In Plain Sight

One Earth Security Guard:

"Keep an eye on both monitors," the chief of the One Earth Security team says. He points at the massive monitor at the front of the security room. The screen changes every few seconds, showing us a new perspective from different cameras. While we all watch the monitor in front, we also have to watch the monitor in front of us.

"Status check," the chief yells.

"Checking the floors," a handful of security team soldiers say. "New ID cards and chips are working. ID cards are matching the implanted chips. No false soldiers detected."

"Excellent. Next."

"Checking the ground," another handful of security team soldiers say. "Only One Earth trucks and jeeps are visible. No sign of any disturbance within 1,000 miles of New Metropolis."

"Wonder Woman will be pleased. Finally."

"Checking the sky," my team says. "No air traffic to be reported. One Earth or otherwi--"

"Hold on," I say, seeing something on the monitor. "I think I have something."

"What!"

The chief, along with almost everyone else in the security room runs to my computer. They all gather around me, trying to take a peek at my computer.

"What is it," the chief says. "I don't see anything."

"Wait, what?"

I check my computer again but the chief is right. My computer shows me an empty sky. A yellow bar runs around the screen but nothing shows on the radar.

"That's strange. I could have sworn I saw something."

I try adjusting some of the settings. When I'm done, I check the radar again and again, I don't see anything.

"Must have been my imagination," I say after a few more adjustments.

"Yeah," the chief says, "Must be. After all, there is no way any aircraft can enter New Metropolis's airspace without appearing on our instruments. If they do, they would be shot down without hesitation. Okay. Everyone, return to your station."

As everyone returns to their stations, the chief looks at me.

"You should probably get your eyes checked," the chief suggests. "No need to scare all of us like that."

"Yes sir," I say.

The Man:

Turning my head again, I make sure "chameleon mode" is on. Once I see that chameleon mode is on, I push another button on the control. The rockets on the back of the Night Bird shut off and the wings extend. Now, instead of flying in and giving a heat signature, I'm quietly gliding in.

Watching from inside the cockpit, I make notes of several upgrades from the last time I was here.

"Anti-aircraft guns. From the look of it, they're Skyshield guns. Dual revolver cannons with a rate of fire of 1,000 rounds a minute. Have to be careful now. The Night Bird can handle a few rounds, but not a 1,000."

I look up and see the rooftops. They're covered in One Earth soldiers, each armed with a laser-pointed sniper rifle. Despite the soldiers, I put the Night Bird in hover mode and jump out from the cockpit.

Landing on the crowded rooftop, on my hand and knee, I push myself up and step back. Hiding in the shadows, pressing myself against a wall, I watch a squadron of soldiers walk past me. As they walk past me, I smell something.

"Radio waves? A lot of them. More than before. Something else is new here. Besides the Skyshield."

I follow my nose and the smell of radio waves guides me to the squadron of soldiers. Waiting until most of the squadron has pass and the last soldier is within sight, I step out and punch him. Covering his mouth so he can't make a sound, I put him in a headlock and drag him into the shadow. 5 seconds later, I dust off my new uniform and walk back out, grabbing the dropped rifle and running to regroup with the soldiers.

Raven:

Mediating in my room, my legs crossed and my hands on my knees, I raise my head when I sense a familiar presence. A powerful familiar presence.

"The man in the sunglasses," I say. I uncross my legs and stop hovering in my mid-air. With my feet back on solid ground, I wave my hand, covering the walls of my room with dark magic. As my walls shake, red hands jump out from them.

"Demons," I shout, demons pulling themselves out of my wall and bowing at my feet. "I sense the presence of the man in the sunglasses here in New Metropolis. I don't know why he had come here but I don't care. Find and kill him. Now!"

"Yesss," my demons groan before running outside my room. Following them as they run out, I hear screams and shouts a few minutes later. A few more minutes later, I hear Superman's voice through my earpiece.

"Raven," he shouts. "What the hell! Why am I getting reports of red demons breaking into every room in New Metropolis? What are you doing?"

Placing my fingers against my earpiece, I answer Superman.

"The man in the sunglasses is here. He is right here in the compound, and I'm going to find him."

Ending the call, I pick a room and rip the door open.

Superman:

"The man in the sunglasses is here," Raven answers. "He is right here in the compound."

The call ends with the sound of metal ripping.

"Raven," I say, tapping my earpiece over and over. "Raven? Raven! Answer me!"

