Act 2: "Shazam's Real Debut"

I blasted from the roof, descending on ABB thugs attempting a night raid in the bank of all things. "Drop your wea—"

Ratatatatatatata~!

The sound of gunfire pounded in my ears, but it was useless against me. The hostages tied to the corner panicked and crouched down. I saw a few bullets ricocheting toward them and feared for the worst. I blasted lightning from my fingertip, not enough to kill, but enough to incapacitate with pain. Before any of the ricocheting bullets reached the hostages, I flew at them and caught the bullets in my palm.

It took me a full second to incapacitate the robbers and intercept the bullets. However, a few hostiles did manage to take cover. I paid half my attention to the more seasoned ABB gangbangers who were still at full mobility, while I paid no heed to the already downed thugs.

"You're safe now," I assured the civilians, releasing a small pulse of electricity sharp enough to sever their bindings. It was a small application of magic and needed little mental power. They looked up at me with wide eyes, and I gave them a quick nod before turning my attention back to the thugs. "You guys picked the wrong night for this."

One of the thugs, a guy with a scar running down his cheek, tried to make a break for it. I zipped in front of him, blocking his path. "Going somewhere?" I asked, grabbing his gun and crushing it effortlessly. He yelped in surprise and stumbled back, only to be knocked out cold by a swift tap on his forehead.

The rest of the thugs were already down, writhing in pain from the shocks I'd delivered. "All of you, stay down," I commanded, my voice echoing through the bank. I gathered up their weapons and melted them into a harmless puddle with a quick burst of electric blasts from my palm.

I turned to the hostages again, making sure they were okay. "Can you guys make it out on your own?" They nodded, shakily getting to their feet. "Good. Head to the nearest police station. They'll take care of you."

It wasn't just bombing attempts, ruining the night as there were also occasional robberies and attacks on various facilities.

The former hostages hurried out, and I couldn't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction. One problem was dealt with, but the city was still a mess. Bakuda was out there, and I had to stop her. I took off again, scanning the city for any signs of her next move.

Flying over Brockton Bay, I saw the extent of the chaos. Fires burned in several locations and emergency vehicles were stretched thin. I spotted another burning building and was about to dive in when something caught my eye. A group of ABB thugs were setting up what looked like a bomb in a busy intersection.

I swooped down, landing with a thud that sent shockwaves through the ground. "Stop right there!" I shouted, my voice booming with authority.

The thugs froze, their eyes wide with fear. One of them, a lanky guy with a tattooed neck, tried to run. I zapped him with a quick bolt of lightning, dropping him to the ground. The others quickly followed suit, abandoning their task and raising their hands in surrender.

"Smart move," I muttered, disarming the bomb with a few deft movements. "Now, tell me where Bakuda is."

One of the thugs, a guy with a shaved head and a terrified expression, stammered, "W-we don't know! She doesn't tell us where she goes!"

I grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the ground. "You're lying," I growled, letting a small spark of electricity dance across his skin. "Tell me the truth."

He whimpered, his eyes wide with fear. "Okay, okay! She was last seen near the docks! That's all I know, I swear!"

I dropped him, my mind racing. The docks were a start. "Stay put until the cops get here," I ordered, taking off into the sky once more.

The docks loomed ahead, a maze of shipping containers and warehouses. I circled around, trying to match the background of the small footage where the Undersiders confronted Bakuda. I landed silently, my senses on high alert. Bakuda was here somewhere, and I needed to find her before she caused more destruction.

"Stop right there," called to me by a blonde woman. "A new cape, not longer than two months, very green, super strength, super speed, flight, thinker, blaster, brute… What are you?"

"Tattletale," I only needed a single glance, and I immediately knew. "You appearing before me so confidently means Grue must be around… His powers allow you an easy escape route. Where is Bakuda?"

Tattletale's appearance was distinct, her skintight black-and-lavender outfit catching the eye even in the dim light. The bodysuit, primarily lavender, was adorned with black lines that formed a striking pattern. One horizontal stripe stretched across her upper chest, intersected by a vertical stripe slashing down from that. Another horizontal line jutted out from halfway down the vertical one, followed by yet another vertical line piercing that horizontal line. Together, these lines formed a large, stylized "Tt," although its broad strokes might be easily missed by those not paying attention.

Her outfit seemed to accentuate her figure, adding to her aura of confidence and mystery. As she stood before me, her posture was relaxed yet poised, her gaze steady and unwavering. There was an air of intelligence about her as if she held knowledge beyond what most could comprehend.

To be frank, though, she looked like someone who had their nose too high up in the air.

