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Look, don’t ask me. Don’t ask me what the current metahuman political situation is, don’t ask me where the Justice Gang are and don’t ask me who this Captain Cold guy is and why he’s in Metropolis. Because honestly? I don’t know and I don’t care.
What I do care about is he’s causing trouble in South Siegel Street. After I lost my job as one of Luthor's Raptors, I spent many nights at the Shuster homeless shelter on South Siegel Street. Not just me but many of my Raptor buddies would stay there as they got their lives together. I watch in horror as a cryo beam hits the big Shuster sign enveloping it in ice. Okay, that makes it personal.
I see people in the bodegas and shops nearby, huddling in fear. I spot a little girl mouthing a name to herself like a prayer for help. I read her lips “Superman”. I don’t know where Big Blue is, but even he might not make it in time to save everyone.
I’m not a sergeant or a soldier or even a Raptor anymore, in fact I now work in the cybernetic exoskeleton department for Holt Holdings Inc. But I still have years of military training and combat experience. And if something happens to me… well at least those people who wanted me gone will be happy.
I send a quick text to some old friends who live nearby, but if they’re smart they would be hunkering down somewhere safe. Not like me and my new found desire to help others. Personally I blame Superman.
I look around the broken streets if there is anything I can use as a weapon. A knife, a pipe, a damn pool cue! In the end I just toss a big rock at the rogue's head. “Hey!” I shout. Okay I’ve got his attention…now what?
Before I can think of some ice related threat, I see a blue-white beam heading straight towards me! I dive out the way as the beam grazes my shoulder. I fall to the floor and grit my teeth in pain from the cold burn.
The weirdo in the blue coat starts walking towards me with a wicked smile on his lips. “Lights out 'hero'.” He says. I look past him and see some of the people he was harassing run away. I take a deep breath. Whatever comes next, I'm okay with this.
I look at the rogue in the eye as he raises his icy weapon. Before he can fire, the rogue gets punched in the face! It doesn’t knock him out but it does buy me time. I feel myself getting helped up and quickly brought into the half frozen Shuster homeless shelter. I look at my saviors and it’s my former Raptors! Connor, Hank and ‘E’ (His name’s Eric but he’d rather you just call him E).
Connor looks down at me and smiles. “All that crap you told us about being prepared to fight outside of the Raptor suit. Did it help at all?”
I smirk at the former Raptor Private before turning to my specialist. “Okay Hank, how do we stop this freak?”
“He’s not a freak-Sorry, metahuman. He’s similar to those guys we faced from Gotham a few years back. Crazy tech but normal guy inside.”
The Gruff Corporal gives a grumble. "So all we need is one good bullet. Shame we all gave up our guns when we got 'real' jobs."
“Alright how do we stop him? Hank, can you hack the suit?”
“No it’s all analogue. We just need to break it.”
I sigh as I look at my former squad and ask, "Did anyone bring any weapons?"
"I just ran over without thinking," said Connor
"I brought my laptop?"
"Got a sledgehammer from work."
I close my eyes and rub my temple with my palms. Around me I hear the ice weapon periodically shooting off. “Okay I have a plan but it’s kinda stupid and it needs someone crazy to jump out the window.”
“…why you all looking at me?” E asked.
The plan went into motion. Connor ran onto the street, taunting and shouting at Captain Cold to get his attention and for him to approach the shelter.
Then E jumped out the 1st floor window and landed on top of him.
E wrestled with Captain Cold but couldn’t quite disable the weapon or the criminal. I pick up E's sledgehammer and start running before landing a solid blow right into the cooling tank!
The ice weapon broke down immediately and sounded like it was about to explode. The others quickly ran behind cover. I'm about to join them before I look down at the rogue who was still attached to his unstable equipment.
It would be so easy to leave this neighborhood terrorist but unfortunately that's not who I am anymore.
I quickly rip the device off the guy and the others come out to help drag us to safety. Seconds later the gun explodes!
I try to warm his ice-cold hands and ask Hank to check them for frostbite.
He looks at us in shock as he asks, "Why...Why did you save me?"
I remembered a similar question I once asked Superman. Why he didn't kill the Raptors who were trying to kill him. Why he continually checked up on all of us, and helped out until we got up back on our feet. I gave the same answer that we were always told, "Because it was kind."