[b]Boston, MA[/b]

A straight jab with a kiloton of force behind it strikes Robert in the chest, knocking him off his feet and sending him rocketing backwards down the street and slamming into the side of a police car used to create a makeshift barricade, denting it.

“Whoa!” The police sergeant overseeing the scene, MacManus, bellows while peering over the hood of the car, “You okay, kid?”

He could say no, that his head’s swimming and the wind was knocked out of him, but he figured that wouldn’t inspire much confidence. As much as being a superhero was about saving lives, there was the inescapable facet of image.

“I’ll live.” Robert grumbles, getting back up to his feet. His foe must hear his declaration.

[b]|Living is unacceptable. Death is target objective. Living is counter-productive.|[/b]

Robert rolls his eyes. He hated fighting robots, but apparently this one was special, an old school foe of the Marvels.

Billy told Robert its name was Mister Atom, though it didn’t look anything like the pictures Billy had shown him. That made sense, Robert figured, what with it being a piece of technology that was capable of being upgraded; if it still looked the same every five years he’d either be shocked or supremely disappointed. Sure enough, whoever was maintaining Mister Atom had gone and given him a new coat of paint as well as a few extra bells and whistles hidden away in a sleek, new body.

Like machine gun turrets hidden away inside the forearms.

[b]|Kindly die.|[/b]

Robert’s quick on his feet, speeding towards Mister Atom and grabbing hold of the android’s arms before it can react. Whoever rebuilt the robot did well, but its build is nothing compared to the strength of Hercules. The arms rip from its body like a cheap action figure, Robert tossing the useless limbs aside. Mister Atom tries to strike back, lifting its leg to kick Robert, but he catches the foot before it can connect, tightens his grip, picks up and slams the android into the ground, over and over again.

He gives the android an appraising look, now nothing more than a dented husk, and he drops the limp body onto the concrete, “Clear!” He shouts to the onlooking police force.

“Yeah, I’ll say.” MacManus is the first one over the barricade, chuckling at the sight of what’s left of Mister Atom, nearly unrecognizable from a hunk of scrap metal one might find in a junkyard.

“You really did a number on him.”

“I’m just doing my job, Sergeant.” Robert flashes a smile, playing it off like a joke.

“Well then, keep up the good work.” MacManus extends a hand to Robert, one the hero readily takes.

“Thanks for the help, Captain Marvel.”

[i][b]It still feels weird to be called that,[/b][/i] Robert thinks to himself.

“Please, Sergeant, I’ve told you before… it’s just [i]Thunder[/i] now.”

“Yeah, well,” MacManus brings his hand back to his side, “we hadn’t seen the big guy around in a little while; we figured you’d inherited the title or something…”

Robert clears his throat uncomfortably, “The other guy’s just… on vacation.”

MacManus gives Robert a look, one that says he doesn’t quite believe him, but it doesn’t seem as though he’ll press the issue, “[i]Uh-huh[/i]… well, whatever rank you are, we’re just happy to have you here, protecting our city.”

“Glad to be of help. Now, if you’ll excuse me…” Robert begins lifting off the ground, floating away from MacManus, “I’ve got an appointment in Star City.” He turns and picks up speed, out of sight before the sergeant can even blink.

As he’s flying through the air, his earpiece begins ringing, alerting him to an incoming call. He taps the tiny earbud, “Hello?”

[i]-Where are you off to in such a hurry?-[/i]

[i]Billy.[/i] “Well, y’know, it’s such a nice day out today, I figured I’d go for a leisurely stroll—”

[i]Oh, can the jokes, would you?-[/i] Robert bites his tongue. [b][i]No, Billy wasn’t bitter, not at all…[/i][/b]

“I’m headed to Star City.” Robert tells him straight up, “I’ve got to talk to Ditto.”

[i]-Why? Y’know, you don’t owe him or his team anything. You were only a part of Young Justice for three months, if that. Besides, you’ve got larger concerns now. Mister Atom usually only comes around when there’s a new Monster Society in the wings. You should be focusing on that.-[/i]

Robert rolls his eyes. Since he’d lost the mantle of Captain Marvel, Billy had become a bit insufferable as of late. Robert figured it was him regressing, back to when he was a kid in the foster care system, before he had powers, but he was nearly at wits end with him. What Robert [i]didn’t[/i] say was that the visit to Young Justice was also a chance to hang around some people he actually liked.

“Look, Billy, I actually consider these guys my friends, so if you don’t mind—”

[i]-Y’know what, do whatever you want!- [/i]

The call ends there, with Billy snapping at Robert and hanging up, and Robert breathing a sigh of relief that his “conversation” with Billy was over. He felt bad for him, honestly, but that didn’t change the fact that Billy was acting like a total jerk to him. Why, though, because he was jealous? That was one theory, but Robert didn’t pay it much mind, especially not in the last few days or so. Not after an impromptu meeting with Superman. Not after Robert had been offered probationary Justice League membership.

Still, there was some part of him, some small, nagging part, which made Robert think he wasn’t ready. He hadn’t even been Captain Marvel for a year yet, but the League was already considering him for membership? Was it because of the name he carried? Was it penance for having to remove Billy after his fall from grace? Or was it that they genuinely considered Robert up to the task?

He needed a second opinion, and he knew where to get the best available, from a man who knows Superman as well as anyone.

[i]Star City,[/i] home to Young Justice and the hero sponsored by the Man of Steel himself: Ditto.