[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/CAJhOXG.png[/img][/center] [h3]Baltimore[/h3] The Inner Harbor area of Baltimore stood as a testament of the city’s long ongoing revival. Everyone knew of the city as “Bodymore”, the murder capital of America. Pictures of drug dealers and bodies from [i]The Wire[/i] were permanently branded in people’s minds as the prevailing image of Baltimore. But years of development and tax dollars had revitalized the scenic Inner Harbor until it was Baltimore’s top tourist destination. Yeah, sure, the corner boys still owned the streets in West Baltimore, and America’s ongoing “opioid crisis” had revitalized the open air drug markets in Pimlico, but here in the Inner Harbor you could see what Baltimore could really become. [img]https://comicvine.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/10/100990/1841934-atomic_skull_martin.jpg[/img] “SUCK MY DICK!” People ran for dear life across the harbor pavilions while the Atomic Skull’s powerful blasts tore through the newly constructed Chipotle. Atomic Skull let out a cackle and blasted the building again. “This is what you get for charging two whole dollars for some guac! Now where the fuck is the Trader Joe's?” Flames of atomic energy licked at the Skull’s hands. He set his empty sockets towards a group of students who were fleeing from the scene. He laughed and aimed a hand towards them. Green energy began to charge from the closed fist. “I would say sorry for this… but you chose to come to this shithole willingly.” Before he could get the blast off a powerful fist blindsided the Atomic Skull and drove him headfirst into the ground. The impact of the Skull's head on the ground shattered windows in buildings across the Inner Harbor. [img]https://i.imgur.com/NL4ez2X.jpg?1[/img] “That’s enough sightseeing for the day, Martin.” “That’s not fair,” The Skull mumbled as he stood on shaky legs. “What kind of hero just suckerpunches someone? The fu--” His statement was cut off by Superman. He jumped into the air, driving his knee into Martin’s jaw. The force at which the jaw snapped shut cracked both top and bottom front two teeth in the Skull’s mouth. The knee drove the Skull a hundred feet in the air. At the apex of his ascent, Superman met him and drove him back into the ground with a punch to the sternum. The force of the Atomic Skull’s fall cracked the cement sidewalk. The fissures from the concrete shot across the Harbor and ran up several buildings, causing structural damage to the walls. Superman chided himself and remembered to make a note of the damage he’d done. The crater the Skull had caused was nearly ten feet deep, a broken and bruised Atomic Skull at the bottom of it. Superman landed above him and looked down. His emerald green flames were down to embers and some sort of green liquid that passed for blood stained the Skull’s clothes. Superman stepped into the crater and stood over the Skull. Joseph Martin had been the monstrosity known as The Atomic Skull for almost ten years now. Something like this was out of character for him. He was an idiot, yes, but he was never destructive for the sake of it. He never did anything without some kind of angle. “Ewww mudda fudda,” Martin said through cracked teeth. “What was the point?” Superman asked. “All this damage--” “Eww did moah dan me,” The Skull shot back. “You just wanted to terrorize, Martin?” “Got paid.” Superman raised an eyebrow at that. “Who?” he asked. “Heahahahe,” Martin laughed. “I haf noaw idea! Dey jus sed get Supaman’s attention.” Choppers flew overhead. Superman looked up from the broken Skull. Two helicopters with the SHIELD logo on them were hovering above the Inner Harbor and watching. Superman knew agents and containment units wouldn’t be far behind. “Enjoy prison, Martin. Hopefully they can fix your teeth.” “Fuff eww,” Martin shouted as Superman leapt into the sky. [hr] [h3]The White House[/h3] “What’s next on the agenda?” Calvin Ellis stepped out of the bathroom and adjusted the knot in his tie before slipping his glasses on. Pete Ross leaned against the wall of the corridor with his arms crossed. “Meeting with Senator Siegel,” said Pete. “He and a few friendly senators are going to discuss supreme court nominees.” The two men started down the hallway towards the Oval Office. “Everything okay?” Pete whispered. “Yes,” replied Calvin. “Just… umm, make sure our fiscal budget this summer has some funds set aside for rebuilding Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.” “You know, Cal, you’re gonna revitalize this nation’s crumbling infrastructure,” said Pete. Calvin paused at the door leading into the Oval Office and looked at his friend.. “One supervillain battle at a time.” Calvin shook his head as Pete opened the door. He stepped inside the Oval Office with Pete right behind him.