The cops were just regular police and none of them knew Penny from HQ, which only made things harder. As far as they were aware, she was just any old bank robber. She tried showing her ID, but they had obviously seen plenty of fake ID cards from kids her age, and they just laughed when she suggested calling Chief Quimby. She was surrounded by shoppers, all enjoying the side-show. She hadn't felt so embarrassed since the one time she forgot her homework at elementary school.
Her explanations sounded lame, even to her.
"It wasn't me! It was someone who looked like me – he just gave me the money... He took off, right over that building..."
"Oh yeah?" One of the cops snickered. "And who's this robber – this man of mystery?"
"He's Talon! Dr Claw's nephew. You must have heard of him, he's one of this city's greatest supervillains..."
"Yeah." The cop grinned. "And I'm Skeletor."
Penny took a deep breath, and tried again.
"He wasn't alone. There are still MAD agents, around someplace. You must have got them on camera, too. You need to find them. They've got the rest of the money..."
Another cop was checking Penny's bag.
"Looks like we got enough to be going on with. About... ten years' worth, I reckon."
Penny's blood ran cold. Jail? After all she'd done for Metro City? How was this going to look on her report card?
This was meant to be her birthday...
A younger cop was showing more imagination, and had tapped Penny's name into his phone. Her picture came up, on HQ's Who Are We? page.
"Sarge? Look. That's her."
The first cop took it. For the first time, he looked doubtful.
"I guess there hasn't been a mistake.."
"Oh, excuse me?" A voice spoke up from the crowd.
Penny's mouth fell open as she saw a teenage boy step forward.
It was Talon. But not as he had been before. He had his hair combed down, and was wearing the ordinary clothes he had worn when Penny first met him – jeans, a grey cardigan and a spotless white t-shirt. He looked lovable and innocent... and still annoyingly cute.
He must have flown around the block, disguised himself, and come straight back.
She had never heard him speak so softly.
"Sorry, sir... but it was totally her. I was just doing some shopping for my sick mom, and I saw her run out of the bank, ten minutes ago. She was carrying the loot. There were other guys, but I don't suppose you'll catch them now." He gave a realistic shudder. "I was really afraid."
"Smart work, Good Honest Boy." The first cop went over to him. "You'd better give us a statement..."
"Wait!" Penny yelled. She felt the pain as laser handcuffs appeared around her wrists. The other cops were leading her off towards a waiting police car. "That's him! That's Talon! He's the robber – the guy you're looking for!"
The watching crowds were laughing, and jeering.
Penny found herself being lowered into the car, and driven away.
As they hit the main road, the last thing she saw was Talon smiling sweetly at her.