Act 2: Shazam's Real Debut

I descended rapidly, landing between the thugs and their would-be victims. "Back off!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the street.

One of the thugs, a wiry guy with a knife, sneered at me. "Look who it is, the hero. Think you can take us all on?" This guy was… sigh… You know what? Fine!

I didn't respond. Instead, I unleashed a wave of lightning that arced through the group, knocking them to the ground. They writhed in pain, their weapons clattering to the pavement. It was getting redundant, but I'd be happy as long as no one was hurt. Though I knew that was asking for too much.

With the bombing spree going on, I wouldn't be surprised if the casualties reached triple digits.

"Leave," I ordered the bystanders. "Get to safety."

They nodded, gratitude clear on their faces as they hurried away. I turned my attention back to the thugs, making sure they were down for the count. Satisfied, I took to the sky once more, scanning for the next crisis.

The night seemed endless, each new problem cropping up just as I dealt with the last. Fires, robberies, assaults—Bakuda's influence was spreading like a virus, and for some reason, the Protectorate's presence could be barely felt. I feared they must be holding back at least half of their forces in light of the possibility of a breakout for Lung.

Eventually, I found myself hovering over the old factory district.

There was a blast of concrete, and emerging from the debris and clouds of smoke was none other than Glory Girl. She was a striking figure, exuding confidence and power with every step. Her white one-piece dress ended in a skirt at her mid-thigh, with shorts underneath, giving her both grace and practicality in her movements. An over-the-shoulder cape billowed behind her, adding to her majestic presence. Her high boots clicked against the pavement as she approached, each step echoing with authority.

Glory Girl's golden tiara gleamed in the dim light of the night. Her platinum blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her face like a halo. Despite her youthful appearance, Glory Girl was fairly tall, her stature commanding respect and attention. As she surveyed the scene before her, her piercing blue eyes narrowed with determination.

She was oh-so my type—

"Oh, I fucking hate night shifts," she complained.

Even when she was swearing, she was pretty.

"Fuck! FUCKING FUCK!"

Okay, I'd like to take it back, swearing was bad, and even a pretty face wouldn't justify it.

"Calm the fuck down, miss," I said, trying to keep my own frustration in check. "Don't be so high-strung, it's bad for work." I didn't mean to curse too, but I felt like doing it too after seeing her cuss… ah crap…

She looked at me once, showed surprise, looked away, and then looked at me again. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice hinting at both curiosity and skepticism.

"Please call me Shazam," I replied, deciding to use this name from now on. As a cape, it was a fitting name. I could say the magic word as long as it didn't have the 'intent' of transforming, so I provided her 'Shazam' as my cape name. "Is there something wrong? You're looking at me strangely."

Just then, another figure emerged from the same wall she appeared from. "Victoria, you have to control your temper," he said. The man was seven-foot tall with an athletic build and wore a primarily white costume with yellow lightning bolt designs that followed the general pattern of other members of New Wave.

"Who is this?" he asked, turning his attention to me.

"Uncle, his name is Shazam," Glory Girl, or Victoria, replied. "Weird name, right? He seems to be the new cape flying around, saving people and stuff."

"I see," he said, his tone measured as he assessed me.

"Manpower, right?" I asked, recognizing him from the New Wave. "I'm here to help."

He nodded. "Good. We can use all the help we can get. The city's a mess tonight."

"Yeah," I agreed, glancing around at the destruction. "Bakuda's got everyone running in circles."

"Do you have any leads?" Manpower asked, and his expression was serious.

"Last I heard, she was seen near the docks," I said. "But she's slippery. Tattletale suggested she might have bigger plans."

"Of course she does," Victoria muttered, crossing her arms. "We need to find her before she causes more damage. But Tattletale, seriously? You should have apprehended her right on the spot if you are a hero…"

What the fuck is her problem? I knew I had a bad personality, but I think Glory Girl had it bad too…

"Agreed," I said. "Let's split up and cover more ground. I'll take the north side."

"Be careful," Manpower warned. "Tinkers are a troublesome bunch and this one sure got a lot of tricks up her sleeve. We've encountered a series of esoteric bombs already, and some of them could catch a seasoned cape even if they were on guard."

Esoteric bombs? I couldn't tell. I dealt with the problems as I saw them fit, and never let one bomb go off. I shouldn't be too critical of them, since they didn't have magic lightning…

"You too," I replied, taking to the sky once more.

After a few more flyby and saving people, I've decided I should do something else. I had encountered Miss Militia and Velocity on more than one occasion already. The rising presence of the Protectorate in the city made me feel like I should find other ways to be more helpful. Flying over the chaos, I saw that it wasn't just about fighting thugs and stopping bombs; there were countless people injured, scared, and in need of help.

I decided to visit a few hospitals. Using my magic lightning for healing wasn't something I'd considered before, but since healing was within my power set, I should do it. I avoided the hospital with Panacea, knowing her power was more than capable of handling the influx of injured.

