floor in a violent spray of blood, bone, and shredded skin. The shell clattered away, skidding across the floor, the ring tumbling out and rolling to a stop near Susan's boot.
Susan sighed, shaking her head.
The blood evaporated.
Reality folded like it had been yanked backward by an invisible hand.
Namor was standing... Alive.
The memory of pain slammed into him all at once. Every nerve fired. His legs buckled and he dropped to his knees, gasping, hands clawing at the floor.
"What… what was that?" he rasped. "Did I die?"
A hand clamped down on his shoulder from behind.
A familiar voice leaned in close to his ear.
"Know your place, fish."
----
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