Part 1

It was a clear but cold night in Gotham city that made anyone and everyone want to be inside looking out. The wind brought in a chill off the coast, making a low fog the first few blocks inland. Everything seemed quiet but silence and peace is always deceiving.

In the Gotham shipyard, a slow-moving figure made its way to the brightly lit loading docks. At least seven men were working in that area at the time. They were all the usual graveyard shift workers and were very familiar with each other. They laughed and joked loudly with each other until the man running the small crane spotted a shape.

"Ay Josh!" he called to the shift manager. "There looks like a trespasser over in row three."

"I'm on it." Josh said, smartly saluting him before marching in the given direction. Whipping out the standard issue heavy-duty flashlight from his utility belt, he scanned the area with a critical eye. It looked like no one was there until a ghostly moan made him nearly jump out of skin. Bawdy laughter sounded behind him making him realize he was being watched by the other crewman. Putting on a brave face he strode to the area where the moan came from. But then his high-powered beam hit the body that made the sound.

Stumbling back to the opening of row three, Josh waved his arms like mad over his head. "Carl! Jimmy! Someone! I need a coat or blanket over here pronto!" he screamed before rushing back to the motionless body.

Three pairs of footsteps ran in his direction, their voices calling out in concern. They all slowed when they saw their manager hunched over a shape. One of the more burly workers elbowed his way to the front.

"Whot goin' on 'ere Josh?" he asked, stepping up to look over his shoulder. His jaw dropped at what he saw. "Whot the 'ell is wrong wit 'er?"

Josh who had been gingerly feeling the unconscious female jerked when he made her whimper in pain. "Anybody bring me what I asked?" he growled. "She has nothing to protect her from the cold." After a jacket was taken off and passed forward then Josh started giving orders. "We need to move her but I'm afraid to directly pick her up. You men-" he said, pointing to 2 workers. "Go find some long planks. You-" he said pointing to the burly worker. "Go find a first-aid kit." They all rushed off to do his orders.

Josh turned back to the unconscious girl with his brow furrowed with worry. She looked very young to him and malnourished. A weird black bruise-like thing jumped out at him from the crook of her left elbow. He gingerly touched it to probe for a possible broken bone.

Just as his fingers started to push at her skin, the girl jolted in awareness with a loud gasp and grabbed his arm with her other hand. Even with her whole body now starting to shake with either pain, fear or cold, her grip was very firm. Josh tried to smile and say something calming but the poor girl's expression looked like she was way past being comforted. Light suddenly flooded where they were, blinding Josh but only jarring a cruel memory in the girls mind.

With a loud scream and flail, two red beams shot from the girls eyes, slicing and burning anything they touched. Josh fell away with a yelp as she nicked his shoulder while the crane light was destroyed. The crane runner had been told what was going on and slowly moved over to them to try to help in any way he could but had only made it worse.

Regaining some sanity, the girl covered her eyes to stop wrecking havoc on everything. The screams of terror, pain and panic only made her strained mind struggle for control worse.

"I do believe you've had your fun." a deep but dark voice said over her.

Forgetting for a moment that her eyes were shooting out death, she snapped up to see the person before her. But the beams hit him square in the chest, slamming him back into the other side of the row. Clamping her hands over her eyes with a wail, she turned in to the wall she was against, now more than ever determined not to ever move.

"Why you little-" the dark voice said in anger but was cut off by a newcomer.

"Hey there." another deep but kind voice said near her level. "What's the matter?"

She only shook her head, crouching down farther.

"I'm sure I can help you if you let me." A gentle hand touched her shoulder. "Let me see. It takes a lot to hurt me."

With more gentle coaxing on his part, he got her to peel one of her hands away for a moment at him before she slapped it back in place.

"I see what's the matter." he said kindly. "But the only way that is going to stop is if you let it."

A unbelieving squeak came from her but she didn't remove her hands.

"I had the same problem when I was younger. My father told me the same thing and you know what, he was right." he gently took hold of her wrists and pulled. "You can stop it when you stop being afraid."

The red beams flickered on and off for a minute before staying on.

"I think I know what is the problem." he chuckled. "Its my silent angry friend behind me isn't it?" A snort came from the first man but didn't say anything. "He won't hurt you. I promise, I will help you."

With a weary sigh, the girl tried once more. Only this time instead of flickering on, they flickered off.

"I knew you could do it." her rescuer said with a kind smile. He carefully helped her stand up and put on the coat left by one of the workers.

"I must do this." the other man said and stuck a needle in the girls neck and injected the strong quick-acting sleep-inducing solution in it.

"You didn't have to do that!" cried the second man, catching the girl before she fell.

"We are here to protect this city. She is a liability we can't just let go free. Bring her back to headquarters where we can figure this out." he sighed. "You and I both know that isn't normal. And I'm sure everyone has only seen that kind of power from one person."

"And that person is me..." he looked down at the girl he held in his arms.

"Superman? Will you help me with this?" the dark man asked.

"Whatever you say Batman. I'll see you back at base then." Superman said before flying off into the night sky.

With a critical eye, Batman quickly scoured the area for a clue about what was going on but was disappointed by the lack of evidence. Getting into his transportation, he zoomed off with high false hopes this would be quick to fix.