"Features and abilities consistent with Amazon training and equipment..." Atom reported, noting that his and the woman's strength seemed just about even, "...threat level: Moderate." at that moment, one of the others blasted her with fire. It was the fire-type metahuman he rescued earlier. Determining this to be a suitable distraction, the robot kicked into full throttle so that the horsepower of his jet-engine thrusters could give the extra momentum he needed to finally tear the bus free from the Amazon's grasp.

"Civilians in hot zone. Updating mission parameters." rather than drop the bus and continue the assault on the Amazon, the robot instead lowered his altitude and placed the vehicle on the pavement near his fire-wielding allies, "Hostages secured," he stated, reporting both to Trent and the Torch. He took that moment to also tear off the rear doors of the bus so that the people inside had a wide enough exit to get out through, or perhaps for others to climb in if that was a preferable plan, "I must capture the Amazon, but protecting human lives overwrites it as a priority. I can continue the assault but only if they're protection continues after my absence."

This, in a way, was Atom's weakness. As powerful as the robot was, the Three Laws he was programmed with ultimately limited what he could do. If one of the other supers volunteered to take up protection of the hostages and other civilians, then Atom could get back into the fight and take down the Amazon with no restrictions. Until then, however, he was bound by the Three Laws to remain there.