Electric Flame

2.10

"It's on! Come quick!" I heard voices shout from downstairs. Quickening footsteps echoed through the halls as I walked toward the bedroom door, opening it to join the others downstairs.

My presence was silent and almost nonexistent as I entered the quarters. Heroes lay strewn across the couches, chairs, and even the wooden floor. Dick waltzed over to me, grabbing my arm and leading me to the rest of the group. In front of them all, a single seventy-two inch 3-D screen boomed with bright colors and surround-sound.

"Ladies and gentlemen, as your new mayor, it's a great honor to come before you today in this celebration of courage and survival." The screen zoomed in to show different scenes of multiple machines and air forces destroying many cities around the world. I knew of this event too well. Ra's was the person who orchestrated it. 

"One year ago, we faced an alien invasion that almost spelled the end of the human race. Of all the cities that were attacked, our fair Gotham was the first on the battle lines and the most severely damaged." The scene changed to show a tall, dark skinned man with brown hair and eyes speaking into a microphone over an applauding crowd.

"Since then, we have restored many of our buildings, though there is still hard work to be done. To that end, the good people of Metropolis, our sister city, have raised funds to help us. And at any moment, a check for those funds will be flown here by the man of steel himself, Superman!"

The entire superhero population in the room began to chant and cheer, clapping their hands as we waited for Superman to appear on screen.

"What's going on?" I whispered to Dick.

"Superman is going to give the check to the mayor. Aren't you paying attention?" he asked, continuing to clap obnoxiously loud.

"The moment you've been waiting for has finally arrived. Here he is, straight from Metropolis: Superman!" the mayor exclaimed, pointing to the sky as the roof of the building moved to form a hole in the center. 

There he was, in his blue and red tights and cape flowing in the breeze, Superman, the head of the Justice League. Unshockingly, the crowd went wild, screaming and cheering at the top of their lungs. If I were there, my ears would most likely bleed.

However, as the people blindly clapped, I saw a bolt of green shoot out of the corner of the screen.

"What was that?" I inquired, curious as to who else had seen it.

"What was what?" M'gann responded with yet another question.

"The surge of green electricity in the crowd," I told her. She stared at me blankly. "Oh, come on. No one else saw that?" Disagreeing nods and 'no's' were given as answers, but it didn't settle the rising nervousness in my stomach. I was unable to shake off the feeling that something bad was bound to happen.

"Mayor Hill," Superman spoke. Just his presence sent the audience into a frenzy and the girls fainting. "It is my great privilege to present this check to the good people of Gotham City." Everyone, both on screen and not, erupted in applause, whistling even, until a muscular man dove onto the stage and smashed the check with his bare fists.

I knit my eyebrows in both confusion and curiosity.

"The check's been cancelled, Superman. And so have you!" With one punch, Superman flew through the air and collided with the wall in the circular arena, crashing into a stereo system.

"Really? That's not even a good pun," Dick yelled at the television, throwing his hands in the air.

Pedestrians scattered, screaming out of pure fear as they ran away from the fight. The man came back for more, tossing his fist once again, but Superman had enough time to dodge it. He brought his hand up again, hitting the hero with the back of his palm before jumping him, pinning him to the ground. Superman raised his arm and tore off the man's face.