The police pulled up in half a ring before Hazmat and the unconscious Shocker. Chief of Police, David McNeil sprouted from a police vehicle along with other officers who immediately rushed toward Officer Miller and Officer Cassidy.
A young, black officer named Sean gazed in awe at Hazmat and his charred police uniform. âWhat the hell happened to you?â
Hazmat uncomfortably scratched at the corner of his right sideburn as he answered, âLong story.â
âWow, you caught The Shocker by yourself?â
It bothered Matthew to have to take credit that wasnât entirely his. That strange, escaped prisoner and serial killer had helped him, but he couldnât mention her not without becoming her accomplice. âOfficer Cassidy helped too.â
Sean glanced to Officer Cassidy who slowly noddedâshe was still lost for words.
Chief McNeil crossed the distance in his black, long coat and waved his hand dismissively at the new recruit.
âThatâs enough of your questions. Letâs get this criminal behind bars ASAP.â
Two officers, including Sean, stooped down to heft and drag The Shocker toward a police car, while a third confiscated his gauntlets. The chief then set his hand on Hazmatâs shoulder and asked, âCan I speak with you for a moment?â
Oh lordâŠhere it comes. Hazmat just walked with the chief over to his ruined vehicle. It made him ache to see it again. The chief released his shoulder and continued, âNow before you go tellinâ anybody else. What exactly happened here? And look at you, you look like a firefighter. You used your powers didnât you? I know The Shocker is called The Shocker and all, but heâs a different kind of shock. You better make sure you tell me everything because if I see this anywhere on Youtube, Iâm gonna be on your ass Miller!â
Hazmat smiled nervously and explained, âI might have used my powers a li-â He had raised his right hand, emphasizing what he would have meant by âa littleâ by pinching the air between his index finger and thumb; but the chief had given him the stink eye. âl~lotâŠokay, this part of the city was lit like Christmas, but I had no choice. He had kil-ermâŠhe had tried to kill Officer Cassidy.â He then threw his hands in the direction of his car. âHe wrecked my car. Look at this? Do you know how much this is gonna cost me? I canât afford this! I nearly spent my life buyinâ the damn thing and havinâ it modified into a police car.â
Chief McNielâs brown brows furrowed. If he had used his powers in the way that he described, then the whole world must have seen him. He turned his attention away from Miller to sweep the windows of the apartment complex. He saw glowing in the window a cell phone that some kid must have been recording the whole thing on. His nose wrinkled angrily before he asked, âI noticed we lost our radio for a few minutes. Do you think it was because of your powers? If we lost radio, then your ability could have acted like an EMP for all electronics in the area, which means the chances of anyone recording your fight is impossible?â
Matthew stared at the chief stupidly for a few secondsâbrows raised and eyes wide. He had no idea. All he knew was that he had the ability to absorb different forms of energy, but beyond that he didnât know what the externalities were. His hat tilted forward a little as he scratched the back of his head.
âYeahâŠâ he said dubiously.
The chief glanced to Officer Cassidy who was looking a little spacey.
âHow is Officer Cassidy taking this?â
Matthew dropped his hand and glanced to the female officer who was watching the rest of the crew setting up police tape. Her hands were clinching her biceps as though she were holding herself. She seemed slightly unsettled.
âIâll have to talk to her about it.â It wasnât like she was his partner.
âYou do that, andâŠâ the chief sighed. âWeâll see what we can do about your car. You just keep your mouth shut to anyone else about this. This includes the press if they get in your face. You be sure to tell Officer Cassidy the same.â
âWill do, Sir,â Hazmat replied. If the NYPD was planning to handle his expenses, then that put him in a better mood.
Once the chief strode away, Hazmat walked over to Officer Cassidy. How was he going to do this?
âHey, we need to talk,â he began.
Officer Cassidy faced Officer Miller with a chatisizing demeanor all of a sudden. She didnât look like the lost and confused belle she had a second ago.
âWhen were you gonna tell me?â she asked.
Matthew arched a brow at her. âWhat? When? Never if I could help it.â
Officer Cassidy frowned. âSo this whole time I would have never known that I was eating lunch with a super man?â
âHey, Iâm nowhere near comparable to that guy. The chief doesnât want me usinâ my powers because it may draw negative attention to the NYPD and discourage the other officers.â
âNegative attention? I think itâs great that the NYPD has a leg up on all these super villains. Do you know how tiring it is to show up at a crime scene only to be considered cannon fodder for the super hero handling the situation? We were always the cleanup crew, but now we have a super copâ she playfully emphasized.
âKeep your voice down. Iâm not a super cop. Iâm just your typical defender of the peace.â
Officer Cassidy rolled her eyes. âAnd Iâm Wonder Woman.â
âCan we not talk about this anymore? I need to find that girl.â
âDid you tell the chief about her?â
âOf course not. If he knew we let her go, he would have our badges.â
âAnd what are you gonn do when you find her? You canât arrest her because she said she would escape.â
Hazmat scowled in frustration. âI donât know. I guess I just want her in my sights at all times. I canât have her goinâ around killinâ whomever she pleases. I want to learn what sheâs all about and see if thereâs any way she can get some sort of help. She couldnât have gotten far unless she has some sort of super speed.â
âYou can take my car.â
âYou sure?â
âYeah, just donât wreck it like yours.â
âI didnât wreck it. He blew my baby up!â
Officer Cassidy smirked. He always got so touchy when people mentioned his car. The female officer removed her keys and handed it to him. She then turned to help with the clean up.
Rolling her keys in his hand, Hazmat watched Officer Cassidy saunter away and asked, âHey, when do you get off?â
She turned a green eye over her shoulder. âWhen you do.â
âYou want to have dinner later?â
âSure. Call me.â
âWill do!â
Hazmat grinned egotistically. She made him feel like a pro at this. Tossing the keys up, he caught them in his hand and set out to search for that Jane Doe.
It didnât take Hazmat too long to locate the mysterious Jane Doe just on the outskirts of China Town. She not only looked like an evil doll, but she was sitting on the dirty sidewalk like a bum when there were plenty of benches. The cop car pulled up to the sidewalk, and Hazmat reached over to the passenger door and opened it. Gazing sternly at the killer, Hazmat grabbed the speaker and spoke on the loud speaker, âGet in the car.â
He wasnât going to tell her twice.