A/N: This chapter based on Action Comics #01 (The New 52 series)
It's early evening in Metropolis. On one of the tallest buildings, a party is being held. Finn Hudson, Mr Metropolis himself, is celebrating another successful 'transaction.'
"It's a done deal," Hudson says smugly. "How 'bout we celebrate?"
"Mr Hudson…" replies Rory Flannigan, his assistant. Hudson can here the uncertainty in his voice. His face looks as if he feels something amiss.
A flash of light streaks across the night sky.
"I smell rats."
In the midst of their party is a woman, knees bent after falling from the sky. She slowly stands up. For a girl barely out of her teens, in skinny jeans and a skin-hugging blue shirt, wearing a slightly ridiculous red cape, she's intimidating. Must be her red, glowing eyes.
"Rats. Rats with money."
Hudson steps back and allows his mean to aim their weapons at the girl. He hopes the rumors aren't true.
"Rats with guns."
Hudson hears Flannigan's voice, shaking.
"What are you?"
The girl smiles.
"Your worst nightmare."
Quinn Fabray rushes out of her car.
"Chang, you're with me," she calls to one of her officers. They rush into the hotel and move towards the elevator.
The employee at the check-in counter calls for them to stop.
"Mr Hudson is in a meeting! You can't just go i—"
She flashes her badge at him as she waits for the elevator to come down. It arrives, and when it opens, she and three of her men get in.
"This is Mr Metropolis himself," Mike Chang says. "He can have us all fired."
Quinn talks, more to herself than as a reply to Mike.
"How do we stop something that shouldn't exist?"
The report tells her of a girl that flew in from the night sky. Quinn can only think of one being that can do that.
She places a hand to her temple. "Where's our precedent here?"
"Probably shot and stuffed. Mounted on the wall most likely," an officer says gravely.
The elevator door opens, revealing chaos on the top floor. Quinn takes in the damage. There are men scattered all around, one in a chandelier, one put through the wall, two tied together with a metal bar, the rest lying on their back, unconscious.
A tall European-looking man rushes into her line of vision. Quinn's not exactly sure what he's saying. His deep breathing coupled by his thick—Irish?—accent makes his words almost indecipherable.
"—hurling them like they we—weighed nothing. Flames shooting out of her ey—eyes."
The man sees them and hurls himself at Quinn's feet.
"Don't let her get to me."
Quinn pulls him to his feet.
"Go downstairs sir. One of the officers will take your statement."
She and her men walk out of the elevator, allowing the tall man to get in.
"A madwoman…red paracahute…he has Mr Hudson!" he says, as the elevator doors close. "Won't somebody help him?"
Mike walks in front of her, picking up a twisted, metal object from the floor.
"How the hell does anyone do this with a gun?"
"Drop it, Mike. Let's go."
Quinn leads her men to where the exit to the rooftop terrace is.
"Careful," she says to her men. "She's stro—there! Ahead!"
"It's her Ma'am!" Mike says. "Is that her? Is that…"
Oh god.
Quinn has met all kinds in her time on the force, but she hasn't seen anyone like her.
She's standing on the edge of the railing, a shadow cast across her face, leaving it dark bar her eyes, which are glowing a bright red. She's holding above her head, with only her left hand, Hudson, who is easily twice her size and weight.
Quinn walks a few steps forward. Cool and calm, she says:
"Put that man down and step away from the edge."
The girl grins.
"Sure officer, I'll put him down…just as soon as he makes a full confession. To someone who still believes that all men are equal in the eyes of the law."
She lowers Hudson so that his heels slightly graze the top of the railing.
"I guess that counts me out."
"Somebody, save me!"
What should she do?
"Sir," Quinn begins. "I suggest you—"
"In god's name, you people are supposed to protect me!"
Quinn would like to slap him on the end with the side of her gun. Instead, she aims her weapon at the girl, sure that her men are following.
"Put the man down. We will shoot otherwise."
The girl's eyes flash.
"Still won't talk, Hudson? Okay, you had your chance."
Quinn watches as the girl steps of the balcony.
"No!"
She rushes to the balcony, but it's too late. The girl drops Hudson, and he falls to the sidewalk like a sack of potatoes. She waits for the sound of Hudson being flattened like a pancake, but, seconds from the sidewalk, the girl swoops in and carries the man in her arms. Quinn, followed by her men, rushes back down to the street.
She sees the girl in the middle of the crater, Hudson hanging above her head once more.
Her hands are shaking slightly when she points the gun at her.
"Do—don't move."
Never in her entire career has her voice broken. First time for everything, maybe.
The girl turns to look at her.
"No one's too big to be taken down a peg or two."
Looking at Hudson, the girl continues. "I can do this all night Hudson. What do you say?"
She lets go of him, and he drops to the ground with a thump.
"I—I confess! I'm guilty! Of everything! I used illegal cheap labor, I—I don't follow safety standards, I bri—bribed city officials! I lied, I lied to everyone…"
The girl glares at the police officers.
"You know the drill, Metropolis. Treat people right, unless you want a visit from me."
Hudson confessed…but the girl still threatened his life. Quinn doesn't lower her gun.
"You're under a—arrest."
Damn. Stuttering again.
The girl puts a hand on her hip and tilts her head.
"You need to get a doctor for that ulcer, Fabray. It's throbbing fit to burst."
"So god help me, I'll—"
"How 'bout you guys do your job and take care of the real criminals. Then I won't have to do it for you."
Quinn feels a hint of guilt, but she's not lowering her weapon anytime soon.
"Let me guess. You want to see if what the Daily Planet says about me is true," the girl says, lifting her hands up in a surrender, although her lips are formed into a smug smile.
"Come on. Shoot."
"Men, hold your fi—"
She feels a burst come from her left, and sees a bullet aiming for the girl's shoulder. Fast as lightning, the girl reacts. In less than a second, her arms are crossed over her chest. Quinn sees the bullet pinched between her index finger and her thumb. The girl drops it to the ground.
"Satisfied?"
The girl stretches, lifting her arms above her head, showing a bit of bare skin between her shirt and jeans.
"I really want to chat a few more minutes, guys, but I need to go. Oh, and Fabray, what's the first point of military discipline? Obey first before you complain? Make sure the big fella over there knows that."
Quinn can't let her get away. Bullets won't harm her, but maybe they can slow her down?
"Men! Open fire!"
The girl gives her a smirk, before dashing off. Bullets hit her, but they reflect off her skin.
"Catch me if you can!"
And like that, the girl disappears.
Quinn doesn't want to do this. The girl just made Mr Hudson himself confess everything that she's suspected him of being. But it's part of the procedure.
She turns on her communicator.
"She's all yours. Activate the city."
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