Hearing no answer, I slam my fist down, breaking my desk in half. Walking over the broken desk, I head for the main control

"The man in the sunglasses is here. He is right here in the compound. These were Raven's last words. Is the man in the sunglasses really here? I wouldn't be surprised if he has some sort of way to bypass all the added security measures. If what Raven said is true, then I have to act fast."

Walking up to the control, I push and hold down the intercom button.

"Attention all personal," I start, "Attention all personal. Priority fugitive #1, The man in the sunglasses had broken into New Metropolis. I repeat, priority fugitive #1, the man in the sunglasses had broken into New Metropolis!"

The Man:

All of us look up when we hear the announcement.

"The man in the sunglasses," one of the solider repeats. "No fucking way! He's here!"

"Son of a bitch," another soldier cries out.

"Check your guns now," the squadron leader orders. Immediately, we all check our guns.

"Scorpion EVO 3," I say, looking over the gun in my hands. "Fully loaded with 30 rounds in the magazine and one extra in the chamber. Well oiled. Well maintained."

When we're done checking our weapons, the squadron leader brings out a scanner.

"ID check," he yells. "Everyone, bring out your ID card now!"

"Yes sir," we all yell. Simultaneously, we bring up our ID cards and hold them up for the leader to scan. One by one, he starts scanning the cards. "Check. Check. Check. Check. Check."

As the squadron leader gets closer and closer to me, I look to the right and left and make sure no one's eyes are on me. Once I'm sure no one is looking at me, I subtly and quietly reach into my jacket pocket, which is behind the body armor. Getting my cell phone, I start dialing in a number.

Cyborg:

"What the hell is he doing here," I think, speed-walking down the hallway. "Why the hell is the man in the sunglasses here?"

I ask myself the question but I already know the answer. At least, part of it. Walking down the hallway and taking a turn, I finally find her.

"Raven," I shout, seeing Raven rip the iron door right off one of the spare rooms. With the door gone, Raven walks into the room, completely ignoring me. "Raven. Raven!"

I follow Raven into the room. When I do, I see her using her magical power to lift a bunch of things into the air. Tossing them all over, I scream when a bunch of submachine guns hit me.

"Raven!"

Again, Raven ignores me. She ignores me and walks out of the room. She's about to pass me but I grab her shoulder.

"Rav--"

The second I grab Raven's shoulder, she turns around and magically grabs me. A black aura covering me, it throws me into a wall and pushes me against it.

"Do not touch us," Raven shouts, her voice sounding like thunder. Holding up her hand, it glows brighter, half black and half white. As the glow intensifies, I feel myself being squashed even more.

"Ahhh," I cry, the sparks jumping off my body. "Raven! Stop! Stop! It's me! Cyborg! What are you doing!"

Raven ignores me and keeps on pushing. As she keeps on pushing, I see a red cross slowly grow over Raven's chest. It almost takes over her whole body.

The pressure getting to me, I start to hear the sound of glass breaking. I see a tiny crack appears in my right eye. It goes from tiny to big in only a few seconds.

"Raven," I shout. "Raven!"

All of a sudden, the lights around us turn red and start flashing. Alarms ring throughout the hallway. Seeing this, Raven pulls back her hand and I peel off the wall.

"We found the man in the sunglasses," someone yells through the speakers. "We found the man in the sunglasses! Hallway D-11! Hallway D-11!"

"Keep the man there," Raven orders, placing her fingers against her ear. "He's mine!"

Waving her hand, another red cross appears, only this time, it's in mid-air. Raven flies into the red cross and disappears.

"Shit," I say, pushing myself up with shakey, sparking arms. "I--I have to warn the man. Hallway D-11. That's on the other side of New Metropolis. There's no way I can get there before Raven. Not unless I teleported like her. But how? I don't have any magical power. Wait, I don't have any magical power but I do have something else. Fuck. I really hope Raven doesn't destroy the Mother box inside of me."

Having to do some quick re-wiring first, I redirect enough power to my Mother Box to activate it. Calling forth a boom tube, it appears right in front of me. Limping my way inside and through it, I reappear in Hallway D-11, and there, in the very crowded, I see a bunch of soldiers surrounding someone.

The person, another soldier is putting up a fight but within seconds, One Earth soldiers jump onto him and force him onto his knees. That's when I see Raven.

"The man in the sunglasses," she says so coldly that I shiver. "We finally caught you."