"You're too late, she's gone, ran away. But you? Hmmm… Don't answer. You came here to apprehend her, confident, aren't you?" Tattletale was eloquent in an odd way, and even I felt amazed by the way she put which was which.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to gauge her intentions. "Cut the crap. If she's gone, where to?"

She smirked, tapping her temple. "Wouldn't you like to know? But you see, Bakuda's got plans, big plans, and you'll need our help if you want to get to her."

Frustration bubbled up inside me, but I knew better than to let it show. "What's her next target?"

"I will know," Tattletale shrugged. "And I will tell you if it is time. Here's my number." She tossed me her card, or should I say the Undersider's business card?

"And why should I trust you?" I demanded, crossing my arms.

"Because right now, she's as much a threat to us as she is to you. She's gone crazy. If we don't stop her, this city is toast." Her voice was steady, and I could tell she believed what she was saying.

I hesitated, considering her words. The Undersiders were criminals, but if Bakuda was a loose cannon, we might have a temporary alignment of interests. "Fine," I said finally. "But I'm watching you."

"Good," she replied with a sly grin. "Because you're gonna need all the help you can get."

Dark smoke rose from nowhere and swallowed Tattletale. "Until next time," were her last words to me as she disappeared. I reckoned I came too late, and that Bakuda's showdown with the Undersiders was already over when I arrived. It didn't mean my work was over yet; there were still burning buildings and ABB activity going wild in various parts of Brockton Bay.

I soared back into the sky, my mind racing with the new information. I scanned the horizon, my eyes landing on a plume of smoke rising from a residential area. Without hesitation, I rocketed towards it.

As I approached the scene, I saw a group of ABB thugs terrorizing a neighborhood, setting fire to homes and smashing windows. People were fleeing in every direction, panic etched on their faces. I descended rapidly, landing with enough force to crack the pavement beneath me. "Enough!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the chaos.

The thugs turned to face me. There was a mix of fear and anger in their eyes. One of them, a burly man with a crowbar, stepped forward. "Fucking capes, you think you're better than us!?" he sneered, raising his weapon, a fucking freaking machete.

What was this guy thinking he could achieve with a machete? If he had a gun instead, I might have understood him a little bit...

I didn't waste time with a reply. A quick burst of lightning from my fingertips sent him sprawling, his machete clattering to the ground. The other thugs hesitated, clearly unsure if they wanted to share his fate.

"Drop your weapons and get on the ground," I commanded, my voice filled with authority.

Most of them complied, dropping their weapons and raising their hands. But a few, emboldened by their numbers, decided to make a stand. They rushed at me, shouting obscenities. I met them head-on, using a combination of speed and strength to disarm and incapacitate them.

I didn't need to be overly brutal against them—

Within moments, the threat was neutralized. I took a deep breath, looking around at the chaos they had caused. The fires were still burning, and I could hear the distant wail of sirens. I needed to act fast.

"Everyone, move to a safe distance!" I called out to the residents. "I'll handle the fires."

It would have been perfect if I had more practice with casting magic, but desperate times called for desperate measures. The question: could lightning kill fire? Of course, it couldn't and it wouldn't. The very thought of it was stupid. But what about magic lightning? Chances were it still couldn't. But magic was a natural, primal force able to influence events and beings without recourse to the physical world.

The lightning was a medium, and it wasn't exactly the physical manifestation.

"Vanish, convert, return," these words were uttered with power, necessary invocations made on the spot to complement my intent and the magic.

So I tried as I might, lightning flickered from my fingertips, consciously altering the flames into my own lightning. The process was slow and agonizingly difficult, each spark of magic lightning requiring intense focus and mental strain. But gradually, the flames began to recede, converting into harmless bolts of energy that I absorbed back into myself.

Soon, all fire had been extinguished. Honestly, it was mentally taxing, and the Stamina of Atlas had been bypassed in its entirety. Perhaps, this was the Wizard's meaning when he said the magic in this world was weak. Or simply put, the Stamina of Atlas only affected the physical aspect. I took a moment to catch my breath, feeling the toll the effort had taken on me.

"Thank you," a woman's voice broke through my exhaustion. I looked up to see a middle-aged woman, her face etched with gratitude and relief. "You saved us."

I managed a tired smile. "Just doing my job."

With the immediate danger neutralized, I flew away, hoping to help more people. The city was still in chaos, and I couldn't afford to rest just yet. As I soared over Brockton Bay, I spotted another group of ABB thugs harassing a small group of people near a convenience store. They were armed and clearly looking for trouble.