Mick flew off the couch as his phone's ringing startled him from a dead sleep. He used webs to pull the phone that had now flown across the livingroom to him, then answered quickly. "We have a job?"
"Don't tell me you're still sleeping," Agent Coulson's voice came over the speaker.
"No, I was uh," Mick scrambled for the remote as if Coulson could actually see him, "watching TV."
"With his eyes closed," Steph barked from her room. Mick mouthed some very nasty words, grateful that Coulson could neither see nor hear it.
"There's been an attack in Metropolis. Looks to be another Superman incident, accept this one is a female. We need boots on the ground and you're the closest one to it," Coulson said firmly.
"A girl Superman?" Mick shook his head thinking back to the Phantom Superman incident and how hard it was to take that thing down. "How far away are Fitz and Simmons? We're going to need some better weapons if she's anything as strong as he is."
"Our source in LuthorCorp says they may be able to help bring with that," Coulson said as Mick grunted. "I know, I don't like working with them either, but we don't have much of a choice. They did help in the Phantom incident."
"Yeah," Mick sighed. "I'll get the team in the air."
"Good, we'll have backup in route to handle cleanup," Coulson said before the line disconnected.
"Alex, Steph, gear up. We've got a job to do. Might get a little messy, so bring your weapons and your A-game," Mick called out. "I'll debrief everyone at Pat's."
"Weapons, and A-game? Sounds like this is going to be a real fancy party," Alex grabbed his bow and quiver from his closet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Superman slammed through several buildings before creating a crater in the road. He moved quickly trying to recompose himself, the sunlight helping him recover. He caught two cars before they crashed into the crater he created, laying them safely on the road. His attacker then launched at him, he barely had time to catch her fist, the collision only deepening the crater.
"Who do you think you are, that you can wear the symbol of the House of El?" she spun Superman before he fully regained his balance, throwing him high into the atmosphere.
The air thinned, the rays from the sunlight strengthened, helping him to recompose faster. The woman launched herself at him again, blasting lasers at him from her eyes. He then used his arms to protect himself. The woman collided with him, this time, met with a powerful force of resistance from him. Clark spun around her, wrapping an arm around her, using a tremendous amount of strength to slow her attack. Not wanting to hurt the woman, Clark tried to hold back. That was to his detriment, as she broke free from his grip, slinging him back down toward earth.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"And this is why we should support legislation for the Iron Dome initiative!" Ryan Ballade's voice came over the handheld TV Mick was holding.
"What makes us believe that woman has any connection to Superman?" Samantha Lane interrogated the senator.
"We've got witnesses on the ground that heard her mentioning the symbol on his chest!" Ryan argued.
"And," Lois Lane interrupted from beside Samantha. " I can put an American flag pin on my blouse, walk into the White House, and call myself important. Does that make me a senator?"
"That's not even-" Ryan started.
"The point is, we know Superman," Lois said firmly. "He's protected this city on numerous occasions. For all we know, this is just someone trying to tarnish his name. I have my bets on who it would be too." Lois said with a slant in her tone.
"I don't see how a journalist can look around and see that kind of destruction and call it heroic," Ryan sneered.
"And I don't see how someone can run for office with their head so far up their a-"
"And we need to go to a commercial break!" Samantha interrupted Lois just before the broadcast flipped.
"How can you watch that?" Steph asked as Mick switched the little TV off.
"Have you seen Lois and Samantha?" Alex nodded with a devilish smirk. "Sign me up for an episode of Between the Lane's anyday." Steph then punched her brother in the chest.
"They're a really good team," Jake said as Alex smirked again, ruffling Jake's hair. "Uncle Pat likes how they're so blunt with their interviews. He also says Aunt Spencer and Samantha go way back."
"And you haven't introduced us? What the heck man?" Alex fussed as Steph hit him again, while Mick stayed quiet on the issue.
"Brace for landing," Patten called out as the quinjet shifted.
"Masks on," Mick said as he looked around at the Outcasts, each one nodding.
The hatch opened, and there stood Lex Luthor, full black suit, white shirt, and black tie. He had several armed guards beside him. His fierce eyes going over the team, Mick followed Patten who was acting as commander. "Nice to see you again Agent Brent," Lex reached out, shaking Pat's hand. "And you, Recluse." The bitterness coming off Lex's tongue was just as much as the glare Mick met him with.
