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New York (INN)— At a press conference scheduled to announce the engagement of Songbird and Caestus Pax, Project Utopia revealed that beloved Team Tomorrow member Jennifer "Slider" Landers survived the attempt made on her life over a year ago. According to Slider's account, the corpse found was a replica created by her assailant with his quantum powers.
"I was investigating Project Proteus at the time, and was attacked by a shape shifter," Slider explained at the press conference. "My powers were weak and I was badly injured; I had to go to a nova I was completely certain that I could trust and who had either the power or the medical skill to treat my injuries. So I went to Sam."
Slider further explained that Songbird stabilized her condition, then took her to living legend Maxwell Mercer for secret treatment. When asked why her assailant created a duplicate to be found, Slider grew quiet. "He said he was going to 'play with me' for a while," she explained briefly.
Slider revealed her attacker's identity as a nova known to them only as "Chiraben," the same nova who later attacked Songbird and a group of novas in Monte Carlo before disappearing. The nova has since been identified as one of the casualties within the Bahrain facility.
When asked what she has been doing since her apparent death, she explained that she has been recuperating from her near-fatal injuries and continuing to help in the investigation into Proteus. "I've been wearing a number of hats, including 'Ilsa's,' as Mr. Salt has no doubt already reported," she commented. "But I'm looking forward to coming back home and helping T2M clean house."
Slider also put to rest — with finality — the issue of André Corbin's innocence. "He put his neck on the line for me several times." She smiled and looked over her shoulder. "Corb's still a screw-up, sure. But he's my screw-up."
Meanwhile, attention did return from time to time to the original reason for the press conference — the engagement of Caestus Pax and Songbird. Director Pax named Anthony "Lightning" Chang as his best man, and they announced the date of the wedding — August 1st, or "Lughnasa" in the neo-pagan calendar. Also, Songbird's daughter Amber Lynn Page commented to youth magazines on her feelings about gaining Pax as a stepfather.
The happy couple revealed Slider and their reason for waiting as long as they did to announce their engagement simultaneously. "I wanted to wait until it was safe for my maid of honor to be seen in public," Songbird replied with a smile. Slider revealed herself at that time.
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