C-04

The wind whipped against me as I soared high above New York City, the skyline glittering below like a sea of stars. Flying was exhilarating—more than I ever imagined. Even after months of testing and calibrating my Kryptonian abilities, the sheer freedom of it was something no simulation or training could replicate.

"Status report," I said, the comms system in my suit automatically connecting me to Alfred.

"Sir, the police radio has reported a disturbance on 34th and 7th. A stolen vehicle pursuit," Alfred's voice replied. "I'm tracking their path. They're heading toward Madison Square Park, you'll intercept them in three minutes if you push it."

"Copy that," I said, tilting forward and picking up speed. The roar of an engine tearing down the street drew my attention. A black sedan weaved recklessly through traffic, tires squealing as the driver ran a red light. I spotted two NYPD cruisers in pursuit, their sirens blaring.

"Time to make a first impression," I muttered.

Descending like a predator, I landed in the middle of the street with a resounding thud, my red cape billowing behind me. The headlights of the speeding car illuminated my figure for a brief second before the driver realized too late—they weren't getting past me.

The car slammed into my chest at full speed. The hood crumpled like tin foil, metal screeching as the vehicle came to a dead stop. I didn't flinch, my boots digging into the asphalt, the impact sending cracks spidering across the road.

The driver stumbled out, his face pale as he clutched his injured arm. "W-what the hell are you?!" he stammered.

His partner, quicker on the uptake, jumped from the passenger seat with a gun already drawn. Before he could even aim, I let out a low chuckle.

"A gun? Against me? That's cute."

He fired. The bullets ricocheted harmlessly off my chest, the sharp metallic pings punctuating the night air. I didn't even blink, stepping closer as he emptied the clip in a blind panic. When the gun clicked dry, I tilted my head at him, my voice calm and even.

"Done? Good."

With a flick of my wrist, I grabbed the gun from his trembling hands and crushed it effortlessly. The mangled remains dropped to the ground with a clang.

"Now, here's what's going to happen," I said, looming over the two men. "You are going to work your ass's off to pay for this car that you stole and crashed. And if I ever hear that you have stolen another car or anything again? Well..." My eyes glowed faintly red, and they both froze. "You won't like what happens next."

Before either could stammer a reply, the screech of tires announced the arrival of the cops. Four officers jumped out of their cars, weapons drawn, their eyes darting between me and the wreckage.

I stepped back, gesturing to the two criminals with a sweep of my hand. "They're all yours, officers."

The lead officer hesitated, his weapon lowering as he took in my red-and-blue suit, the shield "S" emblem on my chest, and the wreckage I'd left. "You... who are you?"

I shot him a faint smile, giving the man a reassuring nod. "Just someone who wants to protect this world," I said, then gave a two-finger salute. "You can call me Superman."

The night unfolded with a series of smaller acts of heroism. Rescuing a kitten stuck in a tree. Helping an elderly woman carry her groceries across a busy street. Stopping a purse snatcher with a single flick of my wrist to trip him up.

Each interaction brought a mix of curiosity and awe. The whispers followed me wherever I went:

"Did you see him?"

"Who is that guy?"

"He called himself Superman!"

Later, Alfred's voice crackled in my ear. "Sir, there's a bank robbery in progress on 5th Avenue and 48th. Hostages reported."

"On it," I said, rocketing toward the location.

The bank's glass doors were shattered, jagged shards littering the pavement. Inside, chaos reigned. Masked robbers waved automatic rifles at cowering hostages, barking threats as they loaded duffel bags with cash. The nervous energy in the air was palpable.

I descended just outside the entrance, my boots crunching against the glass. My red cape billowed as I stepped into the light. One of the robbers glanced up and froze, his panicked shout cutting through the noise.

"Who the hell is that?"

His comrades turned, weapons snapping up to aim at me.

I raised an eyebrow, strolling through the broken doors with deliberate calm. "Good evening, gentlemen. Quite the operation you've got here. Let me guess: first timers? Because it's giving 'unprepared and desperate.'"

"Get out of here, freak!" one of them yelled, his voice cracking as he leveled his rifle at me.

I stopped mid-step and sighed, my expression unimpressed. "Really? Guns? Haven't we figured out by now that never works?"

The leader sneered. "Light him up!"

The room erupted into chaos as they opened fire, the muzzle flashes lighting up the bank's interior. Bullets pinged harmlessly off my suit, ricocheting into walls and ceilings. Hostages screamed, ducking for cover, but I didn't move an inch until the gunfire stopped.

I brushed a stray bullet off my shoulder, letting it clink to the floor. "Okay, my turn."

