3 1.3

I'm beat. Five drug-dealers and a mugger later and I'm only half way there. I need a better class of criminal… or quantity. Not to mention I spent all night awake, floating behind a plane to even reach this city.

I crashed at a cheap hotel, after a meal from the DC universe version of McDonald's… O'Shaughnessy's. It was different in subtle ways, like the pickles on the burgers were sweet and the whole place has a heavy Irish theme, four leaf clovers printed everywhere. Really dissonant, when they used most of the same naming practices, like the Big O burger. I was constantly reminded of that giant robot anime… the series which doesn't exist and probably never will here. I always intended to watch that, some day. Shame.

The following morning I took a breather, took it slow. Just enjoying the freedom to go where ever I wanted.

The newspapers told a slightly disturbing story, apparently Mallard? the Monkey had a partner who rescued him from a prison cell with a flying metal drone thing, armed with lasers and shields. And it was page three news. Because apparently Superman had finally done his big catch a car introduction scene from issue #1.

The speculation about his powers was high. I got a round of laughs when I suggested he had X ray vision to a pair of gossiping schoolgirls at a bus stop.

That also means Batman and maybe the Flash are active or about to reveal themselves. Martian Manhunter and Diana are probably still chilling in obscurity. Aquaman is more of a mystery to me, aside from the civilisation he rules being (somewhere) in the Atlantic depths. No signs of the one true Captain Marvel (aka Shazam). Or the Hawks. Or Green Lanterns, beyond original WW2 flavor. Too early for Cyborg (I think) or any of the spinoff heroes. Who am I missing… uh the Robin Hood guy and the robot… Canary? Atom?

What? It has been thirteen years since I last saw anything relevant besides local war documentaries.

Hmm. I don't think I'll ever make Bruce Wayne's Christmas Card list. Because I object to his obsessive catch and release policy with mass murdering psychotics. When I get the chance, I'll act on it, too. Because the Joker isn't a human, he's a disease. Okay, so maybe Bruce has a whole slippery slope with murder thing going on, I don't particularly have his issues. Oh, I sure do have issues, but they seem to be more on the overconfidence, anger and arrogance side. Maybe immaturity?

At least I'm aware of them, magic is going to be my main foil I'll bet. The Z family of stage magicians who actually do the real thing… completely slipped my mind. There were others too, after all the whole roster can get get into the dozens. But they're more allies, spin offs and sidekicks that come later.

I certainly don't relish the idea of fighting any of the big bad guys, with the exception of the massive armies of mooks and cybernetic/robotic enemies because my powers were made for massive scale warfare and the perfect counter to lasers, electricity attacks and metal structures/weapons. And that is beside the fact, my power isn't exactly magnetism. There are other components. Sure, the big things with magnetic fields are easy, the other stuff doesn't come quite as easily. But then, lead isn't highly magnetic. Yet Magneto clearly can stop bullets like they are no big deal and manipulate other less reactive materials like gold, silver, etc.

So my power is only fractionally magnetism, I really want to see the look on Batman's face when he tries to counter me. Not if, but when. Using non magnetic materials for tranq darts will be his first choice followed by tranquilliser gas. After that it will be hairier, but I fully intend to invest in tech of my own to beat some of my more human weaknesses.

Magneto's best trick is that everything physical has a natural magnetic field, even seemingly magnetically inert objects and their field can be exaggerated by deliberate manipulation. Even planetary bodies. I'm still learning how to fly using just my natural magnetic field to repel against the Earth's, no metal involved. But beyond that I've noticed a faint amount of gravity manipulation and perhaps pure telekinesis in the form of light reflective shields. In fact my shields come surprisingly easy too but they are impermeable at the moment. If I use one as a bubble I'll eventually suffocate. I tested it on bugs while in my cell. I'm going to need to read up on my physics if I want to really use my powers to their full potential. But I have already discovered a killer move, courtesy of a Certain Technological Railgun… ball-bearings, nails, screws and small change are converted into deadly bullets in my range. If I work at it, I'll have an artillery scale attack.

Maybe once I've gained a great deal better control I can rip the iron out of a person's bloodstream, killing them instantly like Magneto did in that movie. A brute force method to be sure, but perhaps a necessary final resort.

Telepathy has always been an issue with Magneto, but then again this was because his greatest friend/rival/enemy/peer Xavier was a supreme telepath. I'm not nearly as worried by Martian Manhunter or human psychics, they are far more limited in this universe compared to Marvel, subtler perhaps but definitely weaker. Magneto was also supposed to be a minor telepathic talent, with superior mental defences… able to use Cerebro even. I doubt I possess the defences, since they are a learned ability… but his helmet, or a similar device will be useful in the long run. Magic wards most of all though. Telepathic training is something to invest in, because I can't sense much from that side of things. Xavier probably definitely helped there. Magneto was likely not a self taught telepath.

I guess I'll have to deal with Dad sooner or later. If only to get revenge for my Aunt. I mean, I assume she's dead by now, since he's had every opportunity to finish the job in the last half year I was imprisoned. How much of a bungling incompetent must he be to have failed to kill a one year old for that long?

