Gunfire ricocheted off the wall beside me. They didn't seem to realize that the wall of energy I threw up, was all the way around me. Four of them, all bank robbers, were firing on me with very nasty assault weapons. Two M-16's, which really didn't concern me. The other two were carrying AK-47's, which did worry me. They were advancing, which was making it harder to maintain the shield. Finally, one of them stopped to reload. Then I struck. I might be accused by some of being lazy, but they don't have to conserve strength the way I do. Yes, in fact, I could level the city if I wanted. The problem is, there isn't much of the same magical energy I normally use around. So while I could, I'd die from lack of life energy. I know that others around can do it as well. Superman for instance. He could wipe this place out without breathing hard. But his powers operate differently. As the other three covered the man who was reloading. He was carrying an M-16, unsurprisingly, I changed the nature of the shield. Instead of deflective, it became, reflective. They stopped firing as the rounds returned back at them. One was caught in the right arm, and the left leg. Another was hit in the legs. Most heroes also try not to injure opponents. I don't particularly care, and make no secret of the fact. The two injured robbers dropped to the ground. The last man, wielding an AK-47 continued to fire, though at skewed angles. He seemed to be trying to get around my shield, by bouncing the rounds off the walls behind and to the sides of me. I had already melted the pin on the M-16, the fourth man was still trying to reload. When he got it loaded, and slammed back the bolt, I grinned as he pulled the trigger and nothing happened. At that moment, however, the police finally showed up. The large number of guns aimed at the last of the robbers convinced him to drop his gun. I let my shield fall as his gun hit the ground. I stumbled back, and watched silently as they officers cuffed the two standing men, and called for ambulances for the other two. One of them approached me. Lieutenant Kelly, the name sprang to mind. He held out a cup of coffee.

"Thanks. I wish they'd stick with shotguns." I muttered and drank the entire cup in a single swallow. Kelly took the empty, and laughed.

"I'd think you'd want them to stop." He chuckled.

"I hope not, I'd be out of a job." I retorted. I felt much better now. Nothing quite like hot coffee to restore energy. And the way I was burning magic, I needed to. I waved and shifted. A rather simplistic way of moving. Rather than being able to go anywhere, it brought me from anywhere. The destination was always the same unless I changed it. For the moment, it was my home. The scene around me faded straight from the alleyway, into my living room. Actually, the doorway into my house. Since I always liked to look into my mirror. As the scene faded in, I ducked instantly, seeing the mirror shattered. At the same instant, a laser blast slammed into the wall in a line through where my head had just been. "Great."

---

"Can I go?" Kara asked calmly. Trying to keep the excitement out of her tone, and face. Clark muttered something that was far below even her hearings ability to pick up. Zatanna elbowed him in the ribs. Kara winced, knowing how hard that could be. She also knew that Zatanna was a powerful sorceress, and that if she decided to make him move, there wasn't a whole lot he could do to stop her. She was also very much sure that only Dr Fate, or the demon Etrigan could really handle her, if she decided to go after someone.

"Come on, she'll be with me, and Flash. Between us, I think we can handle anything short of a global thermo nuclear war." Zatanna grinned. "If that occurs, we'll call you." She said with a pat on the cheek.

"Fine, but be careful." Superman muttered, and walked out swearing in Kryptonian. Supergirl yelled after him.

"That's anatomically impossible." She called. She laughed at his reply.

"What did he say?" Flash asked. Supergirl flashed a glance at Zatanna, who gave an imperceptible negative reply. She understood Clark well enough, and didn't want Flash to know what he said.

"Never mind, you wouldn't get the reference." Kara replied sweetly. The inflections in her tone spoke clearly, even to Flash, that he shouldn't pursue it. He shrugged.

"Okay, when do we leave?" He asked.

"As soon as you run and get clearance for a Javelin." Zatanna smiled. He vanished. Kara raised an eyebrow. "You just have to know how to handle men." She grinned. "Unlike certain people, like that old biddy Circe, some of us don't need magic." She struck a pose for a second, before laughing. Wonder Woman walked by, trailed by Steel, and Steel. They passed around a corner. "And some of us can just scare them into line."

"Got clearance. Who wants to fly?" Flash asked. Two flat stares met him. "Oh, right." They could both fly without help.

---

The black and silver capsule floated in low martian orbit. In the middle of it, rested the pilot, captain, and only crew member. An alien inside of a robot. The aircraft was drawing in minerals from the martian atmosphere, when it detected radio transmissions. A small white light flashed, alerting the pilot. He sat up, and looked around. A holographic screen displayed information on the source of the transmissions. A view of earth appeared. Though the expressions of the alien creature were unreadable, as it pushed the controls and it's flight plan adjusted to encompass earth, there was a haste in the motions. After a few moments, it lay back, feeling what humans would describe as satisfied. The tail end of the bolt shaped capsule lit, as it slipped from orbit, and folded space to reach earth orbit.