Supremedalekdunn
Superman: Gladiator #1
Metropolis. The city that never sleeps. Or at least, that’s what the media would have you believe. They’d have you believe most things these days. Men that appear with a bolt of lightning. A woman that’s part human, part feline and perhaps most bizarrely of all. The idea that our beloved Superman can shoot out rainbows and miniature versions of himself out of his hands. How they thought of that headline, I’ll never know. I’d be lying though if I said I wasn’t curious as to what inspired them to write it.
But things have been off here in Metropolis these last two or three days. Everything feels…. different for some reason. I can’t quite put my finger on it but it’s like the city is suddenly taking a turn for the worse, but I can’t explain how. Maybe it’s simply because I’ve actually managed to intervene in more criminal actions these last few days than I have since I put on this damn thing. It’s unusual that I’m so ‘lucky’ these days. Can’t believe I used the term ‘lucky’ to describe witnessing a crime in progress. Perhaps what’s most perverse is that I think that I’m slowly becoming desensitised to it.
Goodness knows what it’s done to Clark by this point. Hell, maybe it finally got to him. That would explain why I haven’t seen him on the roof of Amertek these last few days. At least I hope that’s why I haven’t seen him. Last thing I want to think is that something bad may have happened to him. He’s a good young man and unlike most in his generation, he tries to find the positives in everything. I dread to think what sort of Superman he’d be if he didn’t have that outlook.
Whatever it is that’s taken Clark’s attention away from Metropolis is irrelevant for me though. Without a Superman to watch over it, I’ve had to step up and try to fill the hole left by his absence. Hopefully word doesn’t get out that Superman’s missing. The last thing I need is everyone going crazy knowing that there’s no Superman to stop them. I might be able to do more than police, but I’m still nowhere near his capabilities, and everyone knows that.
To compensate for my lack of superhearing and supersight, I’ve been forced to fast track the microdrones I’d been developing and deploy them throughout Metropolis. Sure I might not be able to be everywhere but at least these help me to prioritise where I’m needed. Instinct will only take you so far. Praise the wonder that is multimillion dollar technology. Hopefully the United States government won’t mind that I’m currently using an early stage prototype of their new surveillance programme idea. Then again, won’t they don’t know won’t hurt them.
It’s thanks to the surveillance programme that I’m able to witness an abduction first hand. Well, as first hand as watching a camera live stream an abduction can be. Running an image of the victim through the suits databases identifies him as Vernon Fraser, 64 years old. Recently widowed and retired from his job as a Lexcorp security guard four years ago. Can’t imagine he’s got many life savings stashed away thanks to the wages Lionel used to pay but he seems happy enough with his dog for company. Makes it rather heart-breaking to watch his kidnapper gun down his dog with three shots to the head.
”Miko! You bastard! What did you do to her?”
”I gave her a quick end. Can’t say you’ll be so lucky.”
”What do you mean? What do you want with me?”
”Oh we’ll have plenty of time to go over that later Mr. Fraser. But first, does this smell like chloroform to you?”
Before Fraser has a chance to run, his kidnapper forces a rag into his face and holds it there ten seconds. On camera it looks like an ordinary piece of cloth and it’s difficult to identify if there genuinely is chloroform on it. That’s quickly confirmed as Mr. Fraser quickly loses consciousness and collapses back into the arms of the kidnapper. I attempt to angle the cameras to get a proper look at the kidnapper’s face without allowing him to see the camera, to no avail. It doesn’t help that he’s wearing a ski mask over his face as well.
As he carries Mr. Fraser to what I assume is his car, I have the camera attached to the bottom of his car so I can track the vehicle across Metropolis. I’m not sure what this kidnapper’s motives are but I suspect they’re anything but good for Mr. Fraser.
Superman: Gladiator #1
Metropolis. The city that never sleeps. Or at least, that’s what the media would have you believe. They’d have you believe most things these days. Men that appear with a bolt of lightning. A woman that’s part human, part feline and perhaps most bizarrely of all. The idea that our beloved Superman can shoot out rainbows and miniature versions of himself out of his hands. How they thought of that headline, I’ll never know. I’d be lying though if I said I wasn’t curious as to what inspired them to write it.
But things have been off here in Metropolis these last two or three days. Everything feels…. different for some reason. I can’t quite put my finger on it but it’s like the city is suddenly taking a turn for the worse, but I can’t explain how. Maybe it’s simply because I’ve actually managed to intervene in more criminal actions these last few days than I have since I put on this damn thing. It’s unusual that I’m so ‘lucky’ these days. Can’t believe I used the term ‘lucky’ to describe witnessing a crime in progress. Perhaps what’s most perverse is that I think that I’m slowly becoming desensitised to it.
Goodness knows what it’s done to Clark by this point. Hell, maybe it finally got to him. That would explain why I haven’t seen him on the roof of Amertek these last few days. At least I hope that’s why I haven’t seen him. Last thing I want to think is that something bad may have happened to him. He’s a good young man and unlike most in his generation, he tries to find the positives in everything. I dread to think what sort of Superman he’d be if he didn’t have that outlook.
Whatever it is that’s taken Clark’s attention away from Metropolis is irrelevant for me though. Without a Superman to watch over it, I’ve had to step up and try to fill the hole left by his absence. Hopefully word doesn’t get out that Superman’s missing. The last thing I need is everyone going crazy knowing that there’s no Superman to stop them. I might be able to do more than police, but I’m still nowhere near his capabilities, and everyone knows that.
To compensate for my lack of superhearing and supersight, I’ve been forced to fast track the microdrones I’d been developing and deploy them throughout Metropolis. Sure I might not be able to be everywhere but at least these help me to prioritise where I’m needed. Instinct will only take you so far. Praise the wonder that is multimillion dollar technology. Hopefully the United States government won’t mind that I’m currently using an early stage prototype of their new surveillance programme idea. Then again, won’t they don’t know won’t hurt them.
It’s thanks to the surveillance programme that I’m able to witness an abduction first hand. Well, as first hand as watching a camera live stream an abduction can be. Running an image of the victim through the suits databases identifies him as Vernon Fraser, 64 years old. Recently widowed and retired from his job as a Lexcorp security guard four years ago. Can’t imagine he’s got many life savings stashed away thanks to the wages Lionel used to pay but he seems happy enough with his dog for company. Makes it rather heart-breaking to watch his kidnapper gun down his dog with three shots to the head.
”Miko! You bastard! What did you do to her?”
”I gave her a quick end. Can’t say you’ll be so lucky.”
”What do you mean? What do you want with me?”
”Oh we’ll have plenty of time to go over that later Mr. Fraser. But first, does this smell like chloroform to you?”
Before Fraser has a chance to run, his kidnapper forces a rag into his face and holds it there ten seconds. On camera it looks like an ordinary piece of cloth and it’s difficult to identify if there genuinely is chloroform on it. That’s quickly confirmed as Mr. Fraser quickly loses consciousness and collapses back into the arms of the kidnapper. I attempt to angle the cameras to get a proper look at the kidnapper’s face without allowing him to see the camera, to no avail. It doesn’t help that he’s wearing a ski mask over his face as well.
As he carries Mr. Fraser to what I assume is his car, I have the camera attached to the bottom of his car so I can track the vehicle across Metropolis. I’m not sure what this kidnapper’s motives are but I suspect they’re anything but good for Mr. Fraser.