... am I giving him too much credit? He is a supervillain after all.

But enough daydreaming on a bus. Time to go out and do my thing.

Hello, seedy looking guy with a pair of bodyguards. Armed guards, one even has a sawn off double barrel shotgun in a holster… which is very illegal. The other has a pair of revolvers, one in a holster under his left armpit, the other strapped on his left leg.

I suspect organised crime immediately.

Jumping off at the next bus stop I circle back, taking to rooftops with levitation from an alley. I close on them with my senses once again, still on the street waiting for something. A luxury car, it resolves a few minutes later. All three jump in, joining the driver, a slim looking guy.

They pull away, heading towards a warehousing district. I pull on my balaclava and hover from roof to roof in pursuit. The number of armed guards patrolling at the warehouse is troubling. I flit overhead and descend to the roof of the warehouse for a closer look. I make a peephole in the metal roof.

Stack of goods…

A bunch of people at the far end.

And a manager's section partially walled off.

Oh, that's not good. A captive.

A blonde, in white bodysuit. Her face is a mess, dripping blood onto the fleur-de-lis symbol on her chest. Tied to a chair. As I watch a sleazy guy backhands her roughly once again. Well, enough of that.

The roof is corrugated iron, the support struts are steel. I smile.

With a shrieking groan, the roof tears open as I float slowly inside. The place is without question, a drug factory. Some kind of powder. There are five whole rows of dozens of people seated, weighing and measuring their product. A production line.

Sleazy Interrogator pauses to stare open-mouthed as I focus on him, raise a hand and then gesture. A steel beam sweeps past, taking his feet out from under him from behind so he falls. The next beam stops, to rest on his right arm… and I let go. He squeals as the seventy kilos of steel presses down hard above the elbow. The next three are placed to hold him down by the other arm and legs.

I sweep a glance at the fleeing chemists, before bolting the doors and distorting the locks. My gaze passes over piles of money, some in the process of being sorted. I turn to the woman, to find she is already free and warily watching me. So she has acting skills, was playing possum I see. A superspy type? Ninja?

The thug curses under his improvised cage. I look at the elegant looking lady and wink.

"Hello there, criminal. Now you have two choices, you tell me everything about this factory and who it involves… and you get to live. Otherwise, I'll be showing you a cheap and cheerful alternative to the guillotine." I point upwards to yet another beam hovering near the roof, casting a shadow over his neck.

The woman raises an eyebrow at the threat, but her captor begins to spill his guts. I'm not really that interested, it was for her benefit after all. I even ask after he falls silent if she has anything else he can elucidate. But other than a few finer details, he gave her all she wanted.

Since the thug is being a good sport, I remove the threat of dismemberment.

With a squeeze I bend the beams over his body, turning them into shackles buried in the concrete floor.

I hold out an arm. "May I offer you a lift, Miss?"

With a cheerful laugh she takes my arm in a tight grip. Ugh, a little too tight. She's stronger than I am, by quite a bit. But then my arm is currently buried in her not insubstantial breasts, so I'll deal. A trade off of sorts.

And… liftoff. Trailing along behind me, a set of tweezers holding a stack of thousand Franc notes.

Sue me, I want to showoff for the mystery woman. Sure, she's out of my league, I mean the age difference alone… I'm barely a teen.

I rise high into the air, spinning to offer a view in all directions, before asking the age old question of all taxi drivers. "Where to?"

The lady points downtown and I oblige at a sedate pace.

"I'm Fleur-de-lis. While the help wasn't strictly necessary, it is appreciated." She announced.

Okay, the symbol was literal. Her voice is nice, with a smooth quality. Sexy as hell too. Ugh… stupid hormones. Focus!

"Hmm. I hadn't really given much thought to a name yet… I suppose… Metal Storm?" I laugh at her bemused look. "I know, I'm not subtle."

"How did someone as young as you get such, how should I say it, excessive power?" She queried. "I have seen magic, technology and even powers, but yours is shockingly high."

I shrugged. "Compared to the Superman in Metropolis, I'm a small fish."

Her eye quirked again. "You know him?"

I smiled. "Better than the press. With one exception."

"Oh?" She asked.

"Lois Lane, the author of the original article. He has his eye on her." I explained.

"Ahh. L'amour. The classic tale." She exclaimed, before returning her interest back to me. "So you are the one who captured the Ape?"

"Yes, even if he has already been freed." I paused. "I wonder what he was doing here."

"I can answer that… he was responsible for several bombings last week, including the Louvre. You no doubt found his safe-house, as he waited for exfiltration." She explained.

"Ah. How many casualties? I had no idea." I asked, dreading the answer.

"Fifteen people, including a cadre of famous scientists and three school children." She softly answered.

I flinched.

Shit.

Next time I see the ugly bastard, I'll be have monkey stew for dinner. Or several dogs will, at least.

The rest of the flight was awkwardly silent.