"SHIELD said you're willing to provide weapons that could assist us?" Patten said, glancing at Mick as they followed Lex and his team inside.
"Ah, yes," Lex smiled, leading them into his office. "I believe you may remember Doctor Bennet? He fashioned a baton for you, it has a kryptonite core. While it was hard to test, due to your special skills, we did manage. With a touch of electricity, the kryptonite core will activate, and that should help to even the playing field between you and your opponent."
"And just what makes you think that?" Alex asked, rather harshly.
"I've seen the Daily Planet's reporting," Lex stated smugly, opening a case on his desk with a black and green baton, much like the one Mick usually used, tucked neatly in foam. "Last time Superman happened upon a rock like this it weakened him, thankfully there was another there to save him." His tone didn't sound nearly as sincere as the words.
"So if I use this, it'll weaken both Superman and Supergirl?" Recluse asked as a grim look crossed Lex's face.
"That is our understanding," Lex said plainly. "That is, however, if we are correct in assuming they are both aliens, as it has been reported. Just be cautious. Too much exposure could be, how can I say this in front of children? Detrimental to their health."
"Understood," Mick lowered his head, as he accepted the weapon.
"Then I'll leave you and your team to it," Lex said, dismissing them from his office.
As they walked to the doors of the lobby, Mick turned to Pat and the Outcasts. "Here's what I want; You guys go get the civi's. Don't try to engage her. Trust me, if she's anything like the real Superman, she'll break you. SHIELD is sending a recovery unit. They should be here as soon as the situation is safe. I'm sure the Police and First Response are already trying. If you see someone doing something illegal, you know what to do," Mick said as the trio of kids nodded.
"I've got them. Don't die," Pat said as Mick shrugged.
"I'll try," Mick smirked. "Maybe if I do good enough, I can get on Between the Lanes," Mick teased as Steph looked at him with shock as he and Alex high fived.
"You men, I swear," Steph shook her head.
Mick used webs to separate from his team, pausing on the roof near the Daily Planet. "Superman, if you can hear me. I'm down here to help," Mick wasn't sure how good Superman's hearing really was. He also wasn't sure how well Superman would be able to hear while he was fighting such a fierce opponent.
No sooner than he said it, the wind rushed past him, two red and blue blurs. Then the ground shook, the spinning planet atop the Daily Planet began to groan. Mick looked down to see Superman blocking several blows from Supergirl, each hit causing another shockwave. Mick felt it in his body before it happened, the support for the planet snapped. He jumped on instinct, webs flying in every direction. He made several layers of webs on his way down, none of it seemed to be enough as the planet hit one, and they began to snap. He used his bio-electricity to push his muscles into moving faster, engaging his grip boots, running up the side of the building between his web ropes until he could see the other side of the plummeting planet. Another stream of webs hit the golden planet, as Mick tried hard to brace them on the buildings as tried hard to stop the fall.
The golden planet began floating upward, Mick feeling slightly more relieved now having more time to cocoon the deadly ball, only to have those hopes dashed as Superman was sent flying. Thankfully his webs were enough to hold it this time, to which Mick then jumped down, brandishing the new blade, green electricity sparking all around him, burning even himself. The woman, dressed with a similar emblem to Superman, recoiled at the radiant green light, dropping to the ground as Recluse slammed the baton into her, knocking her to the ground.
"You're not just a human," she stood, staring at Recluse with intrigue, her blonde hair shimmering as sunlight flickered through the web net above them. "Yet you would align yourself with a minion of Zod? Is this whole planet corrupted already?"
"I don't know what a Zod is, but I know who Superman is," Recluse had to relent his electricity to the blade as his hand and arm burned.
The woman's power seemed to return, as she seemed to appear before him in an instant, looking down at the weapon on the ground and the wounds on his arm, she kicked the baton away in disgust. For a moment, she appeared to want to show compassion in her blue eyes before they flashed yellow. She grabbed Recluse, lifting him off the ground, rearing back to swing. Mick felt the wind from the swing, but never the impact. To his surprise, Superman had her arm held in his hands.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex ran behind Patten, pulling a trick arrow, as Steph had lovingly named them. He fired it, then pressed a button on his wrist band when it was exactly where he wanted it. The tip exploded, and a powerful web-like netting stretched high above them reaching between the two buildings, catching several tons of debris as the webbing stretched downward.