In a blur of motion, I moved faster than they could react. The first robber's rifle crumpled in my grip like a cheap toy. The second was disarmed before he could blink, his weapon disassembled piece by piece in his hands. The third tried to flee, but I caught him by the collar, lifting him off the ground effortlessly.

One by one, they were subdued. I used their own ropes to tie them together, securing the group in a neat bundle on the floor. They sat in stunned silence, their masks slightly askew, as if they couldn't process what had just happened.

By the time the police arrived, the hostages were already freed, standing safely behind me. An officer approached cautiously, his wide eyes darting between the subdued robbers and me.

"You... you're Superman, right?" he asked, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief.

"That's the rumor," I said with a small smile, stepping aside to let the cops do their job.

The officer gave a nod of gratitude, his expression softening. "Thanks. We don't see many like you around here."

I gave a friendly nod back, glancing at the hostages to make sure they were okay. "Just doing what's right," I said simply, then took a step outside.

The cool night air greeted me as I lifted off the ground, soaring into the sky once again. 

<------------------- >

The night air was crisp as I hovered high above the city, the lights of New York stretching out endlessly beneath me. With a flick of my wrist, I summoned my phone from its compartment in my suit. Might as well catch up on the news.

Scrolling through social media was oddly satisfying; the hashtag #SupermanNYC was trending. Videos of me stopping the bank robbery, helping civilians, and even saving that kitten were already racking up millions of views. I smirked. At least the PR was off to a good start.

My moment of peace was interrupted by the distant wail of sirens. Glancing down, I saw plumes of thick black smoke rising against the skyline. A fire.

"Alfred, get me details," I said, slipping the phone back into its compartment.

"Already on it, Master Wayne," Alfred's voice chimed in my ear. "Fire reported at an apartment complex on East 12th. Emergency services are struggling to contain the blaze. Initial reports suggest there are still people trapped inside."

"Got it," I said, shifting position midair. Then, with a burst of speed, I broke the sound barrier, the sonic boom echoing faintly behind me as I raced toward the inferno.

The scene was chaotic. Fire trucks lined the street, their lights painting the surrounding buildings red and blue. Firefighters sprayed powerful streams of water into the roaring flames, but the fire had already engulfed most of the upper floors. The heat was oppressive, even from a distance.

I landed smoothly near the fire chief, who didn't seem to notice me at first. "Chief!" I called out, my voice cutting through the cacophony of sirens and crackling flames.

He turned, startled, his face soot-streaked and tired. "You're... Superman, right?"

"That's me. What's the situation?"

The chief hesitated for a moment before answering, clearly skeptical but desperate. "We've got people trapped on the top floor. The stairs collapsed, and the fire's spread too far for us to get in. We're doing everything we can, but..."

"Say no more," I interrupted, taking off toward the building before he could object.

I smashed through a third-story window, flames licking at the edges of my suit. The smoke was dense and suffocating, but my Kryptonian physiology made it a minor annoyance. My X-ray vision activated, scanning the building until I located the heat signatures of three people huddled together in a corner on the top floor.

"Hang on!" I called, flying upward through the debris and fire until I reached them.

The family—a mother clutching her two children—stared at me in shock. "It's okay," I said gently. "I'm here to get you out."

One by one, I lifted them into my arms, the mother barely having time to protest before I shot back out of the building and landed safely in the street. Paramedics rushed to them, taking over immediately.

The fire chief approached me again, shouting over the noise. "There's no one else in there, but the fire's getting worse. We're worried about the structural integrity of the building—it could collapse at any moment!"

"Noted," I said, floating into the air. "Clear the area."

The firefighters hesitated, but at the chief's barked orders, they backed away. Hovering just above the burning building, I took a deep breath—a really deep breath—and unleashed a powerful gust of super breath.

The flames hissed and sputtered, shrinking rapidly under the force of the icy wind. Within moments, the fire was reduced to embers, and the danger of collapse had passed.

I landed briefly to check with the chief. "The structure's stable now. Your team can handle the rest."

The man stared at me, then extended a soot-covered hand. "Thanks. I don't know what we'd have done without you."

I shook his hand, nodding. "Just doing my job."

The flight home was quiet, the adrenaline from the night finally fading as exhaustion set in. I touched down softly in the gardens of Wayne Manor, slipping through my open window and into my room.

The suit dematerialized, retreating back into its containment within my body, leaving me in comfortable sweats. I barely made it to the bed before collapsing face-first onto the plush mattress.

"Being a hero," I mumbled into the pillow, "is so much more exhausting than it looks."