At the first hospital, the scene was chaotic. Doctors and nurses rushed between patients, overwhelmed by the sheer number of casualties. I landed softly in the courtyard, not wanting to add to the already tense atmosphere.

"Excuse me," I called out to a nurse who looked like she was about to collapse from exhaustion. "I can help."

She stared at me, wide-eyed, before recognizing who I was. "You're the new hero, right? Shazam?"

It seemed word of me was spreading wide and fast.

"That's right," I confirmed. "I can heal people. Just point me to where I'm needed the most."

Her face lit up with hope, and she quickly guided me inside. I moved from room to room, using my magic lightning to heal wounds and restore health. The feeling of making a tangible difference was overwhelming. Patients who had been on the brink of death opened their eyes, astonished and grateful.

"Thank you," an elderly woman whispered, her hand clasping mine weakly before the lightning surged through her, bringing color back to her cheeks.

"You're welcome," I said, giving her a reassuring smile.

This continued throughout the night. Each hospital I visited had similar scenes of desperation slowly turning into relief. The staff was incredibly grateful, and I could see the weight lifting off their shoulders as I worked.

At some point, I'd healed every injured person who needed immediate attention from every hospital I could get in touch with. My magic wasn't infinite and had its limitations, but I was able to subvert some of the exhaustion by converting the Stamina of Atlas into mental power, which was unconventional but effective. Feeling the strain of the night, I was about to leave the last hospital I'd visited when Miss Militia caught me in the hallway.

"The bombing rampage has stopped," she said, her voice weary yet resolute. "But I fear it might restart again at first light."

I studied her, noting the fatigue etched on her face. She was dark-haired and olive-skinned, wearing a scarf and sash around her waist patterned after the American flag. Her stylized, fitted army fatigues accentuated her curves. Her bottle-glass green eyes, however, were the most striking, reflecting both determination and exhaustion. I liked her spirit and I'd love to have her autograph, but I had to protect the dignity and mystique of Shazam.

"But at least we'll have some rest, no matter how short," I replied, trying to sound hopeful.

Miss Militia nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I feel the same," she admitted. "It's been a rough night."

"Have you been out there the whole time?" I asked, genuinely concerned for her.

She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah, I've been working to suppress ABB operations trying to take advantage of the chaos. It's been non-stop."

I frowned, realizing how much the heroes were stretched thin tonight. "You need rest too. We all do."

"Rest?" She chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I'll rest when this city is safe. But for now, we need to stay vigilant."

I should be going," I said, starting to turn away.

"So, how are you related to New Wave?" Miss Militia asked, stopping me in my tracks.

"Excuse me?" I responded, genuinely taken aback.

She continued, "New Wave is a hero team that advocates publicly accountable superheroes without secret identities. You don't wear a mask, you're blond, and you can fly—"

"No, I am not. It is all a coincidence. And no, please don't throw a recruitment pitch at me, because I don't think I can trust the Protectorate, not to mention the PRT," I interrupted, feeling a sudden surge of frustration.

"Why?" she asked, her tone both curious and cautious.

I hesitated, knowing I couldn't fully explain my reservations. I had fought alongside the Triumvirate against the Simurgh in Canberra, and there had always been something off about the situation, something I couldn't shake. For now, my highest priority was Bakuda and Brockton Bay. "I think you know, Miss Militia," I said cryptically. It was a leading answer, and I hoped she would understand the gravity behind my words. I found Miss Militia to be a trustworthy person, and if my judgment wasn't wrong, she might prove to be a valuable ally and source of information. It felt manipulative, but my memories of Alexandria and her actions suggested a picture that my Wisdom of Solomon couldn't ignore.

She studied me for a moment before nodding. "Fine. You should check with Brockton Hospital then. Panacea could use your help. Since it's public knowledge that Panacea works there, most patients were transported there. The influx of patients might cause overcrowding, but if another healer was there—"

"I understand," I said, cutting her off gently. "Thank you for the tip."

I flew towards Brockton Hospital, without dallying. The night had been long and grueling, but the thought of helping more people kept me going. The hospital was already a beacon of disorder, with ambulances lined up and people rushing in and out. I landed discreetly, not wanting to draw too much attention.

Inside, the scene was frantic. Medical staff were overwhelmed, and the air was thick with the tension of urgent care. I spotted Panacea in the center of it all, her hands glowing as she healed a patient. She looked exhausted but determined, her focus unwavering.

"Panacea," I called out as I approached her. She looked up, surprised to see me.

"What?" she asked, frowning at me with subtle… no… not subtle, but evident distaste… "What are you? Some weirdo Glory Girl cosplayer, but the male version? Such a creep… fuck off before I call the guards…"

"…" Uuumm… sure? Fuck no, I am not a creep!