"Thank you!" a woman holding her child called out looking back at Alex who nodded at her.
"Good shot, now let's keep it up! I'm working on getting a bio-scan of the building," Pat said.
Steph's eyes shot toward a bodega where a small boy was trapped by a fire and falling debris. She ran out into the street, sliding over the hood of a taxi as it skidded to a stop. She kept running hard, leaping into the small clearing rolling as she landed with the fire singeing her suit. The boy was in a state of panic, which meant Steph was going to have a rough time getting him out. She acted fast, grabbing the boy as he screamed. Thankfully her suit was designed with withstand some heat, as she carried the boy to where her brother met her taking the boy through the small opening.
"I'm sure there's plenty more where that came from," Steph said as Alex helped her free after setting the boy down.
"There's three inside here!" Patten called out, pointing at an apartment complex that was smoking.
"Race you up!" Alex said, pulling out his air purifying mouthpiece.
"You're on," Steph smirked, pulling out her own as Pat kicked open the door.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I must stop Zod from destroying the galaxy! I have to get revenge for him destroying my family!" The woman screamed, releasing Mick, then swinging at Superman, who caught the punch.
"Who is your family?" Superman held both of her hands tightly as she fought to break free against his incredible grip.
"My father is Zor-El, my mother is Alura, my uncle was Jor-El, his wife Lara and their son Kal-El," something about those names she said impacted Superman. He looked at the girl as Recluse noticed her earrings flash yellow, and she became more aggressive, just like her eyes had.
Electricity sparked around his hands as he reached for the woman, grabbing her just as she broke free from Superman's grip. She let out a scream, then there were two loud pops, and she collapsed, Recluse catching her, and laying her down, both of her earring smoking. Superman and Recluse looked at each other, as Superman knelt down, taking the earrings from her and examining them closely.
"Yellow kryptonite mixed with some kind of radio signal," Superman said in disgust. "Someone was controlling her fears."
"But who would do that, much less have the know how?" Recluse asked as Superman's eyes narrowed, then he looked away.
"It doesn't matter right now," he said firmly. "I'm going to take her somewhere safe to recover. I'm sure the last thing she needs is a SHIELD interrogation. Much less a trip to the Raft."
"You know I wasn't here for that," Recluse said as Superman nodded with a smile.
"I'll make sure you're updated when I get information," Superman said as Recluse nodded. "Thanks for your help."
Recluse stepped back as Superman picked up the blonde woman, then launched into the air. He couldn't help but be a little jealous of the ability to fly. He loved being in the air, if felt defying gravity, almost like defying fate itself.
Samantha and Lois came bursting out of the Daily Planet building with several other reporters, as Lois pushed them aside, claiming she has Superman exclusive rights. "What? Where is he?" Lois looked around seeing Recluse standing in the aftermath, then everyone gasped seeing the planet dangling in a blanket of webs.
"Looks like Superman already fled the scene, you're out of a story Lane!" a snarky older man with glasses scoffed as he started up toward Recluse.
"Actually," Recluse cleared his throat. "Superman left me with instructions to fill Ms. Lane in on what happened." Both Lois and Samantha seemed quite amused at this, yet Recluse's eyes were focused on Samantha. "Only if I get to talk to both of you though."
"Fair enough, Spider-guy," Lois said sarcastically. "This your handy work?" she pointed up at the hanging golden globe.
"I had a little help," Recluse said with a grin, as Samantha looked at him slyly.
Recluse followed Lois into her office with Sam, shutting the door behind them. Lois sat down at her desk, while Sam walked over and leaned on the wall, offering Recluse the seat.
"Guess we should start with this, what's your mask policy?" Lois said, looking across the desk with intrigue.
"I like my anonymity when it comes to the public, but that's because I'm protecting my team," Recluse said as Lois nodded.
"So what do we call you?" Samantha asked, she'd clearly been examining him which caused him to smile.
"Your next date?" he said with a sly smirk, only for Samantha to roll her eyes. "But on a serious note. Recluse is fine."
"I don't date guys in masks anymore," Samantha said as Lois laughed.
"I get that," Lois replied. "Guys in masks like to do weird things." Both Recluse and Samantha looked at her in shock, as she just held her arms up innocently. "Oh don't act so innocent. Let's get back on topic. Fill us in on what happened out there."