CARTER WYNN
414 GRANT ST.
CITY-COUNTY BUILDING
CITY-COUNTY BUILDING
"Firstly, I'd like to thank the members of the press for coming here, along with the general public for this address."
Stick to what you'd practiced.
"It has been a... difficult time in recovery. But, firstly-- I want to restate my solidarity with the O'Shea family. My thoughts, my prayers, my actions are dedicated to those whose lives were taken by the attack on October 12th."
Carter Wynn had been in recovery in the weeks that followed, partly due to the concussion he'd allegedly sustained along with the gunshot wound to his gut; this was his first public appearance since the incident beyond his media team's Twitter updates and off-the-record interviews with trusted journalists. It was important that the public heard the truth, though, and understood that he was alright-- and that this attack had only made him more determined to set the future of Pittsburgh on the correct course.
"I've already given my statement to the Pittsburgh Police Department, who I will additionally commend for their bravery in dealing with the threat at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center," Carter continued, glancing down to his prepared notes and clearing his throat. "In particular, Jared Carlisle, Richard Martinez, Matthew Jones, and Assistant DA Ava Hunt all deserve recognition for their bravery and service to the general public, however mundane they may appear in the face of paranormal aggressors." He straightened his back, at that, and nodded, looking off to the distance in thought for a moment before nodding again. "Additionally, I'd like to commend the services of Special Agent Basilica and the Metahuman Response Taskforce as a whole; I would not be alive right now if not for the selfless heroism of these individuals."
His right hand gripped the side of the podium as his other calmly adjusted his tie, gesturing out to the audience; another flick of his gaze downwards, and he was locked back in.
"You all may understand that I did not agree with Henry O'Shea's policies. We were from opposing ends of the aisle; we didn't see eye to eye on plenty of issues. But what we value is the sanctity of human life above all else-- the need to protect our loved ones, to guarantee a future for our children, and to provide a guiding light for the younger generation so that they may carry the torch in our stead. As such, I've coordinated with Henry's family to open a scholarship fund-- the O'Shea Metahuman Student Scholarship Award, to be awarded annually to one-hundred students; fifty of which will be confirmed to have metahuman abilities by an independent board of experts, and fifty of which will be going into an industry and degree related to science, technology, engineering, or math with metahumans as a focus of study. Understanding and educating the new generation upon this diverse, emergent issue is paramount, and I believe fostering an interest will lead to greater ease in navigating these uncertain times." A small look away from the mic, to clear his throat, and he looked back to the audience.
"It is the nature of humanity to emerge stronger from hardship. There are times like these, however, where we must ask why. Why did this happen? Why were four gunmen allowed to walk into a convention center with the intent to assassinate political figures?" A pause. "Why was it O'Shea, that died, and not me? I-- I asked myself that. Every day, in the hospital, I asked myself why. An act of God? Poor preparation on the side of the gunmen that wished to kill me for voicing my beliefs? No-- it was the bravery of those involved. Metahumans and brave bystanders that were anchors in the midst of chaos-- that saved my life." Another pause. "Before the attack began, I spoke of a need for moderation upon powers. Now, more than ever, we need to take a stand. What was perpetuated at the convention center was an act of terror, because these men were terrorists. Shooters who wished to send a message."
Another pause. He looked to his left, where his PR agent was. The next part was off-script; he'd probably catch shit for it.
"Well, here's mine-- I'm still standing, and I'm not going anywhere." He gripped the side of the podium, white-knuckled. His gaze returned to the audience. "Additionally, I have a call to action for the Mayor of Pittsburgh, our State Senate, and our entire government-- we need legislative action upon the cataloguing of metahuman abilities, and we need it now. Our streets are not safe; our places of gathering, for civil discussion and debate, are not safe. And even now, those in power hide behind claims of oppression and discrimination. Well, to that, I say that the unpowered man is persecuted by these terrorist supremacists. But to say all metahumans are criminals is reductionist, divisive, and idiotic. My contemporaries are unfortunately short-sighted in that regard." A pause; a sigh, this time.
"No. To deal with a supervillain, we need superheroes. Bad metahumans are stopped by good metahumans. The sooner we are able to police and institute these good metahumans with the capacity to correctly act and the jurisdiction to do what needs to be done-- like Special Agent Basilica-- the sooner we are able to restore law and order to Pittsburgh. As such, I will be directly advocating for the petition and institution of a proposition upon the 2024 ballot to allocate more effective funding to our police force to properly deal with metahuman threats, as well as advanced monitoring upon said metahuman threats to this city's security."
A smile, at that. "Even if it means taking a bullet for you, I am here to keep you all safe."
Carter Wynn raised one hand, at that-- a gesture of goodbye. As the cameras flashed, and the press murmured their questions, he leaned down for a moment, gave a "Thank you all for coming.", and politely exited from the podium, moving up the steps back into the City-County Building.
He had work to do, after all.