I hadn't thought this through completely.
'So many people…' Whether they were screaming as they ran or just standing there staring at me.
'There are too many eyes…'
I didn't even need to see them to know they were watching, whispering, thinking for a moment that I was Superman.
*"Titan, calm down and assess the situation."* Waller's voice crackled over the radio, and I felt myself calm down just a little. I gave a nod—even though I doubted she could see me—and responded.
"There's a blonde woman trapped under an ATV, and the ship is really big." In fact, it was the largest I'd ever seen.
*"Help her, then stop the ship. You will do this, Titan."*
Taking a deep breath, I landed next to the blonde, who made me flinch with her yelling. "Get this off me!"
I nodded, grabbed one of the wheels and lifted the ATV with one hand. With my other hand, I reached out to her. Scoffing, she took my hand, allowing me to help her up and set the ATV down.
"At least someone was able to show up," the blonde hissed before leaning heavily against me—and I froze.
'What do I do?' Training never covered rescues. I was out of my element. 'When am I ever in my element?'
"Hey!" I looked down and caught her collarbone as she looked up at me. "Put me back on the ATV and stop that ship!"
I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. My shoulders slumped slightly. I nodded and lifted her before placing her on the ATV again.
*"Titan, do you copy?"*
"Y-yes?"
*"You need to stop the cruise ship now, before it ploughs through a sailboat."*
Another deep breath as I backed away from the blonde woman, who muttered something I couldn't catch. The world seemed to darken, my mind only focused on the sky and the looming cruiser.
'Okay Titan, you got this.'
No pressure, right? Lives were now in the hands of a former junkie turned superhuman—not at all terrifying.
Lifting off the ground, I shot toward the cruise ship. My eyes caught both the people on the sailboat waving their arms in fear and confusion and the cruise ship's passengers waving back.
'Okay Titan, how do we stop a ship?'
As I approached the massive metal giant, I realized I still didn't have a plan.
"Umm… Waller? How do I stop it?"
I heard what must've been a sigh from her and couldn't help but wince slightly. 'Mess up.'
*"Titan, you are strong. Far stronger than you can believe."*
My hearing focused on her words as I was engulfed by the ship's shadow.
*"I believe that right now you are stronger than some of the Justice League."*
I wasn't sure why, but whenever the Justice League or Batman was mentioned, my heart dropped and my breath hitched.
'Yet I'm stronger.'
'Better.'
I flew closer to the cruise ship, hands outstretched toward it. Closing my eyes just as I made contact, I felt myself being moved—but the ship didn't stop moving.
To be seen.
My hands tensed, and I felt the metal give under my strength. Slowly, inch by inch, the ship began to halt.
*"Titan!"*
My eyes snapped open at Waller's voice. I looked around, realizing I was a bit higher than before.
*"You stopped the cruise ship. Now try lowering it slowly, further out at sea."*
'Lower it?'
I looked down and froze, staring at the ship's bottom. 'I'm lifting a big ship.'
I knew Waller said I was strong, but I didn't realize it was this strong.
"Slowly… I can do slowly…" I muttered to myself, moving forward with the ship.
Click.
I blinked at the sound and looked up—dozens of people had their phones or cameras out.
"Mom, we're flying!"
My eyes found a kid being held by an older woman, who was snapping photos—of me.
"Hey! Look over here!"
My head turned from the kid to a group of people with cameras, and I was promptly blinded by dozens of flashes.
'So many people…'
I tilted my head down, trying to ignore the voices on the ship, but I couldn't help overhearing.
"Is he one of Superman's protégés?"
"No way! Don't you see? Unlike Superman, this guy's got all dark colors. Wonder if he's like a Super Batman?"
"So, is he a rip-off or an upgrade?"
I felt my hands clamp tighter, crushing the metal further, now fully feeling the ship's weight.
'If I let…'
Gulping down the saliva that built up, I shook the thought away before it fully formed.
'I have to show Waller that her trust and faith in me wasn't pointless!'
I moved further out until I heard Waller's voice.
*"That's far enough, Titan. Lower the ship slowly and get back to the bay."*
I nodded and carefully lowered the ship until I felt resistance. Looking down, I saw the bottom disappear beneath the water. I slowly released, watching as the ship floated steadily, then floated back slightly.
"Titan!"
I looked up to the ship's railing, where a young boy—slightly younger than me—waved excitedly.
"Thank you!"
I felt something warm bloom in my chest—and it wasn't my laser vision.
Nodding at the boy, I saw his smile widen as he turned to his parents. That warmth dimmed slightly as I looked at the happy family.
Shaking my head before more thoughts could form, I turned and flew toward the bay, where reporters and crowds had gathered.
"W-Waller? There are a lot of people…"
I heard her chuckle softly over the radio before she calmly responded.
*"This is the next part of being seen, Titan. Now I need you to follow my words as closely as you can, okay?"*
I gulped as flashes of cameras rained down on me while I flew closer to the bay.
"O-Okay."
-
"Excuse me!"
Rolling her eyes, she watched as the media flashed their cameras at the floating man.
'He was warm.'
When she leaned against him, she was surprised for a moment by the heat he seemed to generate—it must've been due to him flying here.
'He's new.'
It wasn't just because she'd never heard of this dark suited hero before, but also the way he held himself—it was like looking at a newborn foal trying to stand on its own.
"…Have no fear, the ship has been handled."
She raised a brow at the modulated voice. Beneath it, she could tell whoever was behind the mask was young.
'Younger than I would have thought.'
He might have been a few years younger than the black-and-blue hero of Bludhaven.
"Titan, are you one of the new members of the Justice League?"
She tilted her head at the question a reporter asked, shoving a device in front of the hero. She watched him tilt his head before speaking.
"I'm not a member of any group."
More reporters pushed their recorders in his direction, firing off more questions. She would have gotten up, but her ankle was still in pain.
"I'm here… to help when others can't."
He backed away, walking on the water before shooting up—leaving most questions unanswered.
'Titan, huh?'
She'd remember that name. But for now, she needed to get back to the office.
-
"D-Did you see that, Waller?" I said the moment I landed on the helipad, where she was waiting with a small smile.
"I did, Titan. Good work on your first day."
I smiled as I took off the helmet, which released a small hiss.
"Now, Dean, I'm sure you're tired, so why don't you get some rest? Later, we can go over everything that happened."
I nodded as she patted me on the arm before taking the helmet from my hands. I followed her for a moment but then took a different elevator. I gave her a smile, which she returned just as the elevator doors closed.
The moment they did, I collapsed onto the floor with a heavy thud.
'Holy shit.'
My heart was racing.
'I saved people.'
That warmth in my chest — I knew it wasn't my laser vision — returned, along with a smile that made me laugh.
"I saved people. Me! They… they were so happy."
I ran my gloved hand through my hair, smile still plastered on.
'I feel like I could take on anything.'
If it wasn't for Waller's words, I would have asked if I could keep helping people for the day.
"No, Waller knows better. I should rest and regain whatever strength I lost for later."
Though I said that, I felt stronger than I ever had in my life.
The ding of the elevator brought me back to reality and with a smaller smile, I stood up and waited for the doors to open.
'I'll—Titan will help more people. We'll show them that there's a Hero.'